Patricia Fripp Blog

Ben Decker, CEO of Decker Communications

As an executive speech coach, I recommend that when preparing your presentation, you record yourself and then listen carefully to identify and eliminate all unnecessary words and phrases. Cut out anything that will dilute your message, including your personal verbal “tics,” clichés, and filler words. Business communications expert, Ben Decker of Decker Communications reminds us that when we edit out filler words, we increase the clarity and credibility of our business communications:

Literally – Just a Filler Word
by Ben Decker

If there were Survivor for words, I’d vote off “literally.”

Executive Speech Coach, Patricia Fripp explains the essential elements for a powerfully persuasive presentation through Fripp Virtual Training. — Executive Speech Coach, Patricia Fripp explains the essential elements of a powerfully persuasive presentation through Fripp Virtual Training.

What makes a good presentation great? A great presentation connects with your audience, holds their attention, and has the power to delight, inspire, persuade, or inform. Exceptional speakers know how important it is to start every presentation with a compelling opening; this sets the tone for your presentation and provides momentum for everything that follows. It is incredibly difficult to recover your audience if they are checking their email or Facebook feed five minutes into your speech. To keep your audience engaged, you will want to pay close attention to these four aspects of your presentation, from the moment you begin to develop your talk.

To become an effective speaker, you must learn how to connect with your audience both intellectually and emotionally. I share this brief video sample from FrippVT to help you learn more about connecting with your audience:

Patricia Fripp teaches the secrets of successful sales presentations through her Virtual Training.

Our goal in sales presentations is to have our key ideas remembered and repeated. Say, for example, you are pitching a large project, and you represent just one of several bidding companies. Realistically, the prospect is not going to give you a yes or no answer when you are in the meeting, whether you are the first or last to present.

Consider:

What would happen if people remembered what you said more than anything presented by any of your competitors?

Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker & Executive Speech Coach Patricia Fripp — Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker and Executive Speech Coach, Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Where will you be on Saturday, the 26th of April 2014? If you would like to improve your presentation skills and are anywhere near Chicago – and certainly if you are a District 30 Toastmaster – you will be joining me for the District 30 Toastmasters Spring Conference in Skokie, Illinois. District 30 has planned an eventful program, and I will help you Pursue Your Passion for Presenting!

11 Deadly Presentation Sins by Rob Biesenbach

If you want to deliver a successful presentation, you will spend a lot more time preparing for your presentation than you will speaking. Even highly experienced speakers must devote time to preparation, including rehearsal. My friend and colleague, Rob Biesenbach names inadequate rehearsal as one of the “11 Deadly Presentation Sins.” In his recent book with this title, Rob explains why we must include rehearsal in our preparation for any presentation:

Woe to the audience whose speaker decides to just wing it, for they shall be trapped in the pit of despair. Why do people think they can just get up there and perform on the fly?

Executive Speech Coach & Sales Presentation Expert Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE — Executive Speech Coach & Sales Presentation Expert, Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Life is a series of sales situations, and the answer is always “no” if you don’t ask. Even Wayne Gretzky, the legendary hockey player agrees – “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”

There are, however, two additional parts of the equation. The first is this: The real sale comes after the sale, reselling your customers on why they chose your product or service. (Real estate salespeople and about-to-be-married couples aren’t the only ones who deal with cold feet.) You’re still the person the client wants to do business with. The process of reminding the client of why they’ve made the right decision is, of course, a more subtle effort than winning them over in the first place, but every bit as important. Positioning yourself as a consultant, partner, and resource – rather than salesperson – is a strategy that can be very effective in cultivating a lasting relationship with your customer.

Executive Speech Coach, Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

In the event of a crisis, your organization might be overwhelmed by the media or by the disaster itself; it could become nearly impossible to provide thoughtful responses and accurate information without a crisis communication plan already in place. In light of the recent and tragic loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, I share this from Ragan Communications:

Never believe that any crisis is too big or too complicated to prepare for. You can prepare a crisis communications plan that will address every scenario you may face. Your crisis communications plan can have an addendum of pre-written news releases and media advisories for even an extended crisis like Malaysian Airlines. You can test your crisis communication team, your crisis management team, and your spokesmen with a crisis communications drill annually. You can conduct media training annually for everyone who may have to serve as a spokesman.

Screenshot from Fripp Virtual Training — Executive Speech Coach, Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Opportunity does not knock once, it knocks all the time. The trick is, we don’t always recognize the sound. The key to becoming more successful is to find opportunity in everyday life – not just wait for that life-altering, retire-in-the-Caribbean bolt from the blue.

Here’s how to start: Each day this month, you’re going to take a good, hard look at one aspect of your job, business, or presentation…and improve it.

My friend and colleague, Laura Stack’s newest book, Execution IS the Strategy was released today. Laura has been working with leaders in the areas of strategy execution, employee productivity, and team performance for 22 yeas; she is a true expert in her field. In Execution IS the Strategy, Laura explains that a leader’s biggest challenge isn’t creating the strategy—it’s executing the strategy. It’s not about who has the best ideas—it’s who executes their ideas the best. Laura shows us how to quickly drive strategic initiatives and get results from our teams. She shares her L-E-A-D Formula™ with us; consider whether you have the necessary elements in place for successful strategy execution and identify the areas that need improvement:

Expert Advice about Presentation Skills
from Patricia Fripp

Are You Using Filler Words?

What Makes A Good Presentation Great?

Two Ways to Connect with Your Audience – FrippVT Video

Build Your Business by Being Remembered

Pursue Your Passion for Presenting – April 26, 2014 Skokie, IL

Public Speaking – Why Rehearse?

Advice on Improving Sales

Preparation Is Crucial in Crisis Communication

Opportunity Does Not Knock Once

Leadership – It’s Not about Who Has The Best Ideas

Subscribe to RSS

Recent Posts

Categories

About

Services

Resources

Subscribe to Fripp’s Expert Advice

Subscribe to Fripp's Expert Advice!

Subscribe to Fripp's Expert Advice!

Subscribe to Fripp's Expert Advice!

Expert Advice about Presentation Skills from Patricia Fripp

Recent Posts

Categories

Subscribe to Fripp's Expert Advice!

Expert Advice about Presentation Skills
from Patricia Fripp