Don'ts! DO tell the audience, in your Opening, when and how you will be handling questions. Taking them throughout the presentation can cause problems. What do you do if someone asks, right after you start speaking, a question about an item you’re planning to cover in the last quarter of your presentation?” Read More
Elevator Speech
YOU Don’t Do Public Speaking.
Really? When asked, "Do YOU ever do any public speaking or deliver presentations?" the answer is often, "No." Sometimes it's "No-o-o-o-o! I would never speak in front of a group." Perhaps, it depends how you define the terms, "Public Speaking and Presentations." I remember my first Toastmaster meeting when one of Read More
“Tell Your Audience Stories!”
Personal stories reinforce points you make in the body of your presentation. You want your audience to GET IT! Stories are one of the best ways to strengthen and clarify the meaning of the information you are conveying. Before people put ink on paper, telling stories was one of the best ways to teach and convey the Read More
LESS is MORE for . . .
Presentations and Elevator Speeches. The Goal of All Communication; Visual, Written, or Spoken, is the same. We want the recipients, as quickly as possible, to GET IT! They may not agree with everything. They may not agree with anything. Unless they GET IT!, there cannot be a meaningful discussion going Read More
Your Questions . . . My
Answers. Through coaching, workshops, and seminars I get asked many great questions. Because you might have some of the same queries, I'm taking this opportunity to post and answer some. Question I. What's the best way to conquer the fear of public speaking? Realize it is natural to have that fear and you are not Read More
DROP “Work With” and “Help” from . . .
Your Elevator Speech! When most are asked, at a networking event, social function, or seminar, "What do you do?" The replies are usually like these: "I work with companies to blah, blah, blah." "I help people blah, blah, blah." Really? "Work with" and "Help" sound pretty wimpy to me. If you're independently Read More
Lessons from Coaching Clients. . .
Are Worth Sharing! I've been coaching a long time and always learn from those who hire me. The following lessons from clients helped me, and will benefit you, also. Lesson One: You are much better than you think you are. Many, when we first talk, think their presentations are poor. They talk about their fear of Read More
After Your Elevator Speech You Want. . .
A Future Conversation. Everyone hearing your Elevator Speech, whether presented to an individual or a group, should know exactly what products and/or services you offer. Ideally, they should be able to answer the question, "What does (your name) do?" Some will want to know more immediately. Good! However, because a Read More
Your INTRODUCTION is NOT. . .
Your Bio! Your audience doesn't care how many children you have, where you went to college, or the fact you collect stamps. Unless those facts are relevant to your presentation, they should not be included in your Introduction. Unfortunately, most of the time, they are. It happens because the person introducing you, or Read More
Opening and Closing Your Speech
Have a Strong Opening and STRONGER Closing! The research shows your audience will best remember the first and last things you say and do. It's called the Law of Primacy and Recency and is crucial for the goal of having your audience GET IT! GETTING IT! is the goal of all communication; verbal, written, or visual. The Read More