Put Some Pep Back Into Your Speaking Style

(Published in Presentations Magazine). Link to the online article

By David Stoddard

Like the guy in the old Dunkin' Donuts commercial who wakes up every morning, gets out of bed and waddles out of the house because he's "gotta make the donuts," presenters can easily slip into that same mode in their careers.

If you are an expert in your field, respected by millions, and called upon by countless others to give presentations, you may have reached a staggering point of contentment. Unfortunately, this kind of success comes with its own dangers. You can lose that spark that ignites an audience, that "oomph" that makes you enthusiastic. You can end up going through the motions instead of being excited about it. In other words, you end up like the donut guy, thinking about how you "gotta make the presentation," rather than how to do it to the best of your ability.

So, what can you do to bring back that passion, the feeling that you love what you are doing and want the whole world to know it? Here are some tips to freshen up the familiar.

Branch out to different fields

So, you're an expert in your field and have given this presentation for years. You know all there is about it. You even constantly make up-to-the-minute changes to the topic and can think of nothing else you would rather share with others. But you're just not as excited as you once were.


Why not tie your topic to another industry? For example, if you have been giving presentations to people in education for years, could this information be modified for trainers? Or clergy? Maybe even coaches, parents or students? Brainstorm as to how you could recreate your presentation for new audiences.

Search out new topics

Many fields of expertise are interconnected in some way, and the addition of related topics to present may be just the boost you need. It may be the most cliché answer, but it's probably the easiest to move forward with. By adding a variety of related topics to your speaking collection, you can reach different audiences, different venues and provide different information.

If you are into banking presentations, then by all means look for other topics and angles that have to do with banking, money or finance, such as presenting about personal finance at a community level, or creating a beginning investment seminar for a company's 401(k) rollout. Or, if you are into motivational speaking, seek out different ways of looking at what motivates people or what they need at home or work.

Change your presentation persona

Your topics are wonderful and people in your field love you. But you desire a change because you are boring yourself from time to time. Perhaps a change in your persona is in order.

This does not mean drastic changes, such as putting on a clown wig and floppy shoes to give a presentation on health care. Rather, consider subtle changes. Start slower, add humor to your presentations where appropriate and find a "character" you can play for certain presentations. Experiment with new Q&A techniques. Branching out beyond the routine can be frightening, but it's very exciting. It may take a bit of time to decide what is right for you and your audience, but the rewards could be fruitful.

Mingle with colleagues

While speaking is definitely a people profession, it can be a rather lonely one as well. Most presentations are written and created alone. A lot of practice is done alone. Building your speaking career doesn't need to be a solo effort,though.

Find other presenters in your area and get to know them. Attend conferences, local Toastmasters meetings and go to where other presentations are given. Talk to those who have been speaking, even if it is just a small gathering of 10 people. There is something to be learned from everyone you come in contact with.

Finally, remember why

Why did you get into your field or industry in the first place? Why do you enjoy speaking about it? What is it about this topic that is important for you to share with others? What would you do differently if you were not doing this? Where do you see yourself down the road?

There will be times when a little lull in your career can turn into a rut. It's during those times when you need to pull yourself up and find out what needs to be done to change it.

Maybe all you need is a change of scenery, different topics, different angles, different routines or just a different perspective. Once you do that, chances are the pep in your presentation will return, and your audiences will continue to be wowed by your enthusiasm.