Executive Speech Coach & Hall of Fame Speaker, Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
Developing a powerful and persuasive presentation begins with thoughtful structure and careful word choices. Speakers can benefit from learning the secrets of good writers. I share this fascinating article from Ragan Communications explaining the psychological strategies copywriters use to craft headlines. Courtney Seiter explains how and why effective copy works on even the most distracted audience:
8 Successful Headlines and The Psychology Behind Them by Courtney Seiter
You will never go wrong congratulating a potential client on an accomplishment or recent success.
You are competing for a major contract. All of the companies the being considered have great reputations, stellar client lists, and similar pricing structures. How do you craft and deliver your sales presentation to stand out as the clear choice amidst the competition? Here are some do’s and don’ts to be aware of:
Your commitment is going to build trust, rapport, respect, and credibility that will be transferred to value. Prospects define and buy value.
When you lose business you should have captured, you lose twice. First, you don’t get the sale or the cash flow. Secondly, your competitor gets both. It is not your prospect’s job to remember you. It is your responsibility to make sure they do not have the chance to forget you. I share this advice from my friend Scott Plum, sales expert and sales coach, on demonstrating your commitment to your prospect, by making yourself unforgettable.
Prospects Define Value by Your Commitment And Persistence by Scott Plum
Lately I’m hearing a lot of salespeople say they call prospects, leave messages and they never call them back. Most times the prospect doesn’t answer the phone. In an age where every phone has Caller ID, it is a split second decision to quickly ignore the interruption. When this is true most of the time, we want to ask ourselves, “Why?”
Congratulations to Toastmasters International on its 90th anniversary! Let us celebrate Toastmasters’ 90 years, as a non-profit educational organization helping men and women around the world develop their public speaking and leadership skills. Before I ever established myself as a professional keynote speaker, before I had the honor of serving as the first female president of the NSA (National Speakers Association), and long before I became the founder and creator of Fripp Virtual Training… I joined Toastmasters. I share this from Toastmasters on the remarkable history of the organization and Toastmasters’ extraordinary role in nurturing and shaping the public speaking and leadership skills of generations of speakers worldwide.
Taking the wrong feedback to heart can actually make a good speech a bad one.
An outside perspective on your presentation or public speaking skills is often the best way to discover where you can improve your content or delivery. However, ask yourself: “Is this person giving their advice truly qualified to help me? Does this person have my best interests at heart? Am I asking for their input, or do they have their own motivation to give it to me?” Sometimes unsolicited feedback says much more about the giver than the recipient. My friend and fellow presentation skills expert, Darren LaCroix, explains how to recognize and avoid feedback that can harm, rather than help, your public speaking and presentations.
Author, Speaker, and Humorist, Jane Jenkins Herlong
I like to say, “A stranger is a friend, or a customer, you have not met yet.” My friend Jane Jenkins Herlong is a humorist, speaker, and author. You may have enjoyed her comedy and songs on Sirius XM Radio and Pandora. I share this story from her book, Bare Feet to High Heels – You Don’t Have to be a Beauty Queen to be a Beautiful Person.Jane reminds us to treat others, even those we have not met yet, with courtesy.
Hey, Sweet Thang! by Jane Jenkins Herlong
Every time I hear the words, “sweet thing,” I think of my pal, Red. One hot July day in the little town of Gaffney at the South Carolina Peach Festival, I met Big Red.
When your message is memorable, your communication clear, and your presentation powerful, you will position yourself for greater success.
If you want to excel as a public speaker you must make an emotional connection with your audience, regardless of your subject, setting, or message.
The most powerful communication combines both intellectual and emotional connections. For effective public speaking, whether you have an audience of one or 1,000, you must connect with your audience emotionally. Consider how you might put the following three fundamental techniques for emotional connection into practice:
Your audience will feel comfortable, when you look confident.
After you have crafted and rehearsed your presentation, review your delivery strategy.
Public speaking can create an adrenaline rush – so, when you are about to take the stage you may feel charged with energy or a bit nervous. Your audience will feel comfortable, when you look confident. Remember, nobody knows how you feel; they just know how you act.
If we focus too much on ourselves in our presentations, we run the risk of losing our audience and failing to get our message across– even if our content and delivery is strong. I share some insights on this from my friend and fellow presentation expert, Darren LaCroix.
How many times have you been stuck listening to a speaker on an ego trip?
How many times have you been stuck listening to a presenter on an ego trip? A speaker who sounds like their primary message to the audience is, “It’s all about me!” has forgotten one of the foundations of effective speaking… It’s all about the audience!
Scott Plum, Founder of the Minnesota Sales Institute
If a potential client is willing to engage initial conversation, they have an underlying reason to consider your product or service. Sales conversations are most effective when they are focused on your client’s concerns – not the product or service you provide. There are no shortcuts to effective sales conversations. Always take the time to understand your potential client’s concerns – usually this means asking good questions! Listen to, and really hear, their responses. Consider how your product or service can meet their needs on an intellectual and emotional level. Respond with ‘you’-focused language. If your client’s needs are not seen, or of no real interest to you, you will most likely lose the sale. My friend, sales expert and sales coach, Scott Plum shares this helpful article on the subject. Enjoy!
You’re Not Being Tested by Scott Plum
He walked into my office and sat down. I asked him, “How you doing since our last session?” He replied with, “I’m still struggling with confidence. I wish I saw me how others see me. I want to earn their (prospects) respect and when they come into the store, I want them to value working with me. I want to offer them value, so they’ll buy from me.
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How to Present and Teach in the Virtual World…and More
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Congratulations to Toastmasters International on its 90th anniversary! Let us celebrate Toastmasters’ 90 years, as a non-profit educational organization helping men and women around the world develop their public speaking and leadership skills. Before I ever established myself as a professional keynote speaker, before I had the honor of serving as the first female president of the NSA (National Speakers Association), and long before I became the founder and creator of Fripp Virtual Training… I joined Toastmasters. I share this from Toastmasters on the remarkable history of the organization and Toastmasters’ extraordinary role in nurturing and shaping the public speaking and leadership skills of generations of speakers worldwide.
