The Successful Speaker

January 2009

Contents This Month

· “So Tell Me about Yourself”

· It’s Easy Being Green

· Quotations

· Update Your Email Address

· Refer Madness

“So Tell Me about Yourself”

Because of the economy, many of you are looking for a job. Good presentation skills can easily be leveraged into the interview process. Here are some tips:

· Eye contact. This is probably your most important delivery skill during an in-person interview. Practice it every chance you get by making eye contact with people you see every day – the person at the cash register, your waitperson at the restaurant, your co-workers or friends. The key is to make it as much as you can in comfortable situations so that it’s more of a habit when you are in less-than-comfortable situations.

· Vocal variation. Some of us aren’t comfortable talking about ourselves. Unfortunately, that often manifests itself with the appearance of “boredom.” I’ve often thought of myself as “low-key” but others perceive it as uninterested. As you might have suspected, this isn’t an optimal approach for an interview! You must sound interested/interesting. As a friend of mine told me, “Motion creates emotion.” Practice talking about yourself or your work by gesturing large (relative to your space). This will provoke more vocal variation.

· Pause. This is a two-way technique! The first is obvious – work on pausing to add emphasis and meaning to what you have just said. It also helps to build suspense for what you are about to say. By being a little more comfortable with pausing, you should be better able to handle the second portion of this technique. Interviewers will often use pauses and silence to see if you start nervous-talking. When you have finished making your point … stop! Anything you say after the interviewer’s pause may sabotage you (popular technique by police interviewers too).

· Two-minute drill. Practice answering the question that titles this article. Make sure your answer is “tight” but not memorized verbatim. You will also be well served by having a one-minute answer, and a 30-second version.

It’s Easy Being Green

When you’re using handouts, think green. I don’t mean you should print double sided using 8-point font, rather that you should incorporate your speaker notes directly onto your copy of the handout rather than having your speaker notes on separate paper or index cards. Here are some tips to marking up your handout:

· Use multiple colors for your notes. This will make it easier for you to differentiate your points.

· Mark through portions you won’t refer to.

· Circle page numbers when you are skipping over pages to remind yourself to tell your audience which page to turn to.

· Include pointers to yourself. For example, if you want to pause more often, draw a pause symbol (from a DVD/VCR) strategically in your notes.

· If you are starting ½ way down a certain page, write in “1/2” in the left margin to remind yourself to say that to your audience.

As I’ve mentioned before, make sure your handout is attractive and brief. Avoid cramming too much information into a few pages or making the handout a Kinko’s version of “War and Peace.” You should also avoid making your handout a handout version of a PowerPoint slide presentation.

Quotations

“One does not lash what lies at a distance. The foibles that we ridicule must at least be a little bit our own. Only then will the work be a part of our own flesh. The garden must be weeded.” – Paul Klee (Swiss/German artist)

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” – Calvin Coolidge (U.S. President)

Update Your Email Address

Don’t miss an issue of The Successful Speaker. If your email address is going to change, let me know about it.

Refer Madness

If you had a good experience in my workshop/seminar, share it with someone you know. If you provide me with a lead that generates new business for me, I’ll pay you (or your favorite charity) $250 (less if it is less than a full-fee engagement).

If you belong to a professional organization that needs a speaker or If you know any business or non-profit organization (including your own), that could benefit from my workshops, presentations, coaching, or needs a facilitator:

1. Tell your contact about me.

2. Tell me about your contact. Call me at 972-378-0937 or write me at dgunby@mindimensions.com

3. Wait for your check (if I get your contact’s business)

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