Audience Interaction: Rock the Room

“Audience Interaction: Rock the Room”

by Robert Graves, MBA, DCT

Audience interaction is the intersection of YOUR CONTENT and THEIR  COMPREHESION.

Set the stage for engagement with a slice of P. I. E.  Why? KEEP THE AUDIENCE ENGAGED.

1.    Physical engagement: __

a.    APPEALS TO SOCIAL SENSES

b.    TAKES PLANNING

c.    ENGAGES KINESTHETIC MODALITY

2.    Intellectual engagement: __

a.    APPEALS TO NOBLER SENSES

b.    TAKES RESEARCH

c.    ENGAGES ABSTRACT THOUGHT

3.    Emotional engagement: _

a.    APPEALS TO ENTHUSIASTIC SENSES

b.    TAKES EXPERIENCE

c.    ENGAGES PASSIONATE RESPONSES

4.    The Handout: _

a.    IS NOT YOUR SLIDE DECK

b.    HIGHLIGHTS THE SPEECH

c.    GIVES ROOM FOR NOTES

d.    SHOULD BE ENGAGING

e.    GIVES YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

5.    Low Tech: _

a.    NOTE PADS AND INK PENS OR HIGHLIGHTERS OR CRAYONS

b.    PUZZLE PIECES AND PLAYING CARDS

c.    INEXPENSIVE AND EASY

d.    IS INTERACTIVE

e.    IS ENTERTAINING

6.    High Tech: _

a.    POWER POINTS AND PREZI

b.    AUDIO / VIDEO

c.    E-POLLS ONLINE

7.    No Tech: _

a.    MOVE INTO THE AUDIENCE

b.    INTERACT WITH SPEAKER

c.    INTERACT WITH NEIGHBOR

d.    INTERACT WITH GROUP

e.    ASK QUESTIONS / WAIT FOR RESPONSES

8.    Ask Tech: _

a.    WHO HAS THE 1^ST QUESTION

b.    A QUESTION I’M OFTEN ASKED IS …

c.    WHO HAS THE NEXT QUESTION

d.    WHO HAS THE FINAL QUESTION

e.    PARAPHRASE THE QUESTION TO THE GROUP

f.     STAY IN CONTROL

g.    GIVE THE ANSWER YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO REMEMBER

Which of the above will you try soon?  # c # c # c

Have Robert give a 10 minute speech to your Club:   Robert.Graves@CarnegieConnection.com  (813)966-3058

linkedin.com/in/robertgraves  …  facebook.com/robertgraves2  …  ToastmastersTips.blogspot.com

Drink this Magic Formula to make High Impact Presentations

unless you want to present like a pro

As Toastmasters we are constantly refining our presentation skills at our Club meetings.  We do this either through our own speeches or through observation of others.

We demonstrate our desire to be fluent and impactful over and over again. Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail. Mostly, you might agree, we are just somewhere in the middle.


How can we increase our success rate? Is there some magic potion that we can swallow?

Mix the following Magic Formula by Dale Carnegie1 to create an elixir for speaking success:

In your speech, mix 4 minutes of the Incident that Happened, followed by 1/2 minute of an Action to Take, and finish with 1/2 minute of a Benefit to be Gained. Be sure to add in Enthusiasm and a touch of Humor. Cooking time - 5 minutes. 

4 minutes - Incident: Relive a vivid, personal experience relevant to the point. Aristotle said, "The speaker’s character is one of his most effective agents of persuasion." We must be credible in our example and evidence. We must have earned the right to share our example or give direction. A personal incident is a sure-fire way to grab favorable attention: It pulls people in, opens them up to persuasion, and provides evidence as to why our idea is worth considering. When presenting to persuade, we spend most of our time providing the situation and evidence before asking the listener to do something.

1/2 minute - Action: Call on the listener to take a single, specific action. Too often we assume our listeners will know what to do once we have presented them with evidence to change their thinking or direction. We fail to persuade them if we don’t clearly explain what we want them to do. Other times, we may give a clear action but may ask them to do several things—leaving them unsure about which action should be the priority. Effective persuasion requires us to simplify the message and recommend one clear action for listeners to take.

1/2 minute  - Benefit: Clearly emphasize how the listener will benefit from taking the recommended action. Again, this portion of the communication must be clear, specific, and direct. It also must be based in reality. If the benefit we provide sounds too good to be true, the listener will doubt us. If what we are recommending benefits us more than the listener, the persuasion will seem manipulative and self-serving. So consider the listener’s point of view to be sure the recommendation is truly in his or her best interest. This balanced approach will be appreciated and will allow the listener to be more open to what we suggest.

If most of the time is spent on the Incident, then the time spent sharing an Action to Follow and a Benefit to be Gained will create a speech of high impact.

To see an example of using this Magic Formula to make High Impact Presentations in the Tampa Bay area, come be my guest at the next Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentations Free Session. Check it out at http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/high_impact_presentations_free_session/.

Speak up and be heard,

Robert Graves, MBA, DCT
Master Member Mentor & Corporate Club Coach
Toastmasters International

813-966-3058 direct cell or text      
813-667-6224 Executive Assistant

1 - The the text in the recipe was acquired from Communication Effectiveness - Present to Persuade at http://www.dalecarnegie.com/communication-effectiveness-present-to-persuade/ adapted by Robert Graves. All rights reserved.
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Overcoming the fear of speaking up

Overcoming the fear of speaking up takes an
overwhelming desire,
strong coaching, and
repetitive practice. 
Then you will make a
powerful impression.






Overwhelming Desire – When your desire to overcome your fear of speaking up overwhelms your comfort to stay just like you are right now, then you are ready to learn a new skill.

  Maybe you are facing a new position where you will need to speak up to be clearly understood and truly believed.  Will you continue to let others pass you by out of your own insecurities?

  Many are facing career changes:  How will you set yourself apart from the herd in the interview process to be heard?

Strong Coaching - The sage revealed: "When you are ready, the teacher will appear." 

  We all know that skilled athletes only improve with the right coaching and mentoring.  The same is true for every acquired skill, such as public speaking.

  If you are trained by amateurs, then your will be skilled at an amateur’s level. Maybe that will get you by in some cases.  Your competition is getting professional training, aren’t they?  So should you.

Repetitive Practice – In continued practice we reduce our fears.

  Of course, the practice has to be supervised by a pro, if you want to improve your speaking skills.  Once you know how to do speak up, then you need to speak up over and over and over until you are no longer afraid.

  You will see your fear diminish over time.  You will also see that same fear diminish when you present to your clients.

Powerful Impression - When you consider you have 30 seconds to make a powerful first impression that will gain their interest – what do you do?

  If you live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to see how the pros speak up, then come to at the next Dale Carnegie Course Free Session 
>>>  http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/dale_carnegie_course_free_session/

Come, be my guest, when you are ready,
Robert

Robert Graves, MBA, DCT
Director Business Performance Improvement
Dale Carnegie Training Tampa Bay
813-966-3058 direct cell or text
813-667-6224 Executive Assistant
http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertgraves
http://www.facebook.com/robertgraves2
http://dalecarnegieconnection.blogspot.com
http://www.CarnegieConnection.com/online.html  <<< new online courses

“You will improve your life and
   grow your business too
    if you choose
the training that is right for you.”
~ Robert Graves

5 Tips for Conducting a Successful Presentation

THE COACH'S CORNER

QUICK SUCCESS TIPS FROM THE CARNEGIE COACH

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  5 Tips for Conducting a Successful Presentation

Now more than ever, business professionals are being asked to give presentations with teams. Everyone on your team must hone their presentation and preparation skills for these types of team presentations to be effective. Professional team presentations involve thorough planning, smooth transitions, logical sequencing of subject material, and the ability to create a coherent professional message. Here are 5 steps your team should follow in order to have a successful presentation.

1. Powerful Opening Open up with a bang. You want to immediately engage your listeners and set the tone for the presentation. Make sure to plan your statement carefully and deliver a startling statement (statistic or fact) that you can drive home with sincere appreciation.
2. Introduction
   After your opening, you should always briefly overview your agenda for the presentation and introduce all the members of the team. There are two different ways you can go about your introductions. The team leader can briefly introduce each member of the team and their respective role in the project, or each person can briefly state their own name and what their role will be in the project.
3. Handoffs Part of your preparation for the presentation should go towards planning your handoffs. A poor handoff may slow down the flow of your presentation and confuse the audience. To help ease the transition, you should keep to a strict time frame for each speaker and use verbal cues to indicate that the next speaker is coming up: "In a minute, Bob will tell us how the timeline will work." As a presenter, make sure you are listening so that you hear your cue.
4. Team Question and Answer Session
   An effectively facilitated question and answer session will leave a lasting and positive impression on your listeners. It is important in a team presentation to plan and prepare for this session. Take some time to predetermine which questions/subjects of questions will be answered by which team member. Also, determine a cue that will let your team members know to add on to your point.
5. Close with an Impact
   It is important that you end your presentation on a high note. The closing of your presentation will reinforce the message you want your audience to take away with them. You want to have one person, typically the leader, close for the team. At the conclusion of the closing, make sure that you efficiently gather any materials and equipment that you used.

  If you live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to see how the pros present, then come to at the next Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentations Free Session >>>  http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/free_session_high_impact_presentations/

Regards,
Robert

Robert Graves, MBA, DCT, CC/CL
Club Coach / Member Mentor

District 48 Area 41 Governor 2013-2014
Toastmasters International

813-966-3058 direct cell or text

813-667-6224 office

Robert.Graves@CarnegieConnection.com

www.Linkedin.com/in/robertgraves

www.Facebook.com/robertgraves2

http://DaleCarnegieConnection.blogspot.com

http://ToastmastersTips.blogspot.com/

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Material above signature - Copyright © 2013 Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved.

What does it mean to be a mentor?

I was asked what does it mean to be a mentor. Here's what I replied:

Being a mentor is a deeply satisfying experience. You watch another move through various stages of personal development, knowing you were there to encourage and give advice. 

I think of 2 college Professors who took me under their wings and guided me in my career. I am eternally grateful for their inspiration and leadership. Now I try to pay that it forward with my friends at Toastmasters. 

(Thanks Dr. Porter and Dr. Nichols – you guys were great!)

  If you live in the Tampa Bay area and would like to see mentors in action, then come to at the next Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers Free Session  >>>  http://tampabay.dalecarnegie.com/events/leadership_training_for_managers_free_session/

Regards,
Robert

Robert Graves, MBA, DCT, CC/CL
Club Coach / Member Mentor

District 48 Area 41 Governor 2013-2014
Toastmasters International

813-966-3058 direct cell or text

813-667-6224 office

Robert.Graves@CarnegieConnection.com

www.Linkedin.com/in/robertgraves

www.Facebook.com/robertgraves2

www.carnegieconnection.com/ToastmasterTips.html

http://dalecarnegieconnection.blogspot.com