Tashe's Blog

No Glossophobia here- Chapter 15 Reading Notes

Glossophobia: Fear of speaking in public.

Chapter 15 in Dennis Wilcox’s Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques discusses Giving Speeches and Presentations.

The first step in giving a speech is to find out about your audience.

The chapter discusses the basics of giving speeches and presentations:

• Know Your Objective- what opinion or attitude do you want the audience to have after listening to your speech?
• Structure the Message for the Ear- use clear and concise words. Keep your audience’s attention.
• Tailor Remarks to the Audience- Consider demographics. Use words such as “us” and “we”.
• Give Specifics- Say things that the audience will remember.
• Keep it Timely and Short- Information must be relevant and short in length.
• Gestures and Eye Contact- Don’t fiddle, keep a straight posture (lean forward a bit), and make eye contact with the audience.

The text also gives a helpful acronym from Jack Pyle, SPEAK, to help you become a better communicator:

• S=Smile
• P=Posture
• E=Eye Contact
• A=Animation
• K=Kinetics (motion)

This chapters information and more can be found in Dennis Wilcox’s Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques.

Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment