Are you practicing your public speaking to improve…or to reinforce bad habits? We hear people say, “Practice makes perfect.” In reality, practice makes permanent. It is helpful to get an outside perspective on your presentation to reveal any areas in which you might improve your content or delivery. Practice in front of an audience. Ask […]
Read More...How to Use Visuals So They Support Your Presentation
Use technology to enhance your message, not to eclipse it. Two executives came to me to give a speech about a new product. They spent some time describing it, but their explanations were so complicated that it was challenging for me even to begin to understand what they were selling. I knew that if I […]
Read More...Speakers Need To Know What Comedian Phyllis Diller Can Teach Them
John Palmer was the founder of the National Speakers Bureau and before that a well-known band leader. Brian Palmer, his son and now the President of the NSB is known as one of the most creative and ethical professionals in our speaking industry. As part of a recent interview with Brian these were his closing […]
Read More...How to Keep Your Audience From Going to Sleep
What to do when you’re losing your audience… Are there a lot of yawns and sleepy eyes in your audience? Use these tactics to pep up your talk and keep your listeners’ attention. Audience members’ attention will fade over time unless you take specific steps to keep them engaged.
Read More...Giving a Speech? What is Your Main Point?
If you follow my blog you probably have heard me mention before that I have spoken at the Ragan Speechwriters Conference in past years. Ragan Communications publications are a wonderful source of information on communication – both in writing and speaking. The first time I spoke at their conference the opening speakers were Bill Clinton’s speechwriters. As […]
Read More...Public Speaking Tip from Patricia Fripp and President Obama
Don’t you love it when your public speaking seminar and coaching camp students so internalize a message that they continue to send you specific examples that can be used in blogs, talks, and seminars? Coaching Camp alumna, Roxann Andersen shares this observation on the effective use of concrete language in public speaking: Dear Patricia, I […]
Read More...Developing Good Original Content… What on Earth Do I Talk About?
Whether your goal is to deliver an effective business presentation… or to become an in-demand professional speaker your presentations must contain great content. Public speaking classes are full of tips on what to do with your hands, how to stand, and how to make eye contact. As important as mastering all of these public speaking […]
Read More...Be Effective in Your Writing And Speaking… Purge Redundancies!
I advise speakers to, “Edit out the words that have no meaning.” Thought you would be interested in this article from Ragan Communications by Rob Reinalda. Rob and I obviously agree that “specificity builds credibility.” Thanks Rob for your good work! Your pain is adding to my education… Patricia Fripp Writers, Purge These Redundancies! Today’s […]
Read More...Have You Considered Collaborating?
Frippicism: It is difficult to be creative in isolation. Collaboration is beneficial in much of what we do. Collaboration works for speakers, especially when we are trying to come up with new or improved speech ideas. I often brainstorm with copywriting genius David Garfinkel and the two of us used to collaborate with the San Francisco […]
Read More...Want to Be an Effective Speaker? Eliminate Pointless Phrases
As an executive speech coach, I recommend that in preparing your presentation you record yourself and then listen carefully to find and eliminate all non-words, clichés and redundancies from your talk; these will only dilute your message and bore your audience! Lisa Braithwaite wrote this great article on “filler phrases” which appeared in Ragan Communications. […]
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