A heckler is in the audience; the overhead projector breaks; the allotted speech time runs out - these are just some of the panic-producing crises, interruptions, or distractions easily dealt with in this first-aid guide for business speakers. Here, first-timers and experienced pros alike will find everything they need to organize, write, and deliver effective, entertaining speeches - from installations to toasts and roasts. The guide pinpoints every possible speaking contingency - from failed electricity to a bored audience - and for each one tells how to prevent it, what to do about it, and what to say about it. Its treasury of witty, off-the-cuff lines and audience participation devices helps speakers access the perfect words to cover any situation and captivate any audience.

Table of Contents

Introduction. Speech Design and Preparation. Speech Delivery. Tips on Working With Specific Kinds of Audience Types. Problems with the Audience. Room and Equipment Problems. Other Tips on Specific Kinds of Speeches. Examples of Simple Group Exercises and Audience Participation Devices; Glossary of Professional Speaking Terms. Glossary of Celebrity Speakers Who Have Contributed Material Just for This Book.

About the Author

Lilly Walters (Glendora, CA) is the executive director of Walters International Speakers Bureau, which accesses 36,000 speakers, conducts seminars, and publishes Sharing Ideas, the world's largest magazine for the professional speaking industry. She is the author of Secrets of Successful Speakers and coauthor of Speak & Grow Rich.