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The Seminar Source Newsletter

               

Speak Well and Get Clients Now!   


August 23,
2008
Issue #12


Greetings!
 
Summer is almost over, and what a delightful last couple of weeks we've had in New Jersey--low 80's, low humidity, cool nights--makes one want to continue playing, but September is right around the corner, and for many of us, that means back to work.

From so many years of schooling, parenting, and teaching, my year really begins in September, even if I am busily working during the summer. Employees "seem" to take their jobs more seriously during the fall, winter, spring seasons. More sales calls are made, and more speaking engagements are made
during these times.

Hopefully, those reading this newsletter are planning to do some talks or programs this year. After going through all of the work preparing and promoting your talk, you want people there in droves. So when are the best times to schedule? Research shows the following:

BEST TIMES:  September and October and early November, as are April and May.  Mid-January, February, and March are okay, but only in consideration of the location.  If you live in a cold environment, you may be playing roulette with the weather. Of course some locations which are used to a lot of snow are probably better prepared to deal with extreme weather conditions than those in warmer areas. You have to be the judge of what you area is like.

June, July, and August are not the best months, unless you are speaking at a resort or on a cruise line.  The least favorable month is December.

BEST DAYS:  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are the best days for general presentations.  Friday is iffy.  If you are presenting a business topic, people may not want business to intrude on their weekends. 

Saturdays are good for personal development. 

Avoid Sunday and Monday unless they are part of the personal development seminar. For example, I took EST, the Warner Erhardt seminar, many years ago, and it lasted the entire weekend. I'm seeing more and more three-day weekends being scheduled, especially by those on the Internet circuit.

Enjoy your final week of summer!

Happy, Happy,
Gail


Feature Article:      The Speaker

by Gail Cassidy

YOU, THE ACTOR

As a speaker you are an actor on display for everyone to study and judge. Standing in front of 100 people, means 100 pairs of eyes are looking at you head to toe, unconsciously cataloging your style, color and fit of what you're wearing, including your shoes, your height, weight, hair, your stance, your every movement and every word. It's like you're on high definition DVD, where every part of you is open to inspection.

And like an actor, you are prepared, and you play the role. The following are a few tips to get you ready for this challenging role.

THE PRESENTER


In the June newsletter I mentioned having butterflies and being nervous before a talk--all of which I consider to be positives because it means I will will never be unprepared, and I believe you won't be either. When the cameras start to roll, an actor better know his/her lines.

POSTURE

Standing with your shoulders back, head held high makes anyone appear confident, therefore, credible. Even if the position feels uncomfortable, think of yourself as a actor who has a valuable point to share with the audience. Getting your point across is worth the less-than-comfortable feeling, if it is for you.

BODY LANGUAGE

Gestures, posture, use of hands, animation are all part of what your audience "hears" with their eyes. Stand in front of a mirror and see how you look to you. If possible, videotape yourself before a presentation. When you see yourself in action, you will be your own worst critic.

To convince yourself of the value of body language, turn off the volume of your television set and see if you can figure out the feelings being said by watching the actors' bodies.

CONGRUENCE

Remember, if your words say one thing and your body says something else, the audience will believe your body. For example, if I say "Nice tie!" with my head tipped forward and a smirk on my face as I roll my eyes, will you take that as a compliment? I think not. Your words have to be congruent with your body.

APPEARANCE

The hard and fast rule about "appearance" is "appropriateness." If you are addressing IBM executives, you may find your audience dressed in suits and ties, therefore, you should also. However, if you address the same level audience from Apple, you would probably find a more casual attire appropriate.

Years ago, I was evaluating a sales instructor who had been with the company for years and was held in high regard. He insisted everyone dress in suit and tie, even for the training class, and everyone did except for one person. One young man repeatedly violated the rules. He came in with pressed, perfectly creased jeans, a starched white open-neck, long-sleeve shirt and buffed, shiny loafers without socks. He also had a gorgeous mane of hair which was held back neatly in a rubber band.

When I asked what organization he sold for, I was told he was in the music business. To my eye, he was dressed perfectly. Wearing a suit and tie would have separated him from his prospects.

The point is, "appropriateness" rules the day for appearance. Neat, well groomed, polished, and professional are obviously part of the appropriateness.

JEWELRY

Classic gold jewelry, cuff links, pearls, unobtrusive jewelry is great. I was not aware of the impact jewelry had until one trainee, beautifully dressed and clad in ropes of gold with her fingers dripping with diamonds totally distracted me from her talk. I found myself trying to get a closer look at her diamond, then her earrings and necklaces. I was enthralled with her jewelry and failed to concentrate on her talk.

That goes for men also. Gold chains, huge rings, and bracelets can also catch the eyes of audience members at the cost of their attention.

FRIENDLY

Whether your topic is serious, sad, or funny, you always want to maintain an approachable, friendly manner. If people can relate to you, you have a better chance of having them "buy in" to what you are saying.

NATURAL

In spite of all the admonitions, being natural or being yourself is most important. You may love Martin Luther King Jr.'s oratory prowess, but don't try to emulate it unless it comes naturally to you.

As my mom always said, "Be yourself!"

Happy speaking!


For more detailed information on speaking, take a look at You Cannot NOT Communicate or for ready-made talks, look at One Talk Fits All.




NEXT WEEK
 
Gail Cassidy
Coachability.com
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