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Great Speaking Vol. 2 Number 16
Speaker Shop Gift Certificates now available (see below)
See Tom in person in Toronto Dec 11 at CAPS
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GREAT SPEAKING
Circulation 12,323
Vol. 2 Number 16 - November 27, 2000
Publisher: Tom Antion tom@Antion.com
http://www.Antion.com
(C) Anchor Publishing 2000
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No one ever lost credibility by
being interesting.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip
2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article
(Beginners should read this too)
3. Humor Technique Series
4. Speaker Marketing Tip
5. Speaker Humor
6. Websites for Speakers
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip
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FLOOR CHECK by Tom Antion
Make it a point to check the area you will be walking
on during your presentation. Risers are notorious for
being wobbly. The gaps between them can catch your shoes.
Check the entire surface area by walking in each area
and listening for loud thumps and squeaks. Check the
stairs up to the risers for placement and sturdiness.
Even if you are not using a riser, cords to your
projection equipment can get in your way. Make sure they
are taped down with good quality duct tape or high
quality "gaffer tape."
If you do trip during a presentation have some one liners
ready like, "Well, I had a good trip and I'll see you next
fall," or "So much for all those poise and charm lessons
I had as a kid, " or "No wonder I got kicked out of
Arthur Murray."
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2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article
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UPDATE ON "FREQUENCY CHECK" ARTICLE IN LAST ISSUE.
http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissue2000.htm v2n15
Alert Reader, co-publisher of "Speaker Net News," and
author of "TurboTime: Maximizing Your Results Through
Technology" Rebecca Morgan, recommends the Gyropoint RF
mouse that has variable frequencies. Check it out at
http://www.mindpath.com/
You can check out Rebecca's book at
http://www.RebeccaMorgan.com/books_summary.html
KEEPING UP TO DATE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE by Michael Stahl
At a recent NSA (National Speakers Association) meeting I
had the privilege to sit with Naomi Rhode, CSP, CPAE and
Cavett Award Winner. One observation particularly struck
me...Naomi said that with nearly 25 years of experience
in professional speaking, she has seen audiences
progressively get more and more sophisticated. She said
that as speakers we need to constantly offer more and
better material that is both up to date and relevant.
In addition to higher expectations for speech or seminar
content, she said that audiences also EXPECT much more
entertainment value than ever before - regardless of how
technical your topic might be.
So here are some tips you can use to stay up to date,
connect more with your audience and score a home run
every time...
1) Get the SCOOP
You are expected to be prepared for your audience with
pre-program questionnaires and research. HOWEVER, you can
take your preparation to the next level by using
interesting tidbits about people in your audience - yes
that's right, by getting the real scoop. Ask the meeting
planner for interesting facts and/or stories about
specific members of your audience. Then you can weave
this information into your program and really surprise
people in the audience when you talk about them.
Of course you have to use common sense when deciding
what "scoop" to use. Anything inappropriate or potentially
offensive should be scrapped. However, when you use funny,
interesting tidbits about people in your audience, the
entire group feels more involved and they appreciate the
fact that you really did your homework.
2) Quote the Leaders
Use quotes from the leaders of the organization to whom
you are speaking in both your handout and your presentation.
Presidents and CEOs love to be quoted by an outside source
and they always get a kick out of seeing their name in
print on your material. This establishes rapport with your
audience, letting them know that you have taken the time
to study the issues that are important to them.
3) Ask People Questions in the Audience
There are many ways to use audience interaction. By
actually coming down into the audience you can connect in
a more powerful way. Come down from the stage into the
audience, ask a person's name and have them say it into
the microphone. Then ask them a question to get their
opinion on an issue important to their organization and
have them speak into the microphone. After their response
you can instantly adapt that into your program to
reinforce what you are saying. The questions should be
worded so that you know the response will underscore
something you have to say.
You can also ask questions of the whole group in order
to add humor by saying, "Would you agree with me that...?"
This is a way to put a lighthearted atmosphere into your
presentation and break it up. The questions can be so
obvious that they jump out and grab you. When you ask
specific things that are pertinent to your audience, they
enjoy the program much more and have an increased sense
of involvement.
4) Walk Into the Audience As You Speak
By walking toward the back of the room and then circling
around to the front, it takes people by surprise. They
tend to listen more to what you are saying because the
movement shakes them out of their comfort zone of a "You
talk, I listen" mentality. It is not taboo to have your
back to your audience for short periods of time. Many
people will turn in their chairs and readjust themselves
to see what you are doing. This is one of my favorite
presenting and performing techniques to take people out
of a rigid, traditional way of thinking. It creates an
excitement within the room and makes your audience think
in a more progressive state.
Michael L. Stahl is the President of the Central Florida
Speakers Association and has spoken to some of the largest
corporations and associations in the world. Oracle, Disney
Event Productions, Sprint, Omni Hotels and AAA are among
his many clients. To subscribe to his FREE weekly e-zine
the "Motivational Minute" go to http://www.michaelstahl.com
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3. HUMOR TECHNIQUE
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FAKE STUFF by Tom Antion
You can really have fun with the audience by reading phony
or funny surveys, business letters, bogus telegrams,
notes from the meeting planner, and other contrived
pieces of correspondence. You can also get them involved
using this technique by recruiting audience members in
advance to help give you inside information to use with
these gags.
Fake surveys: (Have the meeting planner or registration
attendant interrupt to give you "the results of the door
survey.")
We did a random sampling of those in attendance today and
these are the results of the survey. (You can make up
questions and answers that apply to your group or adapt
the generic ones below.)
1. In response to the question, "What do you want to
accomplish at today's meeting?," 2 percent said they
wanted to hear about the upcoming sales strategy,
3 percent said they wanted to learn closing techniques and
a full 95 percent came to find out who the band would be
for the Christmas party.
Note: This is an example of the comic principle called
"The Rule of Three." The first two responses above were
straight lines and the third was the zinger.
2. In response to the question "What did you think of the
food at today's luncheon?," 4 percent said they thought
the main entree was too spicy, 7 percent said the shrimp
were overcooked, and the rest of you, 89 percent to be
exact, belched. I guess that tells it all.
Or use a funny question
3. In response to the question, "How many of you think you
will be better looking when you leave my session?," [pick
on fun members of the audience, but clear it with them
first] Joe Watkins said, "I don't need to be better looking.
I've got brains." Janice Stephens said, "I couldn't be
any better looking. Eat your hearts out." Bob Harley said,
"Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes all the way
to the bone."
FAKE NOTE FROM MEETING PLANNER
There is a high powered rifle aimed directly at your mouth.
It will go off if you are not done by exactly 11:15 AM.
Thanks
Sharon the meeting planner
(Source: "Wake 'em Up Business Presentations"
http://www.antion.com/wakebook.htm )
********* GREAT SPEAKER REFERENCE *******
BE THE HIT OF YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION!
"Wake em Up! How to Use Humor and Other Professional
Techniques to Create Alarmingly Good Business Presentations"
"Toms program and materials will cut five years
off a speakers learning curve."
-- Cavett Robert, Founder National Speakers Assn.
Now available for immediate download in pdf format
http://www.antion.com/speakershop.htm click on "E Books"
For a FREE Chapter visit
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4. $$$$$$$ SPEAKER MARKETING TIP $$$$$$$$
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THREE PRONG ATTACK by Tom Antion
If there is one weakness I think I exhibited in the 17
test Electronic Marketing Butt Camps I just completed
I think it would be providing the participants with a
good action plan. There was just so much good stuff I
tried to cram in the day this aspect of the plan never
got it's fair shake.
I've done lots of thinking about this and have boiled
the entire process into three major areas that I call
the "Three Prong Attack." Whether you are already
implementing electronic marketing techniques or if you
plan to, this attack will be the big battle plan for
you to follow. When you get lost and/or confused, you
simply revert back to this main plan to get you back
on track. Keep in mind that all three of these prongs
must be in place and working for large Internet sales
to occur.
Prong 1 -- Kick Butt Website
The website is the vehicle by which you can attract new
business that never heard of you before and business that
you would never have been able to attract through normal
channels. It also acts as a brochure which will save you
tons of money on sending out press kit material.
You have a quite a bit of learning and implementation to
accomplish to do a good job with your website. You have to
learn all the tricks of keyword, and keyword placement. You
have to learn about the rapidly changing search engine game.
You have to learn link trade strategies, website statistics,
psychology of web site sales, shopping cart stuff and a ton of
other things that must be handled and work together for the
website to work for you. You don't have to know how to do
all these things yourself, but if you don't understand the
need, the chances are EXTREMELY SLIM that your website will
accomplish much.
Prong 2 -- Kick Butt Email List
The website brings in new people, but if you think many of
them are coming back to your site, you are kidding yourself.
You must make efforts to get them to allow you to send them
email so that you can recontact them forever for free. This
is where all the money comes from. You strike an implied
bargain with the people who sign up. You will send them good
info for free and they will allow you to advertise your
products and services. Send too many ads in relation to good
info and they will get off your list. Don't send enough
promotional material and you won't make any money.
Prong 3 -- Kick Butt Product Development
As I said last issue.
http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues2000.htm v2n15 Quit
trying to sell speaking engagements. Sell your knowledge
in as many formats as you can. Your information can sell
around the world bringing in lots of cash flow. This
constant cash influx into your business allows you to
raise your speaking fees and only take the best speaking
engagements. You don't have to accept the lesser
engagements, or reduce your fee because you have a quite
secure income stream from the products. The product
distribution also gets you more speaking engagements.
More people hear your message and are more likely to hire
you to speak.
THE THREE PRONGS MUST WORK TOGETHER AND BE DEVELOPED
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
You shouldn't kill yourself developing products and then
try to build a list and develop a website. You'll be so
far behind on the website and list building that it will
discourage you. On the other hand, you don't want to spend
all your time on list building and websites and have
nothing to sell. All three prongs should grow at the same
time. This will require some time management, but it will
be very rewarding because the profits will start to come
much quicker and it will be extremely motivating to watch
them build as your website matures and your list builds.
Also, people on your list will virtually tell you what
they want you to sell them. The products will be developed
with an instant market which virtually eliminates the risk.
Put all three prongs together and it can create a very
substantial income in a very short period of time. Watch
for the New Improved Butt Camp in 2001.
NOTE: The site below is where I learned virtually all
of my electronic marketing techniques:
http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/12273/
Want to really take advantage of your E-mail marketing . . .
WITHOUT BEING A SPAMMER?
GO TO http://www.marketingtips.com/mailloop/t.x/12273
Get your own associate program and have other websites
selling tons of your products and services.
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Tom's Top Ten Marketing Resources page
http://www.antion.com/marketingtools.htm
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5. SPEAKER HUMOR
=====================================================
=> I'm opposed to millionaires, but it would be dangerous
to offer me the position -- Mark Twain, born Nov. 30, 1835
=> Winston has devoted the best years of his life to
preparing his impromptu speech. -- Frederick Edwin Smith
about Winston Churchill born Nov. 30, 1874
=> My wife was immature. I'd be home in the bath and she
would come in and sink my boats. -- Woody Allen, born
Dec. 1, 1935
=> Marriage is really tough because you have to deal
with feelings and lawyers. -- Richard Pryor, born Dec 1, 1940
=> After 30 a body has a mind of it's own. -- Bette Midler,
born Dec 1 1945
December 5 is Don't drink water day
December 5 Prohibition repealed in the USA
=> Wine improves with age . . . the older I get the more I
like it.
=> You can fool too many of the people too much of the time --
James Thurber
=> Diplomat: A person who thinks twice before saying nothing.
=> If you get up early, work late and pay your taxes, you
will get ahead . . . if you strike oil -- Jean Paul Getty
=> I didn't actually get a divorce . . . I was traded.
-- Tim Conway
=> Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy?
. . . I don't know and I don't care. -- William Safire
=> There are two periods when congress does no business.
Before the holidays and after the holidays.-- George Prentice
=> Monogamy is the Western custom of one wife and hardly
any mistresses. -- Saki
=> Nepotism is only kin deep.
=> On the rhinoceros: Here's an animal with skin two feet
thick and no interest in politics . . . What a waste!
-- James Wright, Jr.
=> If at first you don't succeed, failure may be your
style. -- Quentin Crisp
=> If you want to read about love and marriage you have
to buy two separate books. -- Alan King
=> Somewhere on this globe every ten seconds a woman
is giving birth to a child . . . She must be found and
stopped. -- Sam Levenson
=> How come people in Florida can play 15 Bingo cards at
once and not be able to understand one ballot?
Much more FREE speaker humor at
http://www.antion.com/humor/speakerhumor/speakerhumor.htm
=====================================================
6. USEFUL WEBSITES
=====================================================
Good new book teaching you how to automate your business:
Make Your Mouse Roar! by Bill Bruck http://www.bruck.com
http://www.public-speaking.org 120 free articles
on public speaking
http://www.tickerland.com/ Put YOUR news on other sites
http://kresch.com/resources/Content/News_Tickers/ All kinds
of free news feeds for your website
http://www.ezineuniversity.com Free online handbook on how
to do ezines
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Tom for speaking engagements and bulk product sales.
Commissions normally start between $850.00 and $1700
depending on your level of involvement. For complete
details visit http://www.antion.com/referrals.htm
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FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS
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I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too. Thanks
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