Ep 142 Prepped and Polished vs Off the Cuff Speaking

So many people say, "I do better with informal, casual, off-the-cuff style speaking."

This kind of speaking can feel better for many of us because off-the-cuff speaking removes the pressure for us to be perfectly polished.

However, this approach can also give us a false sense of security, making us think that we actually work better this way. Plus, let's be honest: It can also make us feel safer when we step on stage. If we don't put a lot of time into preparing, it doesn't feel like a 'loss' if it doesn't go well. If we DO put in the time to prep and our talk doesn't turn out great, we feel like WE are not good enough.

In this episode, let's dig into prepped vs. off-the-cuff speaking styles, and why a little preparation might just change the game.

If you loved this episode and it motivated you to work on more polished presentations, I’d love for you to leave a review on iTunes and tell me about your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me @jessicarasdall.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

Join the Free Speak to Scale Community
Episode 81: How to Prepare for a Speaking Engagement
Speaking templates inside the Speaking Strategy Academy

Blending "prepared" with "off-the-cuff"

Contrary to what you might be thinking when you start speaking, your presentations do not have to be all perfectly polished without room for off-the-cuff content... there's room for both. With one caveat: If you're wanting to stand out as the face of your company and truly represent your brand that you've worked so hard to build, your content deserves proper preparation.

While off-the-cuff speaking with less prep may feel better for YOU, is it truly serving your audience? Are you crafting a presentation that's helping you hit your goals and the goals o your audience? Or could you afford a bit more preparation to help deliver your presentation with even more impact?

Preparation isn't as scary as you think

A properly prepped presentation is:

a performance
entertaining
educational
inspiring
memorable

When we put in the time to prep we do research, we spend time understanding what our audience is going through, how we can meet them there, and what they need from us to take a step towards achieving whatever it is they're working towards.

Having a well-organized presentation that hits on all of those points AND has the perfect balance of ethos, pathos, logos is HARD to do off the cuff. We want to make a connection, be established as a credible authority, and deliver real value that sparks change.

Shifting from impromptu to polished presentations

Have I sold you on the importance of putting a bit more prep into your presentations? Great. I don't want you to feel overwhelmed, or like you have to spend months preparing for an engagement. Instead, let's make small shifts to bring more prep practice to your off-the-cuff routine. Here's what I suggest:

Do the work.

How many times have you attended a webinar that felt like the person or brand spent all of their time planning their marketing strategy, only to wing it when it comes to the webinar content? The same goes for speaking engagements — and you don't want to be one of those people, right? Instead of letting your off-the-cuff presentation fall flat, develop an incredible talk and put in the time to prepare.

Listen to Episode 81 to hear all about how to prepare for your next speaking opportunity.

Practice and prep in sections.

Know the flow of your talk like the back of your hand, but allow yourself to deliver the sections of your presentation that feel 'off the cuff,' or that are adapted to the event/audience. You can deliver the same message with the same impact and still make a point of connection that's not "scripted" into your presentation.

Our speaking templates inside the Speaking Strategy Academy have built-in sections for a reason - it works

Make space for 'off the cuff' practice.

Earlier, I said that you don't have to have either an 'off-the-cuff' presentation or a prepped one. I said you have both, but it does take some practice. That's why I recommend getting yourself out there and practicing your presentation and framework, while also leaving flexibility for those in-the-moment changes.

You can get this practice in through podcast interviews, live streams, Instagram Stories, Q&A sessions, and more. They can help you strengthen your 'on your feet' responses and do real-time audience research, which can be invaluable when it's time to prep for your next opportunity.

Support and community as you elevate your speaking

Have you been putting off investing the time to develop a high-value signature presentation for yourself — one that you can use time and time again, pull from for social posts, and truly have as the heart of your communication strategy? I'm here to remind you that I'm in your corner and that you have a message that matters. People are waiting for you to share it.

Join our free speaker community if you're ready to link arms with others who are working toward crafting presentations that make an impact and help their business. A little extra accountability never hurt anyone, and that's what you'll find inside the Speak to Scale Community!

If you're not already a member of the academy, we'd love to invite you to apply to join The Speaking Strategy Academy. You'll get instant access to our A-Z speaking training system with video lessons, transcripts, scripts, templates, and more.... access to our live group coaching calls, personalized 1:1 feedback on your work from me, and an opportunity to present your work live in front of our community for hot seat coaching and feedback. What are you waiting for, friend? Apply today!

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