Public speaking
 

I am giving my first ever real public speech tonight. Well, I did it in college and when I was a kid in 4-H, but it feels like this is the first real one as a "grown up." My family has been invited to a cocktail party that is the kickoff event for the annual fundraiser my sons speech therapy center has. Many people who get therapy at this place receive a financial aid package since speech therapy is not usually covered by health insurance. We got an anonymous gift that covers 90% of the expense, and they asked if we would come and if I would give a little speech about our situation (my 15 month period of unempoloyment, during which time my son was evaluated for hearing loss and speech and language delays) and how important it is for anonymous donors to continue giving so that kids like my son can receive help.

Any tips? I'm kinda nervous, but not really. I have somethign written down, but I'm just going to wing it when we get there. I think using notecards for something like this isn't appropriate.

Just keep a few key points in mind, and make sure your story has a natural flow. You'll be fine :)

I always have to remember to pace myself, I tend to speak very fast.

I wouldn't say have notecards, but if there are several key points you want to make of a technical nature (i.e. how you managed to get hooked up with the people helping you, time frame etc) it would be best to write those down on a piece of paper.

You're talking about something you feel passionately about - not a speech on a topic you picked off a list. You'll be fine.

People connect, and remember, other people moreso than a lot of bloviating about the importance of institutions, no matter how noble in most cases.

In your open, tell a nice self-deprecating joke;

Give an example (or two) that explains the tangible impact the center's work has had on your son's life, and by extention your own. Those examples will show, more strongly than just about anything else you could say, how important the center is and why it should be supported.

Call it a wrap and sit down.

Even though you don't want to have notecards, practice what you want to say. You don't want to get up their and stumble over your phrasing. I used to hate giving speeches...of course, it's a lot easier when you're on a Beta Blocker :)...but the key is to be comfortable with the environment and the topic about which you are speaking.

I love public speaking. The notecards are handy for practicing, if you write down your main points. If this is something that you're familiar with or that you're knowledgeable about, all you need to focus on is key points and how you'll structure the speech/transition.

Good luck!

If you carry any notes at all, make them quite spare - an outline of your outline of the outline, so to speak. It'll help natural flow and keep you from focusing down.

From there, it's all about connection - most of that is non-verbal and based on comfort, so choose elements of the topic (or anecdotes) that you're especially comfortable with and focus on those. Tape yourself practicing if you want to check on your non-verbal (although this can also be unnecessarily frustrating, because we always hate "taped us").

From there, just have fun with it - that solves many, many problems.

Breathe. I always forget to do this when I speak publicly. And smile when appropriate.

If you have notes, make sure the print is a bit larger than normal. The last thing you want to be doing is straining to read your notes.

Also, talk to the top of people's heads (their hairline). Nobody will know that you aren't actually looking right at them and it will help with stage fright if you suffer from it.

Best advice I ever got on something like this:

"It's good that you are nervous, it means that you care".

Also, I'm a big fan of the pre-speech cocktail. But only one.

Blasphemy.

You have been given excellent advice. The only thing that I would add is to monitor the length of your talk. Even when people practice what they are going to say they end up going long. As someone who routinely does public speaking I know this first hand. I plan for only about 75-80% of the alloted time, because it somehow stretches once I am in front of people.

I attended a breast cancer luncheon where 3 survivors gave talks, with instructions of only 5 minutes each. The first speaker went almost 30 minutes. I noticed those in charge giving every non-verbal in the world to try to get her to wrap it up, including going up on stage with her, then to the podium, then literally taking the microphone away! She thought that she had only been up there around 7-8 minutes and was mortified to learn that it had been 4x that long.

The audience was completely annoyed in all that long-windedness, and the initial impact of her (once excellent) speech was lost. The speaker meant well, but it is soooo easy to lose track of time when on stage. If there is not a clock that you can non-chalantly watch then have your husband give you some gestural cues when it is time to start wrapping things up.

Good luck! As a speech pathologist, this is a cause near and dear to me!

I wrote a page of text, then condensed it into a few note cards with just main points. Practiced on the long drive home, and will again once we are on our way there.

thanks everyone!!!

You have no idea how right you were! I had no need for notecards at all.

I was on a high for about 2 hours afterwards. It was a wonderful experience! Afterwards our host, who is a former Cinci Mayor and US Representative, asked me if I've ever considered running for a public office, because I really know how to command the attention of a room.


:D:D:D:D:D

Woohoo!!! :D Great, I'm so happy for you! I was told similar things after my first speech (age 16 or so) so I knew I did well, but maaaaan nervous doesn't even cover it. I acted cool through the whole thing then, after it was over, I sank into a dead faint. When people wonder about speech advice, I always say to take care of yourself after....and for the love, PLEASE remain conscious! :p