Back from Speaker School and Ready to ROAR!

By now you may have gotten wind of some of the amazing takeaways that attendees walked away with from the Speaker School training held in Dallas last week. The training which was a HUGE success was led by Amy Cronise-Mead, noted trainer of advanced speaking skills and Director of Speaker Development for the Michael Port Method.

Weren’t able to attend the training? Don’t worry, we’ve put together a few takeaways below that left those in attendance in a buzz!

1. Stand and Land. We have one word for you: STANCE! What you do with your body during a presentation can really have an impact on engaging with your audience. It is important to not wander or pace during your presentation which is very distracting. Instead, consider how moving with purpose could captivate your audience. When you’re not moving, you should stand still or, as we learned during the presentation, “Stand and Land.” In other words, plant your feet and connect with your audience. It’s hard to not move around, especially when you’re nervous, but by doing so you will see a world of difference.
2. Speak with Purpose. Just as moving with purpose is important, so are the words that are coming out of your mouth. Think of the greatest story teller you know. Chances are this person conveys stories with language that supports the main idea with the end purpose in mind.  Are you providing details that help the audience connect physically, emotionally, or intellectually? Are your stories filled with language that helps support your ultimate message? Go through your details, eliminate unnecessary words, and a solid story that truly connects with your audience will shine through.
3. Contrast.  To keep your speech clear and exciting, insert deliberate contrast into both your speech and physical performance. For example, if you are delivering a long list of items, you can break up that list by inserting a different tone or emotion in your voice for each item. This sets each point apart from the others, making the list clear to understand. You can also use this technique with your physical performance. Break up lists or topics by moving to a different point in the room for each concept, deliver the information, then move to another part of the room to deliver the next concept. You can then refer to these same points in the room when referencing the same topics later.

Of course there are more tips and tricks you can add to your presentation but these in particular really hit home with us in Dallas. Next time you prepare a presentation, try a few of these on for size and watch how just a slight change in stance, voice or movement can greatly impact your performance.

Katie Rios
Practice Building Consultant
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com