Advice from a professional keynote speaker?

Tailoring your message

What does it feel like 24 hours before delivering a closing keynote speech at a conference with more than 1,000 people in attendance?

When I launched the Keys from Keynotes interview series and podcast two years ago, I dreamt of interviewing speakers in-person, hours before they were about to take the stage for a keynote speech.

Until recently, every Keys from Keynotes interview was done over Zoom, but I finally had the chance to interview a professional speaker just 24 hours before he delivered the closing keynote speech at a recent conference in Banff, Alberta.

Shawn Kanungo is one of my favourite speakers. Each of his presentations includes fresh information customized for those he is presenting to. Last year he booked about 80 speaking gigs and he was on the road for 150 days. If you visit Speakers Spotlight’s website, his image appears at the top of the page, yet he says he still feels as though he’s a rookie who is just getting started.

Today's column contains the three biggest takeaways from my interview with Shawn. (Scroll to the bottom to watch the full video interview.)

Content creates luck

Even though Shawn brings a video crew to almost every conference he speaks at, if he could go back to day one, he would’ve shot even more video content.

“I think that content creates luck,” said Shawn. “But I believe a lot of speakers put up a lot of vanity posts, like, ‘look at me, I spoke here.’ That’s not helpful to anybody.”

Shawn said the key is to capture content that adds value to the audience. He said speakers should record their presentations and then figure out which clips will add value to their audience so others will voluntarily share that content.

Not all rooms have the same energy

When Shawn walks into the room he will present in, he can tell pretty quickly how the speech will likely go before he says a word.

“The reason why comedy clubs have low ceilings is because that energy is trapped. When people are sitting side-by-side, it’s a tight room and there’s lots of people, you can feel the energy,” said Shawn. “If it’s spread out with high ceilings, that energy is going to dissipate.”

Shawn changes his approach depending on the room layout and demographic of the audience. When the energy is going to be good, he dials up the humour from the stage. When it’s a more difficult setup, his focuses less on being entertaining, and more on delivering attendees with valuable takeaways.

Events will likely thrive as A.I. evolves

There’s no question many industries will be impacted by artificial intelligence, but Shawn believes events will thrive.

“Events are going to have a boom. Events are where you create new knowledge. You’re colliding with other people. You’re learning what’s happening inside people’s businesses. That is data A.I. can mostly not get.”

While an increase of events is good news for speakers, Shawn believes audiences will demand speakers go beyond giving simple information that could be found online, and show a preference toward those who have the ability to provoke them.

“I think, as a speaker, your job is to build something A.I. can never do—it’s to be so different, so provocative, so game-changing… and not just through the energy but through the content.”

If you’re thinking about joining Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills, the Kelowna AM Toastmasters Club is always looking for new members.

If you’re interested in learning more about Impactful Communication, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

Seven-day guide to giving a properly prepared speech

A speech in a week

Imagine , you’re asked to give a presentation on a subject you are passionate about. You’re honoured and excited but there’s one problem, the date of the requested speech is exactly one week from today.

In this column, I’ll provide you with a seven-day strategy to not only build a powerful speech in that time, but deliver it like a pro.

Day 1 – Define your “why”

Why have you been asked to give a speech? Why should the audience care what you have to say? What do you hope they take away from your presentation?

These might seem like simple questions, but they are an important starting points for any great speech. On the first day, I want you to focus simply on the purpose of your speech and what your desired outcome is. Perhaps the goal is to inspire business clients or, if it’s a wedding speech, the goal might be to entertain the audience while celebrating the bride and groom.

If your mind is filling up with ideas, you can jot those down on a piece of paper and start to think about the overall structure, but I want the majority of your first day to be identifying the goal of your speech.

Day 2 – Research and rough outline

Construction of your speech begins on day two. After identifying the speech’s purpose in day one, you want to begin the research process to identify what the substance of your speech will be. For business presentations, this will likely include citing data that supports your message.

If it’s a wedding speech, you may want to think about memories you have with the bride or groom and see if you can come up with interesting or entertaining stories that could be woven into the speech.

If you’re building a Powerpoint slide deck, day two is when you should begin the process of creating the visuals that will accompany your speech. Avoid writing out the entire speech word-for-word. Instead, focus on an outline you can expand on naturally.

Day 3 – Finalize structure

Day three is when you finish your research, lock in the order of your points or slides, and ensure your speech has a clear introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

The best speech openings have a powerful introduction that hook the audience’s attention. Hooks could include, jumping right into a story, asking a powerful question or making a powerful statement.

The best speech bodies (middle part of a speech) usually have three or five points that reinforce the main idea. For example, if your speech is about the benefits of exercising, your first point could be about the long-term health benefits, your second point could be about the mental benefits and the third point could be around physical aesthetic benefits.

The best speech conclusions often bring everything together by coming full circle. If you opened your speech by asking a powerful question, you could consider ending it by answering the question you asked at the beginning.

By the end of day three, you should have a nearly completed version of your talk ready to go.

Day 4 – Refine and begin practicing

The fourth day is your opportunity to put the final touches on the content of your speech, paying extra attention to the introduction and conclusion. Once you’re happy with the content of your speech, this is the day when you can begin the process of practicing.

Try not to get flustered if your delivery isn’t perfect at first, you will have more than enough time to improve the delivery over the next two days.

Day 5 – Rehearse and make final content tweaks

Days five and six are your days to get reps in with lots of practice. My suggestion is practice at least three times on day five. Resist making any content changes initially, but after the second time practicing, feel free to revise any clunky sections or timing issues.

Complete your fifth day with a final run-through to ensure all changes feel right.

Day 6 – Intensive practice and delivery skills

Day six is all about practice. At this point in time, you should have a decent familiarity with the structure, so now you can shift your attention to perfecting delivery with things like body language and vocal variety. Try recording yourself or practicing in front of a supportive friend who can offer constructive feedback.

I suggest avoiding any major changes to your speech on day six. Hopefully you have a solid structure in place and you can use this day to build confidence.

Day 7 – Presentation day

You made it to the day of your speech. Congratulations.

Find a calming routine, such as exercise or meditation, to do in the morning. Eat well and then do a final run-through of the speech. Prior to stepping in front of the crowd, ensure you’re hydrated and try some breathing exercises such as box breathing to steady your nerves.

Most importantly, enjoy the process.

If you’re thinking about joining Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills, the Kelowna AM Toastmasters Club is always looking for new members.

If you’re interested in learning more about Impactful Communication, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.

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What I wish I had known about Toastmasters from the start?

Speaking lessons learned

I’ve been a member of Kelowna AM Toastmasters Club for the past decade.

I’ve learned a lot during that 10-year period, but if I could go back to day one, with the knowledge I have now, here are six things I wish I knew.

1. Nerves never completely go away

It’s OK to be nervous. Even after 10 years of working hard on my presenting skills, I still get slightly nervous before almost every speech I give. In my conversations with professional keynote speakers, it turns out many of them get anxiety before delivering presentations as well.

The good news is, one of the biggest benefits I’ve gained from Toastmasters is reducing the level of stress I experience before speaking. Since Toastmasters members get used to speaking in front of a group of people every week, over time, the experience seems less daunting.

2. Prepare content before meetings

Each week, the Toastmaster who is leading that week’s meeting will send an agenda and a meeting theme.

Most Toastmasters only think about preparing for the roles they have signed up for, but something I’ve learned to do is to be prepared whether I’m signed up for a role or not. This process typically involves me thinking of a personal story related to the theme.

If you come to a meeting prepared, it won’t feel too daunting if you’re asked to participate in a spontaneous speaking opportunity (such as Table Topics).

3.Take on roles quickly

When I first joined Toastmasters, I was hesitant to sign up for roles because I assumed I wasn’t experienced enough and that I might do something incorrectly.

Looking back, that was a silly mindset to have because the other members aren’t there to criticize, they’re there to help attendees grow and improve their speaking, listening and leadership skills. Each Toastmasters role focuses on unique skills, jumping in quickly accelerates your growth.

4. Use your mentor effectively

I was given a mentor when I started with Toastmasters, but a few weeks later, my mentor stopped attending meetings. Thankfully, Kelowna AM Toastmasters is a strong club and others were able to help answer my questions. If I could go back to day one, I think I would request a new mentor so I could more deeply engage with the Toastmasters program.

I also think new members should take accountability and clearly communicate what they’re looking for from their mentor to set the tone of the relationship from the very beginning.

5. All feedback is valuable

Similar to why I was hesitant to take on roles in the Toastmasters program, I was also hesitant to give constructive criticism or evaluations.

“Who am I to tell an experienced speaker what he/she should do to improve?” I thought.

What I’ve learned is everyone’s perspective is valid, and new members should not only sign up for speaking roles but also for evaluation roles to provide the club with a fresh perspective and to reinforce their own listening skills.

6. It’s a long-term commitment

I compare Toastmasters with working out. If I take two months off from exercising, I will begin to notice the negative physical and mental impacts. If I take two months off of Toastmasters, my speaking skills will also begin to deteriorate.

Improving (and maintaining) communication skills is a long-term process. I’ve attended Toastmasters since 2014, and I think I’ll probably still be a member in 2034.

If you’re thinking about joining Toastmasters to improve your public speaking skills, the Kelowna AM Toastmasters Club is always looking for new members.

If you’re interested in learning more about Impactful Communication, subscribe to my YouTube channel.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.