In the year 1990, Jerry Seinfeld said something interesting. He said: “Surveys show that the #1 fear of Americans is public speaking. #2 is death. Death is #2. That means that at a funeral, the average American would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy”. And almost immediately everyone took this statement to […]
Public Speaking: Why It Can Torment You Forever (If You Let It)!
Have you ever been to a primary school play? There they are, all the kids, all keen to play their part. And then one kid forgets his part He stands there dumbfounded. Unable to speak. Frozen in fear. The words seemingly circulating in his brain somewhere. I was that kid! Except I wasn’t five years […]
Can you avoid wearing that Darth Vader suit in future?
I was doing a three-day website strategy workshop in Campbell, California, when one of the participants gave me this piece of feedback. Apparently I was wearing a Darth Vader suit. I looked down at what I was wearing, and all I could see was a perfectly tailored suit. There was nothing Darth Vader about it. […]
How To Get Maximum Impact From Your Speaking Engagements
Have you ever seen a rock concert where the singer holds out the microphone in the middle of a song. And not surprisingly the audience sings the lyrics of the songs, while swaying madly to the music. Your audience should be so adoring, eh? Well, if you can’t exactly be a rock star to your […]
How To Get Higher Scores In Seminars: Part 1/4
When I first started doing seminars in the year 2001, I’d start off talking. And flipping slides. And then talking some more. And then two days or three days would pass. Then I’d hand out the feedback forms. And invariably someone would be upset. They’d think the music was too loud. They’d wonder why there […]
Teleclass Techniques: Part 2-How To Warm Up An Audience
On a teleconference, you’re going to run into another big hassle. Somehow it seems like the participants have been yanked to the call. They’re almost unwilling to be there. No they’re not. They’re just unsure of what to expect. And of course you haven’t warmed them up. So pray, how do you warm up an […]
Why ‘Impossible-To-Goof-Up’ Questions Relax Your Audience
Put a two year old child in front of a Barney video for the first time, and watch the child’s face. It’s intent. It’s focused. And not very relaxed at all. But put that child in front of that same Barney video for the seven hundredth time, and watch the anticipation on her face. She’s […]
How To Avoid Getting Caught Off Guard When Training
If you’re a trainer, there’s one scenario that’s almost impossible to avoid. It’s the scenario where you see a hand going up. The participant is about to ask a question. And there’s nothing wrong with the question, except that it’s out of left field. The participant is asking: How do I blazaboo the configulation spectroconfiture […]
Teleclass Techniques: Why The Common Pool Of Understanding Helps Increase Participation
So you’re going to run an online course or teleconference. And you’re pretty darned sure that you’re going to do all the talking. Which is kinda counterproductive at best. Clients learn better when they’re in the thick of things instead of just listening to your yada-yada. But it’s not like you haven’t tried to get […]
How To Get Audiences To Speak On A Teleclass
You’ve just finished your teleclass and you’re moving on to question stage. And then comes the moment that you think you’ll be flooded with questions, so you ask, “What questions would you like to ask me today?” And all you hear is the chilly wind of silence. So how do you get the audience to […]
