Create an excellent speech or presentation as a masterpiece
How your personal rhetorical masterpiece makes you a better speaker
Your rhetorical masterpiece
Create an excellent speech or presentation. It will guide you forward as a presenter. Every speaker should make a brilliant speech at least once in life. The effect goes far beyond the event because the experience becomes a mental reference. Such an experience will change you as a speaker. Create your rhetorical masterpiece. Here is how to do it.
Overview
There are things where mediocrity is unbearable: poetry, music, painting and public speech.
Jean de La Bruyèr
Speaking in front of an audience as an annoying duty or pleasure?
It is a very simple choice in many areas:
a.) Give up your career or b.) Speak convincingly in front of an audience?
Many people more or less consciously choose option a.) and avoid public speeches. It’s a pity because that’s why they miss out on many opportunities.
Much has been written about why so many people are so afraid to speak in front of an audience. But even the best excuse doesn’t change the fact: Apart from professional ability, the most important success factor in many areas is the ability to present oneself and one’s offer convincingly. And therefore it is quite helpful to use suitable speech opportunities effectively. So; time to devote yourself to the skills for outstanding speeches and presentations in a way that makes it worthwhile.
Your rhetorical masterpiece as a reference experience
All beginnings are difficult? Many remember their first steps with public speaking. And they are not always exhilarating memories. The eternal struggles during preparation, the soft knees during walking forward, the fear of forgetting something, the many eyes directed at one, limiting thoughts, bodily fluids, and … With such memories, the next opportunity to speak is not exactly longed for. Requests for such occasions are rejected immediately, if possible.
Be inspired by Ivan Petrovich Pavlov and me, because Pavlov’s conditioning is the other way round. Instead of being restricted by negative experiences, you provide for very good experiences, which serve as motivating reference experiences in the future. Work with support on a personal masterpiece, a speech, or presentation that proves to you and the audience what you are capable of. The effort you take upon yourself will not only serve this one performance, but will positively influence all future presentations.
What is an excellent presentation?
Boring and mediocre presentations are common experiences. Good presentations are uncommon, but magnificent presentations are rare. That’s because, when it comes to presentations, the jump from good to great is larger than the jump from bad to good. Here are some examples of why:
1. Emotional impact
Good presentations are memorable. They contain graphics, images, and facts in such a way that they’re easy to remember. Even after a while, your audience can remember your message.
Most people would prefer to leave emotions out of their presentations. The truth is, that whenever you trigger strong emotions like surprise or awe in your audience, you’re much more likely to make an impact on your audience. Excellent presentations are therefore emotional and motivating. They bring the audience members to the point where they make a decision immediately.
2. Information
Compelling data and facts can help you illustrate your points. Good presentations contain valid information. All information is thoroughly checked, accurate and precise. Good presentations genuinely provide honest content.
Excellent presentations contain relevant information in an essence. All information that is not too absolutely relevant will be removed, including gimmicks that have no function. What’s left is the information that supports the message.
3. Storytelling
Stories draw people into a presentation and keep them rapt, so you can ensure no one tunes you out while you deliver your important ideas. Therefore, good presentations include stories. Unlike facts, stories speak to the heart, and every good presentation uses stories to illustrate points and to help people make an emotional connection to the message. A good story will capture and hold attention.
Instead of containing stories, excellent presentations are stories. These presentations guide the audience through an emotional journey that creates a reason to decide right here, right now.
4. Engagement
Keeping people’s attention for the duration of a presentation is tough. Good presentations, therefore, include some interactive elements.
Excellent presentations include specific presentation techniques to boost engagement. Some of the most reliable factors are:
- finding common ground with listeners
- interacting directly with your audience
- using meaningful visual aids
- excellent delivery skills
- the compelling personality of the presenter
Preparation of important speeches and presentations
Those who do not speak are not heard, and even those who speak up are not always successful. There are a few more steps that need to be mastered.
Do you want to convince with your message and also as a personality? Then I will help you to prepare your speeches and presentations. You determine the scope. At least, I recommend a test run with professional feedback for you and your message. Then you will know how you and your content are perceived, what you should do, and what you should leave out, where there is potential. Why do you want to get such helpful feedback so late after your real performance? Then it is too late for adjustments. Benefit from the advantage. My definition of luck: Preparation meets opportunity.
You can best estimate for yourself where the effort is worthwhile concerning the expected benefit. Here you will find the fees for my support (communication, psychology, language, structure, voice, body language, storytelling, rhetorical means, media such as PowerPoint and Co., etc.)
You are not in Berlin right now? Then choose meetings with me via telephone or video support. Whereby, there are quite good reasons for a trip to Berlin.
By the way, many people suffer from such intense stage fright in front of an audience, and therefore their performance lags behind their possibilities. Too bad, because with my help performance in a good condition is possible. Just in case...
A good start: Professional feedback with suggestions for improvement
How persuasive are you and your messages in speeches and presentations? How good are you at the 111+ most important presentation skills? I have been analyzing speeches since 1998. After evaluating 14,375 speeches and presentations, and numerous mistakes of my own, most of which I only discovered after a delay, I can tell you exactly what works with which audience. Let me give you the feedback that will help you get ahead. You will receive essential feedback and recommendations, as well as the impulses you need to persuade your audience in concrete situations.
Are you interested? If so, here is how to get helpful feedback with recommendations for improving your speeches and presentations.
Just ask me personally
Please post any questions that may be of interest to other readers in the comments. Looking for professional help?
If you are interested in coaching, training or consulting, if you have organizational questions, or if you want to make an appointment, you can reach me best via this contact form (you can choose whether you want to enter your personal data) or via e-mail (mail@karstennoack.com). The privacy policy can be found here.
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This article is a short excerpt from the more comprehensive course materials my clients receive in a group or individual training or coaching.
Published: August 3, 2016
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: August 20th, 2023
Translation: ./.
German version: https://www.karstennoack.de/ueberdurchschnittliche-reden-redekompetenz-berlin/
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That is a good idea!