Welcome to part one of a four-part series on the best formula for a presentation closing that resonates. Every great singer opens with their second-best song and closes with their best. In a perfect world, your close will be a highlight of your speech. This way you increase the likelihood that you will look out […]
Read More...Great Sales Professionals Learn How to Be Persuasive in their Sales Conversations
Developing good public speaking skills helps you make more sales more often. To sell you need technical skills, product knowledge, how you compare to your competition, territory management, a good relationship management system, discipline, and self-management. However, that is not enough. Too often the best presentation wins. Earlier in my career when I was primarily […]
Read More...A Great Second Step for You to Structure Your Presentation
Clarifying Your Central Theme or Premise (Part 2) Your first step in creating your speech structure is to answer this question: “Based on my subject, what is my premise or central theme?” This is the big idea you want to get across. Every TV show, movie, and book has a clear premise. So does your […]
Read More...Find the Power in Interesting Statistics and Little-Known Facts
Are you ready to take your presentations to the next level and captivate your audience from the very beginning? One surefire way to make a memorable impact is by incorporating interesting statistics and little-known facts into your opening. In this article, we will explore a brilliant example of how industry expert Lisa Poole used these […]
Read More...The No 1 Best Way to Accomplish What You Want – Public Speaking
It never ceases to amaze me that intelligent, well-educated, ambitious professionals frequently overlook developing the number one skill that is guaranteed to position them ahead of the crowd. That skill is the ability to stand up and speak eloquently in public or at least stagger to their feet and say anything at all. What is […]
Read More...Secrets to Make Your Speech Great
Save time and learn from my decades of experience Advice from THE executive speech coach. You do not have to be perfect, rather be personable. Your audience needs to see the person behind your position. Find ways to make an emotional connection. Your audience is always thinking, “What is in your message for me?” The […]
Read More...How to Write a Great Commencement Speech
The TV Show West Wing Made Speechwriting Sexy At least when Rob Lowe is the speechwriter and he is writing for the President played by Martin Sheen. However, the members of the Professional Speechwriters Association, some of who have written for US Presidents, felt a certain pride, at least when the show was running. Speechwriters […]
Read More...Are You Guilty of This Goof That Hurts Your Credibility?
When I am working with speech coaching clients or delivering presentation skills training, I ask the question, “Are you guilty of this goof that can hurt your credibility?” If you’re asking yourself what difference it could make, I’ll tell you. A huge one! In any professional setting, you are hired because what you say sounds […]
Read More...How to Be a Better Public Speaker by Developing Storytelling Ability
When you improve your storytelling ability your presentations can be powerful and persuasive. When we think of Hollywood… what we usually remember most vividly are the moving, dramatic, and funny stories that movies tell. Screenwriter Robert McKee says, “Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They […]
Read More...How to Make Your Virtual Presentations as Effective as In-Person
Your virtual presentations can be as effective as in-person presentations – even better! Virtual presentations can have a lasting impact. When you make your message memorable, your communication clear, and your presentation powerful, you position yourself for success. Can Virtual Presentations Really Be as Effective as In-Person? As THE presentation skills expert, I’m suggesting that […]
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