Speaking at Herefordshire Federation of Women's Institutes 87th Annual Council Meeting

I was greeted at the Courtyard, Herefordshire's Centre for the Arts by Maggie Pridgeon who was my Speaker Hostess for the day. I have mentioned before that at some engagements, the person assigned to look after the speaker sometimes acts more like a guard (usually the males, I have to say!) but Maggie was excellent, doing everything to make the day run smoothly for me and delivering a super vote of thanks after my talk. I was introduced to the Federation Chairman Mrs Angela Southwell and the outgoing Federation Secretary Joanne Skelton who had booked me to speak at this event. Although the meeting wasn't due to begin for about half an hour, the venue was already very busy with WI members ordering coffee.

The meeting was being held in the Main House at the centre and I went in to set up early. I would be speaking from behind a lectern on the stage to an audience of around 235, including many up in the gods. There would also be Joanne and Angela at a table to my immediate right, the Mayor on the other side of them and, behind all of us, a row of other Committee members, Trustees, etc, bringing the total audience number up to around 250.

I put my various props on a table. This could not be left on the stage ready for me because it would have obscured the view of the members at the back of the stage for the best part of an hour before I was on and it would also have spoiled the symmetry of the very attractive floral arrangements so it was agreed that the Stage Managers would carry it in with my items laid out ready on top just as I was introduced.

Public Speaking Tip #194: I have always found when speaking in theatres that the technical staff are very helpful if they know my requirements.

A table had been set up for me outside the Main House and I put my free Twelve Tips for Terrified Speakers! leaflets there for members to take as they filed in. I also had my Nick R's in a Twist! booklets under the table ready to set out and sell during the lunch break following the morning's business.

Then everyone took their seats. Mine was on the end of an aisle, fairly close to the stage for when I was introduced but also convenient for the exits so that I could slip out for a comfort break with the minimum of disruption before that.

Public Speaking Tip #195: If you are not going to be seated on the platform before your introduction but among the audience, then you need to sit somewhere close by, either in the front row or near to it and on the end, so that you can get to the stage with the minimum amount of delay.

I think it's best to be waiting in the wings just before you are introduced. This not only means that you are physically prepared (ie standing) but also that there is no delay while you make my way to the stage area; it's seamless and theatrical.

Public Speaking Tip #196: Try to find out the timing of an event so that you can fit in a comfort break before you speak. This is important, not just for the obvious reasons, but also because it gives you a little bit more time on your own for mental preparation.

The meeting was planned to the minute. It began at 10.30 with, as always at large WI events, the singing of Jerusalem (I lip-synch; speaking I can do, singing - no!) and then Mrs Southwell welcomed us all to the meeting.

One of the reasons why I particularly wanted to be there for the start of the meeting was to hear how formally the Chairman would greet everyone. I knew that the Mayor of Hereford would be present and I was also aware that a Member of the House of Lords, Baroness Thomas, was due to speak that afternoon but I did not know whether she would be present at any point during the morning's proceedings. There were also a small number of other men present besides the Mayor.

Mrs Southwell began with 'Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen, fellow members' and this gave me an idea of who was present and the level of formality required (when it was eventually my turn to speak, I opened with 'Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen').

Public Speaking Tip #197: If you are uncertain about the correct form of address to use when speaking at an event, pay special attention to the  Master of Ceremonies/ Toastmaster/Chairman, etc. Note the terms they use to include everyone present and then leave out any which do not apply to you (or only apply to you). If you are the person running the event and there are going to be dignitaries present, look up the correct forms of address.

The first guest speaker was the Right Worshipful Mayor of Hereford, Councillor Chris Chappell. You can read about his speech (including a further Public Speaking Tip) in the Photos section.

Mrs Southwell's own speech challenged the traditional stereotypical image of Women's Institute members and contrasted it with the campaigns and activities that WIs are involved in, locally and nationally: 'Are you "warm and cosy" or ready for a challenge?'

There were a number of further reports and I sat in the audience getting a sense of the event and making my final decision about what material to include. The agenda was very strictly timed and I had a 40-minute slot for The Power of Humour in Everyday Life. I knew how I would open and close and also which anecdotes, observations and facts would go in-between and how they would link together but I was listening out for anything extra that I could include. I also noticed that the audience responded very well to humour and decided to omit a couple of items because I predicted that the amount of laughter for my other material would probably not leave time for them!

About fifteen minutes before I was due to be introduced, I quietly slipped out for my break, taking my notes in case of any last-minute thoughts! I was back in the Main House about three minutes before the time when I was due to begin. I did not go back to my seat but waited in the wings, visible to Mrs Southwell. Then she began her introduction, my table was brought on as arranged, and I stepped out in front of the audience.

Speaking on stage in theatre is a little different from other presentations in that you are in the glare of the lights but the audience is in darkness; consequently they can all see you but you can see very few of them and cannot make the usual eye contact or judge from facial expressions how well you are doing. This wasn't a problem as they were a fantastic, sharp audience who laughed loud and long from the very start.

The only 'problem' (if you can call it that) was the row of ladies behind me. I could look around at the audience in front of me and up in the gods (even if I couldn't see them) and I could look to the right at the ladies next to me on stage but turning around 180 degrees and looking behind would have been one bit of eye contact too many; better that these few looked at my bald spot and backside than the other 200+!

Public Speaking Tip #199: Although you should try to make eye contact with as many of your audience as possible (even if you cannot really see them, for example, because of the bright lights in a theatre) there will be some for whom this is just not practical, such as people sitting directly behind you. Do at least try to have some connection with those to your immediate left or right, for instance, your fellow diners at the Top Table if you are speaking after a lunch or dinner.

In this case, it was certainly very important that I should look to my right: there was no visible clock in the theatre so Joanne had placed a small one on the table. About five minutes before the end of my talk, just before my final (very WI-based) anecdote, I noticed that the time showing was 12.03 - when I was due to finish! I estimated that the event was running about five minutes behind schedule when I was introduced and also that, due to the excellent response, I would still be able to include this last story but, just to make sure, as the laughter from the previous item was dying down, I quickly confirmed with the Chairman that I could carry on. The story went brilliantly, as had all the WI references and, indeed the whole talk (my hearing was still muffled despite my starting to use the prescribed medication but when I listened to the recording later, the sound of 40 minutes of 250 people's laughter echoing around a theatre sounded terrific).

Public Speaking Tip #200 (yes - 200!): If you have not completed your allotted amount of time but an event is running a little behind schedule, it may be better to ask (as discreetly as possible) if it's OK to carry on for a little while longer rather than be cut off in your prime! If the audience has been enjoying your presentation then your wish will usually be granted.

After Maggie's vote of thanks and a little more business, it was time for lunch and I went out to my sales table where a queue was already forming. I sold (and signed) a very large number of booklets and then had a buffet lunch with Mrs Southwell and the Mayor until I was told that others were waiting there to buy more books!

I had been told that there would be up to 300 at the event and, in trying to estimate how many booklets to take, I had taken into account what had been my highest percentage sale at a WI which was a 33% when I spoke at Milford-on-Sea last year so I took 100.

In the end, there were 250 who heard me speak at Hereford and I sold 70 copies, an excellent number, especially considering that many members had the expense of travelling in from far-flung parts of the county. I hope my booklets made a good souvenir for them. I also worked out that 202 took my tips leaflets - which just shows how much demand there is for guidance about public speaking!

Public Speaking Tip #201: If you are trying to estimate how much merchandise to take to a speaking engagement, find out how many are expected to attend and consider what was your biggest percentage sale at similar events.

Where free items, such as leaflets, are concerned, take enough for everybody!

I stayed for the afternoon session because I wanted to hear the speech by the Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Thomas of Walliswood (no relation!), who had arrived at lunchtime. She was a replacement for Baroness Gale who had been originally booked but then had to drop out a few weeks before the event.

Baroness Thomas had a 40-minute slot for a speech plus questions about the workings of the House of Lords. Her speech was about politics but she kept it non-party-political. Nevertheless, there were problems - with the microphone. This was a mic on a stand in front of the lectern and she was interrupted many times during her presentation by audience members saying that they couldn't hear her. From where I was sitting, I noticed when she turned over a page in her 'notes' that she was delivering typed paragraphs which were long and detailed and I think the position where she was standing in order to see to read all these facts and statistics just wasn't close enough to the mic. It was a great shame because she had some interesting material and a dry sense of humour. Fortunately, she had left a lot of time for questions and when she dealt with these, there was no need for a script so she leaned forward and was audible, lively and amusing. This was a textbook example of something which I have mentioned before in this blog: the fact that a good question and answer session can redeem an unsuccessful presentation, not least of all, because it is the last thing that speaker's audience hears.

There was one last guest presentation: a report from Greg Harvey, representing Taylors of Harrogate, blenders of Yorkshire Tea (which I have been enjoying while writing this post) and sponsors of the WI for 20 years.

It was said that this was Greg's first speaking engagement; I think it far more likely that it was his first WI engagement, or maybe his first for an audience of this size - it was just too polished for him to be a newcomer! He looked immaculate and had a natural smile throughout his delivery of facts and figures about the sponsorship, news of his company's Trees for Life project and details of new products, such as their Chocolate and Orange Cake. It would have been easy for some speakers to make the latter item sound patronising (speaking to women about chocolate!) but Greg's warm, enthusiastic delivery (helped by his broad South Shields accent) left no room for this. The audience really enjoyed his presentation and I was very impressed.

(I was even more impressed when the WI gave me the excellent Chocolate and Orange Cake!)

Public Speaking Tip #202: It's comedians who get the groupies whereas public speakers are more likely to get lunches, dinners, tea, coffee, biscuits and cakes; calories notwithstanding, these are probably far better for you!

Seriously, over the years at speaking engagements, in addition to fees and expenses, merchandising profits and (sometimes quite expensive) breakfasts, lunches or dinners, I have also been given book tokens, copies of publications and CDs produced by the other writers at events, bottles of wine (I'm actually a lifelong teetotaller but these are useful as gifts!), unwanted raffle prizes of various kinds...As the slogan for a UK supermarket chain declares, 'Every little helps!'

Of course, there have also been the repeat bookings and referrals - the lifeblood of any business.

Before leaving, I had tea with Angela Southwell, Jo Skelton and the Federation's new Secretary, Lynda Griffiths. It was a very enjoyable end to a fantastic day. I also enjoyed seeing some lovely Welsh countryside as my train journey from Hereford involved a change at Newport.

There are times when, even if I have really been looking forward to a speaking engagement, it can still greatly exceed my expectations; this was one of those occasions.

Postscript: I received this super unsolicited testimonial from Federation Secretary Lynda Griffiths:

"We all enjoyed your speech so much; the feedback from our members has been excellent".

And from the Hereford Times:

"Comedy script writer Nick R.Thomas (remember The News Huddlines?) brought the house down with his hilarious memories of guest speaking around the country and on the subject of 'The Power of Humour in Everyday Life'".