Public Speaking - 9 Tips to Ensure That You Are Original

When you come to the point of having to prepare a speech or presentation it can seem an incredibly daunting task. Clearly it is of upmost importance to prepare correctly and give the correct structure to your speech. Every good speech needs an opening that will grab everyone's attention and make them sit up and listen. It must flow beautifully, so that you carry the audience along with you. And it should have an effective close to ensure that they each take away something truly meaningful. But to be a genuinely effective public speaker your talk must be original!

When you make a speech you really should be talking about a subject in which you are interested and that you understand. That way your knowledge and enthusiasm will shine through. But sadly it's so easy to take short-cuts and to be lazy!

It's amazing how many people will take what they believe to be the easy route and "borrow" someone else's material. In fact there are books out there dedicated to providing speeches, such as those for the best man at a wedding. In some respects there's nothing wrong with those books but the speeches should only really be used as a guide to the structure that your own speech might take.

Similarly you can get hold of books full of anecdotes. These tales are fine but you should use them sparingly to get the best effect. A speech full of other people's anecdotes is not going to be a very good one. You may think using someone else's work will make you into a successful speaker, but the way to come across as someone who is truly confident and convincing is to be original.

Doing so is actually very easy and will probably be far more effective than spending hours searching for something someone else has written that is suitable for you. It can also make the whole process of planning, preparing and then making your speech much more enjoyable and fulfilling.

So here are some ideas for being original:

1) Think about what you want to talk about and then name your topic specifically. That will help you to focus on the subject concerned.

2) Write down everything you can think of that you currently know about it. Grab plenty of paper and simply put down everything that comes to mind, with no editing at this stage. You can sort it later.

3) Identify where there are gaps in your knowledge and then set about doing some research. There are masses of resources at your disposal to help you to gather information. Books, magazines, newspapers, videos and DVDs will all provide you with a source of useful data. And, of course, surfing the web will open up boundless new opportunities for adding to your knowledge of your topic.

4) Then systematically sort through what you have written and identify the key ideas. Then put them into a logical sequence.

5) For each idea create a key point. Do a little editing and discard anything that you consider not to be totally relevant.

6) Work around each point adding in additional elements including statistics, illustrations and maybe one or two of those anecdotes. Give interest and value to each part.

7) Remember to create an opening for the speech relating to the topic. You need to grab your audience's attention so a startling fact or a pertinent question is a good way to begin.

8) Equally, you need to end your speech effectively. So devise the close now so that you end with a call to action or a challenge for your audience to take away.

9) Then use the key points you identified to ensure you have a speech that flows and will hold your audience's attention, carrying them from the opening to the close.

Talking about what you know in your own words will always be far more rewarding and will be a real boost to your confidence. It will enable you to present yourself as a knowledgeable and convincing speaker. And it will ensure that anyone in attendance will find your talk an enjoyable and beneficial experience.

So go on, be original!

What is Inspiration? How Can Speaking Inspire?

The word inspire can be defined literally as breathe in. A secondary definition means a stimulation of the intellect or emotions. Inspiration in the latter sense could result in action of some sort. We would normally think of the creation of a work of art or a solution to a problem in this sense.

So if you can breath, you can create inspirational words and thoughts that can move others.

To create an inspirational speech, use timely topics along with things close to peoples hearts. This formula has helped me be successful both in my speaking and in creating my art. Can it work for you?

Two elements needed to inspire in a speech. Use these and your speeches will be inspirational.

Our life force is sustained by inspiration

What’s interesting about the use is the history of the word inspiration. The ancient Hebrew and Greek words for spirit were the root word that meant breath. In other words, our spirit or life is sustained by breathing or inspiration.

In the same sense, the ideas and motivations stimulated within the intellect can be in a sense breathed in, we inspire them. They are a by product resulting from our life force.

Speech has the power to accomplish this stimulation of both intellect and emotions. Used wisely and judiciously, it is a powerful tool to accomplish much good.

It is in this broad definition that the greatest potential for our speech lies. The ability to ethically stimulate the intellect and emotions to bring about positive changes in the way we think. This is a process where we in part use speech to re-write the programming in our brain or the grey matter of our listeners.

Conversaton Starters can be used to get a conversation with one or a group. You can use these to inspire your listeners. Here is an example you can use to prime your audience for further inspiration.

A Smile is communication with out speech.

It is also a primary form of inspiration. What happens when you smile at someone. They often will smile back. Why? That is the power of showing your pearley whites as a form of communication.

To appreciate the importance of smiling and how it can affect you and your audience, read more about the benefits of sharing a beautiful smile. Did you know there are different kinds of smiles?