The first and last 30 seconds of your speech have the most impact, so give your opening and closing words careful consideration. If you open your presentation with an obvious and dull greeting, such as, “Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be here today,” you waste your precious first seconds. In this brief […]
Read More...Are Your Prospects Walled Off From You?
Isn’t it frustrating? Often it appears your prospects are almost completely walled off from you. Okay, that’s not entirely true. But for all practical purposes, it may as well be. Your prospects are busy with multiple priorities and they are definitely not waiting around for a mass email message from your marketing department or a […]
Read More...And The Winner Is… The Most Fascinating Oscar® Moments
In anticipation of the Academy Awards this weekend, Toastmasters International shares their picks for the most memorable moments from Oscar® acceptance speeches of the last 20 years. What would you say if you were called to the stage? Even if you aren’t an Academy Award nominee, it’s always a good idea to prepare for times […]
Read More...The Sure-Fire Way to Influence, Persuade & Inspire
“Why are executive presentations so boring?” Unfortunately, I hear this question often. Corporate leaders rarely receive the honest feedback they need to become powerful and persuasive communicators. Public speaking is the number one tool of leadership. Good presentation skills are no longer a nice skill to have; they can mean the difference between career life […]
Read More...Connect with Your Audience – Why & How to Customize
To be powerful and persuasive, you must connect with your audience both intellectually and emotionally. Enhance your connection with your audience by customizing or personalizing your message for each specific audience. Customization is indispensable for professional speakers. However, even if you’re not a professional speaker, you will find that taking the time to tailor your […]
Read More...How to Organize Your Speech – Focus on The Basics
Every successful speech begins with an underlying structure. As a professional, you know that when it comes to advancing in your career and boosting your income, good presentation skills can make the difference between stagnation and success. Understand the payoff When your message is memorable, your communication clear, and your presentation powerful, you will position […]
Read More...How to Become A Great Speaker in The Most Effective Way
Seven strategies to become a great speaker: 1. Consider learning to speak to be a long-term goal, not a one-day seminar. 2. Learn from someone who knows more than you do on this subject. 3. Practice with safe people – your supportive friends or others with the same goals. 4. Use web-based training for repetition […]
Read More...Toastmasters Presents The Seven Most Buzzworthy Speeches of 2015
Last summer, I was honored to deliver the opening keynote at the annual Toastmasters International Convention in Las Vegas. In case you aren’t already familiar with Toastmasters International, Toastmasters is a non-profit educational organization teaching public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network. I share Toastmasters’ roundup of the most buzzworthy speeches of 2015. […]
Read More...Your Everyday Life Is Your Best Source for Stories
As an executive speech coach, people often ask me, “How do I come up with original stories to illustrate my key points?” Fortunately, you don’t have to have survived an avalanche, founded a pioneering tech company, or won a Nobel Prize to tell a good story – because audiences identify with and delight in stories […]
Read More...How to Create Your “Effortless” Presentation
A powerful, persuasive, professional presentation may appear effortless to an audience… but even an “effortless” presentation requires that you first devote time and energy to organizing your content around a strong basic structure. Presentations are comprised of content, structure, and delivery. The more you clarify your content and organize your structure, the easier it will […]
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