Ep. 332 FIVE WAYS TO BECOME A CHARACTER VOCALLY
Release Date: 01/01/2026
Ep. 343 SUCCESS BACKWARDS?
Unforgettable Presentations
There’s a story behind every booking. Today Mark and Darren examine how our ‘booking stories’ can reveal what is necessary to get more bookings now. SNIPPETS: • Go back to the well • Revisit the decisions that led to previous bookings • Trace the full path of the booking • Identify people who could help lead to your next booking • Ask: “What was I doing back then, that I need to start doing again?” • Recover abandoned tools, tips, and techniques • Apply new technology to ‘old school’ principles • Go...
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Ep. 342 NERVOUS? INSECURE? PERFECT!
Unforgettable Presentations
Feeling nervous before a presentation or feeling insecure when facing an intimidating audience can be positive. That may seem counterintuitive, but Mark and Darren clarify in today’s episode. Drawing on their combined 60+ years of lessons learned, they provide advice and specific techniques for using nervousness to your advantage. SNIPPETS: • Being a little nervous can be a good thing • Use nervous energy to fuel additional preparation • Let no one out-prepare you • Research: get more than you need, to give what they need • Get over...
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Ep. 341 FIVE STORY ESSENTIALS – PART 2
Unforgettable Presentations
Stories can transform presentations, and when certain essentials are met, a story can be unforgettable. Today’s episode is the second of a two-part conversation about five story essentials…tools which, when used effectively, will make your story unforgettable. This is PART 2 of 2. SNIPPETS: • Identify a GUIDE/GURU, a source of wisdom, insight, guidance, and help • The guide need not be a human • Letters, pets, or inanimate objects could be guides • The guide may say very little but still be very effective • You cannot be your...
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Ep. 340 FIVE STORY ESSENTIALS – PART 1
Unforgettable Presentations
Everyone enjoys a good story, and unforgettable stories contain certain essentials. In this episode, Mark and Darren expound upon three of their five story essentials, showing not only how they work, but why. This is PART 1 of 2. SNIPPETS: • STORY is a FORCE MULTIPLIER • Define the HERO/protagonist/main character • Help your audience to SEE the character • Give the audience a reason to identify with the character • Give one physical and one emotional characteristic • Consider giving a character name • Be...
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Ep. 339 YOUR UNFORGETTABLE MISSION WITH SUSIE SINGER CARTER
Unforgettable Presentations
How are writing and producing films connected to delivering presentations and storytelling? Mark and Darren get answers from award-winning filmmaker/director/producer/actress Susie Singer Carter as she shares her perspective on telling powerful stories. Her insight provides tools for telling memorable stories that resonate with any audience. SNIPPETS: • Avoid being preachy • You can confront and entertain in a seamless manner • Balance your message without being too heavy • Resonate with as many people as possible • Let your...
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Ep. 338 DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING!
Unforgettable Presentations
Every once in a while, speakers encounter circumstances that they didn’t see coming. How can you handle them and make the best use of them in the future? Today, Darren and Mark share their experiences and offer meaningful suggestions for handling situations that you don’t see coming. SNIPPETS: • Situations occur that will keep you in check • You never know when your misfortune can serve others • Anticipate the unanticipated • Ask: What can go wrong • Cover all your bases • Leave a good buffer of time before you...
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Ep. 337 INSIDER SECRETS OF THE SPEAKING BUSINESS WITH FORD SAEKS
Unforgettable Presentations
Emerging presenters and professional speakers want to know best practices and proven processes for running a successful speaking business. You would be hard-pressed to find a more reliable source than business growth innovator and Hall of Fame speaker, Ford Saeks, co-founder of the Million Dollar Speakers Group. In today’s conversation with co-hosts Mark and Darren, he reveals five insider secrets that will help you build an unforgettable speaking business. SNIPPETS: • Be great on stage, on screen, and on demand • Hit your audience’s key targets ...
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Ep. 336 CREATING MAXIMUM IMPACT WITH FORD SAEKS
Unforgettable Presentations
What does it take to create maximum impact while serving your audience? To find out, Mark and Darren chat with business growth innovator and Hall of Fame speaker, Ford Saeks. Ford clearly lays out principles, practices, and perspectives that presenters must embrace to create maximum impact and become unforgettable. SNIPPETS: • Your impact depends on your intent and your audience's reception • Always provide high value • Your keynote is judged by its description • Your description and bio should be benefit-driven and compelling •...
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Ep. 335 OWN THE STAGE
Unforgettable Presentations
Anyone can give a presentation, but what does it take to truly OWN the stage? Calling back to a recent OWN THE STAGE 3-day workshop, Darren and Mark provide some key insights and principles that will help any presenter to own the stage and deliver an unforgettable presentation. SNIPPETS: • Care more about being world class that delivering one good presentation • Structure is important; the order matters • Great speeches aren’t written; they are re-written • Be willing to experiment • Let your audience picture the scene and characters...
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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...
info_outlineLast 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 character
• Body language will show emotion
• Stress, fatigue, pain, and illness can be portrayed with body language
• Employ an accent when comfortable, competent, and confident
• Be careful not to offend when using accents
• Use age-appropriate vocal characterizations
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https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/
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