Archive for Effective Presentations
The Elevator Speech Booklet – CLICK to Open!
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Your Elevator Speech is a Mini-Presentation
CLICK to Open Booklet
Use this as a Template for Your Elevator Speech!
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: Read More→
Speakers, My 2012 New Year’s Resolutions are. . .
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It’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. Read More→
Speakers, There’s NO App for That!
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You Gotta Do It Yourself!. . .and
You Should Want To!
There’s NO App to download that will make you a Great Speaker and lessen the Fear of Public Speaking.
Because of the Fear of Public Speaking, many in leadership positions pass on taking and making Speaking Opportunities and delegate the task to others. That’s Nuts!
You should not hand a Speaking Opportunity off to someone else. Steve Jobs never did, and it’s one of the reasons Apple grew to be one of the most successful and innovative companies ever.
What would you think of a President, Prime Minister, or any leader of a country handing
off their annual “State of the Union Address’ to others? It would not be seen as a positive move, would it?
Leadership is executed through superb communications!
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know My Mantra:
Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities!
Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities!
Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities!
Those who present well are perceived as Experts. Perception is reality, and Read More→
Remember: NonVerbal Communication Trumps. . .
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Verbal Communication
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. Read More→
Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!”
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“If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet the Press.”
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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: Read More→
“No One Here Gives Presentations.”
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Really?
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?
Here are some more questions:
- Do you believe Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities? Read More→
Finding those Speaking Opportunities that are. . .
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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 – Read More→
Public Speaking is the Key to Opening. . .
Posted by: | CommentsThe Doors of Opportunity!
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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 Read More→
The Five Laws of Presentation
Posted by: | CommentsTo be a Successful Speaker, these are Not Optional!
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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!
- Know your “Stuff!”
- Really know your material.
- Continually study and keep abreast of the latest information.
- Read books and blogs on the subject.
- Set up google alerts for specifics that will help you stay up to date.
- Be proficient with all the Components, Parts and Elements of a great presentation.
- Have great content and use all the verbal and nonverbal communication skills available to deliver your presentation.
- Remember: Delivery trumps Content – NonVerbal Communication trumps Verbal Communication and Everything must be in sync!
Need a Speaker? Talk to Me!
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We should have a conversation!
The Fear of Public Speaking holds many back from reaching their potential. 75% of the population, to one degree or another, has this fear.
One of my Presentations addresses:
• Why we have this fear and
• Gives specific nuggets for lessening it.
Another Talk adds:
• The Components, Parts and Elements of a Presentation.
• I Name them, Explain them, and Give Examples.
Bonus Tips:
• Subtle little differences that make all the difference can be added to either presentation.
PowerPoint/Keynote Presentations are widely used today.
• They are usually not done very well.
• Many detract, rather than add, to helping convey the presenter’s message.
• I show how to reverse this!
The Research Shows:
• Speaking Opportunities are Business Opportunities.
• Speaking Opportunities are Career Opportunities.
• Speaking Opportunities are Leadership Opportunities.
That’s why my message is important to many people!
My presentations can be customized to meet your specific needs. Programs can be expanded to include Workshops and/or Individual Executive Coaching.
Fees are individually negotiated.
It all starts with a conversation.
Call 314-517-8772 or Email and let me know what you want to accomplish.






