Public Speaking

How to “Work” Your Networking

human-757444_1280As an entrepreneur or an employee, your average day is filled with interactions with others. In addition to phone calls, formal speeches or presentations, training sessions, media interactions, and numerous dialogues with colleagues and customers or clients, networking events can be some of the most important venues for making a good first impression!

Many people are reluctant to meet strangers at networking events due to introversion or shyness. The simple truth is that many –if not all—of those same people feel similarly and are hesitant to initiate conversations in new social situations.  Similar interests help former strangers become professional contacts and possibly even friends! Take the initiative to approach someone and introduce yourself with confidence, class, and charisma. The bright fist impression you make with the effectual body language and a strong, clear voice could open up doors to your personal and professional […]

Who’s On First?

sport-640831_1280Proposals delivered by multiple people from the same company or organization are interesting to watch from a “30,000 foot” view. There are many people involved; each has an agenda. What is their focus? Who should talk, when, and for how long? What is everyone’s individual role? Did the group come across as they envisioned?

Here’s a scenario for you: a business with two different teams — the creative team and the sales team­­ — will be proposing to a potential client. Each of these teams go into a proposal with specific goals. The creative team is, by definition, creative. The creative team, of course, wants the prospect to embrace the concepts and strategies, to love the ideas, and to imagine the success that can come from their wonderful design. And this can be duly accomplished if the vision is unambiguously portrayed by a […]

7 Tips For Giving A Great Speech

teacher-309403_1280I’ve heard it said that at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket then giving the eulogy. Speaking can be a frightening thing for most people, but once you conquer that fear, the world can open up for you. Whether it’s a short speech during a monthly meeting at work or a presentation that promotes your business, speaking is a great way to get noticed and move forward with your goals. Here are a few tips that will help you present like a professional:

1. Get focused. Take 5-10 minutes to do some deep breathing or meditation before your speech. Set your intention. What do you want people to get from this speech? Visualize the outcome. What do you want people to say to you when the speech is finished? Get a clear picture of the outcome in your […]

How Do I Hold this %&$#! Microphone?!

Last time we started our “Top Tips for Your Next Speaking Engagement”.  This is Part 2 of better microphone usage:

  • Microphones can be handheld or lavaliere—the kind that clip to your clothing.
  • When using a handheld mic, make sure it doesn’t block your face. You want your audience to see AND hear you.
  • Hold the handheld microphone six inches from your mouth so that it picks up your voice clearly, but not close enough that your lips make that “popping sound” or  result in feedback, which hurts your listeners’ ears.
  • Avoid bumping the mic, as it causes feedback.
  • Lavaliere mics can be wired or wireless. If you’re using a lapel or lavaliere microphone, make sure that you place it six inches from your chin.
  • Clip a lavaliere mic to the center of your shirt, blouse, or tie at about the level of the […]

Winning the High-Stakes Presentation

Do you have the skills, knowledge and style to give a high-stakes presentation in front of your target audience? Professional coaching, and more specifically, laser-focused coaching, can make all the difference in the world when it comes to success in public speaking. Accent On Business specializes in providing the training you need to score a win in all your public speaking engagements, including those high-stakes presentations!

The Bottom Line: Re-stating Your Value

Here’s food for thought: when you meet with senior management in your organization, do you know what to say? More importantly, do you know how to say it and when to say it? If not, then you may be selling yourself short when it comes to stating your value to the organization. Sure it’s great to get a company to help take care of the HR, workplace injury and other sections of the company but this won’t help increase the value of yourself if you keep selling yourself short.

For junior executives in particular, learning how to speak to and with upper management is an invaluable skill. In fact, communication skills coaching in this precise area is one of the most frequent requests from Accent On Business clients.

Getting the results you want in the boardroom and similar settings can mean the difference between being […]

Before You Speak – Get It In Writing

contract-408216_1280Picture this:

There you are…taking the stage with authority and confidence, about to deliver the speech you’ve spent months honing. You made the investment in professional coaching, you discovered your authentic voice, and you rehearsed your presentation from one end to the other and back again. You’ve finally arrived at this auspicious day. As you look out on your audience and prepare to utter the first words of your speech, it hits you….you are officially a professional speaker! But wait…..are you really, or are you just “a speaker?”

“What’s the difference,” you may ask.

That’s easy! A professional speaker uses a contract – always!

Now, it may seem obvious to state such a thing. But frankly, many speakers forget to include this essential communication tool in their speaker’s kit. This is particularly true for individuals who are just getting started in the business of giving public […]

“Becoming the Best at What You Do”

 

award_2743486bHere at Accent On Business, we work with clients from many different professional and personal backgrounds. Whether they are doctors, salespeople, junior executives or administrators, our clients come to us with needs as diverse as they are. Some seek to improve their presentation skills, others are looking to overcome a fear of public speaking, and still others simply want to improve their overall communication skills or create a memorable “elevator speech.” In the end, however, all share a common bond – to be the best they can be at what they do. Recently, one of our regular clients did just that and he wrote us to share news of his achievement.

Tom Barrett, owner of Green Water Infrastructure and an Accent On Business client in 2009, was honored with his industry’s highest recognition. The Indiana Nursery and Landscape Association (INLA) bestowed its prestigious Award […]

It’s Never Too Early to Polish Your Speaking Skills!

beautiful-15704_1280Earlier this month, Accent On Business hosted ten home-schooled teenagers for a public speaking practice and evaluation session. The teens, who go by the name Franklin Homeschool Group, included a mix of sophomores, juniors and seniors – three boys and seven girls – who hail from various churches in the Franklin, IN area. These young people presented speeches on some weighty and very timely topics. One student championed Dr. King and his fight to end racial oppression as a role model for overcoming current trends in marginalization of at-risk populations such as the elderly, unborn and disabled; another spoke about choosing gratitude over excess. And one young lady spoke about the difficult subject of self-abuse among ‘tweens and teens.

One thing was clear in listening to these young men and women deliver each of their 8-10 minute speeches: they were passionate about their subjects and they had a […]

Six Steps to Becoming a Successful Professional Speaker

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Want more speaking gigs?  There are three reasons for not getting enough offers:

  1. No one knows you’re out there.
  2. Your topics or services are not needed.
  3. Buyers don’t believe you’re good enough.

 

Here’s a great Six Step Strategy for increasing your opportunities to speak:

  1. Tell everyone you meet and every person you know that you are a highly and continuously trained speaker on the subject(s) of “x”, and that you are seeking opportunities to speak.
  2. Seek out and meet event and meeting planners, large company VPs of HR and Sales, and non-profit organization directors.
  3. Speak for free anywhere locally, especially to churches, networking organizations, Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, and other associations.  Use this as time to hone your message and your delivery skills.
  4. Share your information in articles and blogs on your own website and on the sites of others as a guest writer.
  5. […]

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