In recent weeks, I have completed a large number of speaking engagements which I must tell you about. May 2009, however, was a relatively quiet month with 3 bookings.

Age Concern Pop-In, Somerford

On 11 May, I delivered My Life as a Freelance Comedy Writer for an audience of around 25 at the Age Concern Pop-In Centre, Somerford, Christchurch. Retirement groups vary enormously and different techniques may be required when speaking to them.

In 1998, I was booked to speak to an Arthritis Care group in Hampshire. It was quite a large group and there was another speaker on before me that evening and she was there to speak to them about heating - despite it being a very warm, late Spring evening. The trouble was, she lectured them - for 10 minutes. So now I had an elderly audience, many of them in pain, on a warm evening, who had just been patronised by the previous speaker.

Public Speaking Tip #322: Take a look at your presenting style: do you speak to your audience - or just at them?

It didn't look promising and I realised that right from the outset I would have to become a lot more outgoing than I normally was in those days. I decided to move much closer to the audience by speaking from in front of the table, not behind it. There was nothing reserved about me any more (although if I heard the recording of it now it would probably sound that way but back then...)

And this 'friendly attack' really worked. The audience listened, laughed and enjoyed it. I had been told that other speakers usually only managed to hold their attention for about 20 minutes but I did nearly twice that and got the impression that I could have gone on longer. It was a big success and I had learned a new approach which I would use again and again from then onwards.

And this was how I spoke at the High Cross Church Hall Somerford talk on a very hot afternoon and, despite some distractions, it went well, which was good - the last thing a speaker to a pensioners' group wants is for the bingo to be the high point of the meeting!

Public Speaking Technique #323: Speaking engagements sometimes require a very outgoing delivery right from your opening sentence, even if this does not feel like your natural style. The results can be well worth the 'personality change!' And it does move you forward and make you that little bit more extrovert at every presentation from then onwards.

Hythe and District Probus

On 14 May, I was back at the Dibden Golf Centre for my fourth talk in under three years for the Hythe and District Probus. I listened to their AGM and then managed to incorporate some tailored references from this into my talk about Patrick Campbell. Overall, though, the meeting was tinged with sadness as their Speaker Secretary, Clive Young, had died suddenly a few days earlier.

Clive booked me three times, including for this latest talk, and I always found him interesting to speak to, whether on the phone or over lunch at the venue. After my Groucho Marx talk in December 2007, he sent me a super testimonial letter. I think he will be very much missed by this club.

Public Speaking Tip #324: A club or society's Speaker Secretary can be a real friend in terms of repeat bookings, testimonials and recommendations to other organisations.

My thanks to their President for the lift from and back to Totton station.

The Probus Club of Southampton East

On 20 May, I spoke on My Life as a Freelance Comedy Writer to a Club that was new to me: Southampton East Probus who meet at the Mill House, Netley Abbey.

Public Speaking Tip #325: Once you get used to speaking on a regular basis, a new audience, especially one that is part of a wider organisation that you have had successes with, is a real treat.

There were around 35 at the meeting, the talk went very well and was followed by a good pub lunch. This club are a great bunch who enjoy their meetings  - and their grub!  Afterwards, their Speaker Secretary Brian Lamerton drove me back to the centre of Southampton and later sent me an email:

Testimonial: "Your talk was very much enjoyed by all".