Nick R Thomas - A Public Speaker's Blog

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Saturday, January 24

What will be your public speaking 'firsts?'

by Nick R Thomas A.L.A.M. (Public Speaking) on Sat 24 Jan 2009 09:16 PM GMT

Another year of public speaking challenges

Going into this, my fourteenth year as a public speaker, it occurred to me that each of the preceding years and, indeed, those which led up to my first-ever professional engagement, featured new challenges in terms of delivering material in front of an audience:

1990: The year I started writing for national radio satirical shows. I attended my first BBC comedy writers' meetings at Broadcasting House for Radio 4's topical show Week Ending and spoke up - very briefly and nervously!

1991: I did my first stand-up comedy open mic spot. It was London's Comedy Cafe and I didn't get a single laugh during the whole 10 minutes. But I did it.

1992: I joined a comedy groupi n Bournemouth. We never performed live, just recorded a cassette to sell, but it was early experience in using my voice.

1993: My first local radio interview. It consisted of a pre-recorded, 15-second sound bite and I was even nervous delivering that!

1994: My first TV appearance, a short, pre-recorded, fly-on-the-wall feature for BBC TV's South Today.

1995: My first TV appearance in front of a studio audience. It was on Meridian TV's What's My Line? I froze with nerves which led to my resolution to join...

My first public speaking course. Twelve, two-hour lessons which made a huge difference, even more so when I opted to take...

My first public speaking exam, the LAMDA Bronze Medal, which I passed with Honours.

1996: With my tutor Angela Brennan's encouragement, I accepted my first paid speaking engagement which was for Southbourne Literary Society.

I delivered my first 'how to' presentation which was for Ringwood Writers' Circle.

A couple of days later, I had my first stand-up comedy spot and interview on national radio - The Radio 2 Arts Programme with George Melly, recorded in front of a studio audience of 600.

I also performed stand-up comedy on cable television.

I delivered my first after dinner speech.

I took (and passed) my first Women's Institute speaker's audition (Hampshire Federation)

I delivered my first talk involving readings.

And I gave my first live local radio interview which was for BBC Radio Solent.

And in each subsequent year, the 'firsts' continued:

1997: First motivational lecture, Harnessing Life's Humour (now called The Power of Humour in Everyday Life). My first black-tie dinner. My first one-day writers' workshop. I taught my first adult education classes.

1998: My first WI Council Meeting presentation (Avon Federation, 45 minutes with an audience of 500 ladies). My first qualification as an adult education tutor. My first literary festival.

1999: My first, tentative steps in self-publishing material to back up my talks. My first guest lecture for Master's degree students (Bournemouth University).

2000: My first videoed talk. My first after dinner speeches for corporate clients.

2001: The first of my bookings giving presentations as a consultant at corporate training days (ICL Fujitsu).

2002: My first engagement for a business networking group.

2003: Sadly, the year began with my first-ever eulogy, delivered at my mother's funeral. I ran my first one-day public speaking workshop for a local government client (key staff from Christchurch Borough Council and Highcliffe Castle). I introduced my first literary/biographical talk: An Attractive Impediment: the Life, Literature and Laughter of Patrick Campbell. My first training session for charity volunteers (from the Motor Neurone Disease Association).

2004: My first speech at a civic function (a mayor-making ceremony). I spoke for the first time at a focus group.

2005: My first gig as an MC (at a wedding exhibition). My first presentation as part of a training day for a government department (the Home Office Central Management Unit). My first two-handed presentation (joint quiz master at the first Bournemouth Literary Festival). My first how-to presentations for film clubs, taking my spoken word experience to a visual medium. My first training session for entertainment professionals.

2006: My first booking as a solo quiz master.

2007: Believe it or not, my first-ever presentation with slides! My first-ever quiz where I wrote all the questions.

2008: My first historical society talk.

I can't claim that every one of this was a resounding success, especially in the early years (that stand-up comedy gig in 1991 went so badly that I didn't do another for four-and-a-half years!) But each of these 'firsts' presented me with new challenges and, ultimately, developed my confidence and versatility as a speaker/trainer.

So what about 2009? Speaking on cruise liners would be great! The year might bring talks in holiday centres or maybe podcasts. I know of one first I have coming up: in the summer, I will be delivering morning, afternoon and evening talks all on the same day - three towns, three different subjects!

So what will be your public speaking 'firsts' in 2009?

Public Speaking Tip #278: However well you are progressing as a speaker, you need a constant flow of new challenges in terms of types of audiences, events and presentations if you are to keep developing your potential.

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Wednesday, January 21

There's always public speaking

by Nick R Thomas A.L.A.M. (Public Speaking) on Wed 21 Jan 2009 11:03 PM GMT

Past and presentations

Have you ever noticed how the popular songs from a particular year have the power to make you nostalgic even if it seemed to be a terrible time back then? It's a bit like that when I look back on past speaking engagements. Take 2000, for example. That was a very bad year for me in terms of my home and finances but when I look back on that year now, I mainly think about it in terms of my talks at the time. There weren't too many because I had become complacent about marketing my first presentations and had not yet introduced any additional titles. They weren't all successful, either, but enough of them were that I can look back on that dreadful period with almost a certain fondness.

The past year hasn't been brilliant either, with many health, computer and other problems, and I am currently going through a period of great personal upheaval but I have been determined not to allow this to affect my speaking engagements. Long ago, they became escapism for me and I know that, thanks to them, I will, in time, look back on this period with at least some affection because of them.

Some people count sheep as a means of trying to get to sleep. Once or twice, I have made the mistake of believing that if I select a year and then try to remember all my talks from it, I will soon nod off. Wrong! As soon as I start to relive those bookings, the venues, the audiences, the laughter, the testimonials...I am wide awake!

We are all living in unpredictable times due to the global financial situation. Public speaking and the pleasure and satisfaction to be gained from it, can be a constant in periods of uncertainty.

Public Speaking Tip #277: Once you get beyond regarding public speaking as something to be feared, you may find over time that it not only becomes enjoyable but even a form of comfort and escapism in difficult times - and people often pay you for it too!

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Monday, January 12

History, a City, Christmassy...

by Nick R Thomas A.L.A.M. (Public Speaking) on Mon 12 Jan 2009 07:42 PM GMT

I can never predict what sort of bookings I will get for December of any year, partly because so many of the organisations I speak to book a musical act or make their own entertainment. In 2005, I had seven; in 2001 and 2004 there were none at all. Some years will involve a number of Christmas lunches/dinners (on one memorable day, I had turkey with all the trimmings at a lunch where I spoke in Guildford followed by the same at a dinner in Poole hours later (I'm not complaining!)

I had three bookings last month and although none involved turkey, all had a festive feeling about them and were fun.

Ferndown Historical Society

I delivered my presentation Dorothy Parker and the Wits of the Algonquin Round Table for Ferndown Historical Society at the Barrington Centre on 4 December. There were around 50 there and the talk went well. The revisions that I have made this year have made such a difference.

This was my second-ever talk for a historical society (my first was at Tadley in May ) and I was struck by the fact that, as with literary societies, there was nothing stuffy or academic about them, just a group of friendly people with a common interest in a particular subject.

Public Speaking Tip #273: A presentation to a specialist group, such as an historical society, does not have to be dry. Just deliver your usual talk but perhaps with some extra detail. As long as you know your subject, you should be fine.

There was a good question and answer session afterwards which covered a whole range of comedy and I sold a decent number of copies of Nick R's in a Twist!. This was followed by refreshments which included mince pies.

I had an enjoyable evening there. My thanks to their Chairman Peter Dodds for running me all the way back to Bournemouth.

Portsmouth and District National Trust

A week later, I had a return booking for the members of Portsmouth and District National Trust who I had previously spoken to in December 2006 - another Christmas meeting.

Around 65 turned up this time, which was a respectable crowd, considering that this meeting was competing with a concert by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at Portsmouth's Guildhall.

This time I delivered my Patrick Campbell talk which always presents a particular dilemma for me: whether to include one particular story...

I have drawn on a very large number of resources in the research for this presentation, one of which is the late Frank Muir's excellent autobiography, A Kentish Lad. Anyone who has read this will, I'm sure, remember the 'quenelle' anecdote involving Patrick Campbell and a rude but very funny play on words which is not suitable for every audience. So I have to make a choice at every booking for this talk about whether to include this particular story. There has only been one occasion when my decision to use it seemed to be a mistake and that group rebooked me shortly afterwards so no real harm was done!

Talks on Church premises can be tricky for humorous speakers. A few years ago, I delivered my (then new) talk about Groucho Marx for a group at a Bournemouth church. I had spoken there many times before, always after a lunch followed by prayers and a hymn from their Minister.

Public Speaking Tip #274: Be prepared for the fact that if you are speaking to an organisation attached to a church, they may hold a short service just before you are introduced.

I cut out a number of tales about the Marx Brothers which I considered to be too risque for an audience on church premises following a service. Afterwards, their Speaker Secretary, an incredibly active chap in his nineties, told me that the talk had seemed a little short so I explained why. He laughed - and then proceeded to tell me a joke that was doing the rounds about nuns and social diseases! It's tricky, as I have said.

And here I was, about to speak in the Discovery Centre attached to
St John's Catholic Cathedral in Portsmouth...

On this occasion, standing in a room surrounded by religious notices, etc, I decided that I would not feel comfortable using that Patrick Campbell story so I cut it. There are, after all, plenty of other big laughs over the 50 minutes!

Some of you may feel that I should have simply gone ahead and used that material. Well, politicians may find themselves having to deliver content which may not please their audiences but I am a humorous speaker, an entertainer - and I have choice!

Public Speaking Tip #275: Some speakers, for example those involved in politics, may have little option but to deliver uncomfortable material from time to time, but speakers whose purpose is to entertain can pick and choose their content. Crowd-pleasing is fine; if in doubt, leave it out!

My talk was followed by refreshments (including some excellent home-made cake) and then I was asked to draw the tickets for the raffle. The group joked that this might be the longest prize draw that I had ever seen and they probably weren't far wrong but it was fun.

Amberwood Women's Institute

My final talk of 2008 was a return to Amberwood WI at the Methodist Church in Highcliffe, Dorset. I last spoke to them in July 2004 and this was another booking for the Patrick Campbell talk.

There were about 60 there and I was just sorry that I hadn't been able to join them for their buffet before my talk. Once again, I decided not to include the quenelle story but the talk was well-received; humour and Christmas meetings are a good mix.

Public Speaking Tip #276: Groups that book speakers usually try and select a light-hearted topic for their Christmas meetings. Does your list of presentations include one?

I may have missed the buffet but I was given several slices of a very good Christmas cake to take away with me!

My thanks to a lovely Welsh couple, Mr and Mrs Rees, for the lift back to Bournemouth.

A good end to my thirteenth year of speaking engagements.

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