20 tips from Darren La Croix's Workshop at Ovation 2013

Darren La Croix, the World Champion of Public Speaking (2001) started his workshop titled "OWN THE STAGE" with a question "Why do some speakers take the stage & some OWN IT?". He shared a number of useful tips on public speaking and speech crafting.

This post captures the lessons learned from Darren La Croix educational session at Ovation 2013, an annual District 82 toastmasters conference.

(Also read: 25 tips from Craig Valentine's workshop at Ovation 2011)

1. Don't try to be perfect, try to be PRESENT
2. Failure is a valuable negative information
3. You don't know what you don't know
4. Your mentor supplies the direction, you supply the energy and efforts
5. Take any story and continuously try to improve it, to make it good
6. If you want to be a master piece, you've to master the pieces
7. When I'm done speaking, what do I want my audience to do, think and feel - Answer it in 10 words or few
8. When you are delivering from your head, your emotions are dead. Don't memorize, but, internalize.
9. When you are perfect without flaws, audience wouldn't like it. They want it to be real
10. The most important part of a presentation is the thought process in your audience mind (not the introduction, and not the conclusion)
11. Don't tell us, take us
12. Use foundational phrases as a way to get into the audience subconscious mind (for ex., words such as "ouch!" that Darren used in his World Champion Speech)
13. Don't quit when you get an offer to speak, commit.  Never turn-down stage time
14. Record your speech every time
15. Always be coachable and find the best coaches
16. When telling stories, just touch the canvas, and let your audience paint the picture
17. When you are delivering your speech, your audience is continuously asking "So what, Who cares, What is in it for me?" Keep that in mind when crafting speeches.
18. Speak to one, look to all
19. Avoid using "How many of you have been to Las Vegas?" type questions. You won't be asking such questions when you are talking to a friend in a coffee shop. Rather ask, "Have you been to Las Vegas?"
20. Do things you know, know things you do

Reference to other speakers

1. "What would you dare to dream, if you know you wouldn't fail" - Brian Tracy
2. I/You ratio - use more "You"s when compared to "I"s - Patricia Fripp
3. Use the VAKS technique (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, and Smell) when delivering speeches - Craig Valentine 

Useful websites

www.makeyourspeechmemorable.com (free audio programs)
www.rhymer.com (to find rhyming words)