Patricia Fripp Blog

Roxann Andersen, Fripp Speech Coaching Camp Alumna & Expert on Storytelling for Business Presentations

Don’t you love it when your public speaking seminar and coaching camp students so internalize a message that they continue to send you specific examples that can be used in blogs, talks, and seminars? Coaching Camp alumna, Roxann Andersen shares this observation on the effective use of concrete language in public speaking:

Dear Patricia,

I read an article in the paper yesterday and thought of you. You often teach on using words that are specific rather than general. This is a related topic: using words that are concrete rather than abstract. I think politicians are especially guilty of floating away on their abstractions, but I give President Obama kudos for this quote.

Patricia Fripp, Executive Speech Coach & Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker at Coaching Camp — Patricia Fripp, Executive Speech Coach & Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker with a “Get Coached to Speak” Camp Coachee, Dave Chase

Whether you own a business, report to a boss, or are searching for a job, it is important to sound intelligent in all your business communications. Never underestimate the power of your words. I share this article from Ragan Communications by Shanna Mallon describing seven errors you should avoid in your writing; many of these are errors you should also avoid in your presentations. As Shanna points out “By becoming alert to typical mistakes, you become less likely to make them.”

7 Errors Even Good Writers Miss

When your job entails putting words together at a breakneck pace, the odds are good that your devious fingers will try to put one over on your brilliant mind. Caveat scriptor!

Listen, even good writers make mistakes, from obvious repeats to subtle misspellings. It means we’re human.

If you’re like most writers, you’re probably making common blunders on a regular basis. Don’t lose heart. Awareness is half the battle: By becoming alert to typical mistakes, you become less likely to make them.

Before you publish your next blog post or submit another magazine article, do yourself a favor and check it against this list. Below are seven mistakes that even good writers miss:

VanTBarf8 You may have read one of my previous blog posts about my uncle, Alfie Fripp who passed away in 2013 at 98. A WW II veteran, he was the oldest surviving and longest-serving British prisoner of war. He was “Uncle Bill” to me and my brother Robert Fripp. I would like to introduce you to another hero of WW II, Van T. Barfoot who died at the age of 92 on March 2, 2013.

Remember the guy who wouldn’t take the flag pole down on his Virginia property a while back?

You might remember the news story about a crotchety old man in Virginia who defied his local Homeowners Association, and refused to take down the flag pole on his property along with the large American flag he flew on it.

Now we learn who that old man was.

Patricia Fripp, Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker

Whether your goal is to deliver an effective business presentation… or to become an in-demand professional speaker your presentations must contain great content. Public speaking classes are full of tips on what to do with your hands, how to stand, and how to make eye contact. As important as mastering all of these public speaking techniques is developing good original content.

As an executive speech coach I am frequently asked, “What on earth do I talk about? Where do I find examples to illustrate my key points?” My secret of developing good content is simply this – live an interesting life and talk to interesting people.

Make Lists

To help you get started… make a list of all the people who have influenced you in your life. Lists are a great way to gather useful content for your presentations.

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE - Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker at Lady & The Champs Speakers' Conference — Patricia Fripp, Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker at Lady & The Champs Speakers’ Conference

I advise speakers to, “Edit out the words that have no meaning.” Thought you would be interested in this article from Ragan Communications by Rob Reinalda. Rob and I obviously agree that “specificity builds credibility.” Thanks Rob for your good work! Your pain is adding to my education… Patricia Fripp

Writers, Purge These Redundancies!

Today’s ‘writing’ teems with superfluous words and phrases. With attention spans short and time limited, readers (and listeners) seek brevity and clarity. Deliver.

by Rob Reinalda

I commute. Not every day but a couple of mornings a week, I walk to the train station and catch the 7:50 (or occasionally the 8:20) and ride into Chicago. At the station I hear this announcement:

The Late San Fransico Comedy Legend, John Cantu with Patricia Fripp, Executive Speech Coach — The Late San Francisco Comedy Legend, John Cantu with Patricia Fripp, Executive Speech Coach

Frippicism: It is difficult to be creative in isolation.

Collaboration is beneficial in much of what we do. Collaboration works for speakers, especially when we are trying to come up with new or improved speech ideas.

I often brainstorm with copywriting genius David Garfinkel and the two of us used to collaborate with the San Francisco comedy legend, John Cantu when he was alive. At one session, John was just out of the hospital after serious cancer surgery. David and I asked him to describe his experiences. In a few minutes, we were all laughing so hard that I ran and got a tape recorder. “Start over,” I said.

Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE - Executive Speech Coach, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker — Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE – Executive Speech Coach, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker

As an executive speech coach, I recommend that in preparing your presentation you record yourself and then listen carefully to find and eliminate all non-words, clichés and redundancies from your talk; these will only dilute your message and bore your audience!

Lisa Braithwaite wrote this great article on “filler phrases” which appeared in Ragan Communications. Thank you Lisa.

Eliminate These Pointless Phrases from Your Vocabulary

With all due respect, these filler phrases have to go. You know?

by Lisa Braithwaite

How many pointless or nonsensical phrases do you insert into your everyday speech? Probably a lot.

We all do, and in normal conversation, they easily slip by unnoticed. But when you’re on a stage and all eyes are on you, two things happen:

1. You react to your nervousness and insecurity by saying or emphasizing things you normally wouldn’t.

SuperStarsmaller — Salespeople put themselves and their companies on the line with every word…

Sales professionals put themselves and their companies on the line with every word. Here are the 12 most common sales presentation mistakes I see when companies hired me to help them get better results from their important conversations and presentations and how to avoid them.

1. Unclear thinking. Want clarity? Imagine that a busy executive says, “You have ten minutes to tell me about your company. In one sentence, how should I describe your benefits when I talk to my managers tomorrow?”

Are you confident your sales presentations are more compelling than your competition?

Do your sales presentations connect to your audience intellectually AND emotionally?

My friend Joe, a sales manager for the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, called me for help. He was confident in his one-on-one salesmanship, but he’d lined up an eight-minute presentation to a 10-person convention committee considering his property for an association event — and he was nervous. They’d be staying in the hotel for two days, and he’d have a chance to wine and dine them a bit so they’d know him before he spoke. But the possibility of losing a $500,000 sale to a San Diego competitor loomed large in his mind.

Patricia Fripp, Hall of Fame Keyote Speaker - Speaking for The American Payroll Association — Patricia Fripp, Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker & Executive Speech Coach – Speaking for ADP

If you are looking for the number one best way to make an impact with your speech – the answer is simple. Customize!

Be aware of your audience’s needs and concerns as you develop every aspect of your speech. Here is an overview of top techniques to customize your presentations. These techniques are used by top professional keynote speakers. However, my corporate speech coaching clients have been incorporating many of them into their presentations with great success.

Top Techniques to Customize Your Presentation

1.) The number one customizing technique… ask background questions.

2.) Interview for examples of the skill you are helping the audience improve.

Expert Advice about Presentation Skills
from Patricia Fripp

Public Speaking Tip from Patricia Fripp and President Obama

Improve Your Writing & Speaking – Be Aware of These 7 Errors

A True American Hero

Developing Good Original Content… What on Earth Do I Talk About?

Be Effective in Your Writing And Speaking… Purge Redundancies!

Have You Considered Collaborating?

Want to Be an Effective Speaker? Eliminate Pointless Phrases

Are You Making Any of These 12 Biggest Mistakes Commonly Made in Sales Presentations?

Connecting to Your High Stakes Audience in 8 Minutes: Emotionally and Intellectually

Are you confident your sales presentations are more compelling than your competition?

The #1 Best way to Make An Impact With Your Speech – Customize

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

Are you confident your sales presentations are more compelling than your competition?

Recent Posts

Categories

Subscribe to Fripp's Expert Advice!

Expert Advice about Presentation Skills
from Patricia Fripp