The Million Dollar Toolbox: By Ty Boyd

Qualities of a great speaker:

* Fear is a habit. The simple task of walking through your fear is doing what you fear, then doing it again transforms your fear into courage. Never telling the audience you’re nervous, or that you haven’t had time to think about what you’re planning to say.

* One of the most useful strategies is to focus on the audience’s needs rather than on yourself. Figure out how you can deliver your message in a way your audience will hear. Channel your fear into passion and energy for your subject. Focus on your passion and energy, not on yourself.

* Reinforce your connection with audience members by seeking a positive response as quickly as possible. Ask for comments or raised hands. Initiate a group activity. The sooner you can get a positive response, the quicker your anxiety level will drop.

* Be vulnerable. You let people see who you really are, and you put yourself on the line for something you believe in passionately. Vulnerability can be a cornerstone of your power.

* Stop trying to be perfect. Make your goal to be the best you can be at this moment. Don’t confuse excellence with perfection.

* The primary reason why speakers fail is lack of preparation. Practice may not make perfect, but it does make one better. Enough practice makes one great.

* It isn’t enough to have a message. It must be YOUR message. What is it about your topic that is important to you? When you discover your message, you also release your passion.

* At the beginning of every speech, your primary challenge is to break preoccupation. Each audience member is preoccupied with their own thoughts and concerns. A powerful, attention-grabbing beginning is critical.

* People don’t remember your points, they remember your illustrations. If they can remember the story, then they will be able to remember the point or lesson that the story teaches.

* End with a call to action. Make it clear what you would like your audience to do as a result of your presentation. Be clear on what they should do, not just what they should think.

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