Cam Beck asked me this question the other day in response to my post about your worst public speaking fear coming true : "So how do you know the difference between preparing and over-preparing?" First of all, here's what it looks like to be unprepared . Tags: Preparation Public Speaking Techniques and Strategies Public Speaking Anxiety Resources PowerPoint Openings and Closing Also, here's a post I wrote about how I prepare for a presentation . I've read lots of articles that say you can never be too prepared, or that it's better to over-prepare.

Tags: Public Speaking Techniques and Strategie Rhett Laubach posted a nice overview of how to read your audience members and how best to connect with them, based on their motivations for being there. "Hostage Hostage Harriet" is particularly challenging; here's an excerpt: "I am here because I was forced to be here. I didn't have a choice.

You have obviously established your credentials with whoever organized the speaking engagement. Tags: Public Speaking Techniques and Strategies Openings and Closing I've heard some speakers say that it's important to establish your credentials at the beginning of a presentation, so your audience knows that you're a credible expert. I say, fuhgeddaboudit.

However, "people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions."** You may not explicitly make resolutions about public speaking, but here's how public speaking might enhance your 2008 resolutions. Resolution: Get a better job/advance your career Building public speaking skills can help build your career. 40 to 45% of American adults make one or more resolutions each year. Are you one of them?

Let's talk about those things that hold many people back from enjoying public speaking. Or you are so paralyzed by these fears that you find ways to avoid public speaking day after day, year after year. You're afraid of some unforeseen mishap Are you speaking at an event where food is being served? You may have mad skills, you may have a great personality, you may be a snake charmer with the ability to hypnotically attract everyone in the audience to you. But those nagging fears still keep you up the night before your presentation and get in the way of truly enjoying

Tags: Speakers Public Speaking Techniques and Strategie I enjoyed this presentation on the Get Rich Slowly blog about how to buy a new car without getting screwed. It's about five minutes long, simple, fun, and gets the point across. ...Tags:

Is it because no one has taught them proper techniques? Is it because they know proper techniques but are so concerned with impressing each other (and the young women also working out) that they ignore the safe way to lift? They forget that speaking is about building relationships with the audience members, not bombarding them with information. I go to a gym on the campus of our local community college. There are lots of young, inexperienced guys in the weight room, lifting heavy weights with poor form.

Tags: Public Speaking Techniques and Strategie Check out this fact sheet from the Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency . (Thanks Thanks to No Impact Man for the original post.) As a PowerPoint slide, this would have too much going on, but as a model for how to create an interesting visual or handout, take note. This handout about the Auto Lobby Bill on Fuel Economy was delivered, along with candy, to members of Congress to coincide with Halloween.

Here's a nice little post by Seth Godin about apologizing before you speak . Tags: Public Speaking Techniques and Strategie How many times have you apologized like this? In Seth's post, he talks about speakers who said things like, "I know you're hungry, but. . . " or "I know it's late, but. . . "

In fact, they will go to great lengths to avoid trying something new, speaking up, taking risks - just in case someone might think they look silly. Tags: Public Speaking Techniques and Strategie Sometimes, as speakers, we want to show everyone how clever and witty we are. We want to make the audience laugh and we don't think our humor through first.