W Wouldn’t It Be Nice If. . .

Before your presentation, your Audience had specific instructions and training on how to be a Good Audience?

An audience can make or break a presentation.

A good, enthusiastic group gives the speaker responses and energy that lead to a better presentation.

Audiences with individuals who have their own agendas and don’t respect the speaker’s efforts, can disrupt an otherwise, good presentation.  This can lead to, frustration for the presenter, a less than stellar performance, and the audience not GETTING the speaker’s message.

If the speaker has developed and practiced a speech, the audience should follow certain “Guidelines” that give the presenter an opportunity to deliver their message so the audience GETS IT!  They don’t have to agree with all of it.  They don’t have to agree with any of it.  However, unless they GET IT! there can’t be a significant discussion going forward.

To help the speaker, and the audience, I’ve compiled a set of:

Audience Instructions

1. Arrive well before the scheduled event.
• Arriving after an event has started and finding a seat is disruptive to everyone.
2. If you can meet the presenter before their presentation, befriendly and say, “I’m looking forward to your presentation!”  That short sentence gives the speaker added incentive and energy for their upcoming talk.
   • Smart speakers, if possible, Meet & Greet audience participants before the presentation.  They greet people as they enter the room, and thank them for coming.  This activity “connects” the speaker to the participants.  It’s a technique that lowers the speaker’s anxiety and usually leads to a more attentive audience.
3. Sit so that your whole body faces the speaker.  This isn’t a problem if chairs are already arranged in a classroom style.  Sometimes, though, the presentation is after a meal where people are seated at round tables.  It is best for the people to turn their chairs to face the presenter.
4. Be an Active Listener.
• Lean towards the speaker.
• Be able to repeat the last statement the speaker made.
• Make eye contact with the presenter.
• If the speaker asks a question like, “Does that make sense?” Motion your head up and down if it does, side to side if it doesn’t.
• A good speaker should always be taking the temperature of the audience and nonverbal communication is important to them for letting them know if you’re
  GETTING IT!
5. If you want to ask the speaker a question, wait till the proper time.
   • An experienced speaker, in their Opening, will tell the audience how and when they will be handling questions.
   • It’s possible, the question you have, will be answered at a point further in the presentation.
   • Jot it down so you don’t forget to ask if it isn’t covered.
   • Don’t wave your hand trying to ask questions when it’s not the Q&A part of the presentation.
     • It’s distracting to the speaker and others in the audience.
6. When asking a question, be polite in your language even if you disagree with something the speaker said.
   • They should show you the same courtesy.
   • If you have more than one question, give others a chance to ask theirs before attempting to ask another.
7. Don’t talk to others, text, eat, drink, or do anything that could be distracting to the audience or speaker during the presentation.
8. Applaud!
   • It’s the courteous thing to do, even if you didn’t like what the speaker said or disagreed with them.  They have usually worked hard on their presentation and should be applauded (literally) for their effort.
9. If possible, approach the speaker afterwards and Thank Them.
   • Do this even if you disagreed with some of their points.  Most likely, they put much time, thought and effort into their speech.  That should be respected and acknowledged.
   • If there were specific things you gained from the presentation, mention those when thanking them.
   • Following up with a Thank You email or a personal note, and being specific in your appreciation, will always be appreciated

Following these guidelines will insure the audience receives the best presentation the speaker can deliver!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.

They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
Connect/Follow me:
FaceBook
LinkedIn
Twitter
314-517-8772

Related posts:

1. Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!” I've worked very hard on my "No Sweat!" Brand: ”No...
2. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
3. Remember: NonVerbal Communication Trumps. . . The speaker on the podium says, "I really am...

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I’m going to use the “F” Word today.

I know I’ve already made some of you uncomfortable.

You don’t like that word directed at you.

If you direct it to others, it’s not well received.

The Truth: Failure Gets a Bad Rap!

We learn far more from our failures than things we do correctly the first time.  This certainly applies to Public Speaking and Presenting.

One of my mantras is:
“Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.”
No one has everchallenged me on it.  Many agree they should take and make as many Speaking Opportunities as possible.  If they do, they will grow their businesses, advance their careers, and increase their leadership roles.

Speaking Opportunities are also Learning Opportunities.
Things we learn from public speaking are often not from
presentations going smoothly and without any flaws or snafus. Sometimes, it’s quite the opposite!

Many of the public speaking skills I have came about because I forgot, messed up, or didn’t even know about using them in presentations.

The Introduction

Examples:
I write my own Introduction.  It’s an integral part of the speech, and what every speaker should do.  Mine follows the guidelines of a good Introduction and does a nice job of setting me up as the next speaker.  There is some humor built into it and usually does a great job of connecting me to the audience before my Opening.

All morning I had been giving a number of small workshops at a manufacturing firm.  In the afternoon, the entire company gather together for the main meeting of the event.  I handed my Introduction to the VP of Sales who was to Introduce me.  He goes stage center, looks briefly at my Introduction, wads it up in his hands and says, “We all know Fred!  Come up and give us your presentation!”

Bummer!

I had to do some quick thinking and improvising because I never expected him not to read what I had given him!

That was a HUGE Lesson.  Ever since, I email the Introduction to the emcee in advance of the event, asking them to review it and contact me with any questions.  I explain that it is an important part of the presentation.  I make it a point to see them before the event and, again, ask if there are any questions.

I was delivering a presentation at a Chamber of Commerce Luncheon that consisted of thirty-six slides.  Everything was going smoothly until I pressed the button on my remote to advance the slide to number eight.  Suddenly, the screen went blank!

My computer was working fine, as was the projector.  Because this was a luncheon meeting with a tight schedule, I didn’t have time to reboot the equipment and see if that would fix the problem.

Keynote's Light Table View

Fortunately, as a backup, I always print my slides in Keynote’s Light Table View (for PowerPoint users, it’s called Slide Sorter View).   This option allows me to place up to forty-two slides on one sheet of paper.  Since I use mostly images, rather than bullet points and text, it was very easy to look at the image of the slide and know what to talk about.

I quickly found out that having a backup plan and using it is not as easy as I had hoped. (It was almost Big Sweat instead of No Sweat!) Luckily, I really know this material, and the presentation continued and was well received.

The lesson I learned was that having that “Plan B” was not enough.  I needed to practice with the Light Table View, also.

I’ve taken this concept a step further, and now have the Light Table View printout next to the computer when delivering presentations and find it gives me the “overview of where I am” better than looking just at the Presenter Display View on my mac.

Keynote's Presenter's Display View

Presenter Display View (Presenter Tools in PowerPoint) is a tremendous tool for presenting that I also learned by “not knowing” how to get the “screens arranged” correctly.

I was presenting in “mirror” mode, where the image on the screen is the image projected. This is nice, because the presenter can face the audience and not turn their back to see what the audience is seeing.  Better than this is the Presenter Display View which lets me see:
• What the audience sees.
• The next slide.
• Notes.
• The time or a timer.

You can see the advantage this view offers.  However, it took trial and error and research for me to figure out how to get the screens, mine and the one the audience sees, arranged correctly.  I’m not a techie and the learning was frustrating.  But the reward of having it work correctly – tremendous!  I’m able to deliver a far better presentation using this tool.

Failing to make this work initially, forced me out of my confort zone to learn something new – Good!

I read a quote once that rings true: “Learning begins at the edge of our comfort zone.”  It’s also a fact that when we get out of our comfort zone, it becomes larger!

Perhaps it is the word “Failure” that must be addressed.  It has a negative connotation.  If we substitute the word, “Experiment,” the “Failure” doesn’t seem like such a big deal.  We don’t expect “experiments” to always have positive outcomes.  A “failed experiment” takes us closer to the results we are seeking because it let’s us eliminate one process, idea or technique.  This is a good thing - correct?

Until we say, “Our experiment was successful because it brought us closer to a solution,” let’s

Embrace Failure!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.

They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
Connect/Follow me:
FaceBook
LinkedIn
Twitter
314-517-8772

Related posts:

1. Have a ‘Plan B’ Because When the Screen Goes. . . There are several lessons here: Murphy’s Law rules! It’s not...
2. Speakers, There’s NO App for That! Because of the Fear of Public Speaking, many in leadership...
3. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...

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YourYour Elevator Speech is a Mini-Presentation 

CLICK to Open Booklet

The term, Elevator Speech, implies it’s something that won’t take very long to deliver.  If someone’s only going to be in an elevator with you till the next floor, it may be less than a minute.  It’s not an exercise to take casually.

Just as an Elevator goes up one floor at a time, the Elevator Speech should be delivered “by the floor.”

At each stop, the verbal and/or nonverbal signal to look for is, “Tell me more.”

Everyone doesn’t want to go to the Top Floor with you.  Some don’t want to leave the lobby! There is no need to waste time and energy taking them all the way up.

The Elevator Speech can be a good tool for Qualifying and DisQualifying prospects.

The Elevator Speech starts simple. As interest and time permit, it is expanded.

Again, not everyone wants to go with you to the Top Floor and you don’t want to take everyone there.

Let’s get in the Elevator and start going up!

1st Floor  -  Describes Who You Are
Hello! My Name is Fred Miller.
That may be all someone wants to know about you – Your Name.

2nd Floor  -  Describes What You Do
I’m a Speaker, a Coach and an Author.
That’s what I do.
Hopefully, they want to know:
What I speak about.
What I coach.
What have I authored.

On this floor, very briefly, tell them what you do.  Don’t give a lot of details.

3rd Floor  -  Describes Your Expertise
The Title of my Book is, “No Sweat Public Speaking!”
How to Develop, Practice, and Deliver a ‘Knock Your Socks Off!’ Presentation with -
No Sweat!

This is where you tell something about why you have expertise in what you do.

4th Floor  -  Why They Hire Me
Businesses and Individuals Hire Me Because they want to improve their Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.

I prefer the words Hire Me rather than:
“I work with people who. . .
“I help people. . .
Hire Me lets them know I get Paid to do this.
Hire Me can be an excellent Dis-Qualifier.

The word “because” is important.  It has a positive psychological impact on the recipient.

5th Floor  -  More Why They Hire Me
They do this because:
We perceive really good speakers as Experts.
Perception is reality.
We like to work with Experts.

Here, expand on why they hire you.

6th Floor  -  More Information
They know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.

You may not have time or need to deliver more information, but it’s good
to have it as an option.

I could follow this up with,
“Are You Taking and Making Speaking Opportunities?”

That could continue the conversation.
This is an Elevator Speech, not a Sales Presentation.
If this leads to a meeting and a conversation, I’ll ask it at that time.

7th Floor  -  I Deliver
I show them how to Develop, Practice, and Deliver a ‘Knock Your Socks Off!’ Presentation with – No Sweat!

The “No Sweat!” is part of my Branding.  If you have a “Brand” it’s this is a great place to use it!

8th Floor  -  ASK!
“You probably don’t know any companies or people who could use the services I offer,
Do You?

Asking the question this way will catch them a bit off guard and usually get them thinking.
Their answer could be a prospect.

Somewhere on the ride up, the person you’re delivering to, is curious enough to tell you they want to know more and have a conversation in the future.
If not, ASKING them is the next best thing to do.  What have you got to lose?

Be aware that an Elevator Speech, just like any presentation, consists of two Components:
Content and Delivery.

Plan your Content.
•  Read The Elevator Speech Booklet.
•  Very little, but pertinent information, for each “floor.”
•  Continually refresh it. Change is constant.
• You learn new skills and have new experiences that can be
valuable to mention.

Delivery is Verbal and NonVerbal.
Verbal: The way the words are spoken.
•  Speak clearly and distinctly.
NonVerbal, Everything else.
•  Smile.  It’s universal and gets a positive response.
•  Make eye contact to show honesty and sincerity.
•  Stand tall and lean in slightly to listen and/or shake hands.
•  If appropriate to shake hands, give a firm handshake.

Now, work on Your Elevator Speech.
Then, if you’re inclined, go to the Comments Section, please, and
share Your Elevator Speech!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.

They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
Connect/Follow me:
FaceBook
LinkedIn
Twitter
314-517-8772

Related posts:

1. Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!” I've worked very hard on my "No Sweat!" Brand: ”No...
2. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
3. Remember: NonVerbal Communication Trumps. . . The speaker on the podium says, "I really am...

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I’ve sometimes heard this from executives, business owners, and other professionals.

It’s all about how you define the word “Presentations,” isn’t it?

Here are some questions for them:

• Does anyone ever talk to a prospect?
• Does anyone ever talk to a client?
• Do you have salespeople?
• Does anyone work in customer service?
• Do co-workers ever discuss the opportunities and challenges of their job?
• Do co-workers ever discuss the opportunities and challenges of the company?
• Does anyone ever attend networking events?
• Does everyone have an elevator speech in case someone asks them what they do and where they work?
• Are there ever company meetings?
• Does anyone ever attend trade shows or conventions?
• Do you ever have a booth at one?
• Do teams ever meet?
• Do you ever have vistors?
• Does anyone ever visit other companies.
• Do you ever have an Open House for clients and prospects?
• Does anyone ever interview job candidates and/or suppliers?

Here are some more questions:

• Do you believe Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities?
• Do you believe Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities?
• Do you believe Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities?
• Do you believe that people who speak/present well are perceived as Experts?
• Do you agree we prefer to work with Experts?
• Do you agree Experts can can command a higher price for their products and services
• If someone delivers a really poor presentation, what’s the perception of the person, their product/service, and company?
• Does your competition give presentations to prospects?
• Are some of their prospects your customers?

And, if you now believe people here do give presentations. . .

• Is their Content good?
• Do they have an Opening, Body and Conclusion?
• What kind of Closing do they use?
• Is their Delivery of the Content done in a professional manner?
• How are their Verbal Communication Skills?
• How are their Nonverbal Communication Skills?
• When, and how, do they handle Questions?
• Are they comfortable in front of an audience?
• Do they present themselves well?
• Do they present your company well?
• Do they use PowerPoint in their presentation?
• What’s on the slide?
• Text?
• Graphics?
• Are the slides contributing to the presentation in a positive manner and helping the audience GET IT or. . .?
• When the presentation is over, what’s the audience’s perception of the presenter?
• How does it reflect on their product/service and company?

Do you still believe “No one here gives presentations?”

If you didn’t GET IT! before, I’m sure you GET IT! now.  
You, and most of the people you work with give presentations on a regular basis.
They may not be ‘platform speeches’ in front of hundreds, but they certainly are presentations that can have positive or negative effects.

Speaking to a group or talking to an individual,
the basics apply to most communication.

• Content – the message
• Delivery – presenting the message
• Verbal Communication – the voice and how it is used
• NonVerbal Communication – gestures, facial expressions
  and body language

Keep this in mind the next time someone asks,
“Do you and your people give presentations?”

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.

They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
Connect/Follow me:
FaceBook
LinkedIn
Twitter
314-517-8772

Related posts:

1. Props for Presentations: Seen and UnSeen! Sometimes, the best prop for the situation is the one...
2. Have a ‘Plan B’ Because When the Screen Goes. . . There are several lessons here: Murphy’s Law rules! It’s not...
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Speak Business, Career, and
Leadership Opportunities!

One comment I regularly hear is:
“Fred, Your mantra, “Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities,” gets my attention.  You’ve convinced me!”

Here’s my challenge: “Where do I find those Speaking Opportunities?”

Great question!

Unless you have a topic and reputation that people must seek you out, it’s up to You
to find those valuable Speaking Opportunities.

For the most part, these will be unpaid.  Take my friend, Lois Creamer’s advice, and don’t say you’ll speak for Free.  Instead, say you will waive your usual fee for this particular group.  That’s OK when you’re starting out and/or if you want to increase your exposure and build your reputation as a Expert.  Remember: Really good speakers are perceived as Experts.  Perception is reality and people like to work with Experts.

Comment, please, which ones have worked for you!  Feel free to add some, also!
Here’s are some possibilities.

Speaking Opportunities can be found at:

• Rotary Clubs
• Lions Clubs
  
• Optimist Clubs
• Elks Clubs
• Scout Meetings – If your topic is a fit.
• Charitable Events – If your topic is a fit.
• Chambers of Commerce
• Toastmaster Clubs
• Meetups
• There are lots of these for many areas of interest.
• Consider starting one of your own!
• Networking Events
• Every city has a variety of these.
• Do a Google search for Networking Calendars in your area.
• Companies that offer Lunch and Learns
• Trade Associations
• Clubs specific to your area of expertise
• Do a Google search for that particular club in your area.
• Church groups
• There may be several: Men’s • Women’s • Youth
• Schools
• Public  •  Private  •  Trade
• Bookstores – If you’ve written a book.
• Public Libraries

How to get those opportunities:
Ask for them!   A phone call, if possible, is the best way to start.

If you know someone in the organization you are targeting, contact them for an introduction to the decision-maker.  Sometimes a membership directory is available and you can look for people you know. LinkedIn can be a good tool for finding connections to those decision-makers.

Here’s my script, and it could serve as a template for yours:
“Hello, I’m Fred Miller.  I’m a local speaker, coach, and the author of a book about Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.”

“Did I catch you at a bad time?”  (Always say this, because if you did, and continue to talk, your odds of getting a speaking opportunity dramatically lessen.  After confirming it is OK to talk, continue. . .)

“Does your Club (Group, Association, Company, etc.) ever have guest speakers?”
This is a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ question.  Wait for an answer.  If the reply is ‘Yes,’ ask what speakers and subjects have been presented in the past.  Perhaps your topic is not a fit, but knowing what subjects they have an interest in will give you intel to pass on to fellow speakers you network with.  If they do the same for you, everyone will obtain more speaking opportunities.

“Do people in your Club (Group, Association, Company, etc.) ever give presentations?  (You would ask a question similar to this based on your subject.)

If the answer is ‘Yes,’ I continue, “One of the talks I give is about the Fear of Public Speaking.  Why we have it, and Nuggets to Lessen it.”  Do you think your folks would have an interest?”

The next steps, if there is an interest, is to ask when the next date is available.  Often, this information is not readily available, so always have an email you can send that gives more information about you and your topic.  It’s best to have links in the email to your website and other ‘sources of credibility’ like: books, articles, testimonials, interviews and quotes by others that add to your expertise status.

If there is no interest, ask if it’s possible this could change and could you email them something.

Your database of prospects and clients is one of the most important things you own. Asking for permission, and receiving it, to email something about you and your topic, builds that database for future drip marketing campaigns.

Followup!
Sometimes the initial communication must be via email. Other times, an email, as suggested above, is sent so the decision maker(s) have something they can ‘check you out with’ and make a decision.

Make phone calls and email followups until you get a ‘Yea’ or ‘Nay.’  You are trying to make a ‘Sale’ here, and it’s usually a process, not an event.  Some groups try to schedule speakers a year in advance.

Let those you communicate know that should something happen at the last moment, and the scheduled speaker be unable to attend, you may be available!

My friend Gill Wagner suggests that when attending any event that has scheduled speakers, let the event/meeting planner know that you are a speaker and ready to step in if something happens and a speaker is unable to fulfill their engagement.

When you book those Speaking Opportunities be certain to publicize them.

• Put them on your Facebook Business Page.
• Place a mention on your LinkedIn Page with a Link to the event or host’s website.
• If you have an event calendar on your site, be certain to include it there with time, date and location.

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Opportunity is waiting!

On the other side of that door is Lots of it!
How do we unlock and open it?

Speak!

Public Speaking/Presenting
is the Key to opening the
Doors of Opportunity!

Here’s why:
We perceive really good speakers as Experts!

Perception is reality, and we like to work with Experts.

The Research Shows:
   •  Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities!
   •  Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities!
   •  Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities!

The people who take and make Speaking Opportunities grow the perception they are Experts. They grow their businesses, careers, and leadership possibilities.

Think of great business and political leaders.  Many attained their positions because of their great skills as a speaker.  Presidents Obama, Clinton and Reagan rose to the highest position in our country partially because of those communication skills.  Sarah Palin, considered a rock star on the podium, ran for vice president.  Apple’s Steve Jobs was the consummate presenter and salesman as was Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca.

A speaker wants to connect to the members of the audience.  The message of a person, skilled in presentation skills, speaks to the audience, and makes the connection.  That connection can lead to direct and indirect opportunities.

Being a good presenter is an important skill needed for many occupations.  Some present well – others don’t.  All things being equal, the ones who communicate well are the leaders in their profession.

Equally important is the fact that even if a person seldom makes a presentation, having the skill will help in other significant ways.
   •  It will improve their one-on-one communication, something everyone does.
   •  Since it takes most out of their comfort zone, it widens that comfort zone and
improves self-esteem, a worthy goal!

Please Note: A Speaking Opportunity is also an opportunity to:
   •  Give others a Negative Impression of  You. 
   •  Embarrass Yourself.
   •  Set a Career Back!

Knowing this, it’s important to be aware that a Speaking Opportunity, whether you sought it out, or it found you, is Important!  Don’t take it lightly.  The spotlight will be on You.

You want to delver a great presentation.  If assigned this task, you want those counting on you to be proud of your performance.  You want to be satisfied with your own work.

Study, Learn and Use The Laws of Presentation.
   •  Know Your Stuff.
•  Really know the subject you’ll be speaking about.
•  Be up-to-date on the latest information.
   •  Know How to Present.
•  Be proficient with all the Components, Parts, and Elements of a presentation.
•  Study presentation skills.
•  Join Toastmasters.
•  Get a Coach!
   •  Be Audience Centered.
•  It’s all about the Audience.It’s not about you!
•  Understand – Believe – Practice this law!
   •  Practice – Practice – Practice!
•  This is not a suggestion!
•  A good rule of thumb is:
•  For every minute of presentation – practice one hour.
•  (The above is not a misprint!)

Those with a Fear of Public Speaking, or those who speak, but don’t have good presentation skills, lose out.  They lose out because they either don’t take speaking opportunities, or, take them and perform poorly.

Presentation Skills, like all skills, can be learned!  No one was born knowing how to ride a bike, drive a car, or use a computer.  No one was born a Public Speaker!

There is a Simple, Proven Formula for learning these skills.
1. Study.
2. Practice – Practice – Practice.
3. Deliver Presentation.
Repeat the above activities!

Follow the suggestions in this Post for Opening the Door to Opportunities and make your next presentation – No Sweat!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift. Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.
They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
314-517-8772

Related posts:

1. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
2. Attention, Audience! Be SPEAKER CENTERED – Please! In most cases, the audience came to learn something, not...
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Read them – Study them – Don’t do them!

DON’T  If you’re a speaker there are certain things you should do, and should not do.  Here are 11 Definite Don’ts!

1. Don’t  ”Wing it.”
1. Your non-effort will show.
2. You’ll embarrass yourself and waste the time of your audience.  They came to learn something from your talk.
3. It is your responsibility they leave the room knowing more about your subject than they did when they entered.
4. Prepare and practice your presentation as if it were very important – because it is!
2. Don’t think the speech is about You.  It’s not.
1. It is, and always should be, about the Audience!
1. Being Audience Centered is one of the
   Laws of Presentation.
2. Focusing on the Audience, and not you, will raise the quality of your presentation and lower your anxiety.
3. Don’t give the same speech to all audiences.
1. Do your homework and get some intel on whom you’ll be speaking with.
2. All audiences are not the same.  Their makeup and knowledge of your subject will vary.  Adjust your speech accordingly.
4. Don’t turn your back to the audience and read text from your slides.
1. Slides are a tool to help the audience GET IT!  They especially appeal to the 65% of the population that are visual learners.
2. You shouldn’t be using much, if any, text.
1. Use high quality, universally understood images, and you supply the text with your voice.
3. Use the ‘B Blank’ button to blank the screen and take the attention of the audience from the screen to you, the presenter –  where their attention should be directed.
5. Don’t leave it up to the emcee to write your Introduction.
1. It is your responsibility, not the emcee’s, and is an integral part of your presentation.
2. It is not your bio.  The Introduction should answer three questions:
1. Why this subject?
2. Why this speaker?
3. Why now?
3. You write it because no one knows what should be on it better than you!
6. Don’t tell a joke to be telling a joke.
1. All presentations don’t need humor.  However, if done well, it can be “icing on the cake.”
2. Humor can be great because it can make an emotional connection to your audience.  But it has to be appropriate to the presentation and your audience.
1. The best humor is self-effacing, but don’t overdo it.
7. Don’t run over your allotted time.
1. There are scheduled events before and after you present.  Respect those events and the audience and contain your talk as scheduled.
2. Fill the time your are allotted with great content and delivery. Finishing a bit early is OK; too early disrupts the agenda.
8. Don’t assume the projector, computer, microphone, etc. will be in place and working as you asked.
1. It is your presentation and your responsibility that everything is in place and working.
2. You, or someone else, may have delegated those duties, but it’s your ultimate job because it’s your presentation.  That’s why. . .
9. Don’t - NOT have a Plan B!
1. Stuff Happens!  You must be prepared to carry on if the projector fails, the computer crashes, the emcee forgets to bring your Introduction, etc.
2. Practice Plan B.  It is different delivering a presentation with all your slides showing well vs. giving the same information with one sheet of paper with the light table view of all your slides.
   (I know this from personal experience.  My “No Sweat!” presentation could easily have gone into “Big Sweat!”)
10. Don’t use buzz words, acronyms, or technical jargon that your audience won’t immediately understand.
1. You won’t impress them – you’ll lose them!
1. No one wants to feel “not OK,” and they’ll quickly turn you off.
11. Don’t have Q&A after you close your presentation.
1. That’s why the Closing is called the Closing!
1. If you’re going to have a Q&A, place if before your Closing.
2. The ‘Law of Primacy and Recency’ says the last thing the audience hears is the first thing they will remember. That’s why it’s imperative to have a Strong Closing.
3. If the Q&A is after your closing, and you are challenged, or don’t know the answer, that is what the audience will remember.  It’s probably not the take-away you want them to leave with.

Now that you’ve read these Don’ts – Study them and Don’t do them!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.
They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com
314-517-8772

Related posts:

1. Attention, Audience! Be SPEAKER CENTERED – Please! In most cases, the audience came to learn something, not...
2. Slides: USE TEXT – as little as possible! PLEASE! Instead of placing lots and lots of Text on a...
3. Have a ‘Plan B’ Because When the Screen Goes. . . There are several lessons here: Murphy’s Law rules! It’s not...

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Laws To be successful in anything, there are Very Specific Laws that apply.  These are not suggestions!  The Public Speaking / Presentation World is no exception.

The following Five Laws of Presentation  are essential if a high quality presentation is the goal.

Read them – Study them – Apply them!

1. Know your “Stuff!”
1. Really know your material.
2. Continually study and keep abreast of the latest information.
1. Read books and blogs on the subject.
2. Set up google alerts for specifics that will help you stay up to date.
3. Strive to be the expert on the subject.
2. Know how to Present.
1. Be proficient with all the Components, Parts and Elements of a great presentation.
2. Have great content and use all the verbal and nonverbal communication skills available to deliver your presentation.
1. Remember: Delivery trumps Content – NonVerbal Communication trumps Verbal Communication and Everything must be in sync!
3. If you use slides, use high quality, universally understood images. Use very little text and make frequent use of the “B – Blank Screen” button.
3. Be Audience Centered.
1. It’s all about the Audience.  The presentation is not about the speaker!
1. If you take your focus off the audience and place it on you, things can go bad, really bad.
2. This is one of the Key Laws for presenters.  Doing it results in better presentations and lessens the Fear of Public Speaking.
4. Practice – Practice – Practice
1. Practice makes perfect – No!
2. Perfect practice makes perfect – No such thing!
3. “The Road to Perfection never ends!” – This should be your mantra!
1. A good rule of thumb for practicing is one hour for each minute of presentation.  That’s the minimum amount of time that should be invested!
2. Steve Jobs, who was the consummate presenter, would practice weeks on a 90 minute keynote presentation.
5. Speak! – Speak! – Speak!
1. The “Learning is in the Doing!”
1. Watching others, studying, meditating, listening and practicing are all good, but, the only way to really become a great speaker is to SPEAK!
2. Speak as often as you can and wherever you can.  Every presentation is an opportunity to learn something and improve.
2. Don’t wait for speaking opportunities to come to you; seek them out!

If your goal is to be a great presenter:
•  Follow these laws.
•  Don’t deviate from them.

Do that, and my prediction is this:
“Your next presentation will be absolutely, positively – No Sweat!”

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.
They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com

Related posts:

1. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
2. The Magic Pill that Makes You a Great Presenter! There's no easy way to get rid of the Fear...
3. Attention, Audience! Be SPEAKER CENTERED – Please! In most cases, the audience came to learn something, not...

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In most cases, the audience came to learn something, not to see or hear the speaker.

We speakers are the messengers.  It’s incumbent upon us to deliver information in a manner that educates, entertains and simply explains it.

However, it’s a Two-Way Street.  We speakers need things from the audience to do our job to the best of our ability.  We need the Audience to be Speaker Centered.  They should be focusing on the Speaker!

Here are some of those things that will help us Deliver Better to You:

• Give us your undivided attention – Please!
• It’s discourteous to the speaker and others in the audience not to.
• Turn OFF! your cell phones and beepers.
• Don’t talk to your neighbor.
• Don’t read anything.
• Unless it’s an address delivered during a meal, Don’t eat anything.
• Do look at us, our slides and props.
• This is how we measure if we’re getting our message across – or not.
• We may be doing all the talking, but the best of us constantly “take your temperature.”
• We look for eye contact because if you’re looking at us, you’re probably paying attention.
• We look at your facial expressions and body language.
• Those voluntary and involuntary movements let us know if your’e GETTING IT!  If not, shame on us.  But it’s only by knowing we’re missing the mark that we can restate, repeat or make more clear our message.
• If we’re making our points, we’ll know it via those signs.  That knowledge energizes us! We thrive on knowing we’re communicating well and that improves our delivery.
• Positive feedback from you also lessens our Fear of Public Speaking.  (Yes, many of us do have that fear.)
• Be an active listener and learn something!
• Even if you’re not in the audience by choice, as long as you’re there you can learn something.  Open up your mind to that and you’ll benefit.
• Acknowledge our efforts.
• Sure, not all of us are very good at this.  Many speakers are terrible communicators.  Some didn’t want the role, but were either assigned the job or “stepped up” when no one else volunteered.
• Remember, please, that public speaking is a very real fear to lots and lots of people.  Give those at the lectern credit for “just being up there.”  (Most of the audience would not trade places with them.)
• Applaud when the speaker closes their presentation.
• It’s polite and acknowledges the time and effort put into the presentation.  Even if you disagree with the speaker – applaud.
• Thank them personally!
• It’s not always possible, but it will mean a lot to the speaker.
• Stick around after the presentation, shake their hand, and thank them for their message, even if you didn’t agree with it.  (Put yourself in their shoes.  Don’t you like to be appreciated?)
• If you learned something, tell them!
• In person is best, but an email or sending a hand written note would be great, also.
• Too many people, even if they enjoyed the speaker and benefited from their message, just pick themselves up and leave when the presentation closes.  Many speakers are not getting paid for their presentation.  Even if they are compensated, the renumeration is not consistent with the time and effort the presenter spent prior to speaking.
• Often, their only payback is knowing they made a difference to someone.  They won’t know if you don’t tell them!
• Even if the talk was less than stellar, acknowledge the effort.  (Remember Teddy Roosevelt’s famous “The Man in the Arena Speech.”  The point he made was that credit goes to the person in the arena, even if you’re “getting your butt kicked” rather than ‘those poor timid souls who know neither the thrill of victory nor the agony of defeat!’“)
• If you have suggestions for improving our presentation, let us know – please!
• Perhaps you believe we have a fact wrong, could have added information or done something that would have made the presentation better and helped the audience GET IT!
• I want to know, and people have told me.
• I once finished a presentation and was given a better way to ask for questions from the audience.  It works much better than what I’d been doing, and I have always appreciated that person taking time to advise me.
• Some of you make our day, and we’re thrilled you are in the audience!
• I’ll usually thank several participants for the attention and great feedback they provided during my presentation.  I kiddingly ask them to “sit in the first, second, and third rows” the next time I speak!
• We speakers love these folks!  They really help us do a better job. – Thank you!

The next time you’re in the audience, please take the above advice, pass it on to others, and be Speaker Centered!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.
They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com

PHoto Credit: Phillip Stearns

Related posts:

1. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
2. Have a ‘Plan B’ Because When the Screen Goes. . . There are several lessons here: Murphy’s Law rules! It’s not...
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Make the Invisible – Visible!  Sometimes – Not! 

Prop A prop is something used to support your presentation.  Props can be very effective tools for presenters to use.

People have three styles of learning:

• Visual – Learn by seeing.
• Auditory – Learn by hearing.
• Kinesthetic – Learn by doing.

Example:
I used to be in the Coffee Business.  If I were speaking about Coffee, I might hold a mug in my hand and talk about different beans, roasts, and brewing equipment.  The audience sees the mug.  Most of them have probably had a cup or two that day.  It reinforces my message about coffee.  When I finish talking about coffee, I should put the cup out of site. If I set it down where everyone can see it, it becomes a distraction because some in the audience will keep glancing at it.

Putting the prop out of sight is the same theory behind BLANKING the screen of a slide presentation.  Doing this immediately moves the attention of the audience from the screen to the presenter.  That’s where the attention should be!  The slideshow is not the presentation.  It is a prop that helps the audience GET IT! while the presenter provides the “text” with their voice.  (Very few, if any Bullet Points, please, and limited text.  High quality, easily recognizable graphics are best.)

Sometimes, the best prop for the situation is the one you don’t physically use.  For instance, if I said, “Picture your favorite coffee cup!”  (Really, do this for me, please.)  What do you see?

You might be picturing a cup your son or daughter made in pre-school or kindergarten. Maybe, you’re looking at one given to you for a present by a special friend, or one you received for achieving a specific goal.

Perhaps, you’re seeing the one you bought on a special vacation.  I know, it was a cheap cup you bought at a souvenir shop, and now there is a crack in it.  But picture that cup and the memories associated with it.

In these examples I’ve personalized that cup.  Nothing can beat that for getting you to “see” a prop.  What cup are you seeing?

I remember an old interview with Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert, the movie reviewers.  One question was, “What’s the best medium for communication: Radio, TV, of the Big Screen?” Without hesitation they both answered, “Radio!”  Immediately I thought of the CBS Radio Mystery Theatre Old Time Radio Shows, 1974 -1982.  I also remembered listening to baseball games on radio and the colorful commentary and play-by-play that made me feel I was sitting in the stands.

Nothing can replace what your mind can “see”.  Those in the audience who “see” that cup, get emotionally involved with you and your presentation.  That cup has a story, and stories, as Nancy Duarte said, are the “emotional glue” that attach your audience to your ideas.

Another variation on this is getting the audience to anticipate seeing a prop.

One of the best examples of this is a presentation I saw delivered by an ex ad exec.  He took the lectern with a large leather portfolio case.  It was the kind artists use to protect their work.

He talked about the agency he had owned, and the campaigns his company had done for companies. The work, he said, would involve developing posters, print advertising, logos, letterheads, radio and tv commercials and a host of other products and services made to promote the client.

Throughout his presentation, he had one or more hands on the large portfolio case.  He would shift it from hand to hand, and always seemed to be about to open it and display examples of his work for the companies he was talking about.  He never opened the case!

WOW!  When he closed his speech, we could not believe we had not seen the contents of that beautiful leather portfolio.

From the moment he opened his speech, he held our attention.  With each advertising campaign story, our anticipation grew.

Every time he spoke of the colors, custom designs, and how everything had to deliver the same message, we just knew we’d be seeing those samples.  We never did!  It was absolutely one of the best uses of a prop I’ve ever seen.  (Of course, half of us would ready to jump the guy as soon as he left the lectern, extract the case from his hands and open it!)

He achieved his goal by not showing us what was (if anything) inside the case.  Besides the extremely effective use of this prop, he also presented well.  It was a great presentation!

Try using a prop or two in your presentation.  Be creative and help your audience GET IT!

For reading, and/or listening, this far I’d like to give you a FREE Gift.
Go to: http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/freegift to receive it!

About the Author
Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and author of the book,
“No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses and individuals hire him because they want to improve their
Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
They do this because we perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality and we rather deal with Experts.
They also know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
He shows them how to
Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with -
No Sweat!

Fred E. Miller
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
nosweatpublicspeaking.com

Photo Credit: Brett Jordan
Portfolio Picture: Smead Deluxe Art Portfolio

Related posts:

1. Have a ‘Plan B’ Because When the Screen Goes. . . There are several lessons here: Murphy’s Law rules! It’s not...
2. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
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