Have you noticed; some people are very uncomfortable talking about themselves even when they are very successful? This may be because when you were young, your parents told you to not “Show Off.” Or you are uncomfortable when someone else drones on about themselves and all their much-exaggerated accomplishments. I understand. However, from time to […]

Read More...

Give a Speech! Frippicism: People do business with people they know. Every service club and community group is looking for a free speaker next Thursday at lunchtime. Okay, it could be Wednesday morning at breakfast or even in Zoom. You get the point! If that is you, do not overlook a magnificent marketing opportunity.

Read More...

The National Speakers Associations’ first president Bill Gove told me, “Fripp, the written word is for the eye. The spoken word is for the rhythm.” Understanding the difference between the written word and the spoken word was just one sign of Bill’s brilliance as a speaker. Imagine you are having a conversation with a friend, […]

Read More...

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, […]

Read More...

Welcome to part four of a four-part series on the best formula for a presentation closing that resonates. 3 • “The End-of-the-Story Close” This closing technique involves a story that’s told early in the speech, maybe even in the opening. As far as the audience is concerned, the story has a successful conclusion. In the […]

Read More...

Technique: Open Your Speech in the Middle of a Conversation Most presenters who know what they are talking about aren’t bad once they get started. Very few of the professionals I have worked with, however, know how to open and close their presentations effectively. No matter what opening option you use, good presentations begin comfortably. […]

Read More...