The “essential ingredients” you’ll need when practicing your speech are which of the following?

Apparently, the old underwear trick doesn’t work anymore.

Last year my son confided in me his nervousness about making a speech at his school assembly. I shared the old tip “pretend they’re all wearing just their underwear”. He replied, “Mum, that’s even scarier!”

And he’s probably right!

Public speaking is one of the most terrifying prospects we mortals face.

In my experience, there are just a few essential ingredients to becoming a screaming success on the stage. Here are my top public speaking tips for procurement professionals.

1. Talk about what you love – A lesson I learnt very early in my career was to only talk on topics you really know well, are comfortable with, and – ideally -passionate about.

Let me return to my (then) 8-year-old son’s school assembly presentation. He insisted that his topic was “Piranhaconda” (which, in case you missed it, is the sequel to the much better known “Sharktopus”). Both are B-grade (at best) movies that involve a lot of terribly clichéd, semi-clad, screaming women and tough guys with guns/missiles. Get the picture?

At the risk of being personally embarrassed at his selected topic for this highly competitive, academic audience, I encouraged him to talk about what he loved…(a movie about crazy hybrid animals) and he did a sterling job. Barely referring to his notes, he spoke with passion and was rewarded with a glowing review in the weekly newsletter (phew!).

My point here is, that no matter what your topic, if you talk about something you know and love, you are going to do a much better job. Your audience will be so much more appreciative if they feel passion coming from the podium.

So, spare the time to really think about your topic. Uncover and share where your real enjoyment is generated from. It may not be the technical details of your new eProcurement system or contract management process, but more about how you managed your team, and managed the change.

2. Also talk about the BAD stuff – A stalwart of my inner-circle procurement community is Santos’ CPO, David Henchliffe. He’s always encouraging The Faculty’s Roundtable members to share “when things go wrong”.

The quote “we learn from our mistakes” could not be truer. A mistake shared is a community lesson learnt. Everyone benefits. Sharing your failures also supports your authenticity as a leader. If you can show your vulnerability and humility you become a lot more accessible to people. Plus, let’s face it – nobody’s ever going to believe that your project/learning process was as perfect as some presenter would have us believe.

Tell your audience you overcame adversity – tell them how your number one supporter stabbed you in the back, tell them how your funding floundered, complain about moving goal posts, how your supplier stalled at the gate – your audience will love it! Why? Because (of course) this is their world too!

3. Write it down. That’s right – commit the whole darn thing to paper or screen! Why? Because it’s the only way you can guarantee you have really worked through your thinking. Many years ago, I remember hopping onto the stage with my dot points, confident in my subject matter, only to make a less than optimum impression when I ‘um-ed’ and ‘ah-ed’, circled back on previous points, and then took 200 words to say what I could have said in 20.

Writing out your whole speech gives you the opportunity to really think through your structure and how you want to effectively make your points. You can make your dot points from there and throw all the detail away once you’re clear about your speech.

Of course, the other MAJOR advantage of committing your thoughts to paper is that you can then fashion it into a blog, post it immediately on the day of your speech (ideally – exclusively on Procurious!), and encourage people who connect with or follow you to read and reflect on your thoughts. In this way, not only are you communicating to those in the audience, but you are also ‘amplifying’ your views through social media. A very nice ROI on your time!

4. Jettison the Jargon – Like you, I have sat through way too many procurement presentations that are strikingly similar in both their content and delivery. If we are going to individually and collectively ‘spice it up’ and enthuse our profession, we need to create a bit of a stir with our language and choice of vocabulary.

Why?

Because people stop listening when they hear repetition. You need to keep them listening by using different words and terms that make them think about what you are saying.

5. Make it Visual – Story-telling is now a well-accepted formula for successfully communicating a message. Use it! Kill the PowerPoint – it sends your audience into a semi-comatose state where they are more focussed on the timing of your next slide change, than what you’re actually saying. Use emotive and unusual photographs and infographics (that people can read from the back of the room).

6. Practice, Practice, Practice – I was surprised to read in the book “Talk like Ted” that the best Ted Talkers have rehearsed their speeches up to 200 times. They practise with friends, colleagues, anyone who will listen. And it’s not just about delivery, it’s about fine-tuning the words they use and simplifying them as much as possible to gain clarity. They write and re-write their presentations to ensure they are communicating what they really mean.

7. Make it quick – “Talk like Ted” also insists that speeches should be specifically 18 minutes only! Apparently that’s the magic number for giving your audience enough, but not too much, information! Audiences today are growing more and more used to the sound bite. Leave your audience wanting more, rather than being bored and switching off.

So there it is! Good luck with your next speaking engagement – I look forward to feeling the passion coming from the podium!

The biggest challenge for a newer sales team might be how they actually feel when they give presentations. Many first-time speakers want to feel confident, want to engage their audience and want to feel good about delivering their presentation. But how is this achieved?

Public speaking can change you as a person and boost your confidence. You will learn how to express yourself clearly and get your message across. Being able to speak in front of an audience is a key ingredient of success. From delivering a formal speech to attending business meetings and answering questions for your boss, public speaking is an important part of your career and the benefits can be huge.

In a survey taken by more than 50 business sales professionals during a presentation skills training workshop, key questions and concerns on how to become a confident public speaker were highlighted. Their 10 main concerns are as follows:

1. Does the audience really listen, or do they just read the PowerPoint slides? It is good practice to keep your PowerPoint presentation to less than one hour, and to use the slides to enhance your speech. The less information you place on the slide, the better. Two to three bullet points tends to work best. Don’t read the slides, but rather keep them simple and over a white background, as many people print out the presentation. Ask the audience for questions as you go along so that they feel engaged.

2. How many head and hand movements are too many? Recognizing that more than half of all human communication takes place nonverbally, audiences judge us based on what they hear and see. It’s important to have control over your body language. Movement has to be supportive of the message. Your head, eyes and facial expressions usually convey your true feelings, so it’s important to communicate with sincerity in order to connect with your audience. Your hands can be used to express emotion and to emphasize a point; don’t keep them in your pockets or behind your back.

3. How do I gain confidence and keep people entertained? It is important to talk about a subject you enjoy and that you know really well so that you can improvise and keep things light. By being yourself and telling a personal story or using appropriate humor, the audience will relate to you more easily. Confidence comes with practice and your ability to give a speech with your own personal touch.

4. How do I prevent my face from getting red right before the speech? Visualize yourself giving a successful speech. Remain excited to share your information with your audience. Remember that the audience is interested in what you have to say and that they are your friends. Be sure to take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth before walking up to the microphone.

5. How do I handle client questions/interruptions? In order to control an audience and prevent them from interrupting your speech, it’s best to begin by stating a simple outline, such as how long the speech will take and giving a reminder to please turn off all cell phones. Make it very clear as to if and when you would like to hold a question-and answer-session, and then begin your speech.

6. How can I create more opportunities to practice my speech? It’s important to practice your speech as if there is an audience in front of you. This makes your speech important, and you can feel the pressure. Try to practice during a lunch break or create a group of two or three coworkers who also have to give a speech. That way you have support and are able to receive feedback from your peers.

7. How do I improve my openings and closings? Make sure you practice your openings and closings until you feel completely confident. Some people open with a quote or statistics, or ask a question to the audience. When closing, be sure to include a call to action and summarize your speech with a personal experience so that the audience can relate to your story.

8. What are the most common mistakes made in public speaking? Because speaking is an acquired skill, it’s important to prepare and rehearse so that you leave a great impression. Remember not to read your speech word for word, but rather summarize key points. Share your enthusiasm on your subject and be sure to take the time to personally meet several audience members before and after your present.

9. How do I avoid the first five minutes of anxiety? To relieve nervous tension, try stretching and take a few deep breaths. Pretend to hear your favorite motivational song playing in your head to give you a sense of empowerment. Remember to smile when you begin your speech.

10. How do I make my speech stand out? It’s imperative to have an emotional connection with your audience by sharing your personal experiences so that your speech will be memorable. Try sharing a case study or telling a story about your experiences. Be sure to include a brief explanation of who you are and your past accomplishments to establish credibility.

It’s important to address these 10 presentation skills challenges so that your sales team will feel more confident when giving a speech. Being able to express yourself in a clear, confident manner is essential to your success. As you build your skills and gain confidence, you’ll learn how to plan and deliver presentations in a professional manner. After practicing and honing your presentation skills, you’ll be able to speak confidently to both small and large audiences.

Scott Topper, three-time Emmy-nominated TV show host and corporate improv skills coach, helps organizations and individuals learn business improvisational skills and theatrical techniques to achieve better sales presentation results and gain confidence through fun, interactive workshops. Topper offers a monthly coaching mentoring newsletter and has authored more than 30 public speaking books, audio books, workbooks, DVDs and downloadable courses. For more information, contact Topper at www.improsolutions.com, 818.640.6100, or .  

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