26 Rules To Becoming A

Becoming a Successful Speaker
26 Rules to Becoming a
Successful Speaker
by William Davis
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
© Simply Speaking, Inc. 2008. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................
........................................ 2
RULE # 1: LEARN FROM
ECONOMICS ..................................................................................................5
RULE # 2: BE KNOWLEDGEABLE AND
PASSIONATE ....................................................................... 7
RULE # 3: MAKE EVERYTHING SOUND
NEW .....................................................................................9
RULE # 4: OBSERVE AND LEARN FROM
OTHERS .......................................................................... 11
RULE # 5: INVOLVE THE
AUDIENCE ................................................................................................... 12
RULE # 6: SHARE YOURSELF WITH THE
AUDIENCE .....................................................................13
RULE # 7: TALK TO YOUR AUDIENCE... DON'T
MEMORIZE ........................................................14
RULE # 8: KNOW WHAT YOU’RE TALKING
ABOUT ........................................................................16
RULE # 9: STAY UPDATED ON YOUR
TOPIC! .................................................................................... 17
RULE # 10: IDENTIFY YOUR GOAL AND BUILD YOUR SPEECH AROUND
IT ..........................18
RULE # 11: STRUCTURE, STRUCTURE,
STRUCTURE ..................................................................... 20
RULE # 12: ANALYZE YOUR
AUDIENCE ............................................................................................. 21
RULE # 13: GO OUT WITH A
BANG .......................................................................................................22
RULE # 14: START OFF
STRONG ...........................................................................................................
24
RULE # 15: IT’S ALL IN THE
DELIVERY ..............................................................................................25
RULE # 16: DEMAND
ATTENTION ........................................................................................................
27
1
RULE # 17: DEVELOP YOUR

PRODUCTS ............................................................................................29
RULE # 18: SWITCH IT
UP ......................................................................................................................
. 31
RULE # 19: TRANSCRIPTS =
SUPPLEMENTS .....................................................................................33
RULE # 20: KEEP IT
SIMPLE ...............................................................................................................
....34
RULE # 21: LET PEOPLE LISTEN TO YOU FOR
FREE! ................................................................... 35
RULE # 22: MAGNETIZE
THEM! ........................................................................................................... 36
RULE # 23: LISTEN TO THE MIDDLE
MEN ........................................................................................ 38
RULE # 24: BECOME A PERSON UP ON
STAGE .................................................................................39
RULE # 25: GET THEM TO VISIT
YOU ................................................................................................. 41
RULE # 26: CREATE YOUR PERSONAL
BRAND ................................................................................ 44
2
Introduction
Communication is an essential part of living. People rely on

communication nearly every minute of every day. The interaction
between people is what helps build relationships, teaches and informs
others, and brings emotion into our everyday lives. So why then is it so
hard to learn how to communicate at times? If speaking one on one is
no big deal, what makes public and guest speaking so intimidating? It
shouldn’t be, and that is the purpose of this book.
Although communication is apparent all the time in life, people get

paid tons of money to speak and communicate to audiences. The idea
of guest speaking is a mixture between communication and teaching.
Most of the time, an audience will request a speaker who is
knowledgeable about a subject in order to teach a group about his/her
area of expertise. The didactic nature of public speaking is what
separates public speaking from private conversations. Whether it be
motivational, educational or persuasive, giving a public speech is a lot
harder than it sounds. From voice intonation and word choice, to
stance and delivery, there are so many different elements that affect
public speaking that are important to learn and practice them.
People always ask me for tips on how to become a better speaker. I

have extensive experience in dealing with public speaking; both
booking the events as well as speaking at them. There are many
secrets that I am going to share with you which will help you excel as a
public speaker. Some, you may have heard of before; others may seem
weird. Be assured that the pointers and tips that I have laid out for you
will be well received if properly executed.
People get paid to do all sorts of things: fly planes, operate on medical
patients, offer banking services and virtually any other thing you can
think of. Public speakers get paid… well… they get paid to talk. And if
you like to talk, and you think that you can either help or educate
others, then public speaking is for you! What better way to make a
living than to be flown to exotic places, put up in nice hotels, have your
meals and entertainment paid for, and all they ask in return is for an
hour or two of your time while you teach an audience. Oh, I almost
forgot… on top of all of this, you get paid money!!!
If this lifestyle suits the lifestyle you are pursuing, read on. Even if you
do
not want to be flown all over the world and would like to speak locally
or on a
smaller scale, these tips can help you out as well.
3
I remember in college, I took a “Training of the Speaking Voice” class.

It
was not required, but I always told myself that the more speaking
experience I got,
the better. People learn how to add, subtract, write essays and study
for tests, but
very few truly learn how to speak. I promised myself that at every
opportunity I
could get, I would learn about public speaking.
The class taught me so much about how to deliver a speech that I

wanted to
learn more. So I enrolled the following semester in an “Introduction to
Speech.”
This class taught me how to write and structure speeches in order to
hit the
audience more effectively. It was wonderful and it wasn’t long before I
was
applying the lessons I learned to my life in the real world. From small
meetings
and engagements, to larger venues, the experience I gained in
speaking has helped
me an incredible amount over the years.
I have decided to include all of the lessons I learned in a

comprehensive guide to public speaking. This information is a
combination of lessons learned both in the classroom and in the real
world. From reading books to standing on stage, I have encountered
many different situations and will share the essential advice with you.
So read on to find out the 26 Rules to becoming a successful speaker.
When many people decide to go into public speaking, they are more
concerned with how much they will get paid over how their speech is
going to go.
You must decide what is the purpose of the speech you will be giving
and how will
you go about accomplishing the purpose. Will your speech motivate
your audience
or let them reflect on themselves? Will it educate them, entertain
them, or both?
You need to focus on the purpose of your speech and pull through.
I remember listening to a very successful business person talk about

how he
4
made millions of dollars. He said that the thought of money or power

never
entered his mind; he saw a way to help people out. He implemented a
creative way
to help out the consumers and thus made millions of dollars. He did not
come up
with his company with the intention of making so much money. The
money came
after his idea of helping people was successful. Have the same
approach. Don’t
try to book a speaking engagement for as much as possible. Try to find
a way that
you can help people, and focus on that. Chances are, if you are good
enough, the
engagements and the money will follow.
Rule # 1: Learn From Economics
One of the first rules of economics is that being a “jack of all trades” is
not
preferred over being a “master of one.” Basically, what that means is
that it is
better to specialize in one specific task than to know how to do a little
of every
task. This fundamental rule is true about anything, and certainly in the
world of
speakers.
You see, people want to sit down and listen to a pro talk about a
specific
topic. They don’t want to have someone stand on stage and tell them
about a
bunch of different categories and subjects that he knows little about.
Many speakers get caught up in trying to cover as many bases as
possible.
They are so eager to get speaking engagements and get out on stage
that they try to
be an “expert” on many different topics. Well what happens then?
Meeting
planners and event organizers deal with guest speakers all of the time.
When a
speaker sounds too good to be true, chances are, he/she probably is
and the
organizer is bound to not ask them to speak.
5
Although it is wonderful to be well-versed in different categories, it is

not
quite feasible that you can be an expert on more than two or three
topics. As
previously mentioned, it is very important that you stay up to date with
new
breakthroughs and information in your respective fields, and having
more than
three topics will have you bogged down and not up-to-date with your
speaking
material.
Another example is this: After a round of golf, your shoulder begins to

hurt.
You figure it will subside after a few days, so you don’t go to a doctor.
However, a
few weeks later, your shoulder is still bothering you! What do you do?
Most
people would go to a shoulder doctor. Sure, most doctors know some
things about
all parts of the body, but I would feel much better going to someone
who
specializes with the shoulder. Chances are he has more experience
and knowledge
and will be able to treat me better than a general doctor. Same applies
with
speakers!
So as tempting as it may sound, do not get sucked into believing that

the
more topics you take on, the more engagements you will receive. In
fact, the
opposite might be true. Do your thing and do it well. Take a few topics
(one is
enough really) and specialize in that field. Know everything there is to
know about
that topic. Read books, surf the web, and talk to other professionals in
the topic
area to get as much knowledge as you possibly can. You will notice
that not only
will it help the actual speeches themselves, but you will see your own
speaking
engagements increase.
Keep in mind that you can not specialize in something there is no

market for.
6
As much as I love and am well read in hunting for African Sea Turtles in
the
winter, not many people are going to want to listen to me speak about
it, no matter
how knowledgeable I am.
So choose something with a market and something that you know a lot
about. Be an expert, specialize and get out there and speak!
Rule # 2: Be Knowledgeable and Passionate
So now you have identified areas that you believe you can help people,
but
you need to narrow it down to one. The best advice to have at this
point is to
choose something you are knowledgeable and passionate about. These
two
ingredients are essential to cooking up the perfect speech. Everyone in
the
audience wants to be reassured that the person talking up on stage
knows what they
are talking about. Whatever you choose, make sure that you are well
educated and
experienced on that topic. The last thing you want is for someone to
ask you a
question regarding your topic that you do not have any idea about.
This can
certainly hurt your credibility and may have people leaving very
annoyed that you
didn’t know what you were talking about
In addition, be passionate about what you are speaking of. Sure,

people like
knowledgeable authorities giving speeches and sharing insight, but if it
is done in a
boring manner, you will be listening to your audience snoring
throughout the
duration of your speech! There are many different ways to keep your
audience
excited about the topic. Some people love to be energetic and jump up
and down
to keep people interested. Others use comedy and impressions to
accomplish the
same goal.
7
Regardless of what you implement, be sure you are passionate about

what
your speech topic. Whether or not you believe it, the audience is able
to tell how
passionate you are by watching you. Find something that you are
passionate about.
An audience can tell when a person is truly interested and passionate
about a topic.
There is no faking the excitement one shows when talking about
something he
enjoys, so choose something that arouses passion and interest in you.
If you look
like you are really into the topic and care about, the effect will rub off
on the
audience. If you seem to be apathetic and don’t care about the subject
matter, you
will find your audience slowly drifting off and your speech will be a
disaster.
Not only will speaking about something you enjoy make you look
better, but
you will also enjoy the experience more. So keep this in mind when you
are
planning and executing a speech. Be knowledgeable and be passionate
about your
topics. This could be the step that makes or breaks you. If you truly
enjoy talking
about your topic, you will not even consider it work and you will be
getting paid to
do something you love...isn't that the goal!?!
Rule # 3: Make Everything Sound New
I am one of those kinds of people that try to draw lessons from all
different parts of life. This one I actually learned while talking to a
friend of mine. He was in the sales business, and was one of the best
salesman in his division. I never remembered him being a great
people’s person, so I asked him once how he was able to do it. This is
what he told me: “Make everything sound brand new.”
What this means is simple. If you are making the same sales pitch over
and over and over again, it may seem boring to you. You probably
have the whole routine memorized and are just going through the
steps as you would any other time. W hat most people forget is that
although this may be the hundredth time you are delivering the sales
pitch, this is only the first time the customer is hearing it.
8
Therefore, if you sound disinterested in what you are saying, the

customer can hear it in your voice and he will not be excited about
what you have to offer. And why should he be? If you are not excited
about what you are saying, there is no reason why the customer
should be interested either!
Therefore, it is important that you make everything sound new all the
time. Even if it is the millionth time you are giving the same speech,
pretend and act like it is the first. You will notice that your audience
will give you their attention and that you will even be more excited in
what you have to say.
The most popular and recurring advice that people have for speakers
(and
mostly everything nowadays) is practice, practice, practice. And
although I do
stand by this advice, I believe that practice can also help you if you
don’t know
what you are doing. For example, I have been to many speakers where
it is
obvious that they practice. Their whole speech sounds rehearsed and
being recited.
It is boring, it is monotonous, and the crowd becomes disinterested.
Compare that to a speaker who looks as though everything he is
saying is
brand new and unrehearsed. Everyone knows he has practiced giving
his speech,
but the voice intonation and word usage suggests that this is not
rehearsed or being
read from cue cards. The audience will become more engaged and you
will see
better feedback as a result of your practices. Always remember that
you should
practice often, but pretend like every time is your first time speaking.
Rule # 4: Observe and Learn From Others
When I was a little kid, I loved basketball. I used to play it all day and
all
night. I had myself convinced that I was going to be a high-flying NBA
star…so
what did I do? I watched as much basketball as I could. I watched the
best players
I could and tried to learn from them. Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael
Jordan
9
all taught me things I could do in order to make myself as a basketball

player
better. This applies in any part of life.
You want to become a good speaker? Watch the best speakers in

action and
observe how they perform. Observe their diction, voice intonation, use
of pauses
and humor, eye-contact, stance, movement of arms, pacing around the
stage,
introduction, conclusion, what they are wearing… anything at all. Any
detail or bit
of information you can get on good speakers will undoubtedly help
you. Those
guys are the best for a reason, and if you can integrate some of their
successful
patterns and behaviors into your speech, you will be surprised how
improved you
will become.
The same thing goes for speakers you do not like. Notice small things
that
bad speakers do in order to avoid them during your speech. Fiddling,
saying “um,”
or not maintaining proper posture are great examples of things NOT to
do. So pay
close attention to speakers you both like and do not like. Remember,
there are
things to be learned from everybody, so be sure to use others to help
you realize
how you want to deliver your message.
Rule # 5: Involve the Audience

Have you noticed that in today’s world, a lot of the new products and
services focus around customization? Everything from tennis shoes
and clothing,
to cell phone ringers focuses on people customizing their products for
themselves.
Try integrating customization into your speech. Obviously, if you are
giving a
speech to hundreds of people you can not customize it to each person
in the
audience. However, getting personal and involving the audience will
keep
everyone entertained and involved in what you are saying.
10
When you incorporate someone into your speech, others will take
notice of
the fact that you are trying to involve others and not just preach.
Those that know
the person asked to participate will become more interested and pay
attention
closer. This is a great way to bump up participation if you notice that
you might be
losing the crowd.
The idea of Q&A originally came from the idea that by involving the
audience and addressing concerns, the speaker would not only clarify
his message,
but also increase his credibility with the audience. Although nearly all
speakers
use Q&A today, they do not realize what it is really meant for. So when
you
initialize our Q&A session, remember what it is there for and be sure to
use it to
make connections with your audience. Do not feel limited to this one
opportunity
to engage your audience. Be creative with different ways throughout
your speech
in order to get to know your audience better and make them feel as
though they are
getting to know you as well.
Rule # 6: Share Yourself with the Audience

It is one thing when people get on stage, act really smart and
knowledgeable,
talk, and then leave. People might listen or take note of what you had
to say, but
no connection was made with the audience. Today’s world likes to
encourage
connections with people and relationship building. Therefore, it is
imperative that
you try to engage the audience as much as possible. Try to get
personal with the
audience. Talk about your life experiences, offering insight into funny
stories or
major events that helped shape your life. Talk to the crowd as if you
were talking
to a friend or close relative. Let them know about how you felt and
what you
thought as you were going through your experiences.
11
Sharing as much personal information with your audience as possible

will
show the audience that you value relationships and will get them to
respond much
stronger to your speech. If the audience feels like they know you after
you are
done, they will enjoy the experience much more. Eye contact is
another great way
to establish a rapport with your audience. Especially in a smaller
crowd,
establishing eye contact could be one of the most important things in
public
speaking. It is a great way to keep your audience excited and
interested in what
you have to say and will also help build a sense of personal connection
throughout
the speech.
Rule # 7: Talk To Your Audience... Don't Memorize

I remember in college I had to give a speech. The speech could have
been
about anything, as long as there was a lesson to be learned at the end
of it. It was
not a major grade or speech; just a five minute address and I chose to
speak about
World War II and the lessons that could be learned from it. I practiced
and I
practiced. I had the whole thing down pat; memorized like the back of
my hand. I
got up in front of the class, introduced myself…and then I went blank,
completely
blank. The class stared at me for a while, and I waited about 5-10
seconds, and
then I realized that there was no way I was going to remember my
shtick.
So I just began talking. I remembered the
underlying points I wanted to make, but I talked
about the topic as if I was explaining it to my
family at the dinner table. In my head I thought
the speech was a disaster, but my teacher
pointed me out and said that it was the best
speech of the day.
She told the class I was the best because of two

reasons. A) She could tell that the speech was
12
not memorized and I was truly speaking and not

remembering something rehearsed (refer to Rule #3) and B) She could
tell I
practiced a lot. I did not get hung up or forget the subject matter, and I
sounded as
if this was the first time I had ever talked about it. She said this was
the perfect
combination and gave me an A.
I am not sharing this story with you to brag, but to make a point. The
two
most important things in engaging an audience is practice (making
sure you
understand the concepts and points you want to make) and novelty
(making
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14
everything sound brand new and exciting). One without the other will
not get you
positive feedback, but if you learn how to master these two, you will be
on your
way to success in no time.
Rule # 8: Know What You’re Talking About

When a person sits in an audience and watches someone on stage talk
extensively about a topic, it is natural for him to assume that the
speaker is an
expert on the topic of discussion. Once Q&A rolls around, the members
in the
audience will rely on you to provide interesting and accurate
information while
answering their questions. You do not want to disappoint your
audience and say
that you do not know the answer to their question, but you also do not
want to flat
out lie and make up an answer. It is for this reason that when choosing
a topic, you
must select one that you are knowledgeable about. When I say
knowledgeable, I
do not mean that you have read a book or two about it. You must
qualify yourself
to your audience as an expert on the topic. Experience and education
are the best
ways to acquire this expertise. For example, if you have spent years
working in
13
coal mines or have studied geology extensively, that qualifies you to

be a speaker
on coal mining, but may not qualify you to speak about the
environmental effects
of coal burning on the atmosphere.
If for any reason you do not know the answer to a question that is
directed to
you by an audience member, be completely forthright in telling them
that you do
not know. However, keep in mind that the more you say “I don’t
know,” the less
credibility you will have. So go into your engagements as
knowledgeable as
possible. You do not want everyone leaving the speech thinking that
you have
limited knowledge about the subject you selected.
Rule # 9: Stay Updated on Your Topic!

Many speakers are very knowledgeable about the subject matter. But
in
today’s world, it takes a lot more than previous experience and
education.
Everything changes so fast today, things that were news yesterday are
old history
today. You must stay up to date on the new information, knowledge,
and trends in
whatever subject you are speaking. In basically every field, technology
and new
techniques are being constantly implemented. If you are giving a
speech in such a
field where vast improvements have been made that you are unaware
of, your
audience may write you off as a “has been” who is not quite up with
the times. It
is very important that you stay up to date, both with your knowledge of
the
information as well as the experience of its implementation.
Think of it this way: would you ever want to get up and listen to a
computer
programmer talk about the internet and its capabilities if he hasn't
been keeping up
with the industry for the past 5 years? The internet has changed so
much over the
14
past 5 years that information that was topical a few years ago is now
archaic and
obsolete. Although this might be a drastic example, the lesson holds
true. Stay
well informed of new breakthroughs and news in your field so that you
are as
knowledgeable and credible as possible heading into your speech.
Rule # 10: Identify Your Goal and Build Your Speech Around
It
If you ask most speakers what their goal is, they will give you the
wrong
answer: They will tell you about their speech topic. And although the
speech topic
is obviously very important, that does not define the GOAL of the
speech. Every
speech has a goal in mind. The goal may be to educate, to persuade,
to motivate,
or countless other possibilities. You need to know what is the goal of
your speech
so you can better understand how to tackle the engagement.
If your goal is to educate, than you need to structure your speech in an

educational manner (this will be discussed in detail later). If your goal
is to make
money…well then you have a long way to go! Speaking for money or
recognition
is always wonderful, but if that is the purpose of speaking, or working
in any field
for that manner, then I am afraid you are doing it for the wrong reason.
I once saw a very wealthy man who made all of his money in the
technology
sector in the late 1990s speak. When he was talking about how he
made all of his
money, he said that he made it by not wanting it. He said that he
never started up
his computer business in order to become a millionaire, or billionaire
for that
matter. He started it up because he thought of a way he could help
people. By
providing a product that would improve the lives of his customers, he
would reach
his goal of helping people. He ended up helping others with his new
product, and
15
they ended up helping him a lot with the fortune he earned. The point
is this: if
you focus too much on giving speeches for the sole purpose of making
money, you
will not be happy or make as much money.
The audience must feel as though you want to be there. Even more so,
you
should WANT to be there helping those in your audience. Nearly all
speeches deal
with problem solving. The problem is presented by the audience, and
then left up
to the speaker to solve it for the audience. If you are able to help the
audience
members by solving or helping them solve the problems identified in
the speech,
then you will make them happy. And I assure you, once you scratch
their backs
and help them solve their problems, they will be scratching your back
and you will
begin to see results.
One of the first things you do when designing and building your
speeches’
structure will be to define a goal. The goal will determine how you will
approach
your audience, and what different tactics you can use to reach your
audience. For
example, you may want to use a lot of rhetorical devices (parallel
structure,
allusion, alliteration) if your speech’s goal is to persuade. If your
speech’s goal is
to educate and inform, you must use terminology that your crowd will
understand
so you do not lose them. Use the goal of the speech as a springboard
and use it to
develop a speech that your audience will love
Rule # 11: Structure, Structure, Structure

Structure is everything when you are giving a speech. You want to
come up
with an arrangement that will have a strong impact on your audience.
What is the
best structure? There isn’t one. There are different approaches
whether your
16
speech is meant to motivate or persuade, but you must analyze your

audience to
find out what approach would be the best.
A tip that works well is: Say what you are going to say, say it, then say
what
you just said. You want your audience to walk away remembering and
easily
identifying the topic and purpose of your speech. You therefore need to
repeat
your main points and purpose multiple times for emphasis. Now you
don’t need to
get on stage and say “This is what I’m going to talk about.” Be
creative. Start off
with a question, a personal story or anecdote, a fun fact, anything! Be
sure to
structure your speech in a way that goes through peaks and valleys.
You do not
want a speech that hits the point early and then gets really boring
after, or one that
takes forever to get to the interesting part that you lose your audience
to boredom.
Pacing and structure need to be used to make sure that you keep your
audience
involved constantly.
I wish there was a way for me to tell you what the “perfect structure”
is, but
unfortunately in varies from speech to speech. The best way to get a
feel for what
structure is best for your speech is to watch others give speeches on
similar topics.
Take note of how they introduce their subject matter and the various
transitions
they use to change subtopics during their speeches.
Rule # 12: Analyze Your Audience

This was the first lesson I learned before I even gave my first speech.
You
must analyze your audience before you even begin to plan your
speech’s approach.
Determine who are you going to talk to. Everything must be taken into
account:
age, sex, race, religion, socioeconomic class, everything! Think of it
this way, You
17
do not want to put together a speech dealing with state-of-the-art

technology and
use complex acronyms and words when speaking to mostly elderly
audience
members. You need to make your speech fit your audience. Just
because you have
given the same speech dozens of times does not mean that you can
give the same
speech every time.
Before I ever give a speech, I sit down and write out who my audience
is
going to be. Using all the categories listed above, and any other ones I
can think
of, I try to write down every characteristic that most people in my
audience will
have. Once I have an idea of who my audience is going to be, I then
begin to write
down different things that may interest or excite the audience.
By using the audience as the foundation from which to build my

speech
upon, it provides versatility in how to approach the engagement. I am
sure to use
the proper nomenclature depending on which generation I’m speaking
to and take
into account any noticeable characteristic to help me connect with my
audience.
This way, even when I’m giving the same speech over and over again,
it is always
different depending on who is in my audience. This distinguishes the
great
speakers from the good. If you are able to adapt YOUR speech based
on your
audience, you will have mastered one of the great secrets of public
speaking.
Rule # 13: Go Out With a Bang

I love music. I have played the guitar for many years now and love
listening
to virtually all kinds of music. Since I am such a music fan, I go to
concerts quite
often. And since I am well experienced in public speaking, I always try
to find
similarities between going to a concert and going to a speaker, and the
similarities
18
are astounding! Think about it; whether you go to a concert or a

speaker, you are
being entertained, and you are listening to the message of the people
on stage. The
artist or speaker has a clear message, and it is up to them to deliver
that to you in a
manner that suits you.
The idea of pacing through both concerts and speeches are also
very evident. Before a band gets on stage, they discuss what
songs they will be performing in order. The order of the song
selection is very important to the band as it helps set the tone
for the evening. The band uses the song selection and tone to
help deliver the band’s message to the audience. Notice how
similar the two are. A speaker must determine (based on his
audience) the tone and approach he must take in order to keep
everyone entertained and interested in the message the speaker
is delivering.
The number one similarity I notice between the two are the endings.
Most
concerts I have been to involve going out with a bang. Huge
explosions,
pyrotechnics, or a crowd-favorite song is always used to “keep the
audience
wanting more.” There are studies that show that if you go to a
mediocre concert,
but the ending is great, that people will leave the concert
remembering it as
wonderful. The last part of the experience will be what people
remember, so make
sure that you end with a bang. Once again, this can be achieved in
different way,
depending on what kind of speech you are giving.
The use of humor is one of the most popular ways to end a speech.
Keep in
mind that if you rely on humor, you must make sure that what you say
is funny…
you don’t want to end your speech on a corny line that leaves your
whole audience
wondering why they even came. Stories or a summary of the lessons is
a good
idea as well. The idea of your conclusion should be to tie the message
of your
19
speech to the points you made, and teach your audience how to apply
your
message to their lives. Any creative and interesting way that you can
accomplish
this will leave your audience wanting more, and happy that they heard
you speak.
A lot of people say that the first impression matters the most. Although
this
is true in some respects, in public speaking it is the last impression
that matters
most. Remember this when planning out your speech. Ending the
speech on a
strong note will provide you with the bang at the end that could send
you over the
top. Keeping your audience wanting more will augment your speech
and will have
your audience leaving with a sweet taste in their mouths.
Rule # 14: Start Off Strong

Most people form an opinion whether or not they like someone within
the
first 60 seconds of meeting them. The same goes for their opinion
when listening
to someone on stage. The first few minutes are a very important part
of your
speech. They will determine whether your audience is enthralled in
what you are
saying, or whether you will lose their attention for the duration of your
speech. So
be sure that you come up with a way to impress your audience early
and often to
make sure that they stay focused.
I have seen virtually every single kind of opening from speakers. I have
seen some get up and jump around in excitement when they first get
on stage while
others enter the stage very slowly and begin their speech with a story
or riddle.
Jumping around and acting exciting is not necessarily the best way to
start a
speech. Once again, depending on your audience, your beginning
needs to match
the people you are speaking to. I have seen some very basic
introductions that start
with a personal story be much more powerful and effective than
someone getting
20
on stage and pretending to be excited. So think of your speeches’ goal

and
audience, and come up with a way to connect with them strongly and
quickly. The
faster you connect with them, the easier you will find it to get up and
help them
(which is your purpose).
Rule # 15: It’s All in the Delivery

Have you ever heard a comedian tell a really funny joke, and you
couldn’t
stop laughing? Then you get home, and you tell your family or friends
about the
joke, and they don’t think it’s funny at all. You feel a little stupid, so
you say “I
guess its one of those things that you just had to be there for.” I know
you have…
in fact, everyone probably has! What makes the comedian so funny,
and makes
you look stupid when you tell your friends? It is all in the delivery.
Comedians really are public speakers. They get in front of an audience
with
the goal of pure entertainment. Some comedians have messages, but
for the most
part, they are there to keep their audience distracted from their own
lives and
laughing throughout. So in essence, comedians might be some of the
best public
speakers out there. So let’s learn from comedians to help us in our
speaking lives
improve.
Comedians use delivery better than anyone. The delivery of a joke

could
mean the difference between a house favorite and a complete and
utter flop. The
same is true with speaking. If you have a great message, but do not
know how to
convey it to the audience, you could end up boring everyone, or even
worse,
offending and alienating your audience. It is vital that you use your
audience
analysis to come up with delivery techniques for your speeches.
I previously stated that you shouldn’t memorize your speech and

should just
21
talk about your subject matter. Delivery, however, is important to

memorize. Keep
track of the way you introduce and talk about material, and your
audience’s
reactions to it. The successful deliveries should remain part of your
“act” and the
ones that don’t seem to connect with the audience should be thrown
out for new
ones. This is why people say experience is so important. The more you
have, the
more you know what deliveries do and do not work. And since delivery
is one of
the most important parts about giving a speech, experience means
everything!
Comedians are known for performing the same
shtick night-in and night-out. Yet if you were to
watch the good comedians do a show, you would
hardly realize that the act is rehearsed. That is
because they act as though their jokes are being
said for the first time. The delivery of a good
comedian is a hard thing to replicate. The way
they get to be so good is through practice and
experience. So practice your delivery often, and make it sound new
every time
you say it. It could mean the difference between being a crowd favorite
or a crowd
bust. Knowing your material in and out will help you adjust and change
your
delivery until you find what works best with you. Once you nail down
your
delivery and keep it exciting all the time, you will be on your way to
becoming a
great public speaker.
Rule # 16: Demand Attention

As a guest speaker, it is easy for you to assume that everyone has
come to
listen to you. You will be granted their undivided attention and they will
listen to
every word you have to say, right? Well, not really. In fact, if you want
attention,
you will have to take it.
Even if the attendees at your engagement go voluntarily, it is easy to

be
22
distracted from the speech and lose interest in what you are saying.
Do not let this
happen to you. You must take attention and keep it throughout the
speech.
Otherwise you will be on stage thinking everyone is enjoying your talk
when in
reality you are the only one paying attention to what you are saying.
There are
some great ways to keep people involved in your speech. The following
paragraphs include popular ways to make sure that people are paying
attention to
what you have to say.
The first way to keep people involved is to keep people involved. Call
on
audience members to come on stage, help out, or ask questions while
in their seats.
Any way to connect with your audience will be a wonderful way to keep
them and
others in the audience locked in and paying attention to you.
Stay animated while giving your speech. I can not tell you how many
times
I have seen people give speeches where they seem so excited at the
beginning, and
slowly turn into a monotonous and boring act. Keep in mind that if you
do not
look and sound interested in what you are talking about, no one will be
interested
either.
Stay relevant in what your subject matter is. Sometimes people veer
way off
topic in order to explain something that really isn’t that important of a
part in their
speech. Stay on topic and only go into deep detail for topics that need
to be
explained in order to progress your speech.
My parents taught me that attention is very hard to keep and very

easy to
lose. Therefore, it is extremely important that you do everything
possible in order
to keep all eyes on you. Once you lose the attention of a crowd, it is
very hard to
get it back and may result in negative audience reactions. If you are
giving a
23
speech and begin to see the audience drifting on you, try to change
gears quickly
and get everyone involved again. Taking a five minute detour in order
to tell a
quick story or joke to get everyone excited again can be worth it and
might even
save your speech. So do not think that just because you are the
keynote speaker
that you deserve attention. The minute you think like that will be the
minute you
start losing attention. Audience attention is something that needs to be
seized, so
get on stage and demand that the audience listens to what you have
to say!
Rule # 17: Develop Your Products

Going back to the concert analogy, there is a lot more to a speech than
the
speech itself. Think back to the most recent musical concert you have
been to.
Chances are that in addition to the concert ticket, the band sold shirts,
mugs,
bumper stickers, hats, water bottles, and anything else it could stick its
label on and
sell for nearly pure profit. The same is true with speaking.
Look at a speaking engagement as getting your foot in the door.
Whether or
not you are speaking for money or not doesn’t matter, that isn’t where
the money is
made. The money in public speaking is in selling other products before
and after
the speech. From speech notes, CDs, instructional movies, consultation
appointments, and many other different forms of packets and
supplements, you can
make thousands of dollars from the sales of these products.
Sell them for reasonable prices. You do not want people
to think that your products are rip-offs. The great thing
about most of these products is that theycost next to
nothing to produce, so once you put the time in to make
them, the rest is pure profit. CDs can be bought and
burned for pennies, and if you sell a recorded CD of
your speech or tips that pertain to your speech for $10,
that is $9.99 in pure profit from each one you sell. Sell
15 in one night, and that is basically $150 in one night
24
from CDs alone! Remember that the money to be made is not in the
engagement
itself but on the selling of various products.
Of course, be sure to run this by event planners to make sure that they
will
allow you to sell your products. Most times, they will not have a
problem with it,
but it is best to make sure that they are fine with it before hand so you
avoid any
testy situations.
The great thing about having your own products to sell is that you
have them
forever. Once you write up speech notes, all it takes to sell them is to
open up your
word processor and click “Print.” Keeping your product library new and
updated
may seem a bit tedious, but it is very important. You do not want
people buying
material with old information or techniques on it. Some people might
even be
discouraged to buy something when they see copyright dates that are
more than a
few years old.
So look at your product catalog as an investment. It may take a while

to
develop the individual components, but once they start selling, they
will soon be
sure sources on income for many years to come. One important point
to make
though is not to have too large of a product library. Having too many
products to
sell may confuse the audience which might lead them to not buying
anything.
Offer a variety of products, but be sure that the newly added ones you
are offering
are not cannibalizing the current offers you have.
Rule # 18: Switch It Up

Who wants to get sit down for two hours and listen to a boring speech?
Most likely nobody, and that is why you must learn how to switch it up
in order to
keep your audience into what you are saying.
25
The first way to do this is to outline your speech at the beginning. Talk
about 3 or 4 major points that you will be addressing during your
speech. That
way, when you get to each point and identify it, the audience will
already have had
a mini-introduction into the topic and will know exactly where the
speech is
heading. This will increase the audience’s attention in what you have
to say.
Use the stage to your advantage. A speaker standing at the podium for
hours
does not seem like the most exciting thing in the world, but a speaker
that uses
movement across the stage to hit his audience is a lot more exciting.
By “working
the stage,” you provide constant movement and require others to pay
attention to
where you are going, and what you are saying. Don’t go overboard and
run all
over the place...remember that giving a speech could take a while and
you don't
want to get tired in the first 10 minutes!
The last and most effective way to change gears throughout your
speech is
through your voice. Remember in grade school when your parents or
teachers
would read books to you? They would often use volume, pitch, speed
and tone
while reading the books in order to keep you entertained and excited
about the
story. Just because you are grown up does not mean things have
changed. In fact,
the more animated you are on stage, the more likely your audience is
to listen to
you. Identify what areas of your speech require you to speak slower or
softer, and
play around with ways to use the pacing of the speech to your
advantage.
Remember, the more you use it, the less effective it will be. That
means if
you get up and scream all speech, no one will notice (they might notice
the fact
that you are insane). The changing of the pitch, tone and speed of your
voice is
important, so be sure to switch it up often and when necessary.
26
The more experience you gain in public speaking, the easier it will be
to
recognize when you need to pick up the pace or slow down. The use of
speed,
volume and tone during your speech could be the factor that keeps
people involved
and leaves them enjoying what you have to say. In the early stages
before you are
able to identify when to change gears, try to be as animated as
possible. It is better
to be considered too animated about your subject than to appear
bored and
monotonous. The more experience you gain speaking, the easier the
shifts will
come to you. So switch it up often in order to keep the audience’s eyes
and ears on
you and improve your credibility with the crowd.
Rule # 19: Transcripts = Supplements

Do you ever watch primetime news magazine programs or talk shows?
Well
I am not sure if you noticed at all, but at the end of the program there
is a number
that appears that people call if they want to order transcripts of the
program. Most
people think the idea of ordering a transcript of the program is foolish
when you
can just record it or order a tape of the recording from the station.
However, some
people learn better through reading. They would rather sit down and
read the
transcript than listen or watch a television program. The same is true
with
speaking.
I previously mentioned ways you can develop your speaking products

to
help enhance your services (and your compensation). One of the
newest and most
popular ways of accomplishing both goals is through the selling of
transcripts. By
either recording your speech and typing it up at a later date, or hiring
someone to
transcript your speech into a document that night, you can sell the
transcript of
27
your lecture to anyone who is interested. Although the initial

investment may be
expensive or time-consuming, once you have the transcript, there is no
other cost
other than the paper and printing.
That is basically pure profit from the sales of transcripts. Most people
do
not believe that people will spend money on transcripts, but most
transcripts sell
for between $30-$50 a piece! Sell 10 transcripts in one night and that
is between
$300-$500 cash!!! Be sure to copyright all documents as you do not
want anyone
to steal your ideas. Using transcripts as a supplement to your lecture
as well as
speaking fees and product sales is a great way to earn additional
income while
helping out your audience.
Rule # 20: Keep it Simple

As a speaker, you should be very knowledgeable about what you are
speaking about. But knowledge alone does not guarantee that
everyone will
understand what you are saying. Remember those teachers that you
knew were
brilliant but they just could not relay the lesson if their lives depended
on it? Same
thing applies to you.
You need to remember that most of the time the audience will not be
experts
in the topic. In fact, that is why they are in the audience and you are
up on the
podium. You need to “dumb down” the lecture topic to a form that is
easier to
understand for them. I have seen many well educated and
knowledgeable lecturers
bog down the crowd with complex diagrams, flow charts and graphs
that leave the
audience more confused when they leave than when they walked in.
So keep it simple. In graphs and diagrams, keep information to a

minimum.
Only include data or information that you will be talking about that
affect the
28
lecture or message. Once again, you must analyze your audience to

determine how
knowledgeable they are which will let you know what you need to
include and
exclude (funny how everything always boils down to one lesson…
analyze the
audience). If you can find a way to make your material easily
understandable, you
will notice the attention and audience response to be much improved.
Rule # 21: Let People Listen to You for Free!

Is it just me, or is all this new audio craze just taking over the world? I
feel
like I can’t go anywhere without seeing someone sporting the latest
mp3 or other
portable audio player. Everywhere I look, I can’t seem to get away
from those
white earphones adorning the ears of people young and old. Musicians
are using
the internet and boom in the portable audio market in order to further
their careers
and improve their recognition. The smart speakers are doing the same.
Think of this, by making previous speeches of yours available for
download
online, they can easily be downloaded and put on computers, CDs, and
portable
media devices. People who are interested in speaking services will be
able to get a
first-hand account of what your speeches are like. Downloading “you in
action”
will give better insight into what kind of speaker you are.
Using the internet to help gain recognition and a fan-base could put
you over
the top. Event organizers are concerned about one thing. When they
hire a
speaker, they want everyone in the audience to enjoy it. They want
people coming
up to them after the speech telling them how good of a job they did
hiring the
speaker. So put your personality out there. Let the planner know that if
they hire
you, they will not regret it. Make it easy for them to hear your speech’s
topics,
message and delivery. This is a great and cheap way to increase your
accessibility
29
and recognition.
Rule # 22: Magnetize Them!

Do you know where the most viewed place in a residence is? I will give
you
once clue, it is not the television. If you guessed the refrigerator, you
are
absolutely correct. Think about it, at least three times a day (a lot more
at my
place) people go to the refrigerator to get things to cook or eat.
Various other
times, people just look into the fridge to check if there is anything good
to eat (my
favorite is when people look multiple times hoping to see something
new
mysteriously pop up). If advertisement is based on how many people
will see your
ad, then why not use the refrigerator as a place to advertise your
services?
People always look at the magnets on their fridge. Whether or not
people
realize it, the names and numbers on the magnet will find their way
into their
heads. The best way to get the magnets in the audience’s hands and
onto their
fridge is through goody baskets.
Goody baskets are used for basically anything. Ask the event organizer
if
they are planning on making baskets that will be put on every seat in
the house. If
not, ask if you can either make one to place on the seats or hand out
before and
after the speech. That is the best way to get the items in the
audience’s hands.
Once they are in their hands, you need to convince the audience to put
them
on their fridge. This can be done through creativity. Come up with a
funny slogan
or saying that you know your audience will enjoy. Many people like to
put
magnets with cute or funny sayings on their fridge. That way, when
their friends
come over, they can look at the magnet and have a good laugh. If you
can provide
30
a large enough incentive for your audience to take the magnets, put
them on the
fridge and keep them there, you will be getting months and months of
advertising.
Don’t underestimate the value of such a simple idea. Chances are,
even if its
months down the road, when someone or some organization needs a
good guest
speaker, your name is right there on the fridge (and in their heads
too!). If your
slogan is clever enough, people will associate the slogan with you and
remember
you in a good light.
I am always trying to look for ways to get free advertisement. After all,
in
this world anyone thinks they can get up and speak in public. As a
public speaker,
one of the biggest assets you have going for yourself is your
reputation. A great
way to build and maintain this reputation is through perception. You
must make
people perceive you as being the best, and a great way to do that is for
you to
appear being the best.
Clever slogans or funny phrases that can be put on a refrigerator and

seen
daily is a great way for you to build credibility long after you have
stepped down
from the podium. Always remember, just because something is cheap
does not
mean it is ineffective. In fact, most of the really expensive advertising
is not as
effective as you think. Cheap and effective is the best way to make
sure that you
increase your reputation without decreasing the weight of your wallet
too much!
Rule # 23: Listen to the Middle Men

There was a study that was done a few years back that said no matter
who
your audience was, about 6-8% will not like you no matter what you
do. The
reason for this is because people will automatically associate you with
something
31
or someone that they do not like. Conversely, the same amount of

people will
automatically like you because you may remind them of someone or
something
that they do like.
This is a very important lesson to learn as a speaker. This may not be

the
most important tip to becoming a successful speaker, but it is an
important thing to
keep in mind. There will always be some people that either love or
hate you
depending on how you look and act. You can not worry about these
people since
you have no control over who you are. Their feedback is completely
useless to you
as well.
The real way to find out how good you really are and how many people
really enjoy you is to find the 84-88% of people who are indifferent to
you when
you first walk on stage. These people are the ones that will gauge your
performance objectively and will provide insight on what you did right
and wrong
during your speech.
Do not get caught up on people that dislike you. Take criticism

constructively and not defensively. If you use the criticism from those
that are
indifferent and change your routine to accommodate them, you will
find that over
time you will slowly grow to be liked by a vast majority of your
audience.
Rule # 24: Become a Person Up on Stage
Previously, I told you about how making a connection with the

audience is important. Remember, when you are on stage talking
about whatever it is you are knowledgeable about, people don’t always
see a person. They may see a teacher, lecturer, or even someone that
they think is trying to change their opinion (which sometimes you are).
Remind people of what you are. You are a person just like them. Let
them know that you have a family and friends and hobbies just like
everyone else. The more of you that you share with your audience, the
better received you will be by them. There are many ways to
32
accomplish this. How many times have you been over at a family
member’s or friend’s house and they want to show you pictures.
Showing and sharing pictures is a great way to gain insight into how
someone ticks. By looking at pictures, you will find out who the person
is close with, what he enjoys doing, and various other information
about him. So do this with your audience so they know who you
are.Inviting each audience member on stage one by one to look at
your pictures can be a bit time consuming. I recommend printing out
pictures and putting them on every seat before the show. You can
either use captions or decide not to. I have found that if you use
captions people are going to read it before you want them to. If you
exclude captions, you will be able to walk the crowd through the
pictures one by one so they will go on the journey with you.
Other great ways to share pictures with your audience is through a

projector. Whether it be an old projector with slides in it or a new one
hooked up to a computer with PowerPoint, this is a great way to pace
the pictures. This way, the crowd will not see the pictures until you
want them to, and you will be able to talk them through the pictures.
In addition, this is a great way to keep the audiences attention. With

handouts, many times the audience will read or look down at the
handouts and lose focus of your speech. By having a large projector
screen on stage which the audience can look at, they are constantly
looking up toward you and the chances of you keeping their attention
greatly improve.
I have even seen people put brief videos of family and friends on
screen to provide a little insight into their lives before they delve
deeply into their speech topic. Once again, the most important thing
for you to do is to analyze exactly who you will be speaking to, and
whether or not sharing of personal information will have an effect on
how you are received. The more you look like an average human being
that people can get along with, the better you will be received and
hopefully the louder the ovation when you are done.
Rule # 25: Get Them to Visit You
There is a famous saying that claims the hardest part of selling

something to someone is getting them to come in the first place. Once
they are there, you can sell them anything they need, but if they never
come, no amount of salesmanship or convincing will get them to
purchase anything. If you are selling books after a speech, try your
best to convince people before and during your speech that they
should come by the table after. The reason for coming on by could be
anything. have found that humor always works best in these
33
situations. Tell others during the speech that you will be selling books
after. Tell them all payments are taken, including cash, credit card,
checks or their least-favorite child. Anything like that will entertain
your audience and should convince them to stop by, even if just to
meet you after the speech.
Another great way to do this is to offer or show something at the sales

table after the show. You can place personal pictures, diagrams
relating to your lecture or small token giveaways at the table for
people to stop on by and see or take home with them. Once they are
at the table, you can talk to them and sell them any books, tapes or
other materials that you think they may need.
People like to be treated special. They love believing that others are
willing to do nice things for them. In return, they are subject to
remember the person fondly and do nice things for them in the future.
A great example is the following: I attended a speaking event where
the speaker sold various books, CDs, and other materials after he was
done with his speech. I went to talk to him at the back of the room
where he had the sales table set up and we got into a conversation
about public speaking. Meanwhile, others were purchasing his various
products.
There was this one person who was beginning to read the speaker’s
authored book. He was obviously interested in the content, so the
speaker told him that the price was $20. The man quickly told the
speaker that he did not have any means of which to pay for the book
now. The speaker than told the man to take the book home, and if he
enjoyed it, to send him the $20 via mail. The man seemed shocked at
such a kind act, and promised to send the $20 promptly. I asked the
speaker if he did that often, and he told me more often than I might
think. The speaker claimed that most every time he did it, not only did
he receive the money in the mail soon thereafter, but he would get
nice notes and cards thanking him for his understanding and
generosity.
This is what you as a speaker must understand in order to be truly

successful. Public speaking is not a hobby, it is a business. Part of the
business is convincing people that you are one of them, and truly care
about them. By showing understanding and compassion, you will see
how nicely others will treat you in the future. I am sure that some
people never sent any payments, but the benefits of those that did
send back far outweigh the negatives of those who did not.
Chances are those that you are kind to will remember you for years to
come, and in the event that anyone they know needs a good speaker,
34
you are at the top of their list. So by risking the cost of production of
one book or CD or any product of yours for the reward of being paid in
the future PLUS any kind words or possible future speaking
engagements is a risk most people should be willing to take. Not only
will that one person be appreciative of the kind act, but maybe he will
tell others or others in line will hear you be understanding. The rub off
effects of such an event could be huge to you in the future as you
attempt to increase your fan-base. Obviously, don’t do this too often or
for everyone or you will soon find yourself in the red.
So get people to your table by all means possible. Do a raffle, offer

bonuses if they stop by, or integrate your speech into a post-speech
table next to your sales table. Any way in which you can increase the
sales of your products will have a direct impact on the thickness of
your wallet, not to mention that you will be helping others and they will
be rewarding you well into the future.
Rule # 26: Create Your Personal Brand
In business school, they teach that differentiation is one of the best

ways to gain a competitive advantage over others who are seeking the
same jobs as you. One of the best ways to differentiate yourself in the
world of speaking is through branding. Branding, a simple concept, is
the idea that by building your name and goodwill, you will be able to
demand higher fees and increase your booking engagements.
There are three things you must do in order to brand yourself and set
yourself apart from the competition. The first is to be outrageous.
Think of Muhammad Ali. Before he was even competing at the top he
proclaimed “I am the greatest of all time.” He would taunt his
opponents and boast at every chance, at it set him apart from
everyone else. Granted, he went to achieve some unbelievable feats,
but he is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Another lesson I have learned in life is that in order to be successful

you must surround yourself with the best people possible. That is
another great way to promote your career. Once again, Muhammad Ali
had a posse that used to travel with him that he called GOAT. It stood
for “greatest of all time.” Although I know it is not common practice for
speakers to have posses follow them around, be sure to always
surround yourself with smart individuals. If you are giving a speech on
bio-genetics, talk and keep in touch with some of the forefront minds in
this field. Being able to mention that you work with the greatest and
most knowledgeable people in the field will qualify you fast as a
wonderful resource.
35
The last step is simple to say, but hard to do. Promote, promote,
promote. Going back to the boxing example, Don King has made
hundreds of millions of dollars by doing nothing but promoting. If you
can find a way to be enthusiastic and promote yourself well, you will be
reaping the benefits from your hard work for years and years.
36

26 Rules To Becoming A

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Becoming a Successful Speaker

RULE # 17: DEVELOP YOUR

Communication is an essential part of living. People rely on

Although communication is apparent all the time in life, people get

People always ask me for tips on how to become a better speaker. I

I remember in college, I took a “Training of the Speaking Voice” class.

The class taught me so much about how to deliver a speech that I

I have decided to include all of the lessons I learned in a

I remember listening to a very successful business person talk about

made millions of dollars. He said that the thought of money or power

Rule # 1: Learn From Economics

Although it is wonderful to be well-versed in different categories, it is

Another example is this: After a round of golf, your shoulder begins to

So as tempting as it may sound, do not get sucked into believing that

Keep in mind that you can not specialize in something there is no

Rule # 2: Be Knowledgeable and Passionate

In addition, be passionate about what you are speaking of. Sure,

Regardless of what you implement, be sure you are passionate about

Rule # 3: Make Everything Sound New

Therefore, if you sound disinterested in what you are saying, the

Rule # 4: Observe and Learn From Others

all taught me things I could do in order to make myself as a basketball

You want to become a good speaker? Watch the best speakers in

Rule # 5: Involve the Audience

Rule # 6: Share Yourself with the Audience

Sharing as much personal information with your audience as possible

Rule # 7: Talk To Your Audience... Don't Memorize

She told the class I was the best because of two

not memorized and I was truly speaking and not

Rule # 8: Know What You’re Talking About

coal mines or have studied geology extensively, that qualifies you to

Rule # 9: Stay Updated on Your Topic!

If your goal is to educate, than you need to structure your speech in an

Rule # 11: Structure, Structure, Structure

speech is meant to motivate or persuade, but you must analyze your

Rule # 12: Analyze Your Audience

do not want to put together a speech dealing with state-of-the-art

By using the audience as the foundation from which to build my

Rule # 13: Go Out With a Bang

are astounding! Think about it; whether you go to a concert or a

Rule # 14: Start Off Strong

on stage and pretending to be excited. So think of your speeches’ goal

Rule # 15: It’s All in the Delivery

Comedians use delivery better than anyone. The delivery of a joke

I previously stated that you shouldn’t memorize your speech and

talk about your subject matter. Delivery, however, is important to

Rule # 16: Demand Attention

Even if the attendees at your engagement go voluntarily, it is easy to

My parents taught me that attention is very hard to keep and very

Rule # 17: Develop Your Products

So look at your product catalog as an investment. It may take a while

Rule # 18: Switch It Up

Rule # 19: Transcripts = Supplements

I previously mentioned ways you can develop your speaking products

your lecture to anyone who is interested. Although the initial

Rule # 20: Keep it Simple

So keep it simple. In graphs and diagrams, keep information to a

lecture or message. Once again, you must analyze your audience to

Rule # 21: Let People Listen to You for Free!

Rule # 22: Magnetize Them!

Clever slogans or funny phrases that can be put on a refrigerator and

Rule # 23: Listen to the Middle Men

or someone that they do not like. Conversely, the same amount of