Rob Christeson, DTM
District Governor

Sunday, Mark Brown presented, Power Presentations from Penpoint to Platform. These are my notes from the session:

Select Your Topic

- Personal Passion – talk about what you know and believe in
- Universal Appeal – includes contest speaking – be cautious of international audiences
– Mark gave an example of a speaker using the term “sandlot” (confusing some members of her international audience), which is not a standard temr oversees
- Compelling Message
– One note: Mark always finds out the theme to meet the needs of the audience
– Let your message speak to them
– Message from a Disney movie: We don’t like what we don’t understand, it scares us. Mark used that to create his 1995 WCPS contest winning speech that has become a 40-60 minute program for youth audiences. He works with QSP – see their Facbook page.

Great speeches aren’t written; they are ASSEMBLED!

- We don’t always realize we have the stories (components) to appeal to our audiences, but we do
- Keep a story file – you have the stories in you. Put them on paper (or word)

8 Effective openings

- Ask a question – allows you to immediatley engage the audience “show of hands…”,
– Ask a Question that is already in the audience’s mind (where they are, recent events)
– You can begin to stear the audience’s minds in the direction you want them to go

- Elicit a verbal or physical response
– Asks 800 kids, “Tell me your  name. 1, 2, 3.” and he hears 800 names shouted at once.
– Asks, “how many of you have been teaching more than a year?” then works to 5, 10, 20, 30 years. When he gets to one or two, then he acknowledges them with a round of applause.

- Use a quote
– Follow through on the quotation (it should relate to the topic/points)

- Tell a story
– Rare/difficult technique – suspended story. Start a story and stop at a strategic place and lead into your point, then finish the story after.

- Tell a joke
– a good one
– an on purpose conry one

- Make a PROVOCATIVE STATEMENT
– That opinion is held today by many people…maybe you
– Don’t be afraid to take a position
– Goal is to make them think

- Sing (well) – or poorly if there is a reason (“would anyone like to hear more?”)
– Mark sings “That’s what friends are for” to discuss friendship, then ask the question, “Do you tell your friends things that you don’t tell you parents or teachers”

- Give a brief DRAMATIC DEMONSTRATION

Combining 2 techniques  can also be effective.

Head – Get them to Think
Heart – Get them to Feel
Hand – Get them to Act!

The IRIE Technique (Make the middle memorable)

I – information -
R – real life – relate – example of connectors – “It’s a lot like…” or ”Imagine if you will…”
– instead on depending on statistics, tell stories.  – Put a human face on an abstract concept
Instead of talking about Drunk Driving, tell the story of Jason, a high school pitcher who was at the local video store with two friends. He decided that since he was close to home, he didn’t need to wear his seatbelt. Two blocks from his home, a drunk driver ran a red light and killed Jason. His two friends is the car were injured, but survived. The were wearing their seatbelts.  A life is gone, a family destroyed because one kid choose not to wear his seatbelt.
I – inspiration
E – entertainment
IRIE means “no problem” in Jamaica

Create a compelling closing
- Clear and Concise
- Call to Action – what is that next step
- Go FULL CIRCLE – tie your conclusion to the opening/main points

On the Platform
- Visual Aides
– Handouts – different schools of thought
– One really good method includes having handouts with blanks that the audience fills in.
- Audience Particiapiation
- Speaking Area – The PLATFORM
– Walk the platform before you speak – do a Mic check too
– Make sure to keep the visual of the story. i.e. where the characters are on stage – don’t walk over your scene.
– Having a scene adds credibility to your presentation
– Maintain consistency of the verbal image lends to the credibility of the message
– Using the stage doesn’t always mean walking end-to-end, just a turn and make eye contact
– Get to center stage, stand your ground and make your point. TIP: don’t make your point while you are walking.
– Center ailse loses prime real estate
– Bonus: Check out the room the evening prior – if it’s not laid out correctly, CHANGE IT!
- Greatest Tools on the platform: Eyes, Face, Voice and Body
– Know your vocal effects
– Drink only room temperature water
– Mark uses a Countryman ear-mounted (headset) microphone – hooks to Sennheiser equipment
– Open hand, not pointed finger
– Conversational style works better than dramatic
– Speaking to a youth audience – wearing a suit/tie speaks to authority, so Mark dresses more casually (slacks, collar, casual shoes)

Audience comments
– ”I dress like I want my audience to treat me”
– Colors make a difference
– “These people are paying for professional”

Video yourself
- What is the audience seeing, hearing and feeling?
- Watch the video
- Then, watch the video without audio
- Then, listen to the audio without looking at the screen

Don’t give your audience a speech, give them an experience – Mark Brown

Memorize your opening and closing – rehearse!
-His line, “Put a human face on an abstract concept” is not just out of the air – it’s something he thought about before the presentation.
Use you voice, and use your voice (you are not Mark Brown, don’t try to be him – whoever- be yourself)

Nine ways to have a great Q&A
- Conduct the Q&A after your main points, and before your final words
– Allocate a specific amount of time
– Indicate how many questions at the start (i.e. “I have time to take four questions”)
– Repeat each question – plenty of you audience didn’t hear it the first time, and if you don’t repeat the question, your answer won’t mean anything
– Answer concisely
– If you don’t have the answer, admit it – and promise to follow-up – give a time (i.e. Meet me afterwards and give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you an e-mail by tomorrow at 4pm)
– Handle hecklers respectfully – Offer to speak afterwards
– Frame your final question – let the audience know this will be the last one
– Plant the first question- to get things going if needed
– Always end the program with your words – Let them hear you last – finish with your conclusion after you answer the final question

Most importantly: Present with Power!

Side note: Mark Brown suggested that we be sure to have Area S73 Governor sing the National Anthem at the Spring Conference

Check out www.markbrownspeaks.com for more info on Mark and his programs.