| Imagine yourself at mission control; 10, 9, | | | | sincere - don't say, "You are the most |
| 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Speak!When the space | | | | beautiful audience I have ever seen." Instead |
| shuttle blasts off - those first few seconds | | | | say something that impressed you about the |
| of lift are critical. It comprises a small | | | | group, 'I am very impressed with the |
| portion of the total journey, yet if someone | | | | hospitality shown to me by you today. This |
| errors - they crash and burn. The beginning | | | | lives up to the reputation I have heard about |
| of your speech is much the same. If you error | | | | your community work.'4. Occasion. Comment on |
| in the opening your speech will crash and | | | | the occasion - especially if it is an |
| burn.The mission of your opening is to 1. | | | | anniversary or awards night. "To speak to you |
| Grab their interest; 2. Establish rapport; 3. | | | | on your 10th annual awards dinner is an |
| Introduce your topic. Here are 10 techniques | | | | honour." Or uncover some information about |
| you can use to launch your successful | | | | the group that outsiders would not normally |
| speech.10. Startling statement. Use a strong | | | | know. "Happy Birthday to your founding |
| attention grabbing statement - with facts, | | | | president." This takes a little research - |
| statistics or unusual information. "The | | | | and is worth it.3. Prop or visual. Catch |
| greatest fear is to speak in public. The | | | | their attention and set the mood with a funny |
| second greatest fear is to die."9. Suspense/ | | | | hat, uniform, or stuffed bear. Samuel Clemens |
| Surprise. Start with a suspense-building | | | | (Mark Twain), would blow a cloud of smoke on |
| sentence or take them in one direction - then | | | | stage before he made his entrance. It always |
| hit them with surprise. "It was a dark and | | | | got a laugh. You might roll a ball across the |
| stormy night - it was my wedding night."8. | | | | stage or play with a yo-yo. What you do |
| Story/Anecdote. Tell a short story. Begin | | | | before you speak can be powerful.2. Previous |
| your story with the word imagine. It is an | | | | speaker. Pick up on something a previous |
| engaging word. "Imagine that we could travel | | | | speaker said or did - especially if that was |
| back in time to witness the Wright brothers | | | | the president or chairman of the board. Build |
| at Kitty Hawk."7. Quotation. When you use a | | | | on what they said. It shows that you listened |
| quotation you tap into the credibility and | | | | and gives you more credibility if you agree |
| power of the person who stated those words. | | | | with the boss. Before you speak ask a |
| "I have a dream, cried out Martin Luther King | | | | participant, "What was the funniest thing |
| Jr." Quote from people well known and well | | | | that happened so far?" Try to build on this |
| liked by your audience.6. Challenging | | | | to get a laugh. Comedians call this technique |
| Question. Questions are always powerful and | | | | a call back.1. Engage the audience. Ask a |
| engaging. This could be a rhetorical | | | | question that requires the audience to |
| question. "Are you ready for the millennium? | | | | answer, or one that is sure to make them |
| When the clock ticks over to January 1, 2000, | | | | laugh. "How many of the women in the audience |
| will planes be falling and computers | | | | have had an affair with Bill Clinton? - - How |
| crashing?"5. Compliment the audience. Be | | | | many of the men? |