what do speakers assume?

Last month, I spent nearly as much time in the audience as I did up front as a speaker, and from that vantage point, I noticed lots of speakers making faulty assumptions about their audiences or their speeches. (For example, I saw lots of speakers assume they could hold the microphone anywhere and still be heard.) So I asked fans of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook what speaker assumptions they'd noticed, and whether those assumptions were right or wrong. Here's what they said:

• Germaine Palangdao called out speakers for "Acronyms - they assume everyone knows acronyms."
• Cynthia Baugh-Gunder Hill wrote, "Of the many audiences I have been in this past summer listening to speakers on various subjects related to education and special needs... I must agree with the acronyms and the audience not being able to hear clearly. In addition... speakers that use PowerPoint and the lights are dimmed to the point that you can't make any notes, even if they supply you with a copy of the slides."
• Tiffany Lohwater added, "speakers who assume that their audience can/should read the 15+ text bullets on one slide in small font, before they click on to the next one!"

That's why I was glad to see this week that Marjorie Brody, writing on the Six Minutes blog, notes 8 faulty speakers assumptions and what you can do to fix them.  Her list includes:

1.Deep knowledge of a topic alone will enable me to present ideas on it.
2.My audience members are mind readers.
3.I can present information/concepts that took me 3 months to learn in a 20-minute presentation.
4.Everyone in my audience is equal.
5.I don’t need to practice out loud.
6.I’ll have plenty of time to get there.
7.If I get off the platform/stage, I will be closer to audience members.
8.If I speak at my normal speed, everyone will understand me.

What do you notice speakers assuming when you're in the audience? Can you think of assumptions you make when you're speaking--and what to do about them? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments. I just know we can add to these lists!

And check out my checklist for the whole speaker, designed to help you get at some of the most basic speaker assumptions--from your content to what you're wearing--before you speak.

free ebook on speaking and Twitter

For those of you who've been wondering how to handle an audience that's commenting about your speech or presentation on Twitter--while you're speaking, here's a post about a new, free ebook that every speaker needs, with guidance for what to do before, during and after your presentation.  Check it out!

Where is my (eloquent woman) badge?

Today, The Eloquent Woman on Facebook passed the 1,500-fan mark.  Want to celebrate? You can add this fan badge to your website, blog or FB page. Go here to do so--and thanks so much for your ideas, questions and inspiration for women (and other) speakers!

Denise Graveline is a fan of

The Eloquent Woman

Create your Fan Badge

week 12 wow: Stephanie's new message

One of the biggest thrills I get as a trainer is to watch someone make real progress as a speaker--and that might mean confidence, message skills and delivery successes, or much more. To see what I mean, watch Stephanie Benoit's contest entry for our Step Up Your Speaking program, less than 6 months ago:


Now watch her in week 12 of our coaching, trying for the second time to deliver a message:

And, I might add, Stephanie reports that she did that video message in just one take!

There's much to be proud about in Stephanie's message, delivery and motivation this week. Here's what I see:

• Her message is about facing her fear of public speaking with focus, frequency and faith. To put it across, she uses the most effective methods for translating what you want to say into a format audiences -- and you, the speaker -- can remember.  She used the rule of three key points as an outline for her message, and the alliteration helps us both remember what she wanted to put across.
• She built on her current experience, speaking from the heart.  Stephanie might have chosen a major world issue or current event, but instead, she talked about just what she's doing right now: Facing her fear of public speaking and sharing what she's learned from her own experience. That makes her message real and credible, and also makes it sing and resonate.
• She tells a story we can follow and to which we can relate.  There are lots of ways to add drama and storytelling skill to your message. One way is Stephanie's choice:  Talking about a problem (fear of speaking) and then the 3 qualities you need to slay that dragon of fear and succeed.  In the process, she makes it easy and even enjoyable for her audience to follow along.

Well done, Stephanie!  Another time, you may want to try an analogy or another method to dress up your message. But this one is outstanding.  And I'm impressed at the evidence of how far you've come.  

Got feedback or congrats for Stephanie? Please leave them in the comments.

Sussing out your speaker space: A checklist

Emily Culbertson posed this question some time ago: What should you know about the room in which you're speaking?  The room--especially its technology--is one of the six sets of questions in my checklist to prepare the whole speaker.  But here's a longer list of factors to consider when you're finding out about the room where you'll be speaking.  

1. What's the size and shape of the room?  Where should I stand? Is that my only option?
2. Will I be able to move around the room while I speak? Is there a remote and a portable microphone so I can control my technology if I move away from the front?  What's my range of motion with them--how far from the base technology can I get before sound fails or the remote stops working?  (That last question's important for speaker-phone-aided conference calls, too.)
3. What's the seating arrangement for the audience: theater-style in rows? classroom style, in rows with chairs and tables in front of the audience? open-square? U-shape (which lets the speaker walk into the square)?  Can I move around that arrangement for better eye contact and engagement?
4. If there's a lectern, what's on it or built into it? If a laptop is resting on it, is there room for anything else?
5. If I need a whiteboard, easel and flipcharts or something to write on, will it be available?
6. Is the room glass-enclosed or otherwise open to view or sound from another room?  Are there blinds or partitions to help avoid distracting views and noise?  If there's piped-in music (this happens in restaurants and other venues), can it be turned off?
7. Where are the electrical outlets for the speaker's laptop (or other technology)? Is there wireless Internet access? Hardwired access?  Will participants be able to get online, tweet or use email?
8. What will serve as the screen--a pull-down screen? A wall?
9. Will I need technical support for the sound system?  Can I meet that person 1/2 hour before my talk to go over what needs to be reviewed?

Several of these items might best be answered with an emailed photo -- especially of the room shape, seating, the lectern from the speaker's viewpoint, and more.  Or, if you have access to the room ahead of time, pull out your cellphone or Flip camcorder and record your own details.

It's rare, in my experience, that you'll have accurate answers to all these questions before your presentation. That's because others will have incomplete information or make assumptions that are different from yours. (I can't tell you how many times I've arrived to find no available electrical outlets or some other fragile technology, with the organizer saying something like, "Oh, there MUST be an outlet" when, in fact, there isn't one.)  So your job is to have that plan B, C, D and perhaps E, standing ready to adapt.  That's the most important question to ask yourself about any room: What will I do if it doesn't work the way we are hoping?  Share the questions you find it useful to ask about the room in the comments.

 

Related posts:  A checklist to prepare the whole speaker

 

Working with program managers

 

Use-or-lose lectern lessons

When the speech hands you lemons (about that plan B)

Making a message: using analogy

Making a message memorable is like checking your looks in the mirror:  The result has to work for you and for your audience. When you're trying to get your message across, analogy's a rhetorical device you can use to help you recall what you want to say, and help your audience remember it, too--if you think it through with care ahead of time.  Here's what to keep in mind when you're drawing comparisons to make your message stick:

• Look for analogies that carry your message through all three points:   This description of investment opportunities in a changing market builds on the well-worn phrase "that train has left the station," but carries the three points of the message forward, describing investor's uncertainty (they think the train's left), the opportunity they don't see (there's always another train coming along) and, finally, what they should be focused on (deciding when to get on board).
• Want to convey movement through either space or time?  Use transportation analogies, like the train example above, or sports in which either the athlete or the ball are moving (think swimming laps or hitting the ball out of the park).
• If you're describing scale and size, be careful with your measures and numbers.  Make sure they have some bearing in your audience's reality--stacking things up until they reach the moon sounds cool, but who knows what that really feels like? Check out this advice from Wall Street Journal "numbers guy" columnist Carl Bialik, who recounts some of the worst (and most effective) measures you can use in analogies.  Tip: Beware the odd comparison, like how many high-priced shoes all Americans could buy if we didn't go to war with Iraq--you'll just leave the audience members scratching their heads over that one.
• As with most message tactics, don't overdo.  One analogy is plenty for a message--or even an entire speech.  And if you're using other rhetorical devices, like alliteration, don't use an analogy.  You'll dilute the impact, and, worst-case scenario, wind up confusing rather than cementing your points.

Related posts: Glue to make your message stick

Good speeches: Messages in threes

How to develop a message

Want to see how not to do this? Check out this post of funny, if failed, analogies.

Week 11: Stephanie approaches speaking opps

Editor's note: Stephanie's coaching this week is a behind-the-scenes task, so she has written about her progress so far on the task of the week.

This week I was given the task of beginning my search for an actual speaking engagement. With all the information given to me from the previous post by Denise, you saw that I had a lot of work to do!

At this point, I've contacted three different places and am waiting to hear back from them. Even though this task appeared to be simple, it wasn't. I thought it would be easy to pick three places, but when I got started, I realized, I didn't know where I wanted to speak. There are so many options. This rose questions in my mind such as "Where do I want to speak?", "Who do I want to speak to?", and "Why do I want to speak to them?"

I started asking myself what it was that I had to share and why I felt the need to share it? I instantaneously became nervous as the phone rang on the other end. Thoughts ran through my mind like "What if they asked me something I couldn't answer? How would it make me look? Would that ruin my chances?"

Just like that, with this one task, I learned so much coupled with the extensive pointers I've been given. As I continue to look, I am now more focused than the first phone call and the first email because I've at least done it once before. Now all the advice given to me in the Week 11 post such as: have a bio or be ready to be asked or be able to answer certain questions, all make more sense to me than when I just read them without the application. This week's topic has definitely been a very productive learning experience for me! I look forward to continuing on and appreciate all the support! See you next week!

From Denise:  I'd add here that Stephanie's assignment was to focus on learning what local groups want from their speakers (and then, if she felt comfortable, to try to book a speech).  So my advice is to gather information first--you don't need to sign up to speak right away!  But when you are ready, your research and contacts will help you stand out.  As Stephanie rightly points out, this is one part of the process that you can't understand until you experience it.  She's in Florida, so if one of your groups has a speaking opportunity or advice to give, please share it in the comments!

Related posts:  Week 11: Working with program managers

Our Step Up Your Speaking contest and program

Become a fan of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook

what speakers can learn from speechwriters

I heard two speechwriters tell a crowd of communicators today some insider tips that will help any speaker to understand what goes into a good speech--and what your speechwriter may need from you to help you get there.

Independent speechwriter Jeff Porro -- who served as a judge for this blog's Step Up Your Speaking contest and has contributed other speechwriter secrets here as well -- and Ann Scholl, a speechwriter for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, shared these insights at a Capital Communicators Group luncheon today:

• Forget having a "canned speech." Fresh is better.  It's virtually impossible to have one speech that works for every group or for several speakers. Better to use some pre-made sections or "speech inserts" that are reworked, and target the rest of the speech to the situation.  (That's different from having a core message you use--and if you have one, be sure the speechwriter has it before she starts work.)
• The speaker and the speechwriter need to talk:  Sure, intermediaries can do some of the arrangements, but to capture your voice, the speechwriter needs to be able to talk (and listen) to you in advance.   While you're having that talk, it's important to share some personal details about yourself: Stories from your early career or childhood, an anecdote or two you can tell about the topic, your unique perspective on why your topic is so important--all those insights can mean the difference between a dry talk and an audience-pleaser.  For example, if your goal is to inspire, who inspired you?  Telling a story about that person may help you make the point you want to make about your work today.  Another help:  If you've told personal stories in other media--say, in newspaper or magazine articles--share those with the writer.
• The writer needs to see you:  If there's any video or audio of you speaking, it'll help the writer capture your voice and learn about your style of presenting.  And if you know special issues you face as a speaker, such as words you don't want to use or don't pronounce well, now's the time to share that information so the writer can work around them.

If you're working with a speechwriter, it also helps to ask him or her what's needed and useful.  Both speechwriters emphasized that every speaker is different--so be sure to share what makes you different with that writer.