Do you have a presentation coming up? Are you planning to speak to a group of your peers, at a civic organization meeting, before your church group or during a book signing at a local bookstore or library?
What’s your demeanor? Are you confident that this will be a successful event? Or are you a little nervous? Here are some steps to help you sail through the presentation comfortably, confidently and smoothly:
Be Well-Prepared
Plan your presentation carefully and then practice, practice, practice. Know your audience and plan to speak directly to them. If they are tourists, you will probably approach the subject of your city’s early history differently than you would if you were addressing locals, for example.
Visit the venue, if possible, so you’ll know exactly what to expect. Will you have a lectern, microphone, projector or whiteboard?
Find out how long you are scheduled to speak and prepare your presentation accordingly.
Make it Over the Top Interesting
What are some of the factors that make a presentation sparkle? Fascinating anecdotes, little surprises (intrigue) and humor are three of them. Break up your verbal presentation by giving a demonstration. Engage the audience by asking questions or giving them a responsibility. If you’re promoting a novel, for example, ask a few audience members to read some of the parts. For added interest, bring simple costumes (hats, masks, cigars/pipes, a cane, parasol, etc.).
Keep it Simple
The most effective presentations are those where the speaker offers only 3 points or mini-subjects. While this rule can also apply to authors of fiction, it is most important when presenting subjects of nonfiction. I’m afraid that this is one rule I frequently break. I have so much I want to share with hopeful and struggling authors and I want to offer it ALL. But offering it all doesn’t mean that all will be absorbed and comprehended. In fact, if the material is new to the audience member, an overdose of information and resources could quite likely go undigested.
Before outlining or writing your speech, determine the 3 basic points you want to share. Then create your material around these points. If, for example, your book features how to be a green pet owner, consider focusing on making your own pet food. Your points might include, basic ingredients for feeding healthy dogs, how to prepare the dog food and feeding schedules and tips. Create a handout featuring additional ways to be a green pet owner.
For a book on local history, you might talk about the three major waves of settlers to the area and what brought them. In my city, for example, it was the oilmen seeking their fortunes, the ailing searching for better health and then the wealthy who came for the summers.
Speak Up
We all have habits when it comes to our way of communicating. Try to leave your bad ones home when you speak before a group.
• Speak up and speak out.
• Avoid letting your voice trail off at the end of a sentence—something I see way too often.
• Keep your hands away from your face so you don’t muffle your voice as you speak.
• Stand up straight and tall so you can project your voice toward the back of the room.
• Make eye contact with everyone in the room throughout your talk.
• Speak at a good pace.
• Pause for effect.
• Repeat audience questions to make sure everyone hears them.
• Speak to those in the back of the room, even when you are responding to a question from someone in the front row.
• Keep to your time allotment
There you have the important basics of public speaking. If this concept is new to you, practice on family and friends. (I used to rehearse speeches in front of my cats.) And then go out and start booking events where you can promote your book.
Oh yes, and the last thing you want to appear to be doing is promoting your book! Your goal should be to entertain and/or inform. Of course, once you have provided value to your audience, let folks know that they can read the entire marvelous story or learn even more about your topic by reading the book. Then invite them to the back of the room to purchase copies.
For more about how to successfully promote your book through public speaking, read The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. http://www.matilijapress.com/rightway.html
You’ll also find a variety of articles at my website about public speaking. http://www.matilijapress.com/articles.htm