Why Should Anyone Listen To You?

On Credibility and Nervousness

My friend Theresa is a wonderful speaker. She is alive, animated, smart, articulate and people love her. She came to me recently though and told me that while she does well in front of some audiences – other times she totally loses it. She cannot hold her thoughts, rambles, and finds herself finishing 1-hour talks in 10 minutes. She was perplexed as to why sometimes she could be so confident, self-assured, and charismatic and at other times feel like a bowl of jello.

Nervousness properly managed is a good thing – it is a primal reaction that keeps us sharp and attentive. Becoming so distraught that we are unable to focus is, however, not a good reaction to nervousness. While there are many reasons we get nervous in front of a group – understanding the cause is the first step to managing it to your advantage.

As Theresa and I spoke, the cause of her nervousness became apparent. If she felt the audience knew less about the subject than she did, she was confident and self-assured. What made her nervous was believing the audience might know as much or more than she did on a particular topic

No wonder she was nervous – she was afraid the audience would see her as a fraud despite the fact that she has an advanced degree, tremendous passion and more than 20 years experience.

She had not convinced herself she was a credible source of information – and could not therefore convince the audience of that.

The next time you plan a talk, begin by asking yourself (and do write down the answer!):

“Why am I qualified to speak on this subject?”

If you are like most people, you might initially draw a blank here. However, think hard. How many years experience do you have with this subject, what work, (paid or volunteer) or life experiences do you have that relate to your topic? Do you have a degree or other training that ties in? Do you have a love or passion for what you do?

In order for your audience to perceive you as credible, you have to believe you are credible. There is a reason you are qualified to stand in front of that group and speak – find it and you will feel your nervousness (or part of it anyway) fading away as your self confidence increases.

Thank you to Dr. Jon Hooper for introducing me to the Source Test.

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“Good Speakers are born. Great Speakers are trained. Click HERE to learn how you will benefit by attending the Speakers Academy .

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Related articles

• Comfortable Speakers Are Not Always Effective Speakers (ispeakeasyblog.wordpress.com)
• Show The Audience You Don’t Care (ispeakeasyblog.wordpress.com)
• 6 Ways To Lose Your Audience In The First 10 Seconds (ispeakeasyblog.wordpress.com)
• The Single Most Important Speaking Tip (ispeakeasyblog.wordpress.com)
• How Much Time Do You Really Have To Grab Their Attention? (ispeakeasyblog.wordpress.com)
• On Buying Aspirin And Public Speaking (ispeakeasyblog.wordpress.com)

 

© 2007 – All Rights Reserved. This speaking tip is one in a series provided to you by iSpeakEASY. Call for information on individual coaching or group training.

Reasons You May NOT Need Help With Your Presentation

Speaking Tip # 62

I hear a lot of reasons for why people do not want help with their presentations:

• “I don’t feel nervous in front of an audience.”
• “I am only presenting to my peers.”
• “It is just a staff meeting.”
• “I know my subject.”
• “I took public speaking in college.”
• “I use PowerPoint.”
• “I don’t use PowerPoint.”
• “I did not have time to prepare so I will just wing it.”

After their talk, speakers often justify why they are sure they did not need help:

• “I was not nearly as nervous as I thought I would be.”
• “No one threw fruit “(yes, they really say this to me!).
• “My friends said I did a good job.”
• “They laughed and clapped, they must have liked it.”
• “There were no questions.”
• “It felt pretty good – I think I did okay.”

This is all good except nervousness is not a gauge of effectiveness, people don’t really throw fruit (at least in this country), your friends tend to say you do well, and not asking questions probably means they want the fastest way out of the room.

An effective presentation is one where you meet the objectives you set before you spoke.

In sales, this may mean an increase in closed sales.

In management, this may mean changing employee behavior.

As a scientist, this may mean increasing support for your project.

As a parent, this may mean a reduction in household tension.

In non-profits, this may mean more money and volunteers to accomplish your mission.

Before you plan your next talk, write down the answer to this question:

“When I am done, what do I want my audience to do?”

Plan the talk with this answer as your target and you improve the chance you will reach your objective.

The Speakers Academy is designed for professionals serious about improving their presentation skills. This four-part workshop focuses on the key elements of effective presentations: Organization, content, delivery, and visual aids. Graduates leave with increased confidence, are viewed as more credible, have noticeably improved skill, and enjoy greater success with their speaking. Click here for more information.

© 2010  iSpeakEASY. All rights reserved – This speaking tip is one in a series provided by iSpeakEASY. We help people profit from their words. Call for information on individual coaching or group workshops.

Unlocking The Minds Of Your Audience

Speaking Tip # 66

 

Chances are, we’ve all tried to use a key that is rusted, dirty, and nicked. Yes, the key might open the lock, but it takes more effort and frustration.

Content is the key to a good presentation, but if key is not well polished, the presentation won’t measure up to expectations.

A good presentation is easy to follow and fun to hear. The audience is intrigued and inspired, and the room is filled with energy. This happens when the speaker’s goal is to allow the audience to focus on the meaning of the words, rather than exert effort trying to figure out what they mean. The more distractions (rust, dirt, nicks) the speaker can remove, the easier it is for the key to unlock the minds of the audience.

Common types of speaker rust, dirt, and nicks include:

·     Irrelevant information or relevant information delivered at the wrong time. As a speaker, it’s easier to determine what to say than to know what not to say. Some speakers assume they are the center of attention and believe the audience wants to hear everything they have to say. Effective speakers understand the audience is the center of attention, so everything said must benefit the audience, not satisfy the ego of the speaker.

·     Poor presentation style. Distracting mannerisms, verbal fidgeting (ums, ahs), and pacing back and forth all detract from speaker credibility. Rather than being able to relax and absorb what’s being said, the audience only shares the speaker’s discomfort.

·     Poorly designed talk. The audience expends energy trying to piece together bits of information, rather than being able to expand on the ideas being presented.

·     Poorly designed graphics. The audience is forced to guess what an image means, rather than just listen to the speaker and understand the points being made.

·     Lack of attention to audience needs. An audience member who is thirsty, hungry, deprived of caffeine, or in need of a break has a difficult time listening, let alone focusing and appreciating.

A good presentation demonstrates respect for the audience. It says the speaker values the audience enough to make the experience completely enjoyable. Most people will forgive poor presentation style if the content is valuable or interesting; however, they have every right to expect a presentation with good content and excellent delivery.

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Are you an experienced speaker interested in improving your skills and increase the effectiveness of your presentations? The Speakers Academy is a fast, intense, four-part workshop for professionals that want to increase their confidence, become more credible, and accomplish more with their words.

We will build on your existing skills and bring you to a new level with your speaking.

Click here to learn more.

 

 

© 2011  iSpeakEASY. All rights reserved -. We help people profit from their words. Call for information on individual coaching or group workshops. . 

Gratitude And Appreciation For $.24

This morning I received an email from Netflix apologizing for causing me an inconvenience and offering a 3% discount on my bill. This stems from the other night when I tried to log on but Netflix was having technical problems and I could not watch a movie.  No big deal really. It happened and I forgot about it.

I was elated as I read their email though. I had forgotten the whole incident already but I always like saving money.

What a great company. They acknowledged a problem that probably was out of their control anyway, accepted responsibility, and offered to make it up to me. That is the type of company I want to do business with. That is the type of business I want to be.

It wasn’t until later that I realized I would see a $.24 reduction in my bill. That is not even a quarter. That will not even buy me 10 minutes parking on the street.

WOW. They are good. They bought a lot of my gratitude and support for less than a quarter. I still like them. As a matter of fact, I like them even more now.  Sometimes it is not the value of the gift that is important, it is the fact they thought about offering something at all.

I wonder, what small thing can I do with my clients, friends and families that will have a big impact?

15 Seconds

15 seconds. That is how much time you have to grab the attention of your audience. 15 seconds to prove what you are about to say is important to them! Use this time efficiently and they are yours. Waste it and you can watch your audience fidget, turn away, and mentally leave the room.  In   one-on-one conversations, you will be able to watch their eyes dart about before they divert the conversation to a new topic.      

We know the value of being clear on what we are trying to say. Now we shift the focus from us and look at why it is important to them, our audience.      

Start your talk with a provocative statement that will capture your audience right off the bat. Think of a rhetorical question, a joke, a story, a statistic or a dramatic statement that will peak interest and make them want to hear the rest of what you have to say. Find something that demonstrates why what you want to say is of value to them.      

Think about this: when you buy a book – is it wrapped in a jacket (or cover) that is designed to intrigue you or is it in plain brown wrapping? The purpose of the cover is to make you want to pick the book up and look deeper. Think of your opening statement as the cover of the book – what are you going to put there to make others want to know what is inside?      

An all-too-common mistake is to starting the talk with the verbal equivalent of brown paper wrapping – uninteresting background, the usual thank yous, or other irrelevant information. The audience is lost before you have begun.      

When you stand up to speak (or walk into someone’s office) – be ready with a good opening line that is to-the-point and captivating. It should be clearly thought out, well rehearsed and directly tied to your main message, even if you are speaking one-on-one.      

Try this experiment – watch other people speak. Do they start with something of interest to you or do they begin by telling you things you don’t really care about? How do you react to this situation and what is it that makes you stay tuned?      

The first 15 seconds of your talk are critical to your success. Take time to plan it well so that you grab their attention and make your audience want to listen.      

© 2009 All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links from your blog or webpage are encouraged.

Let Your Passion Show

Let Your Passion Show

We often feel being “professional” requires being sterile – keeping emotion and passion out of our work and out of our talks. Yet heartfelt stories of personal tragedy, drama, discovery, loss, and triumph are universal experiences that help build rapport with audiences.

Audiences feed off enthusiasm, passion, desire, and confidence. Share these with your audience; allow your audience to feel the exuberance you have for your work. Share with them the struggles and accomplishments that have brought you to where you are today.

A good story from the heart can result in the entire audience being silent and rapt with attention. Audiences love stories and more so when they include human drama. All ears will be on you and there will be few, if any, side conversations or other distracting behaviors.

You have a reason for doing the work you do. You chose to be here. Use this reason to help get your point across. If you have a compelling story of why you do what you do, share it.

This is the meaning behind your work – it is what brought you here. This story will be a stronger motivator than mere product information. When you tell personal stories, your audience will want to listen, they will lean forward, and the room will fill with silence: a complete silence that allows each of your words to land strongly in the ears of your listener. Your audience will feel you are real and will want to support you or your business.

If you have a heartfelt true story – tell it. If you are excited about your topic – show it. If you have a belief – share it. Make yourself vulnerable. Tell your audience who you really are – they will admire and respect you for it.

Fill your talks with passion and emotion. Use your stories to captivate your audience and help them understand why you do what you do. They will then be more likely to listen to you and to follow your suggestions.

 

© 2009 – All rights reserved. This speaking tip is one in a series provided to you by iSpeakEASY.  Call for information on individual coaching or group training.

Good Presenters Always Offer Their Best

“I am not really prepared for this presentation tonight” the speaker stated as he opened his talk. “I have not been feeling well so did not have time to prepare. I did not want to let you down, so I came anyway.”

As a member of the audience, what is going through your head at this point in the talk?

1. Great, I busted my butt to get here only to get a second rate presentation
2. On top of being bored, I will probably get sick from his germs
3. Maybe I can sneak out the back unnoticed and get something important done
4. All of the above

The speaker has barely started his talk yet his credibility is already lower than the floor.

There are many reasons for not being prepared for your talk but no real excuses. You knew you would be expected to speak and probably procrastinated on the preparation. Your audience has sacrificed to come hear you and deserve your best. If you can not deliver, consider alternatives that may save your professional credibility.

“I am under the weather today and will not be able to deliver the seminar I promised you. I am very disappointed and apologize for the inconvenience, but want to be at my best for you and do not want to risk sharing my illness with you. Let’s reschedule for next week.”

Which feelings do you think you will experience after reading the above email:

1. Disappointment yet happy to have an extra 2 hours in your day
2. Appreciative of the courtesy of the speaker
3. Excitement for the high quality presentation you will get when she recovers
4. All of the above

The first speaker demonstrated lack of respect for the audience – they were not important enough to him to adequately prepare. His talk should have been planned in advance so that last minute “stresses” would not have an impact.

The audience will judge your professional abilities based, in part, on how well you present. A second-rate performance indicates you are a second-rate professional. A first rate delivery indicates you take time to plan and prepare in all aspects of your life and work.

Your credibility is on the line every time you present. A single bad presentation will not destroy your career and it won’t do anything to enhance it. Presenting is one of the best ways to build your business, gain support for your project, and influence others. The audience is giving you the most important item they have, their time. Honor that by delivering your best to them.

 © 2009 – This speaking tip is one in a series provided by iSpeakEASY. We help people profit from their words.

Call for information on individual coaching or group workshops.

What’s the Reel Deal with Video?

Article by Ryan Kelly of WSI Smart Marketing

Videos are key in this day and age. They are vital in decision making as well as in enhancing traffic. Placing your video in YouTube is a great way to get your video out there, but that’s all it’s going to do. It’s not going to drive much traffic to your  website to your business. YouTube inherently drives traffic to your YouTube channel, not your website. Here are some key points to consider when using video in your website and syndicating out across the Internet.

First, you must present a professional video. It shouldn’t be shaky and amateur. Put ample time into scripting the video, and use equipment that will make you look good and represent your company well. If your video looks cheap, you look cheap. If you don’t sound like a specialist, then you’re not a specialist.  If it looks thrown together, then your work must be thrown together. You get the point.

Second, have a professional company place your video into a professional player and then place it in your website. The player should always be hosted independently so that regardless of someone’s computer or software, they can watch it. Professional players allow you to tag or program the video with advanced search engine optimization techniques, allowing you to rise in the video rankings online. This is important because when someone does a search and the video comes up in Google, you want them on your website where the rest of your information resides. They will be exposed to more relative information about what the video touches on. You will increase conversion and traffic if this is done properly.

After you have a professional video and after it’s properly placed in your website, you will want to syndicate it out to several other major video sharingsites. YouTube is just the first of many. With saturation comes relativity in Google’s eyes. If you push your video to other websites, Google sees that you have a lot of relative information coming from your website and it will not only help your video come up higher in the Google rankings, but it will directly affect your website rankings.

Video can help drive traffic to your website but quality video will help convert viewers into customers.

We offer a “soup-to-nuts” approach web video production that is easy, fast, fun, and affordable. You come to us with knowledge of your business and a clean shirt and a few hours later, you walk out with a slightly rumpled shirt and professional quality video.

Easy. Fun. Fast. Affordable. CLICK HERE for more info.

Click here for a video testimonial from a satisfied client.

Click here for a sample video.

Click here to learn how video can help your business.

Would your Networking group or organization be interested in a free presentation  on “Creating Effective Web Video”? Call 415 342-7106 or write ethan@ispeakeasy.net for details.

 

© 2011  iSpeakEASY. All rights reserved – This speaking tip is one in a series provided by iSpeakEASY. We help people profit from their words. Call for information on individual coaching or group workshops.

 

Finding The Right Speaking Skills Workshop

Finding a speaking skills workshop is easy. Finding one that helps you become a better speaker is a bit harder.

Have you attended a workshop where you sit in a room full of people, spent most of the time listening, received a binder of information, and are then encouraged to buy more books? If you are like most people, you walked out with your head swimming. The next day you place the binder on your desk with the intention of reading it. Now that binder is on your shelf, unopened, and you are doing things in pretty much the same way today as you did before the workshop.

It does not have to be that way.

A good workshop or speaking coach treats you as an individual. Your thinking is stimulated; you have time to discuss new ideas, and are allowed to practice the new techniques. Instead of overloading you with information, you are feed digestible chunks. You leave feeling empowered to use your new skills. The end result is a change in your behavior that leads to more effective performance. If you are willing to invest time and money to improve your skills, choose your workshop carefully.

A good workshop or Performance Speaking Coach:

• Places emphasis on YOUR skills, talents, and personality rather than those of the instructor.
• Involves one-on-one coaching or small group interaction
• Utilizes professional coaching or a mix of professional and peer coaching (not peer coaching alone)
• Takes a flexible approach to focus on your situation, needs, and interests
• Involves multiple short sessions that allow you to think about what you have learned, apply it, then come back and discuss the results
• Provides honest feedback in a non-judgmental manner
• Feels comfortable
• Offers meaningful interaction with the instructor and other participants
• Pushes you in a safe environment

Be wary of trainings that incorporate:

• Peer-to-peer coaching as the sole method of learning
• Trainers with a “large personality” who want you to emulate their style
• Large hotel conference rooms packed full of participants
• Agendas where you spend more than 50% of the time listening
• Training companies that encourage trainers to sell product
• “Pollyanna” trainers that tell you positive things that feel good without providing critical review of your work.

If you are going to invest time and money into your professional development, make sure to invest wisely so you gain skills and improve as a speaker.

© 2010  iSpeakEASY. All rights reserved – We help people profit from their words. 

Click here  for information on upcoming  workshops.   

Click here to learn about our philos0phy of training.

Click hereif you want to add video to your website.

Giving Thanks: An Inspiring Toast For Your Holiday Meal

It is a gift when you are able to stand and deliver warm, heartfelt words at a gathering of friends of and family. To speak in a manner that makes makes those around you, smile, press against their spouses, hug their kids, and laugh. Maybe you will even bring out a happy tear or two.

As you prepare for your holiday, whether it is at home or elsewhere, take time to reflect on your family and friends, and why you love them. Look around for all the wonderful blessings around you. Think about the holiday and put those thoughts into a short outline.

• Keep it to three points or less.
• Practice saying it.
• Speak slowly and look around the room as you talk allowing your gaze to meet the eyes of each person at your table.
• Keep it light, keep it postive, and focus on the beauty and abundance around you.

You will amaze your family and friends with a heartfelt toast Thursday that will be remembered for a long time.

© 2010  iSpeakEASY. All rights reserved – This speaking tip is one in a series provided by iSpeakEASY. We help people profit from their words. Call for information on individual coaching or group workshops.