Ep. 334 TAKE INVENTORY?
Unforgettable Presentations
To meet customer demand, organizations take inventory, then replenish and upgrade their offerings. As a presenter, it’s wise to take inventory of your speech…and everything that surrounds it. Today, Mark and Darren focus on your Speech Skills Inventory and offer suggestions for upgrading your speech over the next 12 months SNIPPETS: • Upgrade your speech • Decide how you want to improve each facet of your speech in 12 months • Your speech title is your unique identifier • Craft an unforgettable Foundational Phrase • Tell...
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Ep. 333 THE FOUR CORNERS?
Unforgettable Presentations
Audience members can have different experiences depending on where they sit in a meeting venue. Darren and Mark explain and give some sage advice on how the meeting space can maximize your audience’s experience. SNIPPETS: • Arrive at the venue at least a day early if possible • Sit in the four ‘worst’ seats in the house • See what the audience sees • If necessary, reset the angle of large screens in conference rooms • Be aware of distracting sounds from neighboring breakout rooms • Ask: “What is the audience HEARING?”...
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Ep. 332 FIVE WAYS TO BECOME A CHARACTER VOCALLY
Unforgettable Presentations
Last week Darren and Mark shared effective ways to embody characters physically. Today, they share the impact that we can have when we do the same with vocal techniques. SNIPPETS: • Selectively use dialogue instead of narration • Vary your vocal volume • Volume variances depict emotion • Energy and intensity do not have to be loud • Modify vocal pitch appropriately • Different speaking rates can show demeanor and state of mind • Use congruent facial expressions • Attitude and posture can say a lot about a...
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Ep. 331 FIVE WAYS TO EMBODY A CHARACTER PHYSICALLY
Unforgettable Presentations
Our stories are more vivid when we embody the characters, and today, Mark and Darren explore simple yet effective ways to embody characters physically. With these techniques, characters are easily identifiable without a word. SNIPPETS: • Use their gait and walk as the character would walk • Identify and portray mannerisms • Observe family members to show character quirks – ‘QUIRKOLOGY’ • Suspend quirky movements to show emotional change • Look for your own mannerisms by recording and watching yourself on video ...
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Ep. 330 YOUR PERSONAL PAIN POINTS
Unforgettable Presentations
It’s always helpful to know your audience’s pain points. However, your pain points can be an avenue to building a relationship with them. Today, Darren and Mark share how to do just that, with ideas that can help you be unforgettable. SNIPPETS: • Explore your pain points • Pain points are connectors • Give your audience the gift of your story • Capture your pain points and the lessons learned • Find common pain points in travel stories • Uncover the joy in your pain • Your pain can change their perspective...
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Ep. 329 ARE THEY LISTENING
Unforgettable Presentations
Once in a while, an audience is less emotive than most, leaving a speaker to wonder, “Are they listening?” Mark and Darren discuss that question today while providing perspective, context, and solid suggestions for presenting well in those circumstances. SNIPPETS: • Always be present • Bring your ‘A GAME’ • Don’t let a stoic audience affect your mission • External factors may affect audience response • Not every audience emotes • Create an environment that is conducive to listening • Be aware of the...
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Ep. 328 "I JUST NEED..."
Unforgettable Presentations
“I just need…” is a phrase that eager speakers often use when asking for advice. Oftentimes it’s followed by “a few tweaks,” “a punch-up,” “to add humor,” “a little polish,” or something similar. Today, Darren and Mark analyze this simple phrase and offer a perspective that will inspire you to examine it more closely. This episode will help you identify what you REALLY need, to be unforgettable. SNIPPETS: • You don’t know what you don’t know • Don’t just add a little humor; uncover it • Your NEED could only be a WANT...
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Ep. 327 ASK!
Unforgettable Presentations
There is a popular adage that says, “If you don’t ask, the answer is always ‘No’.” In this episode, Mark and Darren talk about the benefits of asking for guidance, and how to respond, regardless of the answer. Asking can be your game-changer. SNIPPETS: • The answer is in the asking • When you ask, you can become a mentor magnet • Ask humbly, sincerely, honestly, and respectfully • Learn all you can during your client pre-event call • Ask more than one person/expert • Be coachable and take their advice • Respect...
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Ep. 326 CUSTOMIZING YOUR PRESENTATION
Unforgettable Presentations
One way to increase audience buy-in is to customize your presentation. Today, Darren and Mark dive into the why and how of customization. Applying these ideas will help any presenter to be unforgettable. SNIPPETS: • Customizing isn’t just using the company’s logo and name on your slides • Do some homework and conduct research on your client • Get permission to speak with 10 significant audience members beforehand • Learn all you can during your client pre-event call • Two weeks in advance, find out what’s top-of-mind for your...
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Ep. 325 THE POWER AND PURPOSE OF PAIN POINTS
Unforgettable Presentations
To truly win your audience, you must identify and address their pain points. In this episode, Mark and Darren discuss the importance of understanding them and offer suggestions for uncovering them. SNIPPETS: • Pain points are triggers • Learn your audience’s pet peeves, pain points, and frustrations • Identify what’s top-of-mind to your audience • Our responsibility is to connect our content to their pain • Understanding pain points shows that you care • To connect, you must first understand • Understanding pain...
info_outlineMaybe you’re an emerging speaker, and you don’t think you have enough content. Perhaps you’re experienced and have been delivering the same material for a long time. Where do you find more content? Darren and Mark provide strategies for finding new content, ‘upping’ your game, and being unforgettable.
SNIPPETS:
• Ask: Is there better content available
• Perform deeper research on your subject
• Dive deeply into client concerns
• Interview clients for content and connection
• Tap into your expertise network
• Understand that you don’t know everything about your topic
• Be willing to upgrade your existing material
• Find out what and who are trending in your area of expertise
• Verify all new content using multiple sources
• Revisit the ‘basement’ and ‘archives’ of your life
• Test new material and listen to your audience to find out what resonates
• Challenge yourself to provide something new every year