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 readingAnalogies can take your speeches to fantastic heights. One of the best ways to get someone to know something new is to relate the unknown to the known. In other words, relate the unknown to something he or she already knows. In textbook language this is referred to as activating prior knowledge. Analogies help tremendously in […]
Continue readingUsing two stories back to back is often a very effective way to influence your audience, especially if one story represents a “don’t” and the other story represents a “do.” Why? It’s because the contrast in the stories helps to make the “right way” decision clear. In this video (from all the way back in […]
Continue readingWhen you build yourself up, you let your audience down. Let’s face it; there are some speakers who use the platform to stroke their ego. When we talk about how great we are and speak only of our successes, our audience members think of us in 1 of 2 ways: “Wow, he sure […]
Continue readingRecently I received a phone call and an e-mail from an executive at an organization I spoke to 10 years ago. She said, “Can you speak at our conference again this year? We really enjoyed you last time!” Now, please don’t take this as me being cocky, but I’m surprised they didn’t call sooner. Why? Because […]
Continue readingYears ago one of my coaching said to me, “Craig, you have rhythm when you speak. How can I get rhythm into my speeches?” I have to admit, at the time, I was stumped for an answer. I really hadn’t thought much about it. However, a few months later, it hit me. Speaking is certainly […]
Continue readingA piece of advice I received when I first started as a speaker was to always be dynamic. Only years later did I realize that when you’re always dynamic, you’re no longer dynamic. Take a look at the following video lesson (a sample lesson from my 50SpeakingSecrets.com program) to see why many speakers are making […]
Continue readingMany speakers tell stories that have some ups and downs and maybe even good emotional twists and turns, but they don’t often reach a crescendo. Crescendos are so important because they are the defining moments that bring the audience’s energy to its highest point. Without them, your audience can easily be deflated. What’s a Crescendo? […]
Continue readingPatricia Fripp once said, “People won’t remember what you say as much as they’ll remember what they see when you say it.” Many speakers spend so much time preparing for what they’re going to say but so little time on how they’re going to get their audience to SEE the speech. If you don’t use […]
Continue readingSo 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 reading