Improve your presentations by modeling famous speakers. Here are practical tips inspired by five great orators: John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Zig Ziglar, Bill Clinton and Robin Williams.
5 Cool Ideas–Speaking Tips From the Pros
1. Say it in a special way. John F. Kennedy is known for his inspiring, almost poetic, phrasing. JFK kept a notebook of inspiring quotations that he adopted and adapted in his speeches. The famous phrase, “Ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country” was his, but JFK also borrowed verbiage from others.
Kennedy seldom credited to his primary speechwriter, Ted Sorensen, but you should always provide attribution when “borrowing” language from another person.
2. Tell a good story. Everyone loves a good story. Motivational speaker and legend, Zig Ziglar, mesmerized audiences with his funny and informative stories. A Zig story could go on for five or six minutes as he interjected anecdotes, developed motifs and leveraged humor.
Zig used to drop to one knee for all of six minutes. He would often prompt a rousing ovation just for finally standing up again!
3. Smile with your eyes. Words are important during presentations, but non-verbal cues are even more critical. Bill Clinton uses a terrific technique I call “smiling eyes.” He even used this strategy during his impeachment proceedings when he looked into the camera and said, “It depends on what your definition of the word ‘is’ is.”
4. Tell the audience exactly what you want. So many speakers and presenters obscure their messages in fancy language and pretense. Take a cue from Nike’s “Just do it” slogan and just say it. Ronald Reagan was famous for his plain talk during speeches.
In 1987, Reagan spoke at at an event celebrating the 750th anniversary of Berlin. He used the speech to directly appeal to Mikhail Gorbachev, then General Secretary of the Soviet Union’s Communist Party. Reagan famously said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
5. Get emotional. Robin Williams is not a conventional presenter, that’s for sure. What he lacks in diction and structure, he more than makes up for in energy and enthusiasm. It’s hard to ignore a person who’s excited about his own message.
Williams presentations are an onslaught of ideas, foreign language accents and gesticulations that audience members cannot ignore. Don’t try to replicate Robin’s wild man delivery. Just amp up your emotion by speaking louder and moving your hands more.
Teleseminar May 25–How to Improve Your Presentations
Join Michael Angelo Caruso at 3:30 PM ET on Tuesday, May 25 to get more great tips for your next presentation. Get more info and register here; ask questions toward the end of the call. Invite your boss to attend at no extra charge.
Can’t attend the live program?
Order the audio CD on the same topic and listen as many times as you’d like.
Reprint the above article
You’re welcome to publish the above article in your corporate newsletter, on your Web site or blog. Simply send a message here.
