During the glory days of radio, the medium had a tremendous impact because of the ability of writers and announcers to create images in the minds of listeners. And they created those images with just spoken words.

To some extent, radio still does that today. Like their predecessors, radio people of today help listeners experience an idea with several senses, even though they have only one at their disposal: hearing. As you know, we have five physical senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.

Listen to a radio commercial for a holiday on a tropical island, and you might hear the announcer trigger several senses with something like this, “Imagine all your cares drifting away as you lie on the beach, watching the waves roll in, listening to the surf breaking, and feeling the sand slip between your fingers….”

Obviously, you can use several senses, too, when you speak or make a presentation. A good speech or presentation gives the audience more than one way to grasp your message. And, unlike writing, speaking allows us to explicitly use at least two of them: sight and hearing. What’s more, we can also use the imagination of each audience member to trigger other senses as well. You’ll find metaphors, analogies, and similes helpful for this.

And, questions, too, help us involve the listener. For example, you might lead off your speech by asking, “Have you smelled the air after a rainshower? Doesn’t that make you think of new beginnings? Today, I’d like to speak about new beginnings of a different kind….”

It’s important to arrive at your speaking venue early, for a couple of reasons. First, being on time means you’ll be calm (or at least calmer than you would be if you were late), you’ll have a chance to chat with the person who will introduce you, and you’ll have a chance to acclimatize your mind to the room.

Let’s address this issue of acclimatizing through several specific questions that will help you prepare yourself:

* Where will you stand? I find it helpful to know where the lectern will be, so I can mentally picture myself standing there and speaking. In some cases, that’s simply mental preparation. But, I can also recall a recent speech from a packed table, when I had to use my elbows (so to speak) to make my speaking materials accessible.

* Where will you sit before going to the lectern? If you have to walk down or across the room to get to it, it’s helpful to know what hurdles might be in the way. Will you have to step over an extension cord, for example, or squeeze between members of the audience? With a little planning, you might shorten your route, and make it easier to navigate gracefully.

* Through which door will late-comers arrive? If you have a choice, ask to speak from the end opposite where the latecomers will arrive — you want as few distractions for the audience as possible. If you have to speak from the late arrivals end, then minimize disruptions by saying to the latecomers as they come in (and look lost), “Welcome to XYZ meeting — you’ll be able to find a seat over there.” as you point out the direction.

* How big is the room? Another way of asking, “How loudly will I have to speak?” or perhaps finding out whether or not you’ll need to use a microphone. By arriving early, you’ll have a chance to make that decision calmly, and mentally adjust your speaking volume in advance.

* How many people? This raises another couple of issues. For example, if it turns out I’m speaking to a very small group, I’ll be more informal and interactive than I would be with a larger group. Again, arriving early gives me a chance to decide that calmly, and to prepare myself for whichever style I choose.

All simple, and seemingly Speaking 101 questions. But, it’s surprising how often we can prepare ourselves for the big problems, yet get tripped up by the little ones. That’s why I like to arrive in time to acclimatize my mind to the room.

If you’re speaking to a hostile or unfriendly audience, you may want to use empathy, strategically. It’s not something you want to use cynically, but rather a set of tools that can help you make your case when you face an unfriendly or even hostile audience.

I’m sure you’ve seen television news stories in which the beleaguered head of some organization faces unhappy consumers, constituents, or other group. And, the results are telling. A speaker who uses empathy effectively can soothe the audience, without necessarily conceding or giving up any ground.

A number of techniques can be employed to get the audience onside. They include an apology (if appropriate) or repeated use of the phrase, “I understand.” But those are just a few of the techniques available; and for those who like to compare, speakers have a bigger empathy toolbox than writers, so let’s look at a few of those tools.

First, make eye contact with audience members. Not aggressively, of course, but respectfully and openly. Each person with whom you make one-on-one eye contact is now more likely to see you as a person doing a difficult job, rather than a bad guy representing a bad organization.

Keep your arms and hands open at all times. Spread your arms wide whenever possible, and keep your hands open, with your palms facing the audience. Avoid folding your arms across your chest (denotes being closed to other opinions) or holding them in front while you clutch your hands (denotes fear).

You can also get onside with the audience by starting behind a lectern, and then moving away from it once you get started. Standing behind a lectern (in a hostile situation) suggests you’re hiding in a fortress, while standing in front of it or to the side suggests you have nothing to hide and that you’re not afraid.

You may have other public speaking techniques to project empathy, of course, but these five will make a big difference in getting and gaining the understanding of your audience.

by: Robert F. Abbott

Here you are, all ready to enjoy your club’ s annual dinner, and out of the blue you’re asked to introduce the guest speaker. It looked so simple when other people did it, but now that it’s your turn, you’re not so sure.

Well, you can make a good introduction if you remember a few simple guidelines. First, recognize that the introduction of a speaker is not about you — it’s about the speaker, and about the expectations you generate for her.

Sit down with the speaker before the speech, and get the basic information you need. That includes the speaker’s name, the title of her speech, and a bit of background to the issue she plans to cover. You’ll want some biographical information, as well. And, if her name is difficult to pronounce, spend a few minutes practicing it with her.

When the time comes to make the introduction, tell the audience, with enthusiasm, that you’re pleased to introduce the speaker, using her name and the title of her speech. Explain why her subject is important, citing either your personal experience or something that’s commonly known. But, be quick. Your explanation should last no more than one minute.

Next, explain why the speaker is qualified, and if possible, uniquely qualified to speak on this subject. This is where you use the biographical information you collected earlier. Again, keep this to less than a minute.

By now, the audience is receptive and the speaker feels welcome and confident. You only need to repeat the speaker’s name and the title of her speech, shake hands with her, and lead the applause as you go back to your seat.

There’s nothing like a story to add impact to your presentation or speech, and especially if it’s a story of your own.

I’m thinking about the distinction between a story based on something that you did or something that happened to you, versus a story that revolves around someone else.

You’ll find several advantages to telling your own stories, even if they seem modest compared to the stories of others.

First, when you tell you own story, you don’t have memorize as much. After all, you know how the story began, developed, and concluded. You don’t have to worry as much about the details, because they’ll come to you as you speak.

Second, telling your own stories involves a sincerity that you won’t achieve by telling someone else’s story that you read in a magazine. You may not be able to tell the difference, but listeners will. First hand accounts almost always trump second hand accounts.

Third, you have more discretion in shaping your stories to fit a larger theme or framework. Perhaps you’ll talk about a camping trip to illustrate the importance of always being prepared. In this case, you can pick and choose from among the details so you have set the context for the moral of the story.

And, if you feel there just aren’t enough good stories in your personal experience, then spend a few minutes watching Seinfeld, the ultimate expression of making mountains out of life’s little molehills.