One of the benefits of traveling through Australia with 27 other people is the traveling library that accompanies us. The students each have a book or two of their own and, when finished, pass them along to the next interested party. The latest book to find its way to me is Tina Fey’s book, Bossypants. “Ahhh,” I thought, “a book with no agenda, but pure entertainment.” At least that is what I thought until I ran across this passage: "’Television is a visual medium.’ Lorne has said this to me a … [Read more...]
Where do good copy writing and stellar presentation skills meet?
February 14, 2012 By 1 Comment
They come together on a little piece of paper, more commonly referred to as your “hand-out.” You know that one-sheeter you quickly threw together because you remembered one of your marketing coaches mentioned you should have one? Yep, that one. You designed it in Word an hour before you left for your presentation. It’s just a lot of black text on white paper -- oh, and maybe you remembered to put your logo on it, too. I have three words for you, "Slow down, buster." This little hand-out, this leave … [Read more...]
Can your audience taste, feel and smell your presentation?
June 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
How can an audience possibly SMELL a presentation, you ask? As far as I know, scratch and sniff PowerPoint slides have not been invented yet, so unless you are doing a cooking demonstration as part of your presentation, you must rely on your words and your ability to really describe something in sharp detail to get the audience to smell your talk. This concept became crystal clear to me as I was leaving La Guardia last week. My meeting was being held just outside New York City in Stamford, CT and as I crossed the … [Read more...]
Is Anybody Still Listening?
May 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
In the previous blog post we discussed that one of the keys to effective public speaking is arriving on stage with a bold message. As a reminder (or for those of you who are new subscribers) bringing a BOLD message encompasses four components: 1) Break a Pattern; 2) Oh! Factor; 3) Leap; 4) Dare to be Different. Last week I asked you to go back through your presentation and ask yourself, “What is unexpected about my message?” By looking for the unexpected and exposing the parts of your message that are … [Read more...]
“There is Genius in Boldness.”
May 17, 2011 By 2 Comments
This quote from Goethe reminds us that wishy-washy never pays. One of the keys to effective public speaking is arriving on stage with a bold message. I was recently asked to give a presentation on communicating your brand and I looked to Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, for inspiration. After watching several clips of recent Apple product launches it was clear to me that his presentations were BOLD. Each launch incorporated the following elements: Broke a pattern (the) Oh! … [Read more...]
What’s in a Name? Presentation tips from 007.
April 26, 2011 By 1 Comment
“The name is Bond. James Bond.” This is one of the most iconic movie lines in history and you’d be hard pressed to find someone unfamiliar with it. It conjures up images of suave sophistication and martinis, but it should also serve as a reminder of the importance of a name. Oftentimes, an introduction is the only opportunity we get to present ourselves. Whether we are in a networking meeting or attending a seminar our only chance to speak may be when we go around the table and get five seconds to say our … [Read more...]
Nice presenters finish . . . first?
April 19, 2011 By 2 Comments
I am often asked, “Ann Marie, does it make a difference when I present?” I always answer a resounding “YES!” If you are speaking at an event or a conference that includes multiple presenters make a call to the event organizer to see if you can request when you speak. This is one of those times you should hear the echo of your mother saying, “It never hurts to ask, dear.” If you are part of a multi-day event, there are various schools of thought on whether you should request to go first, kicking off … [Read more...]
When presenting, knowing the size of the room does matter.
April 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I’ve seen it happen all too often. You’re ready for your presentation – you’ve practiced your talk, your PowerPoint includes strong visuals and you are dressed for success. All ready to go, right? You think so until you arrive at your venue and the room is shaped like a bowling alley, the chairs are facing a small wobbly podium at the front of the room, but the fixed screen is at the back of the room. Immediately all your careful preparation is thrown out the door. Now you have five minutes to find … [Read more...]
