The Appalling State of Applause
The Appalling State of Applause At the National Speakers Association, we joke that everyone—including the salad chef—gets a standing ovation. Funny, yes. Accurate, no. Most conferences are far more restrained. My other association family is the Professional...
When You Open Your Presentation This Way It Is a Certain Crowd Pleaser
Do you want your audience to lean in from your very first sentence? One technique that works with many presentations is to begin with a surprising statistic or a little-known fact that makes your audience think, “Really? Tell me more.” Many of my speech coaching...
No Overnight Success—A Reminder for Us All
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking for the Florida Speakers Association. What a treat to discover their meeting was held at the fabulous Fort Lauderdale Improv! The venue itself inspired me to share one of my favorite stories and offer a suggestion every speaker...

