Why do some videos go viral on Youtube and others die an anonymous death? When you forward someone a video, have you ever thought about what made you want to send it? I bet it’s the story, or the emotional pullthat drew you in. You want your friends to see it so you can talk about how it made you feel, right?

Can you even describe what the person looked like in the last video you saw that got a million views? Probably not. But…can you describe how it made you feel when you were watching? I bet you can.

Think about that in relation to a presentation or proposal you made recently. Did you make the “buyer” feel anything, or did you just spill out your information and hit the road?

Engaging your audience or “buyer” is a technique, like any other skill you have learned. Once you practice and master the skill, it will come naturally to you.

I can think of 2 ways to engage almost everyone, regardless of the situation:

1) know as much about them in advance as you possibly can

2) think of a brief and politically correct story that they will relate to emotionally, and let that emotion out (humor, pathos, excitement, etc.) when you tell the story

Remember, it’s the connection that you make with your audience, not the product or spreadsheet or brochure that will engage them.

It’s you.

Leaning In

March 23, 2015Leave a comment

Is anyone old enough to remember those commercials for EF Hutton, where the tag line was “When EF Hutton talks, people listen”? Each one has a guy who says the tag line to his buddy, and immediately everyone in earshot freezes, and leans in to hear what he has to say? They’re a little cheesy now, but take a look, because that can be you, the person everyone leans in to listen to.

How does it work? Believe it or not, it’s the silence that everyone hears, not the words. People who pause between their statements give their audience time to process the words. Kind of like the period at the end of a sentence, it’s a verbal period. It gives the audience the opportunity to pause, think, or laugh, or agree, or smile, or whatever you want them to do. They will begin to pay more attention to your words, eager to hear the next thing you have to say.

Practice your verbal punctuation – pause! – and see what it does for you. People will begin to lean in, just like EF Hutton.

If Wonder Woman and Superman Had a Baby…

March 16, 2015Leave a comment

…do you think that baby would have amazing super powers? YES!

So can you, just by standing like Superman and Wonder Woman. Powerful people stand taller, open up their postures, and expand their body size to look larger.

Superman Why? Because open body positions actually change the chemistry in our bodies which makes us feel more powerful.

Really!

If you stand like this for just 2 minutes before a presentation, pitch, interview or sales call, you will feel more powerful, both inside yourself, and more importantly, you’ll project it to your audience.

There are other power positions that we can practice together, because body language is crucial to successful communication (over half of what people “hear” is body language).

Think powerfully, and stand tall like a superhero, and you will rule the universe!

When Work and Good Deeds Align

March 12, 2015Leave a comment

8759568_300x300 A recent client was Kara Gagnon, an eye physician for the VA Hospital in Connecticut, who quit her position there to begin BraveMinds, a charity that treats and supports veterans, and their caregivers, suffering from, and living with, traumatic brain injuries.

We worked together to polish her communication skills, and crafted a compelling and engaging talk, that she can adapt to any and all public speaking situations. I was so inspired by Kara. Please check out BraveMinds!

http://www.braveminds.org

Die Living

March 10, 2015Leave a comment

“You can make the choice to either live your life dying, or you can die living.” That was what Andy Campbell said – the guy in this photograph. After being paralyzed in a climbing accident, it’s apparent that he figured out how to live, and to live doing what he loves to do.

I can only imagine the hardship and struggles he went through to get to, literally, the top of this ski run. Being an avid skier myself, I found his message “Die Living” to be incredibly inspiring, both personally and professionally.

It takes grit and determination to try something new, and to stick with it long enough to excel at it. That applies communicating well. It’s feels weird and awkward at first, but with good technique and coaching and practice, it gets easier and better.

Look at Andy Campbell and what he accomplished. What you can’t see in this photo is that he is at the start of a ski cross race, with 3 other guys in ski chairs, all racing the course at the same time!
Wow. Talk about learning something new, and finding the joy in it.

All we’re talking about is standing up and speaking in front of a group of people.
Think we can do it? Of course we can.

“Die Living!”

Category: public speaking

Would Wet Paint Drying or a Slug Walking Make a Better Presentation?

Leaning In

If Wonder Woman and Superman Had a Baby…

When Work and Good Deeds Align

Die Living