Rehearsal - The simple word that speaks volumes for presenters

Rehearsal - The simple word that speaks volumes

It is said that Winston Churchill invested one hour of preparation for every minute that he presented a speech in public. This week I was subjected to yet another instance of PowerPointledness. I was in the audience where a University professor presented the results of his research on best practices. Our presenter obviously did not rehearse the presentation.

His comments such as "This slide is purposely too busy for your to see all the details because it is so complex you won't understand it", and "We have to many slides here for the time tonight, so we will just flip through some of them", builds resentment in the audience.

Our presenter invested all of his time in collecting slides from previous presentations and mixing up a brew of disparate thoughts with no clear message. He seemingly invested less than 30 minutes in preparing for a 60 minute presentation - which he also exceeded due to his incessant rambling.

In this presentation, I wondered - and your audience will also think to themselves - "Why am I listening to this presenter? He is insulting me and wasting my time". Let's share the solutions to presentations like this that take place all over the world, every day, so that you can excel in your presentations.

Let's do our part to make the world of PowerPoint Presentations better again by committing to set the example. How do you overcome these issues? Through rehearsal - The simple word that speaks volumes.

Learn how to improve your presentations through rehearsal in the October 2008 Pow'Rful Presentations Newsletter.

Project Management Speaker Excellence

Last night, at the Southern New England Chapter of PMI (SNEC-PMI) in Meriden, Connecticut, our speaker addressed the topic of a schedule. All PMP's and Project Managers know that the basis to manage any project is a project schedule. On the face of it, this topic seemed to be a non-starter for experienced Project Managers like myself.

However, as the presenter acknowledged the fact that all of us have mastered schedules, she further reinforced the need to constantly reinforce the basics of our Profession. Comments of "She is so right", and "Amen" were heard around my table as we nodded in agreement. Sometimes, in the heat of the project we all tend to buckle under the pressure from project sponsors and devote all attention to putting out the hottest fire while allowing the project schedule to become out of date. Without a current schedule, our project soon becomes unmanageable and easily meanders off track.

This is the same in speaking. Just because you know the basics, such as to "Speak hungry" and to drink 1/2 a gallon of water every day, doesn't mean that you are not tempted to sometimes speak after consuming a hearty bowl of pasta. The basics are the basics because they are the basics. This holds true in Project Management and in Public Speaking.

I cover many of the basics of public speaking in my new audio CD for Professional and Public Speakers in most situations.

P.S. As usual, the presenters PowerPoint slides left much room for improvement. I am too drained of blogging on the topic of text-laden and eye-chart slides to comment on yet another terrible waste of a projector bulb.

How to Give a Better Speech - Proven and Practical Speaking Strategies That Anyone Can Use

How to Give a Better Speech - Proven and Practical Speaking Strategies That Anyone Can Use is now available.

This is the product that I wish had been available when I started my Toastmasters journey in District 53. I made many mistakes over the past four years and there is no reason for you to make the same mistakes.

Purchase this CD today and get the best lessons that I have learned from 20 years of public speaking crammed into a packed 65 minute audio CD. You can't go wrong for this price.

Triple Crown Winner Again

I have just received notification that I am again a Toastmasters District 53 Triple Crown winner, for the third consecutive year. I presented the Toastmasters module "How to conduct productive meetings" this past Tuesday to complete the requirements for my Advanced Communicator Gold award.

Have you considered the coveted TRIPLE CROWN ? It is doable. What is holding you back? Is it the fear of growing too much, too quickly as a speaker?

D53 Fall 2008 Educational Session - Panic To Power

After runaway successes at the Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 conferences, I have been invited back to present another educational session at the Toastmasters District 53 Conference. This time, I will help my audience to go from Panic to Power on the platform.

If you attend this session on October 11, 2008, you will learn the Swift and Simple Speaking Strategies that anyone can use.

Specifically, we will cover the following public speaking techniques, that public speakers can use to overcome the fear of public speaking:
1. Physiological and Psychological tips and tools to eradicate the fear of speaking in public.
2. The Ten X Phenomenon
3. The benefits of "You are in my house" attitude.
4. Diaphragmatic breathing,
5. Foods to avoid before making a presentation and,
6. How to prepare for the "moment" before a presentation.

Three lucky participants will also win a free "Panic to Power" audio CD (which alone is worth the price of the conference, if you ask me).

If you are going to be in the area on October 11, 2008, then come on down to the District 53 Fall conference, and learn the Swift and Simple Speaking Strategies that anyone can use, to go from "Panic to Power" on the platform and banish your fear of public speaking forever.

Screen Captures

I was in the audience the other day, and we were subjected to a MEGO presentation. (MEGO = Mine Eyes Gloss Over).

Our presenter did the following, and I warn you about this, so that you can rethink your strategy if you are tempted to follow this example.

Our presenter demonstrated a website, live on the Internet, and then clicked on "View" then on "Source". This shows the audience the code on a webpage.

Here are the problems with this setting, and the solution follows:

1. Never, ever, demo live websites during a presentation. You run the risk of at least the following, and possibly much more going wrong. Firstly, you may not be able to connect to the Internet. Who knows what can go wrong - your PC card fails at the last minute, your ISP account is cancelled, or martians land on the roof of the building. If you plan to demo a live website during your presentation then don't cry to me when you are left apologizing to your audience for your stupidity. Secondly, the website may not look the same as when you prepared for your presentation. You look stupid when you point out the ingredients for your case study and your case study is no longer valid. Thirdly, the website may look very different through the projection equipment. The vibrant yellow on the website may be a dull, dark distortion when the audience sees it through the aging projector. The audience sees this as your poor preparation.

2. Believe it or not, people at the back of the room cannot read the details of a page full of 10 point font. Yes, yes, I know, some people drool at their ability to decipher HTML code from a projector screen. The rest of your audience will politely (and soon become less polite) allow their minds to visit the beach while MEGO prevails.

3. You turn to the screen and point out the code which makes headlines, sub headlines and graphics while your audience looks at your back. If your audience did not mentally visit the beach in point 2 above, they are sure checking out now.

So, what is the solution? Put in some effort and use Camtasia to capture the screens you believe will cure world hunger, and highlight the all-important html code. Then put up your slides and go to the back of the room to see if you can read it from where your audience is reading from. If not, then put the code on handouts, with larger font and highlights so that your audience can play along with you at home.

Amazing and Ethical SEO Speaker

Yesterday I had the pleasure of listening to professional speaker Steve Mertz. Steve is an expert in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). He shared tips with us on how to easily and inexpensively improve all websites and blogs so that we can help people find our expertise in order to help them solve their problems.

SEO is more than just trying to stuff keywords into your web copy or fiddling with META TAGS like some so called "SEO" gurus are preaching. Steve speaks professionally on SEO topics to non technical audiences get out of the code and use common sense to optimize sites and blogs that are Google friendly.

I found Steve's presentation very informative and walked away with a list of inexpensive actions to take to improve my own websites which will help more of my clients. Steve doesn't focus on sly tricks, as do so many SEO gurus.

Instead, Steve showed us how to think better and create win/win/win situations. We win with more customers finding our websites, customers win because they can get access to our expertise and solve their problems and Google wins because our websites and blogs are ethically cooperating with Google search spiders.

I recommend that you hire Steve for your SEO presentation, because you will not feel like you need to take a shower after learning from Steve - I can't say the same about other SEO "Gurus"...

How could I improve this speech?

Here is my performance from the Area B2 District 53 Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest on Tuesday night. I placed 3rd.

How can I improve this performance? Post comments and let me know your thoughts.

Close, but no cigar

I came in 3rd last night at the District 53 Area B2 Humorous contest. Congratulations to the winner and 2nd place winner.

Will post the video clip shortly.

My speech is much improved since I won at the club contest on 8/5/2008 thanks to feedback from District 53 Toastmasters and my fellow speakers at Champions EDGE.

Although it is painful to be in 3rd place, I am glad I competed, and will do so again. I have learned more about humor and this contest forced me to work on my speech and stories. I have recorded my "lessons learned" from this contest which will help me prepare for the Spring 2009 contest season.

Now that I am out of the running for this Fall contest season, I can focus more energy on preparing for the upcoming educational session at the District 53 Fall Conference on Oct 11, where I am presenting "Panic to Power".

Also working on a new CD product "Give a better speech".

Specificity builds credibility

Patricia Fripp taught me that "specificity builds credibility" when telling a story. If I say "On the way to a store, I saw a dog", then my audience does not know what sort of store I went to, nor the type of dog.

If I relate the story as "On the way to Home Depot, a white poodle barked frantically..." then you have a very clear picture of the store and the dog, just by using words that are specific.

Here is a video clip of Patricia demonstrating the learning point:




Here is my comment on this learning point:


The lesson is clear. Always be specific in your stories. Describe the store, the time of day, the number of people in involved, because Specificity builds credibility.

A Fair lesson

Last night my family visited the 116th Annual Wapping Fair in our town of South Windsor. We always watch one performance of the racing pigs and enjoy the bumper cars. I particularly enjoy this fair because it proves once again that we are living our dreams by being able to attend a small town country fair in the USA.

While watching the live country music band, I realized how luck we are as speakers and presenters. I counted 8 microphones, with stands and cables on the stage. Having just purchased a new Samson G-Track Microphone this week, I realize the cost of equipment. During my research, I visited a local music store, and was offered studio quality microphones up to $1,000 and saw electric guitars at $8,000 a piece. Add in speakers, cables and paraphernalia, I recognize the investment that musicians make in equipment in order to give free performances.

As speakers, our investment in equipment is inconsequential compared to a live band. We are lucky. We get by with a portable microphone and recorder. We don't need expensive instruments to perform our craft.

I would have bought a CD on the spot if this band sold products because I enjoyed the entertainment. But alas, no products on sale. And the audience can't buy what you don't sell.

We are expecting downpours this afternoon and I believe the Wapping fair will suffer with slim attendance today.

Show, don't tell

Today I took part in the volunteer activities of "Day of Caring" at American Red Cross in Farmington, CT. I forgot my camera and berated myself for not being able to take video podcasts of the event. Oh Well!! These things happen. I hope to get photos of the event from some colleagues who were smart enough to bring cameras.

Our day started out with a presentation of the American Red Cross, mission and activities. I observed a common mistake that many presenters make. Novices and experienced speakers alike sometimes tell the audience how great something will be, and don't allow the audience to find out for themselves.

As I have explained before in this blog, when the introduction is a page long, and tells us all about how dynamic the speaker is, then my first thought is "He must be very boring if he has to tell the audience repeatedly that he is a dynamic speaker. I guess we would not have seen the dynamism if he did not tell us about it first. Or else he is insulting my intelligence by assuming that he has to tell me, since I am unable to identify a dynamic speaker when I see one." (Personally, I think that a speaker who needs to introduce himself as "dynamic" needs a therapist, not an audience.) I have yet to see a person introduce himself as "dynamic" and then live up to the promise.

Today's presenter introduced a video clip as "Very emotional". We watched the clip and I wasn't moved at all. Now what does that mean? I have no emotions? I looked around the audience who were also politely paying attention, but I did not witness any emotions.

I recommend that you do not set up your stories and video clips with introductions such as "This is a funny story" or "This is an emotional video". Just get right into it, and let your audience decide for themselves.

Have a look at your introductions. Are you telling your audiences how great you are? If so, then stop. Make your introduction "you focused" and show your audience that you are a dynamic, humorous and exciting speaker. This does not insult your audience and also saves you from looking like a fool when you don't deliver on what your introduction billed you to be.

All in all, this was a very productive day and a great volunteer event. I also purchased an emergency FM/AM radio with a hand-powered generator to use in case the power goes out. This is a fascinating invention and brings out the engineer in me.

Getting the most out of your Toastmasters Journey

When I joined Toastmasters in District 53, I thought that all the benefits of the Toastmasters program was available in my club meeting. I realized that there were many other clubs around the world, but missed some critical points. And wow - did I miss huge opportunities in my Toastmasters Journey to this point.

My fellow club members Toastmasters did not have much more experience than I did, and we did not comprehend the abundance of opportunities available beyond the club role of timer, speaker and general evaluator. I did not know about the Champions EDGE program which I have come to recommend to every Toastmaster who is serious about learning the craft of public speaking.

I have made this video to pass on my what I have learned about what I did not know when I joined Toastmasters. I wasted my first year in Toastmasters because I did not even know about the opportunities available. This video guides and emphasizes to all new Toastmasters to get the most from our journey together.

Please forward this video to everyone in your club, so that we can share what we have learned in Toastmasters so far.

Swift and Simple Speaking Strategies anyone can use