Chris Davidson

This week I want to review some excellent research done by an expert speaker colleague of mine from The Netherlands, Frowa Schuitemaker. Frowa is very interested in highly efficient communication and how our brains actually remember material, (while other material is apparently discarded).

Frowa would love to have some more input on her research - a summary of which appears below (with her permission, of course).

Please send your comments direct to:

editor@professionalspeakersjournal.com

with the Subject: Frowa Feedback

"Speaking with the brain in mind" is the title of Frowa's latest research. It was based on interviews with 17 top ranking professional speakers, with the intent of identifying what they do to maximise results for their audiences.

Helping the audience get the best from your presentation

1. Before the presentation
Prepare carefully, ensuing that you are going to present new material. If at all possible, speak to members of the audience in advance, in order to gauge their knowledge and understand what's going on in their business. Prepare your messages in their language.

2. During the presentation
Focus on the audience early on - you're presenting for their benefit, not your yours. Inspire them to take action - illustrate how your concepts can be applied to their lives. If possible, get them to do this while they are with you, (via some form of exercise). This will increase the chances of them continuing after your presentation has finished. Be serious, while at the same time using humour, along with plenty of stories. Make good use of the dramatic pause - giving your audience plenty of time to think. Maintain good eye contact and leave the audience on an emotional high.

Always obey Rule One: Finish on time.

3. After the presentation
Leave something behind - some form of useful, physical take-away. Ensure people know how to contact you, if they wish to do so.

Connections between how the brain works and your presentation

The speakers interviewed by Frowa identified the following points as being critical:

Deliver an authentic performance. People can quickly spot a speaker who's faking it. The lack of credibility undermines the entire performance.

Deliver an integrated performance - one in which everything you say, every move you make and every word you script is part of a finely balanced whole. The brain receives an integrated message across all communication channels and message retention increases dramatically.

Talking to the audience, as opposed to at them will increase their level of engagement and retention of your message.

Recognise that learning is an emotional experience. Humour and learning go hand in hand.

Use all three learning styles to get your message across - visual, auditory and kinaesthetic. Involve different senses in your presentation.

I know that Frowa will greatly appreciate any additional thoughts that this brief review has triggered. I look forward to receiving your comments and also reviewing them in a further CDCD broadcast.

That's it folks for this week - as usual, your comments welcomed and appreciated, particularly with reference as to what you'd like to hear about. I do get quite a few e-mails by the way, and I read them all, so please don't feel shy about getting in contact.

Best wishes for the coming week.

Chris Davidson
Editor, Professional Speakers Journal
editor@professionalspeakersjournal.com