So often I watch speakers tell stories that sound like this: “I did this and I did that and then I did this and then I did that and then this happened to me and then I did that…” And then, at the end of the story, they turn to the audience and say, “And […]
Continue readingImportant Note: This lesson is about the introduction you provide for the person who introduces you. Here is a Traditional Introduction for a Speaker Do yourself a favor and read the following paragraph out loud as if you are using it to introduce the next speaker for an event. Really get into it. “Our Next […]
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One of the ways you can get brought back (re-hired) time and time again is through customization. Your audience wants to know that you know who you’re speaking to and that it’s not canned but fresh. Click the video below to see a lesson on one easy way to customize your program through what I […]
Continue readingOne of the most important success factors in public speaking is your ability to customize your speech to make each audience feel like, “This has only happened here” and “This message is truly for us.” In other words, they don’t want a “canned” speech. They want it to be fresh. You can accomplish this in […]
Continue readingHave you ever been advised to ask questions in your speeches? It’s sound advice, because questions can benefit you and your audience in many ways. However, I’ve seen many speakers destroy their speeches because of how they asked their questions. Are You Really Interested? I’ve seen speakers ask questions only to have their audience […]
Continue readingAverage speakers get a good response, but exceptional speakers get their audiences to take action. Exceptional speakers help change lives long after they have finished speaking and that’s why they get rehired time and time again. How do speakers become exceptional? They learn the tools that prompt their audience members to go beyond listening and to take […]
Continue readingHow would you like a tool to create a deeper connection with your audience than you’ve felt before? Take 6 minutes to listen to the following audio from one of my live workshops. When you integrate this tool, no matter how many people are in your audience, each one of them will likely feel that you […]
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This post has a strange title because I’m sure your objective is not to ruin your speech. However, if you understand some of the ways we ruin our speeches, you can avoid making these mistakes and take your speeches to greater heights. Here are 20 ways speakers ruin their speeches. Some of the points have […]
Continue readingMaking the Unknown Known Would you like a surefire way to clarify your message, shorten it, and make it stick? One of the best ways to do this is to relate the unknown to the known. In textbook language this is referred to as activating prior knowledge. Analogies help tremendously in this area. Webster’s New […]
Continue readingCan you become more likeable as a speaker? Can you become more likeable as a speaker? I believe so. When I first started speaking in 1998, I don’t believe I was very likeable. Why? It’s because my goal was to finish the speech rather than to create an experience for my audience. In fact, I […]
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