The single most important part of public speaking.
I read, I listen and I hear speakers tell all about the keys to being a successful speaker. I watch them over and over as they explain the ‘Ten Steps’ to speaking success or the ‘7-Parts of a successful speech.’
The truth is, there is only one real part of speaking that will make you stand out above all others. Instead of worrying about your Power Point slides, instead of trying not to memorize you’re your speech, instead of trying to outline, or structure. Instead of trying to get your gestures all mapped out or your acting down…
Instead of all of that… the real secret is simple.
Be genuine.
If what you are talking about is something that truly interests you and you enjoy talking about it think of your SPEECH as a talk. Think of your SPEECH as a conversation. Think of your presentation as a conversation.
Now, imagine that I walk up to you at work, at a party at your house or mine and I ask you about this topic. What would you do?
Would you stop, go get your power point presentation, your computer, your script, your talking points, your gesture script, your facial script or your acting script, what would you do?
What would you do? Think about it for just that moment …
YES! You would do NOTHING except talk to me about this topic. You would simply jump in and share with me how you feel, how you think about what it is we are talking about. You would look at me, you would gesture to me, you would ask me for markers along the way with questions of moments of understanding like, ‘do you see what I am talking about?’ ‘how does that make you feel?’ ‘have you ever thought about that?’ ‘do you understand?’ ‘am I making sense?’ ‘does that make you crazy or what?’
Do you see what I am showing you here?
Professional speaker Steve Sapato
What makes me a great presenter, what everyone compliments me on is nothing more than my ability to have a conversation with my audience, whether it’s an audience of one or 500. It doesn’t matter! I am merely having a conversation…
And that my friends is what will make you an amazing presenter. It is what will get you hired over and over again.
Is this an easy concept? NO!
Because for some reason we all believe that getting in front of an audience requires us to change. Change how we talk, laugh, share, or jump up and down. It doesn’t. It requires us to be larger that we normally are in order for others to see us but everything we are is simply to ‘converse’ with our audience.
Public speaking with Steve Sapato Seminars – steve@mentalprosperityblog.com
When I do my Speakers Academy one of the most difficult things I have to teach is, have a conversation.
Don’t stand in front of the group and say, ‘Today I will Be Talking About…’ no no no! Start just like you are talking with us about whatever it is you are sharing with us.
I will be happy to train you to become an excellent speaker because it does take skill, practice, knowledge. There are thousands of little things you can do to enhance your talk. There are things you have to know about YOU that can prevent your message from coming across.
And those things do need to be taught. But remember, the basic construct is simple, talk to your audience.
I am Steve Sapato – the most famous unfamous speaker in America.
Steve@mentalprosperityblog.com
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