Would it shock you to know that most professionals waste valuable time organizing their presentations? If you begin your process by opening your last PowerPoint presentation you may be guilty of falling into the trap of believing that is your presentation. Don’t get me wrong, I love PowerPoint. I often say, “Use more slides with […]
Read More...To Become a Better Speaker, Learn to Write More Effectively
As you strive for excellence in all areas of your business communications, remember that good speakers can benefit from learning the secrets of good writers. Developing a successful presentation begins with thoughtful structure and word choices. If you want to improve your public speaking, why not gain the advantage of improved writing skills? Make it a daily […]
Read More...The Communicator’s Job – Can You Improve Your Speaking and Writing?
I first had the honor of speaking at the Ragan Speechwriters Conference in 2003. It was an exciting experience and I made many new friends, including John Howze who kindly allowed me share his “best of” conference notes with my readers. Consider how you might incorporate some of these ideas into your public speaking 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...Edit Your Speech to A Nub
Here is your public speaking lesson for the day… Edit your speech to a nub. Edit out the words that have no meaning. For example, if you say, “Each and every one of you in this room…” you are using nine words when you should just use one. Just say, “You.”
Read More...Make Better Word Choices – Improve Your Presentation
Subtle changes can make an enormous difference in your public speaking. These are some of the inside secrets I share with my executive speech coaching clients. In analyzing your speech, look for ways to be clearer, sharper, and more eloquent. You can look over your script. However, I find that speakers can make major improvements […]
Read More...Preparing Your Talk: Developing & Delivering Your Speech
One of the best ways to promote your product or service and expand your customer base is also one of the cheapest. Interested? It’s public speaking. I know this from first hand experience. When I started out, I had no public speaking experience, but I studied what the professional speakers did. What I learned from […]
Read More...Avoid Clichés – Like the Plague
Whether you’re writing or speaking, clichés will weaken your message and cause your audience to tune out. Here are Fripp’s Four Foolproof Tips for making your point: You MUST use original material. The audience will forgive you ANYTHING but being boring. If someone else has already said it, say it in a completely different way. […]
Read More...So You’re Going to Make a Speech
Congratulations! You’ve been chosen (or drafted) to deliver a speech. Don’t panic — Fripp is here! What Do I Talk About? Start by asking yourself three questions: Who is my audience? (What do I know about the corporate culture or collective personality of the group?) What do they want or need to know from me? […]
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