Public Speaking Course:

Dynamic Range

I invented the concept of 'Dynamic Range' which I teach about in my public speaking course. It will help you improve your versatility as a business presenter, and to help you pick appropriate audiences for your skill and interest level (Did he say 'pick' my audiences?). Yes, I did say pick your audiences.

Some of you don't have this luxury because you speak as part of your job to whomever your boss tells you too. But for those of you that can choose your audiences, will be able to move up faster in the world of speaking after completing your public speaking course.

When you are beginning your speaking career it is important for you to experience different kinds of audiences just FOR the experience. You will find that presenting to some audiences is more fun than others, and certain types of audiences enjoy your style more too. At this early stage of being a presenter it is important to take many different audiences to broaden your skill level.

As you move up the professional ladder where the audiences are bigger, or more important to your career; the stakes are far higher, so you must learn to just say no.

Most top presenters don't accept every invitation to speak even if they are available, and the money is right.

Why? They pick their speaking engagements to put themselves in front of audiences that indicate the greatest chance of success. They are building their reputation, and a good reputation is worth more money in the long run.

If you are a highly technical presenter, you would not want to be speaking to a widget sales group at their annual retreat. Conversely, as a really fun retreat facilitator, you would not want to be speaking to a group of radar technicians who are only interested in performance data of the latest missile protection system.

Your knowledge of your Dynamic Range when practicing in your public speaking course will help you learn to pick your audiences better. Also in your ongoing effort to improve it will expand your abilities so you are capable of handling a wider range of audiences.

I based Dynamic Range on the same concept that is used to rate stereo equipment. Dynamic range in the electronics world means the ability to reproduce soft sounds as well as loud ones.

I have expanded on this topic to include several other parts that are important to a speaker. These include:
-- Serious/Outrageous Content,
-- Slow/Fast Speed of Delivery,
-- Slurred/Articulate Diction,
-- Stationary/Animated Movement, and
-- Audience Needs.

The first step to use this system is to evaluate yourself on each section.

Many people have trouble evaluating themselves honestly, so after you finish your public speaking course it might be time to call in an objective third party like a speaking coach or other professional presenter to watch you present or to review several of your tapes.

What professional athlete do you know who excels without a coach? What professional in any field excels without a coach? If your going to have good speaking skills, you too need a coach. Find one, use one (or more), learn from one, profit from one.

A piece of advice, please don't use friends for this initial evaluation because they will be reluctant to tell you the truth. And further, ask yourself honestly, is your friend a professional coach in the area you seek training?

Quick Fixes -- Here are some ways you can increase your dynamic range in a hurry.
-- If your material is all serious, add some that is lighthearted and vice versa.
-- If you always speak softly, speak loudly sometimes and vice versa.
-- Always work to improve your diction, but allow it to falter in front of less articulate audiences.
-- If you always stand still, move sometimes and vice versa, if you are a jitterbug, stand still.

When you have the ability, pick audiences that give you the greatest chance of success.

Does an Olympic runner enter every race? Or does he or she practice and prepare for the big races?

Thinking like a professional is part of mastering what you learned in a public speaking course.