The most important presentation skill that you need in your toolkit is the ability to deliver “effective presentations”.

Effective presentations don’t just educate and inform, but involve, inspire and move people to take action.

A core element of moving people to take action is being able to prove and back up your core points and arguments. Being seen as credible by your audience relies on them feeling they can trust what you are saying… and the information that you are teaching them.

I’m sure you already know the importance of using testimonials, quotes, stories and so on in your presentations? But are you also including statistics?

Because we all know that STATS DON’T LIE!

However, the use of statistics needs to be done with a certain level of skill and aplomb.  So I figured it would be useful here to give you some basic guidelines that you should follow;

Using statistics in your presentation

Do not overwhelm people with all the statistics in one part of your presentation. 

There is such a thing as too much data! Try to restrict their use to 3 stats at a time… then add some qualitative information, or stories. 

State the source for your data. 

The more legitimate your sources are, the more credibility you will have. And therefore the more power your presentation will have.

Back up statistics with personal stories or stories of clients that further demonstrate the point your statistics make. 

Generalizations are great and can hold power… but people are far more likely to remember the specifics of your stories.

Bring the numbers to life. 

This is one of the best presentation skills you can develop.  For instance you might say “In the year 10,000 B.C., there were only 5 million people sharing 57,268,900 square miles of land- imagine that?!  The current population of Sydney spread out over the entire planet!”

So while the audience may not be able to comprehend the size of the land in 10,000 B.C., using the comparison of the current Sydney population makes your point much easier to relate to.

Don’t avoid using statistics in your presentation just because you think they may be boring. Stats can be really influential and exciting if used in the right way. 

You see… when people “see the proof” they are more likely to act! And having people take action is the best presentation skill you can ever learn… especially when you’re selling from stage!

Are you using statistics in your presentations? Have you shied away from including them in fear of overwhelming or boring your audience? Please do share your experiences of using statistics by leaving a comment below.

To deliver an amazing speech is one thing. But to speak with clarity, confidence, and composure requires knowing some helpful speaking tips.

Knowing how to tackle your public speaking fears and issues can help you become a much more competent speaker…  and that of course will improve your life for many years to come.

INCREASE YOUR CONFIDENCE

A first step to take when learning to speak well in public is to know how to increase your confidence level.

You can do this by:

• Knowing what you are talking about and
• Knowing how to deliver what you are talking about.
• Knowing your content 

This means more than just memorizing words. Do you know what your words mean to your audience? Knowing the true meaning of your content means you understand it well. Knowing the content very well changes the way you deliver the speech. Instead of reciting words, seek to move and inspire your audience.  Then you will become truly memorable.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

The next step to take when improving public speaking is to practice.

Practicing is one of the most important speaking tips because it is something people do not “have time for.” Knowing what you want to say is one thing, but if you do not give yourself the time to fully understand the rhythm, flow, and meaning of your speech, it will be less than extraordinary.

Mishaps, awkwardness, and pauses often occur because of a lack of practice. Show your audience that you know what you want to say, and that you know how to say it by practicing your next important speech at any moment you can get.

Confidence and practicing are essential and important elements of public speaking. Why speak in a way where people will instantly forget you? The point of speaking well in public is to ensure that people listen and that they remember what you say.

Speaking well in public will get you far. It will open the doors of opportunity and success if you take the time to get better at it. 

Work with me to make 2013 the year you step up to your vision… when you not only get paid to speak, but to build passive income so that you can live the ultimate lifestyle and enjoy the freedom to do whatever you want, from anywhere in the world you want to do it.

 

Does the thought of getting on stage in front of a group of people leave you in a cold sweat??

Perhaps you’re fine with the prospect of speaking, but selling from stage is terrifying? You’re not alone. Studies have shown that 1 in 4 people fear public speaking more than they fear death.

As Jerry Seinfeld once said,

“… this means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

What is at the root of this fear? The answer isn’t as complicated as you might think. In fact, you probably know it instinctively.

Take a moment, have a quick think and write down the first thing that pops into your head. Don’t cheat and skip to the end! Go ahead … pause here a moment and come back when you’ve written it down.

Now, keep that piece of paper close and let’s carry on!

Shine your light!

As a speaker and as someone who trains others to speak, I see beautiful, brainy, brilliant people who fear letting their light shine on stage.

When I see these same people blossom into calm, confident, contagiously enthusiastic speakers, I see not only a change in their ability to present on stage, but their entire lives begin to shift from ‘good enough’ and ‘okay’ to ‘magical’ and ‘outstanding’.

Although you may not realise it, you’re not nearly as far away from being where you want to be as you think you are.  It’s a just a decision to follow your heart! 

My secret limiting belief!

I’ll let you in on a secret … when I was a kid I was so painfully shy that I wouldn’t even answer the home phone. If the phone rang, I would make someone else answer it.

Why was I so shy? Well, I had some limiting beliefs about myself that held me back. When I realised this and started to work on turning those beliefs around, my life began to gather momentum.

All of a sudden, the things I wanted began to snap into place like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. 

What do you reckon is the #1 secret that was holds people back from having everything they ever wanted?

It’s time to look at your piece of paper … what did you write down?

You’ve got it!

The only thing that has the power to hold you back from having everything you have ever wanted is YOU.

You are smart enough …

You are strong enough …

You are enough.

The moment you choose to accept this… to let go of your limiting beliefs and to step out of your own way, you can begin to build the life you have always wanted. Make that choice now and watch the life of your dreams unfold before you. 

And when you are again struck by the negative feelings or when the fear that you can’t do it threatens to overwhelm you, remember:

Without fear there is no courage.

Without doubt there is no certainty.

Without the possibility of failure you could not know the ecstasy of triumph.

 

Work with me to make 2013 the year you step up to your vision… when you not only get paid to speak, but to build passive income so that you can live the ultimate lifestyle and enjoy the freedom to do whatever you want, from anywhere in the world you want to do it.

 

There are times when you aren’t able to sell from stage… and often I hear from clients who fear that the gig may not be worth their time if they are unable to generate any income from it.

Of course, the lifeblood of your business is sales… but to make more sales, you need to drive more prospects into your marketing funnel… you need to grow your list!

And speaking is a fantastic way of attracting new prospects. So, in this blog I want to show you the steps you can take to attract new prospects from speaking.

Even if you never close from stage, NEVER walk away from a presentation without the details of every person in your audience.

If you offer them a free newsletter, or a way of keeping in touch with you after the event, 60-100% of your audience will give you their card. They have already given you their time in listening to you speak, and during your presentation you will have built rapport and gained their trust, so they will feel encouraged to stay in touch at the very least.

Control the outcome

By taking their card, you are also keeping control of the outcome. I’m sure you already have a huge drawer or box full of business cards that you have collected at events… but how often do you ever actually look at them again?

I’d hazard a guess that it is not very often?

So when you give out your card, it’s pretty safe to assume that yours will end up in their drawer or box, and they will never take any action to contact you in the future.

Yet by going back to your office and adding their details to your database, your regular emails (you are emailing your list regularly aren’t you?) will keep you in their thoughts, and serve as a regular prompt to remind them of what you do and how you can help them.

 Networking…

This is also a good strategy to use when you attend networking events. Next time you engage in conversation with someone new at an event, why not offer them your free incentive in return for their card too?

If you get into the habit of practising this regularly, you will grow your list steadily… you’ll be introducing more prospects into your marketing funnel… and in turn, this will increase the amount of sales you make too. 

Presenting at a conference?

If you’re delivering a presentation to a conference audience, and you aren’t able to sell from stage, why not offer a PDF of your slides as an incentive to join your list?

Set up a page on your website specific to the event, and place an opt-in form on the page… and invite your audience to visit your page to get a copy of your slides in return for their name and email address.

Make use of every opportunity you have to grow your list… don’t be shy. Recognise that as a business owner, you have a duty to sell yourself… go get those details.

Work with me inside my Silver Mentoring Program to make 2013 the year you step up to your vision… when you not only get paid to speak, but to build passive income so that you can live the ultimate lifestyle and enjoy the freedom to do whatever you want, from anywhere in the world you want to do it.

Imagine your new life when you’ve achieved all this . . . and take action now to get started on your journey

Is the way you feel about generating wealth shaped by your upbringing? Have you been brought up to believe that being rich is a negative life choice?

Are you truly aware of your own money mindset… and its effects on your ability to reach your financial goals?

You see… our adult self is in business to make our difference, but we also want to be rewarded well for our efforts. We strive for a sizeable income to provide a better lifestyle for our kids, enjoy financial freedom, and leave that place of financial pain.

What is your relationship with money?

However… all of us have a relationship with money… good and bad. Your money mindset determines how much wealth you will be able attract into your life.

Many people have a blockage when it comes to dealing with money. You might fall into the camp that shies away from even wanting to think about your finances… with the mere thought of sitting down to properly assess your financial position sending you running for the hills.

You can’t spend your money quickly enough. You see your investments as positive… with income you earn going into reinvesting into your business or treating your loved ones to gifts or holidays, but you aren’t able to keep money in your bank account for very long.

Or you might be in another camp. You are aware of where every single penny is going… spend wisely, and you’ve made meticulous plans for yours and your family’s future.

No matter how much money you have, there is always a sum saved somewhere ‘just in case’. You have a positive money mindset… choosing to keep hold of as much as you can for as long as possible. Your relationship with money is a good one.

So… what separates the two?

Your money mindset!

If you grew up with a “them and us” experience of wealth, those early experiences will affect how you view your personal wealth as your adult self.

If you grew up hearing phrases such as “he/she is flash” or “money doesn’t grow on trees” you may have been left with the sense that rich = negative.

So all the time you’re struggling financially, you feel good about yourself. Your financial challenges fuel your self image.

But as soon as you start getting paid what you’re worth… and accumulating wealth, the guilt kicks in, you feel unworthy of the increased income, and your child self worries people will think you’re not a nice person anymore.

So your child self gets rid of that wealth… putting you right back into your comfort zone of financial struggle.

If you’re wondering why you are making good money but still battle to pay bills month on month, ask yourself if it could be your negative money mindset that’s behind this behaviour?

But, like any self limiting belief, you have the choice whether to allow your negative money mindset to carry on hurting you or not. You can choose to leave it in the past where it belongs.

If you are striving for financial freedom but finding it difficult to get to where you want to be, you may need to work on your money mindset. Only then will you be able to grant yourself permission to attract the financial stability you desire.

You do not need to change who you are to make money. All you need to do is let go of who you are not. Once I’d undergone my own lifestyle shift, my business went from ZERO to half a million dollars in 3 months… are you still stuck in your limiting mindset? Get Started on Your Lifestyle Shift Today!

 

As you read this, it’s the Easter holidays, and we’re looking forward to a new season beginning. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed a nice few days break… just like plants or trees, businesses (and humans) need periods of rest before they can launch themselves forward again.

Your business is a tree

It needs roots to anchor itself, a solid trunk for strength, the branches are the different wings of your business, the leaves are your activities and the fruit of the tree are your rewards. 

And if you’re a competent gardener, then you’ll know that before growth can occur, you need to prune.  Why do you prune?  Because a gardener knows that in order to stimulate growth, there first needs to be cuts.  

Tip 1 – Pruning is powerful
Yes, get those metaphorical scissors out (if you’re really feeling bold – the chainsaw!) and get pruning.  Don’t be timid here – hack, chop and be brave! 

Get rid of the deadwood.  Sometimes this means cutting off twigs that are actually still alive.  It’s tough but true.  Use this new season as an opportunity to let things go. 

What is not working in your business? 

• What old assumptions no longer serve you? 

• Are you still harbouring old ways of thinking? 

• Are there staff members you need to let go? 

• Are there areas in your business that no longer energetically feel right?  

• What do you need to cut away?

Tip 2 – Recharge your batteries
Now the deadwood has gone, what do you do next? 

You’re staring at a pruned back business but you’re still wondering what to do in order to make it grow.  My suggestion is do nothing.  Yes, that’s right. 

You don’t have to do a thing.  Do you stare at a plant and will it grow?  No, you feed it a little water, you place it in the sun, and if the plant is lucky, you feed it some fertiliser.  You nourish it.  This is what you do next. 

You take some time out to nourish yourself.  Remember, my philosophy is that business guidance comes from within so when you are feeling nourished and full, then the externals of your business will also grow.  

It’s time to go on that spa day you promised yourself.  Take that yoga retreat.  Go on a golfing holiday.  Take a trip by the seaside.  Go for a bushwalk.  A mountain hike.  Do something that will nourish you.  Feel the sun on your face, swim in saltwater, breathe in the scents of the wood or the rainforest.  Feel connected to nature.

Inject life back in.

Tip 3 -  Sharpen the saw
What I love most about pruning is watching the fresh, new buds of regrowth appear.  It always makes me smile.  There’s something almost magical about it. 

You think you’ve killed your plant because it looked so bare and forlorn, but suddenly one day a sprig of green appears, and then another and another, and before you know it, the plant has exploded into life. What do you do now? 

There’s regrowth all over the shop! 

You need to train it to grow in the direction you want, because if you don’t, the regrowth has no clear direction.  So you stick a pole next to your plant and gently guide the direction of the new growth.  You do not force it, you simply guide and allow the growth to follow your direction.  With your help, the plant can grow to new heights

If you’ve decided on a new direction, what training do you need to take you to that next level?  Is there a course you need to take?  A mentor you know you just have to study with?  Is there a product you have to invest in? 

Do not think you need to grow your business all alone.  Starting afresh is a bold move and there are tonnes of people out there who have trodden the path you now wish to take.  Follow their gentle guidance to take you to new business heights.

Is there any pruning you need to do this week?  What do you need to cut away?  Perhaps you have already pruned, is now the time to take your rest and recharge for the next phase?  Or maybe there’s a course you need to undertake. 

Whatever you choose, remember now is the perfect time for regeneration.  The seasons are starting anew… it’s your turn now.

More and more business owners are undergoing what I refer to as “The Lifestyle Shift”.  They are waking up to the fact that they are the boss, and therefore should be able to design their business to fit their lifestyle… not the other way around! It’s YOUR time!
Start Your Lifestyle Shift Here!

 

In your speaking business, one of the key areas you must be focusing on is your credibility. Without it, you won’t be trusted and you’ll find you’re a) not getting gigs, and b) not making sales from stage

Why is it important to have good credibility?

To become that “sought after person” who people are queuing up to work with, you need to be credible in the eyes of your audience and event promoters who are looking to book the best speakers for their gigs.

First and foremost, that means you need to be trustworthy.  You need to have a story to tell, have a reputation behind you and be credible. 

What should you focus on to build your credibility?

Your story

Look back through your life… anything you’ve done in the past that has contributed to you being the expert in your topic, becomes a very good reason why people should listen to you.

Make a list: what activities or experiences from your background can add to your credibility today?

Results

Another thing that adds to your credibility is results – anything you’ve achieved personally or professionally.

My credibility is based around how I made over $1.25 million in my first 12 months as a professional speaker.  That has credibility and it makes people sit up and take notice of what I have to say!

We call this your “hook”. It instantly captures people’s attention and imagination and gets them excited about you!

Profitability

Another very important factor is your profitability. This is especially true if you’re doing multi-speaker events, where you’re sharing profit etc with the host. Promoters want to know that you can actually make sales. 

Being able to show you can sell from stage will add to your credibility. Make sure you always track and record your results from gigs… conversion rates and amounts. Having strong profitability will get promoters’ attention.

Integrity and authenticity

Always focus on forging and maintaining good relationships with any promoter you have worked with.  It’s really vital that people can trust you. 

Credibility is all about establishing and maintaining trust.

Testimonial

Another really quick and easy way to get credibility is through the use of testimonials. If you can get a good testimonial from a high profile person, that will go a long way to establishing your credibility and positioning you as the expert.

Media endorsements

You can also build credibility through 3rd party endorsement from the media.  So if you’ve ever been featured in newspapers and magazines, you can use these endorsements to add to your credibility.

Students’ success stories

If you’re a trainer who educates people, then the success stories of your students is the best thing that you can use to promote your own credibility.

What one thing can you do this week to start building your credibility? How about spending some time pulling your testimonials together? 

The sooner you start building your credibility, the sooner you’ll find more and more promoters and audiences will want to work with you!

 

There’s absolutely no need for you to be slaving away like a mouse caught on a treadmill, looking busy but getting nowhere fast . . . whilst trying to get results as a speaker or in your business.

That’s insanity! All you need to do is make sure you’re working smarter not harder!

 

 

You’ve got a message to share with the world… and you were put on this world to make your difference.

And if you want to create change in others, you’ve got to get your message heard.

Your voice is a powerful tool… and it’s been said that over a third of your outcome depends on your voice. So in this post, I want to help you understand the power of your voice and how it can make such a dramatic impact on your success.

The keys to using your voice dramatically

Creating emotion has a few key elements that cannot be missed. These are:

1. Awareness
2. Intention
3. Vocal strength and flexibility

1. Awareness

Create awareness of your own voice and use it dramatically.

Listen to how you use your voice, listen to the vocal range that you have.

Start to listen to other people’s voices, how they use them, and then start to bring awareness to the extremes that you use in your own voice. Do you have extremes or is it all flat lining?

You will make it much easier for people to listen to… and therefore, hear you, if you can work on your voice variation.

2. Set the intention

To have the best opportunities for making your difference, these are the intentions you will want to set for yourself;

• That you will start to expand your vocal range
• You will create moods with your voice
• You will carry your confidence in your voice
• And that your voice will take people on an emotional journey.

3. Vocal Strength and Flexibility

When you learn how to use your voice in a powerful manner, then you’ll find that it will be more powerful for longer, and you will be able to preserve and conserve your voice.

You want to use your voice in such a way that it touches the hearts and minds of the people you are sharing your message with.

Be Memorable

If you’re committed to becoming memorable… the person who is remembered long after they left the room, or they finished listening to your audio, then your next commitment is to get masterful with your voice.

Be the sort of person that when people leave the room they continue to talk about you, not just because of your content, but because of your style, your charisma and your ability to take them on an emotional journey.

Here’s something for you to consider this week.

Book yourself some time in your diary and go see an action movie.
Listen to the way these highly trained actors use their voice to create mood and invoke emotion. Notice the high, the loud, the soft, notice the pace changes, notice the volume changes.

Next time you’re out there sharing your message, utilise what you learned from the highly skilled actors in the movie, and notice the impact this has on your own voice… and ultimately, your outcomes.

When you first show up on stage, you have around 30 seconds to engage your audience and capture their attention.  If you miss your moment to win them over, you can get it back, but it’s hard work!

One of the ways I teach to capture the attention of your audience is to use “Icebreaker Activities”. If you use one early on in your presentation, you can build audience rapport up front… even if their first impression wasn’t great. 

5 reasons I love breaking the ice with an activity:

1. For better or for worse, people are judging you the second you’re on stage.  So you can either be absolutely fabulous, or you can use the vastly untapped resource of your audience to shift focus.

2. By using an Icebreaker Activity this gets attention off you.  The crowd are now focused on one another, and are judging each other rather than you!

3. An activity like this not only breaks the ice but also increases energy and fun in the room.  I love it when people come back from Icebreaker Activities because they are smiling, happy and laughing.  They will usually be more polite with their fellow audience members than they will be with you!

4. All this means you don’t have to work so hard to capture attention and engage your crowd. Phew!
   
   
5.  It allows audience members to build rapport with one another.  And of course if they have fun, that rapport will then be crossed over to you!

My invitation to you this week is to look at including Icebreaker Activities in your next presentation and observe the shift in energy as a result of the increase in rapport.

Have your audience engaging with each other early on in your session, and intersperse a few more throughout your effective presentation, to be in command of your audience and keep them engaged with you from beginning to end.

Which Icebreaker Activities have you found to work well for building rapport in your audiences? Do you have any particular favourites from events you’ve attended? Please leave a comment in the box below and share your experience of Icebreaker Activities with us.

Work with me inside my Silver Mentoring Program to make 2013 the year you step up to your vision… when you not only get paid to speak, but to build passive income so that you can live the ultimate lifestyle and enjoy the freedom to do whatever you want, from anywhere in the world you want to do it.

Imagine your new life when you’ve achieved all this . . . and take action now to get started on your journey

 

It can be difficult to find good training venues that don’t cost you an arm and a leg; but if you follow the steps in this blog post, you should be able to find a good training venue that fits your budget AND expectations.

Simple steps to finding good training venues;

1.    Be clear on the outcome for your event;

The clearer you are on what impression you want to make at your event, the number of people who are coming, and the ideal location, the easier your search will be.  

2.    Think about the location of your training venue. 

Consider factors such as: 

• Who is your target market for this event?
• How mobile are they? Does the venue need to be level access?
• Are they driving or catching public transport? How close is the venue to public transport links?
• What impression do you need to give? Think about whether you can give your attendees the full experience in, say, a stately home or luxury retreat, compared to a chain hotel?

If a lot of people are flying in, it is also a good idea to have your training venue at or near an airport.

3.    Think about what your training venue says about your company. 

Every part of the training experience, right down to how easy it is to find parking says something about you and the brand of your company.  Be aware of this when making your selection.

If it is a big event, and the car park can’t cope with the number of vehicles needing spaces, will your guests have to be shuttled to an overflow car park? Is there additional parking nearby?

4.    Think about your budget for your training venue. 

Be realistic about the cost of training but always be ready to negotiate. It is not uncommon to be able to get a venue down to 75% of an original quote if you negotiate well.

Remember to cast your net wide when looking for venues that suit your training requirements, and give yourself plenty of time.  Don’t be afraid to play venues off against one another for your custom!  

Catering can often add considerably to your bill… can you make savings by having attendees ordering tea/coffee at the bar so you pay only for what is consumed instead of blanket catering for every attendee?

Is it cheaper to provide a sit down one-course lunch in the restaurant as opposed to a buffet?

Do your research carefully, and speak to other event organisers to see if they have any gems for venues or non-published savings they can share with you?

Make 2013 the year you step up to your vision… when you not only get paid to speak, but to build passive income so that you can live the ultimate lifestyle and enjoy the freedom to do whatever you want, from anywhere in the world you want to do it.

Imagine your new life when you’ve achieved all this . . . and take action now to get started on your journey