Have you ever thought about how you can do good works through public speaking?

Your public speaking can give your audience a voice for what they are thinking, options for the challenges they face, and motivation to positively change their lives.

This article explores these good works through your public speaking.

Voicing What Others Are Thinking

You can assume your audience is attending your presentation because they are interested in your presentation subject.

There will be audience members who agree with what you are saying. These audience members may just need a little encouragement to voice their opinions in the groups to which they belong.

There are also audience members who won’t agree with your presentation premise. Your job is to convince them through the logic of your way of thinking.

As a public speaker, you are a salesperson. You are selling your ideas. Your job is to convince your audience that they will reap a positive transformation in their personal and professional lives by adopting your presentation message.

By ourselves, we can only compare what we are experiencing to what we have witnessed in the past. The real benefit of attending your presentation is your audience will discover options they have not considered to solve their challenges.

Giving Options to Audience Challenges

Animals have instincts. They can’t think logically about a different way to do something. Not humans. We all can change how we do things.

We all have free will to choose a different course of action. Your presentation should give your audience those other courses of action (options), a plan to implement them (Call to Action), and the motivation to see them through.

Your options should always be relevant to where your audience is in their lives. Your audience must see how they can apply the options you give them. But this is not enough.

You must also give them practical ways to apply your options that fit into their lives. Always give them activity-based ways to implement your options (Call to Action).

You must also motivate your audience by vividly describing the positive transformation they will realize in their lives.

Motivating Your Audience

A dream without action will always remain just a dream. Positive transformation for your audience only becomes real when they take action on their dreams. Motivating your audience to take action on their dreams is key to your presentation’s success.

Your presentation success is directly proportional to how well you know your audience, give them options to overcome their challenges, and your ability to motivate them to implement these options.

So, how exactly do you motivate your audience? Sell them the positive transformation in their lives when they implement the options you give them. Then, spend a considerable amount of time on this transformation.

Your guide for developing your presentation is always your audience. Striving to bring benefits to your audience should always be your “compass” when preparing and delivering your presentation.

Put aside your presentation for a minute. Do you know what your audience is struggling with right now? Do you know how they can immediately apply what you are saying to improve their personal and professional lives? Do you know what they want to hear, see, and feel from your presentation?

If you know the answers to these questions, apply the answers in your presentation and give your audience ways to implement the options you offer them, your presentation will be successful. Your presentation will be successful every time if you apply this.

Motivation is not mysterious. You motivate your audience by appealing to what they are most interested in in a unique and entertaining way. It’s that simple.

You will get questions on your options from your audience. Ensure you have compelling answers to all possible audience questions. In your presentation preparation, always practice before a practice audience. Have them “pepper” you with as many questions as possible. In this way, it will be a rare occurrence where your actual audience asks a question that you have not heard before and have a convincing answer.

This article has explored three good works your presentation provides to your audience – giving your audience a voice for what they are thinking, options for the challenges they face, and motivation to change their lives for the better.

Do these three things, and you will have a successful presentation.

Call to Action

• Be a role model in your presentations for your audience to speak what they are thinking

• Give your audience options they can implement in their lives

• Motivate your audience by vividly showing them the positive transformation in their lives if they implement the options you give them

Frank DiBartolomeo is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and award-winning speaker, presentation and interview skills coach, and Professional Member of the National Speakers Association. He was awarded Toastmasters International’s highest individual award, Distinguished Toastmaster because of his outstanding work in public speaking and leadership.

Frank formed DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC (www.speakleadandsucceed.com) in 2007. The mission of DCI is to help technical professionals to inspire, motivate, and influence their colleagues and other technical professionals through improving their presentation skills, communication, and personal presence. Reach Frank at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com and (703) 509-4424.

Don’t miss Frank DiBartolomeo’s latest book!

“Speak Well and Prosper: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Better Presentations”

Available now at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com