Next month, Michael Hauge and I will both present at The Lady & the Champs Speakers’ Conference. Michael is a brilliant Hollywood story consultant, author, screenwriting coach, and speaker. Good storytelling is at the heart of every successful film. Similarly, storytelling is an essential element of powerful and persuasive presentations. In putting together a talk, […]
Read More...What Do Cutting Hair And Writing A Speech Have in Common?
Hall of Fame Speaker, in-demand speech coach, and former hairstylist, Patricia Fripp learns a valuable principle from her brother, King Crimson guitarist, Robert Fripp… What Do Cutting Hair And Writing A Speech Have in Common? One day, after I had retired as a hairstylist, I was cutting my brother’s hair, and he said, “Sister, you […]
Read More...Take Your Speech from Boring to Soaring
I was sitting across the desk from the brilliant president of a $2 billion software company…and I was about to tell him, “Sir, at this point, your speech is getting boring.” This was a problem, because as I often say, “An audience will forgive you for anything except being boring.” Now step back, and let’s […]
Read More...Are You A Financial Advisor Who Is Committed to Business Development?
If you are a financial advisor with the goal of developing your business, you must realize the importance of good communication skills. We invite you to Make 2015 Your Best Year Ever, a virtual meeting which, we promise, will give you ideas, techniques, and specific language to improve your one-on-one conversations with prospects and your […]
Read More...What You Can Do When Your Audience Tunes Out
Your audience will forgive you for almost anything – except being boring. Long before you ever take the platform, you must design and rehearse your presentation to catch your audience from the first line and keep them enthralled. Elements of a powerful presentation include: a strong opening, clear structure, emotional connection, memorable stories, well-paced delivery, […]
Read More...Celebrating Toastmasters’ 90th Anniversary
Congratulations to Toastmasters International on its 90th anniversary! Let us celebrate Toastmasters’ 90 years, as a non-profit educational organization helping men and women around the world develop their public speaking and leadership skills. Before I ever established myself as a professional keynote speaker, before I had the honor of serving as the first female president […]
Read More...Great Ways to Connect with Your Audience – Expert Advice
The Secret of Connecting to Your Audience When your message is memorable, your communication clear, and your presentation powerful, you will position yourself for greater success. If you want to excel as a public speaker you must make an emotional connection with your audience, regardless of your subject, setting, or message. The most powerful communication […]
Read More...Public Speaking – Delivery Strategy
After you have crafted and rehearsed your presentation, review your delivery strategy. Public speaking can create an adrenaline rush – so, when you are about to take the stage you may feel charged with energy or a bit nervous. Your audience will feel comfortable, when you look confident. Remember, nobody knows how you feel; they […]
Read More...Do You Alienate Your Audience? Make A “You” Turn
If we focus too much on ourselves in our presentations, we run the risk of losing our audience and failing to get our message across – even if our content and delivery is strong. I share some insights on this from my friend and fellow presentation expert, Darren LaCroix. How many times have you been […]
Read More...Public Speaking – How Many Hours of Rehearsal?
A successful presentation requires you to devote much more time to preparing your presentation than you will spend in delivering it. Even experienced speakers must prepare for a presentation; this includes rehearsal. My friend and colleague, Rob Biesenbach names inadequate rehearsal as one of the “11 Deadly Presentation Sins.” In his recent book with this […]
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