What makes a good presentation great? A great presentation connects with your audience, holds their attention, and has the power to delight, inspire, persuade, or inform. Exceptional speakers know how important it is to start every presentation with a compelling opening; this sets the tone for your presentation and provides momentum for everything that follows. […]
Read More...Two Ways to Connect with Your Audience – FrippVT Video
To become an effective speaker, you must learn how to connect with your audience both intellectually and emotionally. I share this brief video sample from FrippVT to help you learn more about connecting with your audience:
Read More...Build Your Business by Being Remembered
Our goal in sales presentations is to have our key ideas remembered and repeated. Say, for example, you are pitching a large project, and you represent just one of several bidding companies. Realistically, the prospect is not going to give you a yes or no answer when you are in the meeting, whether you are […]
Read More...Pursue Your Passion for Presenting – April 26, 2014 Skokie, IL
Where will you be on Saturday, the 26th of April 2014? If you would like to improve your presentation skills and are anywhere near Chicago – and certainly if you are a District 30 Toastmaster – you will be joining me for the District 30 Toastmasters Spring Conference in Skokie, Illinois. District 30 has planned an […]
Read More...Public Speaking – Why Rehearse?
If you want to deliver a successful presentation, you will spend a lot more time preparing for your presentation than you will speaking. Even highly experienced speakers must devote time to preparation, including rehearsal. My friend and colleague, Rob Biesenbach names inadequate rehearsal as one of the “11 Deadly Presentation Sins.” In his recent book […]
Read More...Advice on Improving Sales
Life is a series of sales situations, and the answer is always “no” if you don’t ask. Even Wayne Gretzky, the legendary hockey player agrees – “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” There are, however, two additional parts of the equation. The first is this: The real sale comes after the sale, […]
Read More...Preparation Is Crucial in Crisis Communication
In the event of a crisis, your organization might be overwhelmed by the media or by the disaster itself; it could become nearly impossible to provide thoughtful responses and accurate information without a crisis communication plan already in place. In light of the recent and tragic loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, I share this […]
Read More...Opportunity Does Not Knock Once
Opportunity does not knock once, it knocks all the time. The trick is, we don’t always recognize the sound. The key to becoming more successful is to find opportunity in everyday life – not just wait for that life-altering, retire-in-the-Caribbean bolt from the blue. Here’s how to start: Each day this month, you’re going to […]
Read More...Invest in An Expert’s Help And Save Your Time
You have no idea how often I hear, “I have just …written a book on public speaking …created a DVD on public speaking …added a video to YouTube on public speaking… and will send it to you. Tell me what you think!” Simply reading emails like this requires time and energy and distracts me from my actual […]
Read More...Audiences Want to Connect with Real People
Misuse of technology can turn speakers into mere caption readers for slides and personal communication is lost. If your listeners could experience your presentation without you, why are you there? My colleague, Sims Wyeth author of of The Essentials of Persuasive Public Speaking, offers this excellent suggestion for speakers: Turn Off The Projector by Sims Wyeth
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