In a recent interview, I was asked, “What advice do you have for virtual meetings? I have been coaching people virtually for at least 10 years. Even before Zoom was invented, I had my own virtual studio. Although I still speak professionally, my major business now is helping other people with their presentations, whether they […]
Read More...How Do You Take an Opportunity to Speak and Maximize the Impact?
There is nothing more exciting for an executive speech coach than to help craft the words of a well-intentioned leader who has an exciting message to deliver and is committed to the collaborative process. Finding Opportunity in Adversity – A Timely Message Delivered by Tabassum Zalotrawala, Chief Development Officer, Chipotle Finding Opportunity in Adversity Growing […]
Read More...Do You Waste a Valuable Opportunity When You Introduce Your Sales Team?
Are you confident your sales presentations are more consistently compelling than your competition’s? When I work with sales teams to help drive more business, we look at every communication in the sales process. What I have observed is that when several sales team members deliver formal presentations to the prospect, they miss out on a […]
Read More...3 Simple Actions to Help Business Owners Succeed in Sales
Success: 3 Frippicisms at a Time One. Make short-term decisions that will help your long-term goals. Ask yourself, “Will my time and financial investments position me and my business for where I want to be in 5 years?” Consider the timeline of your weekly activity. Are you learning, improving, staying connected with past clients, and […]
Read More...My Coaching Client Gave His Speech and Was Handed a $500,000.00 Check
… and then I Danced with a Billionaire Robert Bigelow asked, “Can we survive death?” He offered a reward of more than $1 million to anyone who could help him answer that question. Most of us would be interested in the answer. Mr. Bigelow, however, is not just anyone or just any 76-year-old mourning his […]
Read More...The Best Way to Structure Your Presentation: The Fripp Speech Model
“Good structure gives you the confidence to be creative.” Patricia Fripp How often have you sat in an audience and been mesmerized by a speaker? Was it their compelling content? Were their stories scintillating? Were they able to reach out and grab you in such a way that you thought, “Wow, the speaker is talking […]
Read More...Success: One Frippicism at a Time – Take Every Crumb They Throw You
Opportunity does not knock once. It knocks all the time, but we do not always recognize the sound. Early in her career, TV host Joan Lunden received great advice from Barbara Walters. “Take every crumb they throw you, and handle them magnificently.” You never know which magnificent crumb is going to be your big break. […]
Read More...Success: One Frippicism at a Time – Ask and You Will Receive
The Secret of Conversation is to Ask Questions Your prospects and customers can give you important feedback, both directly and indirectly, but perhaps there is another great way to find out how you are doing. This is a blast from my past. After addressing a group of sales contest winners in Hawaii, I was on […]
Read More...Success: One Frippicism at a Time – Why Did You Do It That Way?
Lessons from Everyday Heroes My brother, the legendary guitarist Robert Fripp, played on David Bowie’s Heroes. In our presentations Robert says, “There are three kinds of heroes. The occasional hero, the everyday hero, and the superhero. “The occasional hero may perform a heroic act; however, it is not repeatable. “The superhero knows what happens in […]
Read More...How You Can Create a Great Story with a Message Every Time
What makes a Hollywood movie great? Exactly the same principles that will make a good keynote speech great. A great story with a message. Screenwriter Robert McKee says, “Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience.” We all love stories because when told well, have larger-than-life characters, […]
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