Tag Archive for: public speaking

Branding Ph.D.: The Secret to Becoming the Top-of-Mind Expert on Your Topic So Prospects, Media, and Publishers Call You!

Howie JacobsonWhen you hear “futurist,” who do you think of? What about “marketing expert,” “leadership guru,” “motivation authority” or “customer service specialist”? Would you like to be on the short list for your expertise?What are you known for?

If you’re ready to be one-of-a-kind instead of one-of-many, you’re ready for this teleseminar.

There are hundreds of speakers, authors, consultants and trainers on the subjects of leadership, sales, motivation, customer service, conflict resolution and communication. What are you saying that’s different? What are you offering that hasn’t been heard before? How are you standing out in the crowd of “experts” on your topic?

Sam promises no platitudes. This is not Branding 101, this is Branding Ph.D.

You will learn:

  • the “Triple A Approach” for mining your experience to identify how and where you're original
  • how to corner a niche by creating your own niche
  • the secret to coming up with a trademark-able brand that helps you build a business empire
  • how to create the Next New Thing by creating a Eureka Moment
  • Contra-Brand: the power of introducing something that flies in the face of current wisdom
  • to “ink it when you think it” so you tap into your “Intellition” (intelligence + intuition)
  • to capitalize on POP! Culture so you are perceived as current and contemporary

Discover for yourself why Sam’s techniques have helped hundreds of infopreneurs catapult their career and income, and why her book on this topic POP! Stand Out in Any Crowd has been endorsed by Jeffrey Gitomer, Ken Blanchard, Mark Sanborn, Joe Calloway, and Seth Godin. As 4-time Pulitzer nominee Fawn Germer says, “You don't have to be a creative genius to use Sam’s techniques; however, using her techniques can make you a creative genius.”

Details here

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Secret to World-Class Speaking

It was downright devious, definitely bordered on preposterous, and decidedly over the top. Maybe even a little cheesy. Yet the audience gobbled it up.

The speaker gave a brilliant performance. He courted his audience's emotions. He pushed and pulled on their hot buttons. He pandered to the whimsical fancies of the crowd.

Effective?

Yes... if you're looking for a temporary high.

Valuable?

No, not at all. I remembered what he did-but I didn't get anything meaningful from his talk. In short, it seemed like he was just blowing motivational smoke down into our collective consciousness.

With his deep, thundering preacher's voice he rhythmically concluded his speech in a poetic cadence. Then he ripped open the front of his shirt ala Hulk Hogan. The buttons danced all over the stage injecting spontaneous combustion to his ending.

And the crowd roared with abundant enthusiasm...

They chanted. They cheered. They fed off his energy. They wanted more. They rose off their seats applauding His Highness.

I discreetly shook my head in disbelief...

He gave the crowd a buzz and milked it for what its worth. He sold them their fix by shooting them in the arm with a rush of "feel good" adrenaline. I thought the days of rah-rah hype ended in the 80's. Guess not.

You see, His Highness didn't engage his audience at all. He pumped them up with motivational "feel good" bullet points. This type of oratory works well if you balance it with substance and meaning. Otherwise people will lose that good feeling somewhere between the time they drive off the parking lot and the time they swing open their front door.

So what's the secret to engaging your audience at a world-class level?

1) Start with a story. But not just any story. A personal story. One that puts you right dab in the middle of it. Preferably, one that no one else in the world can tell but you. And by all means, let us know who you really are.

2) Expose the conflict. Is there a problem that needs resolving? Is there an archenemy? Can you quote facts and figures? Who are the victims if nothing is done?

3) Identify the solution. Is it a product? Maybe a program. Perhaps it's an organization. What makes this solution unique? How does this stand out from other solutions?

4) Name the beneficiaries. Who benefits from this solution? Are they your clients? Maybe they're your donors. Do they live overseas? And how are they benefiting?

5) Give your reason. Now answer the why question. What do you get for doing this? What caused you to get involved? Why should prospects join, buy or promote what you offer?

I know you're smart enough to not follow in His Highness' footsteps. You have an authentic, passionate message you want to present at a world-class level. And you realize giving genuine value through a personal story will touch, engage and affect an audience much more and much longer than chants and cheers alone.

Tommy Yan helps business owners and entrepreneurs make more money through direct response marketing. He publishes Tommy's Tease weekly e-zine to inspire people to succeed in business and personal growth. Get your free subscription today athttp://www.TommyYan.com.  If you're a speaker, trainer, coach, or a consultant, the major challenge you face is connecting with your audience. You talk, shout, or recite your message while they are dreaming about dinner.  Their eyes are glossy, their minds' elsewhere, and their bodies ready to bolt. You don't have a lot of time, so you've got to grab their attention fast. Or else, you'll die wrestling against audience resistance.  Find out how
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“Tell them what you’re going to say. Say it. Then tell them what you said”

Ah ... a contentious statement, that! What do you think? A great way to visualise the structure of your presentation or speech?

Yes. True. It's simplistic, and yes it has been abused.

Audiences may have short attention spans, but they need some subtelty from you.

But then, used subtly, yes it does work.

And that is because we all do have such short attention spans - including our audiences! If we want to make a point that will stay with an audience after they leave the room, we have to repeat and reinforce it throughout the presentation.

We also need to attract the attention, early in the speech, of those who learn best by being told, right from the start, what to expect from any session. If this step is skipped, we lose those people. They fidget and are uncomfortable.

Yes there are a myriad ways to structure a speech. And they can be used within the (subtle) main "Introduction, Body, conclusion." Storytelling, plot twists, meandering, and so many more all have their uses at the right place and time.

And for those creating a speech for the first time, its is a fundamental way to remind them to stay focussed on purpose and message, and to work with an audience to get that purpose achieved and message embedded.

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Is Twitter a Presenter’s Nightmare or a Dream Come True?

with Cliff Atkinson

Armed with laptops and smartphones, audiences are no longer sitting quietly while speakers are talking — instead they’re using Twitter and other tools to create a backchannel where they chat with one another, make comments about your presentation and broadcast their thoughts to people all over the world.
If audiences are happy, the backchannel can spread your ideas far and wide, create buzz about your ideas, and keep a conversation going long after you leave the podium. But if audiences are unhappy, the backchannel can criticize your ideas and delivery, disrupt your talk, and even derail your presentation completely. So is the backchannel yet another thing to fear when you give your next presentation? Or a great opportunity to really know what your audience is thinking?

Cliff Atkinson, author of The Backchannel: How Audiences are Using Twitter and Social Media and Changing Presentations Forever, will share his research and ideas for making the backchannel work for you.
You will learn:
• How audiences are changing the power dynamic of presentations
• Why you need a Twitter account and how to use it
• How to make your presentation Twitter-friendly
• How to avoid backchannel disasters
• How to extend your message farther than previously possible
• How to use Twitter feedback to adjust or fine-tune your ideas

Click here for all the details ...

Instantly improve your public speaking dramatically

Interesting article on 7 "little things that will instantly improve your public speaking dramatically."

I really love

SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST

and undoubtedly certain people need to be told

TALK TWICE AS SLOW

TALK TWICE AS LOUD

... a very useful list to print out and read just before presenting.
7 Easy Ways To Instantly Improve Your Public Speaking

The Value of Simplicity

Robert Graham has written a great post based on the value of simplicity.

He makes a powerful point.

The theme also proved to be a useful hook for hanging some very basic but vital tips ... on any sort of communication, not just public speaking.

You can read his post on the Henderson's Group's blog Speak Fearlessly.

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Public Speaking Fear – Will They Reject My Words?

Guest post by Janet Hilts

Is your fear of speaking really a fear of rejection? That's at the bottom of public speaking anxiety for a lot of people. The way to deal with this fear is to first take a closer look. What are you afraid might be rejected? Your words?

Rejection Of Your Words
Here are a few facts to consider:

Fact A: Your words only count for 7% of the actual message that you deliver. 7%! Can you believe it? The biggest part of your message is conveyed through your body language, facial expression and tone of voice. So that seriously takes the pressure off your words, doesn't it? When you're speaking - whether that's to a client or a big audience - your intention is to connect with them, isn't it? That's what communication is all about. And people connect at the heart. That's where those nonverbal elements come into play. They're watching your eyes. They're looking to see if you're paying attention to them. They want the feeling that you care about them and their problem.
Fact B: They want to feel positive emotions from hearing you - relief, hope, peace of mind. That experience does not come from your words. We've all heard words that sound empty, where the emotion doesn't match the actual words. Picture an eye-rolling teenager saying "I'm sorry" to a scolding teacher. The words aren't conveying their real meaning, are they? See how this reduces the pressure for you to get your words perfect? If your fear of rejection is about words, I hope your fear is shrinking.
On the positive side of things, think of the people you enjoy doing business with. They're just regular people, right? Just like you.

Now think of their speaking styles. Do they all have perfect grammar? Are they all fabulous speech writers and award-winning orators? Is their language completely clear of "uh" and "y'know"? Of course not!

And yours doesn't have to be either. For now, stop worrying about your words and focus on relaxing so your voice, face and body can react naturally. That's what helps you connect to people so you can really get your message across.

Bonus:
Once you get some practice speaking naturally, you'll find it much easier to work with improving your actual words if you want to. It's ironic that once you let go of the fear about the words, your options for words open up. Your creative ability and willingness to experiment with new phrases totally expands once your speaking anxiety is gone.

And to get a head start with feeling calm when you speak, I invite you to get your FREE copy of 5 Simple Secrets To Stress-Free Speaking when you go to http://SpeakUpAndShine.com.

Just fill in the sign-up box on the right-hand side of the page.

From Janet Hilts at Speak Up & Shine | Clearing Pathways

9 Secret Ways to Persuade and Influence People

Persuasiveness is one of the most important skills anyone can learn because it is useful in countless situations. At work, at home, and in your social life, the ability to be persuasive and influence others can be instrumental for achieving goals and being happy.

Learning about the tricks of persuasion can also give you insight into when they're being used on you. The biggest benefit of this is that money will stay in your pockets as you realize just how sales people and advertisers sell you products that you don't necessarily need.

Here are 9 of the best tricks to be persuasive and influence others: 

Read more in Pivotal Magazine ...

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Creating Add-On Options to Explode Your Income During Tough Times

with Warren Evans, CSP and Kit Grant, CSP

You’re most likely leaving money on the table in most of your engagements. By building in non-standard services, you can increase each client’s bill significantly, while adding tremendous value. Discover additional revenue sources from each engagement and expand your possibilities with tools and tips that positively impact your relationship with the client. Differentiate yourself in the marketplace by altering your perceptions of that relationship and taking action on steps that others may not be aware of.
You will learn:
• how successful speakers add value and revenue from the first conversation
• some common missteps that are costing you money
• keys to dramatically increasing repeat and referral business
• how to use your on-stage performance as a key marketing tool

Click here for all the details ...
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Special Limited-Time Offer:
If you want more information on other ways to expand your business, we’re suggesting the MP3 recordings of several earlier programs to complement this program:
• “Establish Client MasterMind Groups for Ongoing, Significant Income and Results” with Steve Miller
• “Subscription Products: Getting Customers to Pay You Again and Again (and Again)” with Ron Rosenberg
With your order of this teleseminar, CD or MP3, at checkout you will be offered these recordings.

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Friday freebie

Today's freebie is a set of tips on public speaking ....

Keeping Audience attention.

It's just so basic, so crucial to your success as a speaker. And particularly for beginners, it can be very nerve-wracking, wondering how to make sure your audience stays with you. What will you do if they get bored? What if they start chatting, or worse still, go to sleep, while you speak?

From the First Steps series, this set of tips will be sent by email. It will give you strategies for the planning and for the execution of your speech to make sure the audience gets you and gets your message.

Just send me an email ... and I'll send you the tips.