================================================= Simply Speaking...Selling Yourself & Your Ideas E-Zine Volume 1, No 3, April, 1998 Copyright, 1998 ================================================= Published by Lenny Laskowski, International Professional Speaker President of LJL Seminars (tm) 106 Schoolhouse Road Newington, CT. 06111-4002 United States Of America (860) 666-4855 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 Web page: E-mail: ------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue: 1. 4 Common Ways to Remember Material 2. Seminars, Workshops, Consultation services 3. Lenny's keynote speeches 4. Lenny's books, videotapes, audiotapes & booklets 5. How to request more information about Lenny's services 6. How to Subscribe / Unsubscribe ---------------------------------------------------------------- * FREE Monthly Speaking Tips - April, 1998 * ---------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Common Ways to Remember Material by Lenny Laskowski © 1998 LJL Seminars ------------------------------------------------------------------ Remembering speeches can be a very intimidating experience. There are many ways one can remember material and I would like to focus on what I believe are the 4 Common Ways to Remember Material. 1. Memorizing 2. Reading from complete text 3. Using notes 4. Using visual aids as notes In this issue I will be discussing only the first two: Memorizing and Reading from complete text. 1. Memorizing - In my opinion this is absolute worst way to keep track of material. People are preoccupied with the trying to remember the words they're saying and not the ideas behind the words (or with the audience). As a result, normal voice inflection disappears. And worse, those terrible blank moments become inevitable. With memorizing, it is not a matter of "will" you forget; it's a matter of WHEN. 2. Reading - Listening to someone read a speech or presentation is hated by most people. People say, "If that's all they were going to do, I could have read it myself." I'm sure many of us have experienced this at least once when attending a conference or two. Below are reasons why I believe people read poorly: a. The speaker loses normal voice inflection because they lose touch with the ideas behind the words. Listen for pauses. Natural speech is filled with pauses; unnatural read is not. b. The text isn't spoken language - too often speakers write their speeches in "business language". That is often hard to read, much less listen to. c. The speech isn't static - the potted plant will probably move more. There is little movement, little energy, little interest behind the lectern. d. There's no or little eye contact - any eye contact is with the text, not the audience. To read text while trying to maintain eye contact with the audience takes a lot of practice. e. The speaker is scared - many speakers read because they are afraid to try anything else. They know reading will fail but at least it will fail with a small "f" rather than a capital one. NOTE: Don't get me wrong, there are times when speeches MUST be read. Many times it is necessary to read policy statements or company announcements. Also, some speeches must be timed right down to the second. WHEN YOU HAVE TO READ! If reading is absolutely necessary, here are some suggestions: 1. Pay attention to the inflection in your voice - to sound natural, rehearse often, checking yourself for pauses. Ask yourself if your words sound the way you would say them if your weren't reading. Tape yourself and listen to your own voice. 2. When preparing your written speech, say the words "out loud" in order that your written text read closer to your speaking style. This will make is easier to read and much easier to listen to. People often DO NOT write the same way as they speak and this make reading more difficult. If we use wording and phrasing we normally use in our everyday language it will be easier to add the correct voice inflection and tone. Annotate your text to indicate which words to emphasize. Numbers are the easiest target words to say slowly with emphasis on each syllable. 3. One of the biggest problems speakers face when reading text is that we often forget to use gestures. We are so busy is making sure we read the text we are not communicating with out entire body. One thing we can do to help is to double space the written text to leave room to add any notes or cues about gestures and other reminder type clues. We need to practice using this annotated text of our speech so we can easily and smoothly react to the cues for our gestures while at the same time am reading the text. This does take some practice. Some people do this very effectively. Videotape yourself reading the speech and then sit and watch the speech, making notes as to the gesture which could have been used. Add notes to your written text, using notes or even pictures of the gestures to use and deliver the speech again, trying to now add the gestures. After a little practice, this will become second nature. 4. When we read speeches, the amount of eye contact with our audience is usually less. In some cases, people who read speeches have NO eye contact. To avoid this, first write like we speak (see suggestion #2). When typing the text use upper and lower case letters. This will make it easier to read. TYPING EVERYTHING IN UPPPERCASE, AS I HAVE DONE HERE, MAKES ITS MORE DIFFICULT TO READ. Don't have long paragraphs or you'll lose your place every time you look up. Start a new paragraph every sentence or two. Also, have your text double spaced. Some people even go so far as alternating the color of the text for each paragraph. 5. Use unstapled pages for your text. Paper clip your pages and just before you begin, remove the paper clip. As you prepare your text, keep in mind that you will have to handle these pages and you want to do this as smoothly and quietly as you can. Do not have part of a sentence begin on one page and continue onto the next. End the page with a complete sentence and paragraph. During your pause, smoothly "slide" the page you just finished using to the side and continue with the text on the next page. Do not pick up the page and place it behind or turn over the page when done. This can be distracting and will bring attention to the fact that you are reading. With a lot of practice and careful preparation you can deliver a powerful speech, even when read. Some of the world's greatest speeches were read, but you can be assured, they weren't reading them for the first time when speaking to their audience. Practice, practice, practice. ****** END OF FREE SPEAKING TIPS ARTICLE*********************** NEXT ISSUE - Common Ways #3 and #4 ======================================================================== 2. Seminars, Workshops, Consultation Services Link to on-line seminars: =============================================================== 3. Lenny's keynote speeches Link to on-line keynotes: =============================================================== 4. Lenny's books, videotapes, audiotapes & booklets Link to on-line catalog: =============================================================== 5. Where to get more information Lenny's services. Feel free to request information about Lenny's seminars, workshops & keynotes. If you would like a formal proposal, please E-mail your request to: Sales@LJLSeminars.com or mail to the address below: Lenny Laskowski, International Professional Speaker President of LJL Seminars (tm) 106 Schoolhouse Road Newington, CT. 06111-4002 United States of America (860) 666-4855 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 =============================================================== ******* You can earn 10% commissions ******************** =============================================================== You can also earn 10% commissions on any leads you send my way. Provide me the name, address & telephone number of those you know who might be able to use my services, make the initial call with them and tell them I will be contacting them and send me an E-mail that you have done so. When I contact them and if we result in doing business with them I will mail you a check for 10% of the total contract just for referring us. ============================================================== 6. 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Also, let me know if you would like to see any other speaking tips and remember to pass these tips along to EVERYONE you know! Until next month! - Lenny Laskowski :-)