PR1510 – Telling the Story

Luther Seminary/Spring 2008

Grindal/Lewis

Handout on Delivery for Public Speaking

Delivery

• Essential to speaker credibility
• Audience will like you IF DELIVERED WELL
• Remember to Breathe – consciously, deeply, vigorously, and often

ASPECTS OF DELIVERY

Volume – always #1 in importance.

· If they cannot hear you, they cannot be affected by what you say.

· Confidence indicator Why don’t we speak loudly enough? –

1. not accustomed to space

2. socially acceptable volume

3. lack of self-confidence

Fluency – ability to speak without unintended pauses or breaks

· Answer to fluency – usually a lack of memory or knowledge.

· Practice, practice, practice – alone, aloud, and a lot

Vocal Variety – in volume, pace, pitch, tone, resonance, and timbre

· Human sensory apparatus is directed to novelty and contras

· Bad = flat monotone

· Not good = random variation

· Good = variety that interprets and provides meaning. The way you say it conveys meaning as much as what is said.

Clarity – articulation, sequence, word choice, structure, organization

· Simple: if audience can’t understand you, that is a problem

· Organizational clarity – OUTLINE!!! Use indentation, paragraphing, bold, italics, that is, devices to help you move through your presentation

· Not just clear, but crystal clear.

Physical Image – how you present yourself

· Attire

· How you stand The mirror principle Think outside the box, vulnerable, full height, sends message of confidence

· Gestures – contrast and variety – add meaning

· Notes and eye contact: “Talk only to people, not to paper”