What does the number 150 have to do with public speaking? Before I answer, let me set the stage :
- If someone asks you what you do, or what you speak about, you should have 10, 20, and 30 second versions of your reply.
- If someone wants to hear your elevator pitch, you should have 30, 60, and 90 second pitches to choose from.
- If someone asks you to speak at their meeting, a Lunch & Learn, etc., you should have 20, 30, and 40 minute versions of your signature talk.
What do all of these have in common? Time… which is a key component of anything speaking related. 150 is a rough average of the number of words people speak per minute. Obviously, the number of words someone speaks per minute varies. Still, what’s interesting about 150 wpm are all the ways we can use this statistic to our advantage.
- Writing vs Speaking – When I’m crafting any kind of talk, I start by writing it out word for word. When I’m done, I speak it out loud while timing myself. This gives me a rough idea of how many minutes my talk is so far. I edit what I’ve written, and read it out loud again, repeating the process until I like what I hear. You can use this strategy too, working on your talk until you know you can deliver it within a specific time frame.
- Listeners vs Wandering Minds – On average, you have about eight minutes (+/- 1200 words) before the minds of your audience start wandering. If you take this into consideration when you’re building your talk, it means you’ll want to change things up a bit every eight minutes or so. You can certainly stay on the same topic, but maybe shift from your audience listening to you speak, over to something more interactive for a minute or two. Think about the “breaks” other speakers use. Which “breaks” do you enjoy?
- Time in Theory vs Real-life Time – As a speaker, you know the amount of time you’ve been allotted to speak doesn’t always go according to plan. Sometimes you’re asked to cut your talk, or to speak longer than expected. It happens! One of the easiest ways to prepare for this is to build your signature presentation with talking-point segments. That way, you’ll know where you can add something, or take something out, without damaging the integrity of your talk.
- Presentation Time vs Q&A Time – Many a speaker has worked hard to make sure they can deliver their talk within the time allowed, forgetting to include their Q&A. You must give Q&A its due. Without it, you’ll never know how your information was received. You can build brief Q&A opportunities right into your talk, or build it in as your last segment. Either way, remember to account for the minutes it takes you to answer the questions you’re most likely to be asked.
- The Time You Think You Have vs The Time You Actually Have – Every speaker experiences time in their own way. Does it fly for you? Does it drag? Have there been situations when your audience needed time for something you hadn’t planned on? The simplest solution for not worrying about how much time you have is to have a “time plan.” Discretely check your cell phone, or the clock on the wall, between segments to make sure you’re on schedule. You can arrange for a friend or the host to signal you when it’s time for your Q&A, or to wrap it up, too.
Time is one of the best tools you can have in your speaker tool box. Knowing time is on your side makes it easier to say yes when someone asks you to speak. Knowing you can deliver your problem-solving expertise within any time scenario is going to have you feeling more confident on stage too. And it all starts with 150 words.