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...
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St. Louis (KSDK) - It could be a wedding toast or a class assignment in high school or college. Most of us get anxious when we’re asked to talk to an audience.

It’s the number one phobia, called glossophobia. When it comes to talking the talk, many people would rather get a root canal or an IRS audit than make a speech.

Click the video player above to watch the report.

Fred Miller’s book is No Sweat Public Speaking!, and among his tips: people remember the first and last thing you tell them, so Have a strong opening and a strong close to your speech, have confident body language, remember that the audience is on your side and they want you to succeed.

KSDK

Transcript of Interview

Kay Quinn: …or it could be a wedding toast, or a class assignment in high school or college.  Most of us get anxious when we’re asked to talk to an audience, and Art Holliday here has a story about the fear of speaking in public.  75 percent of us are afraid to talk in public.  You and I aren’t — aren’t among those people.

Art Holliday:  The number two phobia is fear of death; but the number one phobia is fear of speaking in public, okay.

Kay Quinn:  Wow.  Can you imagine?

Art Holliday:  It’s called glossophobia. And when it comes to talking the talk, many people would rather get a root canal or an IRS audit than make a speech.

It’s time to talk about talking.

Fred Miller:  Yikes.  Me, speak in front of a group?  Oh, my gosh.

Art Holliday:  Welcome to Cave Springs Toastmasters where an author and a teenage film maker face their fear.

Male1: Very afraid.  I have a big fear in public speaking.

Female1:  You know, I did have a little bit of a fear in public speaking.  But, like, Fred said today, practice, practice, practice.

Art Holliday:  Fred Miller is an author who coaches people how to speak in public.

Fred Miller:  If your reaction to a speaking opportunity is more Yikes than Yes, you’re not alone.  Lots of people have a fear of public speaking.

Art Holliday:  Miller says he is used to calming nervous narrators.

Fred Miller:  I’ve coached lawyers, and doctors, and CEOs; coached a bride — father of the bride to be.  I think he started having panic attacks the day his daughter got engaged, thinking about giving that toast to the bride.

Art Holliday:  Even presidential candidates can experience tongue turmoil.

Governor Perry:  I would do away with the education, the commerce, and let’s see.  I can’t.  The third one, I can’t.  I’m sorry.  Oops.

Art Holliday:  Fred Miller’s goal is oops for your confidence when you work the crowd.

Fred Miller:  Kind of feel like your naked all alone, vulnerable?  That’s just it.  You’ve got to get used to it.

Female2:  The first speech, oh my gosh, my legs were shaking; and now I ‘m on speech seven and-

Male4:  I’m not very good at public speaking and, plus, I’m very shy.  I just realized well, this is the best opportunity to come here and learn.

Male5:  Thank you Mayor, and fellow Reglinians.

Art Holliday:  Fred Miller says you can go from knee-knocking nervousness to a knock-your-socks-off presentation.  All you have to do is–

Fred Miller:  Speak, speak, speak.  If you want to be a swimmer, swim.  If you want to be a baker, bake.  The learning is in the doing.   So, if you want to be a speaker, just get up and speak.

Art Holliday:  Just make sure you hold onto your script.

Now, Fred Miller’s book is “No Sweat Public Speaking!”

Among his tips:

• People remember the first and last thing you tell them, so have a strong opening and a strong close to your speech.
• Have confident body language.  Remember that the audience is on your side and they want you to succeed.
• And Miller is a big fan of Toastmasters International, which helps improve public speaking and leadership skills.  There are 77 Toastmaster organizations in Missouri and Illinois within 25 miles of downtown St. Louis.  So, a lot of people are aware of their fears and they’re trying to do something about it.

Kay Quinn:  Yeah, you’ve go to remember we’re all just human, right.  So, you’re going to make mistakes from time to time, or slip up, and I love the Don Knotts’ thing.  Oh, that is so funny.  That’s classic.  It’s priceless.  Thank you so much, Art.

Art Holliday:  Thank you.

[00:03:20]

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. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
2. Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!” I've worked very hard on my "No Sweat!" Brand: ”No...
3. The Magic Pill that Makes You a Great Presenter! There's no easy way to get rid of the Fear...

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always seems to be lurking around the corner, waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting victim.  That casualty could be you!

Always be prepared for anything and everything you can control.

If the computer crashes, projector dies, or sound system goes silent, you must still present your material!  There are people in the audience who came to learn something.  It’s your presentation and your responsibility they don’t leave disappointed.

Be sure your “trunk” is well equipped for all contingencies.
If I’m using slides, I backup my presentation on a USB flash drive.  Because I use a mac, my slideshows are made with iWork Keynote software.  I export copies to PowerPoint and convert, also, to PDFs.  The PDF conversion is done because they work when versions of PowerPoint and Keynote are not the versions on a backup computer.

I also print a copy of my slideshow in Light Table view, which allows me to see a large number of my slides on one piece of paper.  More about this in a moment!

If you use slides, I recommend you do the same.  If those slides contain bullet points with text, print out a copy with the text large enough you’ll be able to read it.  In stressful moments, that text can get very fuzzy!

Having a spare tire is not enough!  You must know if the tire is inflated, have a working car jack, and a lug wrench.  Even if you have “all that in your trunk” it doesn’t mean you know how to use it and change a tire.

Here’s my real life example:
I was presenting to a local Chamber at their monthly luncheon meeting and was on slide number eight of a thirty-six slide presentation.  Suddenly the screen went BLANK!  My computer was working fine, as, it seemed, was the projector.  Because the schedule was tight, there was no time to reboot and see if that would fix the problem.

As a “Plan B” I always print out my slides in Light Table View.  This allows me to place thirty-plus, very small images of my slides, on one sheet of paper.  Thankfully, I use mostly images in slides rather than text.  (This is something you’ll definitely want to investigate in my book and website!)  I’m able to look at the image, and know my material well enough, that I can continue the presentation.

However, having the “Spare Tire” and needing to switch to it instantly is not always easy.  Luckily, I was able to grab my paper, present the remainder of my presentation, and finish to a thankful round of applause.  (It was almost Big Sweat instead of No Sweat!)

My Lesson Learned is obvious.  Before going into the desert, practice, just in case of a blowout, changing that tire!

I now practice, not only my presentation, but the “Backup Plan.”  Knowing what can happen, and confident I can handle things if Murphy pounces, is a great stress reliever.  Follow my lead, and Practice “Plan B,” also!

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. Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
3. The Magic Pill that Makes You a Great Presenter! There's no easy way to get rid of the Fear...

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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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2012It’s That Time of the Year!
Here are My 2012 Resolutions.
What are Yours?

#1.  Prepare and Practice for each Presentation
even if I’ve given it 100+ times.

• It might be the umpteenth time I’ve delivered it, but it’s the first time most of the audience have heard it.
• The size of the audience doesn’t matter.  I should always give my best.
• “Practice makes perfect.”  No!
• “Perfect Practice makes Perfect.” – No such thing!
• The one I subscribe to is: “The road to perfection never ends!”

#2.  Regularly Refresh and Update my Content and Delivery.

• The only constant is Change.  I’ll continue to practice Kaizen, the Japanese word that means continuous improvement.

#3.  Get Out of my Comfort Zone with Content and Delivery.

• When we Get Out of our Comfort Zone – our Comfort Zone becomes Larger!

#4.  Study, Study, and Study more about my subject of Expertise,
the Art & Science of Public Speaking/Presenting.

• I always learn new things from the blogs, articles, books and videos I seek out on public speaking/presentations.

#5.  Continue to regularly Write a New Post with great Content
and to place the Audio in each Post.

• The combination of Written Post + Audio Post has made me a better writer and a better speaker.

#6.  Take just about every opportunity I can to Speak.  Paid and Fee Waived.

• Walk my talk, “Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
• It’s the only real way to better my craft because, “The Learning is in the Doing!”

#7.  Always remember to be Audience Centered.

• It’s ALL about the Audience and not about me!
• Focusing on the Audience raises the level of my presentations and lowers my anxiety.

#8.  Always write my own Introduction.

• Let the emcee know it’s my job to write it and their job to present it as if they wrote it.  My writing it is to make their job easier.
• Inform them the Introduction is an integral part of the speech, and review it with them.
• Just to be safe, always bring an extra copy to the event!

#9.  When teaching and coaching others in the Art and Science of
Public Speaking/Presenting, respect the investment they are
making in time and money.

• Do my best to help them accomplish what they want.
• Realize that some are really out of their comfort zone, and the call to me was not without a great deal of thought and trepidation.

#10.  Continually go Back to the Basics.
This is an important concept for accomplishing much in life.

Sometimes I, and others, stray from the Basics – and our presentations suffer.
The Components, Parts, and Elements of a Presentation have stood
the test of time.
They don’t change!

• Two Components to a Presentation: Content and Delivery
• The Parts of  Content include:
• Introduction
• Always write my own, and have it answer three questions:
• Why this Subject?
• Why this Speaker?
• Why Now?
• Opening
• Have a Strong Opening that grabs the audience’s attention.
• Tell them what I’m going to tell them.
• Body
• Make a Point – Tell a Personal Story that reinforces the point.
• Do this three to five times.
• Conclusion
• Tell them what I told them.
• Have a Strong Closing, a “Call to Action!”
• The Parts of Delivery include  Verbal and NonVerbal Elements:
• Verbal Elements include:
• Pronunciation and Enunciation
• Speak clearly and distinctly.
• Sometimes I don’t do this.  Being aware is the first step.
• Projection
• Talk to the person in the back of the room.
• Don’t yell!
• Inflection
• The correct inflection can change the entire meaning of a sentence.
• Work on this and I’ll better my presenting!
• Cadence
• Not too quickly, which I sometimes do.
• Varying the pace helps keep the audience engaged.
• Pause
• Tough, but I believe, the most powerful element of Verbal Communication.
• NonVebal Elements include:
• Eye Contact
• First thing, find a friendly face and make eye contact.
• Next, find another friendly face!
• Facial Expressions
• Smile!  Remember, it’s universal. Give one, and I usually get one right back!
• Gestures
• Make them in sync with my message.
• Make them larger for larger audiences and for emphasis.
• Posture
• Stand tall and straight.  No slouching!
• Body Movement
• Make them deliberate and return to several “anchor points.”
• I need to work on this.  My nervous energy needs to be harnessed!

Those are My 2012 Resolutions.

What are Yours?

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

Photo Credit: Billy Alexander

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Have you ever watched a Professional Mime? They speak no words, but communicate very well, don’t they!

If they were to use their voice, their NonVerbal Communication: eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body movements, would outweigh their spoken words.

Our NonVerbal Communication carries more weight than the words we say and how we say them.

Example: The speaker on the podium says, “I’m very excited to be speaking to this group today.”  At the same time, he is yawning, not giving eye contact to anyone in the audience, and continually looking at his watch.  What’s the message he’s sending?

Everything in the Delivery of our presentation must be in sync, else the audience will believe what they “See.”

While we can consciously use our NonVerbal Communication Skills to emphasize parts of our presentation, it’s important to remember that we exhibit involuntary NonVerbal Communication, also.  (If you saw Simon Cowell’s eyebrows rise when Susan Boyle started singing her first song, “I Dreamed a Dream,” on Britain Has Talent, you know what I mean.  Here’s a Link.)

Facial expressions like: raised eyebrows, rolling eyes, smirks, yawns, snickers and other expressions are often exhibited before we are conscious of them happening.  Yet the audience sees them and immediately an impression is made.  If not in sync with the words they were hearing, and carries a different meaning, the audience will believe the involuntary NonVerbal Communication they see.

The same holds true of gestures and body language.  If we’re talking about something we are ‘passionate about’, but not ‘showing’ that emotion with gestures, posture and body language, the ‘disconnect’ tells our audience the ‘passion’ may not be as real as we’re telling them!

If using slides in a presentation, it is critical to either insert Blank Slides or use the “B” Blank Button at points in your presentation.  This will shift the audiences’ eyes to you, the presenter.  They will the see your important NonVerbal Communication.

Use NonVerbal Communication to reinforce the words you speak and enhance your Presentation:

• Make Eye Contact with individuals in the audience.
• It demonstrates honesty, self-confidence, and sincerity.
• Use Facial Expressions.
• Smile, when appropriate.
• A smile is universal.  I call it a non-physical hug because when you give one, you usually get one right back!
• Other Facial Expressions are also universal and ‘seen’ the same by people all over the globe.  They include expressions for:
• Fear, Anger, Surprise, Disgust, Happiness, and being Sad.
• Gesture to emphasize specific points of your presentation.
• Be certain they are in sync with your message.
• Make those gestures larger for larger audiences so all see them.
• Your Posture conveys self-confidence, honesty, and leadership.
• Don’t slouch, lean, or fidget when standing.
• Posture also applies when you are sitting, before and after you speak.
• Consider yourself always on stage.
• When you Move Your Body, walk deliberately.
• Pick several ‘anchor’ points to always return to.  (Kind of an X marks the spot!)
• One of those anchors can be ‘stage center,’ directly in front of the audience.
• If you’re using slides in your presentation, be sure you have BLANKED the screen with the ‘B’ Button on your computer or remote, or inserted a Blank Slide.  If you don’t do this, you are the screen!

In summary, if everything in a presentation is not in sync,
NonVerbal Communication Rules!

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. Nonverbal Communication Trumps. . . Nonverbal Communication trumps Verbal Communication. Having your total presentation in...
2. Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!” I've worked very hard on my "No Sweat!" Brand: ”No...
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“If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet the Press.”

This is how David Gregory, the moderator of the the longest-running television series in American broadcasting, signs off each Sunday morning.

Tim Russert, the previous host, and all hosts before him, signed off with the same words.  It’s part of this weekly television news/interview program’s Branding.

Branding yourself and company in several ways, so others know who you are and what you do, should be part of your marketing strategy.  Using it in your Closing can be particularly effective.  This is because of the Law of Primacy and Recency which says, “The last thing the audience sees and hears will be the first thing they will remember.”

If you’re a fan of the great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, you know his presentations always closed with his Branded Tag Line, “I will see You - At The Top!”

My good friend and internet marketing expert Russ Henneberry blogs on the site,
Tiny Business, Mighty Profits.  He closes and Brands his presentations with the statement, “Starting tomorrow, do the things we worked on today, and Your Tiny Business will have - Mighty  Profits!”

If you hear the phrase, “It just works!” you associate it with Steve Jobs.  Another of his favorites was, “And one more thing!”  Combine those statements with a black turtleneck sweater, blue jeans, and white sneakers and you have the Brand, Steve Jobs!
That Brand was, and will forever be, associated with the bigger Brand, Apple.

I’ve worked very hard on my “No Sweat!” Brand:

• ”No Sweat Public Speaking!” is my book.
• ”No Sweat Public Speaking!” is my website.
• Above my signature on correspondence and emails are the words,
  “Make your next presentation - “No Sweat!”
• When I encourage others with an upcoming presentation I tell them it will be -  “No Sweat!”
• I Close all my presentations with:
• “I’m going to close my talk with a Challenge – and a Prediction.
• Here’s my challenge, and it’s a challenge to each and every one of you.
• The next time you have a speaking opportunity - Grab It!
• Then prepare, practice and deliver that speech using all the components, parts and elements of  ”No Sweat Public Speaking!
• ”Do that, and my prediction is this:
• “Your speech will be: absolutely, positively, there’s no doubt in my mind; no ifs, ands or buts about it.  That speech will be (As I speak those words, I wipe my brow, look at the palm of my hand, then look up at the audience, smile broadly and say),  – “No Sweat!”
• I’ve even had people in the audience, who see this Closing Statement coming, mouth the words “No Sweat!” with me!
• That means they’re GETTING IT! with my Branding.
  How cool is that!

Now, My Challenge – and Prediction to you is this:
Develop a closing statement that brands you and your talks.

Do that, and my prediction is this: Your Brand will grow, and grow –
making you the ‘Go-To Person’ in your area of expertise!

Leave a Comment, please, and let us know how you Brand Yourself!

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

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Speakers The First Thing the Audience
will Remember!

The Law of Primacy and Recency states:
The First and Last Things your audience hears
and sees, will probably be remembered more
than anything else in your presentation.

Of the two, the Closing will be better recalled.

Knowing that Law is important for several reasons.

• It’s why speakers should have a Strong Opening
  and a Strong Closing!
• The Opening should grab the attention of the audience and make them desire to hear more.
• Example:
• “Picture this!  Friday is our annual Open House and the president of the company wants each department to give a fifteen minute presentation.  I have you scheduled for 1:15 – right after lunch!”
• After your Opening grabs the attention of the audience, give them an agenda of how your presentation will proceed.  This is important because people like to know what and when things are going to happen.
• Example:
• “I’ll talk about the Fear of Public Speaking.
• Why we have it.
• Nuggets to lessen it.
• I’ll then take Questions.
• Finally, I’ll Close the Presentation.”
• The Closing should be something you want them to remember.  (Think of courtroom summations and closing statements by political candidates.)
• Examples
• A Call to Action.
• “Today, as soon as you get back to your office, start writing your Introduction!“
• A Challenge.
• “We’ll be meeting again one week from today.  I challenge each of you to have an Introduction that answers the three questions every Introduction should address
• Why this Subject?
• Why this Speaker?
• Why Now?
• A Motivational Quote.
• Remember as you leave the auditorium, ”The worst speech you’ll ever give, will be far better than the one you never give!”
• It’s an opportunity to Brand Yourself.
• Each episode of NBC’s Meet the Press, the longest-running television series in American broadcasting, ends with, “If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet the Press!”
• My good friend and internet marketing guru, Russ Henneberry, Tiny Business, Mighty Profits, does this.  He ends each of his dynamic presentations with, “Go back to your offices and start using the marketing strategies we talked about today and Your Tiny Business will have – Mighty Profits!”
• If you’re going to have a Question and Answer Session, have it before the Closing.
• Taking questions at this time is important. Here’s why: As stated above, the last things the audience sees and hears will be the first things they’ll remember.
• Example:
• Suppose I have a killer Close.  It’s a “Call to Action” that has the audience rushing thru the doors to start on that goal immediately.
• But, as most speakers do, I take questions about my presentation after my Closing. Things are going along fine and I have time for one more question.  That person says, “Fred, that stuff you said about ‘practicing in your mind’s eye.  That’s garbage.  It never works.  In fact, you’re full of garbage! ”
• Now, the presentation is over.  The last thing people heard is the first thing they’ll remember:  ”Fred is full of garbage!”
• That is not the take-away I want them leaving the event with!

Follow this advice about the last thing you say and do, 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
Connect/Follow me:
FaceBook
LinkedIn
Twitter
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. 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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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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