Speakers, Communicate Your Career To The Next Level: Top 7 Tips To Talk Your Speaking Career To The Top
Not too long ago, I walked into a room where some of the country's top oncologists were preparing to launch a new cancer-fighting drug. The occasion was the group's rehearsal before a big presentation to the Federal Drug Administration. Given that these men and women are some of the best and brightest in their field, I thought the rehearsal would be a breeze. So, I sat down, pen poised to make a few notes so I could help them fine-tune their presentations and be ready for the onslaught of media that was sure to follow.
What a letdown. Five articulate, highly educated, well-dressed presenters, armed with shiny animated slideshows, droned on and on and on and on.
It didn't matter what they were saying because the audience wouldn't really hear any of it anyway. Around me, eyes closed, and others pretended to take notes while playing solitaire on their laptops. I wondered how in the world I could help these presenters. I also thought about tripling my consultation fee on the spot.
All presenters believe their words are important, and they are.
But if you don't give an audience a good reason to listen, they will quickly tune you out. In an age where sound bite is king, cutting through the clutter is more important now than ever.
Consider the following 7 points before stepping into the limelight:
The Take-Home
No matter how many years and dollars you've spent on research and development, no matter the technical complexity of your subject matter, when speaking to a group your entire presentation must boil down to one key point. If you had to sum up your talk in 10 seconds, what would you want your audience to know?
Ask Yourself the Right Questions
What you think a listener needs to know is not always what that listener wants to know. Put yourself in your listener’s seat and ask the following questions: So what? Who cares? What does this mean to the listener, reader or viewer and me? Until you frame your messages from your audience’s perspective, they won’t care. If they don’t care, you’ll never receive their full attention.
Talk in nuggets
Powerful communicators who can hold attention have something in common with each other.
They've learned that speaking is for the ear, not for the eye. Instead of preparing a presentation as a research paper jammed with minutiae, condense complicated information into bite-sized nuggets and present only the information needed to move an audience toward the desired outcome.
Present, Don't Read
Is your presentation written like a term paper? Is it written in sentences? Do you allow room for pauses so the listener can participate? People don't converse in long-winded sentences. We speak in short phrases. So write in phrases or bullet points. You will then find yourself talking more and reading less.
Also, take time to pause between key thoughts so your listeners can digest what you're saying.
Paint the Picture
Explaining the features of your product may be important, but explanation without example has no meaning. People can't remember all of the facts, but they do remember impressions. By comparing and contrasting, providing analogies and visual images, your presentation will come to life.
Slideshow or Presentation?
No one comes to a presentation to see a slideshow. They come to hear a knowledgeable person share ideas and talk. Visuals should reinforce what you're saying, not serve as your script.
Instead of preparing the slides first, prepare your remarks then create appropriate supporting visuals. Let your words drive the visuals instead of the other way around.
Nix the Jargon
Just because your audience is packed with colleagues or you’re providing information for an industry trade publication doesn't mean you should talk jargon. Get rid of the buzzwords and throw away phrases. Rather, look for opportunities to put your words in context by humanizing your material and telling stories or anecdotes.
As I worked with the oncologist presenters and brought many of these points to their attention, they worried that simplifying the information would harm their credibility.
Quite the opposite. By making an effort to connect with their audience rather than throw too much information at them, they created a focused, central theme with real-life examples that excited and inspired listeners. And in the end, the cancer drug they believed in made it to market and received a lot of good press
Act like a sponge, and grasp all the knowledge you can from Karen Friedman, a leading communications coach in today’s business world. From her experiences as an award-winning television news anchor and reporter, she has helped thousands of spokespeople across the globe make the most of every interview, appearance and presentation. She has also authored five communication survival guides, which can be found at http://www.karenfriedman.comalong with
many popular audio programs. And don't forget to sign up for a FREE newsletter at
http://www.karenfriedman.com/forms/newsletter.htm to receive a free bonus tip sheet today.
Wise Fuel Saving Tips For Your Ride
A real budget buster these days is a trip to your local gas station. Where before you could have filled up for perhaps $25, today you probably are paying $40, $60, even $75 or more for every trip to the pump. Most people are having a difficult time absorbing the added blow that high fuel prices bring. You are paying more at the pump but a 4% salary raise just doesn't seem to cover it. Are you feeling squeezed? You are not alone.
However, there is hope for you in the form of a pair of fuel saving aftermarket auto parts for your ride. Please read on and we'll take a look at three options you have to reduce your budget busting burden.
Cotton Gauze Air Filter ? Paper air filters are cheap and are typically replaced annually by drivers for about ten dollars per unit. Unfortunately, paper air filters are not very efficient as they hold dirt in and restrict engine breathing. Any restriction on your engine means that...
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Go With Quality Over Quantity And Your Business Will Prosper
In the early days of developing my home business, I went for the numbers instead of focusing on targeting prospects. It took me a while to appreciate the importance of targeting (quality) instead of just going for the big numbers (quantity). For online marketing, it helps greatly to get your website in front of people who are actually looking for the product, service, or opportunity that you are offering. This refers to the concept of marketing your sites to your target audience, rather than wasting your time, effort, and money on people who are not already interested in what you have to offer. Be wary of "massive action" techniques in this era when many ISPs feel their hottest marketing theme is the blocking of incoming emails, which they decide their customers do not want to receive (they are the self appointed "information police").
Many of the sources of cheap, high volume leads supply you with leads that have absolutely no interest in your particular business (or product...
Go With Quality Over Quantity And Your Business Will Prosper
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The next Internet marketing gold rush
Video on the Internet is shaping up to
become the next Internet marketing gold rush.
I predict that in 2006 Internet marketers
will spend more on video than on all
other Internet marketing tools combined.
And they might be making a huge mistake.
Don't get me wrong.
Video on the Internet is powerful. I recommend
that you explore using it to promote your
business.
I'm just not convinced that every Internet marketer
can or should become their own videographer.
Unfortunately, that's what a lot of people are
trying to do right now and I'm afraid it will
end in tears.
As much as video equipment has come down
in price, getting fully equipped is still not cheap.
And as easy as it has become to use, it would
be a mistake to think that making good video is
easy.
Before you sign up for...
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5 Simple Tips to Prevent MS Access Database Corruption
Having spent many hours fixing Access databases during the past 10 years of my life, I've put together this short list of 5 Simple Tips to Prevent MS Access Database Corruption. While the potential causes are numerous, I've found that the majority of actual cases can be prevented by following these 5 simple tips.It's important to understand that any time an Access client disconnects unexpectedly, it may set a "corruption flag" in the .mdb file indicating that the database is in a corrupt state (regardless of whether any data has actually been corrupted or not). Any user who attempts to open the database while this flag is set will receive a message, and the database will have to be repaired before it can be used. If the users don't have permission to perform the repair, or don't know how to perform the repair, there may be significant downtime before the database is available again. This can result in a loss of productivity as well as extreme frustration for the users.
Following...
5 Simple Tips to Prevent MS Access Database Corruption
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Recycling electronic and computer equipment in Calgary initiative by a computer retailer
(ContentDesk) April 15 2004 -- Unwanted electronics fill our landfills, at a staggering rate. The people at Express Computer Store have decided to take a first step, in dealing with the impact of the millions of tons of electronics currently ending up in our countries landfills. They have joined the Electronic Recycling Associations list of retailers to accept old electronics back for recycling at their store. This promises a start to responsibly dealing with this modern concern. Express Computer Store and Electronic Recycling Association partner up to offer this joint program to organizations and individuals in Calgary with electronic equipment fit for recycling.
Companies are asked to drop off their items at Express Computer Store. From there, these items will be collected by the Electronic Recycling Association of Alberta and dealt with appropriately. Currently accepting computers, laptops, stereo equipment, VCRs, DVDs, and other electronic items for recycling. Donated electronic...
Recycling electronic and computer equipment in Calgary initiative by a computer retailer
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Ergotron Introduces Industry Changing ?Constant Force?? Technology
Ergotron, Inc., the experts in display mounting solutions,
today introduced Constant Force?(CF) lift and pivot technology and announced CF will be included in all new products going forward. CF? uses a low-cost and reliable conventional spring that converts the spring's linear force curve into a flat, constant force, throughout the entire range of lifting or pivoting motion. This force conversion means that users exert very little effort to adjust their display, and they experience a quiet fluidity to the motion, which was previously unattainable at any cost from any manufacturer."This patented technology is the culmination of many years of intense engineering development and understanding our customers' and the markets' needs," says Harry Sweere, Ergotron's Chairman and Chief Scientist.
"The breakthrough design of CF leapfrogs over conventional gas spring technology commonly used today, at a fraction of the cost.
CF based products eliminate the complexities...
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Hundman Hospitality Hits the Ground Running
Gainesville, GA (ContentDesk) February 23, 2004-?Hundman Hotel Management hits the ground running with full functionality. The owner of 5 hotels in central Illinois founded Hundman Hotel Management recently in order to take over the management of their own hotels and later, those of others.
John Brinkman, the new President of Hundman, was charged with creating a full service hotel management company almost overnight.
Prior to the take over, John and his new controller spent 4 ? days in Charleston, South Carolina with Casi Weldon, M3 Hotel Accounting and Payroll's trainer.
They created Hundman's custom Daily Report and custom financial statements.
Casi explained the user-friendly logic behind the Accounts Payable, General Ledger, Check Writer, Inventory, Budget, Forecasting and Construction Tracking modules.
Simultaneously, each module was setup to meet Hundman's specific procedural requirements drawn from Brinkman's years of operational experience.
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