Some Hot Get-Ahead Tips for Speakers, Comedians, Humorists and anyone interested in Comedy History from John Cantu John Cantu is a comedy legend and was producer at the famous Holy City Zoo in San Francisco from 1975 to 1981 and co-owner from 1979-1981. He told me how the comedy club got its name and how […]
Read More...White Paper on Technology in Speaking Skills A/V Technology: Necessity…or Nightmare?
(The Pentagon Declares War!) What do the Pentagon, corporate CEOs, and Patricia Fripp have in common? We all deplore the current trend toward replacing solid presentation content with flashy audio/video effects. A Wall Street Journal headline (4/26/00) announced: “The Pentagon Declares War on Electronic Slide Shows That Make Briefings a Pain.” We sit in the […]
Read More...Put Your Audience in Your Opening
Emily Kimbell is an older adventurer who bicycled across America and hiked the Appalachian Trail. She asked me how to make her presentations more exciting. “How do you open now?” I asked. “‘As I rode my bike slowly into the campground…’” she replied. She continued giving me her typical presentation until she got to a […]
Read More...Find An Immediate Connection With Your Audience
You have thirty seconds to command the attention of your audience. Don’t waste it! Jim Rohn, the incredible motivational speaker, and I were on a program in Australia together. He said, “An impressive introduction may leave your audience thinking, ‘So what?’ You want them to think ‘Me too!’” You’re helping them to tie into your […]
Read More...Want to Captivate an Audience – Expert Advice
Every speaker wants to captivate their various audiences. If that is your goal, find and perfect your own stories. Stories create an emotional bond with your audience. We all know stories make a speech, sales presentation, or staff training more interesting. Some of the best stories for your presentations are those you select from your […]
Read More...Open Your Speech by Relating to The Immediate Situation
Show you are “one of the group” by referring to something that is happening right now. One opening to help you immediately connect is to walk out and start with, “I love your theme!” Then tell them why. Or, “This is the perfect time of the year for this meeting.” Naturally, this must segway into […]
Read More...What Hollywood Taught Me: 7 Ways To Become A Star
The sultry blonde looked deep into the executive’s eyes, her voice throbbing with emotion. “I know you don’t know me,” she said, “but you must trust me. We don’t have much time. You need to do everything that I tell you. You’re not very experienced, but I’ve been doing this a long time. I am […]
Read More...5 Tips for Exciting Speeches
1. Open Hot, Close Hotter. To grab audience attention and be remembered, start your presentation with a bang, not a limp, “Thanks, it’s nice to be here.” The first (and last) 30 seconds have the most impact on the audience. Save any greetings and gratitude until they’ve already grabbed the audience with a powerful opening. […]
Read More...Getting Over the Jitters Before You Speak
You’re waiting your turn to make a speech, when suddenly you realize that your stomach is doing strange things and your mind is rapidly going blank. How do you handle this critical time period? People ask me this question in all my speaking classes, but there is no single answer. You need to anticipate your […]
Read More...Sound Intelligent, Powerful, Polished, Articulate, and Confident
Do you want to sound intelligent, powerful, polished, articulate and confident? Of course you do! Voice coach Carol Fleming, PhD gave me some great insights based on her years of study and working with thousands of clients. TO SOUND MORE INTELLIGENT: Speak just a bit slower to allow yourself to select your most appropriate vocabulary […]
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