Every once in a while, it's good to be reminded just how much persuasion lies in the delivery of a speech. That is, after all, the point of this website. This TED talk does just that. A good speaker can talk about any topic and make it interesting to the audience. The effective use of vocal tonality, humor, pacing, and hundreds of other variables is what leads to a strong … [Read more...]
How to Use Statistics in a Speech
http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/politics-and-personality-most-of-what-you-read-is-malarkey A common persuasive tool for speeches is to use statistics. Here's a quick overview of statistics and some helpful thoughts on how you can do the math, making your speech more powerful. Statistics is the practice of … [Read more...]
Using video to practice public speaking
Many public speakers will find themselves continually dwelling in mediocrity because they're not willing to practice public speaking enough. Or, when they do practice, they don't do it right. One of the best ways to get better at speaking is to video yourself giving a speech. You tend to like yourself just fine until you see a video of yourself speaking. It is often a pretty … [Read more...]
Pretend you’re winning when you speak
On October 7, 1984, Ronald Reagan obliterated the main opposition to his presidency. Rumors had been circulating that he was too old for the job, and that he was getting Alzheimer's. During a debate with his opponent, Walter Mondale, he quipped "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and … [Read more...]
4 ways to stop rambling
I noticed that some speakers, especially in impromptu situations, seem to be saying a lot of words, but not a lot of coherent thoughts. And if you were to really concentrate on what they're saying, you'd see there's no connection between one sentence and the next one. If you have this problem, you are probably rambling. If you're unsure what I mean by this, here's a perfect … [Read more...]