Developing Original Humor for Your Talk

Most humor in the real-world setting is unplanned. It just happens. Learn three key principles for finding and creating original humor.

Boring Presentations -- Six Ways to Avoid Giving Them

Having recently attended an Information Technology (IT) trade show featuring IT seminars, I was struck by how boring the presentations were. As I looked around the room, I saw people with glazed looks and others falling asleep. It was a shame, because the presenters were obviously knowledgeable and spoke on interesting and timely topics. Even though the presenters were not professional speakers, how could they have avoided being boring?

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Why an artfully delivered speech can be far more persuasive than the written word

Your Everyday Presentations -- How to Add Pizzazz

We spend an inordinate amount of time and effort preparing for a scheduled speech and/or meeting, but we often don’t consider the importance of daily relationship building through presentations. In this article, I discuss the many ways we can add pizzazz to our everyday interactions with others.

Speak and Touch Hearts

It takes a dynamic presenter to step out from behind the lectern and shake up and motivate their audience. Facts touch our mind, but it is the power that comes from stories that touch hearts.

Presentation Ethics -- It's a Matter of Trust

There are ethics and principles that we, as speakers, should embrace and follow. In this article I highlight and explain the speaker’s ethics and principles in which I believe.

Terrific Seminars Are Like Roller Skating

Terrific seminars are just like roller skating. Discover some of the skating techniques that you can use when you prepare your presentations so that you can have terrific seminars.

Public Speaking: Delivering A Killer Opening

The only time you are virtually guaranteed to have the entire audience’s attention is at the beginning of your speech. So why do so many public speakers waste it with a litany of “thank you’s?” It's not interesting when Nicole Kidman does it at the Academy Awards. And no offense. You're not Nicole Kidman.

Voice Power-The Care and Feeding of the Professional Voice

Whether it's the rich, resonant tones of Richard Burton, the breathiness of Marilyn Monroe or the nasality of Fran Drescher, the sound of the voice conjures up an image—an impression—and can influence perception.

Public Speaking: Glossary P - T

PA: Abbreviation for public address system. Panel: A group of presenters, normally seated, that hold a discussion on a particular subject. Audience members are invited to pose questions to individual presenters or to the group as a whole. Parody: A humorous imitation of a serious piece of literature or ...

Public Speaking: Glossary K - O

Keynote: The main speech at a meeting delivered to all attendees in a general session. Originally the main point of a speech. Lavaliere: A corded or cordless microphone worn around the neck or attached to a piece of clothing. See Hands free microphone. Lectern: A stand with a sloping top from which a speaker delivers his or her program. Sometimes incorrectly called a ...

Public Speaking: Words that Sell

The title of this article is the same as a famous book by Richard Bayan that is used by marketing professionals around the world. As I was looking through it the other day I realized that the same kinds of words could be used in public speaking to get the same kinds of effects.

Public Speaking: Storytelling DO's

Use stories during public speaking engagements to illustrate points and state the point in addition to telling the story. Always make your story relevant to the subject at hand.

Public Speaking: Top Ten Ways to Make Money Public Speaking

SELL YOUR KNOWLEDGE This is my overriding principle that came from years of hard knocks trying to get people to hire me to speak. I get more speaking engagements than I ever had before when I quit trying to sell them and began selling my knowledge in as many different formats as possible. The idea is that infinitely more people can buy what you know through books, tapes, CDs, Ebooks and videos than could ever hire you to speak. Your name recognition because of your knowledge distribution makes speaking engagements much easier to come by because the people that could hire you have already heard you and your message on your knowledge based products. In the mean time, the money from the product sales keeps your business thriving.

Public Speaking: Learn Public Speaking Material Easily Using Bits (AKA Chunks or Series)

A bit is a section of public speaking material that is so related that it makes it easy for you to memorize. Each point flows naturally from one to the next so you can deliver the information without notes (if you know your material). Until I learned about bits, I never thought I could be that great at speaking because I'm not great at memorizing long talks. I discovered that no one memorizes long talks. They have a mental or written outline consisting of...