Public Speaking - Numbers

Most businesses have numerous uses for numbers, both written and oral. Again, some numbers are funnier and more interesting than others. A number like zero has other names that are funny that aren't even numbers.

Goose egg, nada, nil, zip and zilch are all funny ways to express the number zero. Even zero is funnier than the word none. Although none is funny when you talk about the two chances of a hostile takeover as slim and none. A hundred dollar bill is a C-Note, a five-dollar bill is a fin. If someone is outrageously rich, they could be a zillionaire.

If you want to exaggerate a little bit, or if you have some tough news to deliver that involves numbers, add a touch of levity to help soothe the sting.

One common rule of humor that does not apply to numbers is brevity. In all other types of humor you should conserve the number of words you use. Normally you want to use the fewest words possible to get to the punch line. When using numbers in a presentation, pronounce them using the longest version possible. This gives them more punch. The digits 1,500 should be recited as one thousand five hundred, not fifteen hundred. The time of 8:15 should be a quarter past eight, not eight fifteen. 6'2" should be six feet two inches not six-two.

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Public Speaking - Remove the Lectern

To get started in your efforts to involve the audience I recommend that you take a big axe with you to each one of your presentations and chop the lectern into tiny little pieces. That way you won't be tempted to stand behind it. The behind-the lectern speaker is quickly going the way of the dinosaur.

Make every attempt possible to avoid delivering your information from behind a lectern (unless protocol and/or logistics absolutely demand that you do). To be most effective, you want to eliminate any barriers between you and the audience. If they can see you, and if you are physically close to them, they will have a greater rapport with you. They will be able to notice your facial expressions and body language much better than if you have a physical barrier in between. A friend of mine who is a top-notch humorist was asked to do his presentation in a room that had a dance floor between him and the audience.

Needless to say the presentation suffered immensely.

There are many more things to consider for better presentations.

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Tom Antion's Stage Fright Strategies

Symptoms of Stage fright

Dry mouth.

Tight throat.

Sweaty hands.

Cold hands.

Shaky hands.

Give me a hand (Oops, I couldn't resist).

Nausea.

Fast pulse.

Shaky knees.

Trembling lips.

Any out-of-the-ordinary outward or inward feeling or manifestation of a
feeling occurring before, or during, the beginning of a presentation (Wow! What a dry mouthful!).

Here are some easy to implement strategies for reducing your stage fright. Not everyone reacts the same and there is no universal fix. Don't try to use all these fixes at once. Pick out items from this list and try them out until you find the right combination for you.


Visualization strategies that can be used anytime

Concentrate on how good you are.

Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.

Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and
applauding.

Remember happy moments from your past.

Think about your love for and desire to help the audience.

Picture the audience in their underwear.


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Why Humor in a Presentation Works

YOU WILL BE ASKED BACK. If you succeed in your original purpose for making your presentation, you may be asked back. If you also make the audience feel really good by entertaining them at the same time, your chances of being asked back will be much higher.

YOU WILL GET HIGHER EVALUATIONS OR MORE SALES. If you make the audience feel good, they will like you better and reflect that in your evaluation scores or buy more and more often from you.

YOU WILL MAKE MORE MONEY. If you are a professional presenter, you will be booked more and your fees will rise. If you present as part of your job, then read the next item carefully.
YOU WILL BE MORE PROMOTABLE. Having and conveying a sense of humor is on virtually everyone's list of top leadership skills. A humorous and engaging presentation style will push you up the ladder where good communications skills are a
must.

IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR POPES AND PRESIDENTS, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. I don't know about the pope, but I do know that all modern-day presidents are coached extensively on the use of appropriate humor for many of the reasons stated above.

YOU WILL MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY. This is my favorite benefit. I get great satisfaction from knowing that I have brightened someone else's life. I had an executive come up to me after one of my humor seminars and say, "You opened up a whole new world for me." I almost cried right on the spot. I'll never forget it.

The Ultimate Guide to Public Speaking Success

Public Speaking: Room Blackouts

If you want to make a spectacular impression on a low budget, room blackouts are a great technique.

I use them in two ways.
1. If I want the audience to concentrate on a recorded audio tape and
2. when I want an awesome closing.

Let's say I wanted the audience to listen to a recording of the speech where John Fitzgerald Kennedy said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." Or maybe the "I have a dream" speech by Martin Luther King would be appropriate. I would gradually bring the lights down as I was introducing the audio clips. I would either project a picture of JFK, or MLK if I had the capability, or I would totally darken the room (except for the red exit signs, or whatever lights are mandatory for emergencies).

When you take away the visual clues (or distractions) the audience has, you help them totally focus on the audio.

THIS CLOSING REALLY ROCKS
When I'm doing a rip roaring presentation that demands a spectacular close, this is what I do. (Note: I DON'T do this if I'm planning a table rush to buy my products.)

I hand out (usually you need helpers to do this quickly) some sort of chemical glow product. I give the audience instructions on what we're going to do. I tell the audience to stand up and I get them all swaying back and forth in unison while they're holding they glow sticks over their heads. Then I bring the lights down and play some singalong song or Karoke song where I have made up custom words for their group.

This is one heck of a closing! When the song is finished I say "thank you for having me." The lights start to come up while they are applauding and I accidentally on purpose get a standing ovation. hahahhaha


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