***Do Your Presentation Skills Pass the Color Test?

Speaking with expression, emotion, life, animation – whatever you call it – is one of your most important characteristics in delivering a dynamic presentation or speech. Just how colorful are you at the lectern?

If you would like to test your ‘color’ skills, record yourself reading the following nonsense paragraph and then play it back. (It might be an idea to practice it out loud before recording it.)

Bill Williams willed wills and billed bills to Williams and Bills.
A most willing Williams enjoyed willing and billing, billing bills for the wills of Williams and Bills.
The willing question is whether Bill Williams willed for his bills or billed for the wills of Williams and Bills.
Now Williams may say he billed for the wills; however, Williams and Bills will that Bill Williams willed his bills on Williams and Bills.
The answer is that Bill Williams didn’t will Williams and Bills bills, but billed Williams and Bills for their wills.

When you played this recording back, did your voice sound interesting or did you sound like you were ‘spitting’ out words that all sounded alike? While all of those words do sound similar, if read well, those words actually will not sound the same because your treatment of those words will make them sound different. In other words, the paragraph will make sense.

So how do you read it with color?

1. Imagine that you are reading it to a child. In doing so, allow for expression. If you read this well, you will sound like you are reading something that makes sense.

2. Be expressive on words like but, however, billed and willed, drawing out the word or using some emphasis here and there.

If you can read that paragraph and make it sound intelligent, delivering a presentation with color will be that much easier. Remember, no matter how good your voice or your script, your speech or your material, without color, you are boring.

Allow for your emotion, your life, your animation in public speaking and your audience will thank you.