PR: The Good, Bad and Ugly
Public Speaking and PR
by Gloria Lesher
You don’t have to be a polished speaker to give an effective presentation. You only have to be yourself and know your material well. Passion helps. If you’re intense about your convictions or your topic, your audience will naturally be interested in what you have to say. And if you need to work on your speaking skills, by all means join a local Toastmasters International club.
I can’t say enough about Toastmasters and how much I’ve seen it help business people achieve more confidence in their public speaking ability and grow their leadership skills. I belong to Clayton Area Toastmasters in my hometown. You can find a group near you. You’ll find Toastmasters to be a supportive group that will help you advance your skills and be more effective as a speaker. It’s a relaxed setting, as the video I’ve included illustrates.
Webinars, Presentations and Speeches: Part of Your Personal PR Plan
For the purposes of your personal public relations plan, you should have specific objectives in mind whenever you give a webinar, presentation or speech. How does the presentation fit into your overall strategy? What benefits will your audience obtain from listening to you? Concentrate on providing value to your listeners.
Seeking out opportunities to get your message in front of the right audiences is a huge part of a successful PR campaign, and it requires careful planning. One of the most logical places to start is your own industry or professional association meetings and conferences. Another set of speaking possibilities exists within your own local business community. Civic and nonprofit groups always need speakers.
Let people know you are available, and the opportunities will begin to come your way. Most presentations and speeches—if the audience is sizable—are planned months in advance. Get yourself on the calendars of your target groups. Plan ahead so you will have plenty of time to prepare, and practice your talk over and over until you know it by heart. You’ll be a success!
Any other Toastmasters out there want to add comments? Feel free.
Permalink | 02/11/2010 |
