_The_ complete guide to public speaking -- Jeff Davidson;.pdf

The Complete Guide
to Public Speaking
Jeff Davidson
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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The Complete Guide
to Public Speaking
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Other Books by Jeff Davidson
The One-Minute Procrastinator (Adams Media)
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Managing Your Time (Pearson Education)
101 Internet Marketing Secrets (Entrepreneur Press)
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Managing Change (Pearson Education)
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reinventing Yourself (Pearson Education)
The Ten Minute Guide to Managing Stress (Pearson Education)
The Ten Minute Guide to Project Management (Pearson Education)
The Ten Minute Guide to Managing Time (Pearson Education)
Breathing Space (MasterMedia)
Marketing Yourself and Your Career (Adams Media)
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Managing Stress (Pearson Education)
The Joy of Simple Living (Rodale Press)
Marketing for the Home-Based Business (Adams Media)
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reaching Your Goals (Pearson Education)
Marketing Your Consulting and Professional Services (Wiley)
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Assertiveness (Pearson Education)
Marketing on a Shoestring (Wiley)
Power and Protocol for Getting to the Top (Lifetime Books)
Getting New Clients (Wiley)
Avoiding the Pitfalls of Starting Your Own Business (Lifetime)
Selling to the Giants: Becoming a Key Supplier to Large Corporations
(McGraw-Hill)
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The Complete Guide
to Public Speaking
Jeff Davidson
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright © 2003 by Jeff Davidson. All rights reserved.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or
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(201) 748–6011, fax (201) 748–6008, e-mail: permcoordinator@wiley.com.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best
efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the
accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied
warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created
or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies
contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. The publisher is not engaged in
rendering professional services, and you should consult a professional where appropriate.
Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial
damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.
For general information on our other products and services please contact our Customer Care
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Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in
print may not be available in electronic books.
ISBN 0-471-23607-1
Printed in the United States of America.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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v
Foreword
T
he ability to powerfully and persuasively impact audiences is an
important part of your career and your life. Despite the onslaught
of new communication technology, the need to develop your
speaking skills seems to be greater than ever. In all sectors of business
and society, the need for effective leadership is as great as ever. There is
a demand for bold men and women who can rally, instruct, inspire, and
entertain others.
In this exciting new book, speaker and author Jeff Davidson offers a
bold, comprehensive compendium of what it takes to succeed as a public
speaker. While dozens of books have been written over the years on the
various aspects of public speaking, no one has ever managed to assemble
a complete guide in the way that Jeff Davidson does here.
The Complete Guide to Public Speaking is a comprehensive action plan
for speaking in public. It is loaded with facts, long-term perspectives,
unique insights, and personal stories. These assets, combined with
humor, make for a valuable, enjoyable, compelling book.
Jeff has arranged the guide into six major topic areas. They include
identifying and developing a dynamite speaking topic; enlivening your
presentations with humor, movement, and stories; positioning and mar-
keting your speech; winning and negotiating speaker contracts; ground-
work activities leading up to the performance; and inspiring audiences.
Each of these sections contains numerous chapters, arranged chronologi-
cally as your work would unfold.
Every chapter is full of recommendations, tips, caveats, personal philos-
ophy, and highly practical information. Jeff draws on his 19 years as a pro-
fessional speaker as well as drawing on the wisdom of an enormous
number of speaking professionals to provide keen insights and uncommon
solutions. Jeff employs first-person observations from some of the most
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FOREWORD
vi
successful speakers in the world, along with the input of meeting planners,
marketers, producers, and bureau owners. He goes straight to the experts
to provide you with authoritative advice on particular speaking issues.
Jeff has delivered more than 700 presentations, ranging from keynotes
and general session speeches given to large audiences, as well as breakout
sessions, workshops, round tables, and executive retreats. He has spoken in
large convention halls in San Francisco; Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Dallas;
Nashville; Atlanta; Chicago; Washington, DC; Orlando; and nearly all do-
mestic points in between, and foreign capitals such as Zurich, Paris, Hong
Kong, and Singapore. He has made presentations in venues large and
small—hotels, corporate headquarters, local meeting facilities, and even
church basements. His audiences have consisted of professionals, home-
makers, retirees, the military, and students.
Companies who retained Jeff as a speaker reported impressive results.
Jeff has attracted clients such as America Online, NationsBank, Swissotel,
IBM, American Express, Westinghouse, and more than 400 other leading
organizations and associations. All told his, speaking and consulting career
has taken him to more than 30 countries and 44 states. He has spoken in in-
dustries ranging from aviation to zoology and addressed individuals in ad-
ministration, law, banking, education, finance, government, health care,
manufacturing, retailing, and wholesaling.
Jeff Davidson has not only experienced public speaking; he has actively
studied it. In The Complete Guide to Public Speaking, he conveys the
essence of what he has gleaned, allocated into nearly four dozen major sub-
ject areas. Jeff’s single goal is to offer you insightful, leading edge advice
so that you have the best chance of being successful as a public speaker.
LILYAN WILDER
Speech Coach and Author
Seven Steps to Fearless Speaking
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vii
Acknowledgments
T
he Complete Guide to Public Speaking is, at its heart, the accu-
mulation of what I have learned about the topic over more than 25
years. My knowledge has been aided by hundreds of effective
role models, mentors, peers, and absolute masters of public speaking.
Listed below is but a handful of the people who have made a difference in
my speaking career.
Thanks to Tony Alessandra, Tom Antion, Ty Boyd, Daniel Burrus, Jim
Cathcart, Roger Dawson, Joan Detz, Patricia Fripp, Jeffrey Gitomer,
Mark Victor Hansen, Tony Jeary, Charles Petty, Glenna Salsbury, Brian
Sturm, and David Allen Yoho.
Thanks also to subject matter experts/authors such as Emory Austin, the
late Art Berg, Francine Berger, Bill Bethel, Sheila Murray Bethel, Lenora
Billings-Harris, Joel Blackwell, Don Blohowiak, Terry Brock, Marjorie
Brody, Bill Brooks, Brian Tracy, Bob Bly, Bob Burg, Joe Calloway, Dan
Clark, Gerald Coffee, Thomas Connellan, Bert Decker, John Dolan, Mary-
Ellen Drummond, Charles Dygert, Kay duPont, Gil Eagles, Joan Eisen-
stodt, Janet Elsea, Gerry Faust, Robert Fish, Jim Folks, Francis Friedman,
Scott Friedman, Rande Gedaliah, Robert Gedaliah, Lola Gillebaard, Scott
Gross, Jane Handly, Keith Harrell, Lou Heckler, James Hennig, Jane Her-
long, Roger Herman, Sue Hershkowitz-Coore, Ralph Hillman, Bil Holton,
Cher Holton, Don Hutson, Shep Hyken, Dale Irvin, Larry James, Elizabeth
Jeffries, Peter Johnson, Willie Jolley, Danielle Kennedy, Shawn Kent, Kurt
Kilpatrick, Allen Klein, and Tom Kubistant.
I also want to thank Ray Leone, Al McCree, Dennis McQuistion, Niki
McQuistion, Scott McKain, David Meinz, James Melton, Rebecca Mor-
gan, Patrick O’Dooley, Rosita Perez, Terry Paulson, Chuck Reaves, Jim
Rhode, Naomi Rhode, Bill Ringle, Mary Beth Roach, Grady Jim Robin-
son, Edward Scannell, Juannell Teague, Richard Thieme, Dan Thurmon,
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
viii
Brian Tracy, Jim Tunney, Al Walker, Dottie Walters, George Walther, and
Dave Yoho.
Thanks to the array of wonderful speakers bureau owners and repre-
sentatives including Nancy and Bill Lauterbach, James Bauchum, Dave
Galbreath, Joanne Van Hook, Mark French, Marina Forstmann, Rainey
Foster, Phil Barber, Valerie Morris, Tony Colao, Jo Cavender, Ralph An-
dres, Janet Pickover, Duane Ward, Porter Poole, Marilyn Montgomery,
Theresa Brown, Carole Van Brocklin, Phyllis McKenzie, Esther Eagles,
Lois Brown, and Julie Sloway.
Thanks to coaches, trainers, teachers, and all the other instructors in
my speaking life for the inspiration and the endearing gifts you have pro-
vided. Thanks to Laura Reed, Ron Arden, Sharon Szymanski, Bonnie
Raphael, Caroline Warren, Max Dixon, and Rafael Barrantes.
This book would not have happened without the wonderful folks at
John Wiley & Sons including Airie Stuart who acquired my book and
shaped it, Jessie Noyes, Thomas Miller, Lauren Fransen, Joe Grosso,
Rosa Gonzalez, Deborah DeBlasi, John Chambers, Jason Bartholomew,
Eric Holmgreen, Trudy Lindsey, Ira Tan, and Susanne Marvoka.
Thanks also to my local support staff, copy editors, reviewers, tran-
scriber, and all-around helpers without whom this book would not be
possible. They include Sharon Askew, Jessi Bromwell, and Susan David-
son. Thanks also to Valerie Davidson, now age 12, who, at age 9, demon-
strated her captivating public speaking ability when to she introduced
me to an audience of 150 adults in Washington, DC, and received spon-
taneous applause!
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ix
Contents
PA RT I
IDENTIFYING AND CREATING A DYNAMITE
SPEAKING TOPIC
Chapter 1 A Bevy of Speech Topics 3
Chapter 2 Appealing to People’s Emotions 10
Chapter 3 Why Do You Want to Speak? 18
Chapter 4 Researching Your Topic 22
Chapter 5 Tapping Your Hidden Strengths 28
Chapter 6 Dealing with Change: The All Pervasive Topic 34
Chapter 7 Meeting Types and Variations 39
PA RT II
DEVELOPING AND ENLIVENING YOUR PRESENTATION
Chapter 8 Get Humorous or Get Going 49
Chapter 9 Presenting the Best of You 57
Chapter 10 The High-Content Presentation 69
Chapter 11 Body and Movement 73
Chapter 12 All about Visuals 78
Chapter 13 Developing Your Signature Story 91
Chapter 14 Making Your Story Even Better 98
Chapter 15 Pauses and Silences 108

CONTENTS
x
PA RT III
MARKETING YOUR SPEECH AND SPEAKING CAPABILITIES
Chapter 16 The Client’s Mind-Set 117
Chapter 17 Positioning Is the Best Marketing 120
Chapter 18 Making Measured Progress 126
Chapter 19 Getting Paid and Selling Your Services 133
Chapter 20 Developing a Dynamite One-Sheet 141
Chapter 21 Collecting and Using Kudo Letters 155
Chapter 22 I’m Ready for My Video, Mr. DeMille 163
PA RT IV
PREPARING FOR AND NEGOTIATING
SPEAKER CONTRACTS
Chapter 23 What Meeting Planners Seek 175
Chapter 24 Preempt the Pack and Close the Deal 184
Chapter 25 What Goes into a Speaker Agreement? 193
Chapter 26 Variations on Product Sales 199
Chapter 27 Show Me the Money 206
PA RT V
GROUNDWORK
Chapter 28 Responsiveness and Balance 215
Chapter 29 The Diversity Factor 222
Chapter 30 Staying in Touch All the While 226
Chapter 31 Planning for Audience Involvement 230
Chapter 32 Preparing a Seamless Presentation 235
Chapter 33 Your Introduction Is Crucial 239
Chapter 34 Have a Great Trip 245
Chapter 35 Meeting Room Layouts 249
Chapter 36 Handling Speaker Challenges 258

CONTENTS xi
PA RT VI
CAPTIVATING AND INSPIRING YOUR AUDIENCES
Chapter 37 Pre-Speech Activities 265
Chapter 38 Open with a Flourish 269
Chapter 39 Audience Involvement 275
Chapter 40 Audience Responsiveness 281
Chapter 41 Reading (and Mis-Reading) Your Audience 288
Chapter 42 Traps and Tips 296
Chapter 43 Why Speakers Fail to Hit the Mark 301
Bibliography and Further Reading 311
About the Author 313
Index 315

_The_ complete guide to public speaking -- Jeff Davidson;.pdf

1
PART I
IDENTIFYING AND CREATING A
DYNAMITE SPEAKING TOPIC
B
efore you can be an effective speaker, you need to have a dyna-
mite speaking topic. The big mistake that aspiring public speak-
ers make is harboring a strong desire to speak while not actively
pursuing the development of promising speaking topics.
The seven chapters in Part I explain precisely how to identify, test, de-
velop, and refine a speaking topic that will interest and enthrall audiences.
Public speakers whose audiences give them high ratings undertake consid-
erable effort on their topics before anyone ever hears them. Fortunately, it
is not difficult work to devise a topic; rather, it is an enjoyable, exciting,
and even energizing intellectual pursuit. The chapters here will give you
the fundamentals of succeeding in the vital area of topic development.
Throughout the book, I will heavily refer to other professional speak-
ers, and to the tips and techniques that they offer. For consistency, I will
draw largely upon artifacts and examples from my own speaking career.
By referring to my own marketing materials, preprinted forms, and ap-
proaches, and you will be able to follow a path of sorts that offers a fuller,
holistic sense of successful strategies for both public speaking and pro-
fessional speaking.

3
1
A Bevy of
Speech Topics
W
hen I was younger, I worked for three different firms in
management consulting over a total of nine years. With my
second firm, in my fourth year in the profession, 16 of the
24 staff consultants were fired. I was among the “lucky” eight. That ex-
perience taught me to develop career advancement skills. As a part of this
development process, I spoke to groups outside of work (at breakfast
meetings, during lunch, and after work). I wrote articles. I took steps that
would make me indispensable on the job.
I developed a personal set of behaviors and strategies for success. I had
no idea that I was going to be a speaker, nor did I have any idea that I was
going to be an author. Unknowingly, I was living my future material.
I had been developing career advancement strategies for myself, and I
realized that if the strategies had helped me overcome obstacles, then
surely they’d be of benefit to someone else. This experience prepared me
for writing a book many years later on career advancement strategies.
The following is a list of some of the chapters in the book that I wrote.
As you read, you might envision speech topics from your own experiences
emerging:
Your Personal Marketing Plan
Time Management and Career Marketing

IDENTIFYING AND CREATING A DYNAMITE SPEAKING TOPIC
4
Finding a Career Counselor or Mentor
Becoming Indispensable
When Your Boss Is a Roadblock
Every one of these chapters could be a topic for a speech. In many in-
stances, the problems we face are exactly what others want to hear about,
particularly if we were good at overcoming these roadblocks. There are
some topics that we’ve become experts in, without even realizing it.
IS YOUR TOPIC SEASONAL?
Another type of speaking topic is what I call a seasonal topic. For exam-
ple, if, during the holidays, you were to lead a management seminar on
stress, you could include a message that would fit the appropriate holiday.
For example, I’m hired a couple of times a year by groups to deliver a
variation of my overall theme of breathing space and shape it to fit the
seasonal topic of having breathing space for the holidays. My primary
message is that you don’t have to have stress during the holidays; you can
have breathing space.
To capitalize on the seasonal topics, look at your calendar, identify
events, and perhaps develop some kind of expertise. You may not be hired
for a seasonal topic throughout the year, but you may be able to get two or
three engagements annually, and you may be hired months in advance.
CYCLICAL, PARADIGM
SHIFT, AND LONG-TERM TOPICS
There are also examples of speakers who capitalize on “hot topics.” For
example, Dr. Ken Dychtwald, author of Age Ware, a book that looks at
trends within life expectancy and aging, has become a sought-after
speaker as Baby Boomers hit their fifties. He commands enormous sums
because he is an expert on this hot topic. In addition to hot topics and sea-
sonal topics, there are cyclical topics. These are subjects that come around
again and again. It might be once a year; it might be every couple of years.

A BEVY OF SPEECH TOPICS 5
A cyclical topic may arise when a business is going through major
changes and consultant speakers are brought in. The business may even
out for a while, shift, and eventually, changes will again occur and the
corporation will want the speaker back again.
The fourth type of topic for speeches is what I call the one time, or par-
adigm shift. This refers to a shift that is not going to return to where it
was, for example, downsizing as we know it. This topic is neither seasonal
nor cyclical; it is lasting because of technology and the way people com-
pete. Corporations will continue to maintain a core staff and use more
supplemental staff (people who are not full-time, but who can provide
specific services). If you have expertise in this area, you will be among
those who get hired.
Ten Ways to Spot a Trend before Everyone Else
Increasingly, many professionals speak about change. Being able to spot
trends ahead of everyone else can prove to be a valuable skill.
Read magazines such as The Futurist.
Listen to lectures or review books and cassettes from leading fore-
casters.
Visit the Web sites of top opinion pollsters and survey research firms.
Cross fertilize your thinking by reading alternative magazines.
Attend meetings and expositions that you normally would not attend.
Take a college or adult education course on forecasting or futurism.
Examine longitudinal trends (such as those published by the U.S.
Census Bureau) to make reasonable predictions as to where those
trends will head in the future.
Learn to develop and trust your intuition.
Read Advertising Age, Variety, and other publications that discuss the
themes and campaigns designed by Madison Avenue and Hollywood
moguls.
Read books by Bill Gates, Jack Welch, Andy Grove, and other indus-
try leaders.

6
THE BUZZWORD APPROACH
Buzzwords permeate business, industry, health care, and government. Dr.
Charles Digart, based in Columbus, Ohio, observes, “The avalanche of
buzzwords is never-ending and growing in size and complexity. The fre-
quency of change is compressing at an alarming rate.”
One way public speakers can stay abreast of this phenomenon while
honing their skills in making effective, timely, presentations is to learn
the buzzwords in their industry. If you want to be successful in speaking
to bankers, then immerse yourself in the issues and affairs of bankers.
Learn the jargon. Subscribe to the magazines that they read. Expose your-
self to the broad array of traditional and emerging terms that bankers
know and use or will have to know and use in the future.
Likewise, if you choose to speak to manufacturers, club managers, ac-
countants, or yacht captains, you need to know the latest buzzwords in
those areas. Once you become familiar with the terminology, an array of
topic ideas presents itself.
In the past few years, Dr. Digart notes, a variety of business buzzwords
have emerged, each of which carries the seeds of a potential presentation
topic. A brief listing of such words includes:
Similarly, in these and other arenas, a host of new terms representing
new concepts or variations on old themes continually appears. Each of
them carries the seeds of potential speaker topic development. Sometimes
simply by reviewing such a list for any given industry or drawing up a list
Groupware
Netiquette
Telecommunicating
Benchmarking
Self-directed teams
Scenario thinking
Learner-friendly
Open architecture
Core staff
Team orientation
Reeingineering
Virtual teams
Multimedia
Cross-training
User-based
Diversity training
Multitasking
Global market
Gain sharing
Right sizing
Knowledge worker
Shareholder value
Micro-technology
Chief operating
officer
Learning organizations
Virtual manufacturing
Relationship assets
Career coach
Transferable skills
Matrix management

of the buzzwords with which you are already familiar, you develop new
ideas for presentation topics.
DEVELOPING TOPICS
WITH LONG SHELF LIVES
If you’re going to take the time and energy to develop a topic that you can
successfully present to an audience, why undercut yourself by choosing a
topic with a short shelf life? Be on the lookout for topics that are in de-
mand today and, with minimal updating, will continue to be in demand in
the future. (Chapter 4 discusses how to continually stay in touch with de-
velopments in your field and on your topics.)
As professional speaker Bruce Wilkinson says, “Most speakers today
look for a single topic that they can sell to a specific market or audience.
Tomorrow’s speakers are looking for specific topics that they can sell to
multiple markets and audiences.” Wilkinson suggests considering the fol-
lowing criteria when developing a multiple market topic:
1. Is there a need for this topic in associations and corporations? This is
an important consideration because most successful speakers develop a
blend of association and corporation business; furthermore, speaking to as-
sociations actually enhances your corporate business and vice versa. When
you speak to local, state, regional, national, or even international associa-
tions, audiences are comprised of individuals who come from different or-
ganizations, even if they all happen to be in the same industry. As such, a
sterling speech to a large association could result in your being scheduled
to speak within the corporations of audience members. For the same rea-
son, you increase the chances of developing more association business
when you speak to corporate groups. The best way to ensure that you bene-
fit from this cross-exposure is to develop a topic that will work within both
associations and corporate markets with minimum modifications. The
same logic applies for speaking at partner’s programs during a convention.
The larger the audience, the greater the potential for spin-off business.
2. Use several titles for the same subject to attract multiple markets.
Sometimes merely changing the wording of your presentation titles makes
them more attractive to entirely different markets. For example, my pre-
sentation on managing information and communication overload is

8
worded so as to attract corporate markets. Essentially the same presenta-
tion, re-titled “Managing the Pace with Grace,” is attractive to local
groups, cruise ship audiences, and even as breakout sessions for a spouse’s
or partner’s program at association conventions.
3. Create both a serious and a humorous version of the same topic.
This is a bit arduous for the aspiring public speaker. If you have been
making presentations for a while, however, devising serious and humor-
ous versions won’t be too difficult.
Consider the topics offered by speaker Joel Blackwell. He speaks on
grassroots lobbying and is effective in serving associations that call on
members of Congress to get their points across. He can deliver a highly
serious presentation on this topic as a keynote address, a breakout ses-
sion, an executive roundtable, or a half-day or full-day seminar. He is
also creative and witty enough to offer this session as a humorous
keynote presentation or as a short after-lunch or after-dinner presenta-
tion. As a result, he is not limited to fixed slots within an organization’s
conference agenda.
4. Present this topic with and without a handout or audience partici-
pant packet. Many public speakers do an adequate job of making a presen-
tation armed with printed materials. Giving a presentation without such
aids is harder, but developing that capacity increases the range of venues at
which you could be successful. If, for example, a meeting planner requests
your services for a luncheon gathering of 1,800 people, a handout, work-
book, or audience participant packet may not be practical. Moreover, the
levels of enthusiasm, energy, and humor required for such a presentation
necessitate that it be markedly different from its counterpart in front of a
smaller audience. These issues are discussed in much greater detail, but
for now, the point is that flexibility can go a long way in your being hired
for speaking at vastly different events, while still addressing essentially
the same topic.
IDENTIFYING SECONDARY AUDIENCES
Wilkinson says, “To be successful in selling today’s topics for tomor-
row’s profits, speakers need to identify each secondary audience before

they step onto the platform.” Hence, at the same convention, you might
deliver a keynote presentation to the members of an association and, at a
different point in the day, deliver a presentation for nonmembers who are
in attendance.
The public speaker who is on the lookout for topics that he or she can
use for presentations to multiple markets and multiple audiences is al-
ways cognizant of the value of employing stories, anecdotes, and refer-
ences that will appeal to diverse elements of society.
You know that you have a topic that has broad appeal when it can inter-
est a wide range of groups such as those in government, education, mili-
tary, and health care. Is the topic in the news? Is it in professional
journals, the Internet, and magazines? In addition, it is not unprofessional
to attend a presentation, workshop, or training session on the topic you
have in mind to see if it is something you wish to further develop and pur-
sue on your own.
To maintain an ethical stance, you would not engage in any lifting of an-
other presenter’s material, and you certainly would not violate any copy-
right, trademark, or other intellectual property rights. Instead, your quest
is to gather ideas, from any source, reflect on them, expand on them, and
arrange them in some type of sequence. The next chapters help you develop
your own stellar, engaging presentation. In Chapter 2, we begin to develop
your topic by selecting a subject that appeals to people’s emotions.
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10
2
Appealing to
People’s Emotions
T
hat which motivates people lends itself to topic exploration. Mo-
tivators could include money, survival, fear of failure, fun and en-
joyment, recognition, boredom, deadlines, participation with and
by others, and avoidance of pain.
Some people regard “pain management” as the greatest single motivator
for people to achieve what they want. Proponents maintain that unless you
associate sufficient amounts of pain with your current situation, in a week,
a month, or a year from now, you will find yourself right where you started.
You’ll likely be surrounded by all of the unpleasant aspects of your current
situation because you won’t muster sufficient impetus to break through the
transition state getting you en route to your desired end result.
A public speaker who recognizes and understands a group’s pain can
be highly influential in addressing that group. Success guru Tony Robbins
says that “how you define pain and pleasure shapes your destiny.” He as-
serts that people do more to avoid pain than to seek pleasure. As a public
speaker, your challenge is to ask, “What are my audience members fac-
ing—what is it that they absolutely cannot do without? What is it that they
continue to lack?” Address those issues and you will have everyone in the
room hanging on your every word.
One of Robbins’ recommendations is to convert the pain that your au-
diences may be experiencing to a form of pleasure by showing them a
safe path.
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APPEALING TO PEOPLE’S EMOTIONS 11
You want to create an emotional path for audiences, not an intellec-
tual path. Feeling in control and experiencing less frustration are exam-
ples of emotional payoffs that audiences can relate to. By focusing
on people’s pain, you can offer audiences inspirational or motivational
presentations.
INSPIRATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
An inspirational presentation is one that stirs emotion. It contains a mes-
sage that has deep and potentially long-lasting impact. It is delivered
from the heart and often stokes the empathy and creative imagination of
all audience members. While an inspirational presentation can draw on
religious or spiritual themes, such an approach is not necessary.
The common denominator to an inspirational presentation is that it
leaves the audience on a high note. While there may be elements of sad-
ness and sorrow interspersed within the presentation, ultimately, the up-
lifting elements win out. The audience leaves feeling that tomorrow can
be better than today.
MOTIVATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
A motivational presentation shares characteristics with an inspirational
presentation, but it is more action-oriented. It is designed to induce audi-
ence members to want to leave their seats and accomplish urgent tasks. To
be effective, the speaker needs to understand some specific challenges
faced by audience members. As with all effective presentations, a good
motivational speech requires homework on the part of the presenter.
When the presentation hones in on the specific activities and mind-set
that audience participants need to accomplish a goal, all the better. There-
fore, an effective motivational presentation offers specific advice and
often detailed information as to how participants can succeed. The pre-
senter fashions such information in a forceful, positive, and highly sup-
portive way. He or she enlightens people about his or her point of view and
suggests a plan for taking action.
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12
THE SEVEN SUBTLE UNCONSCIOUS DESIRES
Tony Jeary, author of How to Inspire Any Audience, believes that audiences
have seven subtle unconscious desires (not unrelated to the concept of alle-
viating pain, that I just discussed), and that if you appeal to these desires
during your presentation, you can’t help but win participants over. Here is
a brief description of each of the seven desires as identified by Jeary:
1. To belong—Everyone wants to feel that they are part of something.
Obviously, each participant is a member of the audience that happens to
be gathered for your presentation. More than that, how can you appeal to
them as professionals, parents, or citizens?
In my presentation on “Having More Breathing Space in Your Life,” I
often unify my audiences by telling them, “You are part of the most time-
pressed generation in history.” People instantly understand what this
means. To be alive today and to hold any position of responsibility all but
ensures that you face significant time-related challenges.
2. To be respected—Paying respects to your audience members only
takes a sentence or two but yields great dividends. Let the audience know
that you appreciate the opportunity to give your presentation to them. Let
them know that you understand, at least in part, some of the challenges that
they face. Let them know anything that signifies that you respect them as
individuals, as professionals, and as a group.
3. To be appreciated—Appreciation is closely tied to respect. At vari-
ous junctures throughout your presentation, let the audience members
know that you appreciate them by using words of praise or thanks. Con-
clude by letting the audience know that you greatly enjoyed speaking to
them. I tell my audiences, when it is true, “You have been a wonderful
audience.”
4. To find romance—This may not be an issue that you’ll address di-
rectly in your speech, but in a large gathering, nearly all people will have
an ongoing need to maintain strong connections with others, particularly
a significant other.
5. To be liked—Along with finding romance, Jeary contends that peo-
ple have a deep-seated desire to be liked. In the work place, in associa-
tions and clubs, at leisure activities, and among friends, we all want to
be liked—and well liked at that.
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6. To be safe—Safety comes in many forms: physical, financial, and
emotional, to name a few. Within a meeting environment, people want to
feel safe to participate, laugh, cry, agree, or disagree. As a speaker, it’s
your responsibility to help audience participants feel safe during your
presentation.
7. To be enthusiastic—This seventh unconscious desire may seem less
likely to belong on the list, but when you examine it further, it makes
sense. People want to champion a cause and to be on a winning team.
In the movie Jerry McGuire, Dorothy Boyd says to Jerry, “What I re-
ally want is to be inspired.” The best way to ensure that you appeal to the
subtle unconscious desire of members of your audience to be enthusiastic
is to convey enthusiasm yourself. (More on this in Part VI.)
TOPICS BASED ON WHAT PEOPLE
TRADITIONALLY WANT
Drawing on human nature and the knowledge of what people traditionally
want and need is one way of discerning potential popular speech topics. I
am always encountering lists of what people want or need, and I find such
rosters intriguing. For example, a study entitled “Ten Triggers That Satisfy
Human Desire,” based on research from the University of Minnesota, cites
the following:
Making money Saving money
Being popular Being healthy
Being in style Avoiding pain
Protecting one’s family Living comfortably
Saving time Attracting attention, attracting the opposite sex
Other such lists point to more basic needs. One list, for which the
source is unknown, cites “Ten Things There Is Always a Need For”:
Love Food, shelter, and clothing
Variety and novelty Exercise and fresh air
Sleep Nutrition
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14
Sex Sense of Accomplishment
Sense of Belonging Sense of Ownership
Many items presented on such lists overlap and, in some cases, are
divergent! It all depends on what the researchers are looking for, how
they conduct their studies, whom they sample, and how they interpret
the results.
Any presentation you develop that incorporates some of these basic
themes has a high probability of being of interest to audiences.
GETTING INTO THE ACT
I’ve generated some of my own lists, usually on planes when I’m headed
home from a speech. One of my lists is called “Items People Always
Need,” and it contains six elements:
A safe residence To appear in public
To avoid injury Recognition
Money Partners
You may debate the importance of some elements on the list; but the prob-
ability is that most of your audiences can relate to several, if not all, of
these factors.
I generated another list called “Eight Lectures I Would Pay a Small
Fortune to Hear” as an exercise in stimulating my own thinking when it
comes to grabber topics. I came up with the following:
How to think twice as effectively.
How to relate to and with anyone.
How to work half as much with double the effectiveness.
How to become sexually irresistible.
How to get a $100,000 book advance.
How to never be bored.
How to maintain 100 percent self-confidence.
How to stay in love forever.
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OBSTACLES AND IRRITATIONS
I’ve found that if you notice as few as two people experiencing a problem
in their personal lives, careers, or organizations, you have enough prelim-
inary evidence to begin exploration of the topic. Many ideas for topics
spring from obstacles and irritations. You may personally be confronting
an obstacle or irritation that is a topic worth exploring:
If you face a roadblock.
If there’s a situation wherein you could leap over the hurdle if only
you could get the right information.
If there is an issue that is too big for you.
Before I wrote a book on careers, I looked at the career books already
in print and found that most of them focused on things in which I had lit-
tle interest. Most career books talk about how to get a raise, how to get a
promotion, how to deal with/survive office politics, or how to fend for
your turf. I wasn’t looking to do any of these things—I wanted to know
how to get more visibility in my current position.
THE DEFICIENCIES APPROACH
Related to the irritations approach, another way to address the wants and
needs of audience members is to uncover “deficiencies”—unfilled wants
and needs. Here are some questions that will help you identify other pre-
sentation topics that will readily resonate with audiences:
What do people want to have or possess that they don’t have?
What do they want to resolve but thus far have not resolved?
What do people easily begin but then not finish?
Look closely at every quest, irritation, obstacle, or roadblock in your
life. The things that you encounter each day may turn into a speaking
topic for you.
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16
What would they like to change (within their power) but so far
haven’t been able to?
What are the routines they would like to break out of?
What do they want to say but haven’t said or perhaps don’t know
how to say?
What are the activities they would like to do but can’t get started on?
What are they retaining that they would prefer to let go?
How would they like to feel but haven’t been able to feel?
In what directions would they like to grow?
EXERCISES TO STIMULATE THOUGHT
While the issue of topics is firmly in your mind, some simple exercises will
help you identify, dislodge, and recognize potential presentation topics.
First, take a piece of paper and title it, “Irritations, Roadblocks,” fol-
lowed by three blank lines.
Now fill in the blanks. Come up with three irritations or roadblocks you
encounter when pursuing information in a given area. Often these relate to
something you want to accomplish, a problem you want to solve, or a chal-
lenge that arises. Then do the same for “deficiencies.”
Next, on the same page, write the word “gap” with three blank lines. In
the books, articles, and lectures to which you were recently exposed,
what parts prompted you to think there was something missing? Write
those gaps on these lines. At work, if there are some new procedures, pro-
grams, instructions, or operating guidelines that have an obvious gap,
write them down. If you notice gaps in topics, chances are good that other
people have made the same observations. Therefore, they represent po-
tentially fertile ground for future presentation topics.
Now set up another sheet titled “Horses to Ride.” This represents any
significant trend that has emerged or is looming on the horizon. The trend
could be related to your career, personal life, or something that is more
widely observable among career professionals or society in general.
For what kind of training do people in your industry routinely sign up?
What types of skills are currently in high demand and will likely be so for
the foreseeable future? Leadership? Time management? Customer ser-
vice? Adapting to technology?
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“Horses to ride,” that is, popular topics that are well within your ex-
pertise and comfort zone are worth further exploration as future presen-
tation topics.
Finally, set up another sheet to list “Other Topics.” Think about topics
that are already hot, such as those reflected in current books and lectures.
What are the big topics in the news right now? What special insights do
you have into these topics, based on your experiences?
As you continue to mull over these issues, turn to the question of why
you want to speak. This important consideration is another way to uncover
your perfect speaking topic.
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18
3
Why Do You
Want to Speak?
S
ometimes simply recognizing why you want to speak is important
for your overall development as a speaker. Some speakers want to
get free trips to great places, stay in nice hotels or resorts, eat
good meals, and deliver their presentations in magnificent meeting
rooms in festive atmospheres surrounded by enthusiastic participants.
Many people want to be public speakers because they, either knowingly
or not, need a large dose of approval. How else do you get people to ap-
plaud when you finish saying something? Certainly not at home! Audi-
ence approval can be highly stimulating, even intoxicating. I’d guess
that nearly 50 percent of professional speakers were drawn to the pro-
fession in large part because of the psychological payoff they get from
the audiences.
Other speakers want to be held in high esteem by their peers—
coworkers, friends, relatives, or other public speakers. Since public
speaking traditionally makes the top 10 lists of things people would pre-
fer to avoid, being a confident public speaker clearly could engender the
admiration and esteem of others. Some speakers seek the challenge of
encountering people they’ve never met and quickly convincing them that
what they have to present can change their lives for the better. A speaker
who flies to a city, makes his way to the convention hall, steps up to the
lectern, and in the next 45 minutes argues persuasively enough about
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WHY DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK? 19
some way to accomplish some great thing to convince virtually everyone
in the room performs a small act of magic.
Some, and hopefully you fall into this camp, have a burning desire to
serve their audiences. They are motivated by a passion for their topic and
compassion for helping others. Some want to help right wrongs, expose
injustices, and some empower their listeners, or create advocates—people
who will go out and carry the message further.
TOPICS OF PASSION
Conducting an audit of your own driving forces is a surprisingly simple
and highly effective way to identify your “topics of passion.” When you
are passionate about a topic, you are more likely to become an excellent
presenter on that topic. What motivates you? What inspires you?
The list that follows presents a wide range of characteristics that may
describe your ideal topic:
The need to be creative—This presentation might cover problem
solving, reducing costs, or how to be more creative.
Using time productively—If the use of time is a driving force in your
life, you might gravitate toward these issues: time management,
overcoming procrastination, project management, change manage-
ment, or life balance.
Experiencing inner harmony—These presentation topics might in-
clude life balance, meditation, travel, or self-discovery.
Improving your intellect—Topics for those who value having fine
minds could include increasing your brain power, developing a per-
sonal philosophy, lifelong education, and improving your IQ.
Generating wealth—Subjects in this arena include building your net
worth, choosing a financial planner, strategies for increasing your
savings, earning and retaining more, starting your own business, and
how to protect your assets.
Gaining recognition—This includes topics on the need for acknowl-
edgment and praise, self-esteem, self-worth, promoting yourself or
your business, getting interviewed by the media, and developing
charisma.
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20
Family unity—Related topics abound, including developing a strong
family; putting your family first; achieving a stronger marriage,
family, and faith; raising happy, healthy children; handling divorce.
Personal power—All people need some degree of personal power in
their lives. Related issues include increasing your personal power, in-
fluencing others, expressing yourself, assertiveness, and, of course,
how to be a public speaker!
Spirituality—Topics include understanding your faith, the world’s
great religions, religion and the family, defining Christianity (or
any other religion), and finding God within.
Compete for success—Many people feel the need to be in the game
and to do well in it, and a range of business, sports, and personal
topics can be derived from this drive, such as succeeding in your
own business, getting a raise, beating the competition, learning se-
crets of top competitors, and achieving peak performance.
Getting or staying organized—Related issues include getting organ-
ized, simplicity, time management, stress management, eliminating
waste, and controlling your environment.
Staying healthy—The list of subjects related to personal health and
safety is nearly endless, but may include nutrition and health, a
healthier you, how to be your own doctor, avoiding sports injuries,
and safe travel.
Serving others—Volunteering is on the rise and related topics in-
clude how charity begins at home, effective gift giving, being a
better listener, customer service, running for public office, and
supporting a cause.
Other personal drives related or unrelated to these may be responsible
for the initial breakthrough that leads to your interest in a particular topic
area. Think about the issues that inspire or frustrate you. In addition,
what is your personal mantra or belief system? If you own a company,
what is your mission statement?
To speak on a topic with any kind of passion, you need to do more than
move into that space. The topic has to be a part of you. It needs to be
something that you would be willing to speak about for free. The best top-
ics develop out of the great and not so great individual experiences in our
lives and the lives of people we observe.
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WHY DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK? 21
JEFF DAVIDSON’S PRESENTATION TOPICS
My most successful speeches are based on my audiences’ needs. A few of
these speeches are discussed next. Use this discussion to stimulate ideas
about your own unique speeches.
“Staying Prosperous in a World of Rapid Change”
Everywhere you look there are managers who are concerned about what
it takes to stay competitive in our rapidly changing society. In this pre-
sentation, I address this concern by laying out high-probability scenarios
of the future and what people can do to achieve or maintain leadership
positions in their markets and specialty areas, despite the frequency of
change to which they’re exposed.
“The Learning Organization”
The Information Age can overwhelm any company and its managers and
increase their workload, or it can help speed their work and increase their
free time. In this speech, I prepare organizations to handle the pace of
competing in a future that perpetually comes too fast. Once audiences un-
derstand the futility of attempting to access more than a tiny slice of the
information available to them, they’ll actually be happy about what
they’re missing—intentionally. Moreover, they’ll learn to make the most
of what they choose to keep pace with.
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22
4
Researching
Your Topic
T
here are a number of ways to find information on a particular
topic—from talking with meeting planners and industry leaders
to keeping up with the latest industry trends.
TAP MEETING PLANNERS
An excellent way to determine your best topic is to study the issues faced
by the actual meeting planners (and the organizations that employ them).
Some can speak at length about the topics that would interest their mem-
bers. Many a successful topic has sprung from a meeting planner’s re-
quest to a speaker to provide a certain type of program. In addition,
periodically some of the leading organizations in the meeting planning in-
dustry, among them Meeting Professionals International, survey their
members to ascertain what types of challenges they are facing.
If you’re a little reticent to tap a meeting planner, an easy way to find
out what’s of interest to the members of an organization is to ask for their
brochure, data, or a flyer from the previous year’s convention. Alterna-
tively, you could find information on the organization’s Web site. The
content doesn’t change so quickly as to make this year’s interests com-
pletely different from last year’s. You can also request:
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RESEARCHING YOUR TOPIC 23
A quarterly report, annual report, or 10K report. To obtain these,
write to an organization’s information department.
A video or cassette. If they’re part of a company, they may have a
promotional video or cassette that they send to their customers or
potential shareholders.
A membership directory. These are generally available in any
association.
Monthly publications, newsletters, legislative updates, key memos,
and faxes.
All of these help you get to know an industry, client, association, or
company. If I receive three or four of these items, I have enough informa-
tion to show up at the convention or meeting knowing something about my
audience. If you want to develop a topic, often all you need to do is run
through the information that you can gather on any group.
CURRENT CHALLENGES
I contacted a number of meeting planners I know to ask about their press-
ing concerns. Briefly summarized, here is a long list of current challenges
for meeting planners primarily from the ranks of business and industry
and professional and trade associations:
Intense competition—“How does our organization stay competitive
and profitable in the face of new companies entering the market-
place, some of which use cutthroat pricing?”
Reducing costs—“The ability to profitably produce and deliver our
products is as great as it has ever been. We can’t continually raise
prices, so reducing operational costs has become the way to go.”
Surviving—“Our industry is in a downturn; right now simply stay-
ing afloat is our greatest organizational challenge.”
Industry consolidation—“Everywhere you look, the larger firms are
buying up the smaller ones. With bigger budgets, bigger marketing
campaigns, and an extended reach, the industry giants are making it
hard for us to maintain our market share. If we don’t merge with
somebody, we might go under.”
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24
Employee recruitment—“Identifying, attracting, and retaining the
right people for the right positions have gotten incredibly difficult.
It seems as if there are many organizations vying for the same few
key job candidates.”
Employee turnover—“When we lose a good staff person, the impact
can be devastating. There is considerable down time during the
search, loss of morale, sometimes among the departed coworkers,
and the feeling that often we’re simply spinning our wheels.”
Restricted budgets—“We have to operate with less funding than last
year, and far less than the year before that. Meanwhile, job responsi-
bilities have increased, not decreased, or even held constant.”
Government regulations—“Despite everything you read about this
being an era of ‘deregulation,’ in our industry every other month
some new regulation comes down the pike causing us to devote
countless staff hours and a sizable chunk of our budget to comply.”
Dealing with change—“Our people report feeling overwhelmed with
everything they’ve had to endure, and yet, it seems as if the pace of
change is coming even faster. New procedures, equipment, technol-
ogy—when does it end?” (See Chapter 6.)
Continuing education—“We need to keep providing high quality ed-
ucation for our members and assist them in compiling sufficient
continuing education units (CEUs) on their path to certification,
promotion, and advancement.”
More programs to plan—“I’m managing 50 percent more meetings
this year than I did two years ago. Meanwhile, the lead-time for
meetings is shrinking, and I was already working as hard as I could.”
FINDING OPINION LEADERS
Richard Connor, my co-author for Marketing Your Consulting and Profes-
sional Services, says, “Those who serve, influence, and regulate members
of a selected niche are able to identify hot industry topics and those des-
tined to become hot.” By meeting such industry influentials and establish-
ing relationships with them, you can find today’s hot buttons—key issues
affecting your target industry. These issues are good speaking topics.
In addition, every industry has people who are influential—people
who give primary information as to what is plaguing their industry.
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Examples are CEOs of corporations, columnists, and stock analysts.
There are several ways to meet or speak with these individuals:
Call them directly and identify a topic of great interest to them.
Later in the conversation, you can transition to your interests.
Attend meetings, conventions, trade shows, and civic, charitable,
and social functions at which industry influentials will be present.
Through a third party, arrange to meet them at lunch. This form of
leveraging your existing relationships can double, or even triple, the
number of industry influentials you personally contact and the un-
derstanding you gain of emerging issues.
OTHER SOURCES FOR TOPICS
The challenges that meeting planners face aren’t necessarily the same
topics that their members would like to hear about at a convention. The
opinion columns of editors do, however, contain seeds, nuggets, and ideas
that are there for the taking.
Another reliable source for discovering topics is in the commentary sec-
tion of every newspaper or the opinion page of the Sunday newspaper. As you
read the editorials, often the author is expressing an opinion or an idea that
taps a nerve. What the editor says is what many people are thinking. You may
have been affected by it because it fits what you have been working on, who
you are, or what you are moving toward. Examine United States Today, the
New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and other trend-identifying publica-
tions. If you beat most of the rest of the pack on a particular emerging topic,
you may be able to carve out a niche for yourself for many years.
How many times have you opened up a magazine to see that someone
has written a letter to the editor or a rebuttal to a letter, and it is filled
with topic gems? In Atlantic Monthly, Harper’s, or other similar publica-
tions, the letters always appear to be written by smart people who had
their postsecondary education at Ivy League universities. Many times,
topics are right there for the taking, and no other reader is aware of the
opportunities. Even old magazine issues contain universally ignored topic
gems buried in the letters to the editor.
Association executives are also opinion leaders. They influence indus-
try because they tell you what their members need. Do you belong to the
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26
state or national association or society? You can join as an associate
member if you are not an executive or an association official. You don’t
have to be an association member to receive its publication. You can still
read the monthly magazine and see what issues the association comes up
against. The clues are there in abundance.
Once you uncover some interesting speaking topics, you need to select
those that match where you’re already headed. The topics need to coin-
cide with who you are and what you face in life, because this is where
your passion is going to be. Because of your excitement in your chosen di-
rection, people will pay to hear you over and over again.
FOLLOW THE GURUS
Each industry has gurus. These individuals set off chain reactions that
can be used for subject matter. Two authors, Tom Peters and Robert
Waterman, wrote a book on excellence that was a best-seller. The au-
thors, Peters in particular, became widely quoted managment gurus. It is
inevitable that for the next several years, there will be sessions within
conventions and meetings among salespeople, engineers, and other corpo-
rate departments that will involve the topic of excellence.
How do you know when the book is big enough and enduring enough?
The sales figures say so. It is an oddity for a business book to be a New
York Times best-seller for a year or more. While the Peters and Waterman
book sold six million copies worldwide, authors Silva and Hickman sold
400,000 copies of their book, Managing Excellence. Not bad. Another
book, Creating Excellence, sold several hundred thousand copies. These
authors and speakers were able to feed off a guru’s hot topic, and through
their well-presented contribution, they made a good living on those topics.
TAKE A LIBRARIAN TO LUNCH
Librarians can prove to be beneficial sources of good speaking topics.
I realized the value of tapping a librarian’s knowledge years ago when I
first started writing books, primarily on small business.
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Margaret Hickey was the head librarian at the U.S. Small Business Ad-
ministration in Washington, DC. She knew about every new book on
small business. She cataloged each item, knew the articles, and, in many
instances, she knew the authors. She knew the special reports, think tank,
university, and the government-based publications.
One day, I asked Hickey if she had a list of the most frequently re-
quested topics by those who come into the library or those who call. She
went over to her desk and whipped out a list of 15 topics. The list repre-
sented several years and several hundred inquiries of what people were
looking for. It was right there!
I went to another librarian, a city librarian, and asked if she had such a
list. The librarian in the municipal library also had a list. And it then
struck me—librarians know what isn’t being covered!
Business librarians and meeting planners seem like such obvious
sources of great information—and yet perhaps it hadn’t occurred to you
to ask them. In this next chapter, I’ll explore your own intrinsic skills and
strengths that you might also have overlooked.
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28
5
Tapping Your
Hidden Strengths
A
nother strategy for finding winning presentation topics is to
consider your “throwaways” that others would pay a fortune to
hear.
SAVE YOUR THROWAWAYS
What is a throwaway? It is something that you’re so good at, so fully im-
mersed and so proficient in, that you would never imagine that anyone
would want to hear it as a presentation! For you, the topic is so simple that
it is below your radar screen.
This being my thirty-second book, you could make the observation that
a great presentation topic for me would be how to get a book published,
how to write a book, or how to handle some other aspect of developing
book topics, proposals, chapters and so on. (It would be a great topic for
me to deliver, but I have no interest in addressing it as a presentation.)
The challenge for you is to uncover your own throwaways and begin to
seriously explore them as presentation topics. Here are some key state-
ments you can use to help unearth those topics that lie within you:
“If I do it, others want to know about it.”—Are you an opinion
leader among your peer group? Do you have activities or hobbies
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TAPPING YOUR HIDDEN STRENGTHS 29
that routinely seem to enamor others? Do you have any skills or
abilities that others envy? If so, these areas are ripe for further ex-
ploration.
“If I’m thinking about it others want to know.”—Have you written
any articles, letters to the editor, or online replies to a question
posed in a forum? Review what you’ve written. There are insights
and potentially fresh perspectives buried within them.
CREATE A MODEL
Years ago, I hit upon the notion that (1) regardless of what happens in the
future, the world population will continue to increase; (2) media growth
that transmits and disseminates all the information generated by the 6.5
billion people will continue; (3) for the foreseeable future, paper will con-
tinue to amass; and thus (4) the overabundance of choices each person
faces each day will continue.
For the last 14 years, I’ve gathered every shred of information I’ve en-
countered in a newspaper or a magazine, on a Web site, or during conver-
sations that fits into one of my four mega-realities. These ideas have
become my model, which I’ve built up over the years as I’ve added more
and more information. Happily, the longer you stick with your model, the
more your topic deepens, growing in a positive way. You remain forever
on the “cutting edge” without even seeming to work.
EXPAND ON WHAT
YOU’RE ALREADY SAYING
What can be expanded among the topics you’re already presenting?
When I give my presentation on “Breathing Space®
,” I have a compo-
nent on creative procrastination techniques. It occurred to me that with
a little time and effort, I could expand the five to eight minutes I had on
creative procrastination into a one-hour program. Now, whenever I’m
booked to speak at a major convention for a keynote, I also suggest to the
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30
meeting planner that my presentation on creative procrastination would
make a wonderful breakout session. Often, I get booked for this session
as well.
Once you start actively speaking, remember to listen to your audience.
If you give a presentation and get a laugh, maybe you have struck a nerve.
You may have something that merits more conversation or even a whole
speech. When you get a gasp or a groan from your audience, you have
either told a bad joke or have received a great clue to other topics.
Beyond paying attention to their reactions during your presentation,
listen to audience comments during breaks and afterwards, in person and
in letters. Many times audience remarks provide valuable hints as to
which topics they are interested in and would like for you to expand. You
might also poll audiences about what would interest them—you might be
surprised by their desires.
In addition, have you ever been interviewed by newspaper reporters?
Often they ask questions that lead us in different directions than what we
expected to be interviewed about and, in some instances, particularly
when the conversation gets lively, the seeds of another topic lie within.
For example, I was interviewed by USA Today on the topic of how people
can have more breathing space in their lives. During our interview, the re-
porter asked me about an issue I hadn’t considered as a speaking topic. As
it turned out, this issue made for a good breakout session, and I have since
added it to my repertoire. Here is a list of some more of my topics. Notice
that each subtopic supports the overall topic in a small way:
1. Overworked or Overwhelmed?
The Root Causes of the Pressure You Feel
Recapturing Your Day, Week, Year, Career, and Life
2. Creating More Time and Space in Your Life
What They Don’t Teach You at Time Management Seminars
Harnessing Creative Procrastination
3. Choosing When It’s Confusing: Better Decision Making
Which Decisions Are Worth Making
When to Trust Your Intuition and How to Test Your Proficiency
For any topic that you derive, as you give the issue more thought, and
perhaps more research, four, six, and eight topics or more emerge, almost
naturally. Once you become immersed, you rarely have to work at it.
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WHAT’S MISSING IN OTHER
PEOPLE’S PRESENTATIONS
When you look at business practices, educational institutions, govern-
ment, or human interaction in general, keep a keen eye out for what’s
missing. Often, great speaking topics develop because someone was as-
tute enough to conclude that, for example, business executives were suffi-
ciently deficient in some skill area or leadership technique such that a
speech could be developed to fill the gap.
For example, most sales training programs concentrate mostly on the
opening and closing parts of a sale, despite the fact that the most impor-
tant point in landing a sale is the follow-up. It is the strategic, properly
timed follow-up that brings the person along a particular path to the point
where he or she is ready, and yet I see little said about follow-up. If any-
body came out with a great presentation on the follow-up to a sales call,
he or she would be in demand overnight.
GO WITH THE INTRIGUE
Think back to the last time you saw a provocative television show, lis-
tened to a captivating radio program, or read something in a book or mag-
azine that intrigued you. In 1963, Jessica Mitford gave a successful
lecture on the funeral industry in America and how people approach their
deaths, the deaths of loved ones, and the whole prospect of choosing a
final resting place.
Her book, The American Way of Death, was an exposé of mortuary
malpractice as well as an anthropological study of a peculiar strata of
American culture. Mitford uncovered the secret language of morticians.
For example, funeral directors referred to cremated ashes as “cremains.”
As you might imagine, Mitford’s lectures caused quite a stir. Ms. Mitford
was not initially an expert in this field, yet she carved out a niche for her-
self because the topic intrigued her personally.
If a topic intrigues you, it’s bound to intrigue others. Ask yourself,
“Why does this intrigue me? Why does it intrigue others?” These ques-
tions will allow you to find some explanations. The answers themselves
may merit further exploration.
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32
To accelerate your awareness of topics within you, work with a friend.
Ask someone who knows you well to help you identify your own driving
forces, how these play out in your daily affairs, and what potentially re-
lated public speaking topics might be worth developing.
CONVERSE, RECORD, AND WIN
Some of your best presentation topics can originate from telephone con-
versations. It’s not expensive to acquire two-way recording capabilities.
The next time you are speaking to a friend or confidant about some topic
vital to one or both of you, pause for a moment and say, “Let me get this
on tape.” Once you have turned on your machine, let the conversation rip.
FROM BRAINSTORM TO SPEAKING TOPIC
To tap further into the rich vein of intellectual thought, brainstorm with a
friend or small group of people who know you well. Simply pose this
question to the group: “What topics could I effectively speak on?” Then,
let the brainstorming process ensue.
Brainstorming is a mental technique that offers a valuable way of ex-
ploring new ideas, in this case speech topics, or of supporting ideas you’ve
already established. When brainstorming, give free flight to your topic
ideas. Let ideas flow without judging them, and you will generate many
times the ideas produced through the normal reasoning process. After
you’ve generated many ideas, you can go back to evaluate their viability.
Here are some quick guidelines for brainstorming:
1. Suspend all judgment. This is a time to remove your internal censor.
No topic is too silly or too wild to include when brainstorming.
2. Think quantity, not quality. The more topic ideas you generate, the
better the chances are of hitting upon something new and intriguing.
3. Extrapolate and cross-fertilize. No matter how silly it may seem, take
your ideas to the nth degree. Combine ideas in unusual ways to stim-
ulate yet more ideas.
4. Evaluate later. Do not close your mind to any suggestions. A topic idea
that seemed ridiculous yesterday may seem more palatable tomorrow.
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For the most effective brainstorming, eliminate distractions. Sit com-
fortably with a pencil and paper or a pocket dictator. Then form a ques-
tion or a problem to be handled. Make your question specific, such as,
“What represents a high-demand speaking topic that I could develop?”
Once you’ve aired the question, immediately begin jotting down or
recording your ideas.
Record the first thing that comes to your mind. Do not judge your re-
sponses or you’ll short-change the process. You can fill in the details of
your notes later. If you’re writing, make notes in brief phrases to save
time. If you’re dictating, allow yourself full sentences, but then return to
your brainstorming mode so that other ideas may follow.
After you’ve finished, review your notes. Examine the possibilities.
Discard unusable ideas only at the end. Continue to suspend all judgment
during this exercise. Often, wild and crazy topics, when combined or al-
tered slightly, prove to be your most novel, effective ideas. Remember
that your imagination is one of your best tools. So let yourself go.
LET YOUR CREATIVITY UNFOLD
I know people who get their ideas in the shower, while jogging, while lis-
tening to tapes, or while eating or driving. Take advantage of those
places that for whatever reason seem to stimulate your creative energies.
Have a pen or pocket dictator nearby so that you can capture your
thoughts. The late Earl Nightingale once said, “Ideas are like slippery
fish.” If you let them get away, you probably won’t get them back. Don’t
let this happen to you.
Finally, never underestimate the power and potential of a topic. Try out
new topics or topic segments. Donate several minutes of a presentation to
a new topic, a wrinkle on a topic, or at least a wrinkle on a subtopic. De-
vote three-, six-, or nine-minute segments of your presentation to being
absolutely experimental. Regardless of what happens, you’ll gain valuable
information.
Perhaps during your brainstorming, you’ll select the topic of mitigat-
ing change. As I discuss in the next chapter, change is an evergreen sub-
ject, especially in today’s tumultuous economy.
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34
6
Dealing with Change:
The All Pervasive Topic
A
ll groups and individuals confront change in one form or another.
If you speak to organizations, associations, or businesses (and
that covers considerable territory), it’s useful to understand
some of the fundamental issues common to all organizations and change
managers and highlight a number of change situations that audiences may
be encountering.
SUCCESSFUL CHANGE CAMPAIGNS
The most successful change campaigns, ideally, are comprehensive—no
stones are left unturned; all of the steps, interim goals, and final outcomes
are achieved. By many estimates, less than one-third of actual change
campaigns proceed according to plan and generate the intended results.
Change campaigns may affect a small part of an organization or the
entire organization. In any case, something is irrevocably altered. The or-
ganization, department, or division can’t go back to what came before,
how people used to do things, or “standard operating procedures.”
In Change Is an Unnatural Act, Andrew Grove, the much-quoted chair-
man of Intel Corporation, observes that many changes hit organizations “in
such a way that those of us in senior management are among the last to no-
tice.” Hence, there can be a pressing need to bring in outside speakers,
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DEALING WITH CHANGE 35
trainers, and consultants. Michael Porter, PhD, a professor at Harvard Uni-
versity, and the author of Competitive Advantage, adds that large-scale
change within an organization represents an unnatural act. “The behavior
required to sustain advantage, then, is in many respects an unnatural act for
established firms.” Porter says, “Few companies make significant improve-
ments in strategy changes voluntarily. Most are forced to. The management
of companies that sustain competitive advantage always runs a little scared.”
Therefore, if you’re asked to address a group that’s undertaking any
type of change campaign, recognize that many people may disguise the fact
that they are a little scared. Such feelings are par for the course. There are
a realm of professionals who need to commit to behaviors that “constitute
an unnatural act” while being leery about the change campaign in general.
CULTURAL CHANGE
Many organizations today are seeking some variation of cultural change,
such as increasing the diversity of the workforce, converting to a flatter
organizational structure, helping professional staff balance work and fam-
ily life, altering and extending the lines of communication, or even devel-
oping a new operating philosophy and corporate image. If you address any
of these issues, your presentation could be in demand.
Speakers whose presentations are based on change can help managers
decide on strategic alternatives. When faced with three possible paths that
an organization can take, for example, it’s not uncommon to commission
someone from within or hire an outside speaker-expert or consultant. The
greater the departure the paths represent from the organization’s operat-
ing history, the more crucial the need for an outside expert’s viewpoint.
In the rest of the chapter, I’ll discuss some of the pervasive change issues
(and hence potent speaking topics) facing many of your potential audiences.
RESTRUCTURING, DOWNSIZING
Over the years, articles in publications such as the Wall Street Journal and
Business Week have discussed how companies’ efforts to downsize often
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36
result in too much purging; hence, the term “rightsizing” became popu-
lar. It means determining the appropriate staffing levels within an organi-
zation based on both a short- and a long-term perspective. Speakers who
touted downsizing as a panacea to all company ills have fallen out of
favor.
A variety of other widely used terms, such as “restructuring,” “reor-
ganizing,” “rationalizing,” and “de-layering” emerged recently. In such
change situations, the elimination of staff must be done for the express
purpose of meeting specific objectives and/or fostering growth, and not
as an expedient, cost-cutting reflex.
As a result of downsizing or other organization-shaking initiatives,
you may find yourself addressing a group that needs to rebuild trust or
confidence.
Those surviving downsizing often take on a guarded posture—they
don’t share information freely with others, they are less likely to be ef-
fective team members, and they are reluctant to make sacrifices for the
organization. The challenge of addressing groups comprised of such indi-
viduals may be considerable. As I’ll discuss in later chapters, it’s critical
when you sign on as a speaker to ask the event organizer what pertinent
issues the company is facing and what sensitive topics to avoid.
CAPITALIZING ON CONSTITUENCIES
Many companies find themselves facing diversity issues when they have
not creatively approached the situation (see Chapter 29, “The Diversity
Factor”). By failing to address immediate challenges, such companies may
find they have internal morale problems with employees, as well as prob-
lems in the marketplace. As a speaker on diversity issues, you may be as-
signed the challenge of helping managers and staff incorporate the best
and most effective elements of diversity into their organizations, depart-
ments, or divisions. Again, gathering information prior to the presentation
is crucial for shaping this type of talk.
Find the Trailblazer
When the process a company seeks to install does not represent a first for
its industry, the company often looks for a trailblazer. Who else in the
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DEALING WITH CHANGE 37
industry has made such an installation or has knowledge of the change dy-
namics? As a speaker, you can help audiences understand how the changes
they embark on will impact them and thus, how to best approach them.
In Virgin Territory
Clients who tread in completely new territory, that is, no one else has in-
corporated a given process and the change will position them as industry
leaders, understandably incur high risk and commensurate high reward.
Speakers who can address issues related to risk and reward, and overcom-
ing specific challenges, are in demand among these organizations.
Incorporating New Technology
Perhaps an organization is installing new hardware or software that offers
tremendous operating advantages, and it’s ultimately to everyone’s benefit
to have this new technology incorporated as soon as possible. This would
necessitate the development of a training schedule and often the retention
of speakers, trainers, and consultants with applicable technical expertise.
Many organizations have long-standing departments whose missions
are to provide such training, as the benefits of adopting new technology
become apparent. Some organizations, however, outsource this function.
Smaller companies often don’t have the means internally, and hence may
be even more likely to seek outside help.
INSTILLING A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP
Employee stock operating plans (ESOPs) give staffs the opportunity to
participate in the ownership of their organizations. This is in contrast to
the sense of ownership that speakers are called in to address: This is psy-
chological ownership, not financial. Employees need and want to believe
that their efforts will be instrumental in the future success of the organi-
zation. This sounds like Management 101, but unless employees have a
sense of ownership regarding the work that they do, their goals, and the
overall success of the company, they’re merely putting in time. Speakers
effective at helping to instill a sense of ownership among organization
members are often in high demand.
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38
Vital Companies, Vital Involvement
Vital organizations find ways to get employees involved in the work and
affairs of the organization on many levels, often bringing in outside
speakers to plant the seeds of involvement and initiative. Some organiza-
tions draw on speakers to help with interorganizational campaigns that
raise levels of employee pride, encouraging greater participation among
employees in company-sponsored community involvement volunteering
situations, or as facilitators for tapping the insights and opinions of em-
ployees through focus groups, forums, and roundtable sessions.
OTHER CHANGE
MANAGEMENT SITUATIONS
Beyond what has been discussed thus far, is the company expanding,
adding branches, or relocating its headquarters? Moves often merit the
wisdom of outside experts. Other types of changes might include adopting
a new quality management system; revising a mission or mission state-
ment; restructuring a specific operation; or reorienting the way an organi-
zation, department, or division operates.
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39
7
Meeting Types
and Variations
O
nce you have a list of various speaking topics, it’s important to
find out what kinds of audiences will hear your presentations.
The descriptors that groups use when announcing and conduct-
ing their meetings yield valuable clues as to what a speaker can expect at
such gatherings. By understanding the various types of meetings, you can
create speeches that fit their schedules, audiences, and time frames.
A summary of the most common types of meetings follows. Recog-
nize, however, that a particular group may classify its meeting one way
but actually have the operating characteristics of another type. For in-
stance, a group may call its annual meeting a conference when it oper-
ates far more like a convention. Recognize as well that any particular
group’s meeting might encompass elements of two or more of the meet-
ing categories.
CONVENTION
A convention is usually driven by a theme. Ideally, all of the presentations
and programs offered at the convention in some way tie in to the overall
theme. Conventions can last anywhere from two to more than seven days
and, during this time, there may be one or more keynote or general session
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40
presentations and many educational or workshop-type sessions, often
called breakout sessions. Such sessions provide detailed information and
support of general session presentations while offering participants a full
range of other topics relevant to their careers or personal lives.
The annual convention of most groups is synonymous with their “an-
nual meeting.” At such a gathering, the board of directors and officers
may have pre- and postconvention sessions apart from the typical break-
out sessions. Some officers and directors heavily involved with commit-
tee meetings and behind-the-scenes affairs will actually attend few or
none of the general or breakout sessions.
One of the strong attractions of a convention or annual meeting
for many participants is the opportunity to network with fellow partici-
pants. However, the networking generally occurs between the speeches.
Virtually all of the presentations and sessions scheduled at a convention
represent one-way information dissemination. While there may be
panels, forums, and question-and-answer opportunities for audience
members in particular sessions, participants are generally there to listen
and learn.
CONFERENCE
A conference can run for many days, but it may also be held on a single
day; in fact, half-day conferences have become popular. Like conventions,
conferences are frequently based on an overall theme. Whereas a conven-
tion is likely to be an annual event, a conference may or may not be held
on a regular basis.
There is no hard rule as to how many people need to attend for a meet-
ing to be deemed a conference. Conference participants, unlike conven-
tion participants, may find themselves involved in presentations and
discussions to a great degree. Again, panels, forums, and question-and-
answer sessions offer participants a variety of interaction. There may
also be scheduled sessions for consultations, group problem solving, table
topic discussions, fact-finding or formal inquiry panels, and so on. The
meeting location for a scheduled conference could be on the premises of
the host organization, elsewhere in the same city, or at a meeting facility
or resort of regional or national attraction.
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MEETING TYPES AND VARIATIONS 41
SYMPOSIUM
Symposiums are formal proceedings that focus on a particular discussion
topic. The gathering has a specific focus and/or is taking a unique or spe-
cial approach to a current or emerging issue. People in health care or edu-
cation attend them regularly.
Symposiums can be as brief as a couple of hours or they can span sev-
eral days. There may be fewer than 10 participants or a large number equal
to that of a conference or even convention. Symposiums can take many
forms, such as a series of presentations, often called “delivering a paper,”
panel discussions with qualified experts and significant audience partici-
pation, or panel discussions.
FORUM
Public forums are the stock and trade of local governments, commissions,
counties, wards, and other political or legal jurisdictions. Subject matter
experts are often invited to discuss various aspects of a public issue, and
sometimes a panel of experts with both pro and con opinions is assembled.
Audience members often have free-ranging opportunities to question
forum participants; however, audience participation is not necessarily an
element of every forum.
Forums tend to be held on a single day, usually for periods between 45
minutes and 3 hours. The meeting location is easily accessible to a major-
ity of constituents. It is publicly announced, anyone may attend, and there
is no charge. Finally, as a result of the issues raised, action on the topic in
discussion is usually forthcoming in the days or weeks following the forum.
SEMINAR
The term seminar originated in academia, when a professor or teacher
working closely with a small group of students would meet to cover a spe-
cific topic. Over the years, the term has broadened to encompass a meet-
ing of at least 10 to 100 people. Seminars often take place in a quiet,
out-of-the-way location.
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42
A seminar instructor, leader, or facilitator may make an opening pre-
sentation and other presentations throughout the duration of the meeting,
often punctuated by group discussions and team meetings. There is a sig-
nificant amount of give and take between attendees.
Seminars can be for either a specific or a general audience including the
public. Participants can thoroughly benefit without doing any preseminar
work or postseminar follow-up. In that sense, the information imparted
during a seminar is designed to be a distinct, complete, comprehensive unit
in and of itself.
Each participant in a seminar is usually there because he or she wants
to be or, at the least, has been directed to be. The time away from routine
activities is regarded as valuable. Detailed, comprehensive materials,
such as audiovisuals and participant packets, are produced to ensure opti-
mal benefit and participation.
WORKSHOP
Workshops share many of the same characteristics of seminars. The size
of the group, the location, the orientation, and the audiovisual materials
and participant packets are similar to those used in a seminar. The funda-
mental difference is that a workshop implies that the group meets on at
least a semi-regular basis or as part of a convention or conference.
The content of the information provided in a workshop is specific to
the group in attendance and may concentrate on a narrow topic area. Un-
like a seminar, workshop participants may be required to do work in ad-
vance and/or may be required to do follow-up work once the workshop is
completed.
Workshop participants are encouraged to communicate with the in-
structor, facilitator, or workshop leader and with one another. The idea is
to create a “hands-on” experience in some key job or skill-related area
that you can implement immediately.
TRAINING
Training is a term that is widely used in the meeting industry. Training
may take place at a client’s location or at an off-site facility. Generally,
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the content of such a presentation is tailored, if not customized for the au-
dience, and designed to meet specific learning objectives that the host or-
ganization has agreed on with the meeting planner and presenter.
Training session participants are often required to do work in advance,
in the form of reading, exercise, or experimentation. Following a training
session, there may be assessment, follow-up, and additional sessions. Pro-
fessional speaker Phil Wexler makes a nice distinction between training
and other forms of public speaking: “Training is when you are the agenda;
speaking is when you are on the agenda.”
In a training session, participants are assembled to develop a particular
skill or set of skills. The hands-on environment lets them practice during
the session. At the end of the session, new goals may be set for subsequent
sessions, depending on assessments from feedback.
LECTURE
A lecture is usually regarded as a one-time presentation to a unique audi-
ence. Lectures can be given annually, and usually, a different speaker is
sought each year. Universities, as well as health care organizations and li-
braries, will often sponsor lecture series, and lectures typically last no
longer than two hours.
RETREAT
A retreat refers to any type of learning environment where a presenter (or
instructor) and participants are convened at a location apart from the rou-
tine distractions and disturbances that otherwise would hamper learning.
Retreats are often held at locations with meeting facilities designed
specifically to host such gatherings. An executive retreat may consist of a
handful of top executives in a department. An outside facilitator or pre-
senter may or may not be employed.
Retreats generally last at least half a day and multiple-day retreats
are not uncommon. The presumption at the conclusion of a retreat is that
the participants will resolve specific topics and develop some type of ac-
tion plan or some agreed on new, collective behavior to be implemented
immediately.
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44
Most retreats are designed to enhance participants’ abilities to focus
on the issue at hand in a supportive, pleasant environment. Business ca-
sual or casual dress is the norm, as are ample break times, snacks, re-
freshments, and opportunities to mingle.
If you’re asked to make a presentation at a convention, conference,
symposium, forum, seminar, workshop, or lecture, make sure that you un-
derstand exactly what the meeting planner means by such terminology,
and structure your speech accordingly.
TYPES OF HOST ORGANIZATIONS
The type of organization to which you speak may also affect the nature of
your topic. By becoming familiar with the types, you can adjust your pre-
sentations to fit their needs. Descriptions of the key types of host organi-
zations follow:
Large corporations: These hosts represent any companies in the For-
tune 500 or Service 500, multinational corporations, and foreign
corporations. Such groups often have their own meeting facilities,
but they may opt to rent a hotel or conference space for particular
meetings. Large corporations have narrower time frames in terms of
planning.
Mid-sized companies: This category represents the largest area of
host organizations. Such companies are not household names, but
they often have a strong local or regional presence. A bank is not
likely to be a Fortune 500 or Service 500 company, but it may not be
a small business either, particularly if it has several branches.
Small businesses: Most small businesses in America have less than
10 employees. However, there are still nearly 1,500,000 businesses
with 50 employees or more. For a public speaker, that fact translates
to presentation opportunities. Such businesses may have regularly
scheduled, annual, quarterly, or monthly staff meetings that may or
may not include the services of an outside speaker.
Professional societies: This includes groups such as Toastmasters
International and American Society of Association Executives,
both of which are composed of individuals who have common inter-
ests. In the case of Toastmasters, for example, public speaking is
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the interest. Their annual meetings can be huge affairs. Such groups
also have many regional, local, or district meetings.
Trade associations: There are thousands of these types of associa-
tions just within the United States alone. Members of such groups
tend to be owners or managers of businesses offering a service or
engaging in some type of trade. They often welcome speakers who
offer vital information about their trades.
Professional associations: Professional associations abound in every
field. From American Trial Attorneys to the National Association of
Realtors to the American Society of Associations, executives in
every conceivable profession are represented by at least one associa-
tion. Speakers are often beneficial to them.
Government agencies: Federal, state, and local government agencies
hold meetings for their staffs and bring in outside speakers primar-
ily for some aspect of skill development. Whether it is the U.S. Trea-
sury, the State of California, or Suffolk County, staff members in
government organizations need to continually update their job skills
just like people in the private sector.
Educational institutions: Universities, schools, and other institutions
of learning can also hold opportunities for outside speakers. Many
universities have visiting lecture series and other annually and sea-
sonally based events in which nonstaff personnel are asked to make
presentations. Specific departments within an educational institu-
tion sometimes look for opportunities to bring in outside speakers.
Local groups: Within communities with at least 50,000 or more
people, you can count on the existence of a variety of local groups,
including political groups, men’s or women’s groups, and local
chapters of civic and fraternal organizations, such as the Citizens,
Lyons, Rotarians, and Elks Club. The opportunities to address such
groups are virtually endless, and many meet on a weekly, bi-
weekly, or monthly basis.
KEEPING YOUR MATERIAL FRESH
No matter how interesting your topic is originally, when you deliver it
too often, a problem can occur—it falls into a somewhat mechanical rou-
tine. Slowly, subtly, in ways that the speaker doesn’t perceive, his or her
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46
presentation starts to go flat and comes across as a “canned” speech.
Some speakers half-heartedly inject new elements into the presentation to
help enliven it, but the fix is only temporary.
When your speeches start boring your audiences, return to square one.
Before you give another presentation, revisit every element of your speech.
If you have an audio- or videotape of yourself, closely watch or listen to it.
Take notes as to where and when you can improve the timing and delivery
of your presentation. Does it need fresh data or new anecdotes?
Maintaining a clipping file is a good start in meeting the challenge of
continually improving your presentation. Many professional speakers rou-
tinely refer to them. Such files include any relevant articles from maga-
zines, newspapers, or Web sites. On a long-term basis, clipping, saving, and
reviewing articles related to your presentations may confirm what you’ve
been saying all along. Occasionally you find something that prompts you to
rethink what you’ve been telling audiences. Is it time to change your view?
Perhaps a minor point in your presentation should gain more recognition, or
vice versa.
THE FAST TRACK TO A
FLAT PRESENTATION
If you don’t routinely clip and file articles, watch out—it’s only a matter
of time before your presentations go stale. Changes in society, technol-
ogy, your marketplace, business, and the world at large occur too fre-
quently for any speech to remain intact over the long haul, no matter how
well you can deliver it.
You need to go the extra mile to stay in the forefront of your topic’s
presenters. Take your own surveys and attend conventions. Be an opinion
leader by deciding that you’ll write a letter to the editor. When you go
that extra mile, it will seem easy because you are working on something
that is a part of you; furthermore, soon, you’ll be the one who starts to
shake the industry.
Now, we’ll focus on how to make your topic come alive by using
humor, gestures, visuals, stories, pauses, and silence!
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47
PART II
DEVELOPING AND ENLIVENING
YOUR PRESENTATION
A
udiences today are overwhelmed by too much competition for
their time and attention. Each audience member is more dis-
tracted, has more on his or her mind, and has a harder time
maintaining concentration than people of prior generations. The chapters
in Part II focus on gaining listeners’ attention, honing and refining your
timing and delivery, using humor, “owning” the stage, and using stories to
connect with your audiences on a higher level. Developing these skills
will make your speeches memorable. Audience members have been sub-
jected to many speakers who lack appropriate humor, gestures, and sto-
ries. Thus, when someone steps up to the podium and effectively offers
humor, they can’t help but be drawn in.
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49
8
Get Humorous or
Get Going
F
ar too often speakers are satisfied with simply offering an inter-
esting presentation. They ignore the role that humor plays in con-
tributing to the effectiveness of their presentation.
KEEP IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE
Few events in life are so serious that humor cannot be injected into them.
Do you remember when Ronald Reagan was shot? Although he was seri-
ously injured, he reportedly said to his doctors: “Please assure me you are
all Republicans.” Reagan put everyone else at ease by infusing some
humor in what was undoubtedly a very tense situation. That humor at the
pivotal moment made a difference in how some people viewed him and
his administration for the rest of his presidency.
HUMOR IN A TENSE WORLD
Why use humor at all? We’ve grown up in a world in which everyone
has the ability to take the remote control, click it, and surf through the
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50
channels. People’s attention spans are decreasing to all-time lows. If
you’re in front of a group and you don’t have something humorous to say
at least once every seven minutes, you are going to have a tough time.
If it helps, think of yourself as a television show, with a humorous com-
mercial break every seven minutes to give your audience a chance to digest
what you have been saying. You’re competing today with all media, not
just the speaker in the next room, MTV, or CDs, but all media from which
your audience expects a good mix of entertainment and information.
HUMOROUS INTRODUCTIONS
Starting at the beginning of your time on stage, should your introduction
be humorous? It should if your entire speech is going to be humorous. You
don’t want to lead the audience to believe that they’re getting one type of
speech when you plan on delivering another.
Begin by stating in your introduction (delivered by someone else) what
you do and then make a joke about it. As such, you can begin to entertain
your audience before you say a word. For example, my introduction states:
“Jeff has spoken on three continents to organizations such as America On-
line, American Express, Nation’s Bank, Swissotel, and Uncle Joe’s Eat
and Run.”
Sometimes, the audience or some other outsider adds humor to your
speech. Once, a woman who introduced me added, “You can look it up,” re-
garding the frequency of my book sales. I didn’t think the line made sense—
however, it got a laugh, so thereafter I included it in my introductions.
Opening Lines
You can use a funny opener even if you don’t have a funny introduction.
There are cases when you should assess the audience before proceeding
with your jokes. Professional speaker Dale Irvin warns against the dangers
of attempting to be humorous with a “cold” audience. As he says, “The au-
dience has to have laughed a little bit about something before they will
laugh a lot about anything,” he says. “Hence, your entré to humor can be a
warm-up story that brings a smile,” he advises, “but is not outright funny.”
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GET HUMOROUS OR GET GOING 51
GETTING STARTED
If you haven’t employed humor before, don’t be reticent; there are easy
ways to get started. Lola Gillebaard recommends being “yourself on the
edge.” Gillebaard, on the Web at www.laughandlearn.org, is one of my
favorite humorists. A veteran speaker with a keen sense of mirth and a
twinkle in her eye, Gillebaard has delighted audiences all over the world.
She advises using humor based “on your own universal experience. Be
original.”
As with many humorists, she feels it’s vital to let the audience have
“enough time to laugh. Deliver your line, give them a few moments, then
enhance whatever gets a laugh.” Seek added opportunities to inject a sec-
ond and third punch line.
Gillebaard is not averse to including a dash of impropriety in her humor
while ensuring that it doesn’t offend particular groups or individuals. She
believes that “the key to staying funny is to be a little scared.” Even if
you’re not a humorist, she advises offering something humorous about
every five minutes during your presentation.
Too many public speakers who attempt to add humor to their presenta-
tions take too long to build up. “Be brief,” Gillebaard says. “The longer
the audience has to wait before you reach the punch line, the funnier it
better be.”
For speakers committed to improving their on-stage humor, Gillebaard
suggests, “taking a stand-up comic course via a local college or going to
an open microphone session. Today’s conflict with pain is tomorrow’s
humor,” she says. “If you’ve lived it, you can be humorous about it.”
For practice, speak to a small, friendly group. Begin with a story that
you know will work. Also, don’t be afraid to try new things, like limer-
icks or poems. In other words, attempt to generate humor that accents
the absurd.
READING JOKES
Some speakers say that you should not read a joke aloud during a speech.
But this depends on the situation. You can determine whether or not to
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read a joke depending on the audience, how long you’ve been speaking to
them, and what the atmosphere is like. There is no hard and fast rule, and
you have to do what fits for you.
Sometimes, you can use a joke based on the audience to whom you are
speaking. If you’re speaking to a group of lawyers or small business entre-
preneurs, you could get away with a joke that’s related to their own indus-
try. This depends on the time, the place, how long you have been with the
audience, the atmosphere, the repertoire, and the dynamics of the situation.
You can also take the little occurrences that may happen during a
speech or presentation and make them humorous. Scott Friedman uses
such humor. If Scott is speaking to a group and a beeper goes off, he says,
“Oh, time to take my pills.” If you’re speaking to an audience when an
ambulance goes by, and the siren distracts your audience, then you bring
their attention back to you with a line like, “There’s my ride, got to go.”
INTERACTIVE HUMOR
Humor can occur in conversations between you and your audience mem-
bers. While speaking to the International Management Council of the
YMCA on the topic of confidence, I offered books and tapes as bonuses
to audience participants. A young man in the audience answered a ques-
tion I posed, so I handed him a CD on having a better relationship with
your spouse. He announced to the whole room, “But I’m not married.”
I then said to him, “Well, now you’ve got incentive.”
This remark prompted a huge laugh from the audience. The off-the-
cuff exchange could have been a dead spot, but he played along, and
through our exchange, I was able to get closer to my audience.
USE YOUR EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE
Take jokes from everyday life and use them when you can. You can de-
velop a complete arsenal of funny stories. One speaker I know maintains
a log or a journal of all the funny things that happen in his life at the train
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station, airport, or wherever. He works them into his routines if he can.
Take my advice: Write down those anecdotes.
I started doing this about four or five years ago and now I’ve got 88 an-
ecdotes on my hard drive. Of those 88, I routinely use about 10 or 12. Al-
though the anecdotes may not have seemed funny at the time, you never
know how they may affect an audience.
KNOW THE AUDIENCE
Research your audience to see if there is something that unites them. Sup-
pose you’re speaking to a corporation and everyone must complete re-
porting forms, which they all hate. Use their animosity toward that form
as a way of breaking the ice with the audience. If you know more about
the group and what is on their minds at the time, your probability of mak-
ing a great joke out of it increases.
Suppose that you’re speaking to General Electric and the lights in the
meeting room flutter off and on. What is your comeback line? “Those
darn Sylvania bulbs.”
Kurt Kilpatrick, a humorist from Birmingham, Alabama, is a big be-
liever in doing your homework when it comes to customized humor. He
says, “In reviewing a group’s literature seek common themes that the
whole audience can relate to.” Kilpatrick will often arrive hours early so
he has a chance to “talk to hotel and facility people to find out some of
the unique aspects of the meeting, how the group has interacted with the
facility, and even such things as have they met there before?
GONE ASTRAY?
Speaker Tom Antion has a whole repertoire of comeback lines. If only one
person laughs following a joke, he’ll say, “Will you be kind enough to run
around the room as if everyone is having fun?” If he delivers a joke and
nobody laughs, he will look at the audience directly and say, “You’ve got
marvelous self-control.”
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HUMORISTS ARE PUBLIC SPEAKERS
Not all public speakers are humorists, but all humorists are public speak-
ers. Scott Friedman is one such speaker. His tips on how to enliven your
presentation with more humor are so on target that any public speaker can
benefit from them.
When something funny happens during a presentation, scheduled or
not, make a note of it. Thereafter, employ the scenario with the next
audience and the ones that follow. If it continues to get a laugh, it’s
well worth the inclusion.
Something that gets a laugh at the start of a speech can be used a few
more times in a sort of “running gag” fashion. This is particularly true
if something amusing happens as a result of audience interaction. Per-
haps a participant says something funny, and, later in the presentation,
you can refer to that person with a humorous, good-natured sling.
When searching for funny material, consider that it could be sitting
in your own files. I once wrote an article on the dangers of “multi-
tasking” and sent it to an editor. She wrote back and told me that,
while reading it, she was so amused that she almost choked on her
apple. She must have known that her own letter would be amusing,
and it certainly has gotten a laugh every time I have brought it up to
audiences.
ABBREVIATED HUMOR
Creating and using your own abbreviations within your presentations can
also add humor. Years ago I heard reference to the BFI method. I was told
that it meant pursuing a challenge with “Brute Force and Ignorance.” I
thought it was funny, and I have used the acronym periodically in my pre-
sentations.
Author Dennis Hensley refers to what he calls the IDIOS syndrome.
While some people think it refers to a lack of intelligence, it actually
stands for “I’ll do it on Saturday.” Hensley says IDIOS is a trap to ensure
that you’re forever grappling for parking spaces with other people who
also ignore handling errands until the weekend.
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SPEAKING AS A DUO
Although it isn’t a common occurrence, some public speakers, particularly
humorists, present their presentations as part of a duo. Duos come in the
form of a husband and wife team, partners in a business, joint venturers
for a one-time project, or other combinations. Duos can represent a nice
break or major enhancement on a conference program. However, speaking
in tandem can be very difficult, and I personally advise against it.
If you do want to perform as a duo, proceed without thinking of your
own ego, and make things work on the fly. Otherwise, your chance of
being successful as a duo is relatively small. If you’re willing to initiate
measures, start the same way as a solo speaker.
First, practice without anyone else around, using mirrors, audio- and
videotape, and then each other. Move on to small groups. Get your timing
down perfectly. Do you want to begin and end based on the clock? It
hardly ever works out that way. It’s better to have a verbal cue, such as,
“When I finish saying ‘office building,’ that is when you pick up on your
next line.”
It’s unlikely that you will have equal presentation capabilities. One
person is going to outshine the other, possibly by a wide margin. Play to
each other’s strengths. If one person is good at holding up charts or ex-
plaining complex material, assign that person such chores. If one is good
with humor, ad hoc repartee, or fielding questions, allocate responsibili-
ties accordingly.
Resist the temptation to be equal partners in the presentation. One per-
son is going to be dominate. High-ego-type individuals are not good can-
didates for speaking duos.
Dual presenters have an advantage over single presenters—it is often
more interesting to view two people on stage, no matter how talented one
may be. The combined dynamism of two people, the conversational inter-
play, the humor, and the depth of knowledge they have can be far more in-
teresting than watching a single speaker.
If you’re a veteran speaker and you are teamed with another veteran
speaker, don’t believe you can wing it and everything will work out. As
with any dual presenters, you have important preparations to undertake if
you want to accomplish the objective of partnering in the first place.
When two veteran or otherwise effective speakers are in sync, however, it
can be a true pleasure to watch!
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A PARTING OBSERVATION
Chances are that your audience will not remember your name following
the presentation. They may not even remember your material. They will
remember how they felt; they will remember the laughs. You want your
audience to have a good time and feel as though they learned something.
Connect with your audience members through humor, and they will re-
member you!
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Presenting the
Best of You
W
hat is the key to successful communication? Roger Ailes,
Chairman of Fox News Channel, suggests identifying three
times in your life when you know you communicated suc-
cessfully. What made them work? “You were committed to what you were
saying, you knew your topic, and you were so wrapped up in the moment
that you lost all feelings of self-consciousness,” he suggests. According to
Ailes, once you reach that comfortable, successful level of communica-
tion, you never have to change it. He holds that whether you’re speaking to
one person or a thousand people the essential principles hold true. The
key element, he says, is that you not change or adapt your essential “self ”
to different audiences or media. Ailes preaches that you are the message.
Once you can “play yourself ” successfully, he assures that you’ll never
have to worry again.
Before you can “play yourself ” in front of an audience, you need to get
into character—first, you need to establish your image. As you practice
“playing yourself,” you’ll also need to work on diction and delivery. The
use of outside professionals in all of these areas will help you present the
very best of you.
9
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WARDROBE AND THE PUBLIC SPEAKER
Whether or not your wardrobe and comportment is important to you, it is
important to your audience. The moment you appear before any member
of the audience both knowingly and unknowingly they make a series of in-
stantaneous observations and assumptions regarding every aspect of your
being. They will make assumptions about your heritage, values, educa-
tion, and even level of sophistication. Based on your posture, stride, and
vocal characteristics once they are exposed to them, they will add to the
assumptions they have already made and modify, correct, or drop some of
the earlier ones. It may seem unfair, it may seem rude. After all, haven’t
we all been drilled for years to not make judgments about others? Never-
theless, these processes occur day in and day out as people initially en-
counter one another.
The wardrobe “thing” was always a hurdle for me. I figured as long as
I was great on stage, why would anybody care what I was wearing? Fellow
speakers however, convinced me that my views on wardrobe were not im-
portant. It was the views of the people who would be hiring me and listen-
ing to me that counted.
One of the first people I sought when I decided to heed the advice of
fellow speakers was a wardrobe consultant. Judy Turisi offered courses
through a local adult education program on shaping your image through
wardrobe. I hired her to come look at my closet.
At our first meeting, I opened up my closet doors. I was aware that sev-
eral of my shirts were old, the collars frayed, and perhaps some of them
didn’t go with my coloring. Nevertheless, I was sure that at least one-half
or so were salvageable. I thought I could round out my wardrobe by pur-
chasing new ones as she recommended.
Less than 30 seconds after I opened the closet doors, she said in a clear,
authoritative tone, “Throw them all out.” I was aghast! “All of them?”
I asked.
Turisi turned toward me and slowly and carefully said, “Read my
lips—all of them.” For the balance of the afternoon, we discussed what I
would need to buy, including what colors, what materials, and from which
stores.
From top to bottom, it was clear. What I wanted to project to others and
what I was projecting were not in sync. It was futile to continue to wear
what I was wearing because my clothes were simply functional. Publishers,
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PRESENTING THE BEST OF YOU 59
large conference meeting planners, and others whom I wanted to influ-
ence needed to feel “right” about me in their own ways. The only way to
ensure that others would feel “right,” at least from a wardrobe stand-
point, was to dress impeccably.
Hire someone, if only for a one-hour assessment, to view your profes-
sional wardrobe. Maybe you’re fine as is, or maybe you need remedial
help as I did. Either way, you need to know and “redress” the situation be-
fore your next speaking engagement.
IMPROVING YOUR DICTION
How often do you consider how you sound to others? Being an effective
speaker ought to be an ongoing goal for everyone. For public speakers,
however, it needs to be a top priority. When you become the center of at-
tention, audience members tune in to your language and diction, so you
want to ensure they appreciate your pronunciation and clarity. Here are
several ways to quickly and easily improve your diction.
Listen to the Best
Any time you are at a conference or convention, visit the sessions of other
presenters. It’s particularly helpful to attend opening or general sessions.
Notice the diction of the keynote speaker. Take notes.
You don’t have to be at a conference or convention, however, to listen to
good public speakers. You only have to turn on your television or radio.
Each night, the major network anchors and other news anchors, broadcast
journalists, talk show hosts, and actors speak to audiences. Pay attention
to how these people form words. You do not need to be an expert to deter-
mine what’s pleasing to your own ear.
What elements of other speech patterns could you adopt or, more pre-
cisely, adapt to your own speech pattern? If you add only one or two tips
each day, you will be making significant progress.
Make a Word List
While working with your coach or taping yourself, some words will con-
tinue to be problematic. Make a list of problem words. You’ll need at least
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10 words on it to get started. If you use these words often while speaking,
your presentations will improve.
Practice Aloud
Armed with your word list, pronounce your problem words several times
daily. When you’re alone in your car, you have a great opportunity to
practice. You could write your words on a Post-it note and stick it to your
dashboard. Then, work on one word at a time as you drive.
When flying to a speaking engagement, the sound of the plane’s en-
gine will ensure that any words you say to yourself can’t be heard by
other passengers. Also, after you land, your hotel room represents a vi-
able practice area.
It’s not enough to merely contemplate a word and how you prefer to say it;
you have to develop the habit of saying it aloud. Pronouncing a word over and
over again may seem boring, but your audience will appreciate your efforts.
Put It into Practice
The proof of your enhanced speech skills will show up in your presenta-
tions. For your next speech, seek to improve the pronunciation of a few
words on your list. (If you attempt too many, you may not do as well.)
Tape yourself and then review the tape carefully, noting the words on
your list whenever you hear them. Monitor your improvement.
Play a tape of a recent speech and compare it to a tape from months
or years ago. Do you notice a difference? You will if you work on your
diction.
Audience members don’t grade your diction with checklists; they
won’t even be outwardly conscious of it. Nevertheless, good speech is no-
ticeable, and it prompts more invitations to speaking engagements.
The topic of maintaining and caring for your voice is beyond the scope
of this book. Fortunately, several excellent texts adequately cover this
topic including:
Seven Steps to Fearless Speaking by Lilian Wilder.
Change Your Voice, Change Your Life by Lyle Mayer.
How to Write and Give a Speech by Joan Detz.
How to Inspire Any Audience, by Tony Jeary.
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EMPLOYING TRILOGISTIC SPEECH
The cadence and natural rhythm of lists containing three items—trilo-
gies—is a tried and true audience pleaser and an effective attention grab-
ber: “Blood, sweat, and tears” is an example. Here are some more:
“We came, we saw, we conquered.”
“Of the people, by the people, for the people.”
“Earth, wind, and fire.”
With a little practice, you can begin crafting your own trilogistic
phrases. Suppose you’re discussing a labor group that has been economi-
cally shortchanged. You could say, “They’ve earned it, they deserve it,
and they’re going to receive it.” Or, in facing some adversity you could
say, “We were tired, we were confused, and we felt defeated.”
DEEP-SEATED APPEAL
Enthralling use of language also generates high audience attention. Audi-
ences respond well to statements that resonate, such as these classics:
“The only things worth talking about are the things you can’t easily
talk about.”
“A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.”
Such linguistic twists naturally pique the interest of audience members
who, too often, have been subjected to mundane presentations.
Curiously, use of such language ultimately stimulates intellect. Behind
such inventive and majestic words is a theme or concept, a belief or wish
that merits further reflection. When I hear the phrase, “All the world is a
stage,” I can’t help but momentarily reflect on how true that statement is
and how I periodically see demonstrations of it.
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USING A SPEECH COACH
Olympic athletes aren’t the only professionals who have coaches. Top
professionals in almost every arena recognize the value of working with
coaches. A speech coach can make the difference between speakers who
are booked often and paid well, and those stuck at the same fee level with
few engagements.
Coaches range from the high-priced, one-day, super-session types to
graduate students in speech departments at your local university who are
thrilled to make $20 to $25 an hour and will gladly travel to their clients’
offices or homes.
The mere act of hiring a coach already puts you ahead. You become
more conscious of your diction and gain a qualified listener who catches
what you might not notice.
Do you say “yer” instead of your?
Do you say “manage” with a flat “a”?
Are your word-endings crisp?
A speech coach will help you notice things like these, and people will
begin to notice that you sound better. To record your progress, tape your
speeches and conversations (whether over the phone or in person). Any
time you can play the tape for at least five minutes, you have the chance to
learn and improve. Phone conversations work particularly well, because
you’re often not conscious of your diction. The playback is valuable be-
cause you have the chance to hear the words that you may be incorrectly
pronouncing. From that standpoint, you have a fabulous opportunity to
improve.
Here are nine tips for working with a coach that will help ensure that
your overall experience is career-enhancing, worthwhile, and productive:
1. Determine Your Objectives
Speech coaches come in many varieties, with all sorts of experience. Not
every coach can help you in every facet of your speaking career, but most
of them can help you with the majority of the improvements you want
to make.
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Prior to actually getting in touch with prospective coaches, draw up a
comprehensive list of everything that you would like to achieve. This will
help with selecting a coach, deciding how much time to spend with your
coach, and the rate at which you attain your goals.
2. Find a Speaking Coach
With the help of the Internet, this can often be a simple task—simply log
onto the World Wide Web and type the words “speech coach” into any
one of the popular search engines. In refining your search, you could put
the name of your state or closest major city. One organization in particu-
lar, Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA), contains a bevy of
professionals listed on its Web site (www.vasta.org), many of whom can
be of great value to you. Vasta members consist of professors and gradu-
ate students from nearby colleges in the drama, speech, or music depart-
ments. There are a number of good coaches in the directory, many of
whom have a national clientele. While these coaches tend to charge more,
many clients swear by their results.
Another method for selecting a coach is to simply ask fellow speakers
whom they use. Also, if you live in a metro area, use the Yellow Pages of
your phone book. You’ll be surprised at who might be located within
close proximity. Local coaches tend to charge slightly less, if conserv-
ing expenses is important to you, and you can meet with them more
frequently.
3. Your Office, Not Theirs
It is to your extreme advantage if you can have your speech coach come to
your office. This is more than simply a logistical and time-saving conven-
ience. At your office, you have your computer, audio and videotapes,
speech notes, handouts, and articles—all of your intellectual property is
at your fingertips.
Understandably, many speech coaches may not agree to such an arrange-
ment. This doesn’t rule them out. It does mean that your sessions with them
will be limited, unless you are willing to bring your items (tapes, outlines,
notes, etc.) with you. I’ve found it worth the cost to pay a little more to have
the speech coach visit my office.
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4. Consider Both Agendas—the Coach’s and Yours
Once you acquire a coach, both of your agendas are important. You can
diagnose the areas in which you need instruction, and you know how you
would like the time to be spent. The speech coach’s agenda is important,
too, because he or she will have some definite ideas on how to help you.
He or she will form goals based on your discussions, your speech pat-
terns, and his or her experience in working with other speakers.
Compare agendas, and find points of commonality. Your speech coach
may have a mini-curriculum that takes you down a path you may not have
contemplated that will provide great benefit. In addition, the speech coach
can open up new vistas for you that you simply would not have otherwise
noticed. He or she can point out speech impediments and common mis-
takes that you are making and simply haven’t noticed on your own.
5. Plot a Course of Action
Next, consider logistics:
How often will you meet?
How long will the sessions be?
Will there be homework practices for you to complete?
These are important considerations. I find homework practices during
the week to be quite tedious. I tend not to do them, even when I know I
should. To get around this problem, my speech coach created a tape for
me so that I can get in practice at times I hadn’t considered, like when I’m
driving. By pointing certain situations out prior to your sessions, you and
your coach can devise solutions to problem areas.
6. Tape the Session
It is a good idea to have a video camera, tape recorder, or handheld
pocket dictator available during your sessions. You at least want to cap-
ture the highs and lows of your sessions because the new techniques you
learn are worth reviewing. You may have to engage in various warm-up
exercises, and if you want to recapture any of these instructions and
techniques after the coach leaves, you need to have taping equipment in
place during your sessions.
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Some speakers report tremendous benefits from simply taping entire
coaching sessions. In the playback, they gain many observations and in-
sights that weren’t fully formed during the actual session. Listening to
the tapes is like getting double your money’s worth. I have tapes from a
session conducted more than two years ago that still yield benefits to me.
7. Schedule Many Timely Sessions
As you begin working with your coach, strange and marvelous insights
develop. No matter how far along you are in your speaking career, more
areas of improvement emerge. Not only can you improve your diction, you
can also work on a multitude of other areas, like your breathing, eye con-
tact, pauses, openings and closings, and anecdotes. The best speakers
continue training with their coaches for their entire careers.
Because it takes time to recognize these keys for continuous improve-
ment, in the beginning you need to schedule at least 10 sessions with your
speech coach. As your schedule permits, it makes sense to devote some of
your sessions to upcoming speaking engagements.
Given the particular venue and considering the audience, the objec-
tives of the organization and meeting planner, and everything else that
goes into making a successful presentation, plan ahead and train with
your coach on the areas that need the most work. This way you will be
even more effective in giving your forthcoming speech. When you have a
particular presentation in mind, this may make you concentrate more dur-
ing your coaching session, because your objectives become highly defi-
nite and your focus is keen. Invariably, when you get out in front of that
group, you will find that things go more smoothly. You’ll have command.
Most of all, you’ll be glad that you were coached.
8. Establish Benchmarks
As you progress in your relationship with your speech coach, establishing
benchmarks of performance becomes almost a natural byproduct. These
benchmarks are different for every speaker, but here are some that you
may wish to adapt:
The ability to sustain several dramatic pauses throughout your
presentation.
Consistent high-energy openings and closings.
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Improved use of your gestures.
Improved eye contact.
Maintenance of your vocal strength throughout the presentation.
Development of a more humorous presentation.
Efficient manipulation of audiovisual materials.
Improved aspects of diction.
Your speech coach will undoubtedly have some goals to suggest as well.
Take these as valuable contributions. In many cases, he or she will im-
prove your overall presentation skills in ways that you have not considered.
9. Constantly Assess Your Progress
Beyond mere goal-setting, periodically assess your overall progress with
your coach. Do you feel different? Can you tell that your effectiveness
has improved? Do you look forward to the sessions? What might both of
you do to mutually improve the value of the session?
After six months or more, it’s difficult for your coach to avoid experi-
encing some tedium. He or she has heard most of your presentations, sto-
ries, anecdotes, and verbal asides. To keep the relationship vibrant, consult
with your coach about what he or she would like to work on and how your
sessions ought to be conducted.
On some occasions, you can review an audio- or videotape together. Oc-
casionally skip a session with your coach, substituting instead his or her
review of your most recent presentation. All the while, keep taking steps
to ensure that you both derive optimal benefit from your relationship.
THE SECRET TO EFFECTIVE SPEAKING
If hiring a coach is too big a move for you right now, focus on what you
can do on your own. If you can master one rarely cited ingredient to ef-
fective speaking that all but ensures your success, than you’ll have made
great progress indeed—enjoying yourself.
If you enjoy yourself when you give a presentation, regardless of your
level of professionalism, the place, and the setting, you’re likely to be suc-
cessful. Think of unprepared, uneasy speakers that get up in front of
groups. The nervousness they convey to the audience detracts from their
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effectiveness on several levels—they are not as persuasive, the audience
is not as receptive, and the points they make don’t have the proper impact.
Overall, the message isn’t usually memorable.
By contrast, a speaker who enjoys himself or herself in front of a group
can conceivably get away with less preparation, less focus, less clarity,
and less coherence, while still being highly effective. Julia Roberts’ ac-
ceptance speech at the 2001 Academy Awards is an example of a success-
ful speech. Roberts had strong suspicions in advance that she would win
the Oscar, since she had won several other awards leading up to the Oscar
telecast. Nevertheless, her acceptance speech had spark, vitality, and
even elements of spontaneity that enthralled the audience.
When she made it onto the stage, she let out a cheer and gave her wide,
$20 million grin, which quickly drew in the audience. Then, weaving left
and right, citing this person and that person, she beseeched the orchestra
conductor not to wave her off the stage. She expressed her thanks, her
glee, and her amazement in a way that made the audience, and television
viewers, hang on her every word.
CONVEY ENJOYMENT TO
YOUR AUDIENCE
Whether they’re giving 45-minute keynotes or half-day training semi-
nars, if professional speakers enjoy themselves and openly convey those
feelings to their audiences, given that it’s not done in a haughty or conde-
scending way, they will be successful. What is the key to being able to
enjoy yourself in front of a group? Practice, practice, practice. Although
practice may seem the antithesis of spontaneity, the more experience you
have in making presentations, the more at ease you can be in front of your
audience, and case translates into enjoyment.
In the case of Julia Roberts, she made preparations in the event that she
won. She had the names of cast and crew members, executives, and pro-
ducers, and she was ready to use them in her acceptance speech. She also
incorporated what was occurring in the auditorium, made reference to a
joke made earlier in the evening, looked directly at the people she saluted,
and still managed to include those in the distant seats and the home view-
ing audience.
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68
Enjoying yourself includes being open to what is happening in the
room. When you first step up to the lectern or stage and say, “I’m happy
to be here,” does anyone believe you? If you are happy, it doesn’t have to
be announced. Feel and convey the emotion, and you will be spared hav-
ing to offer mundane preliminaries.
A Natural Energy Inducer
The ability to enjoy yourself in front of a group magically and automati-
cally raises your level of energy. In many cases, you can sustain it for the
duration of your presentation. That level of energy permeates the audi-
ence. Your listeners receive the gift of your energy and gain a higher level
of it themselves. Hence, the entire interaction proceeds on a more dy-
namic, vibrant, interactive level. Your enjoyment in front of a group opens
up dialogue, even if members of the audience have no actual words to say.
Enjoying yourself while presenting is a mind-set. As mentioned, giving
many presentations, getting adept in front of groups, and knowing your
material all greatly facilitate your ability to enjoy yourself. In the end,
however, being able to get to that hallowed state of enjoyment is based on
a series of choices you make about yourself, your audience, and your
speaking ability.
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69
The High-Content
Presentation
DEFINING OR DEALING
WITH HIGH CONTENT
Speakers who offer presentations that motivate, offer a specific message,
or provide how-to information often state that their presentations are
“high content.” In recent years, however, the term “high content” has
been overused and, consequently, its meaning has become unclear.
If a meeting planner asks you what you mean when you say high con-
tent, have a specific response ready. Use the terminology in your speaker
literature or on your Web site so you’ll be able to clarify what your pre-
sentations offer and the value they hold for your target audiences.
GEARED TO NEEDS
A high-content presentation is one geared to the needs of audience partic-
ipants. That implies that you’ve done critical homework in terms of the
vital issues audience members are facing and have provided innovative
solutions to such challenges. High-content speeches benefit enormously
from humor, effective use of language, and stories.
1
0
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A key indicator of whether or not you are providing timely, relevant
content is the willingness and enthusiasm audience participants have for
ingesting your information. Specifically with a how-to presentation, you
can gain some indication on site, but the real proof is what participants do
with the information you provided. In 99.9 percent of the cases, a presen-
ter simply isn’t directly privy to such information. (See Chapter 18 about
how to gauge results.)
If you’re a motivational speaker, or simply one with an important mes-
sage, the payoff may be reflected on the spot based on the way audiences
members react to your presentation and the thoughts and the feelings that
they have as a result of listening to it.
LEADING EDGE IS NOT NECESSARY
High content doesn’t necessarily mean that your material is original.
Most speakers don’t have the wherewithal to conduct comprehensive sur-
veys or undertake longitudinal research that they can then fashion into a
highly credible, high-content presentation. All speakers, however, can
draw insights and develop compelling conclusions from primary data
published in newspapers, magazines, and scientific and academic journals
by think tanks and government experts. The speaker who is able to extract
data from a diverse array of primary sources and intersperse his or her
findings within a coherent, compelling presentation can be among the
most successful and sought after speakers in the field.
A LOGICAL SEQUENCE AT
THE RIGHT TIME
High content implies that the audience does not have to make inordinate
efforts to ingest and understand the information. Audiences do not need to
be spoon-fed sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph; nor do
speakers have to “dumb down” to be understood. To be deemed effective,
however, speakers have to consider the impediments to understanding and
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THE HIGH-CONTENT PRESENTATION 71
following the presentation based on time, date, place, room, atmosphere
and a host of other factors. The most brilliant high-content performance
delivered at 7 A.M. may not go over as effectively as the same presentation
offered at 10 A.M. To be a high-content speaker means that you have to be
keenly attuned to what is required to ensure that the audience can effec-
tively receive your presentation.
STIMULATE OR ENERVATE
High-content presentations need to stimulate the audience in one way or
another. The stimulation can come in the form of high energy, entertain-
ment, or strong appeal to the emotions. Simply delivering meaty material
will never cut it if the connection to the audience is lacking and the
speaker’s style is far less than dynamic. This is a paradox—any seem-
ingly high-content presentation can succeed or fail based on factors unre-
lated to the actual presentation material. Automatons, stuffed shirts, and
other robot-like presenters, beware. It doesn’t matter how good your ma-
terial is if you can’t present it in a way that somehow uplifts, inspires, or
otherwise nurtures audience members.
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS
What’s expected in a high-content presentation varies somewhat based on
the speaker’s assignment. A high-content keynote speaker certainly would
have to have sufficient topic expertise and depth of knowledge to immedi-
ately convince everyone in the lecture hall that he or she was a good
choice to deliver this keynote presentation. Such a speaker would need a
dynamic delivery and would be somewhat provocative to retain the atten-
tion of everyone in the room. Since a keynote presentation implies the ab-
sence of participant packets, the presentation would need to proceed
along a clear path that virtually everyone in the room could follow.
The general session presentation, which has many similarities to a
keynote, also requires significant topic expertise and depth of knowledge.
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72
More pointedly, the high-content presentation needs to be customized es-
pecially for this audience. A general session presenter might offer a par-
ticipant packet to the audience.
What would a high-content breakout session encompass? Once again, sig-
nificant depth of knowledge presented in an interactive, give-and-take type
of style. A high-content breakout requires a significant body of “how-to” in-
formation bolstered by printed materials and/or audiovisual materials.
PERCEIVED VALUE IS UP TO THEM
The value that you offer to audiences is based on their perceptions, not
yours. Speaker Dan Clark contends that speakers need to be continually
training and pushing themselves to their ultimate potential as human be-
ings so that when it is time for them to make a presentation, they are the
best they can be. Referring to specifically professional speakers, Clark
says, “We are not paid by the hour, we are paid for the value we bring to
that hour.” Whether you speak for fee or for free, if you wish to be
deemed a high-content speaker, your ever-present goal is to bring great
value to all of your presentations regardless of their length and despite
any impediments based on day, time, room, and atmospheric conditions.
When you demonstrate the capacity to consistently offer audiences
high-content presentations, go ahead and make that claim on your litera-
ture, but not before then.
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73
Body and Movement
A
spiring public speakers often fall into the trap of believing that if
their words are effective their presentations will be convincing.
The truth is that audiences believe body language before they
believe words. If you’re not convincing with your movements, no matter
how eloquent your words, you are not likely to be convincing.
EXPAND AND WIN
One way to win audiences over is to make your motions expand. Think up-
ward and outward. Most speakers restrict themselves. They get “smaller.”
They hold their heads down. They don’t act as if they own the spaces in
which they speak.
When you hold your head down, you actually restrict your lungs from
working at an optimal capacity. As a result, other body movements may
seem forced, stilted. A variety of exercises can help you extend the space
of your body naturally and easily. First, imagine your chest expanding for
an inch or two. Olympic swimmers often envision their fingers as being 3
or 4 inches longer than they truly are. Thus, when they envision them-
selves grabbing the water for each successive strokes, they are propelled
forward at a faster pace with greater ease. Similarly, visualizing chest ex-
pansion may enable you to draw deeper, stronger breaths.
11
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MIXED VOLUMES AND TONES
The natural inclination of anyone who engages in conversation with an-
other person or a group is to begin at a relatively low volume and tone. As
the speech continues, higher volumes, higher tones, and higher energy seem
to follow. This type of progression is a mistake when speaking in front of a
group. You want to begin as if you are already in midspeech. This enables
you to convey a sufficient level of opening presentation energy to capture
the attention of audience participants.
Beginning in midstride means that you have already summoned a sizable
amount of energy and that your speech is animated, not monotonous or dull.
Gestures follow directly from animated speech. Therefore, your body lan-
guage becomes more interesting to the audience.
FREEZING THE MOMENT
Kevin Lohan and Alistair Rylatt, authors of Creating Training Miracles,
contend that presenters need to find “ways of engaging learners physically,
intellectually, or emotionally.” Lohan says that offering opportunities for
audience participation will help maintain the audience’s attention. Mid-
session stretching exercises can also liven up audiences if you can work
them into your routine.
The more often audience members attend meetings, however, the more
likely it is that they have participated in all manner of techniques de-
signed to keep them involved. For some audience members, especially
late in the day, “shake ’em up” routines could be seen as unnecessary.
Lohan says there are innovative ways of keeping the audience involved
without “creating the perception that the session is frivolous.”
Keeping them engaged mentally, physically, and emotionally in the
content of the day is key. Lohan has had success with energizing activities
that are also closely linked to the content. At various times, he has had his
audience members listen to the theme songs of old familiar sitcoms. He
then asks them to write new verses using the material they have learned
during his presentation.
Many audience members recall their verses months after the presenta-
tion. Considering the rate at which audience members forget presentations,
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BODY AND MOVEMENT 75
recalling a self-penned jingle months later is quite a feat. Since the lyrics
are based on material from the presentation, audience members retain the
information they learned.
Lohan and Rylatt’s observations have been backed by scientific re-
search. Researchers have found that presenters “freeze the moment” for
their audience.
Such findings are not a prescription for public speakers to wantonly
initiate outrageous acts during conferences unless they have thought
through the point, the appropriateness of the act, the link between the point
and the act, and its overall suitability for the conference theme and pre-
sentation objective. That said, any presenter has the opportunity to create
such moments.
I know of speakers who have asked audience members in advance
to pose humorous, ridiculous, or outrageous questions. Then the speak-
ers answer in ways that bring rooms to a standstill. Some law professors
are known for recruiting students to stand up in the middle of class, per-
form a particular act, and then run out the door so as to engender a lively
discussion.
The professors can then launch discussions, such as the perils of rely-
ing on eyewitnesses in criminal trials. The students in such sessions may
take home a lesson that stays with them for years.
The Rare, Sheer Power
Sometimes, the sheer power of a sentence or phrase helps to freeze the
moment for the listeners. Ronald Reagan’s admonition to Mikhail
Gorbachev to “tear down that wall,” remains one of the best examples. Per-
haps because it was prefaced with the words, “Mr. Gorbachev,” Reagan’s
stirring presentation somehow struck all listeners, those who experienced
it live and those who watched it on television or listened to it on the radio.
Realistically, a fine public speaker simply can’t count on the power of
a phrase as freeze-the-moment material. The setting often has as much
to do with the speaker’s ability to freeze the moment as anything. How-
ever, the combination of a potent statement and setting can be highly
memorable, such as when Rudy Giuliani calmed the nation following
September 11, 2001.
Props can also be useful in creating a memorable freeze-the-moment
situation. Robert Bookman once used a technique that involved
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simply blowing up a balloon. To prove a point about setting goals and
being totally committed to achieving them, Bookman began blowing
up the balloon and let people know that he could make it burst within
25 seconds. The task looked impossible but he did it (usually in around
23 seconds).
Everyone would watch intently. As he began blowing up a balloon,
when it had a diameter of more than a foot, the would audience bade him
to stop. He continued. At 15 inches, can you picture the audience urging
him to halt? Unbeknownst to his audiences, Bookman had procured bal-
loons that could be blown up to at least a 20-inch diameter. Audience in-
terest intensified. People watched with heightened awareness knowing
that at any second there would be a loud pop. As he continued on to
a volume that no one in the room had anticipated, the balloon finally
did burst.
LET’S GET PHYSICAL
If you have any type of athletic skill that you can use in your presenta-
tion, it may help lead to a frozen moment. For example, Dan Thurmon
combines an upbeat speaking style with his acrobatic abilities to super-
charge his audiences. I first saw Thurmon some years ago speaking to a
room of about 100 people. When he was introduced, rather than walk to
the front of the room, Thurmon cartwheeled the whole way, dressed in
his suit and tie. When he “landed” in the front of the room, the whole au-
dience was in an uproar. Few members had ever seen anything like it.
Thurmon proceeded to talk about being your best and maintaining high
energy. His remarks were peppered by various physical gestures and au-
dience exercises, such as learning how to juggle.
You don’t need to learn to do somersaults, juggle, and operate a unicy-
cle in a crowded room to be effective, however. Drawing on lessons from
Thurmon’s performance, what can you do that is novel or innovative? Do
you have a great memory? Can you speak at a rapid pace? Do you sing?
Anything that you are capable of doing merits consideration in terms of
enlivening your presentations. Depending on the group, theme of the
meeting, and why you were hired, you may find that some skill you had as
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BODY AND MOVEMENT 77
a child, a hobby you engage in, or some current pastime can be used to en-
hance your presentation and make it memorable.
Get physical, get dramatic, get poetic, get melodious—get innovative
so that your audiences simply can’t forget you. As I discuss in the next
chapter, visual effects can also go a long way in making your presentation
a success.
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78
1
2
All about Visuals
S
tudies vary widely as to how much information people retain. Nev-
ertheless, all research shows that humans do have limited attention
spans and, therefore, retain limited amounts of information.
VISUALS ADD POWER
When you use an audio or visual aid in making a presentation, audience
members are inclined to be impacted more than they would if you didn’t
use such materials. As a result:
1. You tend to be perceived as more organized.
2. There seems to be less resistance to your presentation.
3. Overall, people are likely to judge you as more professional.
Visuals are not needed for every presentation; however, because they
can be effective, you’ll want to make an informed choice as to whether
or not to use visuals, what types to use, and what level of use is appro-
priate for the types of presentations you make. Speakers sometimes
over-rely on overheads or slides to the degree that they’re essentially
presenting a narrated slide show as opposed to giving a speech. Given
that you understand the importance of making an interpersonal connec-
tion with audience members, it behooves you to use visuals only where
and when they’re appropriate.
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ALL ABOUT VISUALS 79
If you are speaking for, say, 40 minutes, and you have no visuals, the
audience’s collective experience is somewhat different than if you put
something up on a screen even as infrequently as once every 7 to 10 min-
utes. The visuals become anchors or hooks around which people can focus
their attention. Visuals might also be helpful in clarifying your points. On
the other hand, storytellers may not want to use visuals because they paint
mental pictures for their listeners.
If your visuals are crafted appropriately, you may actually help audi-
ence members understand and retain your information. A visual may also
foster higher levels of agreement among audience participants. Speakers
who use visuals effectively make meeting times seem to fly by, leaving
audience members wanting more.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Sharon Adcock, a speaker and trainer, is an authority on the use of visu-
als. Adcock says that the key considerations for any speaker when decid-
ing to use particular types of visuals in a presentation include the
following:
What is the size of the audience?
How will the audience be seated?
What is the objective of the presentation?
Will audience members be taking notes?
She classifies visuals into six basic categories, including printed materi-
als, viewcharts, overhead transparencies, slides, videos, and multimedia.
PRINTED MATERIALS
Printed materials encompass anything you can put on paper and distrib-
ute to audience members. Many speakers refer to them as handouts; I pre-
fer to use the term “participant packets.” Participant packets can be
appropriate for any audience. However, the larger the audience, the
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80
smaller the packet needs to be because it is unwieldy to have a huge audi-
ence dealing with large stacks of paper. For smaller groups and longer
training sessions, on the other hand, a large packet can be appropriate.
The pages you distribute, whether one at a time or preassembled, help to
supplement your presentation. As with any document, certain fundamen-
tals need to be heeded when making prints. You never want to load up pages
so that there is no room for people to write notes. Consistent margins, legi-
bility, page numbering, clean lines, clear reprints, and all the other niceties
that you would employ in a professionally produced report or document are
applicable here.
Some speakers advocate intentionally offering the audience more than
they can absorb in one sitting believing that such an approach conveys a
strong message about your capabilities. Supposedly, if you have far more
information than you could present in the time allotted, the group might
be more inclined to have you back. I believe that people hold on to pack-
ets based on how well they have been assembled, the effectiveness of the
presentation, and the link between the presentation and the packet. Be-
cause I speak on topics such as “managing information and communica-
tion overload,” I offer participation packets with no excess.
Audience members are already beleaguered by too much information
and communication in their professional and personal lives. I want audi-
ence members to feel like they’ve received everything I had to offer for
that presentation and to experience a sense of closure. If appropriate, in
one way or another, I convey that I know far more than I’m presenting
today and that I have other presentations.
The compromise to overly long participant materials is to offer a right-
sized packet and have optional information available such as article
reprints, self-scoring quizzes, and charts that could be stationed at tables
within the room or as an appendix to your packet. If the latter, explain
that the appendix will not be covered during your session but represents a
bonus. I’ve found that audience members like that.
VIEWCHARTS
By their nature, viewcharts or flipcharts can only be used with small au-
diences, not exceeding 40 to 60 members. Some presenters prepare
flipchart presentations in advance—long before the audiences assemble.
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By doing so, little writing and drawing needs to occur once the presenta-
tion begins.
Adcock says that flipcharts allow for flexibility and high levels of in-
teractivity with the audience. You can use different colors to accent cer-
tain points and to make the charts more visually pleasing. One of the
biggest drawbacks to flipcharts, however, is that they can get sloppy in a
hurry. In addition, some presenters write on them and flip to the next
page before the audience has a chance to absorb the information. Some-
times speakers also over-rely on the flipchart as a presentation crutch as
opposed to simply using it as a tool to facilitate understanding.
When speakers wisely use every page of a flipchart, it makes for
greater readability—the underlying text of pages does not diminish the au-
dience’s ability to see and read the front page. This is particularly useful
if you go back and forth between pages on your flipchart. Many speakers
remove pages from the chart and tape them to the walls, particularly in
training sessions in which the charts will be used throughout the day.
OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCIES
In many respects, overhead transparencies are like flipcharts. They can be
used with slightly larger audiences, however, since their contents are pro-
jected onto a large screen. Like flipcharts, they afford quite a bit of flexi-
bility and promote a fair degree of audience activity. They can be used
with the house lights, which is an advantage over other electronic media.
If you are using predesigned visuals (which is highly recommended),
acquire cardboard frames for them. This is helpful to both you and your
audiences. You get the opportunity to write margin notes on the frames.
They also offer visual barriers for audiences that help them better view
and understand what is within the frame itself.
Some speakers create overheads during their presentation. This is not
recommended, as few speakers can do so neatly and without disrupting
the presentation. Your hands also make shadows on the screen, distract-
ing audiences further. Working on overheads during your presentation
can ultimately represent the low point of your speech.
Even among speakers who only use carefully crafted, professionally
designed overheads, they tend to rely too much on them. As mentioned
earlier, you never want to be in a situation in which you simply moderate
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a slide show. Go back through your overheads as if you are an audience
member. How appropriate are they? Do you have too many? Then, find
someone else who is willing to give you a critical assessment. You don’t
necessarily have to find another public speaker, although it could be to
your benefit.
For any given 30-minute presentation, I may use as many as five or six
overheads. I have 60 all together, and I draw on them based on my audi-
ence’s objectives. Don’t fall in love with your visuals; there might be
some simple ways to make them even better.
SLIDES
Slides have long been a fixture among presenters and could conceivably
represent the preferred choice of associations and corporate meeting
planners. Slides offer many apparent advantages including the fact that
they are easy to organize, store, pack, carry, and use. Slides in any for-
mat, like Corel or PowerPoint, should be relatively simple in design, be-
cause they should be shown for no more than 30 to 60 seconds. They can
be divided up so that two or more build off of each other.
Slides are best viewed when house lights are dimmed. Reducing the
level of lighting in a presentation, however, puts the speaker in a bind.
Human beings are poised to go to sleep when sunlight or artificial lights
dim. Even among those who don’t doze, many participants go into a lower
energy mode.
The possible exception to the dim lights phenomenon occurs in large
gatherings in which I-Mag projection systems (see next section), gener-
ally on both sides of the stage, offer movie screen size images of you so
that the people way in the back of the room can more easily see and hear.
Even in relatively dark rooms, big, bold, brilliant I-Mag projection sys-
tems tend to have a neutralizing effect on the dim lights.
IMAGE MAGNIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
I-Mag screens are effective due to their sheer size. If you are using slides
during your presentation, they can be inserted where and when you want
them. As such, your slides will supersede your own image.
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The overwhelming benefit of I-Mag screens is that virtually everyone
in the room has an enhanced opportunity to see and hear you. Theoreti-
cally, people in the back row get the same view as if they were sitting
three or four feet in front of the speaker. There is something about seeing
the full range of facial expressions and nonverbal cues that can be substi-
tuted. The color and sound technology is magnificent. I have observed au-
diences giving rapt attention to emcees, introducers, and people coming
up to the stage momentarily for awards simply because their images are
so captivating, and even poor presenters have audience members’ atten-
tion more of the time.
With I-Mag, you are the visual. Therefore, many of the recommenda-
tions for using gestures need to be slightly altered. In a large lecture hall,
where it is okay to make grand sweeping gestures for the throngs of people
in attendance, once you are on the I-Mag screen, it is preferable to return
to tighter, more controlled gestures; otherwise, the screen tends to mag-
nify your exaggerated movements, resulting in the appearance of an un-
professional, overly animated presenter.
The cardinal rule for speaking with I-Mag screens to the left and
right of you is to forget about them. As always, focus on your presenta-
tion and on the audience. If you are adequately prepared, everything
should run smoothly.
VIDEOS
Using videos in presentations offers distinct advantages, but the screen
size is your first consideration: If you are limited to sticking a video car-
tridge into a television-size monitor, then, of course, your audience is lim-
ited to no more than 60 to 80 people. If your video can be played on the
wide screen through the house system—emulating the effects of at least
an in-flight airline movie—it can be appropriate for large audiences.
As with any electronic technology, glitches may occur. The wrong se-
quences may be shown. The tape may get damaged. Be prepared with a
back-up plan.
The best use of video is to enhance your core messages. I saw a speaker
air an eight-minute video segment that enabled the audience to have a
quick, full understanding of situations he was addressing in his presenta-
tion. In this case, the video supported, but didn’t compete with, the direct
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84
verbal aspects of his presentation. He remained the “star” and the focus
of attention. After the presentation, people commented on his perfor-
mance, not the relevance and poignancy of his videos.
MULTIMEDIA
Multimedia involves using a combination of visuals, such as videos, slides,
and music. When used properly, it can be highly effective for audiences of
any size, but only speakers who have high levels of experience in using
such visuals should employ them—multimedia are not for aspiring public
speakers or those who feel anything less than totally confident in them.
The potential for equipment failure or some other glitches in the over-
all presentation is obviously higher the more elaborate your equipment.
The use of multimedia requires an audiovisual professional with whom
the speaker consults long before his or her presentation.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR USING VISUALS
When using visuals in any presentation, the cardinal and primary rule is
to be organized and clear. Adcock says, “You want to move smoothly from
point to point,” so she advises using one point per visual. “It helps to have
data available to back you,” she says. “Often, you can establish credibil-
ity by including a quote or a simple reference at the bottom of the visual.”
She also recommends incorporating your logo in your visuals, usually in a
corner or employed as a textured background.
The text for your visuals needs to be legible so that audience members
in the back row are able to read them. Ray Fujioka, director of USC-
Television in Los Angeles, adheres to the “Six-Three-Six Rule,” which
states that the best visuals contain no more than six lines with three to
six words per line. Any more, and you risk crowding the visual, increas-
ing the chance that it will be difficult for all people in the room to view,
read, and comprehend. You are far better off going on to a second visual,
and a third if necessary, in “build-up” fashion than to attempt to jam-
pack a single visual.
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When an audience gazes at a graphic, they are first attracted to large
simple shapes such as a square, rectangle, circle, or triangle. Text is
among the last things that the audience focuses on; however, putting text
within a simple geometric figure such as a square or circle helps the audi-
ence to more easily see and understand your message. It also promotes
order and helps audience members decide in which direction they should
view a graphic.
A word on font: Don’t fall into the trap of using all caps, which comes
across as too overbearing. Use both caps and lower case letters for most
of your text. It is okay to use all capital letters for a title, key word, or
something you want to emphasize, but don’t go overboard. Although serif
fonts, which have tiny tails on the end of printed letters and numbers, are
appropriate for your presentation packets, for projected visuals, sans-
serif fonts are best.
Many presenters go wild when it comes to employing fonts and point
sizes, but Adcock recommends adhering to the 10 Percent Rule—no more
than 10 percent of your visuals should be different, that is, bold, under-
lined, or italicized. She advises using the same typeface within each vi-
sual and within your overall presentation.
COLOR COMBINATIONS
Audiences routinely deem color slides to be more effective than simple
black and white ones. Presenters, however, often need to limit the amount
of colors and the range of colors they use in their visuals. When using au-
diovisuals, particularly overheads or slides, keep in mind that many people
have color-perception deficiencies and particular combinations of colors
may pose problems. For example, bright red and bright green clash with
one another for many audience participants.
Also, it is too easy to craft a series of visuals that have little connection
to one another and lack overall consistency. Hence, you’re better off lim-
iting the number of theme colors to a chosen few. While black represents
a viable background color, since it conveys authority, be wary of using it
with a dark blue, a purple or brown foreground color, as they will easily
get lost. Dark blue background with yellow titles and white text is among
the most readable and palatable combinations.
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Many shades of blue used as a background color with white or light
print have a calming effect on some audience participants. Green repre-
sents another useful background color and is often overlooked. White or
yellow lettering on a traffic light green or forest green background color
can be invigorating to audiences. White or yellow on a black background
often conveys a sense of finality—you can count on what’s on the screen.
Finally, bright red background with light text conveys energy, passion,
spirit, or competition.
Suppose you are using several colors in close proximity to one another,
such as showing revenues based on four categories over three years. Each
bar might contain four different colors each representing one of the rev-
enue areas. In such cases, proceed in a sky down to earth fashion—lighter
colors such as sky blue would appear on top and darker colors such as
brown or black would appear at the bottom of each bar. This makes for
easier reading and understanding of the information you’re offering.
Adcock advises matching the backgrounds of slides with the back-
ground of the room in which you will be presenting. She further advises
using medium backgrounds for overheads shown in partially lit rooms,
and light backgrounds only for fully lit meeting rooms.
Finally, prior to each speaking engagement, review your visuals to de-
termine if each one is appropriate for the forthcoming audience. Don’t
fall into the trap of using the same sequence of visuals for each audience
because demographics and characteristics vary widely. Choose your vi-
sual aids based on your audience, topic, and location. If you’re in doubt as
to whether a visual should be included, it probably should not. By using
only the visuals you know are appropriate, you’ll feel more comfortable
with your presentation, and so will your audience members.
WORKING WITH THE
HOTEL AUDIOVISUAL STAFF
Any speaker may unexpectedly experience a bulb burning out, a plug
coming loose, interference noise, or some other technological mishap. In
advance of your speech, it pays to know the staff person assigned to your
room and how this person can be quickly reached in an emergency.
Often the AV specialist will introduce himself or herself to you prior to
your presentation. He or she will do a run though of all the equipment in
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the room to ensure it is in sound working order. But too many speakers
scarcely greet this person and quickly forget his name, face, and how to
get in touch, all of which you need to know in the event that something
goes wrong during your presentation.
If something does go wrong, unless you are well versed in various
types of equipment, don’t attempt to deal directly with the matter your-
self—you may make it worse! Here are some alternatives:
If the noise is intrusive and apparently will not stop, think quickly.
Can you call a short recess in your program during which time the
situation will be corrected? Having an unplanned break can cause
more problems than it’s worth, so be careful. When people exit the
meeting room, you will be unable to reconvene in under five min-
utes, so plan accordingly.
Sometimes, in the face of distracting noise, move from where you
are speaking to someplace else in the room so as to redirect the au-
dience’s attention. With some rooms and some layouts this is not an
option, but if so it is, worth considering.
The larger the gathering, the greater the probability that someone in
the audience will have a technical background and can tend to the
offending equipment. In such cases, you might ask, “Is there anyone
familiar with this equipment who can help out here?”
If there are no takers, then ask someone in the far rows or nearest the
exit to go on the aforementioned reconnaissance mission for you.
If the equipment glitch was particularly onerous, at the close of your
presentation profusely thank the audience for their patience and
professionalism. Often, this simple acknowledgment will win back
many who otherwise felt somewhat irritated as a result of what tran-
spired during the session.
If your session is being taped, sometimes the tape can be altered so
as to minimize the disruption. Ask about this, because you may sal-
vage an otherwise good presentation on tape.
Whatever you do, do not visibly show frustration or irritation either at
the equipment, the setting, the meeting planner, or the audiovisual staff.
In cases where your presentation was badly disrupted, you win empathy
points from members of your audience if you are gracious under fire. If
you succumb to feeling rankled as a result of having your presentation
disrupted, you tend to be rated less favorably. As with other distractions,
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no matter how long and loud this disruption, if you handle it skillfully and
there is sufficient time left in your presentation, most members of your
audience will all but forget what transpired.
EFFECTIVE ONLINE PRESENTATIONS
Sooner or later, you may find yourself making presentations dissemi-
nated via Web or long distance connections. In such cases, the entire pre-
sentation represents a visual of sorts. Over the Web, you have to be even
more dramatic and emotional to keep potentially distracted listeners on-
line and alert. Here are 10 tips for inspiring your cyberspace audience and
making your online presentations stand out from all the rest.
1. Barricade yourself. Ensure that absolutely nobody can intrude into
your space while you’re giving a presentation. This privacy is necessary
for two reasons. The first, of course, is that sounds could make their way
onto the program itself. The second and perhaps more important reason is
that you’ll be more confident if you know that you can proceed for the du-
ration of your presentation without interruption.
2. Use a telephone headset. Headsets ensure that you have fluid mo-
tion, reduced potential for fatigue, and freedom to shift positions. If you
can’t use a headset, make sure that you have a highly comfortable chair,
plenty of desk space, and room to maneuver. Your ability to quickly and
easily convey information is the make-or-break factor in determining
whether online viewers will stay glued to their screens, wander off, or
click off altogether.
3. Be at your best. You need to get a good night’s sleep and eat a bal-
anced meal before you give a presentation. Also, prepare a cup of tea or
water to keep your throat clear. Listeners can tell when your energy is
down, when you are rushing, and when your voice is getting fatigued.
4. Have all your materials arranged in advance. You don’t want to be
shuffling through papers or other documents when you need to give your
complete attention to listeners.
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5. Mentally rehearse your entire presentation. No matter how many
times you have given a presentation, the dynamics of a Web-based pre-
sentation are different than those of other media. Whether or not you’re
working with a host or interviewer, you want to be prepared to deliver
your presentation from A to Z without a hitch, so that your listeners get
the best.
6. Visualize your audience members. As with a live audience, your
mission is to find out as much about the audience members as possible
(well before your Web cast). What kind of environment do they work in?
What are their challenges? What are they hoping to get from your ses-
sion? If you don’t know the answer to these questions, you’ll have your
work cut out for you.
7. Orchestrate your presentation. What are the highs and lows? Where
do you want to enthrall your audience? Where will you make dramatic
pauses? What parts of your speech will you stress? Your goal at all times
is to be as informative and as entertaining as possible.
8. Prepare for questions in advance. Live online programs increas-
ingly allow for participants’ questions. You can’t always anticipate what
is going to be asked, but you can be prepared. Welcome and encourage
questions, recalling at all times that answering a participant’s questions
may prove to be a valuable service.
9. Prepare for your closing. Even if you have slated a question-and-an-
swer session near the end of your presentation, take back the reins and
have at least a two- or three-minute closing prepared. As with an onsite
audience, people need a sense of closure, and the best way to ensure one
is through preparation.
10. End on time. Participants and providers remember those presen-
ters who go over the allotted time and appreciate those who don’t.
LONG-DISTANCE LEARNING
If you’re making a presentation via closed circuit television, satellite up-
link, video, or television, there are other subtleties for inspiring audiences
who can see you when you can’t see them. Over many years of presenting
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long-distance learning programs, I’ve learned that there are some things
worth doing differently in this medium. Here are the highlights:
1. It’s okay to gesture frequently, but it’s important to keep the move-
ments tight. Chances are the camera can’t follow you as well as a
live audience would.
2. Smile frequently. The audience only has you to go on, and they need
visual cues throughout the broadcast.
3. Use your face as a medium for gestures. If you can raise an eye-
brow, grimace, act surprised, look excited, or make some other ges-
ture, all of these help keep the audience focused.
4. Vary your rate of speech and amplitude. Sometimes, lean in toward
the camera and speak softly. Other times, say something loud or
twice for emphasis.
5. Don’t be afraid to pause, especially if you’ve just said something
you’d like the audience to reflect upon. As with traditional audi-
ences, a pause, offered correctly, can be a moment of high drama.
6. Have your visuals and graphics ready, and in order. On camera is no
time to be bumbling around.
7. If you have no live audience, pretend the audience is everyone. If it
helps, tape a picture of people near the camera so that you can eas-
ily see it. Conversely, pretend you’re talking to a live group you just
met with. A lot of the dynamics will still be in mind.
8. If it’s a mixed live and long-distance audience, draw your energy
from the people before you, but intermittently, give your attention to
those out in TV land. You might say “for those viewing via satellite,”
or something of that nature. Sometimes, simply pose a question to the
remote viewing audience, even though you can’t hear them answer.
Don’t be afraid to come across as authoritative as long you keep it
friendly. Feel free to say you don’t know about a particular issue, or
“that’s not an area we’ll explore today.” People want information from an
expert, but they also want the truth. You’re not expected to know every-
thing. Most important, have fun while you’re presenting. After all, that’s
why you’re a speaker, isn’t it?
In the next chapter, I’ll speak about developing your signature story. In
my opinion, telling a great story is a sure-fire way to have fun on stage.
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13
Developing Your
Signature Story
T
hrough sounds, pantomimes, or gestures, people have always
communicated with each other through stories. Storytelling is es-
sentially relating a tale to one or more people using tools such as
voices, props, movements, and whatever else helps convey meaning.
Storytelling is different from acting, reciting verse or prose, reading,
or other forms of communication, although all communication shares
some common characteristics. In conveying a story, the teller shares a
part of himself or herself. Good storytellers envision and replicate essen-
tial images. Good tellers relive the story in a manner that enables audi-
ence members to feel as if they are actually part of it.
BRINGING THE AUDIENCE ALONG
Many students of storytelling have observed that the exploration involved
in telling a story helps both the teller and members of the audience ex-
plore themselves. While each audience member may be formulating a
somewhat unique body of images based on his or her imagination, as well
as the meaning that he or she attaches to various phrases, movements,
sounds, and gestures, everyone shares the experience. Audience members
report that these experiences can be profound—some are moved to tears,
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some to exaltation. Some are ready to take action as a result of hearing a
stirring tale.
Some storytelling experts liken the storytelling process to a dance.
The teller knows the steps. The audience takes on the part of the follower,
indicating the pace. Good tellers are not necessarily performing for an
audience as much as they are including them in an experience.
When storytellers “lose” audiences, the cause might be that:
1. The teller is not familiar enough with the story to make it engaging.
He or she labors to get through it, gets bogged down in unnecessary de-
tails, or otherwise does not keep the audience in mind. At such times, au-
dience members are prone to be fidgety, bored, frustrated, and ready to
move on.
2. The teller is not reading the audience as the story unfolds. Even
gifted tellers who get too wrapped up in telling the story can lose other-
wise potentially receptive audiences. The audience members will tell you
the appropriate rate and level of detail that seems most suitable through
their movements, eye contact, and nonverbal cues.
3. Sometimes a story will prove to be less effective than it could other-
wise be, based on conditions of the moment. Are you speaking before
lunch? If so, shorter is better. Are you speaking at the end of what has
been a busy day for audience members? Again, shorter and peppier is bet-
ter than longer and drawn out. Are you competing with noise from outside
the room? Are there other factors that have conspired to diminish or de-
tract from the audience’s capability to follow along? Speaking outdoors,
for example, requires a much higher level of energy and higher volume
than the same presentation would merit indoors.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF STORY
A signature story, by definition, is one that is unique to you. You are the
only one who can tell it. A great signature is a true story that requires lit-
tle or no embellishment because it is a story that the teller experienced
first-hand. The teller’s own experience adds an element to the story that
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DEVELOPING YOUR SIGNATURE STORY 93
cannot otherwise be emulated. He or she doesn’t have to attempt to take
on a larger role. If anything, his or her actual role is more than sufficient.
Hence, a fable or folk legend passed down though the years cannot serve
as a signature story.
While professional storytellers can simply tell stories to entertain and
amuse, the public speaker has to have an ulterior motive in delivering a
story, especially a signature story. Ideally, your signature story will con-
vey the major lesson or point of your overall message. You deliver it in
such a way that it perfectly links up with your message.
Many speakers believe that the best signature stories are delivered so
that the audience senses the vulnerability of the teller; that is, the audi-
ence can tell that the experience had a deep impact on the speaker, and
the speaker is willing to take a chance with the audience.
Professional speaker Emory Austin believes that the best closes to sig-
nature stories are those that relate to something that was imparted to the
audience earlier in the overall presentation. If the signature story is pro-
foundly moving, audience members may leave with the thought, “I am now
ready to take action.” You make your story both personal and applicable to
others. You touch upon universal themes such as love, loyalty, amazement,
sacrifice, sadness, or exaltation. Many of the most memorable signature
stories span the emotional spectrum. Audience participants feel great joy,
deep sadness, and everything in between.
As with storytelling in general, a great signature story is memorable.
People sometimes quote lines and phrases from it. They enthusiastically
share it with others. There is something about the story that puts audience
members into a trance.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Fortunately, there are many opportunities to develop storytelling ideas.
You can find stories through television performers, teachers, dancers,
musicians, and even members of your own household. Everyone has sto-
ries to tell. Most public libraries contain stories on cassette, often in the
children’s section, that you can listen to at home or while driving.
The local events section of your newspaper often lists times, dates, and
locations of storytelling performances. (Most of these events are free.)
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Even local, amateur storytellers with little experience may prove enlight-
ening to you as you seek out your own signature story. As you begin to at-
tend such sessions, take note of audience reactions in ways that you may
not have done before. By listening to other people’s stories, you may gain
insight into which of your own stories to tell.
SEARCHING THE PAST
How do you identify your signature story? Reflect upon those stories that
you have already presented to audiences. Which one do you want most ea-
gerly to impart? Which one gets the biggest rise? Which one, if not told,
would make your presentation seem incomplete? If you can identify such
a story, that may well be your signature story.
To begin finding your stories, you need look no further than your own
past. You can start by walking yourself through the memories of your ear-
liest days. Look at pictures, yearbooks, and old school notebooks; there
are stories in them all. Don’t worry about how they’ll fit in your speech or
what point they could assist you in making. You will find that a good story
fits into several different contexts and can be used in a variety of circum-
stances. The important thing is to begin to collect your stories. Consider
the following:
Sports and hobbies. Did something happen on an athletic field that
impacted you in an enduring way? What about hobbies, favorite pas-
times, or games you used to play?
Your family and relatives. Is there a character (or two!) among your
family that imparted some lesson or bit of wisdom that has stayed
with you all these years? Are there heroes or villains among them,
or simply everyday people acting in extraordinary ways?
Achievements or failures. Among your accomplishments, is there
something that stands out? Something that is so compelling that you
want to share it again and again with others? What about your fail-
ures? Is there something that upon reflection ultimately served to im-
part an important lesson? While you don’t want to make the mistake
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of using an audience for therapy, such as telling stories that are emo-
tionally painful for you in hopes of achieving a catharsis, some of
your greatest disappointments, heartbreaks, and failures may carry
the seeds of a great signature story. Don’t overlook them.
Your most memorable character. Reader’s Digest and other maga-
zines through the years have long noted the power and impact of
publishing stories by authors who cite the most memorable charac-
ters in their lives. The traits and circumstances that make such char-
acters memorable often contain universal elements that quite
possibly could add up to a fine signature story.
Embarrassments. Veteran speakers know that everything that hap-
pens to them in life is potential fodder for the podium. As emotion-
ally painful or embarrassing as a situation might be, the passage of
time invariable makes it less so, and as embarrassing situations
“age,” they often get funnier in the retelling.
Life’s gambles. Did you ever take a great risk to accomplish some-
thing in your career or personal life? You don’t necessarily want to
brag about foolish risk taking; still, each of us has taken foolish risks
at one time or another, perhaps jeopardizing personal safety, finan-
cial security, or a relationship. Which of your gambles might con-
tain the seeds that will produce a wonderful signature story?
Professional speaker and storyteller Grady Jim Robinson, based in San
Francisco, says, “It is highly possible that the most profound, moving, in-
spiring, or thought-provoking story you have to offer is still inside you,
buried beneath layers of ego, fear, timidity, and over-developed concerns
about what ‘they’ might think.” “It would be a shame,” he says “if you al-
lowed a story buried deep within you to stay submerged when it could
have so much value for your audiences and enhance your public speaking
capabilities and reputation. Once you allow one of these long submerged
stories to see the light of day, often you find that in the telling, much of
your own reticence and inhibition about the event evaporates.”
Real-Life Examples
Dave Yoho tells stories of a personal nature that lend insight into the les-
sons he has learned. Yoho shows his audience a life filled with emotional
extremes. From his unloving father and childhood speech impediment, to
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becoming a millionaire by age 28, to his own failures as a father, Yoho
gives of himself completely to keep his audience riveted.
Dan Clark uses a similar approach by taking his audience through his
battle with cancer. He relies on evoking certain emotions in the audience
members to open them up to an understanding of his particular point. Like
Yoho, Clark uses his tale of hardships to grab his audience’s attention.
Evoking a feeling of empathy among your audience doesn’t need to be
so heavy, however. Many speakers take a lighter approach, just as effec-
tive in bringing the audience to a sympathetic and understanding mind-
set. Mary Jane Mapes and Bruce Wilkenson talk about teenagers. This is
effective because it is a topic to which everyone can relate. Whether au-
dience members are now parents or simply recall their own teenage years,
every one of them will feel a natural affinity between these stories and
their personal experiences.
All of these speakers present stories in different manners. Some are
funny, some are sad, and some are personal, while others may be little
quirks of life. What they have in common, though, is that they all help make
an entertaining and effective speech.
Live, Observe, and Record
On my hard drive, in a folder called “speaker,” in a subfolder called “an-
ecdotes,” I have more than 80 vignettes ranging from one paragraph to
two pages. The file has steadily grown over the years.
Whenever I am waiting in lines, finishing the dictation of a chapter for
another book, or if the spirit moves me, I record into my pocket dictator
whatever story happens to come to mind. It is amazing how some of the
most distant memories often come to the forefront at times you least ex-
pect them. Don’t let those fleeting memories get away.
Jean Robertson also has an ingenious way to keep track of what stories
and vignettes she used with what groups. Using a grid, she lists the names
of her stories and vignettes down the left side of the page. Across the top
she lists the names of the groups to whom she has spoken. Directly fol-
lowing her presentations she revisits her grid and checks off each vignette
or story that she presented to the latest group. She keeps the chart fully up
to date at all times. It is a rather simple system yet has great potency.
When Jean is rebooked to speak to a group a second or third time, she
merely has to consult her chart to determine what she has already told
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that group. Now, she makes choices related to what she will say on sec-
ond, third, and subsequent visits. As a matter of policy, she will avoid giv-
ing the vignette or story that she has already presented, unless of course
she is specifically asked to “tell that story again.”
Now, while the idea is fresh in your mind, take out a piece of paper or
go over to your computer and write or type in any key words or phrases
that relate to 10 possible vignettes or stories that you could tell. Don’t
worry about fleshing them out at this time. For now, you simply want to
have a core of 10 possibilities you will be developing in the coming weeks
and months.
As the opportunities present themselves or as your energy dictates,
pick the vignette or story that seems easiest to tell, is the most meaty, or
registers the greatest emotional impact with you. No matter how you find
your signature story, make sure it’s one that’s interesting and personal to
you. By doing so, you ensure that you’ll present the story with an enthusi-
asm that will enliven your audiences.
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14
Making Your Story
Even Better
O
nce you develop a signature story, or group of stories, what can
you do to make your presentation even more effective? By diag-
nosing what you tell and why you tell it, you unlock the poten-
tial to be more effective. If you have a special story in mind, reflect on it
as you proceed through the following pages.
DISCOVERING YOUR MOTIVES
There are many reasons that people tell particular stories. Among them
are the following:
To captivate listeners. A good story can keep audience members
hanging on every word.
To evoke emotion. A poignant story is an efficient vehicle for mov-
ing audience members in one direction or another.
To reveal deep truths. It’s often easier to convey a message about the
human condition to audiences through stories rather than factual
assertions.
To stimulate the audience to think in new ways, explore new ideas,
and be open to new possibilities. My own signature story is about
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MAKING YOUR STORY EVEN BETTER 99
Katharine Hepburn chastising a theatergoer who disrupted her play.
I use the story to teach audience members about the power of com-
pletions, taking action now as opposed to letting issues build up or
fester. I could simply tell people of the importance of this issue, but
my advice wouldn’t resonate within them and be as memorable as
the vivid portrayal of Hepburn.
To entertain. Public speakers, whether they’re primarily story-
tellers or from business, political, educational, or other arenas, don’t
necessarily need a cause or mission behind each story they tell.
Sometimes stories can be used by speakers to warm up the audience
at the outset of a presentation.
To acquaint the audience members with themselves. In addition to
telling them more about yourself, stories can help audience mem-
bers learn more about their own ideas and feelings, as well as those
of the people around them.
To convey unity. Stories can impart the message, “I am with you” or
“We have much in common.” I once saw a speaker talk about one of
his relatives who used to live in the area in which a meeting took
place. The speaker was seeking to form a bond with the audience,
and he did so in an entertaining manner.
Once you understand your own reason(s) for telling a particular story,
you can lay the groundwork for improving it. With such self-awareness,
you can actively work to emphasize and dramatize those elements of a
story that are most poignant.
PERFECTING YOUR STORY
Story-teller Louise Omoto Kessel of North Carolina suggests the follow-
ing sequence for developing and perfecting a story.
1. The first step in her approach is to determine what she calls the
“most important thing,” or the MIT. In my Katharine Hepburn story,
the most important thing is the moment Hepburn responds to an audi-
ence member’s disruption by stopping the play. When I tell the story, I
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build up to this point so that the audience is prepared for something out
of the ordinary.
2. The next step is what Kessel calls “word painting.” Word painting
involves focusing on an object and expanding on it. In the case of my
story, it would be a vivid description of Katharine Hepburn’s face as she
was about to chastise this theatergoer. What was she feeling? What was
she thinking? How did her expression change? Did her body stiffen?
Everything that I can describe about Hepburn will enhance the audi-
ence’s experience and “take them there” more vividly.
If you are portraying a character, slip into that character’s mode. Turn
a different way, contort your face to resemble the character, change your
voice, and/or accent particular words or phrases in a way that the charac-
ter does. Let the character take over. Think about what brought the char-
acter to this point in time. What was his or her upbringing? Where might
he or she live? What kind of friends or associates did the character have?
Where did he travel? What obstacles did he overcome? What impedi-
ments is he still facing? The more you know about the character, Kessel
says, “the freer you can be about telling the story.”
3. While you want to use the appropriate combination of words,
phrases, and accents, it is actually the progression of the story and the
scenes that are vital. When you think of the scenes first, the words tend
to come naturally. So, the next step is to engage in what Kessel calls
“mapping.” In mapping your story, simply consider what happens first,
what comes next, and so on. Draw a scene for each of these “camera
shots.” Never mind if you are good at sketching or not. When you draw
the scene, your mind’s eye begins to notice additional details that may
not have been part of your story. When I began to draw the scene of
Katharine Hepburn, I recognized elements of the stage, the seating, the
aisles, the materials used in the construction of the theatre, colors, and
so on that had been absent.
RECONSTRUCTING THE SETTING
If the story actually occurred, and you can get back to its location, do so.
In my case, it was quite possible to revisit the Kennedy Center, where
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Hepburn performed the night I witnessed this situation. I went back up to
the balcony and sat in the same seat. I was surprised to find out how the
seat, the balcony, the railing, the distance to the stage, and other elements
of the actual theatre differed from my recollection. By actually visiting
the scene of the story, I was able to more accurately depict the story.
If your story is not based on an actual occurrence, or, if it is impracti-
cal or impossible to revisit the scene, do your best to recreate the scene by
the means at your disposal. Can you find photos or sketches on the Inter-
net? If so, it will be to your great benefit in retelling the story, and your
audiences will derive greater pleasure from hearing you.
CHOOSING YOUR WORDS AND
EXPRESSIONS CAREFULLY
The language you use can be vital to the message you try to convey
through a story. Professional speaker and author Patricia Fripp suggests
telling your story to a number of audiences and transcribing it each time.
Then, she advises, closely examine your transcription. Where are the re-
dundancies? What words can be eliminated? What words need to be sub-
stituted for clearer, more illustrative terminology?
Are there places where you may lose the audience? Is the sequence the
best it can be? Are there words you stumble over? Is the language appro-
priate for the audiences? Fripp reports that most speakers are amazed
when they view the transcripts by how much refinement is necessary.
Practice telling your newly refined story, but not yet to an audience.
Tell it to yourself, either in the mirror and/or with a tape recorder or
video camera. There is something in telling it aloud, even to a tape
recorder or camera, that will help to expose any remaining problems.
Examine your facial expressions. Kessel suggests flicking your wrist,
raising an eyebrow, leading with different body parts, speaking in a
whisper, and exhibiting different facial expressions. As you begin to use
these tools with greater competence, you enhance the audience’s expe-
rience in hearing your story. As you tell your story more and more, keep
in mind that the best speakers and the best stories essentially “show,”
not “tell.” Professional speaker Lou Heckler says, “Don’t tell your sto-
ries; relive them.”
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PAINTING A PICTURE
When you impart your story in an entertaining manner, relating it in some
way to audience members; employing objects, sights, sounds, and/or
places; focusing on key words; accenting the most important thing; and
closing with a flourish, you all but guarantee that you’ll become the type
of storyteller that people want to hear. Indeed, the measure of a superb
storyteller is that audiences want to hear his or her particular story over
and over again.
FITTING IT INTO YOUR SPEECH
Theoretically, an effective signature story can be told to any audience be-
cause of the universal elements the story encapsulates. Where to tell it
within your presentation is another matter altogether. Depending on what
impact you want to have, the story could come first, last, or someplace in
the middle.
Wherever you tell your story within your overall presentation, you al-
ways want to be able to do so in a manner that does not seem rushed. If
you don’t leave enough time, and you find yourself racing through your
signature story, the audience will sense it and feel uneasy. A great signa-
ture story, even slightly rushed, can lose its potency; therefore, you need
to know exactly how long it takes, accounting for laughter, applause, si-
lence, or whatever response you anticipate.
Studies say audiences’ attention spans last about seven minutes for any
one given topic. If a speaker retains the same posture, voice, or focus, he
or she has little hope of reaching the audience. To keep a high level of in-
terest, fit your signature story into your speech where it will reinforce a
certain point or theme. This technique will keep your speech dynamic
and interesting.
THE STORY-TELLING EXPERIENCE
In a 1988 article appearing in The National Storytelling Journal, author
Fran Stallings discussed the entrancing power of story telling. A well-told
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story could so completely enthrall audience members that their attention to
everything else would recede from conscious awareness. Their experience
while listening to a story was likened to that of a light hypnotic trance. Pro-
fessor Brian Sturm at the School of Information and Library Science at the
University of North Carolina has been building on the works of these and
other researchers. Sturm has been synthesizing his findings in cognitive
science, psychology, literary studies, linguistics, and folklore to explore
what he refers to as “the nature of the story listening trance phenomenon.”
Interviewing listeners at conferences, Sturm transcribes their interviews
and then analyzes the results to identify recurrent themes. What was it ex-
actly that put people into an “altered state” during a story such that they
listened as if in a light hypnotic trance?
These unique and amazing findings reveal that individuals most defi-
nitely “experience a qualitative shift in their state of consciousness when
they listen to some stories,” says Sturm. He found that six characteristics
of the state become apparent, including:
Story realism.
Lack of awareness of surroundings.
Engaged receptive channels (people could see, hear, feel, and expe-
rience elements of the story).
A lack of control or loss of control of the experience.
A “placeness” to the experience.
A sense of time distortion.
Sturm’s interviewees often referred to words such as “alive,” real,”
“in the story,” or “being there,” when discussing their story listening
experience. Some listeners became so enmeshed in the action that they
“took on the personae of the story characters.” Some listeners no longer
noticed their surroundings while others felt as if the surroundings had
simply disappeared.
While all listeners could physically see the storyteller, many reported
visualizing the story as it was being told, that is, seeing it in their mind’s
eye. They were also likely to have a kinesthetic experience, experienc-
ing shivers, gasps, or laughter based on what was being said. “Some
listeners identified with the emotions of the storytelling,” reports
Sturm, “others with the emotions of the story itself, and still others
with the emotions of past experiences that were recalled during the
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story.” Listeners also perceived that the story had a locale “they were
not ‘beside’ the story, they were within it, with the story seeming to
occur around them.”
As a result of his research, Sturm was able to identify 16 positive influ-
ences on the storytelling experience (see below) and one negative influ-
ence or distraction, which represented any disturbance that inhibited a
listener’s ability to experience or maintain the story listening trance.
As you review the 16 influences that follow, remember Professor
Sturm’s observation that understanding of the story listening trance is still
in the initial stages and that there is still much to be discovered about this
wondrous phenomenon:
1. Memories. The more vivid a memory a story can evoke the greater
the potential for a story listener to experience the light hypnotic
trance state.
2. Novelty. A story heard by the listener for the first time has a far
greater chance of sparking excitement and inducing the trance state.
3. Expectations. Listeners who were ready and willing to be en-
tranced by a story were more likely to achieve the trance state.
4. Personal preferences. A listener who likes a particular type of
story is more likely to be entranced by that type of story (i.e.,
those who like adventure stories).
5. Physical comfort. Comfort tends to be something that goes unno-
ticed until it is absent. Given that the listener’s seat, prevailing tem-
perature, humidity level, and other meeting place factors were to
the listener’s liking, the greater the likelihood of the trance state.
6. Familiarity. While novelty, addressed above, was a strong influ-
ence for some, some people responded favorable to stories that rep-
resented “old favorites.”
7. Storyteller’s ability. A storyteller’s reputation for and demonstra-
tion of excellence can make a huge difference in inducing the
trance state.
8. Rhythm. A story that is told with a continuing rhythmic pattern can
augment the trance state, while breaks in rhythm can disrupt it.
9. Emotional comfort. As with physical comfort, emotional calm in-
duces the trance state while any experience of stress or anxiety
tends to disrupt it.
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10. A listener’s occupation or background. Individuals in professions
requiring vigilance (e.g., police officers or nurses) may experi-
ence difficulty experiencing the trance state.
11. Humor. Humor may impact physical comfort and/or emotional
comfort and in any case is “engaging for many people.”
12. Recency. The story that is most recent in the listener’s memory is
often considered the most engaging.
13. Storyteller’s involvement. Storytellers who become highly involved
in their own telling induce a “piggyback” process and thereby
their listeners become highly involved themselves.
14. Storytelling style. Stories that are appropriate to the situation and
are told at a moderate pace with good description help to bring on
the trance state.
15. Rapport with the storyteller. Listener’s who identify with the story-
teller in any way have an increased likelihood of achieving the
trance state.
16. Story content. Listeners find a story more engaging when they can
identify with the story theme.
TELLING IT OFTEN
There is no getting around this point—to become a master in delivering
your signature story, you have to tell it often. I can think of no substitutes
for doing so. I have spoken with many public speakers who report that the
telling of their signature story gets better and better each time—not be-
cause they are embellishing it, but because details become more clear,
their pacing approaches perfection, they learn ways of drawing the audi-
ence further in, and they perfect the use of gestures and props at critical
junctures.
But, you may ask, won’t I become tired of telling the same story over
and over again? The answer to the dilemma is that you delve into the
story in ways that make it different for you each time. Each time you tell
it, something else may come to mind. Perhaps there is someone in the
room who inspires you. Perhaps the story reminds you of someone new in
your life, or a recent event. By maintaining your own excitement for your
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signature story, you will continuously capture the attention and emotions
of your audiences.
Finding Local Audiences
Now that you have your signature story, it’s time to test it out on an audi-
ence. You have a ready throng of willing listeners right in your local area.
Whether it is the Lion’s Club, the PTA, the United Way, the Chamber of
Commerce, or any one of a dozen other groups that meet in your town, you
will find that many actively seek speakers for their weekly and monthly
meetings. Even if you only come on after dinner for 15 to 20 minutes, that
is more than enough time to try out a story or two.
With a brand new story, I recommend speaking to at least three groups
in this manner before attempting it in a larger venue. Your three early
round presentations will enable you to work out some of the rough spots,
substituting words here and there, embellishing this element, dropping
that one, and refining the story until it is easy for you to tell it to an audi-
ence in an attention-grabbing way. The more universal your theme—love,
hate, triumph, adversity and so on—the less you will have to do in terms
of adapting it to each audience.
Since good stories contain universal elements that could appeal to any-
one even if you speak entirely to business or professional groups, highly
personal, nonbusiness stories can still work well. Remember, the chances
are that most of the adults in your audience are parents. They may also be
siblings, they certainly are sons or daughters of their parents, they have
friends, they experienced triumphs and failures, they get embarrassed
and so on.
Be sure to record yourself even during these early rounds. Doing so,
and reviewing the recordings closely, you have the greatest chance for
rapid improvement. Still, after all the work you put into perfecting your
signature story, the most important factor to remember is to focus on the
audience. Keep in mind that most people have never heard of you before
and have never heard your story. Even if you are delivering your signa-
ture story to a group for the second time, there will be many people in at-
tendance who were not there the first time you told it. Even those in
attendance who heard it before will hear it “anew” and will reflect on it
in different ways.
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As the old proverb says, “You can never stick your foot in the same
river.” You never tell your signature story in exactly the same way or with
exactly the same impact.
DEVELOPING OTHERS
When you feel reasonable adept at telling one story, go back and repeat
the process until you have a second one in your arsenal, on your way to at
least five. Having the capability to tell at least five vignettes or stories at
the drop of a hat means that you have flexibility for all types of engage-
ments. As more stories evolve, you may find ways to improve your origi-
nal signature story. Continuously use your developing skills to cultivate
every story you tell.
Once you have amassed a library of these stories, you can begin to
work on the best 20 or so. You’ll find that you can recall them easily with
only a keyword or two, so that you can carry them all with no more than
an index card. Then, when you’re preparing for a speech, you can pick
two or three that fit easily with your topic and your audience.
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15
Pauses and Silences
T
hinking occurs four or five times faster than the typical person
can speak. This situation leads some speakers to think that audi-
ences need to have fast, peppy, pause-free presentations in order
to pay attention. Actually, the opposite is true. The speed at which people
think has little relationship to a speaker’s ability to hold an audience’s at-
tention. Listen to any gifted storyteller, and you’ll find that the audience
hangs on his or her every word. While some or all of the audience mem-
bers have the ability to think more quickly than the rate of the speech,
few actually do it.
With an effective presentation, whether it involves statistics or an
enthralling story, audience members are happy to follow along at the
speaker’s pace. Moreover, people want to reflect on what they hear. A
speaker’s pauses and silences give audience members this time to reflect,
synthesize, and get ready for what’s next. The more emotional a presenta-
tion, the more important pauses and silences can be. Audience members
are not simply ingesting data or words—they’re cultivating feelings, con-
victions, and images.
BUT I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY
For some public speakers, the thought of handing back some of their time
(through pauses and silences throughout their presentations) seems like
an imprudent practice. After all, if you only have 25 or 45 minutes, and
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PAUSES AND SILENCES 109
you have a lot of information to convey, why would you want to shorten
the length of your presentation through self-imposed pauses and silences?
The short answer is that the audience can only hear, absorb, and act on
so much, and, in many cases, less is more! Less information presented to
them, if it’s powerfully offered, can result in a more effective presenta-
tion from the standpoint of changing opinions or influencing behavior. As
a professional speaker and author of 32 books, I often encounter this
dilemma of having too much information to offer. Yet, to try to cram in as
much information as possible into my presentation would defeat the pur-
pose of the presentation itself.
PAUSES SEEM LONGER
TO THE SPEAKER
A curious phenomenon occurs when you give a presentation. What you
may think is a long and deadly pause of, say, three or four seconds, goes
by in almost an instant for members of the audience.
Put down this book for a moment and mentally count to five.
At the typical pace of career professionals, your count to five probably
occurs in three seconds. You could pause for three seconds at the end of
every paragraph of your presentation, or even the end of every other sen-
tence, and no one would lose interest. The audience would probably be
better off in terms of being able to absorb your presentation, and cer-
tainly to reflect upon it. You, as the speaker, would be better off since you
would be maintaining energy, staying focused, and offering a presenta-
tion that is easier to follow. Plan for less time than you’re allotted in order
to allow ample room for pauses.
PAUSE BEFORE SAYING A WORD
Dave Yoho believes that your level of energy is usually determined before
you speak. In his book How to Have a Good Year Every Year, Dave says,
“Many speakers who wait for exhilaration from audience reaction while
dealing with anticipation and butterflies, waste energy through hyper-
nervousness. He continues, “If you’ve prepared your speech, know your
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audience, and have checked the environment in which your speech will be
given, then you can direct your energies internally.”
Yoho recommends that you relax, observe your audience, become a part
of the milieu, and enjoy the moment. He routinely pauses before launch-
ing into his speech and simply “takes in” the whole room. Where else in
life do you ever encounter such a magnificent assembly?
PAUSE FOR A POWERFUL CLIMAX
An equally important pause should occur at the end of your presentation.
Too many speakers end with a lame, “Thank you,” which dissipates the
power of their presentations. For maximum impact, offer your final pause
after your last few words. This pause signals to the audience that you have
maintained control and stopped speaking, and it is time for them to re-
spond with what you hope will be a loud, long round of applause.
If you don’t time your presentation, and you rush to finish on time,
ending with “thank you,” you won’t likely receive the strongest audience
response. If you end with power and purpose, and offer your final pause,
the audience will respond.
PAUSING IN MIDSENTENCE
Some speakers learn the power of the pregnant pause, the pause in mid-
sentence, just before delivering the important part of a statement. For ex-
ample, consider the power of the pause in the following passage:
At the medal ceremony for a Special Olympics competition, a 26-year-
old man had just won the 100 meter dash for his age group. As the judge
hung the gold medal around his neck, the young man said, “Thank you.”
With those words, the volunteer who had worked with him for many
years began crying. When asked why she was crying, she said, “It’s the
first time . . . he’s ever spoken.”
Former NFL referee and veteran speaker Jim Tunney uses this anec-
dote in his powerful speech about volunteering and serving. He uses the
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dramatic pause as depicted here by the ellipses to great effect with his
audiences. By waiting a brief moment before delivering the last three
words, Tunney invariably captures the hearts of everyone in the room.
Would the story be as compelling if Tunney did not pause prior to say-
ing, “he’s ever spoken”? The story would still make a impact, but it
wouldn’t have the same dramatic effect.
Tunney’s pause helps to focus the attention of everyone in the room. As
such, it’s easy for them to empathize with the volunteer who has given her
heart and soul to helping this Special Olympian. People leave Tunney’s
presentation with a lasting impression. Indeed, I heard the presentation in
1981, and I vividly remember it to this day.
THE PAUSES OF HISTORY
If you listen to some of the great political speeches of the twentieth century
with your newfound “ears” for pauses and silences, you may be amazed to
discover how often pauses were employed in such speeches. John F.
Kennedy’s inaugural address, which included the line, “Ask not what your
country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” contains a
three-second pause between the two parts of that statement.
The same observation holds true for Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s fa-
mous line, “We have nothing to fear . . . but fear itself.” If you can obtain
a recording of it, note the pause between the two portions of that sen-
tence. Delivered too quickly, without a break in the middle of the sen-
tence the line would have been far less effective in calming the anxieties
of a nation in peril. Amazingly, if he had said it too fast, people may have
dismissed FDR’s line as political gibberish. After all, to this day, are you
certain of what the sentence means? The way that Roosevelt delivered it,
with dramatic pause, undoubtedly gave people a sense of assurance.
NOT FOR EVERY OCCASION
There are, of course, times when some pauses and silences do not favor-
ably contribute to a presentation. You know these instances all too well.
The speaker stumbles, unsure of what to say. He loses his place; starts
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112
shuffling papers, slides, or other materials; and leaves the audience in the
lurch. These kinds of pauses signal ineffectiveness and lack of organiza-
tion. Perhaps it is fear of appearing unprepared that prompts the more
novice speaker to avoid silences altogether. Unfortunately, such a speaker
doesn’t recognize the power of employing them to his or her best advan-
tage.
What are some of the best times to employ pauses? As you have seen,
pauses are effective when you are about to offer the closing item of a
powerful or emotional story. Another time to pause is when you offer a
startling statistic. For example, if you tell your audience that 61 percent
of Americans are now overweight and 27 percent are obese, a simple
pause for 5 to 7 seconds will allow the audience to absorb those figures
and consider the implications behind this fact.
PAUSES ENHANCE HUMOR
If you add humorous remarks to your presentation, and by now you know
that I am a strong advocate of doing so, pause after each one. To give the
audience the full measure of your humor, you must be silent—otherwise,
your reaction will detract from the desired effect. Masters of the well-
pronounced, posthumor pause, such as the legendary Jack Benny, know
that sometimes it takes the audience a few moments to gather up its col-
lective faculties and respond. During pauses, Benny would use a facial
expression to encourage greater laughter. You can practice your own ac-
tions during pauses to discover what works best for you. The look that
Jack Benny developed became so well known to his audiences that, in
time, all he had to do was pause and give that look, and he would get a
laugh even if what he said was only marginally funny.
PAUSES CAN CONVEY SERIOUSNESS
You can take a cue as well from politicians who have effectively mastered
pauses and silences. While George W. Bush has long been reputed to be
highly effective in one-on-one and small group sessions, his increasing
mastery at issuing large-venue, dramatic appeals offers a type of living
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classroom for all aspiring public speakers, particularly in the area of
using pauses and silences.
Bush didn’t start out as a great orator, but following the 2001 terrorist
attacks on America his series of speeches vaulted him into the rare air of
powerful orators. His voice, with its Texas twang, isn’t particularly a
strong asset, yet he uses it to its best effect. When he makes a factual point
or when he says something that touches listeners, he instinctively pauses,
seemingly “reading” his audience. He proceeds only after listeners have
had time to let his words sink in.
His manner of pausing is so effective that television viewers often feel
as if they are in the room with him. During pauses, he looks out at the au-
dience with a facial expression that almost says, “Isn’t it true?” Audience
members don’t say a word, yet it’s almost as if he is reading their minds.
PRACTICE YOUR PAUSES
If you have little experience with pausing while presenting to a group,
here are a variety of exercises that can increase your capacity in this area:
1. In our media saturated society, you can’t aspire to high office un-
less you have reasonably well-developed communication skills. The next
time you watch a speech by the president, secretary of state, or other high
official, be on the lookout for their pauses and silences. If the address is
not punctuated by audience applause—a relatively straightforward re-
sponse—then time the length of the pauses and silences. You may be
amazed to find that they often exceed five or six seconds.
2. The next time you speak to a group of any size, if only an in-house
team meeting, pick a spot in advance in which you will pause for at least
three seconds. During this time, look directly at members of your team—
don’t flinch or look away. After your words have had time to sink in,
begin again. You’ll find that no one will accuse you of being ill-prepared;
on the contrary, your pause likely helped to drive home your point.
3. Practice pausing in front of the mirror. During your true, three-
second pauses, note your facial expression. Do you want it to be one of en-
couragement, concern, alarm, joy, or empathy? You have those options
and dozens of others. When you pause, you have the opportunity to
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“speak” to your audience in a way that you cannot while your mouth is in
motion.
4. Practice pausing in one-on-one conversations with friends or rela-
tives. This is tricky, because, in such conversations, a three-second
pause can be an invitation for the other party to jump in and start talk-
ing. You could preface such encounters by saying something like, “I need
to bounce something off you for a few minutes. Please hear me out be-
fore responding.”
Such a conversation could prove to be a rare and pleasant experience
for your listener. After all, the typical conversation, particularly those in
which one person is trying to influence another, are punctuated by any-
thing but silences. The person pitching an idea often presents one obser-
vation, fact, recommendation, or nugget after another as if swamping the
listener with evidence and exhortation will more quickly generate the de-
sired effect and agreement.
Three- to five-second pauses in one-on-one conversations will give the
single listener, similar to members of a large audience, the opportunity to
synthesize more of what you’re saying without feeling overwhelmed and
besieged.
5. Go to your computer and find anything on your hard drive that
you’ve written in the last few weeks or months that may also have been
communicated verbally. As you review the text, save it under another file
name and begin to add instructions on how you might present it effec-
tively. For example, after a powerful statement, you might then type in
“pause for three seconds” and then continue on. You only have to mark up
two or three paragraphs to put this exercise into practice. Print out your
new file complete with inserted directions. Then, practice delivering the
information on the page while heeding the instructions (i.e. when to
pause, perhaps when to raise your voice, when to lower it, and so on). No-
tice how much more effective you sound to yourself. When you sound
more effective to yourself, chances are high that you will sound more ef-
fective to others.
Now that you’ve learned the techniques for selecting and developing
your topic, mapping your presentation, creating a signature story, and
mastered the nuances of your presentation, it’s time to think about mar-
keting yourself.
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PART III
MARKETING YOUR
SPEECH AND
SPEAKING CAPABILITIES
I
f no one knows who you are, your topics, how good you are, or how to
find you, how will you ever make public presentations? Whether or
not you command a fee for your presentations, you need to “get the
word out” about your speaking capabilities.
The early chapters in Part III focus on topics such as positioning your-
self, developing strategic marketing tools, and broadening and maintain-
ing your appeal. I’ve saved development of specific materials, such as the
one-sheet and videos, for later chapters.
We will not address generic marketing topics such as using direct mail
or telemarketing campaigns, as they are topics well covered in books de-
voted exclusively to entrepreneurial or Web marketing.
Although this part of the book, along with Part IV, on contracting and
landing the deal, is geared primarily for those aspiring to professional
speaking, the material will be useful for any public speaker. Once you’ve
implemented the advice in Part III, you’ll be more enthusiastic about gain-
ing exposure, and you’ll be well equipped to generate new opportunities.
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1
6
The Client’s
Mind-Set
Y
ou’ll see the names of 3,500 speakers when you open the National
Speakers Association’s directory, Who’s Who in Professional
Speaking, and many thousands of speakers and trainers in the
American Society of Training and Development’s membership directory.
What’s required, however, to be among the few hundred speakers who are
in demand?
THINK LIKE A MEETING PLANNER
Rather than speaking at a meeting, suppose you were planning it. How
would you know that you’re bringing in somebody who’s going to do the
job well, deliver the right message, and offer take-home value? While
there’s no foolproof way to know, here are some telltale markers of the
top speakers:
1. No off-the-shelf programs. Today, every audience requires at least
some form of a tailored presentation. There are no off-the-shelf programs
that fit every audience every time, even when the topic is as generic as
management, leadership, or stress management. An astute speaker will
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spend more time asking about the audience than he or she will conveying
the essence of the message, at least at the outset. Be wary of any speaker
who does not ask a lot of questions but who claims to have just the right
message.
2. Arrives well in advance. The best speakers arrive in advance and
make themselves thoroughly familiar with the meeting venue. No matter
how good the speaker is supposed to be, if he or she expects to get off a
plane and jump into a taxi and make it to your site with moments to spare,
you may get a performance that is not up to your expectations.
3. Has supporting materials readily available. Undoubtedly, you’ll
need a biography, an introduction, and an agreed-on write-up of the pre-
sentation. The seasoned speaker has these and other materials readily
available.
Many speakers offer such elements on their Web sites. If not on the
Web site, the speaker can at least send them via fax or express delivery. In
any case, when these materials are not readily available, it may be a sign
that something is amiss.
4. Has a speaker agreement form ready. If you’re hiring a professional
speaker, you can save time and energy if the speaker can submit his or her
speaker agreement form to you rather than asking for you to prepare a let-
ter or agreement yourself. A detailed discussion about speaker agree-
ments is offered in Part IV.
5. A toll-free telephone number and fax number. An experienced
speaker recognizes the importance of accessibility and thus offers you a
toll-free phone number and fax number. Going further, many speakers
also offer their home number, a cell phone or car phone number, if appli-
cable, and a pager number if they happen to carry one. Yes, this may be
overkill, but if you need to get in touch with somebody, these are wonder-
ful safeguards.
6. High-quality presentation materials. No one should have to endure
unattractive black and white overheads or slides when color is available.
Today’s foreword-thinking speaker uses presentation software to craft
audiovisual materials that will be easy to read and understand, pleasing to
the eye, and right on target for his or her message. Ask to see the
speaker’s presentation materials in advance. They can be transmitted via
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THE CLIENT ’S MIND-SET 119
an e-mail attachment. Thus, you get to discuss and agree on what your au-
dience will see in advance of the actual meeting.
7. Shows respect for your audience members. Is your speaker willing
to meet with audience members prior to the actual presentation? The
functionally competent, oratorically stirring speaker who is aloof to your
audience before and after presenting does not win over participants the
way that the fully engaging, personable, and accessible speaker does. This
is something important to ask about when you’re in the negotiation stage.
You may be surprised by the answers you receive.
8. Has a pre-speech questionnaire. Does the speaker have a pre-speech
questionnaire (see Part V)? This is a one- or two-page document that he or
she submits far in advance of the presentation. The speaker concerned
about the audience has taken the time to craft a document that includes
questions that will help him or her better know your audience, your orga-
nization, what you’re trying to achieve, and what message you want deliv-
ered. Most importantly, it helps the speaker understand what participants
should know, and how you’d like them to feel at the conclusion.
The speaker can send this form to you via e-mail or fax, or may have it
available at his or her Web site. The speaker should also be prepared to
cover this form with you over the phone. Often, this will be the most con-
venient way for you to handle this task, and the speaker needs to be ac-
commodating in this area.
9. The speaker’s responsiveness. Has the speaker been responsive
from the first time you made contact until he or she delivers the presenta-
tion? You can gauge a speaker’s level of responsiveness best prior to the
presentation. Are the materials that you request promptly submitted and
readily available? Does the speaker return phone calls in a timely man-
ner? If you see any sign that the speaker’s level of responsiveness is less
than you desire, be wary. This may be a clue to how the presentation and
overall interaction with the audience may come off.
Now that you’ve tapped into how meeting planners initially assess the
speakers they’re seeking, let’s consider the concept of positioning and
how to use it effectively with meeting planners.
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1
7
Positioning Is the
Best Marketing
Y
ou don’t have as many dates booked on your calendar as you
would like and, at the same time, you’re leery of employing tradi-
tional, over-used marketing vehicles such as mass mailing and
cold calling. Is there another way to consistently maintain a healthy speak-
ing calendar without the onerous burden of mass mailing and extensive
long-distance calling? Yes, there is; it’s through personal positioning. To
understand personal positioning, let’s first define it:
The concept of positioning was popularized by Al Ries and Jack Trout.
They observed that “in our over-communicated society, very little com-
munication actually takes place.” Rather, you must create a position in
the target’s mind. Communication occurs when optimally placed and
timed. Positioning is as vital today for speakers as it is for Fortune 500
companies.
Positioning is an organized system for finding a window in the mind.
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POSITIONING IS THE BEST MARKETING 121
AN APPROACH, NOT A SET OF RULES
Positioning, and its latter-day relation, branding, is a way of thinking
and presenting yourself rather than a fixed set of guidelines or princi-
ples. Positioning is not an overnight strategy; it requires considerable ef-
fort. Once you establish your “share of mind,” positioning translates
into more bookings.
Positioning involves risks. It requires a broad, long-range view of your-
self and your programs. The position that you develop likely will be right
only for you and no other speaker. You may become the leader in an
emerging field, or a highly successful how-to presenter in traditional skill
areas. Personal positioning can be enhanced through what you say, whom
you meet, what you attend, what you read, and even how you listen.
Being the “first” remains one of the quickest and easiest ways to gain
a position in someone’s mind. Who was the first woman in space? Did
you answer: “Sally Ride”? You are correct. Now, name the second
woman in space. You may not be sure. (The answer is Judy Resnik, who
was a member of the unfortunate Challenger Shuttle crew.)
What if you have no position? Watch out, because you’ll be working
long and hard to try to fill that speaking calendar. You’ll end up under-
taking exhaustive direct mail and cold-calling campaigns. Positioning for
the successful speaker of today is not optional. As Ries and Trout said
years ago, you can either endure the position you end up having by de-
fault, or work to establish the position you choose.
The position you occupy in the minds of those you wish to serve con-
tributes to the success or failure of your speaking business. The nice part
about positioning is that once you get the campaign in motion, inertia
alone often will carry the day: You position yourself as an expert in X,
and as you build up your position, more and more people will seek you
out when they need a speaker on X. Every time you speak on X, or write
an article on it, and so on, you add an extra layer to your position.
Change with care. A major drawback to positioning is that once you’ve
established your position, changing to something else can have its diffi-
culties. For example, Bob Burg made significant progress in his early
years as a speaker in the arena of memory and memory enhancement.
Years later, Burg switched his speaking focus to networking, and while he
generated a good roster of speaking dates, it took some effort.
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For Burg to dislodge his previous reputation held in the minds of meet-
ing planners, he:
1. Changed his marketing literature.
2. Began writing books and articles on various aspects of networking.
3. Turned down requests to give presentations on memory.
4. Sought to convince callers to book him for a networking presentation.
Decide and align. After deciding to be known for some topic area, every
element of your speaking operation would of necessity be aligned with
your position: your stationery, envelopes, business cards, mailing labels,
and even packaging materials; also your photos, promotional pieces, and
all products such as audiocassette tapes and albums, videocassette tapes
and albums, books, CDs, and software. On site with audiences, your par-
ticipant’s packet, wardrobe, grooming, AV materials, briefcase, and pro-
fessional artifacts need to enhance your positioning.
SPEAK AND CONSULT
Many consultants and service providers use public speaking as a way to
generate new clients. I have often watched these experts miss the mark
because their presentation style and speech are designed to say, “look at
me.” What the audience needs, however, is someone who can demonstrate
his or her ability to rapidly understand their needs, how they would like to
proceed, and what outcome they would like to achieve.
Conveying this capability and then proving it in the field consistently
wins over new clients, retains existing ones, builds a strong client base,
and lets you increase your speaking fees.
SPEAKING FUELS THE FURNACE
Tricia Santos is the president of her own computer consulting firm. She has
achieved considerable success as a speaker because she is intensely dedi-
cated to listening to her clients, and she conveys this empathy in her
speeches, while other technical advisors may operate at their own pace and
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manner. Tricia has the patience and understanding to adjust her presenta-
tion. As a result, she is a very popular speaker. For many years, she has
been actively involved with NSA-Carolina Speakers Association, attending
the quarterly meetings even though they are nearly three hours away in
Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition, Santos looks for every opportunity
to speak at both peer group meetings and other professional meetings
around the state, whether or not she is a member of the group.
Santos knows that every time she speaks to a professional group, there
are opportunities both to improve her speaking capability and to generate
new clients. She consistently reaps multiple benefits as a result of her pre-
sentations because she is giving great value at every presentation and influ-
encing those who are in a position to retain her as a computer consultant.
TARGET A SINGLE INDUSTRY
For a variation on Santos’ positioning activities, some speakers target a
specific industry and then provide all the services they can for serving that
industry. Francis Friedman, for example, is president of his own company,
Strategic Initiatives Inc. Whereas Santos provides a variety of computer
consulting and speaking services to many different audiences, Friedman
exclusively serves the meeting industry itself—groups like the Profes-
sional Management Association, Meeting Planners International, and The
American Society of Training and Development.
Usually Friedman is either at the headquarters of a meeting planning
association, or at a convention or trade show where he is handling multi-
ple clients at once. At such venues, he might be providing prearranged
consulting, coaching, training, or speaking. In this manner, Friedman is
continually able to generate new clients, further broaden and deepen his
understanding of the meeting and trade show industry, and ensure that he
continues to offer leading edge services to the industry.
BECOMING A HOUSEHOLD NAME
Bill Lee has been a full-time, industry-specific speaker in construction
supply since 1987. One of Lee’s primary positioning strategies is his
exclusive industry newsletter called People Profit$.
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Lee contends that the task of producing an industry newsletter requires
knowing the full ramifications of what’s involved. Publishing a newsletter
is a large undertaking—an eight-page monthly newsletter, over the course
of a year, is equal to writing a 240-page book. However, Lee believes that
if you choose to position yourself in a particular industry and carve out a
niche, then the information contained in even a two- to four-page quar-
terly newsletter must be highly targeted, timely, and clearly indicative of
your status as a key resource within the industry.
“If you intend to stay in such a position, that means you have to main-
tain your level of excellence in issue after issue,” Lee says. The critical
factors in creating demand for his newsletter include the following:
Increasing the number of quotes from key players in the industry.
Publishing timely and interesting facts, figures, and industry statis-
tics that otherwise are not easily encountered by the readers.
The underlying premise of producing a newsletter such as Lee’s is that
you and your organization can consistently be counted on as a leading
source of industry information. You can enhance your reputation in a
similar manner by writing articles and even books. Sometimes a book
also turns into an audio book or a video presentation. All of these ven-
tures add to your positioning as an expert.
SPECIAL SEMINARS
One of Lee’s other key positioning techniques is to offer associations in
his industry the opportunity to book him at their annual convention for
only the cost of travel. In return they agree to promote his newsletter and
speaking services. Many associations have taken him up on his offer, and
once members of the association were exposed to Lee’s presentations, the
demand for his speaking services began to grow. Lee says, “This market-
ing technique exposed my message and my speaking style to 75 percent of
the owners and managers in my industry.”
By his fifteenth year of producing People and Profit$, Lee had 2,400
paid newsletter subscribers—a healthy number for a highly targeted niche.
Over that time, he has conducted more than 800 seminars and consulting
assignments for owners and managers of construction supply firms.
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Every time Lee speaks, he creates solid bonds with his target market,
gains exposure to more people in the industry, stays on top of the field,
creates opportunities to increase his newsletter subscriber base, and gains
leading edge information to include in his newsletter. He has created a
victorious cycle in which one positioning technique enhances another.
INDUSTRY STATISTICS
Whether or not you produce a newsletter, you have the ever-present op-
portunity to collect industry statistics and other data that could be fil-
tered into your presentations, articles, Web site, and other marketing
vehicles and intellectual properties. Lee says, “When I began speaking
and consulting in my industry, no one was doing a thorough job of collect-
ing industry statistics, so I chose these ‘stats’ to position myself in the
marketplace.”
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1
8
Making
Measured Progress
N
ow that I’ve covered other ways to position yourself as an ex-
pert, such as writing an article or a book, I turn to the topic of
setting goals for yourself and your positioning. Whatever your
goals, it pays to make them challenging. As in many industries, competi-
tion among public speakers is so keen that there is simply no standing still.
A goal, as I discuss at length in my book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to
Reaching Your Goals, is a desired outcome, something that you’re seeking,
you want, you’re willing to strive for, and to which you devote energy.
“Outcome” means a result, a situation you can describe, an achievement
to which you can point, a feeling that is real and unmistakable.
1. A goal needs to be challenging, but reachable.
2. A goal needs to be quantifiable.
3. A goal needs to be associated with some time line.
In establishing your strategic position, think about how well-known
and how in demand you are for your particular type of presentation or
topic. You could measure your progress in many ways, including:
Tabulating the number of unsolicited calls you receive from target
industries inquiring about your presentations.
Preparing a grid that rates your presentations and custom informa-
tion versus that offered by would-be competitors.
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MAKING MEASURED PROGRESS 127
Tabulating the number of publications or external sources that refer
to you as an “expert,” “authority,” or foremost presenter in the field.
Many other speaking goals that you can set for yourself can support your
positioning objectives. Constantly improve the quality of your presenta-
tions. Keeping the criteria for effective goal setting in mind, this would
mean devising evaluation standards by which you could judge your perfor-
mance over time. For example, you could gauge your performances by:
The number of letters you receive following a presentation.
The evaluation scores you receive from one group arithmetically ad-
justed to compare to scores you received from another group.
The frequency of your being invited back.
Enhance the novelty and uniqueness of your presentations. Indicators
might include:
The number of audience participants and meeting planners who re-
port that your presentation is unique.
The number of hours you spend refining that content.
The number of hours you spend practicing your presentations with
new content.
Increase the demand for your services. There are many potential indica-
tors here, including:
The number of calls you get in a week, month, or quarter from inter-
ested parties.
The number of groups that ask you back.
The raw number of bookings in a week, month, quarter, or other pe-
riod of time.
Sales of associated tape programs, books, and other learning tools.
If you’re a novice in the world of public speaking but have made a com-
mitment to become increasingly more effective as a speaker, there are a
variety of other simple goals you can establish including:
The frequency of your speeches.
The size of the audience.
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The length of your presentations.
The types of groups to which you speak.
The types of people in your audiences—administrative, line, staff,
supervisory, management, executive, top management, or CEO.
Where you are in programs—opening, luncheon, closing, general
session, keynote, or breakout speaker.
The creation of products from your presentations—audiotapes,
books, videos, CD ROMs, or transcripts.
The sales of existing products at your presentations.
Whatever your position and trajectory in the world of public speaking,
you’ll never run out of challenging, reachable goals. By setting them, you
can ensure that your presentations remain vibrant.
REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES
One way to achieve at least some of your goals is to capitalize on the dif-
ferent opportunities to sell your services. One of the first questions I ask
myself after having booked an engagement is, “Are there other revenue
opportunities with this particular client?” For example, would the meet-
ing planner be interested in ordering books or other learning tools for all
the participants? Are they having a board of directors meeting the night
before where I could lead a 45-minute roundtable discussion?
EDITORIAL COORDINATION
Whether it’s an association, government agency, or corporation, nearly all
such entities today have their own monthly publications, either full-
fledged magazines or simple newsletters. At the least, you could offer
public relations information to the editor to alert more members or staff
about your presentation. You could also offer one or more articles at fee
or at no cost to further increase your visibility within the organization. It
will serve their editorial needs as well.
Are there other association or industry journals, not published by the
host organization, to which it might make sense for you to submit public
relations materials or publishable articles? If you’re working within any
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one of your chosen niches, then undoubtedly you’re aware of most of the
major magazines that serve the niche. If you’re not aware of them, the ref-
erence librarian at any city or university library can readily supply you
with the names and addresses of the key publications.
VERTICAL OPPORTUNITIES
If you’re speaking in Chicago to a medical supplier on September 19, find
out who is meeting in Chicago on September 18 and September 20, espe-
cially if your calendar is free. I spoke to a banking association in Texas on
July 30, and I was fortunate enough to discover months in advance that
the Chamber of Commerce was meeting an hour away on July 29.
The Chamber of Commerce hired me to speak as well; hence, I was
able to create a tight circular route. This greatly benefits the meeting
planner as well, because I could apportion my plane expense between two
clients, thus lowering everyone’s overall travel costs.
Another vertical opportunity is making contact with groups similar to
the group to which you’ll be speaking. For example, if you’re speaking to
the Kentucky Trial Lawyers Association, it would be beneficial to share
that information before and after your presentation with the Tennessee
Trial Lawyers Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and others.
You don’t necessarily have to wait until you’ve made the presentation.
The fact that you’ve been retained by one group is often of interest to a
similar group. After the presentation, and particularly if you were well
received, by all means alert the other vertical groups. The same process
works if you’re speaking to a branch, a plant, or a division of a company.
Many times no one within the company thinks to alert the other branches.
Therefore, it behooves you to ask for a list or roster, referral names, and
supporting letters so that you can book dates with the other divisions.
HORIZONTAL OPPORTUNITIES
Whenever you’re speaking at a national convention, regional meeting, or
state meeting, visit the exhibit hall. Invite those at the trade booths to attend
your session. I was speaking to a medical association and was fortunate
enough to have an insurance agent who was exhibiting at the convention
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attend my session. He corralled me in the hall afterward, asked for my card
and fee, and told me that he was the planning coordinator for his state insur-
ance association. I hadn’t thought of inviting people from the exhibit hall
into the session. Once I realized, however, that everyone in the exhibit hall
and everyone at the convention in general belonged to other organizations
and associations, I knew that I should get as many of them into my session
as I could.
Invitations in Advance
Many speakers already are aware of the value in inviting others who re-
side in the city to their presentations. In three years of seeking to invite
guests to sessions, no meeting planner has ever turned me down.
Dr. Judith Briles routinely summons the local media to her presentations.
She lets radio, TV, and newspaper producers and editors know where and
when she’ll be speaking. She is often interviewed before or after her speech
in addition to having the reporter or journalist attend her presentation.
Sponsored by . . .
If you’re attempting to land a corporate sponsor, that is, an organization
that wants to pay your fee as you speak to several groups in their target
market, invite potential sponsors to your speeches. Sometimes a complete
roster of attendees, including exhibitors, is provided for you, with names,
addresses, and phone and fax numbers. In that case, you could call five or
six prospects in advance and invite them to your speech.
In all cases, the number of people who actually take you up on your in-
vitation versus the number of invitations you offer is going to be small.
That’s all part of marketing. People are busy, and it’s hard to get anybody
to go anywhere. You only have to get one or two key people to attend your
session to make your leveraging efforts pay off.
BUILDING YOUR MAILING LIST
Each time you speak to a group, you have the potential to build your mail-
ing list. Such a list is valuable if you have products and learning tools, and
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to stay in touch. You can add to your mailing list in several ways (to be
cleared with the meeting planner):
1. Include an order form in your handouts, or get permission to leave
an order form on everyone’s seat before the presentation.
2. Mention during your presentation that you have a newsletter, order
form, or other materials available, and that anyone who wants to be
put on your list can do so by either leaving you a business card or
signing up on a sheet that you provide.
3. Find out if there will be a participant roster or list circulated to
everyone, as mentioned above. Once again, it’s probably best to pro-
ceed with the permission of the meeting planner.
AUDIO AND VIDEO OPPORTUNITIES
Every time you speak to a group, regardless of who did the booking, you
have the opportunity to create an audiocassette simply by bringing your
own equipment. There are at least five good reasons why it’s worth taping
yourself as often as possible:
1. Taping affords personal review of the presentation. There is no bet-
ter way to review your performance than to hear exactly what you said
and how you said it, on tape.
2. Each tape is potentially salable. Tape cassette producers, manufac-
turers, and distributors can professionally edit your tape, supplying
voiceovers and transition passages that can result in a salable cassette.
3. The tape transcript is salable. Don’t overlook the value of market-
ing the tape transcript to members of the group you addressed. Profes-
sional societies frequently offer tape transcripts from symposia and
seminars that they have sponsored to those members who were not able to
attend or who wish to have a written record of what was said in the
speech.
4. The transcript can be converted into articles. Frequently, a tran-
script of as few as three or four pages lends itself to being turned into an
excellent article. With longer transcripts, it may be possible to extract
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132
several excellent articles, which in turn can be used to promote your
speaking career and earn additional income.
5. Use tapes to get other speaking engagements. After your speech has
been taped, you can extract a 5- to 10-minute passage that can be used to
develop demonstration tapes for distribution to other meeting planners.
What better way for them to assess your speaking skills?
VIDEO IN THE MAKING
Both you and the organization can benefit when you produce a product
like a video that both you and they can use again. The specifics of what
kind of permission to offer, how to charge, who owns the copyright, and so
forth is the topic of another chapter. The point here is that each speaking
engagement must be assessed for its potential as an audio or video product.
When you are creating such products, you have further opportunities to
collect on-site testimonials. Many times after a speech, people will come
up to you with praise. If it is captured on audio, and particularly, video,
you have valuable footage, indeed.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Each time I speak, I try to get at least one letter, be it from the meeting
planner, room monitor, key attendees, key officers, or key staff, that I
can use in my speaker’s portfolio (see Chapter 21 on Kudo letters).
If you’re at a convention, you can meet other speakers with diverse
topics and compare notes as to what they’ve learned and what op-
portunities are available.
If you’re at a private company, schmoozing with the attendees dur-
ing break or at lunch often leads to other engagements.
Every time you make a presentation, a world of opportunities awaits,
far more than if you simply presented information and ideas for the
good of the people in attendance. Your time is precious, and by plan-
ning your strategy in advance, you can get your speaking career into
overdrive.
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133
Getting Paid and
Selling Your Services
F
inding and hiring a professional speaker can be a complicated pro-
cess for a meeting planner. A planner needs to first narrow the
search by deciding on the objectives of the presentation and then
choosing a pool of speakers capable of meeting those objectives. The fee
is perhaps one of the most important considerations in choosing a
speaker.
Selecting a professional speaker doesn’t mean randomly picking an af-
fordable speaker, nor does it mean paying a large sum of money on the as-
sumption that more equals better. Rather, it is a matter of finding a
speaker who meets the planner’s criteria and represents the best value for
the fee that he or she charges.
To help in the selection process, many meeting planners have fee
ranges. The following is an “unofficial” breakdown of the pay scale, cit-
ing the “characteristics” of speakers at each level:
Less than $1,000:
Few meeting planners today expect to retain a speaker for less than
$1,000; nevertheless, many organizations have a limited budget. De-
pending on the situation, some highly experienced professional
speakers have accepted payments of $1,000 or less. The speaker
who regularly falls into this pay range, however, is local, someone
1
9
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who gives infrequent presentations, or someone who does not speak
professionally.
$1,000 to $2,000:
This is the customary fee for an entry-level speaker or an up-and-
coming professional. Speakers charging at this level are generally
good at what they do but may not necessarily speak full-time or even
frequently. Furthermore, this is an appropriate fee for salaried speak-
ers or corporate employees. Ranges can overlap—$2,000 might be
seen as being in the next category.
$2,000 to $3,500:
Speakers in this range are frequently comparable to one another.
Often, there is very little difference among the quality of presenta-
tions at this level. Speakers who charge $3,500 are often no better
than the ones who charge $2,000.
$3,500 to $5,000:
The majority of professional speakers in business today charge be-
tween $3,500 and $5,000. Along with greater compensation comes
greater expectations. Meeting planners willing to pay over $3,500
are counting on a solid presentation from someone who knows the
ropes and has a 99 percent or better chance of delivering a winning
performance.
$5,000 to $7,500:
Speakers able to command between $5,000 and $7,500 must meet
specific and important goals. In this pay category, a speaker might
expect to address an organization’s national convention (as opposed
to the state convention), a corporate quarterly or annual meeting, or
an executive retreat of 15 to 20 people. The speech itself could be
either a keynote address or a half day in length. At this level, plan-
ners are counting on a professional, seasoned veteran capable of ac-
complishing the objectives with absolute competency. Competition
is stiff in this fee range.
$7,500 and Above:
Understandably, there are few speakers in this range. Many speak-
ers talk about these numbers, but consistently earning figures this
great is another matter. Above the $15,000 mark, expect to find few
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GETTING PAID AND SELLING YOUR SERVICES 135
noncelebrities. It is not unusual, however, for a celebrity or high-
ranking expert in a particular field to command anywhere between
$15,000 and $80,000.
WHEN PRICE BECOMES
LESS OF AN ISSUE
At the lower end of the pay spectrum, even relatively small discrepancies
between the prices of two speakers can make a big difference in the se-
lection of one over the other. However, this becomes less of an issue as the
amount of compensation increases.
For instance, if a planner is willing to pay between $7,500 and $10,000,
it’s because he or she is looking for a speaker who can achieve specific
results. When choosing between a speaker who charges $8,000 and one
who charges $9,000, the planner will often opt for the more qualified, not
the cheaper, of the two.
However, you can’t neglect to recognize the implications of your fee.
My colleague Jim Cathcart once said, “Despite all the work that we’ve
done, all the study, all the technique, all the refinement, all the practice in
speaking, all the literature we’ve developed, everything we’ve done as
speakers, the number one thing the market judges us by at first is our
fee!” If you are charging $7,500 a presentation, you are automatically re-
garded as a better speaker than someone charging $5,000. Your back-
ground, credentials, and personality are all important factors in setting
your fee.
ESTABLISHING YOUR FEE
Deciding how much to charge clients is daunting. You want adequate and
fair compensation for your skills and services, but you don’t want to sell
yourself short or demand more than your experience allows. While
$2,000 is a good starting point, your baseline fee should not fall below
$1,000 if you want to be taken seriously. Fortunately, a speaker can draw
on many resources for help in establishing payment guidelines.
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COMPARE YOURSELF
WITH YOUR PEERS
Trade Materials
Write to a bevy of other speakers and establish an information and materi-
als exchange with them. Ask to see brochures, one-sheets, reference let-
ters, and other materials they have produced, and be sure to send them
copies of your own published or important documents. Solicit information
from speakers whose incomes approximate or slightly exceed your own.
Use what they send you to set a few future goals for yourself; you will want
to produce similar or higher quality material at some point in your career.
Exchange Videos
Over the years, I’ve exchanged videos with successful friends and col-
leagues in the business. I have been able to refine my own techniques by
comparing my presentations with others.
A speaker isn’t concerned that a peer will steal his or her lines from a
demo tape; one person’s presentation material is usually inapplicable to
another’s anyway. Most people will be flattered by your interest and in-
clined to grant your request. In addition, sharing my videos with my col-
leagues lets them know what I’m doing so they can have me in mind when
approached for a job that isn’t right for them.
Elasticity Calculations
Another way to decide how much to charge is to do an elasticity calcula-
tion. Suppose you earn $2,000 50 times a year; that’s $100,000 in gross
revenue. From an elasticity standpoint, 50 speeches at $2,000 generates
the same revenue as 33 speeches at $3,033. My personal strategy is to go
out a handful of times a month (35 times a year) at $X, rather than 70
times a year at one-half $X. Besides, I want to be opening general ses-
sions, closing general sessions, or otherwise be the prominent speaker on
the guest list.
What are you willing to deliver? Will you deliver half-day or keynote
presentations? Are you willing to travel outside of your state or to another
country? Most speakers are willing to do a variety of session lengths and
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have a different fee for each. Speakers who charge $3,000 for a keynote
might charge $4,000 for a half-day presentation, and $5,000 for a full day.
You may find it helpful to draw a 3 × 3 grid with nine fees to help you es-
tablish base rates for offers of any type, length, and location you receive:
Your first box, for example, sets up a guideline for local and keynote
address, the lowest fee; the last box is for a full day at an international
event, which commands your highest fee.
A trend is to include all expenses in a higher fee. Scott McKain polled
several meeting planners and all of them indicated they would rather book
a speaker for a $2,000 flat fee than deal with the hassle of paying $1,500
plus expenses. There are two reasons why this is preferable: There are no
receipts to deal with, and no complicated paperwork is involved. Planners
appreciate the ease and simplicity of flat rates.
If you choose to go this route, prominently indicate your “all expenses
included” policy in your literature; otherwise, you’re going to lose money
and dates because it will appear as though you’re charging the same as
everyone else.
DISCOUNTS AND FAVORS
Personally, I give a 10 percent discount on the second day if I’m booked
with one organization back to back. I give the same discount for multiple
bookings. Other speakers charge slightly less if the organization that
hired them videotapes the presentation. Better yet, convince the organi-
zation of the value of doing a video shoot of you and become a cocopy-
right holder. (See terminology from the sample speaker in Part IV.)
Price Schedule
LOCAL, LONG
STATE DISTANCE INTERNATIONAL
($) ($) ($)
Keynote 3,000 4,500 6,000
Half day 4,000 5,500 7,000
Full day 5,000 6,500 8,000
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Other speakers offer a discount if the client will write letters of recom-
mendation on the speaker’s behalf or in exchange for other intangibles. I
would avoid doing these things, however. The trade-off is not sufficient. If
you need video footage or if you are booked for multiple dates, offer a
discount. Otherwise, don’t discount or do favors.
WHEN TO ASK FOR MORE
Raise your price when you’re getting more business than you want at your
current rate, or you’ve done something so compelling in your career that
you should no longer charge your current fee.
Don’t let the fear of losing clients hold you back from giving yourself a
deserved pay increase. When you raise your fee, there are certain groups
that will drop out of your clientele, but for every company that can’t af-
ford you, one that can will appear.
UPGRADE YOUR MATERIALS
WHEN YOU UPGRADE YOUR FEES
Make your materials equal to what you are charging. If you’ve moved into
the $2,000 price range, spend some money and print a brochure. As you
keep increasing your fee, upgrade the quality of your materials. You want
your printed materials to correspond with your value.
Only after you spend years in the business establishing your reputation
can you operate on a “pull-policy,” letting the contents of your materials
speak for themselves instead of relying on a snazzy production. Until
then, continue to upgrade your materials each time you raise your rates.
In addition to keeping your materials updated, also make sure they’re
formatted for the latest means of communication. The need for on-site
speakers at conferences and conventions is not likely to dissipate. Still,
online presentations will grab an increasing share of the speaking, train-
ing, and consulting market. If you haven’t gotten your feet wet in this
technology thus far, now is the time to get started. As of this writing, the
Internet is the major vehicle shaping the changes in the meeting industry.
By staying focused on broad-based emerging issues, even solo speakers
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with no staff can maintain a firm handle on where to focus their time and
attention. The key issues and areas to keep in mind are discussed next.
All Functions to the Web
All meeting planning functions that have not already been will eventually
be transferred to the Web. Given this reality, it becomes fundamental to
have all the materials in your business Web-ready. This means converting
all of your marketing materials as well as pre-speech materials (see Parts
IV and V), such as contracts, agreement forms, presentation question-
naires, survey forms, product ordering information, and room diagrams,
into PDF format so that any form can be sent to a meeting planner quickly
and easily. Conversion to PDF format is a painless process once the
proper software is installed. Log on to www.adobe.com to obtain the
Adobe Acrobat softwear necessary for this.
Prepare Dual Formats
Prepare all speech-related materials in dual format—whatever you pre-
pare for an onsite audience needs to be recast for delivery over the Inter-
net and for a net audience. Corel Presentations, PowerPoint, or other slide
show software readily lend themselves to use over the Internet.
Ensure that your professional photos, handouts, or participant materi-
als, including charts, graphs, exhibits, and article reprints used in front of
a live group can be easily conveyed over the net.
Master Long-Distance Techniques
Speakers today need to become aware of and proficient in making online
presentations. Use a headset so that you can maintain hands-free move-
ment while directing a professional slideshow, entertaining questions
from your audience, conducting on-the-spot surveys, and tabulating re-
sults, all without the slightest hitch.
Securing Strategic URLs
Many speakers, trainers, and consultants recognize the value of securing
strategic URLs for purposes of effective marketing and for protecting in-
tellectual property. I own BreathingSpace.com, for example, as well as
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JeffDavidson.com and a variety of other URLs that help meeting planners
find me. It makes sense for any speaker aspiring to charge a speaking fee
to secure those URLs that represent various versions of their name, and
company name, products, and services.
For all the talk about URLs being snapped up immediately, even within
the .com domain there are many effective combinations that speakers,
trainers, and consultants potentially may secure. Visit register.com or
simply type “domain registrations” in search engines, and a list of ven-
dors who can help you will appear.
How You Use It
The Internet offers many other benefits to public speakers. If you offer
products for sale, for example, how you use the Internet will become one
of the principle determinants of your sales success. Those who initially
may not have seen the need to purchase products, or felt the urge to, may
eventually become repeat buyers, in part because of the relationship you
establish and maintain via the Internet. In addition, opportunities to stay
in touch with groups to whom you have spoken and to key audience mem-
bers has never been greater.
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Developing a
Dynamite One-Sheet
N
ow let’s turn to developing some of the critical marketing pieces
referred to earlier. The one-sheet is a major tool speakers de-
velop to work in smooth coordination with their video demos.
True to its name, the one-sheet is a single sheet of paper that includes the
speaker’s topic roster, biography, credentials, and product list, among
other information.
PROPER ONE-SHEET INFORMATION
The typical speaker one-sheet is a carefully produced, visually pleasing,
highly informative document. The one-sheet needs to meet specific
criteria:
1. Name and contact information. These essential items need to be
printed clearly, toward the bottom of the front page and, preferably,
reprinted on the back as well. The font and point size should be sufficiently
large so that contact information and other descriptive information can
easily be read.
20
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Professional speakers who are represented by bureaus often split their
print runs in half. Half of the run contains fully printed sheets with their
own contact information. The other half of the print run leaves such in-
formation blank so that the respective bureaus can fill in their contact in-
formation, or even print individual bureau contact information for
bureaus to distribute.
2. Your Web site. When sending your one-sheet directly to meeting plan-
ners, list your Web site along with your contact information. You could
make reference to additional information on your Web site, which could in-
clude fee information (since it’s never appropriate on a speaker one-sheet),
longer biographical material, an extended list of clients, praise from clients,
possibly an extended description of your presentation, subtopics, and antic-
ipated benefits or results. Detailed information such as your preferences for
room setup, travel arrangements, accommodations, and other logistics can
be posted on your Web site as well, particularly in locations only for meet-
ing planners.
3. Photographs. Professional one-sheets contain at least one color
photograph of the speaker. Most of these photos are head and shoulder
shots, although some speakers opt to use photos of themselves with a mi-
crophone in hand or otherwise gesturing to an audience. Some speakers
include two or more photos. In such cases, one of the photos is invariably
a head and shoulder shot. It’s important to have a current photo, not one
from five or more years ago. Running unrepresentative photos invariably
surprises the meeting planner and prompts him or her to contemplate the
other ways you may have misrepresented yourself.
4. Grabber headlines. Unless you’re so well-known that your name
alone is sufficient to attract recipients’ attention, employ a descriptive
phrase or grabber line at the top of your one-sheet. Many speakers use an
excerpt from the description of their favorite presentation or a truncated
version of its title. It is also helpful to have humor or some type of twist in
the title as long as the readers are sure to understand it.
Here are some clever headlines that succinctly convey a clear message
and invite their readers to continue:
Sales Techniques for the Twenty-First Inspiration for Your Audience
Century Winning Strategies for Winning
A Guided Tour of the Future Companies
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DEVELOPING A DYNAMITE ONE-SHEET 143
5. Topics and brief descriptions. The one-sheet would be useless with-
out at least one topic, although most speakers list several. The topics need
to be succinctly stated in about two to seven words. The topic title is fol-
lowed by a brief description of what is included. This could be one long
sentence, two moderately long sentences, or three short ones. (See the
sample one-sheets.)
6. Previous clients. Somewhere on the one-sheet you need to present
readers with a compendium of your previous audiences. Some speakers
merely list the names of the organizations. Some attribute quotes. If
you’ve presented to large organizations you have an advantage over the
speaker who only lists rather obscure organizations. If you have only spo-
ken to a handful of “name” organizations, sprinkle them among the list-
ings you offer. After you begin to accumulate enough clients and kudos,
you can begin to focus on such issues as balancing your list for male-
female split, industries or professions, or corporations versus associations.
7. Biographical information. You don’t have to reprint your resume
here. In succinct paragraphs, present compelling information about your-
self. This includes anything remarkable in your upbringing or education,
obstacles you’ve overcome, awards you have received, appointments, pro-
motions, publications, and other citations.
Some people offer a few paragraphs of biographical information fol-
lowed by a bulleted list of credentials such as degrees, books published,
and the aforementioned awards and citations. Any way you choose to
present such information will generally be effective as long as it is suc-
cinctly stated, relevant to the topics you offer, and answers the questions
that meeting planners and other interested parties would most likely have
about your background. The most common error with biographies is to go
overboard.
8. Philosophy, benefits statement. This feature, no more than a few
phrases or sentences, encapsulates your philosophy on issues relevant to
your presentation or to speaking in general.
9. Logos. If you have a company or personal logo, use it on your
one-sheet. If you are a member of a widely recognized group, such as
Toastmasters International, the National Association of Speakers, or the
International Platform Association, you may want to include the group’s
logo as well because it can lend credibility.
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10. Products. If you are the author of a mainstream or self-published
book, audiocassettes, videocassettes, CD-ROMs, or other professionally
produced products, include them on your one-sheet. Some speakers high-
light their products by including photos or artwork. Even with all the pre-
dictions about the forthcoming high-tech world, books are still the main
Sample One-Sheet (Front)
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source of product credibility for establishing speaker credentials. If your
books or other products are produced by widely recognizable publishers or
producers, all the better. If the book has gone into multiple editions, say so.
If you have no products at this time, fear not—you can still craft a
highly professional one-sheet. Chances are that many recipients will not
even notice the absence of product listings.
11. Professional history. If your employment history or your service
to an industry as a consultant is considerable, feature such information
on your one-sheet. If you worked for a prestigious organization, chaired
Sample One-Sheet (Back)
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146
important meetings (or simply spoke at them), or otherwise participated
in industry activities, accent them.
12. Special features. If you guarantee the results of your speech, say so
on your one-sheet. Guarantees, however, are not to be issued lightly. This is
an effective strategy used by veteran speakers who have proven track
Sample One-Sheet (Front)
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records of results. The wording of your guarantee is vital. For example, I
have employed the following: “Jeff guarantees that his presentation will
meet or exceed your expectations or his speaking fee is waived.” In such
cases, I’m giving the meeting planner full discretion as to whether or not I
have performed as guaranteed. Other speakers have offered guarantees
Sample One-Sheet (Back)
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that involve achieving some minimal evaluation score or some minimum
ranking among all presenters at a given conference.
Speakers bureaus tend to notice those speakers who offer a guarantee.
It is a bold, decisive move and one that public speakers need to delay of-
fering until they are certain of their capabilities. For a given speaker, the
repercussions of having to pay off on a guarantee could be personally dev-
astating, so think hard about your capabilities before making the offer.
13. Claims or assertions. Making claims on your one-sheet is less pro-
fessionally aggressive than offering a guarantee. The claims, however,
have to be based on documented evidence. If you claim that you receive
“consistently high evaluations,” have ample evidence at your fingertips.
Assertions are akin to claims. Speakers often include phrases such as,
“guaranteed to be an audience pleaser.” With this particular assertion,
the guarantee is not the same as the type of guarantee stated earlier. Nev-
ertheless, such assertions should not be issued lightly.
Exaggerations are red flags for recipients of your one-sheet. As mar-
keting consultant Marcia Yudkin explains, for each claim or assertion
that you make on any marketing document, readers are subconsciously
saying to themselves, “Says who?” Professional speakers organizations
urge members not to make claims or assertions that they cannot legiti-
mately prove. “The world’s best” is a phrase that can get you in trouble,
unless, of course, you are the world’s best.
14. Projected outcomes. While you don’t want to make excessive
claims of any nature, it is appropriate to list specific outcomes that your
presentations tend to produce. Many speakers will offer a benefit state-
ment directly followed by their topic descriptions.
If you speak on leadership, for example, you could follow with two or
three sentences on what your presentation is all about. You might then add,
Participants will leave this session knowing how to let go of some of the
reins of power when it makes sense and to prepare staff members to as-
pire to leadership.
Such projected outcomes or benefit statements help meeting planners de-
cide whether or not your presentation will be right for their forthcoming
meetings. If you’re not the right speaker or if your presentation is not quite
right for the particular event, you want to be among the first to know about it.
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THE ONE-SHEET AS DOOR
OPENER AND CLOSER
Aspiring public speakers and infrequently booked professional speakers
have a tendency to attempt to take on all possible bookings. If you intend
to be in the speaking arena for the long haul, you want to ensure that you
expertly meet the needs of organizations and audience participants in
each of your sessions. Your topic descriptions and any benefit statements
or anticipated results as listed on your one-sheet helps the meeting plan-
ner determine whether it makes sense to pursue discussing an assignment
with you. Hence, you want to accurately and succinctly list the most im-
portant benefits of your presentation.
A LOW-COST ALTERNATIVE
One-sheets are expensive. As an alternative, you can refer inquirers to
your online one-sheet which you can easily offer on a Web site. You may
be able to use a low-cost, desk-top one-sheet as a substitute. While they
can’t hold a candle to a four-color, professionally printed one-sheet, as
faxable place holders they’ll do fine.
EMULATING OTHERS
The one-sheets presented on the following pages have been generously
supplied by veteran professional speakers. The stark reality for the aspir-
ing public speaker is that it’s simply too difficult and time consuming to
create a one-sheet without modeling it after others.
Modeling as used here means generating ideas—it does not mean copy-
ing or otherwise violating the rights of others. One-sheets are copy-
righted documents whether or not they contain the copyright symbol. The
choice of fonts and various point sizes, coloring, shading, and arrange-
ment of features is up to the discretion of each speaker.
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Be especially careful not to lift descriptive phrases or passages directly
from another speaker’s one-sheet. In particular, be cautious when it
comes to the titles of other speaker’s presentations, grabber statements,
and custom-created designs. My friend Glenna Salsbury spent years list-
ing herself, with great justification, as a speaker of “enduring influence.”
It would be highly inappropriate for anyone else to claim he or she was a
speaker of “enduring influence.” These two words are distinctive enough
that many other speakers, meeting planners, and bureaus within the in-
dustry know that they refer to Glenna. Another speaker caught using the
phrase would be looked on unfavorably.
Could a novice speaker who never encountered Glenna’s literature de-
cide to use the phrase? It could happen. If the speaker discovered that he or
she was predated by Glenna, however, the true professional would cease
using the phrase.
YOUR PROFESSIONAL PHOTO
Your one-sheet needs at least one photograph and meeting planners will
often ask for a photograph prior to your speech. In the evaluation stage,
meeting planners may use your photo to ensure that you maintain a pro-
fessional appearance. They may want to post it on their Web sites or in-
clude it in conference or meeting brochures, booklets, pamphlets, or
postcards. They may also use it to create an on-site cardboard poster or
placard in the hallway outside of your meeting room.
There are several other uses for professional photos including:
Newspaper reporters may request photographs for interviews, as will
publications that accept your press releases.
Professional photos come in handy if you write articles or books or
produce audio or video products. The cover of a demo video all but
demands your photo.
You also need a photograph for any advertisements you place in pro-
fessional magazines, listings in association directories, and any
other print or online speaker compendiums in which you are asked
to participate.
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Preparing for Your Photo Shoot
The time of day when you have your photo shoot is important. Most peo-
ple look better early in the day after having recently showered, gotten
dressed, and had a good breakfast. Photographers, too, are freshest at the
beginning of the day. So, schedule your photo shoot accordingly.
Like that of many other service professionals, some photographers may
have designations, such as CPP (Certified Professional Photographer),
CRPhotog (Craftsman Photographer), and MPhotog (Master Photogra-
pher) after their names. That means they’ve studied in their chosen fields
and been cited by the Professional Photographers of America. While it
isn’t necessary that you have your photograph taken by a photographer
with such credentials or even one familiar with the speaking industry, it
can certainly help. Here are some common denominators of effective
“shoots” of which you need to be aware:
Do not retain a photographer before you see his or her work or get a
referral. If practical, visit the photographer’s studio prior to the day
of your shoot. Ask about line screens and halftones. Such effects
may make a particular photo more useful for your purposes. You
don’t have to be an expert; simply ask the photographer to show you
examples of possible effects before your shoot.
Let the photographer know what you are trying to achieve with your
photos. Use a variety of poses and try photographs in color and black
and white. It is far easier to pay for an extended sitting than it is to
come back several times.
Speakers sometimes opt to use a sequence of photos on their Web
sites, marketing literature, and promotional items to convey a sense
of dynamism. If you use dramatic gestures during presentations, a
series of still photos can work particularly well. Keep the same
wardrobe, although it’s okay to take off your jacket for some shots.
Show the photographer the types of end products on which you in-
tend to use your photographs. If you don’t already have such materi-
als of your own, use examples of other successful speakers. For
example, “live” candid shots let the meeting planner see how you
look in front of an audience. Photos of seminar attendees listening
intensely, laughing, and participating can convey a strong image
about your ability to dazzle an audience.
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Suggest different angles and approaches. Also ask the photographer
to change the filters, lighting, lenses, and even background screens.
The subtlest of changes during the photo shoot can result in dra-
matic differences and ultimately provide you with photos that make
all the difference in conveying the best of you.
Examine the photographer’s background screens. The background
you choose makes a big difference with how your photos turn
out. For most speakers, a soft blue or gray tone works well.
Avoid employing a background color that clashes with your hair,
complexion, or wardrobe. By changing the amount and color of
light, the photographer can complement the colors you’re wearing
with the background.
A basic, one-color paper background generally is preferred for
speakers over mottled-colored backgrounds. At all costs, avoid
“busy” backgrounds. Pose at least six feet from the background so
that shadows don’t ruin your photos. Ask the photographer to sepa-
rate you from the chosen background with what’s called a “hotspot”
positioned behind your back and head.
Tell the photographer if you have a favorite expression or preferred
side and any other subtle preferences. Don’t fall prey to the erro-
neous notion that a good photographer knows all—a hit-and-miss ap-
proach to generating the type of photos you seek can be costly in
terms of time, energy, and money.
Get considerable rest the night before your photo shoot. Since photo
sessions are not everyday occurrences, treat the day as you would a
speaking engagement. You need to arrive in high spirits, with high
energy, and a great attitude. Give the photographer the best possible
chance of capturing you on film.
If you wear any type of special garment for your presentations and
wish to do so for your photo shoot, make sure that it is cleaned and
pressed. Avoid garments with plaids, broad stripes, or patterns since
they may divert attention from your face.
Be careful when using props since they can distract viewers. If you are
an author and a speaker, holding a book with dark colors presents an edu-
cated, forward-thinking image. Remember, however, you need to sell
yourself, not the prop in your hand.
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For Men Only
Shave within a few hours of your shoot. If you are in need of a haircut, get
it done a week before; otherwise, you run the risk of having that just-
clipped look. To ensure that camera lighting doesn’t give you a shiny
face, use powder to achieve a matte affect. If you are balding or bald,
lightly powder your head as well.
Chose a tie that is somewhat darker than your shirt. It is likely that
your jacket is dark, and, hence, will contrast nicely with a light blue or
gray background. Ensure that your shirt collar appropriately accents your
face and goes with your style of jacket. A spread collar works well if your
face is oblong. A button-down collar works well if your face is more
round.
Wear long sleeves to convey an image of professionalism. Even if your
sleeves and cuffs will not be visible in the final product, avoid wearing a
short-sleeved shirt to your photo session.
For Women Only
Come to your session with a fresh hairstyle that is comfortable for you
and looks appealing from different angles. Use powder as necessary to
eliminate a shiny face.
If you wear a jacket, choose one that’s slightly darker than your
blouse. As with men, wear long sleeves. If you choose to wear jewelry,
recognize that, unless it is larger than normal, it will be indistinguish-
able in the photographs.
If you have an oblong face, wear a crew collar for best effect. If you
have a round face, wear a V-neck collar.
Reviewing Your Proofs
When it is time to take a look at your proofs, be thorough. You want to se-
lect the photos that best represent you and the image you wish to convey.
Choose the photos in which you are centered and your pose seems natural.
Options abound for enhancing your photos on the way to the final prod-
uct, but be careful. You can have a photo retouched (airbrushed) to the
point where you appear far different in the photo than in person. As cited
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154
previously, this can lead to unwelcome surprises when you show up look-
ing dissimilar to your photo.
If you’re unsure as to which photo(s) to select, have a relative or friend,
not the photographer, help you choose. You want someone who has known
you for more than a few days to help in the selection.
Meeting planners may request a print from you as opposed to simply re-
ceiving a photo as an e-mail attachment. They may want to make a display
on-site in conjunction with your presentation. In such cases, you need at
least a 5 by 7 photo and more likely an 8 by 10, so order them as part of an
overall package. When submitting a photo to a meeting planner or other
recipient, affix a label with your complete contact information on the back
of the photo away from head and shoulders to avoid possible bleed through.
A meeting planner working with dozens of speakers will appreciate it.
Ordering Options
When ordering photos, your best deal comes with buying the larger pack-
ages. If you buy more photos than you can use in a relatively short time,
you will be tempted to keep submitting photos that no longer convey your
current image. If you are going to err in one direction or another, get too
many photos rather than too few. Your cost per photo will be lower.
Every two to three years, schedule another photograph session. Even if
you think that you haven’t changed much during that time, you never want
your personal appearances to contrast your photo. Subtle changes in fash-
ion will also conspire to make your photos appear out of date.
If you’re happy with the earlier photographer, book another session
with him or her. However, you still need to undertake all of the preplan-
ning and conversation discussed earlier. As harsh as it seems, photos can
sometimes be the make-or-break criterion when it comes to selecting a
speaker for a forthcoming event. You want to stack the odds in your favor
by submitting an authentic representation of yourself.
When it comes to photograph reproduction, don’t forget that you need
permission from the photographer who took the originals. Many photog-
raphers seek to charge you over and over again for the use of your own
image, and it is their legal right to do so unless you purchase all rights to
the photo. It may cost a little more, but it will be worth it in the long run.
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Collecting and Using
Kudo Letters
A
ny entrepreneur who receives a letter from a satisfied customer
naturally feels pleased. For speakers, kudo letters are of even
greater significance. When you receive a letter of praise fol-
lowing one of your presentations, the letter may have long-term market-
ing value and support the other marketing materials you’re developing
for your presentation packet, particularly your one-sheet (see previous
chapter).
When people inquire about your speaking services, more than all the
traditional marketing tools you may have at your disposal, a single kudo
letter from a satisfied meeting planner or audience participant (or several
letters if you have them) can often spell the difference between your
being selected or not.
Why are letters so important? Prospective clients expect that you will
have persuasive marketing materials to woo them. Letters that you’ve re-
ceived from people who have heard one or more of your presentations can
actually carry more weight than slick marketing materials because some-
one actually took the time out of his or her busy schedule to write to you.
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156
I WANTED TO TELL YOU
Why do people write a kudo letter at all? Your presentation pleased or
moved them. They valued the time that they spent with you. They heard
something that changed their lives or at least prompted them to devise a
plan that will improve or enhance their careers or their lives.
Some speakers request a kudo letter from meeting planners as part of
their speaker agreement, given that the meeting planner appreciated the
presentation. I don’t advocate such requests because they are too contrived.
It’s perfectly appropriate to ask audience members who approach you
with words of praise following your presentation to capture such thoughts
in a letter. Speakers say, “It would mean so much to me if you could put
those words into a letter.” Whatever personal appeal you make, the days
directly following your presentation often hold your best chance of re-
ceiving letters. As more time passes after your presentation, the probabil-
ity of receiving letters declines.
Some speakers appeal to audience participants for kudo letters during
their presentation. Depending on how this is handled it can be appropri-
ate. For example, about two-thirds of the way through, if you adroitly
raise the issue of how important their feedback is to you and how much
you would appreciate hearing from them in the form of a personal letter,
I’ve found that you might receive between one and four letters for every
hundred people in your audience.
YOUR CHANCES FOR KUDOS
Over the years, I have observed that the propensity for audience members
to send letters is based on several factors, among them:
How far they have traveled to attend the meeting. Local meetings
generate more letters because people get home sooner, are less tired,
and are more likely to handle the task within a day or two. Meetings
where most participants booked round trip plane flights tend to
yield fewer letters per hundred participants if only because by the
time they return home, days may have passed, they are tired, and
their in-baskets are piled high.
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COLLECTING AND USING KUDO LETTERS 157
The number of other presenters. If you’re the only speaker or one of
a few at a meeting, your chances of getting kudo letters are greater
than if you are one of dozens of speakers. Don’t over look the oppor-
tunity, however, to obtain letters from participants in either setting.
The type of group to which you are speaking. People at an associa-
tion convention are more likely to write than audience members
comprising some company division. Women are slightly more likely
to write than men, and both younger and older audience participants
are more likely to write that those between 30 and 55. I’ve also
found that people either at the top or the bottom of a corporation are
more likely to write.
What type of speaker you are. If you’re a motivational or inspira-
tional speaker, you tend to generate more letters. If you speak on
productivity, cost cutting, or if you otherwise tackle any touchy is-
sues confronting an organization, you tend to get fewer letters.
The traditions of the organization. With some groups, it’s consid-
ered standard fare for audience participants to send follow-up let-
ters to presenters; in other organizations, sending kudo letters is the
last thing on anyone’s mind. Charitable institutions, schools, hospi-
tals, universities, and some governmental agencies tend to be popu-
lated by people inclined to write letters especially if a speaker
requests it.
A Few Good Letters
Any letter of praise, regardless of who wrote it, where that person is em-
ployed, where the meeting occurred, and what topic you addressed is bet-
ter than no letter. The fact that there is one person who stated on paper
that your presentation was valued is a feather in your cap and may influ-
ence the next meeting planner with whom you interact.
If you speak a few times annually and generate two or three letters,
managing your kudo letters is simple. You could keep them in a single file
and make copies as inquires about your presentations come in from other
meeting planners. If you have several letters from previous participants,
then you can pick the two or three that are most appropriate per inquirer.
For example, if you have a letter from the same state as your latest in-
quirer that could be a letter well worth including. Women tend to respond
to letters that you have received from female audience participants, and
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158
men seem to respond to letters from male audience participants. Finally,
if you have a letter from someone in the same industry as your current in-
quirer, you have a significant marketing tool. A letter from a meeting
planner carries more weight than a letter from a single audience partici-
pant, all other things being equal. If a meeting planner or a top officer of
the organization writes you a letter of glowing praise, it can be worth its
weight in gold.
The great opportunity in collecting kudo letters is that beyond simply
running them off on your copier for submission to prospective meeting
planners, you can also use the letters in a variety of promotional formats.
[Note: With all such promotional uses, ask permission of those who sent
you letters. Virtually everyone whom you ask will respond affirmatively.
Occasionally, someone from a government agency or other institution
may prefer not to be included. That’s okay; honor the request.]
Collages. Some speakers arrange an attractive collage of kudo let-
ters for use as a graphic on their Web sites or in hard copy speaker
literature. The point size of the letters in collages is tiny, but read-
able. You want to make the arrangement so that the letterhead and
some key phrasing from each letter appears in the collage. Some
speakers remove the dates from the letters so that the collage does
not “age.”
Blurbs. Another technique for employing the letters to great advan-
tage is to extract key blurbs. However, don’t use single-word decla-
rations from the letters you receive—offer longer phrases, whole
sentences, and possibly brief paragraphs followed by the name of the
person, their organizational affiliation, and their state and town.
Otherwise, it might appear that you’re intentionally trying to mis-
lead the reader.
Extended blurb groupings. On my Web site and on hard copy pages
(which I can print as needed) I have blurbs from 18 different cate-
gories of audiences such as accountants, attorneys, sales profession-
als, women’s groups, and chambers of commerce. If a meeting
planner from any one of these groups inquires about my presenta-
tions, I submit a page or more of extended blurbs specifically related
to that meeting planner’s industry or profession.
Letter packets. The more kudo letters you receive, the easier time
you have marketing your presentations. Once you’ve assembled
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more than 100 letters, you could select a subset of them, perhaps
four to eight letters, that could pique the interest of almost any meet-
ing planner who may inquire.
Online PDFs. If you maintain a speaker Web site, you also have the
opportunity to scan your letters in full color and save them in an
Adobe PDF file format. This means that when site visitors click on
hyperlinks to your kudo letters they will be treated to a full view of
the letter.
Compendiums. I know of two speakers who send out three-ring
notebooks or perfect-bound compendiums of hundreds of letters to
inquirers. Perhaps this is dramatic overkill (and expensive overkill
at that!), yet speakers report that kudo letter compendiums represent
an effective marketing strategy. One speaker said that when a meet-
ing planner receives his huge compendium, there is simply no deny-
ing his general effectiveness as a speaker and his potential for
offering great value with the group in question.
THE SELF-GENERATED KUDO
In lieu of, or in addition to, collecting kudo letters, some speakers have
devised and successfully deployed a combination evaluation and market-
ing form that works wonders. (See the form on page 160.) Veteran
speaker Dr. David Meinz gave me this brilliant idea, which I adapted. You
might be surprised as to the number of audience participants who not
only complete the form and turn it back in to you, but who have gener-
ously circled several of your topics that they would like to hear.
MAKING IT EASY ON THE RECEIVER
When submitting letters or admirable evaluation forms, speakers often
use a felt-tipped pen or highlighter to emphasize key passages. Meeting
planners are busy, and many recipients appreciate it if key passages are
highlighted because it saves them time.
Other than when using collages, if you submit letters to inquirers,
send the entire letter. Truncations or cutaways raise doubts! If I get kudo
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160
Self-Generated Evaluation and Marketing Form
Feedback and Follow-Up
1. Name: Organization:
Address: e-mail:
City: State: ZIP:
2. Your evaluation of Jeff Davidson’s presentation (detailed comments
help!):
What did the speaker do that was impactful?
What one thing could have been done better?
What was your satisfaction level?
3. Would you like to have Jeff back? [ ] Yes [ ] No [ ] Possibly
4. Which of Jeff’s topics would you most like to see addressed further?
[ ] Managing the Pace with Grace [ ] Mastering Change
[ ] Managing Multiple Priorities [ ] Handling Information Overload
[ ] Creating More Space and Time [ ] Relaxing at High Speed
5. Which of Jeff’s services might be worth exploring?
[ ] Executive/staff retreats [ ] Roundtable sessions
[ ] Video conference [ ] On-site consulting
[ ] Video training [ ] Day-in-the-field consulting
[ ] Online conference [ ] One-to-one coaching
[ ] Online training [ ] Video or Cd-rom of the month
[ ] Custom CD-rom [ ] Cassette of the month
[ ] Custom book [ ] Custom online newsletter
[ ] Discounts on Jeff’s books/tapes [ ] Cassette of the month
[ ] Presentations for your clients [ ] MC or panel moderator
6. Do you belong to another organization that books speakers?
[ ] Yes [ ] No
Name of Group:
Approx. Size of Group: Month/Year Speaker Needed:
Person in Charge: Phone:
May the speaker call you for info on this group? [ ] Yes [ ] No
Phone:
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letters from you, I want to see the entire letter including the name and
title of the sender and full contact data. Few meeting planners who re-
ceive kudo letter copies call the letter writer. It is usually enough that
they have the full contact information including phone, fax, and e-mail.
WHAT ABOUT “IFFY” LETTERS?
What about the situations in which you receive a letter that contains some
glowing praise and, elsewhere in the letter, some recommendations or
criticisms? Should you use the letter as part of your kudo file? It depends
on what the recommendations or criticisms are.
I receive many letters that say, for example, “I wish your presentation
wasn’t first thing in the morning—I had a rough night,” or, “If only there
had been more time.” I include these letters in my marketing materials if
there are other beneficial observations.
Occasionally, I’ll receive a letter that says, “I wish you covered XYZ
more thoroughly,” or “I was already well versed on DEF and didn’t need
that much detail.” With these types of comments, I usually decide to use
them or not based on other elements of the letter such as whether it is
from a recognizable company or organization, the title or responsibilities
of the letter writer, and how strong the praise was elsewhere in the letter.
When you use such letters and choose to highlight those passages that you
want recipients to see, I suspect that recipients indeed only read your
highlighted sections. The comments that were not entirely favorable often
are never even looked at by recipients.
MAINTAINING LONG-TERM CONTACT
When people take the time and trouble to write you a letter following
your presentations, it is fitting that you reciprocate in some way. I mail or
immediately fax back a note to letter writers acknowledging them for the
time they took and the effort they made. As with meeting planners, you
want to establish some type of bond with your kudo letter writers. Most
people who attend a presentation in one capacity are members of other
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162
organizations. They often have the opportunity to sing your praises to
other people in other groups.
Whether or not you maintain a comprehensive database of contacts
you make in the world of speaking, when you receive and keep some-
one’s letter, you have the contact information that allows for staying in
touch with him or her if you so choose. I send my kudo letter writers up-
dated versions of my demo video as they become available once every
two or three years. I have received many inquiries as a result of such
mailings and in several cases was booked for a speech. Keeping in touch
with people who have already seen and praised one of your presentations
is relatively inexpensive compared with landing another speaking en-
gagement with strangers.
KUDO LETTERS IN PERSPECTIVE
If you’ve been speaking for a while and previously have not recognized
the value of collecting, managing, and employing kudo letters for optimal
impact, get started now on this highly productive path. In the course of
your next speaking engagement, make sure that everyone in the audience
knows how greatly you would value their feedback in the form of a letter.
Some will honor your request.
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163
I’m Ready for
My Video, Mr. DeMille
A
long with setting your fee, developing a dynamite one-sheet, and
creatively employing kudo letters, your video demonstration
tape (hereafter called a video demo) is a fundamental tool in
your marketing and positioning tool bag.
NOT A MONUMENT TO ONESELF
Some speakers are caught up in the planning and production of a video but
lose focus and eventually create a product that represents a monument to
themselves. Unfortunately, such ventures tend to miss the mark. The pur-
pose of your video is to:
Heighten your credibility.
Enhance your position.
Deliver a brief but specific message to targeted viewers.
You want a video that helps meeting planners and selection committees
choose you for a particular speaking engagement. Of necessity, the video
has to please your targets and not your ego.
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Nearly all video producers will tell you that the product must be 15
minutes or shorter, make an immediate impact, convey audience reac-
tion, and tell the viewer who you are. You want to convey your ability to
sparkle in front of an audience, deliver brilliant material, and motivate
the viewer to call you. If you are a humorist, the video has to make them
laugh. If you are a subject expert, the video must contain segments of you
conveying high content information. If you are an inspirational speaker,
the video needs to convey your ability to motivate and inspire audiences.
HOW THEY HANDLE IT
Your video will wind up in the hands of two distinct groups: meeting
planners and speaker’s bureaus. Meeting planners are not likely to shelve,
store, or otherwise retain your video beyond the near term because they
are focused on a particular conference.
When your video is sent to meeting planners so that they can consider
you for a specific meeting, the chances are that they have a pile of other
speakers’ videos to review as well. Proceed with the mind-set that you
have only half a minute or less to capture their attention. If what they see
in the first half minute is captivating and convincing, they will continue
to view more of the video.
Regardless of your credentials, assume the viewers know next to nothing
about you prior to playing the video. People may have glanced over your
one-sheet, briefly stopped at your Web site, and perhaps made a few notes
about you. What they see on your video slipcover, video face label, and
video spine label represents the information that they have about you be-
fore popping in the video. As far-fetched as it seems, your video slipcover
frequently serves as one of your primary positioning tools.
PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
As you approach the video-making process, first collect at least six other
videos demos and carefully watch all of them. Note what you like and
what you don’t like, decide what you want to include, and determine how
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I’M READY FOR MY VIDEO, MR. DE MILLE 165
you can improve on what you have seen. From your notes, you can begin
to sketch out the sequence of events that will take place during, say, a 12-
minute video. Anything you want to say or do during the video—even if
you want it to appear candid—should be scripted far in advance.
Begin to sketch out the accompanying graphics as well. Ultimately,
you’ll want to create a video slipcover, face label, and spine label that co-
ordinate with your speaker one-sheet. Some speakers opt to coordinate all
aspects of their speaker literature and marketing artifacts.
Your video slipcover must be a brilliant, four-color production that
captures the best of you. You will need a photo—a head and shoulders or
action shot. You will also need a grabber line, presumably taken from
your speaker one-sheet, a brief listing of three to five topics, a listing of
your credentials, and perhaps a few excerpted blurbs of praise from previ-
ous audience members.
Pizzazz but Not Schmaltz
Offer some pizzazz. While you don’t want to overdo it, it is appropriate
to tap the power of video graphics. You can spin your presentation topics
in and then out, creatively display your book titles or other learning re-
sources, roll your client roster, or attractively convey your credentials.
The key in each case is to have them be relatively brief, not overly
flashy, and presented in coordination with other elements of your video.
Such a production mandates that you go to a knowledgeable video pro-
ducer. Unless you are well versed in this field, work with a top pro who
has been down this trail before and knows how to create a captivating
product.
Music is a must. Viewers need to hear upbeat but nondescript music at
least at the start and end of your production. Music throughout is okay as
well as long as it enhances, not detracts, from what the viewer sees. For-
tunately, there are many noncopyrighted music clips available for a nomi-
nal fee, and most video producers can supply stock music tracks for you
as part of their overall services.
Cut to the quick. Video viewers are not interested in prolonged build-
ups to your video, however clever. Most will grimace, groan, or fast-
forward through spinning globes, street scenes, boardroom shots, or
anything else that is prolonged leading up to what should be the start of
the video.
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166
Go with a Pro
While the speaker selects the best material for inclusion in the demo
video, the video producer then uses the footage to best effect. The pro-
ducer assesses the footage for its visual appeal even more so than its con-
tent. Most speakers lack the capability to objectively assess this
important marketing and positioning tool.
In the hands of a video production specialist, your demo can look and
sound even better than you might have hoped for. A producer can run your
entire demo through an audio console and eliminate extraneous noise
while fine-tuning the treble/bass mix, refining nasality, and smoothing
out any irregularities.
Is it ethical to manipulate elements of your video demo? Adding back
audience sound reactions, for example, that are commensurate with what
actually happened is acceptable. Manipulating your video to present false
scenarios that have never actually happened is bound to get you into trou-
ble. Remember that when hired, you need to live up to the expectations
that the host organization has of you as a result of the marketing materi-
als you submitted.
Since most speakers don’t change their video demo that often, it makes
sense to go for the best possible production each time you produce a
video. The cost is minor compared to the potential returns when you have
the job done right and you are otherwise positioned appropriately.
To avoid having to start from scratch, record your footage using DLP
format master tape that enables you to separately store your speaking
footage, special effects, voice overs, and music. Although you will have a
higher initial cost outlay, you will save money in the long run, and be
more inclined to update and upgrade your video regularly instead of wait-
ing three to five years.
MANY PATHS
The best path to a final product can be subjective, so we’ll examine the
advice of several industry professionals rather than follow a set formula.
Note some of the predictable commonalities and unpredictable striking
differences in approach:
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1. West Coast Producer—Does your video grab your attention in the
first 30 seconds? Is it television broadcast quality? If it weren’t about you,
would you be interested in watching it further? West Coast along with all
the other producers believes that you need to make an immediate impact
on your viewers or you will lose them. The first half minute of the demo
is crucial, and many meeting planners will make a host of decisions
within those 30 seconds. You need to convey who you are, what you do,
and what benefits you offer to the audience.
The meeting planner wants to see you in action, so offer footage that
displays your presentation skills, an inkling of your content, and audience
responsiveness. Some speakers show snippets that are too short; it is
preferable to convey a complete vignette. Have audience members come
up to you and said wonderful things? Are there top officers of recognized
companies or notable personalities whom you have captured, or can cap-
ture, on video? If so, they can prove to be highly influential. Strategically
place video testimonials throughout your demo.
When you toot your own horn, it can have a detrimental effect in a
video. It is crucial to use someone else’s voice when it comes to dis-
cussing your background and credentials. Using a professional announcer
adds to the overall production value of your product.
The sequence of elements contained can vary, but here is one that has
proven effective: opening, opening graphics, music, professional an-
nouncer, demonstration of platform skills, presentation vignettes, audi-
ence responsiveness, candid message to viewer, discussion of credentials,
“for more information,” and closing.
2. East Coast Producer—Too many speakers’ demos lack appropriate
production quality and filming basics to be considered compelling. They
have the wrong lighting, background, sound, and mix of elements. Speak-
ers don’t understand the importance of using spot lighting that creates a
dramatic effect and increases a viewer’s propensity to keep watching.
The lighting on speaker videos is often white or very pale creating an
eerie effect.
Many videos contain overly distracting background scenery whereas
plain or nondescript is preferable. Speakers astute enough to include audi-
ence reactions often fail to show a full episode—the audience moving
from one point to another with the speaker’s presentation. Audiences are
rarely miked and since audience reaction is a key to demonstrating a
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speaker’s effectiveness, this critical element is lacking. Audience sounds
can be added back.
Use a story board for each element of a video production. Within the
12 minutes, you need at least six but no more than eight minutes of your
best material. Testimonials are also high on East Coast’s list. As you
draw to a close, let the viewer know it is coming through use of music.
Show a powerful closing statement, lock onto the frame, and overlay a
closing motto or catch phrase that will leave the viewer with a great im-
pression.
3. South Atlantic Communications—Make adjustments to your normal
presentation style and delivery so that your video matches what you offer
in person. For example, even if you use a highly talented production team
to shoot your video, you want to use heavier makeup to ensure that your
image doesn’t come across as washed out. Get a variety of camera angles,
settings, and segments that include you standing and face the camera di-
rectly, being filmed from the side, and being filmed while seated. The
more material you have to work with, the wider your selection of seg-
ments that merit inclusion.
Avoid static head shots, as audiences today are accustomed to constant
action. You are competing against broadcast footage that viewers see on
television. The average sound byte on the evening news is 20 seconds and
dropping. As a result, people become bored easily and have frighteningly
tiny attention spans when watching a video.
Pump up your energy to an almost uncomfortable level. You need to
triple your typical pizzazz on video to match your true energy level when
presenting in person. Without “pumping up,” you will come across as too
mild and mellow. Mild and mellow is okay live, but when your video is
one of eight viewed in succession by a meeting planner, the high-energy
speakers are likely to make the first cut.
On the big stage, you can make wide sweeping gestures, but for video,
keep them close to your body and well within camera range. Employ the
most meaningful gestures that most accurately help to convey what you
are saying with your words. Keep your sentences short and eliminate any
terms that are hard to pronounce. The viewer is only getting a smidgeon
of you, and any verbiage they don’t understand is to your disadvantage.
Speak in complete sentences and show complete vignettes so that there is
no danger of your words being taken out of context.
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Get plenty of sleep the night before your video shoot and eat a normal
but not heavy breakfast. Arrive early so that you have plenty of time to
scope out the territory and get into that zone that enables you to project
your best.
4. Southwest Sage—Work specifically with a video production crew
that is experienced in doing speaker video demos and has been fully
prepped as to what you are trying to achieve. In advance, give the crew a
copy of your previous video and insist that they watch it several times so
that they are thoroughly familiar with how you come across, your impor-
tant points, and what to watch out for.
Speakers fail to recognize that viewers will typecast them based on what
the video shows. If a speaker is addressing a group in short sleeves at a re-
sort, then the typical viewer will assume that the speaker addresses short-
sleeved groups at resorts. If the speaker addresses an all female audience,
the viewer will assume that the speaker does not address male audiences!
As inane as this seems, it gets worse. Viewers will make assumptions
about what is not included in the video—if you include no humorous seg-
ments, they will assume that you are not humorous at all. If you have no
audience footage they will assume that you didn’t get good responses. If
you speak exclusively from behind the lectern they will assume you have
no capability to handle interactive sessions close to the audience. Any-
thing that you choose to convey about your presentations has to be explic-
itly shown on your video or in the minds of some viewers it is nonexistent.
Stand at least 15 feet from the back wall or you will appear to be stand-
ing along the wall. Unlike East Coast Producer, Southwest recommends
that you use a spotlight aimed at the ceiling and not at the speaker. This
reduces glare and softens the overall effect for the audience.
Any attempt to directly shoot slides or overheads will detract from the
overall quality of your video as they may be entirely unreadable. If you
use audiovisuals during your presentation, in advance ensure that the pro-
duction crew does not film them. Instead have them entered in the post-
production phases so that they can be smoothly integrated. The end result
will be far clearer and sharper.
Once your video demo is complete and you are ready to make copies,
do so with a production house that offers one-to-one video dubbing that
results in higher quality than if taping is done via slave units with high
speed dubbing.
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5. Mid-West Wonder—In the first few seconds viewers need to see the
audience giving you a warm and glowing response as you masterfully de-
liver some high-level message. So, extract some midportion of your pre-
sentation which represents a high point in the overall speech and use that
as your opening video segment. As the applause dies down, have a profes-
sional announcer briefly introduce you and discuss what the demo is de-
signed to do. Then fade back in with audience background noise. Offer
another view of you making a second sterling point from your presenta-
tion, followed by another applause fade out, and another the announcer
fade in with a word about your credentials and an invitation for the viewer
to keep watching. While this approach may seem overly staged, actually,
it follows the same pattern as employed by major broadcast media. It gen-
erates immediate viewer interest while inviting the viewer to continue
watching.
SPEAKERS DISCUSS VIDEO DEMOS
Several veteran speakers, some of whom have created five or more video
demos in their speaking careers, have distinct and worthwhile strategies
worth reviewing:
1. Southern Comfort—Southern Comfort wants to personally appeal
to the meeting planner watching the video demo in the same way that he
appeals to live audiences. Before video taping, he seeks to have a 10-
minute warm-up session with audiences prior to the actual presentation.
Thus, audience reactions, particularly laughter and applause, are cap-
tured on the tape. This makes having a one-camera shoot yield the same
value as having a two-camera shoot. The production manager can simply
overlay the audience footage after the presentation has been filmed.
Southern Comfort informs the audience members of the strategy—if
they are part of the experience they prove to be more responsive during
the filming. Southern Comfort also choreographs elements of the video to
steer meeting planners toward other presentations that he has to offer.
2. Great Lakes—This speaker believes that the viewer needs to be
comfortable and relaxed and speakers should be snappy but not too fast.
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The footage with audiences is most important. It needs to be crisp and en-
tertaining but not too formal. Humor is essential, and scenes of audiences
having a good time are critical. A few network-quality effects are okay
but it is more important to have a credible, solid, potent portrayal of what
the presenter is able to achieve with audiences.
Meeting planners don’t want to watch interviews, so her video only
contains speaking segments. Unlike other speakers, Great Lakes shows
“extras” such as handling questions, arriving early and staying late, com-
ing over to touch an audience member, and bringing someone up on stage.
3. The Bureau Darling—Bureau Darling is frequently booked by bu-
reaus. He believes that you need to have as many segments of yourself on
video as possible so that you can draw from the best of the best to create a
super product. When he books an engagement, he includes a clause in his
speaker agreement form requesting that the client videotape his presenta-
tion. Then he chooses high-energy segments with tremendous audience
involvement.
Because he speaks to groups of 1,000 to 3,000 or more, he is able to
show dramatic footage on video. As such, he routinely influences viewers
that he is the right speaker to open or close their large convention.
4. Nice and Easy—This person approaches video demos as a personal
conversation with meeting planners. She does no grand standing and uses
no special effects. She speaks in everyday tones, using simple language
and a direct approach to the viewer, as if the viewer were right there in the
room with her.
After a few minutes her demo cuts away to a live segment of her ad-
dressing an audience of more than 2,000 people. She explains that she was
their first female speaker. The audience response is magnificent and any-
one who views her video is immediately impressed. After this segment,
she cuts back to another one-to-one conversation with the viewer, talking
about her various programs, and her flexibility. She emphasizes how she
will work with the meeting planner to ensure that her presentation makes
a difference and is one of the most memorable components of the entire
meeting. She also says that if she is not the right speaker she will let the
meeting planner know immediately and help find the right speaker.
She closes her video by saying “I’ve kept this message short because I
respect your time.” She suggests that the meeting planner call so that to-
gether they can discuss how to best accomplish the conference goals.
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172
After viewing Nice and Easy’s video, whether someone hires her or not,
they are certainly going to like her. This approach has proven effective
over the years as she has proven to be a popular speaker. Indeed, a great
video can be an invaluable asset and marketing tool. Now that you have
the marketing tools in place, it’s time to think about negotiating and win-
ning engagements, plus having a speaker’s agreement ready to go.
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173
PART IV
PREPARING FOR AND
NEGOTIATING SPEAKER
CONTRACTS
I
f the opportunity arises to speak for a fee, you’ll need to furnish the
meeting planner with a speaker contract. Exactly what goes into a
speaker contract? The chapters in Part IV answer that question and
provide you with a clause-by-clause explanation of what to include.
Since virtually all paid professionals are subject to price comparisons
and fee objections, you’ll need to learn how to successfully overcome
such objections, win over speaker selection committees, and attain the
kind of concessions that can make your engagements worthwhile.
The chapters in Part IV will save you time and energy and will incor-
porate valuable insights from speakers who’ve already gone down this
path. Many missed opportunities and even costly mistakes can happen
when you negotiate a speaker contract, but fortunately, you can avoid
them.
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175
23
What Meeting
Planners Seek
U
nbeknownst to many speakers, when it comes to booking the
right speaker for an event, meeting planners often find them-
selves forced to stretch their resourcefulness and creativity in
ways they shouldn’t have to. To better understand how to close more deals
with meeting planners, it’s helpful to learn about their obstacles and frus-
trations. Here are various concerns voiced by meeting planners, who shall
remain anonymous. Warning: It is humbling to read this list, especially if
you believe you are a meeting planner’s “cure-all.”
Cost. “Why do speakers charge so much? It seems as if you can’t
find a good speaker for under $X these days, and our budget simply
doesn’t allow paying any more than that.”
Coordination. “We need a speaker who is willing to make a presen-
tation that not only addresses the theme of our conference, but
meshes with what our staff people will have heard earlier that morn-
ing. So, it’s vital that the speaker attend the few presentations lead-
ing up to his or hers.”
Industry background. Our conference requires speakers who have a
background within our industry.
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PREPARING FOR AND NEGOTIATING SPEAKER CONTR ACTS
176
Customized presentation. “Most speakers who claim to customize
their presentations do not do so. They drop in a few buzzwords and
consider that to be sufficient. We need someone who understands
our industry, our problems, and our lingo.”
Finding hands-on speakers. related to the comment above: “We
need speakers who offer practical advice that our people can put to
use immediately once they’re back at work. Theories and stories are
fine, but we also have to have real-world tactical tools.”
Speaker to audience fit. “A speaker’s style is vital. There are many
good speakers, but how many of them actually represent a good fit
for our audience? We need to ensure that what we hear and read
about a speaker matches what the speaker will deliver on stage at
our meeting.”
Universal appeal. “There are many levels of staff at our meetings,
so we need to find a speaker who can deliver a message that reaches
everyone in our organization from intern and administrative assis-
tant to chief operating officer and board member.”
Topping last year’s meeting. “I suppose it’s unfair to compare one
speaker to another, but we need someone who will be rated more
highly than last year’s presenter.”
Audiovisual rights. “We videotape the speaker’s presentation for in-
ternal distribution only; therefore, I need to find a reasonably priced
speaker who will include videotaping as part of his or her fee.”
Flexibility. “It means a lot to our members when the speaker stays
after the presentation to autograph books and mingle with audience
members. Too many speakers want to cut and run. If we can find a
speaker who is willing to attend the reception the evening before,
that would prove to be a tremendous benefit to us.”
See Chapter 43 for more ways that speakers fail to hit the mark.
GOOD CLIENTS AND BAD CLIENTS
To be fair, meeting planners occasionally disappoint speakers as well. If
the scheduling and booking process went smoothly, you may still be in for
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WHAT MEETING PLANNERS SEEK 177
a Nantucket Sleigh Ride when it comes to coordinating the details that
lead up to the event.
Over the years, I’ve determined a host of factors that reasonably con-
vey how vigorously I might need to monitor arrangements for a forthcom-
ing engagement:
1. Assigns one person to serve as liaison. Sometimes, the members of
a speaker selection committee also have responsibility for planning and
executing the meeting. This is problematic for a speaker. You want a sin-
gle person who serves as a liaison.
2. Completes the pre-speech survey. Meeting planners who have
proven to be my best clients routinely complete my pre-speech survey
without my having to ask.
3. Accurately gauges audience needs. The more you speak, the more
you discover that some meeting planners are clueless as to what their au-
dience wants or needs. Often such meeting planners have been assigned to
handle a given conference or are amateurs. Some arrogantly believe that
they don’t need to assess needs.
I’ve learned that it is vital to speak directly to three to five future au-
dience participants. I seek a well-rounded view of what the people “in the
seats” want and need, and, more importantly, expect. Thankfully, each
time I have requested names and phone numbers of forthcoming audience
members, meeting planners have capitulated.
4. Demonstrates basic planning skills. Some people are simply good at
producing a meeting and following through on all details. The good ones
are a pleasure to work with. They anticipate your questions. They don’t
need to be reminded. They are methodical in their approach. They use
planning tools to best advantage. The bad ones do far less.
First-time meeting planners tend to be troublesome. Fortunately, many
first timers are candid about their lack of experience. The more groups
you have addressed, the greater your capacity for “coaching” rookies to
ensure a mutual win.
5. Allows the speaker relative free rein with participation packets.
Some meeting planners want to micromanage—even on a line-by-line
basis—your participation packet. It is understandable for a meeting
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178
planner to review your packet in advance. He or she may have been
burned by a speaker who introduced controversial material contrary to
the desires of the host organization.
The micromanaging meeting planner, nevertheless, seeks to have a
strong hand in every sheet of paper you disseminate. In my experience,
such micromanaging rarely makes a measurable difference in the
speaker’s effectiveness.
6. Prepares solid conference literature. You would be surprised how
crucial the host organization’s conference literature and, in particular,
write-up of your presentation can be in terms of impacting your audience.
While there is not much you can do about a poor brochure or flyer, strive
to ensure that your presentation’s write-up is the best that it can be.
Audiences rate speakers more harshly when the write-up of their
speech doesn’t match the content, however masterful and insightful it
might have been. Audiences don’t like content surprises for the sessions
they attend, particularly in breakout sessions where they have a choice in
what they attend.
7. Gives the speaker “space” prior to the presentation. Some meeting
planners and their respective organizations misunderstand the dynamics
of making a public presentation. With the best of intentions, they load up
the speaker’s time with energy-draining activities. Aspiring public speak-
ers need to conserve their energy, stay focused on their delivery, and
maintain equilibrium.
8. Arranges the room as requested. An all too frequent surprise that
speakers encounter is arriving on site and finding that the meeting room
doesn’t resemble what they had requested months ago. The best clients
actively work with speakers to ensure that as many of their requests as
are practical are met. When requests cannot be met, astute meeting
planners pass that information along to the speaker as soon as it is
known.
9. Provides appropriate amenities. The best clients have prepared an
effective agenda encompassing food, restroom, and stretch breaks. The
worst clients don’t recognize the value of such planning.
10. Hands me a check. My speaker agreement as discussed later in
the chapter states that I am to receive the second half of my speaker fee
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directly following my presentation. Some meeting planners and host or-
ganizations ignore this aspect of the speaker agreement.
JUST WHEN YOU HAD
YOUR SYSTEM WORKING
The meeting and travel industries changed on September 11, 2001, and
meeting planners need to pay homage to some new realities. When it
comes to working with speakers, here are new concerns among some
meeting planners:
Within Drive Time. Some meeting planner now prefer to seek speak-
ers within a four-hour radius of the meeting place. Why four hours?
If push comes to shove, a four-hour or less drive may actually save
time over flying considering the current waits at airports. Further,
booking speakers within a four-hour driving radius of the meeting
site provides an added measure of insurance.
Appropriateness of Terminology. Depending on the audience, it may
be inadvisable to book a speaker whose presentation language is
peppered with war and attack metaphors including “pounding,”
“beat them into submission,” “taking a beating,” “all out attack,”
“in the trenches,” or “bombs away.” Such terms may concern audi-
ence members and detract from the overall presentation.
WORK WITH ME AND YOU’LL SEE
In anticipation of meeting planner’s general concerns and questions when
booking me for the first time, I prepared a document called “What Is It
Like to Work with Jeff Davidson?” which I patterned after a more sophis-
ticated, professionally printed flyer developed by Jim Cathcart. Here are
some excerpts on pages 180–181.
This single document answers many, if not all, of the questions most
meeting planners would like to know and undoubtedly has tipped the
scales in my favor when it comes to landing the job.
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180
Working with Jeff
“What Is It Like to Work with Jeff Davidson?”
Pre-speech, I will:
Learn as much about your organization as I can, including your mis-
sion, your values, and your objectives.
Make myself accessible in order to plan a presentation that addresses
the needs of your audience participants.
Understand the needs of your participants before I arrive. I will also
attempt, however, to arrive a day early to learn firsthand the needs
and wants of audience members.
Integrate my presentation into the overall theme of your meeting so
that the union is seamless to audience participants.
Send my travel itinerary to you as soon as it is established.
Have a least one suitable back-up speaker in mind who could fill-in
on short notice.
On site, I will:
Notify you the moment I arrive.
Be open and accessible to you during my entire time on site.
Get sufficient sleep so that I am alert, energetic, and tactful during
my presentation.
Visit the meeting room at least 30 minutes before my presentation
to do a complete walk-through.
As time allows, sit in on other presentations and incorporate rele-
vant points into my presentation.
Meet with AV and set-up staff and other presenters to ensure we’re
coordinated.
Offer a succinct, easy-to-read introduction and, if necessary, spend
time with my introducer so that he or she is comfortable delivering
the introduction.
Come dressed appropriately for the occasion based on your specifi-
cations.
Be ready to make my presentation whether called on time, late, or
even early.
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Working with Jeff (Continued)
During my presentation, I will:
Start with high energy and engage the audience from the first minute.
Encourage audience involvement throughout the entire presentation.
Deliver high-content, on-target information that participants want
and need to hear.
Employ personal anecdotes, case histories, and lots of humor to
reinforce important points.
Avoid questionable language at all times.
Let all audience members know that I am there for them; they are
not there for me.
Use your participants’ terminology and their buzzwords.
Not use the platform for sales, politics, or therapy.
Remain within my allotted time frame, adjust on the fly if necessary,
and stop as agreed to keep your meeting on schedule.
Continually summarize the important points and key issues.
Handle as a speaking professional problems that arise, be they
related to audiovisuals, outside noise, temperature, air circulation,
lighting, or medical emergencies.
Post-speech, I will:
Be accessible to participants following my presentation.
Answer questions individually, striving to make each audience mem-
ber feel as if his or her individual needs are served.
Send no bill for travel expenses—I do not charge for these.
Quickly and accurately fulfill any information requests, orders for my
products (previously cleared by you), or any other requests.
Call you three to five days following the conclusion of the meeting to
obtain your firsthand feedback and recommendations for being even
more effective.
Never share your organization’s proprietary information.
Be available for phone, fax, or e-mail correspondence.
Secure appropriate transportation for departing the meeting facility
without having to request your assistance.
Support you in reinforcing the themes and messages of my presenta-
tion among your participants, if you so desire.
Jeff Davidson
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182
CLEARING THE LOG JAM—
WINNING OVER COMMITTEES
If only you had a single meeting planner to persuade! Too often it seems,
you encounter a meeting planner who must report to a speaker selection
committee. So, it is not simply winning over the meeting planner, it is
winning over the entire committee.
The existence of a speaker selection committee means that several
speakers are being considered along with you. To favorably steer the com-
mittee, many professional speakers routinely prepare multiple packets so
that if and when the meeting planner asks, a packet for each committee
member is readily available.
When a committee is selecting a speaker the single most influential ele-
ment for you is having someone, in a position of influence, on your side,
who has heard you, and absolutely insists that you’re the best speaker for
the job. Short of that, an excellent video demo or Webcast is the next best
alternative. If you’re simply one of 10 speakers being considered, you have
a 10 percent chance, at best, of being selected—not great odds.
If you don’t have a bird dog on the inside, as is most often the case, you
may have to send the packets. Here’s how to win that way:
Everyone wants to see letters from people in your previous audi-
ences. The letters are more powerful if they are from people in the
same profession or industry as the group to which you are currently
appealing. The more recent the letter the better, but don’t worry if
you have letters that are several years old as long as they speak to
your proficiency and mastery, and what you were able to achieve
with the audience.
The traditional presentation kit with all the great things about you
included is fine, but all the other speakers will have them, too, so be
innovative!
If you published a book or articles, copies of the book jacket or
reprints of the article can be influential among committee members.
Some speaker/authors are willing to submit a copy of their book to
every committee member. The value-added impact of a book is sig-
nificant. Once a committee member has your fine book in hand,
you’ve helped establish your position as a subject matter expert.
People might toss an article or flyer, but few will toss a book.
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Some speakers send their audience participant packet—actual ex-
amples of what audience members will receive. Depending on how
attractively you can package your packet, and what’s included
within it, committee members may be quite impressed. A com-
pelling packet prompts them to want to know more about you and
your program.
Audience participant packets work best with a how-to type of presenta-
tion. If you are a storyteller, a political pundit, or a motivational or inspira-
tional speaker, you may not have a packet, but that’s okay. As I’ll discuss in
the next chapter, there are yet other strategies for closing the deal.
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184
24
Preempt the Pack and
Close the Deal
S
uppose you have correctly determined that you have strong capa-
bilities to serve a particular group and the meeting planner would
like to arrange a conference call. When I am faced with having to
favorably influence a selection committee, and a conference call is sug-
gested, I’m all for it. I am confident that in as little as 10 minutes I can
convince everyone on the line that I am the speaker person for the en-
gagement.
The phone is no substitute for being there in person. However, your
speaking style and vocal power can be very persuasive. It is to your ad-
vantage to present to the committee “over the phone” precisely because
they can’t see you—you can have notes all over your desk to ensure that
you make the right points.
PREEMPT AND WIN
When I have a choice, I go first. Studies indicate that the first candidate
in a selection process has a statistical advantage, all other things being
equal. Also, you have the opportunity to preempt the field. You might be
so impressive by phone that the quest to interview other speakers dimin-
ishes markedly. Busy committee members may have been dreading the
entire selection process all along—preempt and win!
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PREEMPT THE PACK AND CLOSE THE DEAL 185
Rather than proceed as most speakers do—relating how wonderful
one’s own presentations are—take a different route initially. Tell the
group that you need to know more about them, because realistically you
do need to know more about them. Speaker David Alan Yoho sums it up
nicely: “Suppose you went to see a doctor to talk about your chest pains
and the doctor spent the next 20 minutes talking about his degrees, report
cards, referral letters, and other awards.”
How many hours or days is the overall meeting?
What will attendees experience before the speaker comes on?
Will the big bosses be in the room, or will it simply be the district
managers who are free to voice their concerns?
Ask about expectations:
How should audience members feel when the session ends?
What should they be able to do, as a result of hearing the presentation?
As the conversation continues, you ask the meeting planner questions
that reflect on the bigger picture:
What is your organization’s mission or philosophy?
What are the two biggest challenges facing your organization?
What are the two biggest challenges facing your attendees?
What are you particularly proud of as an organization or industry?
As you learn more, ask more directed questions about what should
transpire:
What types of subtopics do you want the speaker to cover?
How much emphasis should be put on the subtopics?
Is a workbook or packet desirable?
Finally, having gotten as much information as you comfortably can
during this phase of this crucial call, feel free to start talking about your-
self, focusing on the impact and results you can help create!
What if the group likes you but is uncertain of your ability to be suc-
cessful presenting within their industry? Every speaker had to start
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186
somewhere. When you get asked “What background do you have in our
industry?” and you have precious little, don’t be afraid to say, “Not
nearly as much as I’ll have on (the date of the meeting). That also means
that I’m not rooted to age-old points of view as others within the indus-
try might be. I’ll bring new insights and fresh perspectives that will en-
ergize the meeting.”
SELL THEM ON THE TRUE
IMPACT OF A PRESENTATION
Aspiring public speakers are grateful for any feedback that indicates that
their presentation was well received.
When we delve more deeply into the true impact a presentation has,
four distinct levels emerge: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. When
you discuss these distinctions with a meeting planner or a selection com-
mittee, and discuss your track record in this context, you can’t help but be
the one selected:
Reaction. There are several ways that an audience can indicate ap-
proval of a presentation. These include applause, laughter at the ap-
propriate times, a standing ovation, high evaluations on the speaker
rating sheet, crowding the speaker after the presentation, having
many questions, and requesting to have the speaker back.
Learning. In assessing the learning impact of a presentation, ex-
plain to committee members how you handle fundamental issues
such as, “What do I want audience members to know when they de-
part? What behaviors, skills, or changes did I observe before they
left?” Many speakers establish presentation objectives before they
speak to a group. Moreover, to win the booking, some organizations
require that a speaker orally or verbally convey presentation objec-
tives. In such cases, through audience participation, planned exer-
cises, or audience response, how can you demonstrate that your
“learning objectives” for the presentation were met? Committee
members will want to know the answer.
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Behavior. A strong positive reaction from audience members and
the visible exhibition of learning are desirable outcomes for any
speaker. A larger question, however, is “What impact did the pre-
sentation have on job performance?”
It behooves you to make follow-up efforts to determine what
changes in behavior, if any, on the parts of audience members re-
sulted from your presentations. Have audience members done
anything differently since the presentation? Has their performance
improved? Do groups handle their responsibilities with greater
ease?
Occasionally, a host organization will survey their members or
staff to determine the impact of a presentation or training session.
If you can get a hold of such reports, do so, because little else in
this world will tell you how you can be even more effective as a
presenter. Moreover, this data is invaluable in influencing your
next client.
Results. Of all the impacts that your presentation can have, achiev-
ing results is indisputably what hiring organizations care about
most. Anytime you can gain feedback that indicates your presenta-
tion benefited productivity, it is to your extreme benefit.
SELL THEM ON YOUR
OVERALL SERVICES
When you’re being considered for a presentation, particularly in those in-
stances when the meeting planner or committee does not have significant
experience in managing the full gamut of responsibilities involved, you
can serve as a highly valuable resource to the organization. This benefits
you, the meeting planner, the selection committee, and the host organiza-
tion in major ways: (1) You help close the deal by positioning yourself as
more than a speaker, but as a key resource and a friend; (2) the meeting
planner saves valuable time in planning and increases the probability of
having a successful meeting; and (3) the host organization potentially
saves cost, labor, and other resources as well as having a higher probabil-
ity of achieving its meeting objectives.
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188
Here are some of the ways that you can assist meeting planners.
Consult on meeting room setups. An astute public speaker automat-
ically suggests the best room setup for her or his presentation. Based
on the time of day, for example, it might make sense to have partici-
pants facing different directions so that the sun does not distract
them.
Discuss audiovisual considerations. If you have knowledge of over-
head projectors and screens, slide projectors, closed circuit monitor-
ing equipment, and so on, you can be a valuable resource for the
meeting planner who has little experience in these areas.
Help develop the theme. Perk up if and when a group asks for advice
on its conference theme. If you have experience in this area, you can
help develop a theme from which answers come as to what kinds of
topics are necessary, what the sequence ought to be, and what the
overall meeting objectives are.
Assist in house presenters. When you’re a veteran speaker compared
to who else is on the program, your assistance to the other presen-
ters can be invaluable, so as a bargaining chip, suggest the possibili-
ties. Even if you were to spend as little as 5 to 10 minutes on the
phone with two or three other presenters, your assistance could be
enormously helpful.
Review program materials. Related to the previous suggestions,
early in the game, when speaker selection is yet not complete, ask
if the program materials, be they flyers, announcements, or
brochures, are still in formation. Why not volunteer to lend a hand
and review such program materials? Your willingness to do so
could seal the deal for you. In 5 or 10 minutes, you could perform
an invaluable service in terms of how effective the program mate-
rials prove to be.
Volunteer to serve in an additional capacity. When a meeting plan-
ner or selection committee has you on the phone and is seeking to
know if you would be the right presenter for a particular presenta-
tion, probe further to find if the group could also benefit from your
services as a panel moderator or panel participant, an MC at an
awards dinner, or an introducer or announcer for other presentations
or other conference activities. You might also offer to assist in ad-
ministering a post speech evaluation.
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BUT WE CAN’T AFFORD YOU
Many speakers who would otherwise have served admirably at a confer-
ence, are stopped in their tracks when told, “We like you, but we can’t af-
ford you.” There is an axiom in the meeting industry that is worth
considering: “The speaker with the highest fee costs the least.” This is
true either because such speakers generate more revenue for the host or-
ganization, more interest, or more of something valuable. The speakers
who charge little routinely cost the group the most.
“So, what are you selling? You’re selling outcomes and return on in-
vestment,” says veteran trainer Ron Karr. “If the outcome is perceived as
invaluable, clients will do what it takes to acquire the solution.” Prudent
meeting planners will not risk an inexpensive speaker on an expensive
meeting.
Costs Can Be Deceiving
After you’ve discussed the results or outcomes you’ve been able to help
other groups achieve, proudly state your fee. Charge high rates with con-
fidence. They expect it if you’re good.
If you’re asked, “Do you negotiate your fees?” respond by saying, “Oc-
casionally I negotiate my fees, but you’re not asking if I simply reduce my
fee for no reason are you?” Most likely that’s precisely what they in-
tended. Questioning them about it often deflates their gambit.
The ability to see the situation as the other side sees it is one of the
most important skills a negotiator can possess.
Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes
Groups willing to pay more for the right program often seek to bargain
for extras. Are there instances when you can legitimately fit an organiza-
tion’s budget without altering your fee? “Absolutely,” says speaker and
negotiating specialist Jim Hennig, PhD. He says, “You can charge differ-
ent fees in different situations.” For example, the following may require
special fee consideration:
1. Multiple engagements. Two or more bookings deserve quantity dis-
counts. When somebody hesitates at your fee, ask what other meetings
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190
and conferences they’re having in the next 12 months. Suggest that the
more they hire you, the less it will cost per event.
2. Dual purpose engagement. Maximize your potential to any group
by exploring all of their needs and seeking to meet more than the one ini-
tially requested. (See Chapter 26.)
3. A shared speaker. Many times when an organization cannot afford a
speaker, they include another organization to share the costs. Chamber of
Commerce groups often do this, as do local chapters of national organi-
zations. Two local chapters in close proximity may join forces to retain a
speaker who simultaneously would address both chapters.
4. Tape, book, and product sales. Many speakers quote different speak-
ing fees when they are able to sell tapes, books, or different products. Some
speakers provide a percentage of the product sales back to the organization.
Jeffrey Isomer says, “When there’s ABSOLUTELY no way to get your en-
tire fee because of their budget, ask them to share half the cost of your
products with participants. If your presentation is compelling, 75 to 90 per-
cent of the audience will buy your products at half price. The host organi-
zation pays the other half. This will make up the lost revenue for you.”
“Products and books often come from another budget area,” observes
Isomer. “The decision maker loves the fact the audience members are in-
vesting in more training, and the audience appreciates that the organiza-
tion is willing to share the product cost. You get full retail for your
product—everyone feels like they got a great deal—especially you.”
5. Trades. Many speakers will trade a portion, or all, of their speaking
fee for a needed product or service from the organization hiring them.
Some examples include cellular phones and phone time, future hotel ac-
commodations, advertising, automobile leases, and insurance. You might
ask for a spouse airline ticket or extended stay at the vacation site of the
meeting, knowing the meeting planner often has special airline rates or
complimentary rooms. If a group offers to pay only 75 percent of your
fee, suggest they publish four articles monthly, before and after your pre-
sentation, and that they offer you a full-page advertisement for your prod-
ucts in their monthly publication.
6. Different fees for special groups. Speakers often establish discounts for
nonprofit organizations, government agencies, health care, or educational in-
stitutions. Some speakers grant lower rates to local or in-state groups.
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DON’T QUIT UNTIL YOU’RE BOOKED
If you perceive that a group wants you, tell them, “If we can hammer out
the details, I’m highly committed to having this work and to offering a su-
perlative presentation to your members (or staff). Are you determined to
make this work as well?”
Once you arrive at this point, you increase the chances of closing the
deal instead of merely ping-ponging between issues without coming to
agreement. Adopt the attitude that when a group calls you, you’re going
to work with them to find a way to satisfy their needs and yours.
Your best deal may yet be in formation. Keep the conversation alive
long after most others would have quit.
WHAT IF YOU LOSE THE BOOKING?
If you fail to close a deal, remain objective! Probe for the underlying is-
sues, and ask yourself the following tough questions:
Did I do my homework on the group (given time to do so) or did I try
to wing it?
Did I emphasize the results that I could help them achieve or did I
simply tout my credentials?
Did I listen patiently and then answer questions or concerns con-
vincingly or did I jump in with preconceived answers?
Did I offer my full and undivided attention to this group’s needs and
concerns or was I preoccupied with something else?
Did I go the extra mile in addressing the prospect’s issues or could I
have been seen as uncooperative?
Did I seek to superimpose my ideas over those of the prospect?
Did I employ language appropriate to the caller and the group, or did
I come off sounding high and mighty?
Rather than feel defeated or deflated when the group selects another
speaker, remain professional. Regard the interlude as another step in your
overall development, learn what you can, and leave the meeting planner
feeling as if it makes sense to re-contact you for future meetings.
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192
Sales trainer Jim Pancero advises not to be shy. Ask: “What would
have been required for me to have been equal competition for the speaker
you chose?” Don’t ask what it would have taken to exceed their selection
because that would put pressure on them.
“Once finding out what it would have taken to make it a harder deci-
sion, you have valuable information on what to do next time,” says
Pancero. “This also lets the meeting planner know that you’re still in the
ball game and interested in getting the job next time.”
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193
What Goes into a
Speaker Agreement?
W
hen a meeting planner asks you to send your speaker agree-
ment, you’re as good as hired. I advocate keeping speaker
contracts, also known as speaker agreements, as simple as
possible. Most meeting planners, whether acting alone or with a commit-
tee, accept most speaker agreements carte blanche. Any concerns usually
are handled over the phone prior to submission of the agreement.
The more complex the agreement—the more clauses it has and the
more involved it is—the longer it takes for your client to get approval and
the greater the risk that the date won’t be booked. Also, if you are
booked, there will be a greater probability of you having to make major
concessions.
Note that the language throughout is simple and straightforward and,
hence, can be read and understood by anyone—no use of “heretofore,”
“whereby,” or “wherein”! I’ll expand on a few points.
1. CONTACT
For your own peace of mind as well as for all future communication, you
want to have the client’s name, address, phone, fax, zip, and e-mail promi-
nently listed.
25
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194
Speaker Agreement
Program Agreement
Speaker: Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC Client:
Client Contact:
E-mail:
Phone: Fax:
Topic Areas: Streamlining Your Career and Your Life
Presentation Date: Feb 28 Time Jeff presents: 2:00 to 4:00 P.M.
No. of Attendees: 250, plus or minus 25 Location: Washington, D.C.
Speaking Fee: $X000, no travel expense, no hotel, no ground trans-
port, and no other costs.
Deposit Due: $1
⁄2X000—This nonrefundable portion of Jeff’s speaking
fee is required as confirmation, to be returned with this signed agreement.
The balance is due directly following the presentation.
Cancellation: In the highly unlikely event that this agreement is canceled
by the client and the unlikely event that the date is not resold by Jeff
Davidson, MBA, CMC, the following scheduled percentage of the fee will
be in effect from the time Jeff Davidson receives written notification:
0–40 working days prior to scheduled engagement = 100 percent
41–80 working days prior to scheduled engagement = 75 percent
Meeting Room Arrangement: Jeff is 6’3” and prefers to interact
closely with the audience. Hence, a wraparound or chevron seating plan
is preferable. (Okay if seating pattern is fixed, as in an auditorium or
conference room.) Jeff will visit the room well beforehand and at least
30 minutes before the scheduled starting time.
Audiovisual Needs: A lavaliere (clip-on microphone, wireless preferred);
an overhead projector and screen; one display table 3’ by 6’ or larger.
Educational Materials: Jeff will send a master copy of the participant
packet. Is there an additional budget for educational materials for this
program? If so, would you like to make my section of the conference
extra special by having an educational workbook and cassettes or books
provided for each attendee?
[ ] Yes, we would like to order copies of XYZ product
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WHAT GOES INTO A SPEAKER AGREEMENT? 195
2. NUMBER OF ATTENDEES
AND LOCATION
The number of attendees helps guide you in your planning as the presen-
tation date approaches. The location, which can be vastly different than
the client’s location, can give you an idea of how far people are traveling
to attend, as well as define your own travel time frames.
Speaker Agreement (Continued)
(Optional) Filming: The Breathing Space Institute grants to the
Client a nonexclusive, nontransferable, nonsublicensable license and
right to make a videotape recording for internal purposes, of Jeff David-
son’s presentation and to produce and retain a copy of the recorded
Presentation in 1
/2″ VHS video tape format only. Every video in the
opening billboard of each Tape shall read:
© 2003 Breathing Space Institute. All Rights Reserved. No portion
of this tape may be reproduced without written permission from
the Breathing Space Institute, 2417 Honeysuckle Road, #2A, Chapel
Hill, North Carolina 27514.
[ ] The Client wishes to film on video.
(Optional) Taping: The same guidelines above apply for cassette tap-
ing. The client further agrees to provide to Jeff Davidson at the client’s
cost and expense the original Master Recording, within seven (7) days
following the Presentation.
[ ] The Client wishes to tape on cassette.
Please Complete, Sign, and Return One Copy of this Agreement along with a 50
percent deposit to Jeff Davidson by December 11 to Confirm the Engagement
Authorized Signature: Client:
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196
3. SPEAKING FEE AND
TRAVEL EXPENSES
This needs to be spelled out succinctly: List your total fee; then, if there
are any reductions in fee, put them in parentheses. Some speakers offer a
predetermined discount to nonprofit organizations.
Travel arrangements may vary widely from one organization to another
and from one speaker to another. State how travel expenses and accommo-
dations are to be handled. It inconveniences everyone involved when reim-
bursement policy and procedures are not spelled out in advance. The
following gives an example of the style of language many speakers employ
in their speaker agreements: “We will make all necessary travel arrange-
ments, pro-rating airfare when the itinerary involves additional clients.
You will make all necessary hotel arrangements. Please be sure to guaran-
tee reservations for a late arrival and notify our office of the confirmation
number. Please arrange for room tax and authorized food expense to be
direct-billed to your master account.”
Another popular travel clause used by speakers when they prefer to han-
dle airfare arrangements themselves is as follows: “Due to the speaker’s
hectic schedule it is best to coordinate speaker’s travel plans through his or
her local travel agency. The speaker always seeks Super Saver airfares by
scheduling as far in advance as is practical.”
If you’re driving to an engagement, it’s standard practice to charge the
host organization 36 cents per mile. This figure is based on the latest es-
tablished figures from the IRS.
4. DEPOSIT DUE
All professional speakers I know ask for 50 percent deposit up front, to be
received usually within 10 to 14 working days following the signed return
of the speaker agreement. As discussed in the next chapter, collecting this
deposit is fundamental to your business and to maintaining the integrity
of your speaking calendar. Once you have half of your speaking fee in
hand, you are both obligated and protected.
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WHAT GOES INTO A SPEAKER AGREEMENT? 197
5. CANCELLATION
As discussed previously, in the event of a cancellation you want to alter
the range of days and percentages of the fee that you retain prior to the
scheduled presentation. For speakers who have had some canceled events
or when potential disruption looms on the horizon, insert added clarifica-
tion regarding their refund policy. For example, “If the event is canceled,
the speaker will gladly refund the entire deposit if he is able to rebook the
date.” Or, “If the client cancels the presentation, the speaker agrees to
apply the deposit to a rescheduled appearance within six months from the
originally scheduled presentation. If such rescheduling does not occur,
the speaker will refund the deposit if he or she is able to rebook the origi-
nal date with another client.”
6. AUDIOVISUAL NEEDS
State your preference in microphones, and details of other audiovisual
needs will follow. I don’t want to provide too much detail here because
the mission of the speaker agreement is to garner a booking with a 50 per-
cent deposit. In the same package I do include a checklist specifically on
audiovisual needs and room setup preference.
7. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
If you’re offering a participant packet, commonly referred to as a
“handout,” say so and when you intend to supply master copies to the
meeting planner. Don’t fall into the trap of bringing all copies yourself.
Some speakers feel compelled to spell out that they will be supplying
master copies only, and will not be responsible for copying or assembling
copies for each attendee. For example, “Per our agreement, we will pro-
vide you with complete originals of the speaker’s participant packet at no
additional fee for you to duplicate and assemble. You will be responsible
for copying and assembling enough copies for all attendees, having them
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198
shipped and ready at the meeting site, and distributing them based on the
speaker’s instructions.”
Elaborating on this clause makes sense when you routinely speak to
large groups and/or you are flying from city to city and it would be sim-
ply untenable for you to be schlepping large packages of participant pack-
ets. If you have a book, tape, or other products, give the meeting planner
the opportunity to purchase the product at a significant discount. Some
meeting planners frown on any mention of product sales during a presen-
tation but, surprisingly, are not averse to ordering such items in advance.
During the preliminary conversation leading to a booking, many speak-
ers ask if the host organization has an additional budget for educational
materials, and specifically, for this program. If the answer is affirmative
the speaker then asks, “Would you like to make my section of the confer-
ence extra special by having an educational workbook and cassettes pro-
vided for each attendee?”
8. CLOSING INSTRUCTIONS
The closing instructions ask the meeting planner to complete, sign, and
return one copy of this agreement. Include two agreement copies, both of
which you have signed and dated. I routinely include a self-addressed,
stamped envelope and a Post-it pad on one of the copies with the hand-
written note “Please sign both, retain one, and send one to Jeff.”
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199
Variations on
Product Sales
S
peakers with products offer different types of clauses in their
speaker agreement. For example, “The speaker extends to the
client the option to buy his book at the special quantity price of $X
each, plus shipping, when purchasing quantities of 10 or more.”
Speakers then offer the meeting planner the opportunity to check one
of two boxes, followed by the words “Yes, we wish to exercise this option!
Please ship X number of copies prior to the program date.” The other op-
tion is, “We regret that we cannot exercise the option at this time. You
may make your educational materials available for individual purchase at
the time of the program.”
Note, that there is no option for not making educational materials
available! Some speakers do this intentionally. It is bold but not so aggres-
sive as to turn off meeting planners. If the meeting planner doesn’t wish
to have any educational materials at the session, he or she will probably
write a small note right on the agreement, but certainly will mention it
over the phone should the topic come up.
Some speakers include a paragraph that refers to educational materials
on an attached page. For example,
The speaker has other educational materials available and many of his
speaking clients request that he makes them available at the presentation
site so that the audience participants can purchase them for educational
26
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200
reinforcement. If you’d like the speaker to provide these materials for
your audience members, please initial here.
Some speakers then add a page titled “Program Reinforcement Materi-
als” or “Educational Materials,” which essentially represents their product
order form reworked slightly and tailored to the individual circumstances.
TALK ABOUT PRODUCTS
Professional speaker Elizabeth Jeffries forgoes including extra verbiage
on her speaker contract and instead has a conversation about educational
products. Once she has secured the engagement, Jeffries says:
As you may know, I am a published author of a popular book on leader-
ship. Many of my clients include this inspirational business book as part
of the learning materials for the program I am presenting. It reinforces
my message and helps insure that the ideas are put into action when au-
dience members return to their workplaces. Besides, it seems as if peo-
ple listen more to someone when they know that he or she is an author!
We can offer discounted prices for group purchases. What would it take
for you to include the book for your managers?
The last sentence is key, and Jeffries has long labored over it. “What
would it take” is a far softer and more effective approach than other
harder types of sell. Some meeting planners who might be resistant to a
harder sell find themselves wanting to cooperate with Jeffries because of
her gentle but focused approach.
SAY IT IN A LETTER
Some speakers make mention of product sales in a cover letter to the
meeting planner and do not include product sales in their speaker agree-
ment form. For example, if any mention of product sales has been made
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VARIATIONS ON PRODUCT SALES 201
over the phone, the following paragraph might be inserted in a cover letter
to the meeting planner.
As we discussed, we recommend that you include a copy of my book as
part of the program materials. Beyond lending credibility to the presen-
tation it provides an excellent resource on and reinforcement of the
strategies and ideas I will be presenting. An $18.95 value, I am providing
it to you at the special quantity price of $12 each for this presentation. I
have enclosed a copy of it for your review—enjoy! We can work out the
final count nearer to the presentation date.
This, too, is a softer sell that can prove effective with meeting planners
who have been besieged by speakers offering products of all manner,
using ploys of all kinds.
AUDIO AND VIDEO TAPING
How do you handle requests from the client for audio or video taping your
session? If you’re relatively new at public speaking, you may consider it
an honor to be audio or video taped, and you may want a professional
product; hence, your terms are not stringent. On the far end of the spec-
trum, if you’re a highly paid professional speaker, with lots of products,
and are fearful of diluting your own market by allowing the client too
much leniency, then your terms will be more restrictive.
On pages 202–203 is a sample video taping agreement that I adapted
from Dan Burrus, a savvy professional speaker who has developed many
high-end products specifically for clients as well as for general retail sales.
For audiotaping, Burrus issues an agreement for association clients
that essentially charges a per tape royalty. For each tape sold he receives
a percentage of the sale or a predetermined fixed dollar amount. When
corporate clients wish to audio tape him, Burrus charges a flat fee, usu-
ally several thousand dollars, plus a royalty percentage per tape. He does
so to protect himself in his chosen marketplace.
Burrus’ taping agreements enable him to depart following his presenta-
tion with the audio or video master in hand. Thereafter he sends a copy of
the tape with his company label on it back to the host organization. The
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202
04–04 Audio Taping Agreement
Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC
2417 Honeysuckle Road #2A
Chapel Hill NC 27514-6819
919–932–1996 Fax: 919–932–9982
AUDIO TAPING AGREEMENT
Client Name
Address
Phone, Fax, E-mail
1. Jeff Davidson, MBA, CMC (hereinafter referred to as “Jeff Davidson”),
hereby grants to the Client a nonexclusive, nontransferable,
nonsublicensable license and right to make an audio recording
(hereinafter referred to as “Master Recording”) of Jeff Davidson’s
presentation at the above-identified program (hereinafter referred to as
“Presentation”) and to produce as well as sell copies of the recorded
Presentation in audio cassette format only (hereinafter referred to as
“Cassettes”) solely in the United States and Canada (hereinafter
referred to as “Licensed Territory”) for a period of ___ days following
the Presentation date. At the expiration of this license period, all rights
herein granted to Client shall expire and thereafter Client shall not
produce, give away, exchange, or sell the Cassettes or retain any copies
of the Master Recording.
2. Client hereby acknowledges and agrees that Jeff Davidson shall be
and is the owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the
Presentation, Presentation Material, and the Master Recording,
including the copyright. Client further agrees to provide to Jeff
Davidson at Client’s sole cost and expense:
a. The original Master Recording, no later than seven (7) days after
the end of the license period.
b. One (1) Cassette copy of Master Recording no later than one (1)
week following the Presentation;
Client shall mail the Cassette and deliver or mail the Master
Recording by insured carrier at Client’s expense to Jeff Davidson as
addressed above.
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04–04 Audio Taping Agreement (Continued)
3. Client shall affix to each Cassette labels provided by Jeff Davidson.
(Client may affix a special convention label to Side “A,” and if this is
done, then Client will affix Jeff Davidson’s label to Side “B.”)
4. Client shall not produce or sell more than ___ Cassettes, which is
the estimated total number of people attending the Presentation.
5. The Cassettes shall be of first-class merchantable quality, consistent
with prevailing industry standards for such products. Jeff Davidson
reserves the right to review and approve the Master Recording qual-
ity prior to Cassette distribution to confirm that Jeff Davidson’s
quality standards are met. If said standards are not met, Jeff Davidson
shall notify Client and as a condition of and prior to Client’s right to
distribute the Cassettes. Client shall take all necessary corrective
action to meet Jeff Davidson’s standards. Client shall not distribute
any Cassettes that do meet such standards.
6. All Cassettes, labeling, packaging, and promotional material shall be
produced, distributed, and sold by Client in accordance with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Client shall
not issue any material that will reflect adversely on the name of Jeff
Davidson.
7. Client shall pay an audio taping fee of $ within days
after the Presentation as a condition of Client’s right to produce and
sell Cassettes.
8. In the event it is necessary for Jeff Davidson to enforce the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, the prevailing party shall be awarded its
reasonable attorney fees, costs, and expenses for such action.
JEFF DAVIDSON, MBA, CMC CLIENT
(Authorized Signature) (Authorized Signature)
Date: Date:
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204
client may use and sell that tape based on whatever other negotiations
have occurred between Burrus and the client.
Unlike other speakers, Burrus also maintains a corporate highlight
video contract whereby the client is allowed to use no more than, say, five
minutes of his presentation, at no fee. Burrus retains the master and edited
master and any other copies made on site that day.
PHILOSOPHY BEFORE PRODUCT SALES
Burrus’ philosophy is that any taping is an additional service and therefore
merits an additional fee.
Burrus carefully explains to clients that he sells information in many
forms. Speaking is simply one of them. A speaking fee is based on selling
a single speech to a single audience. If they want additional forms of his
information, which could represent a book, tapes, newsletters, CDs, and
so on, there will be an additional fee. Burrus says, “It is important to limit
the client’s right to the stated intended uses, otherwise your information
will be reproduced, transcribed, electronically published, and before you
know it, you are competing with yourself at no profit.”
Because Burrus is at the top of the speaking business as an in-demand
futurist, and he continually provides leading edge observations and re-
search findings to clients, his argument is well conceived and highly ap-
propriate. Most other speakers do not so stringently guard their materials.
Many regard the distribution of audio- and videotapes of their presenta-
tions as promotional tools that may result in additional bookings.
ALTERNATIVE PATHS
One professional speaker routinely allows taping but with a varying fee
structure that ranges all the way from free to as much as double the speak-
ing fee, all depending on the situation. This speaker always requires the
original master, and wants to have in writing from the client exactly how
the recording will be used. The ultimate goal, however, in each case is to
best serve the client’s needs.
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Another speaker, veteran Rosita Perez, asks that the audience be miked
so that listeners can hear the laughter generated from her presentations.
Hence, whenever she is audio taping, it is highly likely that the tapes she is
creating represent both potential products and/or demo tapes that can be
submitted to new meeting planner prospects inquiring about her services.
Dan Burrus’ agreements include a time limit that, in essence, makes
them licenses. At a predetermined time, the client may no longer sell or
distribute his audio or video products. This clause further protects Bur-
rus, and conveys to the client that in selling the tape to generate revenue,
time is of the essence
It’s not a bad idea to strive to convert every presentation that you give
into a product. Many meeting planners seek to videotape speakers either
for a fee or as an added value to the client. Joe Calloway from Tennessee
says, “I’ve had great response from clients with the following idea: If they
are going to video my speech, I ask if they would like me to customize it
for them by taking a few minutes either before or after my speech to let
their video crew do an interview segment with me.”
Calloway explains that it’s not an interview as much as “it’s me talking
into the camera—I’m usually sitting in a chair—and making some com-
ments about their company and how my ideas from the speech can be of
use to them.” Calloway reports that the tactic gets a great reaction from
the client and that the meeting planners love it.
OTHER ARRANGEMENTS
What about the speaker who has little or no concern as to the client’s tap-
ing? Some speakers allow audio taping all the time without a fee. They
often ask for one free copy and suggest that both the client and the
speaker become co-copywrite holders. The client may sell the tape and
the speaker may sell the tape. In a big world and a big marketplace the
theory is that it’s unlikely that the two vendors will collide.
I prefer to limit the client to selling within his or her own organization
or industry. That way, all other industries remain open to me.
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206
27
Show Me the Money
T
he aspiring public speaker is often delighted and amazed to find
out how much he or she can charge for a professional presenta-
tion. Regardless of your fee, if you don’t receive payment, you
haven’t earned a dime. It behooves the professional speaker to ensure that
he or she does receive payment and in a timely manner. Most professional
speakers insert clauses in their speaking agreements that state how they
wish to be paid.
We’re going to focus on the importance of collecting a deposit up
front, long in advance of ever giving the presentation. This element alone
gives you more protection and assurance than nearly anything else you
could request. Later, we’ll focus on what it takes to earn big fees.
Let’s start with a hypothetical fee, $3,000. Suppose the XYZ Company
calls you in January and wants to book you for a date in June. As a result
of your telephone discussions, the client understands how much you
charge and has agreed to your fee. Invariably, he or she will ask you to
send your speaker agreement form or contract. If you can send your own
agreement, you can largely dictate your own terms.
In the case of a January booking for a June event, I would suggest the
following terms. First, state that you ask for one-half of the fee upon
completion of the agreement. If the event is canceled for any reason, you
are in a superior negotiating position. Remember to state in your agree-
ment the terms for payment should the client cancel.
In general, you want to inform the client as follows:
In the highly unlikely event that this agreement is canceled by the client
and the unlikely event that the date is not resold by Jeff Davidson, MBA,
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SHOW ME THE MONEY 207
CMC, the following scheduled percentage of the fee will be in effect
from the time Jeff Davidson receives written notification:
01–60 working days prior to scheduled engagement = no refund
61–90 working days prior to scheduled engagement = 50 percent refund
121–150 working days prior to scheduled engagement = full refund
PROTECTION VIA EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE
Proper terms and language give protection to both you and the client.
“And if the speaker is not likely to re-book this date . . .” also benefits
both parties. If you are able to re-book the date, you return all of the
client’s money. If you are not able to re-book the date, you can still benefit
the client by offering to use the deposit toward some other date in the fu-
ture, preferably within six months from the canceled date. When a large,
high-tech firm canceled my speaking engagement with them last year (my
first such instance in 19 years), I offered the company a nine-month pe-
riod in which to re-book me. I held the deposit applied and maintained that
price for them, regardless of whether my fee increased in general.
Note the sliding scale for refunded amounts, depending on how late the
client cancels.
Your Precious Inventory—Dates on the calendar are the speaker’s
only inventory. If somebody ties up your time, then ends up not hiring
you, they have essentially tied up your inventory and perhaps even
spoiled it so that it can’t be resold. Hence, you are entitled to keep some
of the money.
Here is the beauty of this sliding scale, based on how far in advance
you are booked by clients. Suppose that the client booked you nine
months in advance. How might your scale change? Here is an example of
terms I have actually used with a client:
01–60 working days prior to scheduled engagement = No refund
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208
181–270 working days prior to scheduled engagement = Full refund
Suppose the client books you only three months out. How might the terms
change?
01–45 working days prior to scheduled engagement = No refund
As you can see, in each case, you want to both secure a 50 percent deposit
and offer terms that protect you to best advantage.
SOME CONCERNS, NO DISPUTES
In all my years of professional speaking, I have had no client dispute, re-
fute, or even discuss the sliding scale aspect of my speaker agreement. On
a handful of occasions, over all those years, a few meeting planners have
discussed the 50 percent deposit requirement.
Some asked if they could pay by credit card. Some said their organiza-
tion’s policy is to not make such payments so far in advance, but they
could, by special request, perhaps pay 30 or 60 days prior to the presenta-
tion date. In those few cases, in consideration of the size, prestige, and
reputation of the organizations, I agreed.
The more prominent your client, the greater protection you have. Your
meager speaker fee—and it is meager compared to the overall cost of the
meeting—is not going to bankrupt major firms. Moreover, if they were to
unfairly withhold your payment, the trouble you could cause would be far
more costly than the size of your fee. Consequently, as cited earlier at the
close in my speaker agreement, for added protection, I state specifically:
Please Complete, Sign, and Return One Copy of this Agreement along with a 50
percent deposit to Jeff Davidson by December 11 to Confirm the Engagement
I do this so that the meeting planner has no confusion whatsoever as to
the fact that I expect the deposit to be included with this returned signed
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agreement. Generally, I offer a completion date 15 to 18 working days past
the time in which I send the speaker agreement to the meeting planner.
On occasion, meeting planners will call, fax, or e-mail stating that
they are processing the agreement, but it is not likely that they will be
able to make payment by the date I have listed at the bottom of the
speaker agreement. In such cases, I automatically tell them, “Okay,
cross out that date and insert the date that is convenient for you.” Their
newly inserted date has always been within a week or two of what I had
originally requested. Given that the presentation date is still many
months off, you can afford to give meeting planners some slack as to
when they will submit the deposit.
OBTAINING THE SECOND PAYMENT
My speaker agreement requests that I receive the second payment directly
following my presentation:
The balance [of Jeff’s fee] is due directly following the presentation.
Even with such wording, about one in four meeting planners fails to
hand me the check directly following my presentation. I never raise the
issue on site—it would seem far too mercenary. In such cases the check
usually arrives by mail between one and four weeks after the presenta-
tion. I have experienced five cases in which groups took longer than one
month to make the payment. When this occurred, I wrote a quick note
thanking the meeting planners for everything and reminding them that I
was awaiting the second half of the speaker fee as per our agreement.
KEYS TO EARNING BIG CHECKS
Invariably, public speakers on the track to becoming professional speak-
ers want to know what it takes to command big checks. In a word, it is
celebrity. If you are a politician, actor, best selling author, sports hero, or
otherwise a household name, then your speaking fees from the get-go can
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210
be over $10,000. However, being a celebrity is not an option for 99.9 per-
cent of public speakers who aspire to professional speaking.
What can you do to raise your speaking fee to its highest possible
level? The primary vehicle in achieving high fees is to have people hear
fantastic things about you through word of mouth. When clients are call-
ing bureaus or are calling you directly and are requesting your speaker
services adamantly, your fee is going to rise.
What if you are new to a group? Dr. Tony Alessandra says, “The best
marketing for speakers is to have a strong video-demo with many topics
and audiences, bolstered by a strong relationship with a handful of speak-
ers bureaus.” In fact, he advocates having fewer marketing items but hav-
ing all of them be first class.
Your credentials bolster your video. What can you cite within your
video, list on your materials, and present on your Web site? Are you the
author of any books? How about a highly respected, well-circulated arti-
cle? Do you hold any positions in noteworthy organizations? Or, do you
simply have unique experience? Adding compelling credentials to a
strong video demo helps build your ability to charge a high speaking fee
(see Part III on Positioning).
IN SYNC WORKS BEST
Any materials that you develop, including a one-sheet, brochure, Web
site, and any other supportive items need to reflect your fee level. You
can’t be a $10,000 speaker with a $5,000 brochure. Those investigating
your speaking services want and need to see consistency between who
you are, what you offer, how much you charge, what materials you supply,
and your operating procedures. Anything less than consistency raises red
flags.
Envision that you’re receiving several times your actual fee. If you strive
to offer a presentation commensurate with that heightened speaker’s
fee, your actual speaker’s fee will rise more quickly than you might oth-
erwise have supposed.
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RULE YOUR NICHE
Speakers who become well-known in a small niche, perhaps with industry
specialists, for example, can often successfully charge high fees. Simi-
larly, if you conduct original research, your fees are bound to rise.
Sometimes, as a result of luck or circumstances, a speaker can tem-
porarily charge a high fee. This is the case of U.S. journalist Nicholas
Daniloff who was on assignment in Russia when he was held captive by
the Soviets and eventually exchanged for a Soviet spy. On his return to the
United States, he was in high demand as a speaker and could charge a
high fee while his “celebrity” lasted. After the currency of the event
wears off, such instant celebrities have no basis to continue charging a
high fee, and may have trouble being booked at all. As a group, business
and social forecasters tend to do relatively well. Many groups are eager to
have a knowledgeable forecaster at their conference or convention.
GUIDANCE ON FEE LEVELS
As your speaking fee begins to climb and you want to become more aware
of what others are charging, you have a variety of tools at your disposal.
Many bureau Web sites list speaker fees or ranges of speaker fees. These
listings give you a good indication of where you may fall within the spec-
trum. If you work with bureaus, they may tell you when to raise your fees.
Listen carefully, because they know what they’re saying.
If a bureau feels confident in booking you at a higher fee, who are you
to resist? Sometimes meeting planners will disclose to a speaker that he or
she is undercharging. Usually these meeting planners impart such infor-
mation after having booked the speaker! If you maintain a network of
other speakers, and this is highly recommended, exchanging fee informa-
tion with them on a one-to-one basis does not violate antitrust laws.
Regardless of what you charge, a fundamental speaking fee applies: At
every point along the trail, you want to be regarded as a bargain based on
your fee. It is okay to be a $10,000 speaker who charges $5,000. It is not
okay to be a $5,000 speaker who charges $10,000.
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212
A CAREFUL MOVE
Make your move to another fee level carefully. When those booking you
tell you that your fee is too low, raise it.
Generally, it is advisable to move up in measured increments. If you are
charging $5,000, perhaps you should rise to $6,000 or $7,500. You don’t,
however, leap from $5,000 to $10,000 unless compelling circumstances
prevail.
If you set your fee at a certain level but later find that you are not com-
manding that fee often enough, it can be difficult to scale back. Backpedal-
ing isn’t pretty. Many a speaker has backpedaled and accepted lower fees,
often in the form of outrageous concessions, discounts, and other ploys for
accepting engagements at far less than one’s stated speaker fee.
As you learned in Part III, whatever you charge is likely to be one of
the strongest indicators of your value in the marketplace, given that you
haven’t completely overcharged. A $5,000 speaker is categorically
deemed to be more effective than a $3,500 speaker. A $10,000 speaker is
regarded as altogether being in a different league than a $5,000 speaker.
The $10,000 speaker is expected to deliver on a higher level at every en-
gagement.
If you have any reservations about charging more than your current fee,
then you already have your answer: Don’t raise your fee.
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213
PART V
GROUNDWORK
O
nce you book an engagement, you need to take care of many is-
sues in advance of your speech so that you have the highest
probability of success. Part V covers a diverse array of topics,
including a variety of pre-speech considerations and preparations. Your
dual mission is to understand the groups to which you’ll be speaking and
to work with meeting planners to ensure mutual wins.
Specific topics include managing your time, doing homework on your
future audiences, deciding how specific to make your presentations,
staying in touch until show time, comprehending the dynamics of meet-
ing facilities, and moving toward mastery by “owning the room” when-
ever you speak.
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215
28
Responsiveness
and Balance
R
alph Waldo Emerson once said, “We form habits and then our
habits form us.” Realistically, regardless of what work you set out
to do on a given day, there will always be more things competing
for your time and attention than you can possibly respond to. There will be
a constant flow of mail and e-mail. People will call. You’ll have to send out
packages. You’ll receive things that require your attention. Do you have the
strength to focus on the few things that will propel your speaking career?
Make work easier for yourself. Set up systems within your office so
that you’re prepared for incoming tasks. As we’re about to discuss, if
someone calls and wants to get your demo, you need to have the package
in a near-ready state. Ideally, you’ll have everything ready except for the
final cover letter that you will address to the caller.
The key point for any speaker is this: Much of what goes on in your office
is predictable. Therefore, things can be prepared for in advance.
RAPIDLY REPLYING TO
MEETING PLANNERS
Even if you’ve been diligent in developing the array of marketing vehicles
that will support you in your quest to garner speaking engagements, unless
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216
you have the ability to respond quickly when meeting planners call, too
often someone else gets the booking.
The most effective speakers can find things when they need them. They
are aware of the resources at their disposal, and they create personal sys-
tems to draw upon. Top speakers, not coincidentally, are super organized,
and they are able to synthesize the diverse elements necessary for high
achievement: managing people, resources, tasks, funds, and themselves.
You don’t have to have a cell phone and pager by your side at every mo-
ment in order to respond quickly to an inquiry, although many professional
speakers have these capabilities. Rather, you only have to field calls,
gather information about the caller, submit requested materials, create ef-
fective follow-up communications and contacts, and dramatically increase
your probability of landing the speaking engagement.
PREARRANGED ELEMENTS
Sit down at your computer keyboard and start typing. Would the clicks be
audible to someone on the other end of a phone call? If so, replace your
current keyboard with a no-click keyboard. These are relatively inexpen-
sive and widely available. The reason you want to make this exchange is
so that you can take notes on your computer while conversing with the
meeting planner without running the risk of disrupting your conversation.
For the conversation itself, you want to get an answering machine that
has two-way recording capabilities. These were more available in the
early 1980s than they are today, but, with a little digging, you can find
one. Look for the feature “two-way recording” on the packages of the an-
swering machines that you investigate. The models change so quickly that
it is hard to recommend one here; however, over the years, Panasonic and
Radio Shack have carried high-quality machines.
When meeting planners call, two-way recording will prove to be in-
valuable. Sometimes people catch us off guard and we can’t take notes
fast enough. Often, the meeting planners give us the essence of what their
group needs then and there on the first phone call.
Armed with that knowledge, you have a high probability of being suc-
cessful in both landing the engagement and making a successful presenta-
tion. In subsequent discussions, you can prove that you understand the
needs of the media planner and/or speaker selection committee. You will
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RESPONSIVENESS AND BALANCE 217
demonstrate that you are a good listener, you are going to be easy to work
with, and you are client-focused.
DOUBLING YOUR PHONE
PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH HEADSETS
Whether you and your staff use the phone five times a day or all day long,
simple, inexpensive technology is available to immediately double your
phoning efficiency. If you need both hands free to take notes or maintain
better organization during a phone call, the typical phone receiver is not
practical—you have to balance the receiver between the ear and shoulder
while taking notes or leafing through files. Sometimes it drops on the
desk. Sometimes you have to put it down or switch to the dreadful speaker-
phone option. One of the best ways to alleviate such problems and attain
greater efficiency and convenience is the telephone headset.
Using headsets also helps you to minimize distractions. While you are
wearing earphones, you don’t hear a lot of the background noise that is
typical with regular phones. You are not likely to hear phones ring in the
next office, and your attention isn’t diverted.
USING CONTACT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
Undoubtedly, you already have telemarketing or contact management
software. Popular brands include ACT, Goldmine, and Microsoft Of-
fice. Set up a directory or field exclusively for meeting planners. When
a meeting planner calls, you want to be able to quickly enter his or her
name, full contact information, the names of other important parties
within the organization, and other information that is relevant to the sit-
uation. Anything that you miss will be captured by the two-way record-
ing machine.
Pocket Dictators
Voice recognition software is not yet viable for your needs. Thus, you
might want to have a pocket dictator nearby. Even if you are a fast typist
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218
on a silent keyboard and have two-way recording capabilities, the capabil-
ity of recording key thoughts on a pocket dictator is invaluable.
MEETING INDUSTRY WEB SITES
You can find the information you want or need about a particular meeting
on the Internet, often while you’re still on the phone with a caller. Indus-
try Web sites tell where meetings will be held, if transportation is avail-
able, how the rooms are configured, and even phone numbers of facility
staff members. Here is a brief summary of some of the top sites in the
meeting and convention industry:
www.eventplanner.com This site offers a directory of meeting
planners, a facility search, planning tools, and a special vendor sec-
tion. Event Planner also maintains message boards for new products,
services, and meeting venues.
www.lecruises.com Profiles of cruise ships, news of the cruising in-
dustry, a bookstore on cruise meetings, and other industry publica-
tions are presented here. More importantly, information on keynote
speakers, entertainers, and specific onboard programs, as well as links
to several cruise lines and meeting associations, are also provided.
www.mpnetwork.com Use this site to fill out detailed reservation
forms. After doing so, you are privy to a wide variety of features
such as an events calendar, supplier data banks, a roster of event
sites, destination profiles, a trade show search engine, travel tips,
and meeting industry news.
www.starsite.com This site provides complete data on meeting
and hotel properties by location, name, chain, size, and other crite-
ria. It also contains a supplier search of speakers.
www.asaenet.org Hosted by the American Society of Association
Executives, you need to register to use this site, but you don’t have
to be a member of ASAE. It offers a supplier listing, including
speakers, speakers bureaus, and other venders such as printers, pub-
lishers, and technology services.
www.iaeme.org Exposition managers and others can use this site
of the International Association for Exposition Management to shop
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for services, products, and educational materials. It presents indus-
try news as well as a trade shows directory, a list of upcoming events
and seminars, and a job board.
www.mpiweb.org As you would expect, the Web site of Meeting
Professionals International contains voluminous amounts of infor-
mation about the meeting industry. In addition to the usual fare,
mpiweb.org also includes information on destination resources,
other association sites, airline sites, and even a meeting industry
“Net” glossary.
www.pcma.org This site of the Professional Convention Manage-
ment Association provides all kinds of research and statistical data
about convention management, as well as offering a meeting tech-
nology section, checklists for convention management, industry
links, and an industry calendar, and convention management news.
www.tcae.org This site, maintained by the Trade Show Exhibitors
Association, has a comprehensive industry links section that in-
cludes allied member product links, trade show industry links, and
travel links. It also includes a bookstore, job bank, industry news,
and a research section. TSEA White Papers are based on various
topics related to the trade show industry.
Alternatively, procure one or more national directories that contain
full contact information for corporations and associations. Many contain
vast amounts of information on media outlets that becomes highly useful
for promotional campaigns. Some of the many worthwhile directories you
can choose from include:
National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States
Published by Columbia Books, this directory lists 7,500 national
trade associations, professional societies, and labor unions. Visit
www.columbiabooks.com/books.cfm for information on this vol-
ume and the two listed directly below.
State and Regional Associations of the United States This publica-
tion lists 7,300 of the largest, most significant state and regional
trade and professional organizations in the United States.
Washington This book is a guide to 5,000 major organizations and
institutions in the U.S. capital and the 25,000 key individuals who
run them.
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220
Federal Directory Offered by Carroll Publishing, this directory
combines all three branches of government into one volume and pro-
vides bimonthly upgrades throughout the subscription year. It in-
cludes nearly 46,000 names, titles, telephone numbers, and e-mail
addresses. Visit www.carrollpub.com for more information on this
publication.
Why would you want such directories in hand? On many occasions, I
have been able to look up the name of a meeting planner’s organization in
a directory (it can be even faster than using the Web) and interject perti-
nent information into the conversation. I can say things such as, “You are
based in Cleveland; aren’t you?” These insights often amaze and delight
the caller.
The quality of your interaction with the meeting planner, from the first
few seconds, must be so high that you make an impression that is virtually
indelible. Whether or not you are ever retained for a speaking engagement
by this meeting planner, you have set yourself apart over the phone as few
speakers ever will.
THAT’S NOT ALL FOLKS
In a case in which a meeting planner has requested a video demo, presen-
tation kit, or book copy, preassembled packets will help you quickly get
them into the mail.
The personalized letter you want to add with such mailings is vital.
Begin with a phrase like, “I appreciate our discussion earlier this morn-
ing” This phrase conveys that you got right to work on putting the re-
quested package together. It adds to your image of being someone who is
highly organized, effective, and responsive.
Five days after your mailing, call to make sure that the meeting planner
received the package. This is more than a courtesy call; mail can go
astray. Some meeting planners will request that you send packages via
overnight mail. I eschew such mailings whenever possible. Most people
don’t need your information overnight; they simply ask for it reflexively.
There is a big difference in mailing a $10 to $15 package when a few dol-
lars for “media mail” will do.
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After this initial volley of communication, remember that all of the
marketing fundamentals applicable to a traditional vendor-customer rela-
tionship apply here: professional, timely follow-up is vital, and you have
to take responsibility for meeting the prospect all the way, not half way.
SERVE DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES
What happens if you do not become the speaker for a particular occasion,
whether it’s because of your fee, schedule, or subject matter? In such
cases, continue to serve the meeting planner as if you were booked for his
or her engagement. Suggest fellow speakers at the desired fee with requi-
site skills and applicable speaking topics who might be available. You will
be amazed by how delighted meeting planners will be when you make a
strong suggestion that meets their needs.
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29
The Diversity Factor
I
n 1982, I attended a week-long executive marketing seminar spon-
sored by a university. In the last days of the conference, one of the
professors referred to an ethnic group with a slang term. Notions of
political correctness and sensitivity to diversity issues are at the forefront
of social and political arenas, certainly in the enlightened sphere of a col-
lege campus. The minority members of the audience in this case immedi-
ately felt the sting of this professor’s injudicious use of terms. Most
people, including myself, looked away from him. He continued on, appar-
ently unaware of his transgression. For the rest of his presentation, hardly
anyone looked at him directly; those who did seemed to be sizing him up
as opposed to paying attention to his presentation.
INSENSITIVE TERMS
Had this speaker developed the capability to read his audience, he might
have discovered that, following his remark, he lost much of the audience.
Hopefully you will never make such an utterance in any of your
speeches. You will periodically say or do some things, however, that may
prompt the audience to fall out of favor with you. If an unawareness of di-
versity issues is at the root, there are steps you can take in advance to
minimize such occurrences.
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THE DIVERSITY FACTOR 223
EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT
If you appreciate your audiences, strive to ensure that they have the best
possible environment in which to receive your message, and pay your re-
spects individually and collectively, you should be able to avoid being bi-
ased, insensitive, or socially offensive.
However, anyone can inadvertently make a remark or imply something
that causes audience members to feel hurt or disrespected. Lenora
Billings-Harris is president of Excel Development Systems and an expert
on the topic of diversity. With her audiences, she establishes the premise
that “the willingness and ability to create an environment where all peo-
ple, regardless of differences can achieve their highest potential, con-
tributes to the overall success of the organization
“When we value diversity,” says Lenora, “we have a greater capacity
and willingness to recognize, understand, respect, and use the unique tal-
ents and contributions of all individuals, regardless of their packaging.”
Lenora says there’s “no place like home” to become more aware of di-
versity issues and better prepared to make presentations that respect indi-
viduals’ differences. “Start by examining your own attitudes, values and
beliefs,” she says, “and how you portray them when interacting with oth-
ers. The effort is easy—the rewards many.”
You might be wondering, “How am I supposed to know about the belief
systems of everyone in my audience, especially with large groups?”
Relax, it’s not that difficult. Your preprogram questionnaire (see previous
chapter) will contain questions that ask about the unique aspects of audi-
ence members. Review the answers to these questions with the meeting
planner in advance and you will understand that you simply can’t make
assumptions about the composition of your audience.
Most meeting planners will readily raise important diversity issues in
addressing their audience. Visit www.religioustolerance.org. Such sites,
Lenora says, “often include information on 20 somethings, 30 somethings,
seniors, people of color, sexuality, and much more,” that can help bring you
up to speed.
Before a speaking engagement, ask to speak to five people who will be
in your audience. Most meeting planners will readily supply contact infor-
mation. You could ask specifically to speak to individuals who represent
different religious or ethnic groups. You’ll be pleased and surprised to
learn how eager and willing individuals are to share information with you
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224
and how much they appreciate the chance to contribute to your under-
standing of the overall group.
Lenora also suggests demonstrating your sensitivity to various ethnic
groups “if appropriate to your topic or story that you share, by referring to
an ethnic heritage month being celebrated.”
DEFERENCE TO THE HIGHER SPIRIT
When addressing audiences whose members hold differing religious be-
liefs, diversity expert Carol Copeland Thomas says, “Refer to religious
organizations as faith-based organizations, instead of always using
church.” Suppose you’re speaking to a large audience and you learn that
Jains, Sikhs, and Shintos are in the audience. They are all members of
long established major world religions.
No one expects you to have a scholar’s knowledge of world religions.
You should merely make qualifying statements and personal disclaimers
when you employ religious references within your presentations. For ex-
ample, you could use such phrasing as:
“Since I grew up Catholic,”
“In my congregation,”
“As a lifelong Methodist . . .” and so on.
Audience members will appreciate this, since nearly everyone in the
audience practices some sort of religion.
“As your own knowledge base expands,” says Carol, “include other re-
ligious references in your message.” Audience members will be im-
pressed if you are a Christian speaker and you can make references to
Judaism, for example, or if you are an Islamic speaker and you make ref-
erences to Hinduism. For more information visit www.tellcarole.com.
LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES
NOT EXCLUDES
Using the right terms to describe a particular group or individual can be
trying. The word “race,” for example, was once the preferred term when
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THE DIVERSITY FACTOR 225
referring to groups of different ethnicity or nationality. The prevailing
view now is that there is only one race—the human race.
Lenora Billings-Harris offers a brief list of current terminology on
her Web site: www.Lenoraspeaks.com. The first column offers terms
now regarded as socially insensitive; the second column offers currently
acceptable alternatives. Today’s acceptable terminology will shift, so
stay current.
SEXUAL REFERENCES
Sexual diversity requires some special sensitivity. The term gay is inclu-
sive of all individuals who are homosexual, but as Lenora points out, in
the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community “It is used
specifically to refer to gay men.”
A transgender person is a man or woman whose physical body does not
reflect his or her inner identity. Since the legal status of gay and lesbian
unions varies from state to state, the term domestic partner is the pre-
ferred way of recognizing committed unmarried couples.
Lenora observes that it is acceptable for GLBT individuals who are
open about their sexual orientation (referred to as “out”) to employ self-
directed humor about their status. “It is not okay for a straight speaker to
make jokes about GLBT people,” she says, “nor is it okay for a speaker
to ‘out’ a GLBT person without his or her permission.”
“While the guidelines seem simple enough, here is one you may have to
reflect on: It is okay to say ‘husband’ or ‘wife’ when referring to your
personal situation,” says Lenora, but when addressing a group, particu-
larly a large gathering, it is “not okay to only refer to husbands and wives.
Include domestic or life partners, and significant others if you want to
demonstrate heightened sensitivity to diversity issues.”
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30
Staying in Touch
All the While
O
nce you’ve gathered the brunt of the information you need to
understand the group, don’t coast. Staying in touch with the
meeting planner leading up to the presentation, and thereafter
as well, is a sound approach to maintaining and building a solid working
relationship. Moreover, it helps ensure that your presentation will come
off as planned.
Depending on the length of the gap, I schedule a series of communica-
tions with the meeting planner, each designed to make it apparent that I
have him or her in mind. I let the meeting planner know that I am looking
forward to the presentation, that I’ll be ready, and that I’m the type of
person who can be a resource for the long haul.
Here is the typical contact sequence that I follow for an interim period
of six months.
INITIAL CONTACT
When about a quarter of the time has elapsed between being scheduled
to present and actually making a presentation, find an article or some
other information that would be of interest to the meeting planner. This
task is not hard if you revisit the organization’s Web site to determine its
current issues.
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STAYING IN TOUCH ALL THE WHILE 227
You can then look for more information about these issues using any
one of the popular search engines, or by visiting the Web site of any of the
popular industry magazines, such as Successful Meetings, Meetings and
Conventions, The Meeting Professional, Professional Speaker, or Presenta-
tions to determine if the issue has made its way into these publications or
onto these Web sites. Then, it is simply a matter of printing the relevant
pages and sending them off with a simple note that says something like, “I
thought you might be interested in this.”
Following such a mailing, the meeting planner is not likely to respond.
That’s okay—he or she is extremely busy. Your gesture has probably still
been noted. Think of all that your meeting professional’s job entails during
a given season or year. He or she may deal with many different venders:
speakers, coffee service venders, banquet hall sales representatives, air-
lines, and perhaps even local tour guides.
Include your business card in this first mailing. Don’t send a flyer or
any other promotional material about yourself. You already have the job
with this particular client; therefore, submission of additional marketing
materials will be skeptically viewed.
THE SECOND ROUND
About half way between the time you’re booked and the scheduled date of
the presentation, send a message that simply states that you are looking
forward to meeting the meeting planner in person if you haven’t done so
already, and that you are eager to speak. This message can be sent by e-
mail, fax, or traditional mail.
Again, the meeting planner virtually never responds. However, he or
she will be impressed by the fact that you took the time to make a second
contact.
THE THIRD CONTACT
When three-quarters of the interim time has passed, I send the meeting
planner a carefully worded letter that says:
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228
We will soon all be together in (the city of your meeting). I am greatly
looking forward to being a part of your gathering. Much time has passed
since we first arranged for my presentation, and I wanted to assure you
that I will fully meet your needs.
With all that is going on in the world and within your industry, if anything
has changed since we first made our arrangements, or if you would like me
to accent any particular issues or cover anything that we did not originally
discuss, I will be happy to do so. Please call me toll-free at , or use
fax, e-mail, or mail at your convenience. As always, I am ready to serve you.
Yours truly,
Jeff Davidson
This third contact lends itself to a direct phone call. These days, you
are likely to get the meeting planner’s voicemail. Proceed anyway. Leave
a detailed message that essentially repeats what you said in your letter or
e-mail. Use your voice to convey sincerity, support, and professionalism.
Well-timed messages can do wonders in terms of enhancing your pre-
speech positioning with the meeting planner.
He or she may not reply. Yet, your gesture indicates that you are willing
to be flexible, and that speaks volumes about your professionalism. More-
over, it gives the meeting planner the opportunity to request changes.
Letting the meeting planner know that you can be flexible can help re-
lieve considerable stress in addition to logistical burdens. If another
speaker can’t make it, would you be willing to do a second session?
What if the slant that you were going to give your topic is not entirely ap-
propriate, and the meeting planner and his or her organization needs you
to approach it from a different angle? The longer the time between the
booking and the presentation date, the greater the probability that things
have changed and that the meeting planner will respond to your third
contact.
The busier the speaker, the less inclined he or she is to maintain this
simple system of contact. Yet, you can build this activity into your routine
quite simply. Directly following the booking, you can use contact man-
agement software to list communication dates in advance. If you work
with a staff, your staff people can schedule, track, and monitor this se-
quence of contacts.
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STAYING IN TOUCH ALL THE WHILE 229
REAPING THE BENEFITS
As a result of these preparations, by the time you arrive at the meeting lo-
cation and greet the meeting planner, you are among the handful of
venders that he or she is truly pleased to meet. I know firsthand that this
works. These contacts have helped me form strong bonds with meeting
planners.
Your campaign serves two major functions. You provide assurance to
the meeting planner on a periodic basis, and you increase the probability
of getting another booking, provided that you give a sterling presentation.
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31
Planning for
Audience Involvement
A
little planning can make your efforts to get audience participa-
tion even more successful. The effectiveness of any audience-
involvement technique is dependent on the context—the kind of
presentation you make; to whom you make it; and time, date, room layout,
and internal atmospheric considerations.
PREPARATION TECHNIQUES
Many speakers like to involve their audiences at the beginning of their
presentations. I find it trite to say “Good morning” or “Good afternoon”
to the audience as an inducement for them to say it back. I have seen
speakers, however, who do this masterfully and receive a strong return
greeting from an eager and receptive audience.
Some speakers arrive armed with an audience participation packet
or printed visual that encourages audience participation. Don’t dis-
count this time-honored technique for encouraging involvement—
giving audience members something to write on, follow along with,
and uniquely mark up creates a higher probability that they’ll retain
your information.
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PLANNING FOR AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT 231
Some speakers ask audiences to write down goals for their sessions,
goals for when they get back to work, the coming year, or their
lives.
Some speakers issue on-the-spot surveys, usually containing only a
few brief questions. Here is an example from my own presentations:
Name Date
A Quick Survey on Breathing Space in Your Life
1. In the last year, the feeling of being time-pressured has:
Decreased Decreased Stayed about Increased Increased
Greatly Somewhat the Same Somewhat Greatly
2. In the past five years, the feeling of being time-pressured has:
Decreased Decreased Stayed about Increased Increased
3. I am facing more to do today than at this time last year.
Disagree Disagree About Agree Agree
4. In the past 12 months, I’ve been taking more work home than
previously.
Disagree Disagree About Agree Agree
5. My best tip for having more breathing space on the job or off of it is:
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Employing a quiz as an opening gambit can work well to encourage
participation. The quiz does not need to be anything more than 4 or 5
quick questions that can be answered with yes or no, true or false, or a
score such as 1 to 5. The speaker can then review the quiz with the entire
audience and encourage people to voice their individual answers.
Exercise Card
Breathing Space Exercises
1. Give cards to the first five attendees. The card has two questions:
Cite an example when you handled a pressing deadline with grace
and ease.
What is your favorite technique for reducing stress after a hectic
work day?
Collect the cards before the presentation and incorporate them
into your speech.
Give recognition to the individuals submitting the ideas.
2. Ask participants about subscriptions:
[ ] List all of your subscriptions.
[ ] Circle those which you do keep up with.
[ ] Put a line through those you don’t.
[ ] Discuss with your partner.
3. Ask participants about household and domestic chores:
[ ] List all the domestic chores that you don’t like to do:
[ ] Which ones can you temporarily drop?
[ ] Which ones can you do less frequently without consequences?
[ ] Which ones can you hire someone to do?
[ ] Which ones can you drop for good?
[ ] When will you put these plans into action?
[ ] Discuss with your partner.
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PLANNING FOR AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT 233
Either as an opening gambit or later in the presentation, some speak-
ers request that audience participants take out a piece of paper and
write down a question that they want answered during the presentation.
Others ask participants to give their best suggestions to the presenter.
The example of exercises I refer to at longer sessions to encourage par-
ticipation is on page 232.
Other opening audience-participation techniques involve having audi-
ence members nod their heads or raise their hands based on a question.
You can also ask them to stand, stretch, greet one another, exchange busi-
ness cards, repeat after you, or even sing along with you.
USING MUSIC IN YOUR PRESENTATION
Depending on the type of presentation you offer and how long you have
been making speeches, you may have an inclination to use music before,
during, or after your presentation.
Music can heighten audience members’ anticipation during an introduc-
tion or render a powerful closing. Some presenters use music long before
their presentations begin so that any early arrivals or people simply walking
the halls will be curious. Presenters and trainers have used music to signal
breaks in their session, to maintain an effective atmosphere during breaks,
and to call all participants back to the session when the breaks are over.
Jeffrey Gitomer has upbeat music playing prior to his arrivals on stage.
As he comes across the stage, he claps in rhythm to the music and his ges-
tures induce his audiences to do so as well. Once the music stops and ev-
eryone stops clapping, he begins his presentation by playing off the energy
already created in the room. Thereafter, he maintains a high-energy pre-
sentation, which invariably keeps audience members on track with him.
PROTECTING YOUR RIGHTS . . .
AND THOSE OF OTHERS
Most speakers don’t understand that music is a form of personal property,
each creation belonging to the person(s) who created it. Legally, when
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234
someone wants to use a piece of music, he or she must seek permission
from the owner. You should check with the American Society of Com-
posers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) based in Atlanta, Georgia, about
the works of its members. ASCAP represents the performance rights for
nearly 100,000 composers, writers, and publishers in the United States, as
well as thousands more from across the globe.
Rather than having to pay a per-song or per-performance fee, a user
can perform “any or all of the millions of copyrighted music works in
ASCAP’s repertoire as often as they like” for a modest annual fee. This
form of blanket license not only cuts down on paperwork but keeps li-
censees from even “inadvertently infringing on the copyright of
ASCAP’s members.” For more information, visit ASCAP.com.
Approach the use of copyrighted music the same way you would ap-
proach any other copyrighted material. Song composers wish to retain
their rights, as well. If you sell or otherwise distribute any type of record-
ing during your presentation that includes the copyrighted music of oth-
ers, you need to obtain an entirely separate reproduction right for which
you would appeal to the copyright owner.
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32
Preparing a
Seamless Presentation
G
athering intelligence about specific audience members prior to
your presentation is a popular technique for keeping the entire
audience awake, alert, amused, and involved. For example:
Who is the most popular person in the audience?
Who is the least popular?
Who wins the contests or gets all the honors?
Who never gets any of them?
Who has been with the organization the longest?
Who recently came on board?
Who is the biggest kidder?
Who is known for falling asleep in presentations?
If you can learn the answers to any of these types of questions in ad-
vance, you have excellent tools at your command. If this knowledge is
used skillfully, the people to whom you refer during your presentation
will be utterly surprised, as will everyone in the audience.
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The fact that you go the extra mile by finding out such information gets
people buzzing about you and your presentation and makes you more
memorable.
Incorporating Audience Observations
You already know the importance of doing homework on your audience—
collecting information about the group, the host organization, and other
presenters. You also know about the value of reading any in-house publi-
cations, particularly the most recent ones. Beyond what effective speak-
ers traditionally do, with a little extra effort, you can act like a virtual
insider. You can appear as someone who has a strong affinity and empa-
thy for the group.
If you start out speaking to three or four attendees, beyond simply fur-
thering your understanding of the challenges the group faces, you could
actually use some of the points in your presentation. With their permis-
sion, you could either reference the people to whom you speak or, if they
prefer, have them remain anonymous. Hence, you would simply say some-
thing along the lines of, “I had the opportunity to speak to several of you
weeks before this meeting and a recurring observation emerged.”
The power of delivering such a line, beyond showing your willingness
to make the extra effort to understand the group’s issues, is that the ob-
servation undoubtedly will ring true in the minds of many people in the
audience.
Working Off Other Speakers
If you will be one of many speakers presenting, ask the meeting planner if
you could have the names and contact information for other presenters.
Many speakers use this information to great effect. For example, if you
know that Jan is presenting directly before you, by having knowledge of
what she is going to say well in advance of your presentation, you can
craft your speech to incorporate and build on what she says (given that
you agree with it).
Getting Materials
If coming a day early is not feasible or desirable, there are other tech-
niques you can employ to add to the aura of seamless presentations. For
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PREPARING A SEAMLESS PRESENTATION 237
example, can you obtain a cassette presentation of one of the prior speak-
ers? Perhaps the cassette presentation will be fairly similar to what the
speaker will present to this group. If not a cassette, can you get an article
or printed materials from the speaker? Perhaps you can get the speaker’s
outline or notes, a “10 tips” list, or other paraphernalia that conveys the
essence of the speaker’s message.
When you are speaking in a corporate setting, and a top-ranking offi-
cial of the host organization will precede you, you can ask for a transcript
of the presentation. More often than you might think, they are available.
In the representation questionnaire that I employ with meeting plan-
ners, one of the questions I ask is if I can get a copy of the descriptive lit-
erature for the group’s previous meeting. If I am speaking at an annual
meeting, I seek brochures and flyers from last year’s annual meeting.
Any materials you can gather related to the most recent meeting, or any
prior meeting, is to your advantage. You then have the opportunity to
weave in speakers from a month or even a year ago.
Another strategy is simply to read the conference material for the event
at hand. If you know, for example, that, following your presentation, all
participants will be going on a tour or having some other memorable ex-
perience, work that into your presentation.
Standing Alone
If you can employ even one of the techniques discussed even once in the
course of your presentation, you may be the only speaker who does so.
Contrast this preparation with the speaker who does not even refer to the
name of the group, its products or services, or any of its buzzwords or jar-
gon for the duration of his or her presentation.
Seamless presentations, while seemingly spontaneous, rarely just hap-
pen. Time, effort, and forethought in your presentation can add to an au-
dience’s overall enjoyment.
ALWAYS BEING AT YOUR BEST
As a presenter, if I’m not out to make my next speech my best, then it’s
likely to fall short. Public speaking is one of those endeavors in which you
cannot stay “even”—there is no coasting. You’re either getting better, or
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you’re falling behind. When you consider the variety of presenters on
stage, screen, and television, and compare the presentation skills of today
with those of the previous generation, it is evident that they have been on
an upward trajectory.
The goal of making your next speech your best, and treating it as if it
were your last, is entirely worthwhile and imminently attainable.
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33
Your Introduction
Is Crucial
P
rior to launching your presentation, someone will introduce you.
Since you write your own introduction, its length is usually up to
you. Keep your introduction as short as is practical. The longer the
introduction, the more work for your introducer, the more likely that he or
she will botch some words, and the higher probability that the audience
will be put off.
WRITING YOUR INTRODUCTION
I’ve sat through introductions that were truly boring. They went on and
on, offering a laundry list of the presenter’s accomplishments. Following
pertinent facts, veteran speaker Al Walker recommends that the introduc-
tion have three essentials:
1. Something interesting about you, even gossipy.
2. Why you were chosen to speak, including why the topic should be
addressed at this event.
3. Some particulars about yourself.
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Your succinct introduction must be reviewed again and again before
submission. You need to ensure that it flows. You want to eliminate diffi-
cult words. Spoon-feed the introducer. Make it so easy for him or her that
success is all but inevitable. Here’s an introduction I’ve employed to great
effect:
Humorous Introduction
Jeff Davidson is a full-time professional speaker, author, columnist, certi-
fied management consultant, entrepreneur, and former paper boy.
On the way to writing 32 books and speaking to nearly 675 groups,
he has been:
. . . the tackle dummy for the Dallas Cowboys,
. . . a wardrobe advisor for Dennis Rodman,
. . . and the personal fitness coach for Rush Limbaugh.
Growing up in the Hartford, Connecticut, area, Jeff was recognized
as one of the 10 funniest people in his neighborhood. All told, Jeff’s
books have been selected by book clubs 20 times, and, over the course
of the last nine years, on average, someone in America buys one of his
books every eight minutes. You can look it up.
He is author of The Joy of Simple Living published by Rodale Books
and read by stressed-out people everywhere. From the major themes in
that book, Jeff offers several presentations including:
Managing the Pace with Grace,
Managing Multiple Priorities, and
Handling Information and Communication Overload.
Jeff has spoken on three continents to organizations such as:
American Express, IBM, Wells Fargo, AOL, and Uncle Joe’s Eat
Run.
You’re in for an eye-opening experience and a real treat. Here today
to help us stay focused and balanced in a world of rapid change and too
much information, please welcome Jeff Davidson . . .
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YOUR INTRODUCTION IS CRUCIAL 241
I prefer that my name in a heightened volume be the last word from the
introducer. Prior to a presentation, I ask the introducer to truncate partic-
ular lines if I sense that:
The introducer is inept and can handle only the briefest of introduc-
tions. I’ve been introduced by people who have been so nervous that
they were barely able to complete my 30- to 60-second introduction.
The mood of the event is not as festive as I had hoped.
The proceedings are running behind schedule or time will otherwise
be tight.
I employ the following introduction (submitted weeks or months in ad-
vance) when it appears that the meeting will be more somber or serious:
Serious Introduction
Today in business, people increasingly feel pressed for time, regardless
of their title, to whom they report, the size of their support staff, the
tasks and responsibilities they face, and even the education and training
they bring to the job. Studies show that effective use of time is a critical
aspect of management effectiveness.
Your success now and in the future depends on your ability to main-
tain control despite accelerating change and an explosion of information
and communication.
The Washington Post called our speaker, Jeff Davidson, a “dynamo of
business-book writing.” Upon hearing him speak at business and associa-
tion meetings, many people comment that his presentation makes an
immediate impact on their lives. Jeff has worked with many groups, shar-
ing his innovative ideas and fresh perspectives on how to have more
breathing space. He’s the author of 32 books, including Breathing Space:
Living and Working at a Comfortable Space in a Sped-up Society, which is
now published in 14 countries.
Here today to help us do just that, please give a warm welcome
to . . . Jeff Davidson.
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Consider giving the meeting planner the option of choosing which por-
tions of your introduction would be most appropriate for the group. If your
introduction is on the long side, and I recommend against it, allow the
meeting planner to cross out the portions that likely will be the least mean-
ingful for the audience.
PREPARING YOUR INTRODUCER
It’s important to ensure that your introducer is fully briefed and sup-
ported long before the meeting date. The introduction to your presenta-
tion sets the tone and can actually impact your overall effectiveness.
Aspiring public speakers too often bring their introductions and hand
them to someone at the last minute, or worse, they ask their introducers to
wing it—a recipe for disaster.
The typical introducer has little or no experience in properly introduc-
ing a speaker. Start with the basic assumption that your introducer is not
skilled in this area, ill at ease with making introductions, and prefers to
do anything else. Then, if you encounter someone who has a flare for in-
troducing speakers, you’re ahead of the game.
Making contact with your introducer far in advance of the presentation
day is highly recommended. The larger the group, the more important it is
to have such contact. While your introducer may only take up 1/50 of your
overall presentation time, what the audience hears about you prior to you
stepping up to the lectern has its effects on how they perceive you and
rate the overall effectiveness of your presentation.
If he or she knows a little about you as a person, not only as a presenter,
the introduction takes on a warmer, friendlier tone. The audience senses
that you have some type of relationship with the introducer, which en-
hances the overall effect.
SUBMITTING THE INTRODUCTION
Tips for maximizing your introduction include:
If you mail or fax your introduction, use a large point size, prefer-
ably 14 or more. Twelve-point type can look awfully small.
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YOUR INTRODUCTION IS CRUCIAL 243
If you e-mail your introduction, suggest at the top and the bottom of
the e-mail that the introducer print it out in a large font. Again, size
14 or more, on an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper. For some reason, some
people think note cards are best. Not so. Cards are too small to be of
practical value for this critical function.
Peter Urs Bender prudently advises that you send a letter along with
your introduction as a form of coaching.
I include a note at the top of my printed introduction so that the in-
troducer cannot possibly claim that he or she was unaware of my
wishes:
Notes for Introducer: Your job is important! It sets the stage for my
whole presentation. Please deliver this introduction word for word
(my opening comments following directly from the introduction). Re-
maining upbeat and enthusiastic, yet conversational, they won’t re-
member all you said, just how you said it. Please lead the applause to
bring energy to the group. Thank you.
Concurrent to submitting your introduction and any instructions to
your introducer, place a back-up copy in the file folder that you’re
retaining for this group. You never want to show up at your presenta-
tion without a copy of your introduction, just in case.
Literally review your introduction line by line with that person. Ask
him or her to read it to you and for both of you to edit the introduction
with a pen or pencil and cross out or substitute words that may prove
problematic.
URGE THEM NOT TO STRAY
Both early in the game and when you finally meet the introducer, urge
him or her again not to stray from the printed text. Many introducers offer
ad-hoc lines, which squelch your planned transition.
THE APPROACH
The question often arises as to whether or not the introducer should read
the introduction. In most instances, the answer is yes. Virtually everyone
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in the audience knows that the presenter had a hand in writing the intro-
duction, if not totally controlling its contents. It’s no surprise for an intro-
ducer to read the introduction verbatim. If he or she feels comfortable
enough to memorize the introduction, and many have this capability, great.
The happy medium is for the introducer to attempt to memorize the
presentation, and use the printed sheet as a crutch, while looking up at the
audience for those words or passages that he or she is able to utter without
looking down at the sheet. In any case, what’s on the printed page needs
to be treated as gospel.
Here are some further points to remember:
In preparing your introducer, let him or her know how important it is
to not rush the introduction. The nervous introducer wants to get it
over with and too frequently flies through words and sentences that
he or she is not able to effectively articulate at high speeds.
If any part of your name is difficult to pronounce, or any words
within your introduction are difficult or unfamiliar to the typical
person, write them phonetically.
Once the introducer finishes, it’s your responsibility to make a smooth
transition, which is discussed in Part VI: “Captivating and Inspiring Your
Audience.”
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34
Have a Great Trip
C
urrent to maintaining correspondence with the meeting planner
and your introducer, there are additional steps to ensure success.
When you know in advance that you’ll have everything you need
when you arrive at your destination, you’ll be more confident when it’s
time to make your speech.
One easy way to lessen your prepresentation stress is to mail packages
to yourself. By doing so, you reduce your time getting through airport se-
curity checks and lighten your load as you travel to long-distance speak-
ing engagements.
Send the packages ahead to the meeting place, care of the convention or
conference services. Every hotel has some kind of closet or storage room
to retain such packages until arriving guests claim them. Send your pack-
ages as close to the arrival date as practical.
If you’re concerned as to who is authorized to receive the package, call
the hotel or conference facility and get a contact name. Then, use that con-
tact name on your mailing label. Don’t take chances with your important
presentation materials—employ only delivery services that offer tracking
and proof of delivery.
Mark your package “hold for arrival” with your full name, the name of
the conference you’re attending, and your arrival date all succinctly
printed between the recipient’s address and your return address.
With all major long-distance delivery services, you can go online and
find the exact time and date your package was delivered, and even who
signed for it. You can also call the facility or the person to whom it was
sent to confirm reception.
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Once you arrive, pick up your package immediately. Don’t wait until
an hour or two before presentation time. You want to make sure that
everything arrived intact. You also want to refamiliarize yourself with
what you sent. Many speakers prepare a list of materials they packed and
bring that list with them.
PROPER PACKING
Some speakers routinely bring much more than they need even on short
trips. Here are some tips to enable you to fly the friendly skies or travel
the highways a little lighter and a little freer than usual:
Pack the smallest amount of toiletries/cosmetics possible in the small-
est containers possible. Many drugstores sell plastic containers
roughly the diameter of a silver dollar and 1
⁄2 to 3
⁄4 of an inch deep
with watertight twist-off tops.
Don’t bring anything that you know your hotel supplies. You can call in
advance to get a list.
For lengthy travel with many stops, bring clothes that wash and wear
easily. Take advantage of any valet services.
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME
If you are about to board a short flight, with your palmtop, you can dial
up and download your e-mail just before getting on the plane—no pa-
pers, no wires, little weight. During the flight, you can answer all e-mail,
sending it to the outbox. You can read correspondence, correct it, make
notes, add to a database, calculate complex cash flow analysis with
spreadsheet software, listen to a lecture, you name it. The moment you
step off the plane, you can send all your e-mail, pick up any new e-mail,
and answer calls.
There is no need for lugging weighty stacks of paper or incurring long
bouts of lost time anymore; it’s a traveler’s choice. The key, of course,
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HAVE A GREAT TRIP 247
in every travel encounter, is desire and preparation. What do you want to
get done, and will you take the time and energy to assemble tools that
will ensure your high productivity? For the seasoned traveling speaker,
this is old hat. If you’re starting to travel for business, a new world of ef-
ficiency awaits.
MAINTAIN RECORDS
Do you have a file folder, notebook, or magazine box in which you keep
all travel-related materials? This would include booklets on hotel and air
fares, frequent-flyer numbers, passports, numbers for taxis and other
transportation, and vacation club folders. I keep such phone and member-
ship numbers in one long file on my hard disk; a printout in a small point
size tucks into my portable appointment calendar. Wherever I am, day or
night, I have the information I need.
SANITY IN AIRLINE RESERVATIONS
Never, never buy tickets at the airline counter. Buy them in advance and
have them sent via first class mail. Get seat assignments 30 days before
your flight.
If you book your ticket through a travel agency, review the itinerary
included with your ticket. This indicates your scheduled arrival and
departure times, stops, and meals. If you book your tickets by phone
with the airlines directly, the first page of your packet often has the
same information.
Anticipate delays at your meetings, expecially when you are one of
many speakers. Now, before departing by plane for a meeting, I print
the flight schedule (from the Internet) of those flights heading to
and departing from my meeting destination. My travel escapade fol-
lowing the AOL speech is no longer feasible, so I want to know my
options when I am late getting back to the airport or if any of my
flights are going to be delayed.
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Drink plenty of water. Water plays an important role in maintaining
high energy for your forthcoming presentation. Often when you’re
exhausted, you need water more than you need sleep. Drinking a
glass of water can keep you active longer. During your flight, stay-
ing hydrated is crucial.
PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
WHILE CHECKING IN
There are also engagements that merit staying for a night or more. Once
you get to your hotel and are checking in, here are a few tips that will in-
crease the probability that you’ll have the full night’s sleep that will sup-
port your performance the following day:
Explain to the check-in staff that you are a speaker, you have a
speech in the morning, and your sleep is crucial. That alone might
prompt them to give you a room that is in a quiet section of the hotel.
Get a room facing east if you can; that will give you early morning
sunshine, and it will be cooler in the evening than will a room facing
west. Specifically ask for a room in which you’ll have quiet.
Ask for a room without a door adjoining another room.
You deserve to get a good night’s sleep, and it’s essential for you to be
at your best. Do everything you can to achieve an optimal level of rest to
be alert and energetic the day of your presentation. You might also look
into the latest in noise-reduction technology goods. Some products I rec-
ommend are: Sound Screen®
and Sleep Mate®
from Marpac Corporation
(P.O. Box 3098, Wilmington, NC, 28406–0098) and Noise Filters®
, avail-
able from Cabot Safety Corporation (5457 W. 79th St. Indianapolis IN,
46268.
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Meeting Room Layouts
T
he more often you speak, the more apparent it will become that
meeting room setups come in almost endless variations. The meet-
ing planner can often tell you far in advance what type of room
you’ll be in and how it lays out. Most facilities also offer Web sites con-
taining room-by-room sketches, aerial schematics, pictures, and dimen-
sions. Still, most speakers, myself included, become acquainted with the
meeting room only the night before or an hour before their presentation.
Starting on page 250 is a fairly nonjudgmental review of more than a
dozen meeting room setups and the types of meetings for which they are
most appropriate.
WALK THE MEETING ROOM
Once on site, do a prepresentation walk through of the meeting facility
exploring every facet of it. Beyond the usual equipment, sound, and tem-
perature checks notice the potential for glare. Are there large windows
with the curtains open? On a sunny day this is the death knell in terms of
retaining the attention of your audience.
Glare may arise from TV monitors, mirrors, glass, light fixtures, fire
hose boxes, or anything shiny in the room. Walk the room and sit in vari-
ous seats to detect possible glare that audience members might experi-
ence. To minimize glare try hanging drapes, changing lighting, and
repositioning chairs.
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Theatre-Style Seating—More than half of all the rooms in which
you’ll speak are simply set up theatre style, with one big aisle down the
middle, a stage or podium at the far end, and seats in symmetrical
halves that go several rows deep. Some of your energy is lost with
theatre-style seating because you directly face large, empty center aisles.
Crescent Theatre Seating with Side Aisles—This is an appropriate set-
up for keynote or general session presentations to large audiences.
Because of the curvature of the rows, all parties can easily face you
without craning their necks. No energy is lost in this setup because
there is no center aisle. Patrons in the middle seats receive the brunt of
your energy while those on the left and right wing are often no less
involved.
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MEETING ROOM LAYOUTS 251
Classroom Style—Classroom style is reminiscent of rooms in your high
school classes of years past. There may be one center aisle or several
aisles between rows of desks or tables. If tables are used, there may be
one, two, three, or four audience participants at each table. Classroom
style can be effective with groups of up to 100. For audiences of
(continued)
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252
more than 100 people, effectiveness depends on the skill of the speaker
and the factors related to room dynamics. For example, classroom style
seating in an amphitheater arrangement, whereby the presenter is at
the basin of the amphitheater and the seats fan out in a semi-circle,
would allow for far more than 100 attendees.
Herringbone Classroom Style—Similar to the basic classroom style de-
scribed above, the herringbone arrangement consists of desks or tables
that are tilted in a V-shaped fashion, such that all participants are di-
rectly facing the presenter and can easily view participants across the
aisle. This set-up facilitates greater audience participation and louder
laughs because participants can clearly see each other.
Standard U-shaped Seating—With this configuration, the presenter is
situated at the opening part of a U. In a banquet situation, participants
might be seated inside the U. After dinner, they would have to turn
their chairs in order to face the presenter. In a strict classroom or
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seminar environment, the inner portion of the U is often left open so
that all participants can at least indirectly face the presenter without
having to turn their chairs.
The underlying premise in using the U-shaped setup is that everyone
is important. There is significant work to be done, and participation is
widely encouraged. The coveted positions are at the bottom center of
the U, although a wise presenter can help all participants feel as if they
have a good seat by frequently roaming into the middle of the U. No
more than 150 people should be seated in such configurations. For pre-
sentations of any length, less then 40 and as few as 20 seats are advis-
able. A variation on the U-shaped configuration is the use of curved
tables on the corners to form a true U- or horseshoe-shaped configura-
tion. The meeting dynamics stay the same.
Hollow Square—This seating configuration is like the standard U-shape
with the top filled in to form a square. There may be a presenter, mod-
erator, or group leader at the top center. There is no seating inside the
square. This arrangement is often popular for board meetings during
which all participants have a vital stake in the outcome of an organiza-
tion. A variation on this theme is to have rounded tables at the corners
to yield oval configurations. The meeting dynamics stay the same.
(continued)
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Closed Boardroom Seating—Participants are seated at an oval or ob-
long table, or at a set of tables arranged in an oval or oblong fashion.
The cabinet of U.S. presidential administrations uses such a meeting
setup. The presenter, host, or moderator is usually in the center of one
of the long sides. Closed boardroom seating gives participants a feeling
of intimacy, although those seated on the long sides cannot easily see
many of the attendees.
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Boardroom-style meetings encourage quick bouts of participation.
Often, other meeting participants are seated within the room away
from an oval or oblong table setup. A speaker at such gatherings will
usually stand so as to be more easily heard and seen by others. Such
presentations tend to be relatively brief, on the order of three to five
minutes. The set-up is not appropriate for sessions any longer than
eight to ten minutes.
O-Type Setup—Similar to the hollow square, an O-type setup is an
octagonal arrangement ensuring that each participant can see all other
participants. Such arrangements are conducive to meetings including 8,
16, or 24 people for 1-, 2-, and 3-person tables, respectively.
T-Shaped Setup—The T-shape configuration is also used in banquet
settings. Presumably, the guests of honor sit across the top of the T,
the cross bar, facing guests seated on the left and right of the stem. As
with other such meeting room setups, the person in the dead center
seat at the top of the T is the presenter, moderator, or host. As with
(continued)
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256
other “alphabetical” type arrangements, any words spoken here need to
be mercifully short.
Facing Parallel Tables—This configuration is like the letter H without
the cross bar. Two rows of tables of equal length are placed in parallel
fashion with space in the middle. Such an arrangement has been used
for debates, negotiations, and other planned, verbal confrontations.
Generally, a public speaker won’t have to deal with such an arrange-
ment.
In the Rounds—This term refers to people seated at round tables
of 6 to 12 participants who will eat preceding or succeeding a speaker.
When it’s time for the presentation, at least one-third, and up to
PARALLEL TABLES
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Glare will reduce the concentration level of anyone in the audience
who is experiencing it.
Fortunately, the better meeting facilities have been designed by profes-
sionals who are aware of the impact of meeting room colors, textures,
lighting, and furniture as their impact on audiences. When you perceive
potential decor problems that may diminish your audience’s experience
of your presentation, don’t be shy—tell the meeting planner.
Check for uneven lighting and any seats that may lie in a “dark zone.”
Audience members seated in a dark zone will be at a disadvantage com-
pared to the others in the room. The cure might be as simple as switching
on or off certain lights.
one-half, of participants will have to turn their chairs to see the speaker.
Such presentations tend to be shorter than those offered in theatre or
classroom arrangements.
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258
36
Handling Speaker
Challenges
A
udience members who see speakers prior to the presentation
have a predisposition to make contact with him or her, particu-
larly if the speaker is well-known or if the presentation has been
highly anticipated. Thus, public speakers who want to appear professional
need to get the room in order long before people start arriving. By making
the necessary preparations before the day of the meeting, and becoming
familiar with the room in which you will present, you will have more time
before your presentation to meet and greet audience members.
It may be unfair, but the presenter who seems flustered by “distur-
bances” from audience members prior to the formal start of the presenta-
tion is not going to win over those audience members and ultimately may
suffer from lower evaluation scores, even if his or her actual presentation
was sublime. If you have handled preparations far in advance, then you
have even more opportunity to engage freely in your pre-speech rituals or
to converse with audience members who approach you.
SHIELDING YOURSELF
FROM OTHER SPEAKERS
In addition to all the groundwork activities you’ve been undertaking, you
need to recognize that often you won’t be the only speaker for a particu-
lar function. While it is important to familiarize yourself with other
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HANDLING SPEAKER CHALLENGES 259
speakers, and the order in which everyone will speak, if you’re relatively
new as a public speaker you may not want to be present for the presenta-
tions preceding yours.
If the room and venue logistics allow you to be out of earshot of the
prior presenter, take advantage of the situation. “Try not to sit down too
much while you’re waiting to speak,” advises veteran speaker and execu-
tive speech coach Patricia Fripp. “If you’re scheduled to go on an hour
into the program, sit in the back of the room so that you can stand up oc-
casionally. It’s hard to jump up and be dynamic when you’ve been relax-
ing in a chair for an hour.”
Most public speakers can eventually arrive at the point at which they
don’t have to engage in a variety of remote or private personal prepara-
tion routines. They are comfortable being in full view, listening to a prior
presenter, or greeting members of their audience. Only you can deter-
mine when you’re ready to make the change. For now, rest assured that
it’s perfectly natural to want to sequester yourself from outside distrac-
tions prior to your presentation.
JITTERS
What if you experience a case of the jitters right before you’re about to go
on? Patricia Fripp paints a vivid portrait: “You’re waiting your turn to
make a speech, when suddenly you realize that your stomach is doing
strange things and your mind is rapidly going blank. How do you handle
this critical time period?”
There is no single answer to this question. “You need to anticipate your
speech mentally, physically, and logistically. Mentally, start by under-
standing that you’ll spend a lot more time preparing than you will speak-
ing,” Fripp says. “As a general rule, invest three hours of preparation for a
half hour speech, a six to one ratio. When you’ve become a highly experi-
enced speaker, you may be able to cut preparation time considerably in
some cases, but until then, don’t skimp.”
She offers a technique from acting that is helpful for speakers. Find a
private spot, and wave your hands in the air. Relax your jaw, and shake
your head from side to side. Then shake your legs one at a time. Physically
shake the tension out of your body.
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Fripp observes that part of your preparation will be to memorize your
opening and closing—three or four sentences each. “Even if you cover
your key points from notes, knowing your opening and closing by heart
lets you start and end fluently, connecting with your audience when you
are most nervous.”
ANXIETY ABOUNDS
The renowned psychologist Rollo May once said, “It is well to remind our-
selves that anxiety signifies a conflict, and so long as a conflict is going
on, a constructive solution is possible.” It may be illuminating for you to
know that for at least the first few years in public speaking, everyone ex-
periences some form of anxiety. Many learn to minimize the effects.
One step to quell feeling anxious is to choose to be where you are and
to do what you are doing. Some speakers find it helpful to make specific
affirmations prior to presenting. For example:
I choose to enjoy my time on stage.
I choose to feel comfortable in front of this group.
I choose to make all preparations to ensure a smooth delivery.
I choose to easily maintain eye contact and clarity with my audience.
I choose to draw strength and energy from my audiences.
I choose to speak with a clear voice.
I choose to be an effective and persuasive speaker.
THE CONTROL FACTOR
Much of the fear that people experience prior to making a presentation is
due to an anticipated loss of control. An individual might unwittingly, un-
productively focus on losing one’s place, slurring words, saying the
wrong things, or embarrassing onesself. Yet, a different focus entirely is
desirable and achievable.
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HANDLING SPEAKER CHALLENGES 261
Consider the focus of veteran speakers who look forward to address-
ing groups. They gain energy from being on stage. They appreciate the
opportunities.
You can’t expect to instantaneously assume the orientation and mind-
set of a veteran professional speakers. You can, however, take steps to
minimize your pre-speech concerns. The primary activity is to practice,
practice, and practice.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH
Many speech coaches recommend that in preparation for a presentation
you focus on your breath. By drawing in slow deep breaths, you can re-
align your physiology. In the late 1970s, Dr. Herbert Benson demon-
strated that meditation, which facilitates deep breathing, could induce
direct physical benefits, such as reduced muscle tension, decreased heart
rate, and lower blood pressure.
In The Relaxation Response, Dr. Benson discussed his belief that the
“core of meditation” was what he called the “Relaxation Response,” which
represents the body’s inbred physiological mechanism. This mehcanism di-
minishes or prevents one’s fight or fight process—the stress response. Tak-
ing slow, deep breaths will bring your heart rate down and your respiration
back to normal when you are tense.
Drawing deeper breaths helps to disperse adrenaline which would oth-
erwise leave you feeling in a highly charged state, to decrease your blood
pressures, to decrease your rate of ventilation, and to fortify your body’s
ability to respond to stress.
CREATE A FAIL SAFE ENVIRONMENT
If you are concerned about slipping up during your presentation, create
backup systems for yourself. There are no “rules” against taping key
words to the stage floor or podium for your eyes only. If you work from an
outline, enlarge the print size so that you have little trouble keeping your
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262
place. Befriend audience members in advance of your presentation, as
previously suggested, so that you have some “friends” in the audience to
speak to.
Except in rare and other readily discernable situations, audiences are
not “out for blood.” They would prefer to see you succeed rather than fail.
Most people can sympathize with you if you stumble and will forgive var-
ious transgressions. So seek to relax and stay as loose as you can to help
keep any anxiety at a manageable level. That way, the audience has a bet-
ter chance of getting the best of you.
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263
PART VI
CAPTIVATING AND INSPIRING
YOUR AUDIENCES
S
erving and, more importantly, inspiring your audiences are perhaps
your greatest responsibilities as a public speaker. You can impact
your audiences in many ways so that they gain optimal benefits
from your appearances. Surprisingly, some of these ways occur before you
launch into your formal presentation.
The seven chapters in this section cover critical elements of effective
public speaking such as pre-speech warm-ups, thanking your introducer,
and opening with a flourish. I also discuss the idea of “reading” the audi-
ence as you go, post-speech considerations that require your attention, and
pitfalls that may be looming. Your quest is to have meeting planners regard
you as a unique presenter, someone worth knowing for the long haul.
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37
Pre-Speech Activities
GREETING THEM AT THE DOOR
To leave an indelible impression on your audience, you can engage in a
practice I saw undertaken with aplomb by author and speaker Roger Daw-
son. Prior to a presentation in Tampa, Florida, Dawson positioned him-
self at the entrance of the lecture hall. More than 400 people piled into
the room, and he virtually shook hands and greeted every one of them.
I hadn’t met Roger before, but I was aware of several of his best-selling
books on negotiation. At first, I was a bit bemused. I thought, “Why is
this guy standing at the door and pressing himself on us? Isn’t this a little
aggressive?” Yet, as his speech unfolded, I realized that he had taken con-
trol of the room. He was making a personal connection with every single
audience member. The greeting solidified people’s connection to him, en-
hanced their willingness to follow along with his presentation, and made
them more favorably disposed to what he was saying. Undoubtedly, he got
high marks for his speech.
Setting Yourself Apart
It takes time and energy to engage in such a gesture, and some speakers
are leery that the energy required to greet several hundred people might
detract from their presentation. To be a master speaker, however, you
have to find the requisite energy. Some professionals feed off this early
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interaction with audience members and generate even higher energy once
they begin their formal presentations. One-on-one encounters don’t occur
often enough between speakers and audience members.
Marking Your Territory
Being a student of the speaking profession, I took full advantage of the next
opportunity to greet members of my audience. Fortunately, it was a group
of only about 50. I positioned myself at the entrance to the room so that
they had to encounter me as they came in. I wasn’t as skilled as Roger Daw-
son in pre-speech greetings; however, I knew that the gesture was appreci-
ated. The speech went well, and I received high evaluations.
I repeated the practice at more speaking engagements, even with
groups of several hundred. Eventually, it became second nature to me.
Now I wouldn’t think of giving a presentation without greeting as many
people as possible.
What’s in It for You
By making one-on-one pre-speech greetings, you get to experience audi-
ence members as individuals and not part of the mass of people in front of
you during your presentation.
Making pre-speech greetings also takes the focus off of you. Of the
many reasons that speakers get nervous before speeches, one of the fore-
most is focusing too much on themselves. When you greet others, you shift
the focus from yourself to the participants. If you have the time, you can
glean valuable information from audience members that you can then in-
sert into your speech. Beyond that, simply casting your attention on audi-
ence members can provide a greater sense of perspective.
A Different Approach
If greeting people at the door is too confrontational for you, here is a vari-
ation. As early arrivals take their seats, move around the room offering
your greetings. This affords you much more control than simply standing
at the door. Because they’re seated, you get to monitor how much time
you spend with each party.
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PRE-SPEECH ACTIVITIES 267
Often, early arrivals are seated in groups or pairs. It is somewhat eas-
ier to greet two people at a time than it is to approach individuals. Think
of the last time you were at a reception or party and easily fell into con-
versation with two or three others as opposed to approaching one person
and starting a conversation from scratch.
I vary my pre-speech conversations with early seated arrivals using such
phrases as “Glad you made it to this session,” “I am always appreciative of
people coming in early,” or something as bold as, “I am eager to know what
you hope to get out of today’s sessions.” These and similar phrases can help
put audience members at ease while gleaning valuable cues for you.
An Added Bonus
Another pre-speech crowd pleaser is to give something of value to the
early arrivals. I often bring an extra packet of article reprints that aren’t
included in the general audience participant packet. This gift to early ar-
rivals helps cement the brief encounter.
I approach seated audience members and say something like, “Thanks
for coming early today. Here is a bonus article for you. I only have a few
of them left, but I want to reward those who arrive in the room early.” You
may think such a gesture doesn’t have great impact, but I have seen peo-
ple’s faces light up following the reception of such a gift. Many people
are pleased to receive anything directly from a speaker. Nearly always,
the gesture pays off.
APPROACHING SHOWTIME
It’s your responsibility, and your introducer’s, to make a smooth transi-
tion. Ideally, you can reach the introducer within 5 to 10 seconds follow-
ing his or her summons to you. Audience applause gives you time to move
to center stage.
Extend your right hand as you approach your introducer to indicate that
you’re ready to shake hands. Then, especially if your mike is on, say
something seemingly private to the introducer that is audible to at least
the people in the first few rows, and perhaps the entire room. I routinely
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greet my introducers with “That was wonderful, thank you,” “Excellent
job, I appreciate it,” or “Great job, thank you.”
By giving your introducer such immediate high praise, you further set
the tone for your presentation. You have sincerely and lavishly praised
someone who undertook a job that might not have been so comfortable for
him or her.
Because your praise was audible, you help win over other audience
members who were within earshot. After all, they might have been up
there, they might have felt nervous, and they would have appreciated your
lavish praise as well. You’ve endeared yourself to the audience in a way
that few presenters consider doing.
The one-to-one personal praise that I advocate has greater impact on
many levels. Also, by not stopping, standing, and facing the introducer
and thanking him or her, you get to launch right into your presentation
with more power, more pizzazz, and more potency. (See Chapter 38,
“Open with a Flourish.”)
Nuances designed to inspire your audience, such as marking your terri-
tory, individually greeting audience members, and thanking your intro-
ducer are not small potatoes. Even if the atmosphere isn’t all that it could
be, there is still a touch of magic in the air.
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Open with a Flourish
T
alk to 10 veteran speakers and you will get as many as 10 views
on what makes for a successful opening to your presentation. The
common factor is that your opening has to fit your style and com-
fort zone. You have to establish rapport with the audience members and
convey to them a sense of energy and enthusiasm.
Traditionally, speech coaches taught that first you thank the introducer
by name, then you look to the whole audience, then you “catch fire.” This
is still the preferred approach for large convention hall speeches, which
most of your presentations will not be. The traditional pattern involves an
introductory icebreaker (a verbal transition from thanking the introducer
to addressing the audience), a brief preview of what you’re going to cover,
the order of what you’ll cover, and a conclusion.
THAT OH-SO CRITICAL FIRST SENTENCE
With my method, because you are semi-privately thanking the speaker and
hence not dissipating the power of your first sentence to the audience, the
first sentence is vital. Select it carefully. If you open with some tepid line
like “Mr. Speaker,” “Madam Chairperson,” and so forth, you’re merely
following what you have seen on television. If you say what an honor it is to
speak to such-and-such group, then honestly explain why; otherwise, your
words are empty. If you open unconvincingly with something such as
38
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“Good Morning,” “How are you all doing today?” “It’s great to be here,”
and other inane greetings, you have already lost several audience mem-
bers who consider such openings contrived.
With whatever approach you choose, your goal is to immediately and
completely capture the attention of the entire audience. Here is the
opening of a speech by Garry Trudeau, the “Doonesbury” cartoonist, at
Yale University’s Class Day. Note how it draws on the traditional large
gathering-type of opening, but then goes way beyond that:
Dean Kagan, distinguished faculty, parents, friends, graduating seniors,
Secret Service agents, class agents, people of class, people of color, col-
orful people, people of height, the vertically constrained, people of hair,
the differently coiffed, the optically challenged, the temporarily sighted,
the insightful, the out-of-sight, the out-of-towners, the Eurocentrics, the
Afrocentrics, the Afrocentrics with Eurail passes, the eccentrically in-
clined, the sexually disinclined, people of sex, sexy people, sexist pigs,
animal companions, friends of the earth, friends of the boss, the tem-
porarily employed, the differently employed, the differently optioned,
people with options, people with stock options, the divestiturists, the
deconstructionists, the home constructionists, the home boys, the
homeless, the temporarily housed at home, and God save us, the perma-
nently housed at home.
A powerful opening requires homework. Undoubtedly Gary Trudeau
spent considerable time on his opening and did his homework on the audi-
ence. Good openings necessitate that you know your audiences, what
they’re up against, and what they’ve heard from previous speakers, whether
at the last meeting of this type or from their CEO or president.
Perhaps some article in the monthly publication had great impact. Per-
haps something in the industry is currently commanding everyone’s at-
tention. Link the hot button item that you uncover with how you open
your speech, and you have the ingredients for a powerful opening. Here
are examples:
Will anyone here lend me $10.5 million?
The New York Times reported today that this organization has failed
to . . .
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OPEN WITH A FLOURISH 271
The last time I addressed this institution, most of you were still in
college . . .
When I look out at this fine audience . . .
You have lots of options for openings—don’t fear that they won’t
emerge. You could start with a human interest story, pose a challenging
question, refer to an event (the more recent the better), pay a compliment
to someone in attendance, or open with a joke. If your opening appropri-
ately grabs the audience’s attention, then it works.
Do not make your opening more than 80 percent of your highest en-
ergy. You have to build to your highest energy level. Otherwise the rest of
your presentation could seem flat.
FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE
Many speakers report a deep-seated belief that prior to going on and de-
livering your opening line, you need to “fall in love with your audience,”
so that, when you formally begin, the audience feels that sense of love. I
concur with this approach for several reasons:
1. The most effective speeches by far are those in which audience
members feel as if the speaker is on their side and that he or she is empa-
thetic and prepared to address their current needs. Even if the speaker
were to give a stern speech, he or she nonetheless could offer “tough
love” to the audience.
A speaker who doesn’t convey such affection could be regarded as talk-
ing down to the audience, acting superior, or falling prey to the “here-
comes-the-expert” syndrome.
2. Conveying a sense of love to the audience is self-serving in some re-
spects, but it’s also highly practical. At some point during your speech,
you may falter and your energy may drop. There may be some sections
that you botch. A joke may not work. If you’ve already conveyed your
depth of feeling for audience members, then they’ll be far more support-
ive during any rough spots in your presentation.
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Don’t underestimate the value of having an audience err in your favor.
You need all the advantages you can muster during a presentation. No one
is so good so often that he or she never needs to worry about losing favor
with an audience.
3. The feeling of love that you convey does not imply that you’re going
to sugarcoat important topics, gloss over tough issues, or otherwise di-
minish your authenticity. Often, the more sternly you wish to speak and
the more contentious your material, the more important it is to convey a
sense of love to your audience.
Be sure to show your affection to the people who sit in the front rows.
Everyone behind them can observe and sense the caring that you convey.
In that manner, you can win over the whole room.
BECOME MEMORABLE
To tell people what they already know in a new and intriguing way has its
benefits but does not make for a memorable speech. Challenging conven-
tional wisdom makes a speech memorable. What old industry rule or
axiom are you now ready to overturn? What have members of this group
always counted on that now needs to be regarded in a totally different way?
Freeze the Moment
Recall from Part II, “Developing and Enlivening Your Presentation,”
how a professor stood up on his desk in the middle of his lecture and
poured a pitcher of water over himself, shocking the class and freezing
the moment. While it’s not likely that you are going to pour a pitcher of
water over your head on stage, you do need to consider options for freez-
ing the moment. Standing on a table, making an exaggerated movement,
or raising your voice can effectively shock your audience members and
cause them to remember your point. Review tapes or transcripts of your
The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.
—William James
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OPEN WITH A FLOURISH 273
speeches to determine where and when you may be able to appropriately
add a gesture that will freeze the moment forever in the minds of audi-
ence participants.
Have a Flair for the Dramatic
The memorable speakers and speeches within the past half-century share
a common component: the flair for the dramatic. Mario Cuomo, Jesse
Jackson, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Donald
Rumsfeld, and General Norman Schwarzkopf have all instinctively known
how and when to raise and lower their voices, draw the audience in with
their stories and anecdotes, and appeal to the expectations and emotions
of their listeners.
They use the lectern and the stage as their playing field. They use fa-
cial expressions, eye movement, hand movements, and other gestures as
their tools of the trade. They engage their listeners and make it hard for
them to turn away. They get into a rhythm. Whether or not you agree with
them, you feel compelled to keep listening.
EMOTION ON THE PLATFORM
What role can conveying emotion on the platform play? Depending on the
circumstances of your presentation, you may believe that emotion plays a
small role in your overall effectiveness. If you’re delivering a technical or
how-to presentation with cut-and-dry instructions, what role would emo-
tion play? Read on.
Dan Clark says, “The most memorable speakers are the emotional
speakers.” Clark believes that emotions are an international language.
“Our audiences relate to our imperfections more than our perfections and
we reveal them only through emotion,” says Clark. Moreover, “in the ab-
sence of emotion there is no change.”
With regard to technical presentations, Clark says that “emotion is
the permission statement inviting each audience member to get involved
in our presentation. Too many people in our audiences are hurting
inside, living their lives as Thoreau wrote ‘in quiet desperation.’” Even
in a technical presentation, as Clark explains, ours “might be the only
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positive affirmation that they receive all week/month/year. The essential
catalyst to inspire them to better deal with pressure.”
With nontechnical presentations, audience members certainly need to
have an emotional experience for the message to sink in. Clark says, “Our
special responsibility is to guarantee a significant emotional experience.
We are ambassadors of living, laughing, learning, and loving, not news an-
chors reporting facts.
Manipulation of Poignancy?
In essence, a memorable speech takes the audience on a roller-coaster ride
of emotions—not wantonly, not arbitrarily, not haphazardly, but in a chore-
ographed, synchronized fashion. They experience laughter, mirth, and joy.
Later, they experience sadness or sorrow. You can overdo it, however, when
it comes to emotions.
Ensure that the emotional components of your presentation belong
there because they contribute to the flow and essence of what you wish to
convey. Do not use them as tools of audience manipulation. Use emotion
to emphasize the points you’re making. Life is full of highs and lows, of
happiness and sorrow. It is perfectly permissible, and indeed highly desir-
able, for your speech to emulate life.
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Audience Involvement
A
speaker can no longer automatically expect to have the complete
and undivided attention of an audience. The primary reason is
that the concentration levels of audiences everywhere have
dropped considerably within a generation. Television and radio producers
are well aware of today’s shrinking attention spans, so news and features
grow shorter and shorter.
Effective public speakers come to grips with the reality that they need
to employ a variety of techniques for ensuring that the audience stays fo-
cused, involved, and entertained.
In this chapter, we’ll look at a number of techniques you can draw on to
keep audience members involved in your presentation.
EXERCISES FOR AUDIENCES
For speakers who prefer to have audience members interact with one an-
other to get everyone loose (and perhaps awake), exercise variations are
endless, including:
Some speakers have everyone in the room stand and meet one new
person and exchange information such as why they are here today,
what they hope to get out of the session, one unusual hobby they
have, and so on so that participants have a better chance of remem-
bering one another.
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For long sessions with significant audience participation, speakers
have directed audience members to find out even more about each
other:
—Where they were born.
—Where they went to school.
—If they have any brothers or sisters.
—Where they were first employed.
—Their favorite movie, book, food, and so on.
In all cases, the underlying goal is to have audience participants be-
come more vocal and involved in the day’s proceedings. Giving everyone
the chance to interact with everyone else, however brief and minor the ex-
ercise, can significantly increase the probability of greater audience par-
ticipation for the balance of the presentation.
AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT
BY BEING YOURSELF
Audience members have an instinctive capacity to immediately deter-
mine when someone is putting on an act. You’ve heard the expression,
“Who you are speaks so loudly that I can’t hear what you say.” In front of
a group, if you assume a persona that does not reflect the real you, people
will feel uneasy.
If your focus is on you, it can’t be on the audience. So, your need for
approval limits your ability to connect with your audience and strips you
of any authority you may have had. However relevant your message, it
comes across as less so.
How do you work yourself out of this dilemma? Rather than pander for
audience approval, strive to offer your approval to them. Sincerely ac-
knowledge them for being there, for listening, for the jobs they undertake,
for the challenges they face.
Your ability to embody your genuine self might be the single greatest
factor in generating high levels of audience participation. Allen Klein,
who has written such poignant books as The Healing Power of Laughter,
says, “My best programs have been when I convey a heart connection
with the audience. I am not thinking about my material, my delivery, or
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AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT 277
even how the audience is reacting, but just being there to meet their needs
even when they don’t match my own agenda.”
WHAT’S IN A NAME
In any type of presentation, use names of audience members when it is
practical to do so. If you are giving a keynote speech or a general session
presentation, while you may not be able to actually see individuals or
their name tags, undoubtedly you know the names of meeting organizers
and top officials.
In smaller settings in which you are able to read name tags or place
cards, freely use names throughout your presentation. Besides keeping
people awake and alert, you also increase the odds of them staying tuned
in to your presentation. Think about the times when you were in school
and your teacher dropped your name into the middle of a sentence. There-
after, you approached that lesson on a different plane. It is no different
with adults today.
WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU
Because audience members are so distracted these days, have so much on
their minds, and may have trouble relating what you say to their own situ-
ation, there is a magic phrase that you may need to insert throughout your
presentation: “What it means to you.” Here’s how to employ it to best ad-
vantage. Suppose you are laying out a scenario in your presentation, care-
fully providing the audience with background information on a situation
for which you will then offer solutions.
In my “Managing the Pace with Grace” presentation, I first lay out a
scenario for the audience. I discuss what I call the five mega-realities of
our frenzied existence. If I have an hour presentation, I might devote as
much as 20 minutes to describing these five mega-realities, perhaps devot-
ing four minutes to each.
At about the 18th or 20th minute, I noticed that members of this par-
ticular audience were a little befuddled. Some were getting frustrated,
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some were confused, and some had tuned out. Twenty minutes is a long
time to spend laying out a scenario, no matter how important it is. I real-
ized that unless I linked what I was saying to the people in the seats, I
would lose them. So, as I discussed why the world has “sped up,” I in-
serted the phrase “and what this means to you is . . .”
I then related the overall situation to what they encounter in everyday
life. For example, the first mega-reality is the ever-growing human popula-
tion, to the tune of nearly one million more people on earth every four days.
That is a startling statistic, and certainly some people in the audience will
be startled to hear it. But if I keep adding statistics about the growth in
human population, even my most ardent supporters will soon grow weary.
Now, suppose I say to them, “What this means to you is that each day
when you head out on the highway, you’re likely to see more cars and
more vehicles of all kinds, clogging up all the lanes, slowing traffic, and
making your commute more arduous.” I might talk about how, even in the
country, you will see another house going up on the hill, another boat on
the lake, another traffic light installed at a corner that years ago you never
would have guessed would acquire one. Now everyone in the room can re-
late to what I have said. Why? Because we are all facing the onslaught of
a growing human population in our own environments on a daily basis.
The more how-to or technical your topic, the more important it is for
you to keep relating what you are saying to the everyday experiences of
members of your audience.
If you are an astrophysicist, a microchip developer, or a gene-splicing
specialist, there is no need to fear losing your audience as long as you can
continue to make vital links to which people can relate. The following are
alternatives to the phrase “what this means to you”:
The point I’m making is that in your own careers . . .
So, how does this relate to you . . .
As a result of all this, you will likely experience . . .
The upshot is that each day . . .
This should be of concern to everyone in the room because . . .
I recommend employing a variety of these phrases throughout your pre-
sentation, particularly if you are giving a longer presentation. All audiences
today need a higher level of spoon-feeding than their counterparts of previ-
ous decades. The situation is not likely to change in the foreseeable future.
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AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT 279
PLAY ALONG WITH AN
AUDIENCE MEMBER
Almost any type of direct audience interaction, especially with a single
member of the audience, will increase everyone’s level of attention.
I have seen Tony Alessandra humorously interact with a single audi-
ence member, usually someone in the center of the room in the first
row, thereby drawing everyone else in. When Alessandra talks about
the four basic personality types, he calls upon “Andy,” who is
Better How-to Presentations
1. Reinforce what you say to an audience with participant packets, formally
known as handouts. They could be distributed before, during, or after
your presentation, based on your method of delivery, how you want
audience members to interact, and what you want them to retain.
Opt for a shorter, rather than a longer, participant packet. Lengthy
packets may overwhelm audience members.
2. Shorten your lists. Rather than give them a list of 10 things to con-
sider, give only five. People are exceedingly busy these days, and hav-
ing five, or even three, things to do is much more palatable than ten.
3. Spoon feed your audience at every opportunity. The old saying, “tell
them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them
what you told them” has never been more important. However, you
need to implement this strategy in a creative way.
4. Mix your brilliant high-content how-to information with some stories and
anecdotes. There is nothing worse than listening to a brilliant speaker
who overloads the audience with observations and insights, facts and
data, but doesn’t break up the material with stories. These stories
give listeners a visual picture.
5. Recognize and acknowledge the listeners’ pain throughout your presenta-
tion. Nothing will endear you to your audience faster and help main-
tain that precious relationship longer than a keen display of your
knowledge of their hardships and predicaments.
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seated in the first row, to play along with him. He’ll ask Andy how
he would approach different people with different personalities.
Virtually everyone in the room follows along closely as Alessandra
helps Andy work through the lesson.
As a variation, you could simply have a conversation with one per-
son in the audience for the purpose of raising the attention levels of
everyone else.
Some speakers rely on a single vocal audience member who has per-
haps voluntarily offered some witticism. That audience member
then becomes the focal point for bringing out the speaker’s humor. It
must be done in a good-natured way, of course. Near the end of the
presentation, the speaker generously thanks the audience member
for being such a good sport.
You can shake hands, give high fives, or offer pats on the back to se-
lected audience members.
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Audience Responsiveness
I
an effort to maintain audience responsiveness, some speakers loudly
communicate all the time. That is not an effective presentation tech-
nique, and it tends to drain audience energy.
Raising and lowering your voice, as well as being silent, are effective
tools for increasing audience responsiveness. People don’t need to have a
presentation pounded into them to ingest the key points. A combination of
loud and soft volumes works far better. Choose what you want to accent via
increased volume and do it in a controlled fashion.
Getting softer can work well depending on where you are in your pre-
sentation. If you’re speaking about something on which you want people
to reflect, slowing down and speaking at a low volume can work wonders.
Suppose you arrive at a critical part of your presentation and you want to
encourage audience agreement. In a low voice, you could say, “Haven’t
we all experienced that at one time or another?”
For a vivid example of how well reducing your volume can work, tune
into a Barbara Walters Special. She uses that particular technique to great
effect. When she wants to ask interviewees a question that requires them
to disclose some personal or highly confidential information, she leans
forward and looks directly at them. In a soft voice, she poses her question
as if the cameras aren’t rolling and the answer won’t be broadcast to mil-
lions of homes.
The same technique works with audiences of any size. If you’re behind
a lectern, lean forward a little. If you’re in the middle of the stage, come
to the front. Look directly at some segment of your audience and, in a low
volume, pose your question. Then, give audience members time for men-
tal reflection.
40
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Alternatively, simply make a statement, perhaps a provocative one.
Wait for participants’ reactions. Don’t rush the process—let people have
time to absorb the full weight of your statement. Resist the temptation to
launch immediately into what you want to say next.
NOW LOOK AT THIS
I discussed telling stories, employing print and audiovisual materials,
and using humor to great effect in Part II: “Developing and Enlivening
Your Presentation.” There are endless variations for using these time-
honored tools.
One way to combine all three techniques is to read an amusing or dra-
matic tidbit from a book or an article. For some reason, when you de-
liver your own material, it doesn’t seem to be quite as dramatic as
when you say, “Allow me to quote from XYZ.” Or, if you pick up a re-
cent magazine or newspaper and say, “Let me read you a passage from
the ABC edition of XYZ,” you tend to have the attention of everyone
in the room.
Referring to other media seems to draw everyone in. I’ve seen
speakers show themselves on a video monitor and gain higher audi-
ence attention. Apparently, the dominance of television ensures that
people will pay attention, for at least a short burst of information.
Drawing on this principle in a public presentation essentially means
that anytime you can get your audience to look at a screen, you will
have a temporary upward fluctuation in attention levels.
AUDIENCE PROPS
It’s one thing for a speaker to bring props to a presentation. It’s another to
have audience members create their own.
You could ask everyone to grab a coin, throw it in the air, and see
if it comes up heads or tails, as a form of answering a question,
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AUDIENCE RESPONSIVENESS 283
dividing up the group, or having people advocate one viewpoint or
another.
You could ask people to write down their troubles on a piece of
paper, then crumple the paper and throw it to the side of the room.
Some speakers bring a prop for each and every person in the audi-
ence. It could be a piece of candy, a button or lapel pin, a squeeze ball,
a printed plaque, or any other memorable knickknack that can be used
for an audience exercise, a memory hook, and a long-term reminder
of the point(s) you offered.
The more relevant the prop is to you or your message, the higher the
probability that the audience will relate to it and retain it.
Audience props can also take the form of items in the room. A sim-
ple thing like a chair could be used as a shield, a mock weapon, a di-
viding line, or a device for a competitive exercise.
If people are sitting at tables, they can be asked to duck under them
or, based on their sturdiness and people’s willingness, stand on top
of them.
If you are speaking after a meal and the table isn’t cleared, invite at-
tendees to lightly tap their water glasses with a utensil after you
make a point. This can have a unifying, humorous, and even dra-
matic effect.
As with many other forms of inducing audience involvement, encour-
aging audience members to draw upon items in the immediate environ-
ment is limited only by your imagination, your good taste, room logistics,
and your ability to make it all work.
THE PRESENTER AS PROP
Dan Thurmon (see Chapter 11) makes an entrance by somersaulting up
the middle aisle, while fully dressed in a business suit. In that sense,
Thurmon is his own prop. Many other ways to serve as your own prop in
smaller settings carry relatively little risk. All presenters, for example,
have the opportunity to serve as a kind of prop depending on how they use
their faces and bodies.
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Evangelists are known for moving about the platform and directly
addressing specific segments of their audiences.
Even if you stay behind a podium, the way you use your head and
face is a prop of sorts. Looks of surprise, fear, and anxiousness, as
well as intentionally rolling your eyes, opening your mouth, or
squinting all convey meaning to audience members.
CLOTHING PROPS
Articles of clothing can serve as surprisingly effective props to help in-
crease audience attention and alertness:
Some speakers use preprinted tee shirts that carry a message they
want to reinforce or a gag they wish to employ. Speakers will some-
times don a piece of clothing, a button, or a badge when everyone
else in the audience has done so to signify that they are a part of the
group and support that group’s mission or cause.
Other speakers bring kooky hats, funny gloves, scarves, coats, and
other garments, sometimes wearing them underneath other garments
and revealing them only at critical junctures in the presentation.
This technique usually gets a laugh.
YOU ASK, I ANSWER
Making time for questions and answers is always an audience pleaser.
When you allow audience members to ask questions, you increase the
probability that they’ll be satisfied with what they hear.
The question that one person asks may be on the minds of many.
Often when you’re asked a question, you’re able to convey informa-
tion that you wanted to offer but couldn’t during the formal part of
your presentation. Sometimes the questions are so good that future
presentations can be modified to incorporate the essence of the
question. (QA tips and traps are discussed in Chapter 42).
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BRINGING AUDIENCE
MEMBERS TO THE STAGE
Enlisting the support of audience members during your presentation by
bringing them to the stage or platform is a time-honored technique for en-
couraging audience participation. Although one or even a handful of peo-
ple may be participating, virtually everyone in the room identifies with
the participant(s). Most audience members are thankful that they are not
the ones who are up in front!
When you invite someone from the audience to “come up to the stage,”
whether such individuals are highly enthusiastic volunteers or were in-
duced by you to do so, there are risks to consider:
Such participants may become extremely nervous.
They may blank out.
You may embarrass them in some way that is then hard to make
up for.
The exercise, skit, or role-play may fall flat.
The audience may not get your point.
The selected participant(s) may hog the show and upstage the speaker!
Alert the audience far in advance if you plan to call upon participants.
Tell them flat out that you’ll be asking for volunteers and then let suffi-
cient time pass so that audience members can ruminate on your offer.
Five or ten minutes following your announcement, when you seek partici-
pants, some people will jump at the chance. Always avoid coercing some-
one to participate. It usually backfires big time. Even if someone accedes
to your request, he or she may secretly resent being forced to get in front
of the room.
To reduce the possibility of selecting some over-eager up-stager, an-
nounce in advance your instructions for the person or persons who are se-
lected. This has the effect of altering the mix of those who would serve as
volunteers. Usually, this change works in your favor. Once participants
have actually been chosen and are assembled in the front of the room,
provide your specific instructions.
Always ask for the names of the people who volunteer, and call them by
their names a number of times during their tenure on stage. Prior to your
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exercise, give participants a demonstration—make yourself the first
guinea pig. To put participants at ease, intentionally muff your demon-
stration. This will get a laugh from the audience and, by contrast, will
make participants look and feel better.
While others are on stage, be empathetic, kind, even generous. You’re
the one in charge of the show. You have all of the power. It’s easy for
someone to go astray, especially if your instructions have been unclear or
your leadership is lacking.
Of course you don’t want to knowingly cause someone embarrassment,
but if it happens inadvertently, use all of your skills to ease the situation.
A hand on the shoulder, a reminder to the audience that it isn’t easy being
up there, and lavish praise for having made the effort work wonders.
While the exercise is in motion, go with the flow. Take the attitude that
whatever happens is grist for the mill and useful to make a point or gen-
erate self-directed humor (humor that pokes fun at yourself).
When the exercise is complete, acknowledge the participants again for
their involvement and lead the audience in offering them a vigorous round
of applause. Later, toward the close of the presentation, thank the partici-
pants again and ask the audience to re-acknowledge them with another
round of applause. This recognition serves several functions. In the minds
of volunteers, it cements how skillful and caring you are as a speaker. It
also encourages audience members to heap on applause following your
concluding words.
SOLICITING FEEDBACK TO
ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT
Aspiring public speakers don’t often stumble on the technique of solicit-
ing audience feedback in mid-presentation. This technique evolves over
time. If you’re speaking to a group for 45 minutes, and 5 or 10 minutes
into your presentation you lay some heavy point on them, it’s perfectly
permissible and appropriate to say, “Does this square with your experi-
ence?” or “Does this fit in your scheme of things?” While audience
members are not likely to answer the question out loud, their body lan-
guage, such as head shaking and increased eye contact, gives you an-
swers. Gently asking, “Has this been helpful so far?” or “Have I
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adequately explained it?” helps to keep them involved and offers a form
of “space” in your presentation.
HIGHLIGHTING THE KEY POINTS
The longer your presentation, no matter how good you are, the harder it is
for people to stay attentive. Based on studies, you have to change your
manner of speaking every 7 to 20 minutes or people will start to tune out.
Here are some ways to vary your presentation:
Especially with groups attending conferences during which one pre-
sentation follows another, or if you’re speaking to a group early in
the morning, it’s greatly helpful to refocus their attention by ex-
claiming, “And this is a fundamental point,” or, “Here is one of the
most important observations I will make.”
Some speakers skillfully say, “If you derive only one benefit from
today’s presentation, I hope it would be this.” You can be sure that,
following such an announcement, audience attention levels will be at
their highest.
Doing homework on your audience (see Chapter 43) gives you
tremendous leverage when it comes to presenting to them. It is true
that scientists, engineers, and people in technical professions are
more comfortable with hard data, statistics, and charts. Some actu-
ally have a harder time listening to stories and anecdotes.
Because audiences tend to be so overwhelmed by items competing for
their time and attention in all aspects of their jobs and lives, you incur lit-
tle risk of running afoul if you spoon-feed information to them and high-
light what you deem important. Rather than being resentful, most
audience members will be appreciative.
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41
Reading
(and Mis-Reading)
Your Audience
O
nly the most gifted public speakers develop the capabilities to
read their audiences as they speak to them. What does it mean
to read your audience? It means being attuned to how the audi-
ence members perceive you, whether or not they are enjoying themselves,
whether the atmosphere of the room is comfortable for them, and, in gen-
eral, how they would like your presentation to proceed.
Since audiences consist of more than one person, how can you make a
sweeping generalization about what is likely to be a group of highly di-
verse individuals? Think of the situation often depicted in films in which
an assembled group gets out of hand. The group becomes a mob and
demonstrates behaviors such as rioting and vigilantism. Singularly, no
members of the mob would act the way they do in the group.
An audience is not a mob, but it potentially shares some of the same
characteristics. The people in your audience are greatly influenced by
those around them. If you tell a joke, and no one laughs, even an individ-
ual who finds the joke humorous will refrain from laughing. Likewise, if
the people surrounding an individual show a strong response, such as
laughter, that person is likely to respond in the same way. In other words,
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READING (AND MIS-READING) YOUR AUDIENCE 289
when you win over the leaders within the audience, you begin to win over
the rest of the audience.
AUDIENCE CUES
The notion of reading your audience implies that your audience sends out
messages. As a rule of thumb, the more nervous or ill at ease you are during
a presentation, the less likely you are to pick up on the cues offered by the
audience. Why? Because your focus is so wrapped up in how you are com-
ing across and what everyone might be thinking of you that you have no
faculties left for actually watching the group and receiving its messages.
Audible Responses
If an audience laughs, groans, or sighs directly following a comment, you
are in luck—you have immediate feedback. Some people instinctively
believe that silence is the hardest type of feedback to read, but there are
many types of audience silences that are quite revealing. If the audience
makes an unexpected noise, like laughter, note what made the reaction
occur and use it to your benefit in another speech. At the time, you can
act like you intended to induce laughter, actually show your surprise, or
come back with a line that adds to the mirth, such as, “Was it something
that I said?”
Movement
The old axiom about people leaning forward in their seats being related to
their attentiveness is of questionable value. Some people may lean for-
ward because they prefer to do so; others may lean back because it is
comfortable, they have indigestion, they are daydreaming, and so forth.
Their actual movement is a more accurate indicator of what the audience
is experiencing. People leaving during your presentation is a clear sign, as
is people coming into the room to hear you. An attentive audience is quiet
when it should be, laughing when appropriate, murmuring when its mem-
bers are confused or excited, and tearful when the presentation becomes
emotional.
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You have several options when you “read” such an audience. For one,
you can slow down, measure your words, use the most appropriate lan-
guage, and continually seek agreement. Preface some of your statements
with “Don’t you find it true that,” “Haven’t you found it to be so,” or
“How many of you can relate to this situation?”
POSITIVE MEASURE OF SUPPORT
If you are fortunate enough to be in a position in which someone in the au-
dience makes a remark reflecting a highly favorable reaction to your pre-
sentation, by all means, play it up. You could make the argument that one
person calling out a highly positive response is not representative of the
group. However, my experience indicates that such comments invariably do
represent the sentiments of the majority. A person vocalizing such senti-
ments is merely one of the more outspoken or aggressive souls in the group.
STIRRING AND SHUFFLING PAPERS
In addition to movement cues, general stirring in the room, shuffling of
papers, and other sounds of “organizing” indicate that people are ready
for you to end. This occurs most often when a speaker has gone past the
time originally allotted, it is near the end of the day, or audience members
are simply bored. Once such stirring begins, do yourself and the audience
a favor by quickly coming to a close. It is nearly impossible to win them
over at this point.
When you get a clear signal that you need to end, make some of your
best points. You can give a summary, you can close the loop by coming
full circle and connecting with what you first said, or you can give a short
anecdote, a call for action, or an encouraging or motivating close.
RESISTANT AUDIENCES
Not all audiences are salvageable, but you still give them your best.
Dr. Robert Pennington says that when dealing with resistant audiences or
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resistant individuals take control of the room. If you greet people as they
enter and shake hands, as has been suggested, you gain a better sense of
who they are and how they are feeling about attending your presentation. If
the stage or podium is far from audience seating, move to the floor so that
you are close to participants. Physical proximity can reduce resistance.
“When people feel safe to disagree they agree more easily,” Dr. Pen-
nington says. So, nurture a climate that allows for opposing opinions.
Use language such as, “Most everyone will agree with my view on this
issue . . .” If a particular member of the audience is disagreeable, work
on keeping calm and maintaining your self-assurance. If you feel threat-
ened by this person you are likely to verbally attack him and then he
gains allies. This is never to your advantage. “Most angry or obnoxious
people don’t expect anyone to care about what they think,” says Dr. Pen-
nington. “Being receptive to their attack, actually asking them to express
themselves more” can help them to be less aggressive and eventually
more cooperative.
HANDLING THE
CHALLENGING AUDIENCE
Sometimes an audience isn’t resistant—it is merely “less than ideal.”
Speaker Francine Berger advises maintaining the expectation that some
audience members will be stressed or tired, have unrealistic expectations,
or may have a low motivation for attending. If such is the case, you are not
their real target.
If you encounter trouble, ask questions “and make sure you understand
the answers.” Sometimes rephrasing what you have said can work won-
ders. “Picking up on someone’s comment and expanding it to the group,”
says Berger, may work as well.
Do your best to encourage audiences with gestures, nods and facial ex-
pressions, and eye contact. Don’t convey that you are stressed or anxious
about the reactions you are getting from them. Some audiences may perk
up in the presence of a composed speaker.
Learn from each experience. “You won’t win them all,” she says. Rec-
ognize, however, that “people get value from your presentation even if
they didn’t appear responsive.” You may hear afterward from someone
whose life you touched.
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DEALING WITH HECKLERS
If you are not experienced with dealing with hecklers, they can represent
a true thorn in your side and potentially disrupt your presentation and
sense of control. Hecklers may not have anything in mind other than to get
a laugh and draw attention to themselves for doing so.
While some hecklers may engage in malicious heckling, most hecklers
are benign. If you know how to work with them, they may actually help
you to enliven your presentation. Most audience members, including
hecklers, appreciate a quick wit. If you are able to offer comeback lines
directly following a heckler’s intrusion, usually you can generate a big
laugh from the audience and the heckler. Here are some tried and true
comeback lines you might wish to employ:
So, how long have you been on earth?
Hey, your part doesn’t have any lines!
First time at a big conference?
Your taxi is waiting!
So, they didn’t let you talk much in school?
Here, speak into the mike so you can fail louder!
By the time you have offered a second quip following a heckler’s intru-
sion, most of them will cease and desist.
SPEAKING TO ADULTS
Most public speakers speak to adults in the majority of their presentations.
We think intuitively we understand how to speak to fellow adults; however,
some unique characteristics of adult learners are worth noting. James
Daggett, CAE, CMP, founder of JRDaggett Associates—strategic con-
sultants and managers of meetings, conventions, tradeshows, and events—
observes that adults can differ widely in their learning capacities—you
can’t make the assumption that everyone learns in the same way.
So, how do adults learn best? Daggett suggests that you let your audi-
ences know what to expect. Given that your environment is comfortable
and conducive to learning, use as many sensory channels as you can. In
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other words, not merely sight and sound but touch and smell and even
taste. (This is not as difficult as it seems since you can evoke memories of
how things feel, smell, and taste.)
WHEN YOU’VE BEEN ASKED
TO CHOP YOUR SPEECH
1. Well-prepared and seasoned speakers have already timed the differ-
ent segments of their presentations and know that if the “ABC” story is
eliminated they can save five minutes, and if the “DEF” suggestions are
pulled, they’ll save another three, and so forth. Using this modular ap-
proach also enables the veterans to customize for particular groups.
If you’re not prepared in this manner, you may decide to simply give
broader treatment to all the elements of your speech. In many instances,
that will work fine. This situation is tougher, however, if your speech is
sequential in nature, that is, the listener has to hear “a” and “b” to get to
“c” and “d,” and you have a powerful climax based on everything that
came before it. This leads us to suggestion number 2.
2. Always carry with you a timer, preferably with a magnetic base, that
you can attach to the lectern or table in front of you. I learned the hard way
that watches don’t do the trick. They are hard to see and it doesn’t look
good to sneak a peak at them during your speech. Radio Shack, as well as
Sharper Image and a host of other vendors, carries large display timers. To
avoid the beep, I set my timer for five minutes more than I have, knowing
that I need to end at the five-minute mark.
3. Don’t make any excuses when you’re in front of the group. Don’t
say, “If I had more time,” or “Well, I prepared for 45 minutes,” and so on.
This doesn’t help you, the audience, or your host. Simply use the time al-
lotted in the best manner you can. The pro knows that the show must go
on, and that a truncated time frame is more often than not the norm in
public speaking.
4. During the course of your presentation, tactfully offer to make an
additional handout available that will cover the points you have insuffi-
cient time to address in detail.
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5. Strive to be the one speaker at their meeting or convention who
gets the meeting back on schedule. If you were scheduled for 45 minutes
and you’re given 27, end on the button. Although few speakers are pe-
nalized for speaking too little, many are penalized in the minds of their
listeners for speaking too long. You can become a hero to the host or
meeting planner and possibly the larger group, by getting them back on
track. This is valuable, so don’t discount it.
6. Think compassion. Maybe the president’s 18 minutes were boring.
Many people may need to get to the restroom. Perhaps the activities of
the morning were draining. Your 27 minutes can be the bright spot in a
person’s day.
SUMMARY VERSUS CLOSING
Summarizing what you said is not the same as actually closing. Your sum-
mary can occur from three minutes to 30 seconds prior to your last actual
word. Your closing statement follows your summary.
Your summary is not a time for making apologies about what you didn’t
address. It is a time to reinforce the vital points you made, to acknowledge
the audience, and to prepare them for the close. You can initiate a sum-
mary in many. While you can simply say, “in summary,” strive instead to
create a link to your opening statement. When you wrap your speech in a
tidy bundle it gives audiences the feeling of having come “full circle.”
They like this form of closure.
CLOSING: SHORT AND SWEET
Max Dixon says to close your speech you want a “simple idea expressed
beautifully and tended to well, very well.” He suggests that you end the
speech in an uncommon manner. “Audiences are aching to feel that they
have been listening to something of importance and relevance,” says Dixon.
As with opening a speech, you have many options for closing. You
could pose a question to the audience so that they depart with your words
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still in mind. You could make a call for action. You could tell a brief story,
and/or you could give thanks for the opportunity to address the group.
Strive to offer a closing that is as energetic and high-spirited as your
opening. As such, the mundane, lame, overused, “thank you” can never be
your closing.
You can close with a pledge or promise. Depending on your presentation
objective, pledging action or making a promise can leave a strong impres-
sion on audience members. You could make a prediction. A positive predic-
tion is preferred but a negative one might be appropriate depending on your
topic and your objectives. Near-term predictions can prove memorable;
some audience members will recall that they “heard” it first from you.
LAST SENTENCE, LAST WORDS
When you utter your final words, remain steadfast. Don’t walk away from
the lectern or off of the podium. Hold your place, and gaze out to the au-
dience for a few moments. The gap between your last actual word and the
first sound of applause can range from a fraction of second to several sec-
onds. Maintain control of that brief segment as you maintained control
during the presentation.
If you delivered an effective presentation and your closing was master-
ful, the audience may need an extra moment to let those words sink in.
When the applause comes, keep your head up, remain buoyant, and nonver-
bally convey appreciation. Speech trainer Tony Jeary says, “Be gracious at
the end and smile. Audiences have a need to give applause. Give them
every excuse to offer lavish applause.”
ACCESSIBLE AND PROFESSIONAL
Jeary advises remaining accessible until the last person leaves. I modify
that to say “until the last rational person leaves.” Some individuals want
to tug on the speaker’s ear for at least the length of the presentation. Nev-
ertheless, adopt the attitude that you are “on” long after you have deliv-
ered your closing sentence and everyone has cleared the room.
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42
Traps and Tips
I
f your idea of being an effective public speaker is to never stumble
over a passage or slur your words, forget it. Even the best public
speakers are prone to these types of miscues. As with so many other
things in life, it’s not what happens that’s key, but how you handle what
happens. If adroitly or nonchalantly corrected, a minor miscue is quickly
forgotten by the audience.
BLANKING OUT
What happens when you blank out and lose your place in front of the au-
dience? Elsewhere, I discuss how Tony Alessandra simply says to the au-
dience in a loud, comical voice, “Now where was I?” Invariably, someone
in the audience tells him.
For many aspiring public speakers, the fear of “blanking out” is a great
inhibitor that serves to diminish the effectiveness of their presentations.
Such speakers can be seen with outlines, notes, PowerPoint slides, and all
manner of props to remind them each and every step of the way exactly
where they need to be and what they need to be saying. While this prac-
tice may ensure that they do not lose their places, it may not be worth it.
Being overly protective and overly cautious inhibits natural energies, re-
stricts the presentation flow, diminishes potentially effective gestures,
and otherwise makes your presentation less than a pleasure to witness.
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TR APS AND TIPS 297
Here are a variety of retorts you can use if you do lose your place.
Keep in mind that all of them need to be said in an upbeat if not humorous
manner for the greatest effect:
“Okay, now where were we?”
“Let’s see, what number (or passage or page) did we get up to?”
“Now you’ve gotten me off track.”
“Okay, who knows where we left off?”
“I was right in the middle of something . . .” (Then, slightly look up
toward the ceiling; invariably, someone will offer the correct answer.)
OUT OF OPTIONS
If you blank out on key names and there are no other options, you’re prob-
ably better off to skip them. Most members of the audience won’t notice.
Even if those people who thought you were going to cite them notice that
you don’t, they’ll be forgiving if your presentation is effective.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
TIPS AND TRAPS
Your presentation may include a question and answer session. If so, you
often have the wonderful opportunity to address or clarify anything you
overlooked. After announcing that you are ready to take questions simply
say, “First question.” As you listen to questions from audience members
remain neutral.
If a question is somewhat negative, then before answering it, reword the
question in a more positive manner. Then answer the question by looking
directly at the questioner for at least the first minute or two of your re-
sponse. Don’t be afraid to be bold. Sometimes simply say “yes” or “no.”
Be gracious as you field questions. If someone asks something previ-
ously addressed in your presentation, answer anyway. Others in atten-
dance might better understand the explanation in QA than they did
during the presentation. On the other hand, if someone poses a question
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that has already been asked simply say, “I believe that we have already
taken that question,” and move on.
The best way to handle a rambling question is to simply pick some as-
pect of it and respond to that. Occasionally, you will encounter a “non-
question question.” This occurs when someone makes a statement and
then waits for you to respond to the statement. Don’t take the bait. Simply
ask, “What is your question?”
If a series of questions start heading down a path you would prefer not
to take, bridge to some other topic, offer a strong observation about the
new topic, and then call on someone who hasn’t spoken before.
Handle audience questions near the end of a presentation but not as the
last element. Questions tend to dissipate the power of what you said. Time
your presentation so that you can adequately include a QA session and
still have several minutes to build up to a powerful close. Beyond poor
timing, a number of traps during QA sessions linger. Here are the most
common ones and how to stay clear of them:
Not repeating the question—Some speakers make the mistake of not
repeating the question for people who are out of audible range. It is
vital to repeat questions, perhaps paraphrasing them so that the
questions will be even clearer to more people in attendance.
Answering too quickly—Even if you have the precise information
the questioner is seeking, pause for a moment before delivering your
answer so it seems as if you’ve contemplated the issue. When you
answer too quickly, you run the risk of coming across as a know-it-
all. No one will fault you for pausing for a moment, and the results
will be to your benefit.
Guessing when you are unsure of an answer. Audiences quickly spot
shaky responses during QA sessions. If you don’t know the answer
to something, plainly say so at the outset. If you prefer to attempt an
answer, preface you response by saying,
—“In my estimation . . .”
—“I’m not sure, but my guess would be . . .”
—“I can only take a stab at that . . .”
—Anything that conveys that you’re imparting what you know but
that it may not be the most reliable answer is sufficient.
Over answering. Long-winded responses to questions are the death
knell of speakers who otherwise have made a good presentation.
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TR APS AND TIPS 299
Granted, there are occasions when you need to give background in-
formation to adequately answer your question; however, this is the
exception and not the norm.
Letting one person hog the show. Within a large gathering there is
invariably someone who has a multipart question or who keeps ask-
ing questions. It makes sense for you to follow through on two ques-
tions. The third time the same person poses a question or makes a
comment, simply respond by saying, “Let’s give others a chance to
participate,” or “Let’s hear from those who haven’t spoken up yet.”
Looking away from the questioner. When a question is posed, ad-
dress the questioner directly by looking at him or her. After a mini-
mum of 10 or 15 seconds it’s okay to look away to take in the whole
audience. Don’t address the larger audience, however, without first
making sustained eye contact with the questioner. It may seem as if
you’re belittling the questioner.
Pointlessly sparring with the questioner. This is not a pitfall—it’s a
landmine! If you find that a question posed to you somehow converts
to a one-on-one dialog, the outcome is often unfavorable. You’ll
either (1) bore the audience, (2) frustrate them, (3) unduly arouse
the questioner, or (4) shortchange your session. The antidote to this
situation is to gently invite the questioner to see you after your pre-
sentation or during any break time.
Enduring a long-winded questioner. A long-winded questioner is
someone who is speaking to hear his or her own voice and doesn’t
particularly care about the answer to the question. Brace yourself
and attempt to let all questioners finish before you speak.
If damage may be done to the QA session unless you intervene,
as politely as possible, say, “In recognition of our time constraints,
let me jump in and answer that . . .” While you might turn off the
questioner, you’ll win points with everyone else in the room who al-
ready was fearing that the windbag would never finish.
Answering without understanding the question. This usually hap-
pens because you either did not fully hear the questioner, you cut off
the questioner before completion, or the questioner was inarticulate.
You can always clarify on the spot by using language such as “Now
if I understand your question . . .” At that point, the questioner will
either correct you or nod his or her approval. You could also ask the
questioner to rephrase the question.
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300
If you keep your answers short and to the point, even if you ad-
dress the wrong issue, at least you didn’t spend a lot of time. There-
after, the questioner or someone else will speak up again, further
clarifying the original question.
Answering hypothetical questions. This is a judgment call. Some
questioners will ask you about situations that have never happened
and never are likely to happen. Hence, your answer represents pure
conjecture. You can choose to answer hypothetical questions, pref-
acing your remarks by saying, “In the event that . . .” You can also
politely decline to answer hypothetical questions, saying:
—“I would prefer not to speculate.”
—“Let’s leave that to the forecasters.”
—“That merits further exploration, but I will have to pass on it
for now.”
Conveying contempt for a question or the questioner. If you speak
often enough, it will happen. Someone is going to ask you a hostile
question, one that contorts a point in your presentation or is other-
wise inappropriate. Use all of your interpersonal skills and remain
on an even keel. Attempt to remain empathetic.
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43
Why Speakers
Fail to Hit the Mark
T
here are many ways to successfully deliver a presentation and,
understandably, many more ways to fail, as I’ve discussed in pre-
vious chapters. In addition, here are common mistakes that
speakers make, professional speakers included, each of which has to do
with a lack of adequate preparation.
1. MISUNDERSTANDING THE ASSIGNMENT
Before ever leaving your own office, it is critical to understand why you
have been scheduled to speak to this group at this time. Such understand-
ing necessitates that you read about the organization, get information
about the audience’s current challenges and hot buttons, and learn what
the meeting planner has in mind for the presentation. Five-minute conver-
sations over the phone usually won’t supply you with all you need to know
in that area.
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2. FAILING TO KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Beyond understanding the setting and why you are invited to speak,
knowing the audience is itself an art and a science. Beyond the informa-
tion about their job level, salary, and degree of diversity, you will also
want to know their age range, educational background, and what this par-
ticular meeting has been designed to do for them.
Probe even further. How far have they come? Do they know one an-
other or are they assembling for the first time? What will they hear before
and after the presentation? What did they hear last year or at a similar
meeting? How would they like to feel and what would they like to get out
of your presentation?
Unless you find answers to these types of questions and there isn’t
much more that you could know, don’t accept the presentation. Without
this information, your presentation may hit the mark, but chances are that
you will simply dance around the periphery of what you need to do and
say to be successful.
3. WAITING FOR LATECOMERS
If you’re giving a general session or keynote address in a large assembly
hall, this is not an issue. If you are giving a breakout session, a workshop,
or some other type of training session, often there is discretion as to when
you will formally begin the presentation. Do not penalize those who have
come on time and are ready to have you start as scheduled.
Only in the case where it is readily apparent that the majority of
the attendees are missing are you justified, perhaps, in delaying the start
of a presentation. In such cases, you can confer with audience members
present and others who may be in the halls to see if something has delayed
the bulk of the anticipated audience. Short of that situation, it is your re-
sponsibility to start on time. Those who trickle in afterward have the per-
sonal responsibility to find out about whatever they missed.
As you become more adept at speaking to groups in various settings,
you begin to realize the wisdom of starting with a story or an audience
warm-up technique. In such cases, the late arrivals do not miss any of the
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WHY SPEAKERS FAIL TO HIT THE MARK 303
meat of your presentation and the punctual arrivals feel satisfied that you
began on schedule.
4. OFFERING EXCUSES
Perhaps the most pitiful opening a public speaker can make in addressing
an audience is stating that he or she is just getting over an illness, or is fa-
tigued because of a heavy workload or travel. Audiences do not care about
your personal circumstances en route to your presenting at this particular
time—nor should they.
If you are too ill, exhausted, or stressed to make an effective presenta-
tion, alert the meeting planner as far in advance as possible so that he or
she can find a substitute speaker.
5. SPEAKING WITHOUT A MICROPHONE
As a public speaker you cannot afford to speak without a microphone,
even to the smallest of audiences. I have seen speakers time and time
again think that they can simply wing it. But, if you are going to speak for
more than 20 minutes, do yourself and your audience a favor by using a
microphone.
6. TAPPING OR BLOWING INTO THE
MICROPHONE TO TEST IT
No public speaker should ever do this. Ideally, you have already checked
out the microphone long before your presentation. If, for whatever reason,
you don’t have the opportunity to test the microphone before going on,
you can see if everything seems okay by observing others use it.
The larger the meeting, the greater the probability there will be a
“sound person” someplace in or near the room who will be monitoring the
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304
equipment. This person will make adjustments on the fly once he or she
hears you say anything into the microphone.
Public throat clearing is akin to tapping or blowing into the micro-
phone. It is completely amateurish to get up in front of a group, particu-
larly with a microphone at hand, and clear your throat. We have all seen
speakers do this. Why don’t they take care of this before they get in front
of the group? Public throat clearing is a telltale sign of someone who is
uncomfortable in front of a group and is likely to make the group feel un-
comfortable as well.
7. SHIFTING YOUR WARDROBE
The time to ensure comfort in what you are wearing is long before the
presentation begins. If you’re not comfortable speaking with a tie, and
the meeting and speaker dress codes allow for you to not wear a tie, don’t
put one on!
After you’ve given a number of presentations, notice your instincts
when it comes to your speaking wardrobe and mid-speech rearrange-
ments. Then, take charge of the situation before your next presentation.
Talk to the meeting planner about the dress code and what makes you
most comfortable, and then find the happy middle ground. It may save
you from making unnecessary mid-speech wardrobe adjustments.
When is the audience okay with a wardrobe adjustment? When some-
thing happens during the presentations such that it is obvious that a change
needs to be made. Suppose you’re speaking in an air-conditioned room, and
the performance of the air conditioner is less than stellar. People are start-
ing to feel uncomfortably warm and notice that you feel uncomfortably
warm. Invite them to remove their jackets before announcing that you’re
going to do so as well. In such cases, you win points with the audience.
8. FIDDLING WITH AV EQUIPMENT
IN MIDPRESENTATION
Once you have begun your presentation, it is not the time to determine
whether an overhead projector, slide carousel, LCD panel, or other
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equipment is in working order. It is the height of unprofessionalism to
check out your equipment in any way once the presentation has started.
9. USING INAPPROPRIATE AV MATERIALS
People will forgive you for graphics with bad color scheme, corny jokes, or
inconsistencies. What riles meeting planners and audience members the
most is when a speaker uses minuscule fonts barely readable in the middle
of the room, and impossible to discern from the back of the room. Some
speakers apologize in advance saying, “Please forgive me for the clarity of
this slide,” or “I know the print is hard to see, so I will read it for you.”
These are rather lame apologies since, for a public speaking engagement,
presumably you had days, weeks, or months to improve the quality of your
AV materials.
10. STEPPING OUT OF SIGHT
No, this doesn’t mean becoming invisible to the audience. Many speakers
who stay close to the audience make the mistake of wandering past the
first few rows of participants. This means that the people in the front
seats must literally turn around in order to keep watching you. As a de-
vice for generating audience interest, it is perfectly permissible to extend
past the first few rows for 10 or 15 seconds at a time. However, if you
plant yourself down one of the aisles and force people to turn around and
look at you for an extended length of time, you will tax their energies,
eventually their patience, and ultimately their attention. Remain visible
to all by respecting lines of sight and boundaries.
11. READING FROM NOTES OR A SCRIPT
The audience is in place to hear you speak, not to hear you read, unless, of
course, you are simply quoting a relevant passage from a book, article, or
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306
other document somewhere in the body of your speech. Regardless of how
skilled a reader you are, it is far less interesting for the audience to hear
you read than to hear you speak. In academic conferences, presenters
often “deliver a paper” and make the dreadful mistake of reading their
paper word for word.
12. BUILDING UP TOO SLOWLY
You can tell stories of an extended length that lead up to a point that you
want audience members to take home. That is different from what we are
discussing here. We have all encountered presenters at one time or an-
other who simply rambled on for minutes at a time not realizing that they
were losing the goodwill that most audience members have for speakers
at the outset of a presentation.
13. PACING BACK AND FORTH
Dissipating your nervous energy by pacing back and forth adds nothing to
your presentation and can detract from it in damaging ways. Any expres-
sions of nervousness you exhibit, pacing being one of the most visible,
will be immediately observed by audience members who will individually
question your effectiveness, wonder how long this presentation will last,
and ask themselves why they are even in attendance.
14. MISMANAGING THE SNIFFLES
Everyone has his or her own pet peeves when it comes to attending a pre-
sentation. For me, it is the sniffles. A speaker proceeding along with inter-
mittent sniffles detracts from my ability to stay focused. Some speakers
do this out of habit. Others do it because they find that their nose is run-
ning and they didn’t have the foresight to carry a tissue with them or place
one nearby.
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If you have a significant problem with sniffles, sneezing, or coughing
while on stage, excuse yourself for the time necessary to remedy the situ-
ation, and then, when you are ready, turn back to the audience. Here, it is
difficult to avoid making reference to what happened so have some come-
back lines at your disposal. These could include the following:
“That wasn’t a planned part of the presentation.”
“Well, now that we have that taken care of . . .”
“I’m glad to be back!”
Do not make specific reference to any of the particulars of the situation.
Even in the best case scenario when you’re able to get a laugh by referring
to your difficulty, it will be the wrong kind of humor. Stick with the rela-
tively clever and safe lines above, and then pick up where you left off.
15. MAKING REPEATED
REFERENCES TO SPORTS
Independent of the male-female ratio of the audience, a presentation pep-
pered by sports analogies reflects a weakness in the preparation, back-
ground, and perhaps even intellect of the presenter. With all that goes on
in the world in political, social, religious, artistic, scientific, and educa-
tional arenas, how justifiable is it to have a speaker offer one sports anal-
ogy after another?
16. LOOKING AT YOUR WATCH
A quick way to drain all the energy out of the room during your presenta-
tion is to take a peek at your watch. It seems harmless enough, but the mo-
ment you do it, you convey a message to everyone in the room that you
have something other than addressing them on your mind. You also run
the risk of having audience members steal a peak at their own watches,
which diverts their attention from your presentation and gets them think-
ing about how much time is left and what they’re going to do next.
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308
Fortunately, there are several excellent alternatives to sneaking a peek
at or even wearing a watch during your presentation. First, the ideal situ-
ation is when there is a clock on the back wall of the conference room and
all audience members have their backs to it. In such settings, every time
you look at the clock, it will seems as if you are peering out to the back
rows of your audience.
If a clock is not available, you have the option of working with the
meeting planner to ensure that someone is flashing time cards for you,
usually from the first row. For a 60-minute presentation, they may flash
the 30-minute card to you, no bigger than an 8- by 11-inch sheet of
paper. When handled discreetly, no one else in the audience is aware
that you are being offered a time signal. At the 15 minute mark, then 10,
5, 3, 2, and 1 minute marks, you are gently led to your ending time. This
strategy can work well with audiences of less than 100 people. In larger
halls, you may find it difficult to look for, comprehend, and acknowl-
edge the time cues.
The most effective solution is buying a timer, clock, or travel alarm
with large display. Regardless of the meeting room setup, there is always
space to position your timepiece. The few audience members who might
notice the tiny device have little interest in it. During the course of the
presentation, you’ll have several opportunities to look in all directions,
so sneaking peeks at your timer will not be a challenge.
17. AIRING COMMERCIALS
Whatever your arrangement with the meeting planner regarding the sale
of your products, if you make an extended pitch, you can’t help but turn
off a significant portion of your audience. This occurs regardless of your
success up to that point.
Audience members are leery of being “sold” these days—they are al-
ready bombarded by commercial messages on television, radio, the Inter-
net, and in print media. The last thing that most audience members want to
hear is an extended commercial by a presenter, even among those groups
and those audiences who routinely allow presenters to sell their wares. So,
if the privilege is extended to you, approach it carefully and tastefully.
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18. RUNNING OVERBOARD
Many aspiring public speakers haven’t made the effort to time their pre-
sentations. As a result, they often run overboard. They realize in, say, a
30-minute speech, that they are only half way through it with five min-
utes to go. Then, they commit a greater presentation sin: They attempt to
rush through all of the points remaining, thereby making audience mem-
bers ill at ease, giving them the impression that they have been short-
handed, and raising anxiety to an undue level.
19. FINISHING TOO ABRUPTLY
As discussed in Chapter 41, too many public speakers close with a mun-
dane, undramatic, “thank you.” Besides signaling that you lack the capa-
bility to masterfully draw to a close, you also leave many audience
members feeling shortchanged. In a public venue, one for which you were
scheduled days, weeks, or months in advance, terminating your speech
abruptly is one of the surest indications that you have “miles to go” be-
fore becoming a polished public speaker.
20. DISAPPEARING AFTER
THE PRESENTATION
Perhaps if you are William F. Buckley, Ted Koppel, or Elizabeth Dole, you
can depart right after your presentation, having previously alluded to some
other pressing engagement. The audience will grant you the slack afforded
to those in position of power, authority, or celebrity. For the rest of public
speakers, stand your ground after having delivered your presentation.
Likewise, do as much as you can to meet and greet audience members at
the start of the presentation (see Chapter 37). Practically speaking, you
gain no points for attempting to develop a “mysterious” persona. Stick
around and reap all the benefits of having done a great job.
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310
21. NOT THANKING THE
MEETING PLANNER
Be sure to directly thank the meeting planner before you leave. I both
thank the meeting planner in person and drop a letter in the lobby mailbox
that essentially says: “Dear Meeting Planner, I couldn’t leave town with-
out thanking you. What a great job you did in putting together the confer-
ence. I want you to know that I appreciate your efforts. I wish you well in
future programs and all endeavors. Yours truly . . .”
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311
Bibliography and
Further Reading
Ailes, Roger, You Are the Message (Burr Ridge, IL: BusinessOne Irwin, 1986).
Alessandra, Tony, The Platinum Rule (New York: Warner, 1996).
Benson, Herbert, The Relaxation Response (New York: Avon, 1990).
Bradford, William, Managing for Excellence (New York: Wiley, 1997).
Brooks, Bill, You’re Working Too Hard to Make the Sale (Burr Ridge, IL:
BusinessOne Irwin, 1995).
Brooks, Bill, Nichemanship (Burr Ridge, IL: BusinessOne Irwin, 1992).
Burnham, Terry, and Jay Phelan, Mean Genes (New York: Penguin, 2001).
Burrus, Dan, Technotrends (New York: HarperCollins, 1994).
Carnegie, Dale, How to Win Friends and Influence People (New York: Pocket
Books, 1994).
Cathcart, Jim, The Acorn Principle (New York: St. Martin’s, 1998).
Collins, James, and Jerry Poris, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary
Companies (New York: Harper Business, 1997).
Connor, Richard, and Jeff Davidson, Getting New Clients (New York: Wiley,
1993).
Connor, Richard, and Jeff Davidson, Marketing Your Consulting Professional
Services (New York: Wiley, 1994).
Cooper, Morton, Change Your Voice, Change Your Life (Los Angeles: Wilshire
Books, 1996).
Daniels, Aubrey, Bringing out the Best in People (New York: McGraw-Hill,
1994).
Davidson, Jeff, Breathing Space: Living and Working at a Comfortable Pace in a
Sped-Up Society (New York: MasterMedia, 1991).
Davidson, Jeff, Marketing for the Home-Based Business, 2nd ed. (Avon, MA:
Adams Media, 1999).
Davidson, Jeff, Marketing Your Career and Yourself (Avon, MA: Adams Media,
1999).
Davidson, Jeff, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Assertiveness (Indianapolis, IN:
Alpha Books, 1997).
Davidson, Jeff, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Managing Stress, 2nd ed. (Alpha
Books, 1999).
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BIBLIOGR APHY AND FURTHER READING
312
Davidson, Jeff, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reaching Your Goals (Alpha
Books, 1997).
Davidson, Jeff, The Joy of Simple Living (Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 1999).
Dement, William, The Promise of Sleep (New York: Delacort, 1999).
Detz, Joan, How to Write and Give a Speech, (New York: St. Martin’s Press,
1992).
Dyer, Wayne, You’ll See It When You Believe It (New York: Avon, 1996).
Dychewald, Ken, Age Wave (Los Angeles: Tarcher, 1989).
Elsea, Janet G., First Impression, Best Impression (New York: Simon Schus-
ter, 1978).
Gitomer, Jeffrey, The Sales Bible (New York: Morrow, 1994).
Hesse, Hermann, Siddhartha (New York: Bantam, 1982).
Jampolsky, Gerald, Love Is Letting Go of Fear (Berkeley, CA: Celestial Arts,
1988).
Jeary, Tony, How to Inspire Any Audience (Berkeley, CA: Publishers’ Group
West, 1999).
Jeffries, Elizabeth, The Heart of Leadership (Dubuque IA: Kendall-Hunt, 1996).
Klein, Allan, The Courage to Laugh: Humor, Hope, and Healing in the Face of
Death and Dying (Tarcher, 1998).
Levering, Robert, and Milton Moskowitz, Hundred Best Companies to Work for
in America (Plume, 1994).
Mitford, Jessica, The American Way of Death (New York: Simon Schuster,
1978).
Pascale, Richard, Mark Mallemann, and Linda Gioga, Surfacing the Edge of
Chaos (New York: Crown, 2000).
Porter, Michael, Competitive Advantage (New York: Macmillan, 1985).
Powell, Colin, My American Journey (New York: Random House, 1996).
Ries, Al, and Jack Trout, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind (New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1981).
RoAne, Susan, How to Work a Room (New York: Warner Books, 1994).
RoAne, Susan, What Do I Say Next? (New York: Warner Books, 1999).
Salsbury, Glenna, The Art of the Fresh Start (Health Communications, 1996).
Silva, Michael, and Craig Hickman, Creating Excellence (New York: New
American Library Trade, 1984).
Tart, Charles, States of Consciousness (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1975).
Toffler, Alvin, Future Shock (New York: Random House, 1970).
Vlcek, Don, The Domino Effect (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1991).
Wilder, Lilyan, Seven Steps to Fearless Speaking (New York: Wiley, 1999).
Yoho, Dave, and Jeff Davidson, How to Have a Good Year Every Year (Berkeley,
CA: Berkeley Books, 1991).
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313
About the Author
S
ome people regard Jeff Davidson as the best there is at offering new
perspectives and fresh solutions to the career and life balance prob-
lems that people face today.
Jeff’s speeches have been featured in Vital Speeches of the Day on six
occasions along with the likes of Dr. Henry Kissinger, Lee Iacocca,
George Bush (senior), William Bennett, Michael Eisner, Jimmy Carter,
Alan Greenspan, and the Dalai Lama. Members of his nearly 700 audi-
ences know him as a high-content, high-energy speaker who delivers hu-
morous yet compelling presentations.
He has been featured in 68 of the top 75 newspapers in America, based
on circulation including USA Today, The Washington Post, Los Angeles
Times, and The Chicago Tribune. As a five-time state winner of the U.S.
Small Business Administration’s Media Advocate of the Year Award, Jeff
has published more than 3,300 articles on the topics of entrepreneurship,
management and marketing effectiveness, and life balance.
Jeff has attracted clients such as America Online, Wells Fargo, Nations-
Bank, Swissotel, IBM, American Express, Westinghouse, and more than
400 other leading organizations and associations. He is also a founding
faculty member of www.MentorU.com. He devised 26 online training pro-
grams for MentorU.
For five years running, Jeff’s popular books in the fields of self-help
and business, such as Marketing Your Consulting and Professional Ser-
vices, The Joy of Simple Living, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Time Man-
agement, and other titles in that series, have sold an average of 100,000
books annually.
Jeff can be reached on the web at www.BreathingSpace.com and via
email at KeyNoteSpeaker@BreathingSpace.com.
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315
Index
Abbreviations, humorous, 54
Adcock, Sharon, 79, 84, 85, 86
Adult learners, characteristics of, 292–293
Agreements/contracts, 173
audiovisual needs, 197
cancellation, 197, 206–208
deposit due, 196
educational materials, 197–198
fees/travel expenses, 196
getting paid, 196, 206–212
instructions to clients, 198, 208–209
location, 195
number of attendees, 195
preparing for and negotiating, 173
ready availability of forms, 118
refund sliding scale, 207–208
sample form, 194–195
variations on product sales, 199–205
what is covered in, 193–198
what meeting planners seek, 175–183
Ailes, Roger, 57
Airline travel/reservations, 247–248
Alessandra, Tony, 210, 279, 296
American Society of Association Executives
(ASAE), 218
American Society of Composers, Authors,
and Publishers (ASCAP), 234
American Society of Training and
Development, 117
Antion, Tom, 53
Articles, converting transcripts into, 131–132
Asaenet.org, 218
Association executives (as source of topics),
25
Audience:
audible responses from, 289
befriending, 262
bringing members to the stage, 285–286
compassion for, 294
cues from, 289
exercises for, 275–276
gathering information about specific
members, 235
greeting members (before/after
presentation), 119, 258, 265–267, 295,
309
incorporating observations, 236
influences on listening experience (story
telling), 104–105
involving, 230–234, 275–280
knowledge of, 53, 302
movement/noise in, 289–290
participation packets, 8, 177–178, 183,
230, 279
playing along with member of, 279–280
positive measure of support from, 290
preparation techniques, 230–233
props, 282–283
questions from, 284, 297–300
reading/mis-reading, 288–295
resistant/challenging, 290–291
respect for, 119
responsiveness, 281–287
secondary, 8–9
size (in speaker agreement), 195
soliciting feedback (mid-presentation),
286–287
surveys/quizzes, 231–232
using member names, 277
wanting you to succeed, 262
Audiovisual considerations. See also Taping
presentation; Videos; Visuals
assisting meeting planners, 188
fiddling with equipment midpresentation,
304–305
needs (in speaker agreement), 197
rights (meeting planner concerns), 176
using low-quality inappropriate materials,
305
Austin, Emory, 93
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INDEX
316
Bender, Peter Urs, 243
Benny, Jack, 112
Berger, Francine, 291
BFI method (Brute Force and Ignorance),
54
Billings-Harris, Lenora, 223–224, 225
Biographical information (on one-sheet), 143
Blackwell, Joel, 8
Blanking out or stumbling, 111–112,
261–262, 296–297
Bookman, Robert, 75
Brainstorming guidelines, 32–33
Branding, 121
Breathing exercise, 261
Briles, Judith, 130
Buckley, William F., 309
Bureaus, speakers, 164, 211
Burg, Bob, 121
Burrus, Dan, 201–204
Bush, George W., 112–113
Buzzwords, 6–7, 237
Calloway, Joe, 205
Cancellations, protection against, 197,
206–209
Cathcart, Jim, 135, 179
Change (as topic), 21, 34–38
Clark, Dan, 72, 96, 273–274
Clients/meeting planners:
assisting/consulting to, 188
communication with, 215–216, 226–229
concerns/desires of, 117–119, 175–176
contracts with (see Agreements/contracts)
current challenges for, 23–24
liaison, one-person, 177
satisfied (using in marketing efforts):
on one-sheet, 143
testimonials from (see Kudo letters)
selection committees, 182–183
serving (even when not booked), 221
as source for topics, 22–24
what speakers want from, 176–179
Clipping file, 46
Closed circuit television, 89–90
Closing:
common mistakes, 309
ending your speech, 294–295, 309
remaining accessible and professional after
speech, 295, 309
vs. summary, 294
Clothing/wardrobe:
fiddling with/shifting during speech, 304
packing/travel tips, 246
props, 284
recommendations, 58–59
Coach, speech, 62–66
Comeback lines (when nobody laughs), 53
Conferences (meeting type), 40
Connor, Richard, 24
Consultant, acting as, 122, 188
Contact information, 141–142, 193
Contact management software, 217–218
Contracts. See Agreements/contracts
Control, anticipated loss of, 260–261
Conventions (meeting type), 39–40
Copyrights, 149–150, 176, 205, 233–234
Corporate sponsors, 130
Corporations/companies (as host), 44
Cost (meeting planner concerns), 175. See
also Fee(s)
Cultural change, 35
Cuomo, Mario, 273
Cyclical topics, 4–5
Daggett, James, 292
Daniloff, Nicholas, 211
Dark zone, 257
Davidson, Jeff:
model (four mega-realities), 29
sample humorous introduction of, 240
sample marketing document called “What
Is It Like to Work with Jeff
Davidson?,” 179–181
sample one-sheet, 144–145
sample serious introduction of, 241
signature story, 97–98
strategic URLs, 139–140
Dawson, Roger, 265, 266
Deficiencies approach (finding topics),
15–16
Deposit, 196
Desires, seven subtle unconscious, 12–13
Detz, Joan, 60
Diction, 59–60
Digart, Charles, 6
Directories, national, 219–220
Discounts and favors, 137–138, 189–190
Diversity issues, 36, 222–225
Dixon, Max, 294
Dole, Elizabeth, 309
Domain registrations, 139–140
“Domestic partner,” 225
Dramatic, flair for the, 273
Dual presenters, 55
Dual purpose engagements, 190
Dychtwald, Ken, 4

INDEX 317
Editorial coordination (publications/
marketing), 128–129
Educational institutions, 45
Educational materials (in speaker
agreement), 197–198. See also
Participation packets, audience
Elasticity calculations, 136–137
E-mailing photos, 154
Embarrassments (source of stories), 95
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 215
Emotion(s):
appealing to, 10–17
inspirational presentations, 11
motivational presentations, 11
seven subtle unconscious desires,
12–13
conveying, 273–274
Employee stock operating plans (ESOPs),
37
Ending your speech. See Closing
Enjoyment, 66–68, 261
Ethnic/minorities (diversity issues), 36,
222–225
Evangelists, 284
Eventplanner.com, 218
Exaggeration, 148
Excuses, offering, 303
Extracting data from other sources (vs.
original material), 70
Family/relatives (source of stories), 94
Federal Directory (Carroll Publishing), 220
Fee(s), 133–140, 206–212
cancellation, and partial payment, 197,
206–208
consistency with materials, 210
discounts, 137–138, 189–191
dual purpose engagements, 190
establishing, 135
guidance on, 211
increasing, 138–140, 212
keys to earning big checks, 209–210
multiple engagements, 189–190
negotiating, 189–190
peer comparisons, 136–137
prompt payment, 178–179
ruling your niche (industry specialist),
211
scale of, 133–135
shared speaker, 190
taking payment in product/services vs.
money, 190
for taping presentation, 201–205
upgrading materials when increasing,
138–140
Feedback:
mid-presentation (soliciting to encourage
involvement), 286–287
requesting on evaluation/marketing form,
159, 160
Fisher, Roger, 189
Flexibility, 176, 228
Fonts, 85, 243
Forums (meeting type), 41
Freezing the moment, 74–76, 272–273
Friedman, Francis, 123
Friedman, Scott, 52, 54
Fripp, Patricia, 101, 259, 260
Fujioka, Ray, 84
Funeral industry, 31
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender
(GLBT) community, 225
Gillebaard, Lola, 51
Gitomer, Jeffrey, 233
Giuliani, Rudy, 75
Goal setting, 126–132
Government agencies, 45, 190
Grove, Andrew, 34
Gurus (as source of topics), 26
Hands-on speakers (meeting planner
concerns), 176
Headsets, telephone, 88, 217
Heckler(s), dealing with, 292
Heckler, Lou, 101
Hennig, Jim, 189
Hensley, Dennis, 54
Hepburn, Katharine (author’s signature
story), 97–98
Hickey, Margaret, 27
Horizontal opportunities, 129–130
Host organizations, types of:
educational institutions, 45
government agencies, 45
large corporations, 44
local groups, 45
mid-sized companies, 44
professional associations, 45
professional societies, 44–45
small businesses, 44
trade associations, 45
Hotel(s). See also Travel
glitches, 87
mailing packages to, 245
noise-reduction technology, 248

INDEX
318
Hotel(s) (Continued)
preventative measures while checking in,
248
proper packing, 246
working with audiovisual staff, 86–88
“Hot” topics, 4
How-to presentations, tips, 279
Humor, 49–56
abbreviations as, 54
comeback lines when nobody laughs, 53
by duos (team speakers), 55
handling attack of sniffles with, 307
interactive, 52, 279–280
in introductions, 50, 240
knowing audience, 53
opening lines, 50
pauses enhancing, 112
reading jokes, 51–52
reasons for, 49–50, 56
story listening trance and, 105
tips on, 51
using everyday experience, 52–53
Humorists, 54
Hutson, Don, 146–147
IDIOS syndrome (I’ll do it in Saturday),
54
Image magnification technology (I-Mag
screens), 82–83
Inclusive language, 224–225
Industry:
background in (meeting planner concerns),
175
collecting statistics, 125
researching, 22–23
ruling your niche, 211
seminars, conducting, 124–125
specializing/targeting single, 123, 211
writing newsletter for, 123–124
Insensitive terms, 179, 222
Inspirational presentations, 11
Intellectual property rights (copyright),
149–150, 176, 205, 233–234
Interactive humor, 52
International Association for Exposition
Management (iaeme.org), 218–219
Internet/Web sites:
benefits to public speakers, 140
fee guidance Web sites, 211
having all functions Web-ready, 139
for marketing, 142, 149
meeting industry Web sites, 218–220
online presentations, 88–89, 139
quality of your Web site reflecting fee
level, 210
securing strategic URLs (domain
registrations), 139–140
selling products on, 140
Introduction (of speaker), 239–244
humorous, 50, 240
preparing introducer, 242, 243–244
to be read or not to be read, 243–244
sample humorous introduction (of author),
240
sample serious introduction (of author),
241
submitting text for, 242–243
transition: shaking hands with and
thanking introducer, 244, 267–268
writing it yourself, 239–242
Invitations to presentations, 130
Irritations approach (finding topics), 15
Irvin, Dale, 50
Isomer, Jeffrey, 190
Jackson, Jesse, 273
James, William, 272
Jeary, Tony, 12–13, 60, 295
Jeffries, Elizabeth, 200
Jitters, avoiding/dealing with, 259–262
Karr, Ron, 189
Kennedy, John F., 111, 273
Kessell, Louise Omoto, 99–100
Keyboard, no-click, 216
Kilpatrick, Kurt, 53
Klein, Allen, 276
Koppel, Ted, 309
Kudo letters, 132, 156–162
formats for use of, 158–159
highlighting (making easy on receiver),
159–161
“iffy,” 161
long-term contact, maintaining (with
senders), 161–162
obtaining, 132
permission required to use, 158
in perspective, 162
self-generated (evaluation/marketing
form), 159, 160
why people write, 156–157
Latecomers, waiting for, 302–303
Learning organization (as topic), 21
Lecruises.com, 218
Lectures (meeting type), 43

INDEX 319
Lee, Bill, 123–125
Letters. See Kudo letters
Liaison, one-person, 177
Librarians (as source of topics), 26–27
Life’s gambles (source of stories), 95
Lighting/glare, 249, 257
Literature, meeting/conference (quality of;
client factor), 178
Local groups, 45
Location (in speaker agreement), 195
Logos, 143
Lohan, Kevin, 74–75
Love/affection/empathy, conveying (to
audience), 271–272
Mailing list, building, 130–131
Mailing packages to yourself, 245
Mapes, Mary Jane, 96
Mapping (in story telling), 100
Marketing, 115–172
becoming industry specialists, 211
client’s mind-set, 117–119
corporate sponsors, 130
evaluation/marketing form, 159
getting paid and selling your services,
133–140
goal setting, 126–132
horizontal opportunities, 129–130
invitations to presentations, 130
mailing list, developing your, 130–131
measuring progress, 126–132
meeting other speakers at conventions, 132
niche, 211
opportunities for (at every presentation),
132
persistence in, 191
positioning, 120–125
preempting/closing the deal, 184–192
publications, editorial coordination,
128–129
revenue opportunities, 128
selling services, 128, 187–188
selling true impact of a presentation (four
levels), 186–187
setting fees (see Fee(s))
vertical opportunities, 129
what if you lose the booking, 191–192, 221
when they can’t afford you, 189–190
Marketing materials:
collecting and using kudo letters, 132,
156–162
consistency, importance of, 210
“one-sheet,” 141–154
copyright, 149–150
as door opener and closer, 149
lower cost alternative to, 149
proper information for, 141–148
samples, 144–145, 146–147
preassembled packets, 220
ready availability of, 118
sample document “What Is It Like to Work
with Jeff Davidson?,” 179–181
upgrading with fee upgrades, 138–140
video demonstration tape, 131–132,
163–172 (see also Taping presentation)
credentials bolstering, 210
customizing with interview of yourself
by video crew, 205
how used by meeting planners and
speaker’s bureaus, 164
industry professionals’ advice, 166–170
production strategies for, 164–166
purpose of, 163
veteran speakers’ strategies, 170–172
May, Rollo, 260
Mayer, Lyle, 60
Measuring progress toward goals, 126–132
Meeting planners. See Clients/meeting
planners
Meeting Professionals International, 22
Meeting room(s):
client arranging as requested, 178
consulting on setup of, 188
layouts, 249–257
classroom style, 251–252
closed boardroom seating, 254–255
crescent theatre seating with side aisles,
250–251
facing parallel tables, 256
herringbone classroom style, 252
hollow square, 253–254
O-type setup, 255
in the rounds, 256–257
standard U-shaped seating, 252–253
theatre-style seating, 250
T-shaped setup, 255–256
prepresentation walk of, 249
Meeting types/variations, 39–46. See also
Host organizations, types of
conference, 40
convention, 39–40
forum, 41
lecture, 43
retreat, 43–44
seminar, 41–42
symposium, 41

INDEX
320
Meeting types/variations (Continued)
training, 42–43
workshop, 42
Microphones, 205, 303–304
Mistakes, common (in public speaking),
301–310
disappearing after presentation, 309
failing to know audience, 302
fiddling with AV equipment in
midpresentation, 304–305
finishing too abruptly, 309
inappropriate, low quality AV materials,
305
looking at watch, 307–308
making repeated reference to sports (sports
analogies), 307
mismanaging sniffles, 306–307
misunderstanding assignment, 301
not using microphone, 303
offering excuses, 303
pacing back and forth, 306
public throat clearing, 304
reading from notes or a script, 305–306
running overtime, 309
selling (extended pitches in speeches), 308
shifting wardrobe, 304
stepping out of sight (moving behind front
rows), 305
in story telling (building up too slowly),
306
tapping/blowing into microphone, 303–304
waiting for latecomers, 302–303
Mitford, Jessica, 31
Model, creating, 29
Most memorable character (story telling), 95
Motivation, speaker’s, 18–21, 98–99
Motivational presentations, 11
Moving on the platform. See Physical
activity/movement
Mpiweb.org (Meeting Professionals
International), 219
Mpnetwork.com, 218
Multimedia, 84
Multiple engagements, 189–190
Music, using, 233–234
National Speakers Association’s directory
(Who’s Who in Professional Speaking),
117
National Trade and Professional Associations
of the United States, 219
Newsletter, providing, 123–124
Newspapers (as source of topics), 25
Nightingale, Earl, 33
Nine-eleven terrorist attack, impact of, 179
Nonprofit organizations, 190
One-sheet. See Marketing materials
Online presentations, 88–89, 139. See also
Internet/Web sites
Opening your presentation, 269–274
conveying emotion, 273–274
conveying sense of love, 271–272
with dramatic flair, 273
gambits, 230–233
starting your speech, 50, 269–271
surveys, 230–233
Opinion leaders (as source of topics), 23–25
Other speakers:
avoiding hearing those before you,
258–259
comparing yourself with peers, 136–137
emulating one-sheet of, 149–150
exchanging materials/videos with, 136
getting tapes of, 237
meeting at conventions, 132
recommending/suggesting, for desired fee,
221
working off of, 236
Overhead transparencies, 81–82
Ownership, instilling sense of, 37–38
Pain, listeners’, 10, 279
Painting, word, 100, 102
Pancero, Jim, 192
Paradigm shift (topic type), 5
Participation packets, audience, 8, 177–178,
183, 230, 279
Pauses/silences:
effective uses of, 108–114
enhancing humor, 112
historical examples, 111
in midsentence, 110–111
not wasted time, 108–109
for powerful climax, 110
practicing, 113–114
seeming longer to speaker than audience,
109
seriousness conveyed by, 112–113
before starting speech, 110–111
stumbling/blanking out, 111–112,
261–262, 296–297
Peers. See Other speakers
Pennington, Robert, 290–291
Perez, Rosita, 205
Peters, Tom, 26

INDEX 321
Photograph, professional, 150–154
Physical activity/movement, 76–77, 283–284
common mistakes:
pacing back and forth, 306
stepping out of sight (moving behind
front rows), 305
expansive, 73
Physical comfort (audience), 104
Pocket dictators, 217–218
Porter, Michael, 35
Positioning in marketing, 120–125
Pre-presentation:
arriving well in advance, 118
breathing exercise, 261
client factors (giving speaker “space” prior
to presentation), 178
control factor, 260–261
creating fail safe environment, 261–262
greeting members, 119, 258, 265–267
jitters/anxiety, dealing with, 259–261
shielding yourself from other speakers,
258–259
taping key words to floor or podium, 261
transition: approaching showtime, 267–268
Presentation(s):
audience (see Audience)
common mistakes, 301–310
customized, 176
ending/closing (see Closing)
high-content, 69–72
impact of (four levels), 186–187
introduction to (see Introduction (of
speaker))
opening (see Opening your presentation)
opportunities for marketing at, 132
perceived value, 72
taping (see Taping presentation)
topics for (see Topics)
trouble (see Problems/challenges)
Presentation materials:
GET audience participation packets, 8,
177–178, 230, 279
kit, 182
props, 282–284
visuals (see Visuals)
Presentation tips: developing/enlivening,
47–114
assignment expectations, 71–72
audience involvement/responsiveness (see
Audience)
body and movement, 73–77
deep-seated appeal, 61
diction, 59–60
freezing the moment, 74–76
fresh, keeping material, 45–46
humor (see Humor)
logical sequence at right time, 70–71
mixed volumes and tones, 74
pauses/silences, 108–114
presenting best of you, 57–68
seamless, 235–238
stimulating/enervating audience, 71
story telling (see Story telling)
trilogistic speech, 61
visuals, 78–90
Problems/challenges:
audience, 291
being asked to shorten your presentation,
293–294
blanking out or stumbling, 111–112,
261–262, 296–297
equipment glitches, 83, 87
hecklers, 292
jitters (pre-speech), 259–262
questions from audience, 284, 297–300
working with hotel audiovisual staff,
86–88
Products/services, selling, 128, 140,
144–145, 190, 199–205, 308
Professional associations/societies, 44–45
Professional Convention Management
Association (PCMA), 219
Prop(s):
audience, 282–283
clothing, 284
presenter as, 283–284
Publications, editorial coordination, 128–129
Question/answer session, 284, 297–300
Questionnaire, pre-speech, 119
Quiz exercise card, sample, 232
Reading:
by introducer, of your introduction speech,
243–244
jokes, 51–52
from notes/script, 305–306
Reagan, Ronald, 49, 75, 273
Register.com, 139
Religion, 224
Restructuring/downsizing, 35–36
Retreats (meeting type), 43–44
Robbins, Tony, 10
Roberts, Julia, 67
Robertson, Jean, 96–97
Robinson, Grady Jim, 95

INDEX
322
Room layouts. See Meeting room(s), layouts
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 111
Rumsfeld, Donald, 273
Rylatt, Alistair, 74–75
Salsbury, Glenna, 150
Santos, Tricia, 122–123
Schwarzkopf, Norman, 273
Seasonal topics, 4
Seating arrangements. See Meeting room(s),
layouts
Secondary audiences, identifying, 8–9
Selection committees, winning over,
182–183
Selling products/services, 128, 140, 190,
199–205, 308
Seminars:
conducting your own, 124–125
speaking at, 41–42
Sexual references, 225
Shared speaker, 190
Shortening presentations, 293–294
Six-Three-Six Rule, 84
Slides, 82
Small businesses, 44
Sniffles, managing, 306–307
Speaker(s):
always being at your best, 57–68,
237–238
athletic skill, 76
contracts (see Agreements/contracts)
enjoyment (secret to effective speaking),
66–67
marketing (see Marketing; Marketing
materials)
as the message, 57
motivation, 18–21, 98–99
responsiveness, 119
style (meeting planner concerns), 176
wardrobe tips, 58–59
what meeting planners want from,
117–119, 175–176
Speaking topics. See Topics
Speech coach, using, 62–66
Sponsors, corporate, 130
Spoon feeding audience, 279
Sports analogies, overusing, 307
Sports/hobbies (source of stories), 94
Stallings, Fran, 102–103
Starsite.com, 218
State and Regional Associations of the United
States, 219
Statistics, industry (collecting), 125
Story telling, 91–97, 98–107, 306
bringing audience along, 91–92
fitting into speech, 102
listening experience (audience factors),
102–105
mapping, 100
mistakes in, 92, 306
MIT (most important thing), 99–100
motives and, 98–99
painting a picture, 102
perfecting your story, 99–100
practicing, 105–107
reconstructing setting (going to story
location), 100–101
signature story, finding/developing, 91–97
word painting, 100
words/expressions, choosing carefully, 101
Sturm, Brian, 103
Summary vs. closing, 294
Surveys/questionnaire/quizzes, 119, 177,
230–233
Symposium (meeting type), 41
Taping coaching session, 64–65
Taping presentation:
discount for organization that does this,
137
issues, when taping requested by client,
201–205
copyright, 205
fee, 204–205
microphone in audience, 205
sample taping agreement, 202–203
opportunities for onsite testimonials,
131–132
reasons to tape yourself, 131–132
reviewing tapes of yourself, 46, 131,
272–273
salvaging, 87
Technology, incorporating new, 37
Telephone:
conference call, 184
headsets, 88, 217
leaving messages, 228
no-click keyboard for using during
conversation, 216
recording conversations, 32, 216–217
toll-free and fax numbers, need for, 118
Television, closed circuit, 89–90
10 Percent Rule, 84–85
Terminology, sensitivity/awareness in:
inclusive language, 224–225
insensitive terms, 222

INDEX 323
religious views, 224
sexual references, 225
war and attack metaphors, 179
Thatcher, Margaret, 273
Thinking vs. speech (speed of ), 108
Thomas, Carol Copeland, 224
Throwaways, saving, 28–29
Thurmon, Dan, 76, 283
Time factors:
avoiding looking at your watch, 307–308
being asked to shorten your presentation,
293–294
running overtime, 309
techniques for keeping track of time, 293,
308
using a timer, 293, 308
waiting for latecomers, 302–303
Topics, 1–46
association executives as sources for,
25
brainstorming guidelines, 32–33
buzzword approach to selecting, 6–7
change as, 34–38
commentary sections of newspapers as
sources for, 25
creativity in finding, 33–34
cyclical, 4–5
deficiencies approach to finding, 15–16
emotions, appealing to, 10–17
exercises to stimulate thought, 16–17
expanding on what you’re already saying,
29–30
gaps in other people’s presentations, 31
gurus as sources, 26
“hot,” 4
ideal, 19
inspirational presentations, 11
irritations approach to finding, 15
librarians as sources for, 26–27
list generation, 14
long-term, 4–5, 7–8
meeting planners as sources for, 22–24
meeting types and, 39–46
model for generating, 29
motivational presentations, 11
opinion leaders as sources for, 23–25
paradigm shift, 5
recording telephone conversations, 32
researching, 22–27
seasonal, 4
serious/humorous versions, 8
seven subtle unconscious desires, 12–13
variety of, 3–9
what people traditionally want, 13–14
your driving forces (topics of passion) and,
19–20
your hidden strengths, 28–33
your intriguing subjects, 31
your motives for speaking and, 18–21
your throwaways as, 28–29
Trade associations, 45
Trade Show Exhibitors Association, 219
Trading services with clients, 190
Trailblazers (change as topic), 36–37
Training (meeting type), 42–43
Travel:
airline travel/reservations, 247–248
efficient use of time, 246–247
expenses, 196
glitches, 87
impact of 9/11 terrorist attacks, 179
mailing packages to yourself, 245
preventative measures while checking in,
248
proper packing, 246
tips, 245–248
Trends, spotting, 5
Trilogistic speech, 61
Trudeau, Garry, 270
Tunney, Jim, 110–111
Turisi, Judy, 58
Ury, William, 189
Vertical opportunities, 129
Videos:
demonstration tape (see Marketing
materials, video demonstration
tape)
as part of presentation, 83–84
taping your presentation (see Taping
presentation)
Viewcharts/flipcharts, 80–81
Visuals, 78–90. See also Audiovisual
considerations
10 Percent Rule, 84–85
benefits, 78–79
closed-circuit television, 89–90
color combinations, 85–86
fonts, 85
general principles for using, 84–85
importance of quality of, 118–119
key considerations, 79
online presentations, 88–89
shapes, 85
Six-Three-Six Rule, 84

INDEX
324
Visuals (Continued)
types of:
image magnification technology (I-Mag
screens), 82–83
multimedia, 84
overhead transparencies, 81–82
printed materials, 79–80
slides, 82
videos, 83–84
viewcharts/flipcharts, 80–81
working with hotel audiovisual staff,
86–88
Voice:
improving diction, 59–60
mixed volumes and tones, 74, 281
using speech coach, 62–66
Voice and Speech Trainers Association
(VASTA), 63
Volunteering to serve in an additional
capacity, 188
Walker, Al, 239
Walters, Barbara, 281
Wardrobe. See Clothing/wardrobe
Washington (directory), 219
Waterman, Robert, 26
Web sites. See Internet/Web sites
Wexler, Phil, 43
“What it means to you” (use of phrase),
277–278
Wilder, Lilian, 60
Wilkinson, Bruce, 7, 96
Word list, 59–60
Word painting, 100
Workshops, 42
Yoho, David Alan, 95–96, 109–110, 185
Yudkin, Marcia, 148

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