Does Your Presentation Pass the Hallway Test?
Imagine for a moment that you and I work in the same office building. One day, as I am passing you in the hallway, I look at you and say, “How many of you have ever eaten at Arby’s?” How would you react? Would you, confused, turn around to see if I was talking to […]
Easy PowerPoint Principles for Leaders Webinar
Don’t let your PowerPoint presentations be the cure for insomnia! In this one-hour webinar on PowerPoint (originally presented on 4/9/2013 for Executive Women International), you will: Learn how to plan your presentation Discover 4 easy design principles Learn a few tips and tricks Learn how to deliver with confidence Webinar (one-hour) slides only Click on […]
How to Be an Authentic Speaker: Keep It Real
At a recent Toastmaster contest, a young man told a story from his childhood, one in which he was left home alone one day while his mother, a single parent, went to work. My heart went out to him. When the winners of the contest were announced, he didn’t win, but several supporters congratulated him […]
Speaker Introductions: Get Your Audience Leaning Forward Before You Speak
“H-e-r-e-‘s Johnny!” Ed McMahon’s introduction of Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show was probably the shortest but one of the most famous introductions in entertainment. Usually, introductions need to be a little longer. Introductions fuse 3 elements: the subject, the audience and the speaker. The introduction brings together those elements and serves as a bridge, a […]
Take Your Speaking from FREE to FEE: How to Speak at Rotary Clubs
One organization that needs speakers almost every week, for 20-30 minute presentations, is Rotary International. Rotary is a service organization with more than 1.2 members world wide. You won’t get paid to speak, but you will get great experience and you may make contacts that result in paid engagements. When I was just starting out, I […]
The #1 Rule for Speakers and Meeting Planners
I’ll be brief. Don’t go over time. Or, as Winston Churchill might have put it: Never speak too long. Never speak too long. Never speak too long. But, it’s not always about ending your speech within the allotted time, sometimes it’s about ending on time. One of the questions I ask in my pre-program questionnaire […]
7 Days, 42+ Speeches: Differentiate or Die
Differentiate or Die. With all the speakers out there, you need to be different to stand out and be remembered. Ideally, you would have a unique presentation on a unique topic. That’s the number one thing I learned last week when I listened to 42+ speeches in 7 days. Live. And, I analyzed and wrote […]
How to Write an Inspiring Speech
When I was 17, at the start of my senior year of high school, my parents got a divorce. Not only did their marriage crumble, but so did my hopes of college. How would I ever pay for it? I descended to the valley of despair. And then one day, waiting at the dentist, I […]
Killer Keynote Speech Structure
Want a solid way to structure a keynote presentation that will be memorable and get you asked to come back? Click this link for a pdf of the diagram below: Killer Keynote Structure Do you need to create a presentation in a hurry? Do you want a repeatable method for presentation creation. Sign up for […]
Beyond Keynotes and Breakouts: Leveraging Your Time and Content
If you are reading this, you may have thought you might like to make money speaking professionally (if you are not already a professional speaker). However, even the busiest speaker can only speak at so many engagements. How can you leverage your time and content? Below are some ideas. I’d love to hear some of […]