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My most favorite rhetorical technique is the antithesis. Ok, maybe repetition too. So – Antithesis – the sentence that has opposing thoughts/concepts/words, usually in a parallel structure, that make your audience THINK. I use antithesis in all of my speeches and I... Read More →

When I teach coach clients and speak at seminars, one of my jobs is to help people re-frame their thinking about presentations.  Most people who aren’t trained in public speaking skills focus the bulk of their time on creating and honing the body of their presentation and they... Read More →

We’re taught not to keep an audience hanging, but … well, let me tell you a story. I once attended a presentation where the speaker used a very unusual technique in a presentation, but being the speak-geek that I am, I stashed it away and have put it to good use... Read More →

Some speakers begin their presentations by asking the audience questions related to the audience, or to the audience’s perception of relevant topics. Beginning with a few questions can work well, if you avoid the problems. One advantage of starting in this way is to immediately... Read More →

The most effective way to deliver your introduction is to make eye contact with your audience for the entire duration of your introduction. This is both the most terrifying and most thrilling part of a speech before a live audience. But before we get into that, let’s talk about... Read More →

Grabbing your audience at the beginning is of primary importance to any speaker. If you decide to start with a story you will, naturally, want to present something compelling and interesting, something that will resonate with your audience. Keep your story brief and to the point;... Read More →

Shocking statistics wake people up and grab people’s attention in a way that few other speaking tools do. Shocking statistics make people think. And sometimes, when used properly, they make people feel. Use shocking statistics for effect and deliver them with impact. Why are... Read More →

This month we’ve been going over the raw materials that you will build a speech or presentation from. These are the elements that you will bring together, like the ingredients in a recipe, and so I’ve been talking about some basic guidelines to consider when you’re beginning to... Read More →

Wrapping up our look at the support materials for legal professionals, here are a few things to consider about citing a case, quoting statutes or legal opinions.   4 unbreakable rules about quoting cases This may be self explanatory but it still has to be mentioned:  There... Read More →

We’ve been focusing in on some things to consider about the materials anyone can use to build a winning presentation, but for the next two posts I want to pay some attention to legal professionals, since support materials are especially important in legal matters. Today,... Read More →