Next month, Michael Hauge and I will both present at The Lady & the Champs Speakers’ Conference. Michael is a brilliant Hollywood story consultant, author, screenwriting coach, and speaker. Good storytelling is at the heart of every successful film. Similarly, storytelling is an essential element of powerful and persuasive presentations. In putting together a talk, many people do not realize that original and compelling stories are most often found within our own lives. If you think that anything from your own life is just too ordinary, here is a brief Q&A with Michael explaining why personal stories are often the best:
Q&A: Why Would Anyone Want to Hear About Me?
Q: I am trying to incorporate personal stories into my speeches. But a voice in my head keeps asking, “Why would anyone be interested in hearing YOUR life story – or the stories of everyday people you’ve worked with? You’re not a celebrity or a politician or a famous figure. You’re not a genius and you haven’t led a life of thrills and excitement. So who’d want to pay to hear you talk about yourself?”
A: Think about the best speeches you’ve heard, and the stories those speakers told. Were they all about celebrities and famous people? I’d be willing to bet that most of them were not about renowned or brilliant or powerful individuals, but rather about everyday people who encountered conflicts that threatened to defeat them, but who found the courage to face them and overcome them.
Audiences want to hear stories about people they can relate to, who share their struggles and fears. If your audience empathizes with you (or whoever the hero of your story is), if the desire you pursue in the story is compelling, and if the conflict you faced required real courage, your audience will be riveted
Michael Hauge has coached writers, producers, stars and directors on projects for Will Smith, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lopez, Kirsten Dunst, Charlize Theron and Morgan Freeman, as well as for every major studio and network. He also works extensively with Hollywood executives, producers, agents and managers, helping them sharpen their story and development skills. Michael is the best-selling author of Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds: The Guaranteed Way to Get Your Screenplay or Novel Read and of Writing Screenplays That Sell, a definitive reference book for the film and television industries, which is now in its 32nd printing for HarperCollins. For more information visit his Story Mastery website.
Thank you Michael!
Find out how you can experience The Lady & the Champs Speakers’ Conference via LIVE chat: http://www.ladyandthechamps.com
Learn real-life “how-to” techniques from more than 100 years of combined experience as professional speakers and speaking coaches. Experience two education-packed days with main-stage keynote programs, dozens of breakout sessions, Q&A, and live coaching – all focused on public speaking and business presentations.
The “Lady & the Champs” are: Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE; Mark Brown, World Champion of Public; Ed Tate, CSP, World Champion of Public Speaking; and Darren LaCroix, CSP, World Champion of Public Speaking. They are joined by amazingly talented guests: Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE; and Robert Fripp, the internationally acclaimed guitarist, and founding member of King Crimson.
Don’t miss this opportunity! Join us in person or via LIVE streaming for Lady & the Champs Speakers’ Conference on Saturday, February 28 – Sunday, March 1, 2015.
Can’t attend in person? Take advantage of the LIVE VIDEO STREAM from anywhere in the world. Discounted registration is available to groups! Registration includes access to video replay for one year: http://www.prolibraries.com/champions-edge/events/lady2015/
Fripp Virtual Training is proud to be a sponsor of the 2015 Lady and the Champs Speakers’ Conference Live Streaming.
Fripp Virtual Training is a multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art, web-based training platform that emulates live training and coaching. It is almost as if Presentation Expert and Executive Speech Coach, Patricia Fripp were sitting in front of you. FrippVT is designed to be immediately engaging and makes it fun to learn. If you are a novice presenter or a seasoned professional, you will find the content both practical and relevant.
Sign up for your complimentary seven-day trial and discover how Fripp VT can transform you and your team. Take advantage of our free trial.
“How to Find Content for Your Speech – FrippVT Video,” “Developing Good Original Content… What on Earth Do I Talk About?” and “Do You Tell Your Own Stories? Why and How to Create Original Stories” are a few more complimentary resources on fripp.com providing additional strategies to help you develop presentation content from your everyday life.
Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp works with individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.
