Karen B. Moore is Founder and CEO of Moore, a nationally ranked integrated communications and public affairs firm.
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When I started my company more than 30 years ago, I quickly learned that public speaking was a powerful tool for strengthening my career and developing my business. When you share your expertise with others, you’re developing a reputation as a thought leader, someone with experience and insights that benefit others. Do that enough, and your business will reap the benefits of new connections and leads.
Over the years, I’ve given more than 1,000 speeches to audiences ranging from a couple dozen people to more than 5,000. There was a time (pre-Covid) when I was doing 50 to 60 speeches a year. While that slowed during the pandemic, Zoom and other virtual tools opened the doors to new platforms for speaking.
In-person and hybrid events are now back, and speaking is just as important, maybe even more so, for business leaders. Consumers crave connection. Public speaking is a way for CEOs and others in the C-suite to make themselves accessible to audiences in a personal way and shape company culture.
Here are five ways to immediately improve your public speaking, whether your audience is live or virtual:
Don’t Waste Time On Perfunctory Introductions
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The first statement is critical. Don’t waste it by introducing yourself or by thanking the event organizers. The audience knows who you are because they likely received a program, email or some type of marketing material that contained your headshot, bio and topic.
Instead, use the beginning of your speech to tell a story, make the audience laugh (or become somber) or share something unexpected to set the expectation that you’re going to create an experience that’s worth the audience’s time and attention.
Audiences tend to better remember the first—and last—things we say. Position main points and takeaways here. If getting to know audience members and expressing gratitude is important, make time to stay after the speech for conversation.
Use PowerPoint Sparingly, If At All
If you have a lot of data, plan to send it to the audience afterward. During the speech, you don’t want people furiously scribbling notes. Give the audience permission to listen, ask questions and make eye contact without having to worry about retaining technical information.
You’ve probably heard the 10/20/30 rule for PowerPoint: A presentation should have 10 slides, last no longer than 20 minutes and the font should be at least 30-point. That’s generally a good recommendation, but I prefer the 6/6/6 rule. The best presentations are those with an opening and closing slide and six slides of content, no more than six bullet points on each slide and no more than six words per bullet point.
This is especially important for virtual speaking. If you have dozens of slides, audience members may turn off the camera and start working instead of engaging.
Remember That Questions Aren’t Only For The End
Many speakers talk for 30 to 45 minutes and then leave the end for questions. Instead, plan for questions throughout your speech and take breaks to prompt questions. This allows you to read the audience, and if you’re losing them, pull them back with an engaging question.
Most of us learn better through give-and-take conversation. If you aren’t comfortable with going off script, this approach might not be the best. Remember, when you ask a question, you can’t always predict the answer, but I like spontaneity. This strategy also creates an opportunity to learn from the audience and use their insights to make the speech even more compelling.
Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse
There’s a difference between practicing and rehearsing. Practicing means simply reviewing main points for recall. Rehearsing is a full-body experience of visualizing the audience and considering your verbal and nonverbal communication—body language, tone, inflection, physical position on the stage and how you’ll make eye contact with the entire room.
For every speech, complete at least three rehearsals. I am old-school in that I write notes and use them for my first run-through. For the second, I lessen my reliance on the notes by only glancing at them. Finally, I rehearse in front of a mirror. It’s helpful to notice facial expressions and hand gestures to evaluate whether they align with the experience you want to share with the audience. Effective communication is more than words. Rehearse. Don’t practice.
Leave Something Valuable Behind
The goal of every speech should be that audience members leave with something meaningful they can incorporate into their own lives. Plan to share articles, books or tips that reinforce key messages. Oftentimes, I’ll have book copies for audience members available after a speech.
If you’re speaking as part of a conference, organizers usually allow you to place materials and resources inside the conference packet. Make sure these pieces are branded with your company logo and contact information.
Another strategy is to ask audience members to sign up for your email newsletter. Make it easy for them with a QR code that takes them directly to the sign-up page. This has the added benefit of allowing you to continue to nurture the relationship your speech initiated.
Tell audience members how they can contact you afterward. You never know when an audience member could turn into a great new hire or client.
If you’re not in the speaking arena yet, start by focusing on small audiences where you can hone your message and delivery. Then, seek opportunities to grow with larger events and virtual conferences, which can attract national and global attendees. You’ll soon have a growing list of connections and leads, and you’ll learn more about yourself and your business along the way.
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Author: Karen B. Moore, Forbes Councils Member
