Fourth video of the series where I document my attempt to make it to the Semifinals of the World Championship of Public Speaking.[embedyt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5hKSg-IvKI[/embedyt]SummaryI finished selecting two topics:Being unique Be more adventurousBoth are cliche topics, but high level speeches in Toastmasters commonly are. It's not really … [Read more...]
The Secrets to Winning the World Championship of Public Speaking (16 tips)
Armed with a large spreadsheet, videos of Toastmasters International Finalists, and an overwhelming sense of curiosity, I set out to learn what sets the champions apart.I watched 10 champion speeches and 5 speeches that placed second or third. I manually recorded everything about them in a spreadsheet: aspects like how many laughs they received, what style of speaker they … [Read more...]
How to use PowerPoint for speaking (7 tips)
After watching over 100 class presentations in my time in college, I'm officially convinced that no one knows how to use PowerPoint properly. Slides are like salt: some can be good, but too much is gross and leaves your audience thirsty for an actual public speaker. Yes, I'm salty about this.In this post, I'd like to set the record straight on how to properly use … [Read more...]
One awesome phrase to emphasize your main point
It's easy for your audience to forget parts of your speech, especially if it's a lengthy one. Sometimes the main point gets lost in the details.Getting your audience to remember and care about all of your points is usually impossible (unless there are few, like 3 points with no subpoints).So you need to prioritize.You have to choose the argument that is the most … [Read more...]
Why over-preparation for a speech can be a bad thing
It is a common cliche that it is impossible to over-prepared. I can see an argument for it, but do not be deceived into believing that all forms of preparation are good.It is possible to prepare with the wrong goal in mind, resulting in a disorganized speech.The kid in the picture is probably more likely to drown with so many encumbrances, when he could have just used a … [Read more...]