Wedding Public Speaking and the Art of Audience Involvement

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Wedding Public Speaking and the Art of Audience Involvement By Expert Author: John Hacking \| Article Abstract
Word Count: 523 words \| Views: 121 view(s)

Effective public speakers come to grips with the reality that they need to employ a variety of techniques for ensuring that the audience stays focused, involved, and entertained. In this article, we will look at a number of techniques you can draw on to keep audience members involved in your presentation.

Exercises and Ice-breakers for Audiences

For speakers who prefer to have audience members interact with one another to get everyone loose (and perhaps awake), exercise variations are endless, including:

Some speakers have everyone in the room stand and meet one new person and exchange information such as why they are here today, what they hope to get out of the session, one unusual hobby they have, and so on so that participants have a better chance of remembering one another.

For long sessions with significant audience participation, speakers have directed audience members to find out even more about each other:

- Where they were born
- What hobbies they have
- Where they went to school
- If they have any brothers or sisters
- Where they were first employed
- Their favorite movie, book, food, and so on

In all cases, the underlying goal is to have audience participants become more vocal and involved in the day's proceedings. Giving everyone the chance to interact with everyone else, however brief and minor the exercise, can significantly increase the probability of greater audience participation for the balance of the presentation.

Audience Involvement and Being Yourself

Audience members have an instinctive capacity to immediately determine when someone is putting on an act. You've heard the expression, "Who you are speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you say." In front of a group, if you assume a persona that does not reflect the real you, people will feel uneasy.

If your focus is on you, it can't be on the audience. So, your need for approval limits your ability to connect with your audience and strips you of any authority you may have had. However relevant your message, it comes across as less so.

How do you work yourself out of this dilemma? Rather than crawl for audience approval, strive to offer your approval to them. Sincerely acknowledge them for being there, for listening, for the work they undertake, for the challenges they face.

Your ability to embody your genuine self might be the single greatest factor in generating high levels of audience participation.

What's in a Name?

In any type of speech or presentation, use names of audience members when it is practical to do so. If you are giving a keynote speech or a general session presentation, while you may not be able to actually see individuals or their name tags, undoubtedly you know the names of meeting organisers and top officials.

In smaller settings in which you are able to read name tags or place cards, freely use names throughout your presentation. Besides keeping people awake and alert, you also increase the odds of them staying tuned in to your presentation. Think about the times when you were in school and your teacher dropped your name into the middle of a sentence. Thereafter, you approached that lesson on a different plane. It is no different with adults today.

About the Author/Author Bio

If you are looking for a Wedding and Marriage Celebrant Bribie Island, contact Affinity Celebrants, the leading Brisbane Wedding Marriage Celebrants.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/Wedding-Public-Speaking-and-the-Art-of-Audience-Involvement/163503

Article Tags: wedding, speech, celebrants, brisbane, bribie island, marriage

Article Submitted: 2008-10-12 | This Article has been viewed 121 times.

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During presentations, it is the question and answer part that serves as a good occasion to know how much the audience understood or how much they did not understand from all of that speaking you did. It is also the best opportunity to be able to show your sense of humor, if you have one. Also, the question and answer portion is a good means to get your audience to participate.

Communicate What's on Your Mind

For most people, the mere thought of speaking before an audience causes men's hands to go clammy and their hearts to pound like a kettledrum. Statistics show that people fear public speaking more than they do their own deaths. It shows that for the majority, people would rather die in silence than take a chance to speak their minds in society. Maybe it's conformity and a fear of saying something irrelevant.

Finding the Easy Path to Great Public Speaking

Public speaking has long haunted those who loath and like it. In every stage of life, since high school, college, even up until reaching the corporate world, no one is totally free from its clutches. Whether it is for the purpose of show and tell or pitching to a client, public speaking skills is an important necessity in your waking life.

The Basics of Public Speaking for Beginners

The content of the speech should match the information needed by the audience. Preparing the material carefully and specifically can ensure success on your public speaking endeavor. It will be helpful to tape record one's own speech and then listen to it carefully. Do this in front of the mirror. This would tell you which are the strong points and which are the weaknesses of your speech.

When Giving a Speech, be Sure to Listen

Try listening to other expert speakers as much as possible during a speaking event especially the guest speaker since they may be able to provide useful tips while hearing them talk. This could also eliminate redundancy and add more bits and pieces when it is time to speak in front of the audience. Also, this is to save a speaker from any embarrassment, since other speakers at some point try to use materials of the same kind.

Using Handouts when Speaking in Public

Handouts are important tools for effective public speaking. They serve as guides for your audience. Handouts will allow the listeners to follow what you are discussing. Handouts are important and should be well prepared. When giving out the handouts to your listeners, remember to choose the right time. It is not recommended to give them out right away at the beginning of your speech. This will only make the listeners tend to lose focus. It is important in public speaking to catch the attention of your audience at the start of the speech.

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