Toastmasters Speech 8: Get Comfortable with Visual Aid

A pictures speaks a thousand words. In this project, use visual aids to communicate more effectively with your audience and connect with them.

Table of Contents

Objectives
Evaluation criteria
Tips and Techniques
What will your benefit?
Sample Speech

Objectives

The aim is to select appropriate visuals aids and use them to enhance your speech.

Evaluation criteria

Clarity of Visual

Make sure that the visuals are clearly visible. If you are using pictures, print them in high resolution. Place them in a place from where they will be clearly visible by everyone in the rom. Do not use any visual that might offend someone’s sentiment.

Relevance of Visuals Used

Using visual is pointless unless it is really relevant to you speech. Your visual and speech should be relatable. Using visuals that enhance the understanding of your speech will give you an attentive audience.

Transitions

There should be a smooth transition between the visuals, and between the speech and the visual. Distractions caused due to visuals will make your speech rather uninteresting.

Tips and Techniques

Keep it simple

Keep your visuals attractive but simple. Do not over use pictures, texts or colors. Balance all the elements in an eye pleasing manner. Insure that all the elements are comprehensible.

Colors and Consistency

Use attractive colors in your visuals to gain attention. However, keep it consistent. Using too many colors will distract your audience. It will also distort the actual meaning of your visual and create a disconnection between your speech and the visual.

Display tips

Avoid looking at the visual while delivering your speech. Maintain eye contact with the audience. Also hold a strong body posture. Use the visuals to attract your audience and not distract them.

Rehearse

Rehearsing your speech using visual aid is very important. Do not expect to ace it in the first trail. Practice until you determine the perfect timing to project a visual to the audience. Rehearsing will also help you gain smooth transition.

Back-up plan

Do not trust the electricity, device or software if you are using any electronic visual aid. Always keep a back-up plan.

What will your benefit?

This project is helpful to learn the use of other materials other than words to gain your audience’s attentions.