KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION (Part 3 of 4)

FITTING THE PART
When developing a speech or workshops, there are so many places to start, and you may not know where to start. In the next few weeks we'll be covering the KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION in a four part series. These concepts have been developed to help make speech writing easy and we hope you'll let us know how they work for you by emailing us at parallel49strategies@gmail.com!
So now we have the speech figured out, it's so vital that we look the part. This week we'll be talking about choosing clothes that not only make you stand out, but also presenting your speech in a way that sets you apart.

Part 1) The hands. When practicing your speech, it's important to pay close attention to your actions. If you're using one hand motion over and over, perhaps you need to adjust that. If you're doing hand motions that are not useful, it's okay to have your hands to your sides for part of your speech. Whatever you choose, just realize that your hands can be a great tool, but also a great distraction.

Part 2) The feet. WATCH OUT FOR HAPPY FEET! Happy feet can become such a large distraction that people forget to listen to you! Watch how often you move, more importantly make sure you move with a purpose. Using your body language is important - it makes you more relatable. So when you move, make sure you get to a spot (usually done when a new point arises) and stay there until you finish the point. When you move, thats when you say your transition. This keeps your body language in sync with your speech! Neat huh!?

Part 3) The clothes. This is where things get tricky. If you're a member of an organization (like FFA, BPA, SkillsUSA, DECA, FCCLA and FBLA) there's no question about what to wear, wear your professional or official dress - perfectly to code. Yes, I know some girls like to wear pants instead of skirts - BUT! Often (like in FFA) Pants are only for outdoor activities - otherwise you're breaking the code! If you're not involved in an organization or are just at an event, it's safest to ask what others will be wearing, and go one notch above that. Say everyone else is in a T-shirt, you be in a button-down or polo with a pair of Khakis. AVOID JEANS! Jeans, contrary to many "designers" are NOT professional in any case - black, brown, green, pink or blue! I dont care what color they are they are NOT professional! Khakis or chino's are always safe, and they come in so many great colors! Also, it's important to have the right cut. If you're like me, and a shy on the bigger side, it's even more important. Most khaki's will taper too fast and make your hips look huge! Also, pleats sometimes will have the "mega-hips" effect which you should also avoid. People on the skinner side, pleats can often build your size and benefit you. Guys - sometimes it's just best to find a good, honest girl to give you advice. Girls - be honest! I usually take a close friend shopping and have gotten to the point where I can make pretty good decisions on colors. Trust me - you DO NOT want to go into a speech with black shoes and a brown belt - it really is a BIG deal. Also, as odd as it seems, your colors need to coordinate with the seasons. Fall tends to bring more earth tones like gray, brown, olive and dark blue, winter is more rich colors like red, grey black and green. (do NOT look like a Christmas tree though!) Spring allows you to play more with brighter colors and summer should always be brighter colors - but not tacky! Check out websites like gq.com or askmen.com for guys. Girls, I recommend websites like elle.com. Just remember to take these things with a grain of salt. It's important to still be relatable.

Next week we'll focus on the big A. Attitude!

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION (Part 2 of 4)

POINTING IT OUT

When developing a speech or workshops, there are so many places to start, and you may not know where to start. In the next few weeks we'll be covering the KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION in a four part series. These concepts have been developed to help make speech writing easy and we hope you'll let us know how they work for you by emailing us at parallel49strategies@gmail.com!

When we begin expanding on the main points of a speech, it's important to take your audience into consideration. What will interest them? How can they relate to what you're saying? Your words and examples need to be something that they can relate to! If you're speaking to an audience full of Educators, use stories of students, or teachers who have made an impact. Group of kids in 4-H? Talk about projects or fair animals! There are so many ways to bring your stories into a speech, but no matter what you do they need to be relatable to the audience!

The next important thing, is to pick a story that fits. This will serve as your Support which will back up your points. You need to have examples of your point working, or being successful - otherwise people wont listen! After you've picked your story, create a well-developed sentence that will serve as your Point. If your point is too long people will bypass it thinking it's irrelevant so it's important to make sure it's clear and concise. it's vital that we tell the audience how we can apply it to daily life. This serves as your Application.

WHOAH! Don't just end it right there! It's important that we take the time to transition into our conclusion, avoiding terms such as "In conclusion" or "Finally" or "Lastly." Those words are far too basic and leave a speech cut short. When you're closing, find a story or example of the points working correctly in your past, or in your community, or draw it back to your first story used in the connection. Whatever you do, make sure it proves your three points, and then closes the speech. This is where speech writers are really able to make a speech, because the last sentence is the one that is remembered most!

In Part 3 We'll cover preparation for the event and deciding what you should wear to look professional.

KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION (Part 1 of 4)

DEVELOPING A KEY MESSAGE

When developing a speech or workshops, there are so many places to start, and you may not know where to start. In the next few weeks we'll be covering the KEYS TO A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION in a four part series. These concepts have been developed to help make speech writing easy and we hope you'll let us know how they work for you by emailing us at parallel49strategies@gmail.com!

When asked to present a keynote or workshop, the first question should always be - What topic would you like me to cover? By asking the coordinator or advisor what topic they would like covered, it gives you beginning direction for what you will cover in your presentation.

Second, it's vital to the success of your presentation that you ask who the target audience is. If you're at an FFA banquet are you trying to reach the supporters or the members? If you're at a CTSO meeting is it the advisors or the officers? Once you know who your target audience is, you can begin developing stories to connect with them.

Main point? Check. It's now time to break it down into two or three points that you can expound upon. Take for instance a speech on "Service Leadership." The first thought would be to take each word - service and leadership, and talk about each, and then bring them together at the end. Another example might be a presentation on Taking Advantage of Opportunities - a common theme. It would be good to talk first about the opportunities that are available - then talk about why participating in them is so important. In Part 2 we'll break these points down, focusing on developing each point more in depth. But for now, we'll stick to the key points of your presentation.

Nothing is worse than a dry speech. You know, the ones that people stand up and ramble on and on about how their cat taught them about leadership. It's important to find ways to draw in the audience in ways that are exciting. What are some stories that the audience can relate to? How have your experiences shaped who you are? What life experiences can you draw off of to back up your points? Stories are what makes a compelling presentation - if you do not have personal stories that relate, try looking online. The World Wide Web has infinite potential in your search, however some of the best stories are found in good ole' fashioned books. Some of my favorite are: Tuesdays with Morrie, The Last Lecture, How Full is Your Bucket?, The Maxwell Daily Reader. It is always safe to have at least two stories for a two point speech, and for a three point speech have at least three. I recommend using stories that hit different platforms as well - try a local success story and a well known historical story. By having different stories in different time periods and locations you begin to add depth to your presentation.

In Part 2, we'll focus on developing each story and putting them into an effective formula for speeches and workshops. Keep checking back as we'll be posting Part 2 shortly!