Note from Author Public speaking andmaking presentations can reduce normally confident and fluent individuals toquivering jelly. And it's not easy to rise to your feet and stand on a platformin front of strangers, co-workers or superiors if you feel that your legs are unlikelyto support you and your mouth won't work. This book isdesigned for anyone who has to present to an audience, whether on a publicspeaking platform or for a specific business purpose. The principal issues forthose less accustomed to speaking in public are confidence, self-belief and theability to put across a message or idea succinctly - and convincingly.Overcoming fear of failure is the major hurdle, and it can be done - witheffective training and practice. Whetherspeaking and presenting in front of large public audiences, colleagues, teams,managers, sales prospects or social groups, similar principles apply. It is aquestion of tailoring your content and style to achieve the most favourableoutcome. The mostimportant issues of presenting successfully are covered in this book, and amongothers include: aims for the speech or presentation; different audience types, sizes and disposition - and how to address them; time available and how best to use it in getting the message across; content - key points and how to deliver them; tips on preparation - including self-confidence, knowledge and well-being; speaking with or without notes, card or other prompters; effective use of visual aids; how to 'detox' your PowerPo∫ structure, logical progression and completeness; managing the beginning, middle and end of your speech; techniques for clear, articulate delivery; use of words, sentences and phrases for maximum effect; rhetorical devices to enhance effect - metaphor, alliteration, triads; using your body - stance, presence, attitude, appearance, eyes, gestures, movement; vocal variety - pace, volume, projection, breathing; simple language, repetition, anecdotes, analogies.

Being able to speakeffectively to an audience is something everyone should be able todo. The skills required however are rarely achieved overnight. Itrequires practice and regular feedback. A recommendation (by experiencedpresenters) is to regard the process as having three stages: before thepresentation, during the event and afterwards. For the purposes of clarity thatis how this book is set out.