The first and last thirty seconds of your speech have the most impact on your audience. Last words linger. Unfortunately, there are some common mistakes you can make in closing your presentation that will actually undermine your message. Learn how to craft the closing of your presentation so that it reinforces your message. In this brief video sample from FrippVT, I explain what you should not say at the close of your presentation and share some strategies to help you close your presentation with power.
Read More...Story Strategy to Improve Your Sales Presentations – Part 2
In the first part of this series of story strategies for sales presentations, we walked through the first formula for a good story well told: Situation, Solution, Success. This second formula will help you learn how to create a story your potential buyers can relate to.
Whenever you are telling a story to a prospect, make sure it is populated with flesh and blood characters, just like the people you are talking to. Craft your story so that your listeners identify with both the people and the situation you present.
Formula 2 – Character, Dialogue, Dramatic Lesson Learned
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Are Business Cards Dead? Make What You Do Obvious
“Hello” can lead to a conversation. A conversation can lead to a relationship. A relationship can lead to profitable business. My friend and colleague, Susan RoAne is an expert in turning small talk into big business. Her book, How to Work a Room, is a bestseller. In a recent television interview, Susan explained that success in business comes from being able to make connections – both online and in person. I like to remind people that even a conversation in an elevator or at the water cooler can do as much to boost your career as delivering a formal presentation. As you form new relationships at business events, use your words and your business cards to make what you do obvious. Here are ten of Susan’s helpful tips to help you benefit from business cards:
Story Strategy to Improve Your Sales Presentations – Part 1
Even the most hardened prospect can’t resist a good story – when it is well told. The reason you must tell stories is because your prospects will not remember everything you say; they will, however, remember what they see in their minds and feel in their hearts while they listen to you share a story within your sales presentation. I give you the first of three story formulas to help you improve the effectiveness of your sales presentations:
Formula 1 – Situation, Solution, Success
Read More...Eight Great Strategies for “Working” Any Room
The key to connection is conversation, and the secret to successful conversations is asking good questions. My brother (the legendary guitarist, Robert Fripp) has often said to me, “Sister, you ask people such personal questions!” Though this is true, nobody has ever said to me, “That’s none of your damn business.” People love talking about themselves. A conversation may lead to a relationship, and a relationship may lead to new business. A business relationship when nurtured can and will lead to long term success.
If shyness prevents you from meeting and conversing with new people, you may be missing important business and career opportunities. My friend, bestselling author and professional speaker, Susan RoAne is known as the The Mingling Maven® for her savvy socializing techniques for business growth. I share these tips from Susan:
Read More...How to Evaluate Your Presentation Flow?
The Wit and Wisdom of Phyllis Diller
My friend Brian Palmer is one of the most creative and ethical professionals in our speaking industry. He is president of the National Speakers Bureau which was founded by his father, John Palmer. Back in the day, John was a well-known bandleader and performed with Phyllis Diller.
Brian told me this about his Dad’s work with the legendary comedienne, “Phyllis was constantly working on her craft. My father would be off on the side of the stage, and she would ask him to look at his watch and make a notation every time there was a laugh, and then measure the amount of time between laughs. My dad believed that speakers should have the same understanding of their presentation flow.”
As speakers, we can learn a lot about pacing from the world of comedy. Brian went on to say, “To this day, I look at my watch and measure the average length between emotive responses.
Michael Hauge Remembers Legendary Hollywood Screenwriter Syd Field
Legendary screenwriter Syd Field was true Hollywood pioneer. He is regarded as the first to reveal the inside secrets of Hollywood screenwriting. His bestselling book, Screenplay is known as the “the screenwriting bible.” I feel fortunate to have attended his screenwriting seminars over the years; Hollywood knows how to emotionally connect with their audience in a way that many speakers do not. Last year, my World Champions’ Edge colleague, Darren LaCroix and I attended one of Syd’s presentations; what an honor sit at the feet of the master and take in his screenwriting genius just a short time before his passing. I share this remembrance from Syd’s fellow Hollywood screenwriter, Michael Hauge:
Read More...Hollywood Technique: Think it. Feel it. Speak it.
Want to make a deep, emotional impact on your audience? My friend and colleague, Bob Roitblat is a professional speaker and actor. He lends us another Hollywood technique for better professional speaking. This one is: Think it. Feel it. Speak it.
Read More...Think it. Feel it. Speak it.
by Bob RoitblatWhether you’re an actor, business presenter or professional speaker, you can rehearse gestures. You can rehearse movement. You can rehearse the words that come out of your mouth. But only genuine emotions drive your message. And genuine emotions only come from genuine thoughts.
To Become a Better Speaker, Learn to Write More Effectively
As you strive for excellence in all areas of your business communications, remember that good speakers can benefit from learning the secrets of good writers. Developing a successful presentation begins with thoughtful structure and word choices. If you want to improve your public speaking, why not gain the advantage of improved writing skills? Make it a daily discipline. Read and write.
Become the best writer you can be. Here are 10 techniques to improve your writing skills (quickly) from Amandah Tayler Blackwell and Ragan Communications.
Read More...Is Your Audience Hearing What You Want to Communicate?
Is your audience hearing what you are attempting to communicate? If not, perhaps this is because your delivery is distracting from your message. After all, it is not only what you say – it is how you say it.
As a speech coach I am frequently asked, “I have my presentation together. Can you just coach me on the delivery?” To which I usually reply, “Why would you want to perfect a badly-structured and poorly-scripted presentation?” We always start with the presentation structure and good word choices.
Once you have your sales presentation or speech together – the structure, the stories, and the PowerPoint – then you can internalize your new Frippy way of presenting and make it second nature. When you deliver your talk, you want to be able to focus on your audience, not on your performance.
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