PRATT PUBLIC SPEAKING TIPS

By Hall of Fame Personality Dave Pratt

In the final 2 weeks of July, I have 5 public speaking appearances. Each one is unique as each audience and topic are unique. However, the following 5 simple tips may help you, wherever and whenever you are called to be a public speaker.

• 1 ALWAYS WINS – Choose just one overall theme to your presentation, and stick with it.

• 2 MINUTE STORY MAX –  Do not let your stories go over 2 minutes. The ideal length is even less. We live in an attention deficit world with a million distractions. People are trained to have short attention spans. Get to the point. Short is gold.

• 3 GROUPS  – The rule of three. Present points in groups of three. Our minds naturally grasp trio patterns, plus it enhances recall of key issues.

• 4 PAUSE –  Pause for 4 seconds after key points. Silence can be loud. Create these moments as it allows your message to sink in. Most public speakers are nervous, and in turn, move way too fast. Slow down. Breathe. Relax.

• HIGH 5 – Make eye contact with at least 5 people. Try to engage at least 5 people for at least 5 seconds. Repeat every 5 minutes. This will build genuine rapport, plus it will make you appear personable and caring.