Expert Advice about Presentation Skills
from Patricia Fripp

If you have heard me speak, you have most likely heard me talk about my genius copywriting friend David Garfinkel. It does not matter if you are selling yourself on paper, on your website or even when you open your mouth to speak, good copywriting is a skill that is important to learn…or hire! After all, good copywriters can tell a story in a few words or a headline.

A few years ago, when I hosted Speakers Roundtable, an invitation-only group of top professional speakers who include many CPAEs and past NSA presidents in their membership. At the meeting I hired Garfinkel to discuss marketing and to critique our materials. These experienced speakers enjoyed him so much they requested we reorganize the agenda to have him back the next day!

As he analyzed our materials, we learned through our copy it was much better to boost our business instead of our egos. Rather than quotes like: “You are the best speaker we ever hired,” “You received three standing ovations,” “The audience laughed until they cried,” replace them with specific results. “The chairman of the board requested we hire you for ongoing consulting.” “Our sales increased 16% as a result of your training.” “Our associates have never presented their ideas so clearly and concisely.”

In the speaking world, the media stars are the keynote speakers. A lot of seminar leaders and trainers ask me how they can adapt their material to this intense, high-profile, and often lucrative specialty.

“The keynote speech comes from the discipline of show business. The seminar comes from the discipline of teaching.”
—Bill Gove, First President of the National Speakers Association

“With a keynote speech, the presenter is the star. With seminars, the leader needs to make the audience members the star.”
—Don Thoren, Past President National Speakers Association and Long-time Seminar Leader

To understand the big difference between keynotes and seminars, start by appreciating the unique characteristics of each. “Conversations occur in both keynotes and seminars,” explains Fripp Associate, Dr. David Palmer, Silicon Valley management guru, seminar leader on negotiations, and professor in the MBA program at Santa Clara University. “In a seminar, attendees learn more when you get them to do most of the talking. Your role is to set up the situations and guide them, letting them teach each other. But with a keynote speech you are presenting a conversation between you and each member of the audience. They are talking back to you in their own heads. During your speech, ask questions, then pause while the audience members think about what you have said.”