Nick R Thomas - A Public Speaker's Blog

Wednesday, January 16

TG Tips

by Nick R Thomas A.L.A.M. (Public Speaking) on Wed 16 Jan 2008 10:00 PM GMT

Swanmore and Southbourne Townswomen's Guilds

I had two talks last Wednesday, both for Townswomen's Guilds here in Bournemouth. In the afternoon, I made a return visit to the Swanmore Guild where I last spoke 15 months ago. This time I spoke about 'The Power of Humour in Everyday Life' and this talk lasted just over 40 minutes as I was trying to save my voice as I had a further engagement that evening. There were about 25 present and it seemed to go ok.

The last time I spoke there, the afternoon was spoiled when, just as I was leaving, a member came up and moaned for several minutes about how unhappy she had been about the reply she had received when she wrote to a certain celebrity who I have supplied scripts for in the past - as if this was anything to do with me! It was rather like somebody complaining to a self-employed shopkeeper about the actions of one his customers!

I don't know if this lady was absent on my return visit but I was relieved that I wasn't accosted by her again!

Public Speaking Tip #112: Even when your presentation has been very well received by an organisation, you will, from time to time, find yourself approached by the odd individual with a negative outlook/axe to grind. Other members are often very good at spotting this and 'rescuing' a hapless speaker but if they don't, you just have to be polite - while making good your 'escape!'

Later, I spoke to Southbourne Evening TG about 'The Comedy of Life'. I certainly had plenty of material that they had not heard before as it was exactly eleven years since I last spoke to them! In the intervening period, the Afternoon Guild in Southbourne has closed down but the Evening TG has managed to keep going and, despite a number of absentees, there were still about 30 there. My voice held out long enough for me to speak for an hour and they were a lovely audience.

But why such a long period between the bookings? Could it have been something I said last time? No. In my early years as a speaker, I didn't offer much in the way of further titles as I was busy honing my original talk by delivering it to hundreds of different organisations all over the country. The Speaker Secretary who had originally booked me back in January 1997 passed away a number of years ago, just before I finally started adding new titles, and one of her successors heard about me from somewhere else and booked me, not realising that I had ever spoken there in the past.

Before leaving, I made sure they knew that I now have a number of additional talks!

Public Speaking Tip #113: You have to keep in touch with organisations you have spoken to in the past, for example, by sending details by post or email about any new talks you have to offer. When it comes to booking their programmes for a season, they will usually give preference to a good, reliable speaker who is already known to them.

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It's me again, doctor

by Nick R Thomas A.L.A.M. (Public Speaking) on Wed 16 Jan 2008 01:19 AM GMT

Lilliput WI

I felt better by 8 January when I was due to speak to Lilliput Afternoon Women's Institute but Wilts & Dorset bus drivers were on strike that day so I had to catch a Bournemouth Yellow into Poole and then walk from Longfleet to the Holy Angels Church in Lilliput which took about 45 minutes! By the time I reached the venue, I was very hot and sweaty, coughing and feeling generally rough as I sat through the last 30 minutes of the ladies' business meeting but there is a concept known as 'Dr Theatre' where performers may feel better the moment they get up in front of an audience. It would obviously not apply if a speaker was suffering from the ghastly Norovirus which is sweeping the UK at the moment but as far as colds and the recovery period after the flu are concerned, it obviously works,

Public Speaking Tip #110: Even if you don't feel at your best before a presentation, once you start speaking, you may find that doing so gives you a boost, not least of all because you have something else to focus on. Let 'Dr Theatre' help you - and your audience!

It had been nearly a decade since I last spoke to this WI but it is still very well attended - there were about 55 present - and I managed to get through 'The Power of Humour in Everyday Life' without a further coughing fit or having to cut the talk short. (It is worth pointing out that although I wouldn't normally use a microphone with an audience of this size unless asked, I chose to on this occasion to save my voice).

Public Speaking Tip #111: Although I have often mentioned that microphones can be the source of numerous problems, there are occasions - such as when you are having problems with your voice - that they can be a speaker's friend.

I really was most grateful to Brenda Brewer for the lift back to Westbourne afterwards so I didn't have another long walk!

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