The Media Coach 13th November 2023

Speaking Tip of the week - Five things to do before every speech

There are dozens of things you could do before you deliver a speech. Here are five that you must never miss.

1) Check the venue, timing and topic. When I say "check", I also mean "re-check". Always make a call a day or two before you travel to an event to make sure that the details you have are still valid. It can and does happen that an organiser may make some changes at the last minute, and forget to tell a most important person - you.

2) Have several copies of your presentation. If you're using slides, send a copy in advance, upload a copy to the cloud, take a copy on a memory stick, and have a hard copy too. If you're using notes, have hard copy and electronic copies too.

3) Rehearse out loud. Saying the words in your head is not the same as saying them out loud. You need to know how they feel as you say them. Ideally, record your rehearsal in audio and/or video and play it back to check how it looks and sounds.

4) Anticipate delays and plan to arrive early. There are lots of reasons for arriving early, maybe even the day before you speak. You have time to relax, meet the audience, get a feel for the venue and run a technical rehearsal.

5) Meet the introducer. How you are introduced sets the scene for the opening of your speech. Always make sure you speak to the person who will introduce you and hand them a short introduction. Don't let them make it up!?????

Media Tip of the week - Listen with your body

When you are being interviewed on TV, the camera will often be on you, showing your reaction, while the question is being posed. The viewer will make a judgment about whether you are really listening, whether you are irritated by the question, and whether you know what to say, just from the way that you look. It often tells much more about people than what they actually say.

Of course, you need to listen to the question so that you can answer it in a professional and competent manner. You should also make sure that you look as though you are listening, too. Here are a few tips:

• Fix your eyes on the questioner at all times
• Keep a relaxed pose, leaning slightly forward
• Nod occasionally to show that you understand
• Use a vocal agreement such as "uh-huh" or "mmm"
• Don't fidget or swing around in your chair
• Practice the "steeple" gesture - fingertips together, pointing upwards
• Avoid showing anger or distaste
• Smile occasionally

Stillness and respect is what it's about.?????

Social Media Tip of the week - 7 tips for social media videos

Having video on your social networks is essential these days. Here are some tips to make your videos look and sound more professional.

1) De-clutter the background. Remember that any distraction confuses the message. A tidy bookshelf or a plain wall are fine.

2) Get a good microphone. It costs a little extra to get a plug-in or wireless mike for your video camera, but the results are well worth it.

3) Learn your words. Glancing off-camera at your script is very obvious,and looks as though you aren't sure what you are talking about. There's no need to learn word-for-word, but the essence of your message should be easy to remember.

4) Rehearse. People don't want to see your "ums" and "ers", they want to see a simple statement of value.

5) Be conversational. Imagine you are talking to just one person.

6) Use high-quality and landscape mode. Most cameras default to this format anyway, and it's become almost standard on YouTube.

7) Keep it short. Two minutes or less is fine. Make sure that the opening few seconds make an impact, too.

8) Bonus tip - If you make a small mistake, keep going. It's more real.