'No Sweat' Public Speaking!» presentation

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!

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, My 2012 New Year’s Resolutions are. . .

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 06:01:25 +0000

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!

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

Photo Credit: Billy Alexander

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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:
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LinkedIn
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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...
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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

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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...
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Attention, Audience! Be SPEAKER CENTERED – Please!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:51:33 +0000

AudiBeing Audience Centered is a mandate for speakers. Great presenters know: It’s all about the audience, and not about them. When a speaker takes their focus off the audience the presentation suffers and the odds of them GETTING IT! lessen.

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

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

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

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

Give us your undivided attention – Please!

It’s discourteous to the speaker and others in the audience not to.
Turn OFF! your cell phones and beepers.
Don’t talk to your neighbor.
Don’t read anything.
Unless it’s an address delivered during a meal, Don’t eat anything.

Do look at us, our slides and props.

This is how we measure if we’re getting our message across – or not.
We may be doing all the talking, but the best of us constantly “take your temperature.”

We look for eye contact because if you’re looking at us, you’re probably paying attention.
We look at your facial expressions and body language.

Those voluntary and involuntary movements let us know if your’e GETTING IT! If not, shame on us. But it’s only by knowing we’re missing the mark that we can restate, repeat or make more clear our message.
If we’re making our points, we’ll know it via those signs. That knowledge energizes us! We thrive on knowing we’re communicating well and that improves our delivery.
Positive feedback from you also lessens our Fear of Public Speaking. (Yes, many of us do have that fear.)

Be an active listener and learn something!

Even if you’re not in the audience by choice, as long as you’re there you can learn something. Open up your mind to that and you’ll benefit.

Acknowledge our efforts.

Sure, not all of us are very good at this. Many speakers are terrible communicators. Some didn’t want the role, but were either assigned the job or “stepped up” when no one else volunteered.

Remember, please, that public speaking is a very real fear to lots and lots of people. Give those at the lectern credit for “just being up there.” (Most of the audience would not trade places with them.)

Applaud when the speaker closes their presentation.

It’s polite and acknowledges the time and effort put into the presentation. Even if you disagree with the speaker – applaud.

Thank them personally!

It’s not always possible, but it will mean a lot to the speaker.

Stick around after the presentation, shake their hand, and thank them for their message, even if you didn’t agree with it. (Put yourself in their shoes. Don’t you like to be appreciated?)

If you learned something, tell them!

In person is best, but an email or sending a hand written note would be great, also.

Too many people, even if they enjoyed the speaker and benefited from their message, just pick themselves up and leave when the presentation closes. Many speakers are not getting paid for their presentation. Even if they are compensated, the renumeration is not consistent with the time and effort the presenter spent prior to speaking.
Often, their only payback is knowing they made a difference to someone. They won’t know if you don’t tell them!

Even if the talk was less than stellar, acknowledge the effort. (Remember Teddy Roosevelt’s famous “The Man in the Arena Speech.” The point he made was that credit goes to the person in the arena, even if you’re “getting your butt kicked” rather than ‘those poor timid souls who know neither the thrill of victory nor the agony of defeat!’“)

If you have suggestions for improving our presentation, let us know – please!

Perhaps you believe we have a fact wrong, could have added information or done something that would have made the presentation better and helped the audience GET IT!
I want to know, and people have told me.

I once finished a presentation and was given a better way to ask for questions from the audience. It works much better than what I’d been doing, and I have always appreciated that person taking time to advise me.

Some of you make our day, and we’re thrilled you are in the audience!

I’ll usually thank several participants for the attention and great feedback they provided during my presentation. I kiddingly ask them to “sit in the first, second, and third rows” the next time I speak!
We speakers love these folks! They really help us do a better job. – Thank you!

Before attending an event:
if attending is your choice, investigate the program, speaker and subject. Don’t attend if you don’t think it will be valuable to you. All subjects and all speakers are not for all audiences.

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

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

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

PHoto Credit: Phillip Stearns

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Your Master Slide Deck: “Know when toShow Them and when to Fold Them!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 05:01:02 +0000

Every Audience Doesn’t Need to See All your Slides. Master Deck

Fred's Master Deck: 9 of 138 Slides

Audiences have different wants and needs. Most presentations have time restraints. Not recognizing either of these can result in a less than stellar performance.

A properly customized presentation connects better with audiences than a one-size-fits-all one. Connecting with an audience increases the odds they’ll GET IT!

A large Master Deck of slides makes this customization easy.

All presentations don’t need PowerPoint or Keynote. However, there are some benefits to using great slides. The audience looks and listens to a presentation. Utilizing slides with great visuals, combined with you providing the text, increases the understanding of your message. (Presenting visual learning style + auditory learning style = Better Presenting!)

If you’re like me, you’re constantly adding to, and refining your Master Slide Deck. I’m regularly incorporating new slides with images, video clips and occasionally, text. (Text slides should be limited and used for very specific purposes.) I’m also repositioning some slides to better “tell the story” and eliminating ones that needed to be upgraded or refined.

My Master Deck has three “Modules”.

The Components, Parts, and Elements of a Presentation.
The Fear of Public Speaking and how to lessen it.
Bonus Tips to Improve Presentations.

Each module, and the accompanying slides, can stand on its own as a presentation.
The slides within each module can be deleted or customized as needed.

This gives me lots of flexibility. Repositioning and deleting slides is easy to do. (Just be certain you’ve made a copy of the original deck before customizing!)

Additional Tips:
Stuff Happens so be prepared!
Once I presented to a company that wouldn’t let me use my mac. I had to use their PC. While I had converted my Keynote presentation to PowerPoint, some of the “Action Moves” didn’t transfer. I also found the two video clips I wanted to show didn’t work on their system. It wasn’t that big of a deal because I had practiced and was ready for “anything and everything,” but I would have made minor adjustments sooner if I had known the incompatibilities.

Don’t forget correct utilization of the “B” button that blanks the screen.
Remember, you are the presenter – not your deck! Blanking the screen will take the attention of the audience’s eyes from the screen to you - where it should be! (It’s the equivalent of removing a prop from view once it’s been used for its intended effect. If left in view of the audience, it becomes a distraction.)

Continually work on that Master Deck! Upgrade your graphics, add new slides as you expand your expertise on your subject, and delete those that no longer help “tell the story.”

Do the above, and your next presentation will be absolutely, positively – No Sweat!

This stuff works!

Thanks for visiting my Post!
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

Fox News interviews Speaker/Author, Fred E. Miller Audio John Pertzborn, co-anchor of Fox News AM Show in...
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Slides: USE TEXT – as little as possible! PLEASE!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 05:01:31 +0000

Text and Bullet Points
Do Not reinforce the message! X

Have you ever sat through a presentation where the speaker read, word for word, the bullet pointed text that was on the screen? Terrible, wasn’t it?

Why do speakers do this?

If they want to use notes for their presentation, those details should be placed in the ‘Notes Section’ of the slides, visible only to the presenter using Keynote or PowerPoint in ‘Presenter Mode.’

Placing Text on the screen does not reinforce the presenter’s message with the audience and help them GET IT!

On the contrary, Text and Bullet Points:

Complicate the message.
Conflict with the speaker’s delivery.
Confuse the audience.

The audience is reading at a different speed than the presenter is speaking. They are ahead or behind the speaker. The result is worse than just seeing text or merely listening to the speaker! (This also happens if you distribute handouts to an audience before presenting.)

The Answer:
Instead of placing lots and lots of Text on slides, use Images to help the audience GET IT!

There are three main styles of learning.

Visual – Seeing something.
Auditory – Hearing something.
Kinesthetic – Doing something.

A good slideshow presentation will combine two of these learning styles:
1. Visual - high quality Images.
2. Auditory – ‘Text’ provided by the speaker’s voice.
The audience’s understanding of the presenter’s message is greatly increased.

Images should be:

High quality.
Universally recognized. No – “What is that?”
High enough resolution to not be blurred.
Large!
One per slide, or several that express the same main point.

Example: I use images of a blackboard, clown’s feet, and a person writing on a chart on the same slide to deliver the point:
“For the audience to GET IT!, a presenter needs to
Educate, Entertain, and Explain.

Free images, when giving attribution, are available at Flckr’s Creative Commons. Use Compfight to make that search easier.

Great, high quality images can be purchased from a number of on-line sites. My favorite is iStockphoto.com. Be certain to search for a Coupon Code before buying your credits.

Also important in this discussion is timely use of the ‘B’ Button in PowerPoint and Keynote that ‘blanks’ the screen. When used, the attention of the audience immediately goes from the screen to the presenter – where it should be!

YOU are the presenter; not the slides! The slides should have the image that reinforces the message you are delivering. Once you have finished that message, and continue to elaborate or tell a supporting story, ‘blank’ the screen to have the audience focus on you!

This stuff works! Try it and make your next presentation – No Sweat!

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

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

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Fear of Public Speaking? Try These Ideas!

Fred E. Miller — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 05:01:02 +0000

Glossophobia:
The Fear of Public Speaking Listen!

It’s a Word, not a disease. It can be controlled.

You are not alone. There is comfort in numbers. 75% of the population have this fear.

Don’t tell the audience! Do that, and it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. They want you to be successful and are glad you are delivering the presentation and not them.

Know your stuff! There is a “confidence in your competence” that lowers anxiety. Always study the latest on your topic and you’ll have that confidence.

Arrive Early and Meet & Greet! It is amazing how much easier it is to speak to people you’ve already met. To make the Meet & Greet easier, insist on people wearing Name Tags. Name Tags reach out and pull people in. They close the gap between people and make the Meet & Greet exercise faster and easier. Audience members also appreciate having these to Meet & Greet each other!

Give the audience a Road Map of what you’ll be presenting. Tell them the order of your presentation and when and if you’ll be handling questions. (The best location is before your closing.) People like to know what to expect. Knowing they know the agenda will lessen your anxiety and eliminate hands being raised in the middle of your talk.

Constantly Take the Temperature of the audience. Look for eye contact, positive facial expressions, and body language indicating your message is being understood. Knowing the recipients are GETTING IT! is positive feedback and lessens the Fear of Public Speaking.

Practice! – Practice – Practice! This is the BIG TIP! Nothing replaces practicing. The best of the best practice one hour for each minute of presentation. (One hour per minute is not a misprint!)

Have Notes or a Mind Map at hand. There is nothing wrong with having notes! You know your stuff and don’t want to leave anything out of your presentation. Notes refresh your memory. (A Mind Map is a non-linear, visual, brainstorming tool. It is what I use to develop, practice, and deliver presentations.)

Be Prepared for Anything and Everything! “Stuff Happens”, and knowing you have backups and all contingencies lined up, in case “the wheels come off,” will ease your anxiety. (I know one person who always worries about the projector bulb burning out in the middle of his presentation and not having a spare handy.)

This stuff works!

Thanks for visiting my Post!
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

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H Murphy, of Murphy’s Law,

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What are Yours?

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Read them – Study them – Don’t do them!

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To be a Successful Speaker, these are Not Optional!

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Your Master Slide Deck: “Know when toShow Them and when to Fold Them!

Every Audience Doesn’t Need to See All your Slides. Master Deck

Slides: USE TEXT – as little as possible! PLEASE!

Text and Bullet Points Do Not reinforce the message! X

Fear of Public Speaking? Try These Ideas!

Glossophobia: The Fear of Public Speaking Listen!

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

**Read them – Study them – Don’t do them!**

Text and Bullet Points
Do Not reinforce the message! X

Glossophobia:
The Fear of Public Speaking Listen!