Are you confident your sales presentations are more compelling than your competition? Do your sales presentations connect to your audience intellectually AND emotionally? My friend Joe, a sales manager for the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, called me for help. He was confident in his one-on-one salesmanship, but he’d lined up an eight-minute presentation to […]
Read More...The #1 Best way to Make An Impact With Your Speech – Customize
If you are looking for the number one best way to make an impact with your speech – the answer is simple. Customize! Be aware of your audience’s needs and concerns as you develop every aspect of your speech. Here is an overview of top techniques to customize your presentations. These techniques are used by […]
Read More...Do You Thank Your Prospects for Their Time? Are You Making This Mistake?
Don’t make predictable sales mistakes – like this one: At the close of a sales presentation when thanking your prospect for their time, you might say, “Thank you for your time today,” and then you might think, “That was nice and simple. I was polite.” If I have described you, think again. This is a […]
Read More...Are You Clear on Your Own Message?
Legendary Hollywood producer Sam Goldwyn said, “If I want to send a message, I’ll use a telegram.” Yet, all great films – and good speeches – have a message. Some recent movies go on and on with explosions and car chases. They’re exciting, but at the end, the audience is often left with a big, […]
Read More...Lost Your Voice and Need to Speak?
One of my really good pals, a great high energy professional speaker and fellow members of Speakers Roundtable, got so excited in a presentation that he lost his voice. He found this solution and said it worked! Thanks so much Adam Drake for sharing this information. I recommend you take Adam’s tips to protect your […]
Read More...The 12 Most Cringe-Worthy Business Phrases
One of my roles as an executive speech coach is helping my clients sound original, fresh and thoughtful. Phrases and words that are redundant and overused should be banished; whether you’re writing or speaking, these will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out. Ragan Communications featured this article by Marc Ensign. Marc […]
Read More...Your Presentation – Remember the Three S’s of Dynamic Stories
As an executive speech coach I’ve had corporate speakers bring me sheets of statistics and say, “Here’s what I want to talk about.” “Why should your audience care about all this?,” I ask. “Where is the excitement? Where is the story?” Then we set about turning the numbing data into stimulating descriptions of what it […]
Read More...Robert Fripp & Toyah Willcox on All Star Mr & Mrs
My brother, legendary guitarist Robert Fripp and my sister-in-law, British singer and actress Toyah Willcox recently appeared on ITV’s All Star Mr & Mrs hosted by Phillip Schofield. Brother is well known within the music industry for being erudite and very considered in his views. However, from Mr & Mrs his sense of play and […]
Read More...Want to Become an Effective Public Speaker? Ten Intriguing Rhetorical Devices
Ragan Communications is a great source of information for communicators. They hold various conferences including the Ragan Speechwriters Conference that I have been honored to keynote. The more you study writing and public speaking the more you realize there is to learn. This list is challenging me and certainly teaches me new information. Hope you enjoy!
Read More...Powerful Sales Presentations Focus on Client’s Problems
Powerful sales presentations are always focused on your client’s problem, goal or challenge – not on your product or the service you provide. If a client’s needs are not seen, or not of interest to you, the client will not want to talk to you. Remember, there is an underlying reason you’ve gotten an initial […]
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