PUBLIC SPEAKING: BEST AND WORST SPEECHES AND PRESENTATIONS

In this anonymous survey we asked people about their best and worst experiences of public speaking and presenting.

A clear 50% of respondents had their best presentation at a conference. In close second place, a third of those surveyed, had their best presentation in the Board Room. Where it counts, perhaps.

A third of the best presentations began with a joke. Dramatic, anecdotal and quotation-led beginnings all featured in respondents' best presentations.

Good news for all of us. Half the survey reckoned that presenting definitely gets easier with practice. And the other half thought this was probably the case. A very clear case for more public speaking!

Worst presentation experiences were varied. Some 40% of respondents noted that they had been selected to give the presentation that turned out to be their lowest moment! And a quarter of the survey had actually volunteered to do the presentation that became their worst. Ouch! And rather worryingly, a quarter of those surveyed had their worst presentation when it was part of their job. This might be a case of not enough practice beforehand.

When it came to those surveyed being in the presentation audience the responses were also telling. One bugbear was the speaker who only read their script. All day conference attendance was judged tedious. Board meetings were similar. And so was Church!

Perhaps this was on the mind of John Andrew Homes when he came up with the quotation highlighted below.

You can tell us how you got on with your best and worst speech or presentation. We plan to update these results regularly.

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About Time to Market Public Speaking Courses

Based in Camberley and operational since 2001, Time to Market is a successful public speaking training company running off-site skills training courses throughout the United Kingdom.

PresentPerfect^TM is a practical hands-on public speaking skills course. Available in either a half day or a full day format the course combines one to one tuition, demonstration and individual practice. Open courses are available at selected venues for participants from any organisation. Class size is limited to six participants.

Tailored courses are available for participants exclusively from one organisation. All our training courses are off-site at specialist training locations.

Media Contact

Peter Bowler

Time to Market Ltd

peterbowler@timetomarket.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)1276 804 633

"When a sermon at length comes to an end, people rise and praise God, and they feel the same way after many other speeches."

John Andrew Homes