Welcome to the May Issue of Speaking-Out-Loud write-out-loud.com's monthly E-zine to help you effectively 'talk your walk'.

If this E-zine speaks to you, then quite likely it will talk sense to your friends, family or work mates too. Please pass it along.

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Remember, if you have any questions you're most welcome to ask them through my contact form. I enjoy hearing from my readers and will respond as soon as I am able.

Happy speaking,

Susan

In this Issue

If you don't have time to read the whole ezine, click on the topic that interests you. This month you will find:

• Susan's Spiel

• How to Start a Speech

• They Said It Become BIG on Small Talk

• Story Telling in Speeches

Susan's Spiel

How to Start a Speech

This month's Article is about how to start a speech. Is it with a joke? Is it with a formal greeting or do you apologise in advance for your lack of preparation?
The start sets the tone for what is to come. Ideally you want it to sit people up ready to listen. Find out the most effective way to begin a speech.

Become BIG on Small Talk
Small talk is often undeservedly despised for being what it is; small. But successful conversations with people you don't know depend on the ability to turn talk about neutral or safe topics (for example, the weather) into meaningful exchanges. This month's They Said It segment outlines how to make your small talk bigger.
If you find it hard to break the ice with strangers then this is for you!

And lastly there's Story Telling in Speeches.
Telling personal stories to illustrate the points you want to make in your speeches gives them credibility, humor or pathos more powerfully than any dry recitation of facts will ever do.
Unleash your latent story telling talent now.

I am always looking for ways to improve the site. If you see any errors or would like to contribute in any way, please accept this invitation to contact me through my About Me page.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy this month's Speaking-Out-Loud!

Happy speaking,

Susan

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Article

How to Start a Speech

The room is packed. The buzz of conversation dies and all eyes are on you, waiting. You step up to begin, open your mouth and...

What do you say? What is your opening?

• Is it a joke? A funny ha-ha to get the crowd laughing?
• Is it a formal greeting? "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, members of the South-East Bowling Society..."
• Is it an apology for rapidly flinging a few words together and your knees visibly knocking?

The only possible right answer belongs in the 'how long is a piece of string?' category. There is no simple one-size-fits-all prescription.

To find the perfect beginning we have to go back to the purpose behind the speech.
And in addition to knowing why, (to persuade, to inform, to entertain, to acknowledge or thank...), we have to consider who we are giving the speech to, our audience.

What you choose is important as it sets the tone for what is to come. Those first few sentences out of your mouth let the audience know whether they're going to be alert and hanging on your every word or slumped in their chairs waiting for you to end.

The solution? Find the 'hook'! The right hook will capture their interest straight away and hold them through the duration of your speech.

Because all hooks are not equal you need to consider carefully what will make your specific audience sit and listen.
Is it humor? Is it shock tactics? Is it casual informality or elegant formality? Could it be an outline of what is to come plus a call to action? Or perhaps it is a mix of all elements? What is definitely not included in the possible line up is an apology because that gives your audience a reason to doubt your credibility immediately.

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose futures' are not secure. The 'hook' is the possibility of change made more powerful through asking the audience to 'see' their future.

'How's your imagination this morning? Good? ( Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now. I want you to see your future.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one...No, I'm not a magician or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you.'

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Make the time to experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, subject matter and purpose best.

You'll be delighted with the results. A strong start gets the audience on your side from the beginning.

PS. Be very wary of following the often given advice to start your speech with a joke. Unless you are absolutely sure of what you are doing they can go badly awry.
For more information click the link to a page on how to use humor effectively.

Click the link to find out more about writing a speech to meet your specific speech purpose and your audience's needs.

If it's concluding your speech effectively that concerns you check out this page on how to end a speech. You'll find examples to guide and help you.

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Become BIG on Small Talk

Developing the art of conversation

What do you say when you meet a group of people for the first time? How do you break the ice?

This is the job of 'small talk'. It eases the way forward.

Small talk is conversation on neutral or safe topics. Although often derided for its blandness, small talk handled well can often become BIG or meaningful talk.

Examples of neutral subjects, (things you could reasonably expect most people to be able to comment on), are: the weather, sports, news, family events, work, traffic, seasonal happenings and of course your shared immediate situation, (a meeting, supermarket queue, a waiting room, a party ...).

Now combine your choice of topic with open ended questioning, a sincere compliment and your small talk will grow.

Here's an example.

The setting is a cafeteria. You're at a conference and it's break time. There are many new people to meet but you would particularly like to talk to the guy who spoke on little blue widgets earlier. They've been a passion of yours for awhile and you're keen to know more.

Your conversation opener may go like this:

'Hi, I'm Fred from XYC Company in Toronto. I really enjoy these conferences and particularly your talk about little blue widgets. What else can you tell me about them? I'm keen to hear what you've got to say.'

In this scenario the mutual meeting place, the conference, is acknowledged. You've introduced and placed yourself (company and city details), given a compliment ('I really liked your talk'), and asked an open-ended question, 'What else can you tell me about them?'

The open ended question invites more than a one word answer. When it's coupled with a sincere and appropriate compliment it increases the chances of conversation.

Like most new skills the art of opening a conversation with someone you don't know will feel a little forced or awkward at first. The trick is practice. Use the everyday opportunities that present themselves to refine your approach.

An example from my daily life is my morning bus commute. I now have a group of people I call my 'bus buddies'. The initial small talk that began our communication has long given way to interesting conversations about all sorts of things - life in China, books, films, living with an autistic child, making costumes...

If you found this information on small talk useful you would probably also like the page it was drawn from on the importance of communication skills. This lays out 5 easily managed steps to improve them.

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Story Telling in Speeches

Do you remember storytelling from your childhood? I do. Some stories are as clear in my mind as if it were yesterday. I can remember who was telling the story, what it was about, what the actual words were and most of all how I felt listening to it. And that's the power of good storytelling. It lives on in the minds of the listener often for years and years.

The next most important truth is that no matter how old we are we can still be captivated by a story told well. That's why including stories as part of any speech you write will enhance it.

Obviously there are some guidelines to follow. It's not just any story you tell or of any length. And there are specific ways to improve your storytelling.

How to Choose What Story to Tell

Always begin with your audience. You need to know who they are, what their likes and dislikes are, to get an idea of what you can and can't tell them. The treatment or how you tell your story will vary between audiences, just as humor does. What is funny to one group may not be to another. It is safer to know rather than guess and risk silence.

Always fit your story to your theme or topic. Storytelling without purpose will go down like the proverbial lead balloon. Tell stories that provide examples for the points you are making.

Make your storytelling personal. The audience will love you for it. Use your own experiences to poke a little fun at yourself. Exposing your fears, habits, or misunderstandings lets the audience identify with you. You stop being the remote expert and become one of them.

Here's an example.

It's a true story from my youth. I've told it to students as part of preparing them for formal interviews. It's from the what-not-to-do department. It had the effect of making them laugh, relax and learn. The joke lies in the double meaning of the word 'conviction' which I didn't take into account.

I am 22. I'm at my first real job interview - hair clean, best clothes, shoes polished. I've brought my CV, references and my certificates and I really want the job. I am sitting upright, listening very carefully to the questions and answering thoroughly.

I never finished the sentence because the interviewer was snorting with laughter.

Click the link to find more about storytelling in speeches.
Learn the best ways to bring your story to life with characterization techniques, including vocal variety, as well as how to introduce or set it up for maximum effect.

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Thank you for reading the May Issue of Speaking-Out-Loud. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please feel free to contact me with any questions through the form at the foot of the Speaking Out Loud Page. I love hearing from my readers!

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Until next time,
Happy speaking,

Susan

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