Be creative. Think Hollywood! Tell stories and give examples as you go through your program, the same way you would in person. However, your Webinar needs more visuals to help engage the audience. Use more slides than with an in-person presentation. Add bullet points one at a time as you “build.” Don’t present a list of all your points before you discuss them. Keep it simple, keep it moving, and interact often.
Read More...Emotional Connection with Eye Contact
We need to connect with our audiences emotionally and intellectually.
There are three ways to emotionally connect with your audience not matter how large or small your audience is.
Read More...Capturing Your Audience: (Part I)
Today’s audiences have very short attention spans. They are stimulation junkies with limited interest levels. Their television habits have coined a new term–channel surfing. With the advent of remote control no one watches anything that stands still enough to bore. Click, switch, fast forward, record and mute give them power over the medium. Sub-standard content, […]
Read More...Avoid Clichés – Like the Plague
Whether you’re writing or speaking, clichés will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out. Here are Fripp’s Four Foolproof Tips for making your point: You MUST use original material. The audience will forgive you ANYTHING but being boring. If someone else has already said it, say it in a completely different way. […]
Read More...How to Get Great Evaluations Every Time… Ask!
Ask for great evaluations in advance! Whenever you deliver seminars or break-out sessions, greet the attendees at the door and shake their hands. Start your presentation by asking the audience what they want and expect from their time with you. What ingredients are needed before they can rate you excellent?
Read More...The Great Comedians: What they Say about Comedy
“The jester is brother to the sage.” – Arthur Koestler In a conversation with my friend, Larry Wilde (New York Times says he is America’s best selling funny man) he said, “Making people laugh is the most specialized and respected talent in the arts. It does not matter how successful or famous or rich a […]
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...So You’re Going to Make a Speech
Congratulations! You’ve been chosen (or drafted) to deliver a speech. Don’t panic — Fripp is here! What Do I Talk About? Start by asking yourself three questions: Who is my audience? (What do I know about the corporate culture or collective personality of the group?) What do they want or need to know from me? […]
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 […]
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