Professional development

How to get started as a speaker

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Ever had the desire to become a professional speaker? I do. I’m still putting together the pieces, but what I’ve learned could help you in your quest to become a speaker. A full discussion of this topic is beyond the scope of one blog post, but I can offer some suggestions to get you started.

To help in my journey, I purchased Darren LaCroix’s “Get Paid To Speak Next Week” program. Using DVDs and a workbook, Darren shows you how to become a professional speaker from the ground up. The following is from that course.

First, ask yourself: “What do I enjoy doing? What am I really passionate about?” It could be a particular hobby, professional matter or social cause. There is an audience for just about every topic imaginable. It’s better to focus on something you know and love, than to try and force yourself to speak about a topic that just doesn’t resonate with you.

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Effective communication skills are critical in today’s economy

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Effective communication skills help you compete

The massive layoffs in recent years and the continued soft state of the economy have caused many people to turn to job training. To be really effective, part of that retraining should involve developing and maintaining effective communication skills.

Having the confidence to look a person in the eye and express yourself in an intelligent manner can mean the difference between success and failure during an interview and later.

Consider this: Two equally qualified candidates interview for a position. One is poised and gives clear, thoughtful answers. The other slouches in the chair, laces his answers with heavy doses of “you know”, “like” “whatever”, and is constantly looking down or away. Who do you think stands the better chance for a second interview? Whom would you invite back?

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Preparation minimizes miscues during presentations

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Despite the amount of preparation put into a meeting or presentation, old Mr. Murphy may still pay a visit. Oftentimes it’s a result of overlooking a step. That’s why it’s a good idea to develop a checklist for each meeting.

Miscues I witnessed during various meetings serve as helpful reminders of the need for thorough planning. Some issues were encountered by the leader of the group, others by the presenter. Because you could be asked to handle either role, you should keep all these suggestions in mind.

Fill dead time: Two presenters scheduled early in the meeting arrived late to the conference. Luckily, the conference chairman brought along some material he could discuss while we waited for the presenters to arrive. Usually presenters arrive hours before a conference and sometimes even the night before. Even so, it’s always helpful to have some back-up material on hand. This can include a short presentation, some facts and figures on the group, a Q & A session, or discussion with members on important topics.

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Some tips to ensure a successful presentation

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I had the pleasure of offering a presentation to a class of business students on Tuesday. We reviewed a number of important writing tips as well as presentation skills. I always enjoy speaking to groups. Presentations allow me to educate an audience, enhance my presentation skills, and even learn from the event. Each presentation you give is unique. This one offered reminders of certain presentation principles, which I’d like to share with you.

Tips for  a successful presentation

1. Adjust your presentation style to fit class size. I was expecting six students, which would’ve been small anyway. (The classroom was standard size.) Instead, only three attended. All sat in the back row. I used PowerPoint for one presentation and the whiteboard for the other. A tiny group like this forced me to approach and speak from just a few feet away.

While rehearsing and visualizing your presentation, you might picture a full (or nearly full) room. Be prepared for something less. Don’t act shocked if only a handful of audience members arrive. Adjust your presentation style accordingly.

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Overcome writer’s block with a simple strategy

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How to overcome writer’s block

Ever hit a roadblock while trying to write a column or article? As hard as you try, you just cannot come up with a topic. You’ve hit the brick wall that has bedeviled authors for centuries: writer’s block.

writer's block, overcome writer's blockWhat to do? Well, you could bang your head against the wall, but that would hurt a bit. And not really give you any good ideas, except on how to deal with a headache. Writers, after all, are problem solvers. Writer’s block is just one more hurdle to overcome. The following steps will help you come up with suggestions for your next column or article.

First, keep in mind what I call the Four Universal Themes. They are:
– Customer Service
– Increasing sales
– Decreasing costs
– Motivation/Inspiration

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