Dr. Qubein is the President of High Point University, a great speaker, corporate advisor, author, and past president of the National Speakers Association. He asked me, “Can anyone become a good speaker?” “Why do so many fear public speaking?” “What is important to know about putting together a speech?”
When you have 25 minutes you can listen to my answers.
Read More...I have been coaching people virtually for at least 10 years. Even before Zoom was invented, I had my own virtual studio.
Although I still speak professionally, my major business now is helping other people with their presentations, whether they are executives, salespersons, engineers for technology companies, or other successful speakers and experts.
Many of my large Silicon Valley clients engage me to prepare their technical experts to speak at their customer conferences. Last year and this, they are virtual. In future years, I predict they will have both online and in-person conferences.
If you do not understand the technology, nothing else works. Certainly, Zoom is a popular platform; learn how to use it. You must up your game. It’s perfectly fine to work from your office, but I advise my clients to straighten out all the books on their bookshelves. It might be a bit busy, however, you need to make it tidy,
Recently at a client’s conference, one of my roles and responsibilities was to introduce other speakers, all of whom I had recommended. A couple of them spoke multiple times to the same audience.
The toughest slot of the day is that of the concluding speaker before the cocktail party and buffet at the hotel’s trendy nightclub.
Imagine sitting in the audience in a large ballroom in a fabulous Las Vegas hotel. You have been locked at home for almost two years. Not far outside the ballroom door are shops, shows, eateries, bars, spas, slot machines, and games of chance. Even walking to your comfortable hotel room is an adventure for watching exotic-looking people you do not see in Iowa. It is 4 pm and you have been in the ballroom since 8 am.
My introduction of the concluding speaker had to keep them in their chairs long enough for the speaker to engage them. I began,
I introduced my long-time friend, Nacole Schapiro before her speech to the Golden Gate Breakfast Club. Although she is a professional keynote speaker who often presents on negotiation and change,
Her family lived in fear that they would be shot if it were discovered that every night they would go into their basement and read a book about America.
There is nothing more exciting for an executive speech coach than to help craft the words of a well-intentioned leader who has an exciting message to deliver and is committed to the collaborative process.
Delivered by Tabassum Zalotrawala, Chief Development Officer, Chipotle
Finding Opportunity in Adversity
Growing up in Muscat, Oman, my brother and I were always enthralled by my father’s stories of his journey from Mumbai to Oman.
Imagine how he felt at age 20, stepping onto a boat to make the arduous seven-day voyage to Oman. He arrived in a country that had no real roads or electricity and began the adventure of creating a new life.
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When I work with sales teams to help drive more business, we look at every communication in the sales process.
What I have observed is that when several sales team members deliver formal presentations to the prospect, they miss out on a couple of valuable opportunities.
When you master the subtleties of delivering a group presentation you will gain a competitive edge.
One. Make short-term decisions that will help your long-term goals. Ask yourself, “Will my time and financial investments position me and my business for where I want to be in 5 years?”
Consider the timeline of your weekly activity. Are you learning, improving, staying connected with past clients, and taking time to refresh yourself?
Two. Although it is always important to drive new business, don’t forget to keep in touch with past clients and prospects. Call 5 past, happy clients on a regular basis. Your goal is to leave the most interesting voicemail they will receive. Try this type of message: “Hello, John. This is Patricia Fripp. I never get tired of talking about what fun we had at your last sales meeting. When you have time, I would like to hear about the results. Let me know if you are interested and when it would be convenient. I will send an email reminding you of my business and cell numbers. Hope this message finds you happy and healthy.”
Three. Your promotion has to be ongoing, consistent, and relentless. You start and do not stop. Revisit, refocus, and rescript what you say about yourself and your business. When you have finished a successful project or made a great sale, ask your customers what they think. Some of your best advertising is promoting with their comments.
“Back in 2018, we invited you to help us with an important sales presentation, which we won. You will be as excited to know, that it continues to reap dividends! Last year, we were awarded $1.6 million in business with them. We just received a $2.8 million order from them already this year and it is still January. Your advice and coaching are awesome. What an ROI!” Michael E. Stryczek, President & CEO, AB&R® (American Barcode and RFID)
“When I won an essay contest and accept my award of $500,000.00 the expectations for my acceptance speech were high. There is only one person I wanted to help me with my speech. Patricia Fripp. For twenty years I have been attending National Speakers Association conferences with my wife Janelle Barlow, Ph.D. I learned more about speaking from working on this speech with Patricia Fripp than in the prior twenty years. Her suggestions and guidance were invaluable.” Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D., is the host of the New Thinking Allowed channel on YouTube. He is the author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series.
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He offered a reward of more than $1 million to anyone who could help him answer that question. Most of us would be interested in the answer. Mr. Bigelow, however, is not just anyone or just any 76-year-old mourning his wife and confronting his own mortality. He’s a maverick Las Vegas real estate and aerospace mogul with billionaire allure and the resources to fund his restless curiosity, embracing outer and inner space, UFOs, and the spirit realm.
Mr. Bigelow believes we can. The owner of Bigelow Aerospace and Budget Suites of America is not easily put off. He amassed a fortune to pursue his interests. That included the designing and building of inflatable astronaut habitats for NASA, like his soft-sided expandable activity module called BEAM attached to the International Space Station.
Can you imagine my excitement to learn that the speech Jeffrey Mishlove and I collaborated on won a Cicero Speechwriters Award from the Professional Speechwriters Association in the category of acceptance speeches?
How often have you sat in an audience and been mesmerized by a speaker? Was it their compelling content? Were their stories scintillating? Were they able to reach out and grab you in such a way that you thought, “Wow, the speaker is talking JUST to me”?
Be honest. How many life-changing, career-building, or truly unforgettable presentations have you heard? Have you ever been that speaker? At this point, you realize what that ability means to you and your career.
To review: Your content or material is everything that makes up what you say in your presentation. Your structure is the order and framework of the presentation.
These are the elements of your presentations we use for the Fripp Speech Model
Read More...Early in her career, TV host Joan Lunden received great advice from Barbara Walters. “Take every crumb they throw you, and handle them magnificently.” You never know which magnificent crumb is going to be your big break.
Burt Reynolds had made ten films when director John Boorman cast him in the film Deliverance.
Burt asked Boorman, “Which of my films impressed you so you gave me this terrific part?”
“None of them,” said Boorman. “I saw you guest host the Tonight Show. You were fearless in controlling the five guests. The guy in Deliverance. has to control three people in a stressful situation.”
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