Page 6 - 2016-10

6. high. Preferably your close will tie back into your
NO PAUSES opening theme in a circular way. Remember,
your last words linger.
Good music and good communication both
contain changes of pace, pauses, and full rests. As When you can avoid these 8 common pitfalls,
counter intuitive as it may seem, your listeners you’re free to focus on your message and your
connect to you more in the silence as they digest audience, making you a more dynamic, powerful,
what they have heard. When you give your audi- and persuasive communicator.
ence time to consider how your message applies
to them, they are more likely to remember and Companies who want a competitive edge hire
repeat your key ideas and message. If you rush Patricia Fripp. She is a Hall of Fame keynote
on at full speed to crowd in as much information speaker, executive speech coach, sales presentation
as possible, chances are the audience has tuned skills and on-line training expert. Patricia is also a
out. It’s okay to talk quickly if you pause when- subject matter expert for Continuing Education at
ever you say something profound or proactive XTRACredits. When your message must be memo-
or you ask a rhetorical question. This gives the rable, your presentation powerful, and your sales
audience a chance to think about what you’ve successful in-person or online Patricia Fripp can help.
said and to internalize it.
You can see Patricia Fripp in
7. person at Find Your Focus,
IRRITATING NON-WORDS the District 7 Fall Conference on
November 5-6, 2016 at Warner
Hmm--ah--er--you know what I mean--. Pacific College, Portland,
How often have you been irritated by speakers Oregon.
who begin each new thought with “Now” or
“So.” This might be okay occasionally, but not Register now at
every 30 seconds. Record yourself to check for d7toastmasters.org
similar bad verbal habits. Then keep recording
your side of conversations, rehearsals and actual
presentations. Be sure to listen, become aware,
and rescript your phrases until such audience-
aggravators have vanished. The constant use of
“Right?” at the end of your sentences kills the
impact and lowers your credibility as it appears
you are looking for agreement.

You will not improve what you are not aware
of.

8.
NOT HAVING A STRONG OPENING AND
CLOSING

Engage your audience immediately with a
powerful, relevant opening that immediately
engages them. It can be dramatic, thought-
provoking, or amusing. Your goal is to break the
distraction and hook your audience immedi-
ately with a taste of what is to follow. You have
many options: a rhetorical question, interesting
statistic, powerful quotation, personal story,
needed explanation, or transport the audience to
a different time or place by starting the sentence
with the word “Imagine…” or the phrase “I wish
you could have been there.”

Before you close, review your key ideas, if
appropriate, ask for short specific questions,
challenge the audience to take action based on
the content of your presentation, and close on a

6 Volume 3 Issue 4 - OCTOBER 2016