After the Speech

Usually the emphasis on making an effective speech is what you do in preparation before the presentation begins. But if you speak very much, what you do after the speech can help you become a more effective speaker. As soon as possible after the speech, write down impressions of how you felt the speech went. Answer at least two questions about the speech: What was the best part of the speech? What part of the speech can be improved the next time? Some of your best ideas will come to you as you are speaking. Write them down as soon as the speech is over so you can be prepared to use those lines or ideas the next time you speak. Think about the peaks and valleys in the speech. Consider when the audience seemed to listen best and when the audience seemed restless and disinterested. Write down your reactions while they are fresh on your mind. Talk to someone about the speech within the first day after your presentation. You'll remember best what you talked about and you might discover a better way of telling a story or making a point as you summarize your speech to a friend or colleague. Keep track of stories you tell and case studies you include so you'll not repeat yourself if ou speak to that audience again. In addition, keep records of how long you spoke, what you wore, key people you met, and anything unusual about the speaking context. Occasionally look back over your records of individual speeches and look for trends in your speaking that you are unaware of. When you speak to this group again, this information will be the basis for your audience analysis. This is especially important if you speak frequently within your company and your audience will be made up of listeners who have heard you before. You don't want to develop a reputation for telling the same stories over and over. If the group has speaker evaluations, ask that a copy of the summary be sent to you. Look for any pattern in the comments as you analyze the summary. If one person said you talked too slowly, it may be a personal preference and you don't need to give much consideration to the critique. If four or five people make that comment, however, then you might want to consider changing the pace of your speaking for the next speech. Certainly your main concern should be with your preparation before the speech. However, don't underestimate the effort of what you do in analyzing the speech after the audience has left the room.

Stephen D. Boyd, Ph.D., CSP, is a professor of speech communication at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky. He works with organizations that want to speak and listen more effectively to increase personal and professional performance. He can be reached at 800-727-6520 or visit http://www.sboyd.com for free articles and resources to improve your communication skills.

---

Conducting Successful Training Activities

Whether you are training preschoolers in the classroom or executives... Read More

Ten Fun Ways to Liven up Any Presentation

Most of us would agree that having humor in our... Read More

1,000,001 Reasons To Connect With Your Audience

Eye contact is mandatory when giving a public presentation.The goal... Read More

If You Want Business - Throw a Seminar!

Why is throwing a seminar good for business?If you want... Read More

How to Convert PowerPoint to Flash Manually

Converting PowerPoint to Flash would be absolutely a good choice... Read More

The Ten Essential Tips On Writing A Powerful And Persuasive Presentation

Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember... Read More

Beetle Bailey and Presentation Skills

In March 2002, the comic strip Beetle Bailey contained a... Read More

Presentation Skill Mistakes

Last week my husband and I attended an awesome 4... Read More

How Storytelling Can Grow Your Business

People love stories. We love to hear about other people,... Read More

The Presentation After the Presentation

Allowing the audience to ask questions after your presentation is... Read More

Audience Respect

One of the biggest mistakes most presenters make is in... Read More

35 Surefire Ways to Kill a Meeting

1. Play "find the meeting" by changing the location and... Read More

Painless Presentations

Did the "Painless" part of the title get your attention?Speaking... Read More

Choosing a Presentation Remote Control

If you deliver electronic presentations using PowerPoint or other programs,... Read More

Why You Need a Lesson Plan

LESSON PLAN DEVELOPMENT: Lesson plans, believe it or not, are... Read More

A Powerful Presentation Technique-Story Telling

Appealing to emotions is the most powerful way to transfer... Read More

Cross Cultural Presentations

The international flavour of many people's jobs naturally means that... Read More

Incorporate Humor in Your Next Speech

Some speakers say, "I could never use humor in my... Read More

How to Make Good Use of Your Web Conference Session

Preperation is vital when conducting a successful videoconference session. Thus... Read More

Practice Makes Perfect ? 7 Tips for Making the Most of Your Presentation Practice

Believe it or not, preparation is a better determinant of... Read More

After the Speech

Usually the emphasis on making an effective speech is what... Read More

Improve Your Bottom Line with What You Say

When was the last time you thought about what you... Read More

Presentation Power Does Not Come From PowerPoint

You speak before a group. You present your message. You... Read More

PowerPoint Presentations: How to Use This Tool More Effectively

Many of us use PowerPoint to convey a message to... Read More

Clear Communication: The Benefits and How to Achieve Them

Communication is a complex and often difficult process for both... Read More

Four Different Ways People Process Your Information

There are four different ways that audience members assimilate information.... Read More

Can Stage Presence be Learned?

What is stage presence? Can it be learned?There are, undoubtedly,... Read More

Business Presentations - Use Power Pitching - Get the Personal Edge

Whenever and whatever you're pitching, dozens of factors will figure... Read More

Present Statistics In Context

"I didn't have 3000 pairs of shoes. I had only... Read More

Quick and Easy Rehearsal Tips

Never rehearse at the last minute. This creates undue tension... Read More

How to Prevent Presentation and Speaking Disasters

I just got back from my whirlwind speaking engagements and... Read More

Fading into Sameness: How Too Many Slides Can Ruin Your Presentation

"I have a love/hate relationship with PowerPoint. In the right... Read More

Just Say No to PowerPoint: Enough is Enough!

Have you ever been slideswiped? You walk into a meeting... Read More