Presentation skills delivery

Good delivery doesn’t call attention to itself. It conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, in an interesting way, and without distracting the audience.

1. Good delivery can make the difference between a successful speech and an unsuccessful speech.

When you plan your first (second, third) speech, you should concentrate on such basics as speaking intelligibly, avoiding distracting mannerisms, and establishing eye contact with your audience. Once you get these elements under control and begin to feel fairly comfortable in front of the audience, you can work on polishing your delivery to enhance the impact of your ideas.

In addition to having something to say, a speaker must also know how to say it. A wonderfully written speech can be destroyed by poor delivery. Vice versa, even a mediocre speech will be more effective if it is delivered well.

Good delivery is an art. Most audiences prefer delivery that combines a certain degree of formality with the best attributes of good conversation – directness, vocal and facial expressiveness, and a lively sense of communication.

II. There are four basic methods of delivering a speech.

A. Some speeches are read verbatim from a manuscript.

1. Manuscript speeches are often used in situations that require absolute accuracy of wording or that impose strict time limits upon the speaker. Examples include a Pope’s religious proclamation, an engineer’s report to a professional meeting, or a President’s message to Congress. Every word of the speech will be analyzed by the press, by colleagues, perhaps by enemies. Timing may also be a factor in manuscript speeches. Much of today’s political campaigning is done on radio and television. If the candidate buys a one-minute spot and pays a great deal of money for it, that one minute of speech must be just right.

2. Speakers should take several steps when speaking from a manuscript.

   1. They should rehearse the speech aloud to make sure it sounds natural.

   2. They should work on establishing eye contact with the audience.

c. They should make sure the final copy of the manuscript is legible at a glance.

d. They should concentrate on talking with the audience rather than reading to them.

B. Some speeches are recited from memory.

1. Nowadays it is customary to deliver only the shortest speeches from memory. They may include toasts, congratulatory remarks, acceptance speeches (however, remember Oscar ceremonies? They read from small pieces of paper), introductions and the like.

2. When delivering a speech from memory, the speaker should learn it so thoroughly that she or he can concentrate on communicating with the audience rather than on remembering specific words.

C. Some speeches are delivered impromptu.

Many of the speeches you give in life will be impromptu. Whether you realize it or not, you have given thousands of impromptu “speeches” in daily conversation – as when you informed your fellow student about a new class, or explained to your boss why you were late for work, or answered a question in your job interview. There is no reason to fall apart when you are asked to speak impromptu in a more formal situation. You might be called on suddenly to “say a few words” or, in the course of a class discussion, business meeting, or committee report, want to respond to a previous speaker.

1. Impromptu speeches are presented with little or no immediate preparation.

2. When speakers find themselves faced with an impromptu speaking situation, they should follow four simple steps to organize their thoughts quickly.

a. First, they should state the point to which they are responding.

2. Second, they should state the point they want to make.

c. Third, they should use whatever support they have – examples, statistics, or testimony—to prove their point.

d. Fourth, they should summarize their point.

2. In addition, an impromptu speaker should consider the following suggestions.

1. If there is sufficient time, quickly jot down a brief outline to remember what to say.

2. Try to remain calm and assured regardless of how nervous you might be.

3. Maintain strong eye contact with the audience.

4. Concentrate on speaking at a clear, deliberate pace.

5. Use signposts ("first," "second," etc.) to help the audience keep track of your ideas.

D. Some speeches are delivered extemporaneously.

In popular usage, “extemporaneous” means the same as “impromptu”. But technically the two are different.

1. Extemporaneous speeches are carefully prepared and practised in advance.

2. They are presented from a set of notes, but the exact wording is chosen at the moment of delivery.

3. There are several advantages of extemporaneous delivery.

1. It gives greater control over ideas and language than impromptu delivery.

2. It allows for greater spontaneity and directness than memorized or manuscript delivery.

3. It encourages conversational vocal qualities, natural gestures, and strong eye contact. Conversation quality means that no matter how many times a speech has been rehearsed, it still sounds spontaneous to the audience. When you speak extemporaneously – and have prepared properly – you have full control over your ideas, yet you are not tied to a manuscript. You are free to establish strong eye contact, to gesture naturally, and to concentrate on talking with the audience rather than declaiming to them.