Your reminder to prepare a script–one not to be read in front of the client, but spoken approximately from memory–and then to practice is something we all need to hear repeatedly.

Thanks for the comment
Ford Harding

A long way of saying: speaking fast is sometimes required, and like all things, in measured doses makes a presentation more interesting. My sense is that the trick is not so much slowing the entire delivery down, as much as knowing the appropriate times & ways in which to modulate it (ala music). Particularly when slides are involved, I find slow/long winded talking a more frequent offense…

Which brings us too enthusiasm & too much talking: having spent some time in theater, I can say that a script & a stopwatch are your best friends. I’ve never seen enthusiasm on its own be a liability, but running out of time because you’re saying too many words (or talking too slow!) can be a huge problem. Practice what you’re going to say beforehand against a clock; if you’re presenting with slides, set up an auto-advance to get you thru in the targeted time & work against that (you can then modulate later); get someone else (fairly ruthless!) to run the presentation while you talk; videotape yourself; don’t be afraid of the pregnant pause.

Sims Wyeth’s article is up to his usual high standards and well worth a fast-talkers attention. Thanks.

Does anyone have a suggestion for Ian, whose enthusiasm leads him to talk too much?

Ford Harding

Sims Wyeth has some pointers on learning to speak more slowly in one of his newsletters: http://simswyeth.com/newsletter/hsp-price-of.html (along with some evidence on the impact of talking too fast).

Personally, my bad habit is overenthusiasm – which tends to lead to a tendency to talk too much.

Ian

I will try both of these techniques. Clifton, I think you are saying that a listener can absorb fast speech, if it is broken into short segments with brief pauses between them. I will try it.

Ford Harding