'No Sweat' Public Speaking!» presentation skills

Speakers: Instructions For Your Audience Are. . .

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:01:40 +0000

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

Arrive well before the scheduled event.

Arriving after an event has started and finding a seat is disruptive to everyone.

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.
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.
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!

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.
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.
Don’t talk to others, text, eat, drink, or do anything that could be distracting to the audience or speaker during the presentation.
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.
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!

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

Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!” I've worked very hard on my "No Sweat!" Brand: ”No...
Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
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Have a Spare Tire in Case Murphy Shows Up!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:01:34 +0000

H Murphy, of Murphy’s Law,

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!

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

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The Elevator Speech Booklet – CLICK to Open!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:01:12 +0000

YourYour Elevator Speech is a Mini-Presentation

CLICK to Open Booklet

**Use this as a Template for Your Elevator Speech!**

An Elevator Speech is what we deliver when introducing ourselves at networking events, business meetings, or when meeting anyone for the first time.

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!

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

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

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 06:01:54 +0000

Verb 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. (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!

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

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Speakers: Brand Yourself with – “No Sweat!”

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 06:01:21 +0000

“If it’s Sunday, it’s Meet the Press.”Speakers

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!

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

Have a ‘Plan B’ Because When the Screen Goes. . . There are several lessons here: Murphy’s Law rules! It’s not...
Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
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Speakers: Don’t do these 11 Things!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:01:41 +0000

**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!

Don’t ”Wing it.”

Your non-effort will show.
You’ll embarrass yourself and waste the time of your audience. They came to learn something from your talk.
It is your responsibility they leave the room knowing more about your subject than they did when they entered.
Prepare and practice your presentation as if it were very important – because it is!

Don’t think the speech is about You. It’s not.

It is, and always should be, about the Audience!

Being Audience Centered is one of the
Laws of Presentation.

Focusing on the Audience, and not you, will raise the quality of your presentation and lower your anxiety.

Don’t give the same speech to all audiences.

Do your homework and get some intel on whom you’ll be speaking with.
All audiences are not the same. Their makeup and knowledge of your subject will vary. Adjust your speech accordingly.

Don’t turn your back to the audience and read text from your slides.

Slides are a tool to help the audience GET IT! They especially appeal to the 65% of the population that are visual learners.
You shouldn’t be using much, if any, text.

Use high quality, universally understood images, and you supply the text with your voice.

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.

Don’t leave it up to the emcee to write your Introduction.

It is your responsibility, not the emcee’s, and is an integral part of your presentation.
It is not your bio. The Introduction should answer three questions:

Why this subject?
Why this speaker?
Why now?

You write it because no one knows what should be on it better than you!

Don’t tell a joke to be telling a joke.

All presentations don’t need humor. However, if done well, it can be “icing on the cake.”
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.

The best humor is self-effacing, but don’t overdo it.

Don’t run over your allotted time.

There are scheduled events before and after you present. Respect those events and the audience and contain your talk as scheduled.
Fill the time your are allotted with great content and delivery. Finishing a bit early is OK; too early disrupts the agenda.

Don’t assume the projector, computer, microphone, etc. will be in place and working as you asked.

It is your presentation and your responsibility that everything is in place and working.
You, or someone else, may have delegated those duties, but it’s your ultimate job because it’s your presentation. That’s why. . .

Don’t - NOT have a Plan B!

Stuff Happens! You must be prepared to carry on if the projector fails, the computer crashes, the emcee forgets to bring your Introduction, etc.
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!”)

Don’t use buzz words, acronyms, or technical jargon that your audience won’t immediately understand.

You won’t impress them – you’ll lose them!

No one wants to feel “not OK,” and they’ll quickly turn you off.

Don’t have Q&A after you close your presentation.

That’s why the Closing is called the Closing!

If you’re going to have a Q&A, place if before your Closing.

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.
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!

Follow this advice and my prediction is 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
314-517-8772

Attention, Audience! Be SPEAKER CENTERED – Please! In most cases, the audience came to learn something, not...
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The Five Laws of Presentation

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:01:33 +0000

To be a Successful Speaker, these are Not Optional!

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!

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.

Strive to be the expert on the subject.

Know how to Present.

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!

If you use slides, use high quality, universally understood images. Use very little text and make frequent use of the “B – Blank Screen” button.

Be Audience Centered.

It’s all about the Audience. The presentation is not about the speaker!

If you take your focus off the audience and place it on you, things can go bad, really bad.

This is one of the Key Laws for presenters. Doing it results in better presentations and lessens the Fear of Public Speaking.

Practice – Practice – Practice

Practice makes perfect – No!
Perfect practice makes perfect – No such thing!
“The Road to Perfection never ends!” – This should be your mantra!

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!
Steve Jobs, who was the consummate presenter, would practice weeks on a 90 minute keynote presentation.

Speak! – Speak! – Speak!

The “Learning is in the Doing!”

Watching others, studying, meditating, listening and practicing are all good, but, the only way to really become a great speaker is to SPEAK!
Speak as often as you can and wherever you can. Every presentation is an opportunity to learn something and improve.

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

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

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:01:05 +0000

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.

Appealing to more than one of those styles of learning increase the odds your audience will GET IT!

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!

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

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

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The Worst Speech You’ll Ever Give,

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 10:11:52 +0000

Will Be Far Better Than the One You Never Give!

That’s worth repeating:
“The worst speech you’ll ever give,
will be far better than the one you never give!”

Many are held back from speaking because of the
Fear of Public Speaking.
They mistakenly think:

They have to be perfect.
They’ll make a fool of themselves.
The audience won’t like them.
They’ll forget something.
The previous speaker was so much better!
The audience knows more than they do about the subject.
They have nothing worthwhile to say.

Nonsense!

Everyone has something to speak about!

Each and every one of us, at times in our lives, has something we feel strongly about.
Often, we want to make our feelings know to others so that, perhaps, action can be taken.

Sometimes there is a forum and opportunity to “speak up” and make our wishes known.
Some grab the opportunity. Many opt to pass. Some pass, unfortunately, because of the above reasons for the Fear of Public Speaking.

Watch This Video of a young lady, who hates public speaking, but is so passionate
about keeping her library off the budget cutting block in Toronto, she had to speak.
She makes the essential “emotional connection” with her audience.

FYI: Deputation | noun
a group of people appointed to undertake a mission or take part in a formal
process on behalf of a larger group

A Big Thank You! to fellow speaker and blogger, John Zimmer, Manner of Speaking,
for bringing this great video to my attention.

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!

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

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The Magic of the Rule of Three Read It – Understand It – Use It!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 05:01:49 +0000

Three has always been Magical! THREE

• The Three Wise Men.
• Three Strikes You’re out!
• Rock, Paper, Scissors.

It is also one of the best techniques presenters can use for ensuring their audience GETS IT!

Andrew Dlugan sums the Rule of Three up like this:

“Using the Rule of Three allows you to express concepts more completely, emphasize your points, and increase the memorability of your message.”

In his book, Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer, Roy Peter Clark provides insights to the Magic of the Number Three:

Use One for power.
Use Two for comparison, contrast.
(right – wrong, black – white, up – down, hot – cold)
Use Three for completeness, wholeness, roundness.
Use Four or more to list, inventory, compile, and expand.

Make use of the Rule of Three in your presentations with the proper, inflection, cadence, and pauses, and I guarantee better speaking!

I’ve taken Dugan’s and Clark’s advice to heart and incorporated it into my presentations. What follows are examples from my Keynote Presentation, “No Sweat Public Speaking!”

Read them with the Rule of Three in mind. You’ll understand and remember more than if I had written them without using the Rule of Three!

I’ll talk about the

Components,
Parts and
Elements of a Speech.
I’ll

Name them,
Explain them, and
Give some examples.

The ability to speak in front of a group will improve:

Your career
Your one-on-one conversations and
Your self-confidence

Speaking Opportunities are:

Business,
Career and
Leadership Opportunities.

In order for the audience to GET IT! I need to do three things.

Educate
Entertain
Explain

The Communication Pyramid consists of:

Physiology – Body Language – 55%
Tonality – How you use your voice – 38%
Words - 7%

Your Introduction should answer three questions.

Why this subject?
Why this speaker?
Why now?

Eye Contact conveys

Honesty
Sincerity
Self Confidence

The Fear of Public Speaking is an Equal Opportunity Fear. It doesn’t care about your

Age
Education or
Occupation

Do serious athletes just “show up” for the important

Game
Match or
Meet?

(Perhaps they Practice a bit!)

How about

Great Musicians
Singers and
Actors?

Do they just “show up” for the

Concert,
Show or
Play?

(NO!
They Rehearse/Practice a lot!)

My single best piece of advice for becoming a better speaker

Speak!
Speak!
Speak!

When,
Where and
Why

As we’re growing up, do we make the decision that if we “fall down” we won’t get right back up?

One great Formula for Success is:

Fail Early
Fail Often
Sometimes, Fail BIG!

There are Three Ways to help people remember your message.

The Law of Primacy and Recency
Something unusual
Repetition

Text on a PowerPoint Slide does not reinforce the message. It

Confuses
Competes and
Complicates it.

Now that you know about the Rule of Three, it’s magic and benefits, I challenge you to understand it, practice it and use it in your presentations! (I just used it again, didn’t I?)

Post a comment, if you wish, and give me and others your examples.

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.
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: visualpanic

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