Thomas Fire recovery sale

Happy holidays, friends!

I hope you've been enjoying the season. I was out of it for a couple of weeks dealing with the Thomas Fire, but I finally got myself back into work and life mode in the past week, and I've been wanting to do more for the recovery efforts in my community.

I donated to the Humane Society, which managed the bulk of animal rescue and care during the fire. Over 400 people came from all over the state to help care for the animals, even bringing their own supplies!

I've got bags of food and toys (and cat toys!) ready to go to HELP of Ojai, the organization that's managing much of the human recovery in the Ojai Valley.

And instead of driving to Ventura or Santa Barbara our nearby "big cities," or ordering gifts on Amazon, I kept my Christmas shopping local, to help our local businesses recover from lengthy closures and cutbacks.

But I want to be able to give more, so I decided to hold a quick flash sale to offer two popular items that aren't always available to my online peeps.

1) My "Take Your PowerPoint From Mess to Success" training is typically "Your Webinar Success: Speak to Engage Virtually!"
provided only to my corporate training clients, and I offer it online maybe once a year. You'll find it here, along with worksheets, downloads, and a replay of my recent virtual training

Your investment for this webinar/PowerPoint training package is only $97—and 20% of each sale will be donated to Ojai Thomas Fire relief programs through HELP of Ojai.

View the webinar offer here.

2) And my Speaker Survival Kits are not available online at all! I only bring
them to my live speaking engagements and book signings. I know a lot of people have been disappointed not to be able to make it to my events because they wanted one of my sassy beach bags full of essential items that speakers often overlook!

I sell the kits at speaking events for $67, but my special offer to you takes 30% off, for a grand total of $47—and again, 20% of each sale will be donated to Ojai Thomas Fire relief programs through HELP of Ojai. There is a limited supply of bags available, so you'll want to snag one of those first.

View the Speaker Survival Kits here.

Kick off your 2018 with a business boost and grab one of these two goodies before the offer expires at midnight PST on December 28. That's right, this offer is good for just 48 hours! Get it while you can, and while you're at it, help support Thomas Fire recovery in the Ojai Valley!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Presenting for Humans: Insights for Speakers on Ditching Perfection and Creating Connection

It's coming, it's coming!

I'm expecting my book, Presenting For Humans: Insights for Speakers on Ditching Perfection and Creating Connection, to be available on Amazon by the end of March, and hopefully to have some hard copies in hand to sign for my VIP supporters!

• If you’re looking to make a significant impact on your audiences by offering a transformative growth experience… 
• If you’re ready to share the complex unabridged version of yourself onstage… 
• If you’re tired of trying to impress people and fit yourself into a cookie-cutter mold of “speaker” that doesn’t even exist, this book is the resource to help get you there.

When you look inside this book, you might be surprised to discover that it's not a public speaking “how-to” book. It’s certainly not an academic tome. There’s no step-by-step formula or system to follow, and you won’t learn what to do with your hands or how to write a keynote.

What you will learn is how striving for perfection gets in the way of making the connection you crave. You’ll learn how letting go of your need to impress your audiences frees you up to stop taking yourself so seriously and to have fun on stage.

You’ll learn how you can break the habit of hiding behind a rigid façade of “professionalism” that creates an emotional barrier between you and the audience. And you’ll learn how being real, transparent and genuine is a gift of connection you give to your audience that brings them into your world and allows you to access theirs.

My philosophy is that public speaking is fun, it's an awesome way to express yourself creatively, and that connection and engagement are worth more than a thousand techniques.

And that’s why Presenting for Humans: Insights for Speakers on Ditching Perfection and Creating Connection focuses on upgrading your mindset around how you perceive and create your relationship with the audience.

Through short essays based on everyday encounters and experiences, and reflection questions at the end of each section, the book asks you to question what you already know about speaking.

Presenting for Humans encourages you to create a meaningful and memorable experience with every presentation. It prompts you to come from a place of service, of doing what’s best for your audience rather than what’s easiest for you. It suggests that you step back and take a break from techniques and rules, instead focusing on boldly revealing your true self on stage, being present, and creating connection.

If you'd like to be the first to know when I start taking pre-orders (for signed copies), you can join my book launch advance notice list here.

This book has been ten years in the making, and I can't believe it's almost here!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

5 Creative Ways to Spice up your Presentation: Guest Post by Alli Matson

Occasionally, a guest post comes across my desk that is too entertaining to pass up. Enjoy this contribution by Alli Matson of Presentation Wit.
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We've all been there: you've worked on your presentation for days now and all of the information is perfect, but it lacks that final touch to really make it memorable. Here are five creative ways to spice up your presentation.

Pyrotechnics 

You can literally never go wrong with fire; never once has something bad happened as a result of fire. Pretty sure about that. Enthrall the pyromaniacs and pyronormals (100% a real word) alike with some advanced pyrotechnic displays. They won't be able to look away.

Puppies

I feel like this one speaks for itself, but in case you've never met a puppy let me explain this to you. Puppers are tiny dogs that just want to lick your face (fun fact: puppies do that because they see you put food in your face hole and want to get at those crumbs) and love on you. I can't guarantee that anyone will pay attention to what you're saying, but they certainly will thank you.

Add some humor

Humor is a wonderful vehicle for the transferance of information, which is my fancy way of saying that people remember what makes them laugh. Think about it: I bet you'll never be able to forget my fact about puppers because I made it fun ;).

Have it catered 

Again, this one seems pretty self explanatory. Food is good. People love food. Food makes people happy. Plus, as the wise Niles Crane stated, "it can't be a crime if it's catered" (i.e. even if you bomb, people will remember the food and not your wretched performance).

Present in song

I can't think of a single person who wouldn't love to recieve their HR policy orientation in song. Songs, along with rhyming, make all information more interesting and memorable (how many songs do you have memorized vs college lectures?).

About Alli Matson:

Alli grew up in Seattle, WA and attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for undergrad. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Studies, and uses her knowledge of social psychology and behavior in organizations to inform the content and delivery of her office humor. Presently, she lives in Cambridge, MA and participates in sketch comedy, improv, and musical improv at Improv Boston. You'll find her humor writing at Presentation Wit.

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

It's my tenth blogiversary!

Ten years ago this week, I started blogging.

My first post was published on October 9, 2006. Since that time, I've published 1,475 posts, I've saved 86 drafts that are still waiting to be finished and published, and I'm turning about 60 of them into a book to be published by the end of this year.

I've repurposed those posts into audios, teleseminars, webinars and trainings, and many of them are finding new life in LinkedIn and other places I never considered!

Thanks to my blog, I hit #1 on Google for "public speaking coach" in September of 2007, and I've had several entries on the home page of Google ever since. I can't emphasize the benefits of blogging enough!

Here's my very first introductory blog post (LOL - there's not even an image with it - maybe I should add one, finally). These days, I blog maybe once a month, but my blog is still working for me. Here's to another ten years!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Workable idea + bad execution = puppymonkeybaby

If you didn't see the Super Bowl ad with the puppymonkeybaby, you may or may not want to watch this. It's pretty creepy and disturbing. So let's just get it out of the way, shall we?


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First of all, I had no recollection of what company this ad represented, nor could I even remember anything about the product it was advertising. I found the creature so distracting and weird, that I missed the point entirely.

However. I do believe that this commercial is an example of an idea that COULD HAVE worked, but the execution is where it went wrong. Just like many presentations I've witnessed over the years!

When we create a message for an audience, we want to make sure that all the pieces work together: the core message, the content, the structure, the delivery and the call to action. Within those are many smaller pieces that must fall into place.

You might have a great idea, but not know how to put it together in a way that is compelling or makes an impact on your audience. All the pieces have to come together. An idea is just an idea until you bring it to life. And once it becomes concrete, you have to be sure that your audience understands it, connects with it, and maybe isn't horrified by it - unless there's a good reason!

I get that Mountain Dew wanted us to know that there are three awesome things that they're putting together into their beverage. And I get that they wanted to use some kind of metaphor/example/imagery for three things that we all like that don't normally show up together. I also get that they were going for the quirky randomness that has worked well for brands like Old Spice. And furthermore, I DO like puppies, monkeys and babies! So, they totally could have scored with this (and no, not just in getting people to talk about the commercial... talk does NOT equal buying).

I'm going to share an example of a re-do, where the idea and execution are better aligned, and I would love to have you share an example if you can come up with one. Let's revamp. Same message: "Three awesome things combined." Same creatures: Puppy, monkey, baby.

My version goes something like this: Guy pulls a can out of the cold case, with a curious look on his face. What's this new drink, he wonders. Either in a voiceover, or in words on the can, we see or hear something about how this drink contains three awesome things combined.

Now, the camera shows his face again, and he starts to imagine three things he likes and how they might go together. Above his head, we see what he's imagining: First a puppy (um, no offense to pug lovers, but a cuter puppy than a pug). Yep, pretty cute. He smiles. Now a monkey joins the puppy. Maybe they interact and play. Maybe not. Then a baby. Now he's nodding at the cuteness of these three critters and enjoying his vision.

They finally fuse into the puppymonkeybaby, which waves at him and startles him from his reverie. He pops the can, takes a drink. Yum. Three awesome things combined.

Okay, I'm not a director, so don't be too hard on me. :-) This is how I envision the same basic idea being executed TOTALLY differently, but perhaps in a way that might be more effective. I don't think the initial idea of three things we like - combined - is necessarily a bad idea. It just went wrong in the implementation. 

How about you? Would you share your revamp of the Mountain Dew commercial with the same basic message and ideas in place? I'd love to read your ideas in the comments!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

I have a secret...

If the video isn't showing up, you can view it on YouTube.

Here's the link for Shake Up Your Speaking: Get Real... Get Results.

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Thou shalt hide thy weirdness: Guest post by Jason Kotecki

Jason is a non-caped crusader fighting against Adultitis. I've been a fan of his work for years, and when he offered me this post, I jumped at the chance to share his writing with you.

If you've participated in my "Public Speaking for Awkward Dorks" program, you know that I'm already a big fan of weird. Enjoy Jason's post, and check out the link at the bottom to his new book!

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Thou Shalt Hide Thy Weirdness

One day my four-year-old daughter Lucy was skimming down the sidewalk on her kick scooter.

Normal.

She was gripping the handlebar with one hand and holding an open umbrella with the other. While wearing a bike helmet and snow boots. On a sunny, seventy-three-degree day.

Weird.

It’s so weird that I’d bet anything that of the six billion plus people in the world, not one other person was doing and wearing the exact same thing at that moment. Maybe not ever or since. That’s as weird as it gets.

It was also a great big life lesson.

You see, in Lucy’s head, there was nothing weird about it. She was in the moment, free of pretense, and free of shame. She was living life the way it was meant to be lived.

Oh, how I wish I could be that free again.

In fact, we all were, in the beginning, when we were young. But eventually someone sees us living our bliss, decides it’s weird, and shames us. We get made fun of in the schoolyard, on the bus, or across the dinner table. For the first time, it occurs to us that some of the things we do might be looked upon with contempt by another person.

From then on, we start paying attention. We start noticing what’s “in” and what’s not. We take heed of the things that could get us ridiculed, singled out, and shamed. And we stop doing them. We smooth out the rough edges and start hiding our weirdness. And one by one, little parts of us die.

It’s quite possibly the greatest tragedy of our lives that as we end up spending most of them conforming to the world around us, all to avoid that feeling of shame ever again.

But the weird part of us is what makes us unique. And the unique part of us is what the world needs most.

Speaker, author, self-proclaimed freak, and my friend, David Rendall, says, “What makes us weird is what makes us wonderful.” He offers up Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as a perfect example. His unusual nose was weird; the subject of ridicule and derision. But on that fateful “foggy Christmas Eve,” it became an irreplaceable advantage, making him a hero.

Once in a while, you’ll see an elderly person who quit buying in to the lie that our weirdness is a weakness. They’re livin’ la vida loca, carefree and without reservation. On the surface, it’s easy to write them off as experiencing early stage dementia. But if you look closer, you’ll see that they have all their wits about them. They’ve just decided it’s too expensive to pay attention to what everyone else thinks, so they stopped trying to hide their weirdness.

They discovered that people only have the power to shame us if we give it to them.

Well I don’t want to wait till I’m seventy to embrace that truth. I don’t want to hide the best part of myself under a bushel. I want to live my life like Lucy: free, in the moment, and gloriously weird.

Won’t you join me?

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Jason Kotecki is an artist, professional speaker, and author of the book "Penguins Can't Fly +39 Other Rules That Don't Exist," which uncovers some of the most useless so-called rules we can find ourselves living by. It explores some small but mighty actions you can take to turn your life into the fun, adventurous and exciting story you deserve. This beautiful 240-page hardcover work of art is a magical combination of Jason’s whimsical illustrations, humorous wit, and poignant anecdotes. Learn more at RulesThatDontExist.com

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Happy New Year!

Wishing you all the best in 2015!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

DIY speaker gift: Speaker Survival Kit!

Last March, I had a booth at a local women's business festival. I wanted to give something away in a drawing that would be useful to those who stopped by, and specifically useful to speakers.

What I came up with was my "Speaker Survival Kit," and I wanted to pass this idea along to you as a fun gift that you can put together, in a variety of price ranges, for your favorite speaker.

Click here to see what I put in my bag of goodies

This kit cost me about $50 to put together. You can make yours smaller and less elaborate, or go all out!

For example, I could also have included a nice refillable water bottle, some flip chart markers, or a fun noisemaker to get the audience's attention back after an activity.

I grouped small items together in clear cellophane bags, so it wasn't a big mess inside.

Have fun, and if you do make a Speaker Survival Kit for someone, I'd love to hear about it!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

My 2015 holiday speaker gift list is here!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

And it's also the time of the year, when I update my annual list of speaker gifts, to help you find the best gifts for the speaker in your life -- who might just be you! There are also oldies but goodies here that are my go-to items, so take a look and have fun shopping.

New goodies

As I've gotten more comfortable shooting DIY video, I've realized that I need
one good backdrop that I can always use in a pinch. Sometimes I like to arrange a nice scene behind me, but more often I just want a simple plain backdrop. Here are two options; one is low-tech (and inexpensive) and one is high-tech (and still pretty reasonable)!

This kit comes with a muslin backdrop, stand and two lights.

Or, if your space is limited, do what I've done and buy yourself some nice backdrop paper that you can tape or pin to the wall in the place you're shooting your video!

I've also been doing more webinars and teleseminars over the past couple of years, and good audio is a critical component of these recordings. If people can't clearly hear you, if the sound is scratchy or contains interference, they will turn off your recording, period.

It's worth investing in a decent microphone (preferably wired, for best sound); here are my picks.

For off-camera recordings, like webinars and teleseminars, I use a big ol' USB headset like this one. The audio quality is excellent and it's fairly comfortable.

When you're on-camera for, say, a Google Hangout, then you may not want to look like a big dork in a giant headset. In that case, check out a desktop USB microphone like this one. I'm still in the market for a good desktop mic, and this will likely be it.

There are lot of little things you can have on hand in your speaker kit that'll make your life easier: hand sanitizer (for all those hands you're going to shake), extra batteries, a bottle of water, some mints, masking tape, notebook and pen.... Two things I always have on hand are lip balm (this one is made by one of my favorite local companies in Santa Barbara) and a pocket pack of toothpicks (you do not want food in your teeth when you take the stage!).

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Oldies but goodies...

Technology

I've been using the Flip cam forever, and while it's no longer being manufactured, mine still works great! The video quality is excellent, and the sound is pretty good. It doesn't have a mic jack, unfortunately, so in those times when I need an audio boost, I might use my Samsung phone instead.

The problem with my phone is that there's no way to attach it to a tripod. The solution? This fabulous little GripTight adapter from Joby. I particularly recommend this one because it expands to fit my Samsung Galaxy SIII, even in its case. Most adapters are made to fit the iPhone and are too small for the Samsung. This adapter will fit any phone. It folds flat and even has a hole to add it to your keychain. I love this little guy!

Joby also makes the GorillaPod, a portable, bendable tripod that you can use anywhere and wrap around anything! A great addition to your video bag of tricks, especially if you like shooting on-the-go. (See both together in the photo on the left.)

Unhitch yourself from the laptop with a wireless presentation remote. This one fits perfectly in my hand, and has simple buttons to move slides forward, backward, and black out the screen. (It also has a laser pointer, but please don't use that.) There are a lot of nice remotes on the market; pick the one that fits best in your hand and has the features that you need.

I love my portable 4-port USB hub, and it is a permanent part of my speaking bag of tricks. I never know when I'll need more ports (for example, ports on the host's computer are too close together for more than one of my USB drives to fit).

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Visuals

Make your flip chart notes portable when you carry a lightweight table top easel pad. The sheets stick to the wall like giant Post-It notes and can be placed around the room for further reference throughout your presentation. The easel folds out to stand on a table and folds flat for transport. You can also hang it from a traditional flip chart easel.

Or if you're in the market for a reusable flip chart, try this table top dry erase easel pad.

And for notes on the go, with clients or in small group presentations around a table, try these peel-and-stick dry erase sheets that you can quickly post on the wall, write and erase, or as I've done, just punch holes in them and keep them in a notebook for easy access. (You'll also need dry erase markers to go with these boards and sheets. This pack has nontoxic low-odor ink.)

For regular flip charts, I like these scented markers for their bright, saturated colors, but if you prefer unscented bullet tip markers and have concerns about the markers bleeding through the paper, try these instead.

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Fun and Useful Stuff


How about trying out a document stand for your speaker notes? I keep my notes to the side of the stage, on a table or lectern, and in order to see them clearly (I also use a big font!), it's nice to be able to stand them up to make them more visible from afar. This one is foldable. I don't use a clip, however, because I want to be able to flip pages quickly.

I've brought back some of my favorite speaker sayings as magnets in the Zazzle store. If you're looking for a cheeky stocking stuffer for your favorite speaker, this is it!

To keep your audience engaged and stimulated, bring toys, toys, toys, and more toys. These are some of my favorites!

Use this hand pointer to poke some fun at the audience.

Need a way to haul all your tools and materials around? I've got a rolling craft cart similar to this one. Holds everything I need!

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Reading Recommendations

Still my favorite book out there: Learn how to make your message memorable with Chip and Dan Heath's Made to Stick.

Dump the boring templates and bullets and create engaging support materials with Beyond Bullet Points, Cliff Atkinson's book that teaches how to outline and design image-based slides with ease.

Titles a bore? Not any more! Get Sam Horn's POP! Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and Tagline For Anything, and give your presentation and blog titles that extra WOW factor.

Learn how to persuade anyone of anything with this easy read: Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive.

An interesting sneak peek behind the scenes of the motivational speaking industry is Yes You Can! Behind the Hype and Hustle of the Motivation Biz.

If you'd like an alternative to the usual Martin Luther King/Lincoln/Churchill "famous speeches" books, how about one that shines the spotlight on historical speeches by women? Women at the Podium : Memorable Speeches in History

Packed full of useful tips based on real professional speakers' experiences, National Speakers Association "Speaker Magazine" is a must-have to build your skills.

And if you don't like lugging books around with you, maybe it's time to invest in a Kindle. Once you buy your Kindle, then you can download this blog and my 101 Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking to take with you!

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Training

Last but not least, if you think the aspiring speaker in your life might benefit from some self-paced training for best practices in audience engagement and general presentation success, then consider giving the gift of my home study program, "Speak to Engage: 7-Step Shortcut to Public Speaking Success."

This is a web-based program with audios, videos, articles, a workbook and other resources for any speaker to complete at their own pace, on their own time schedule, with all the benefits of working with me in a live program!

Get in touch if you'd like to give this as a gift, and we'll work out the details!

Whew! The list changes every year, and I hope you find something here to make your presentations smoother and more effective, or a gift for that special speaker in your life. Happy Holidays!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

So many great learning opportunities -- Join me!

I've got several super cool projects going on this month and next, and I want to make sure you don't miss out!

1. Bloom Your Online Relationships 30-Day Challenge

We are slightly more than halfway through, but you can join at any time, and you'll still have access to all the activities and the Facebook discussion group.

This is a challenge to focus on building relationships rather than list-building, fan-building, follower-building, and much of the stuff we spend time on when we're building online businesses.

The daily challenges are fun, thought-provoking, and creative, and I've found a few that resonated with me so much that I instantly implemented. And it's FREE!

Read about it here. My tip was posted on Monday, and it was about giving your community a gift "just because." You can read my tip here, but make sure to sign up to get all 30!

2. Outstanding Presentations Workshop

This webinar series, hosted by PowerPoint expert Ellen Finkelstein, features weekly guest speakers who will reveal their secrets and strategies on presenting and using PowerPoint effectively.

This program has already started as well, but you can sign up and get all 7 recordings, plus handouts and bonus gifts for just $17! That is a ridiculous price for all the presentation and PowerPoint expertise you're going to get!

My presentation is on September 30, on audience engagement, and this is not a presentation that you will ever see online or for this low price, as it's reserved for corporate and conference clients. Again -- $17 for all of these trainings? Don't let this opportunity get away!

Register here.

3. Interview for The Boomer Business Owner

I recently recorded a podcast interview with Charlie Poznek of The Boomer Business Owner on how public speaking can help you grow your business. Some of the points we covered include:

* The importance of audience research when creating a presentation
* Why you are the face of your brand at all times
* How to find affordable public speaking training
* Why passion trumps perfection in all great speeches
* Why you don’t need to have great speaking techniques to move your audience

There's also a special link on that page for podcast listeners for a rockin' deal on my Audience Avenger Alliance membership program, so check that out, too!

Listen here.

4. Speak to Engage: 7 Step Shortcut to Public Success is coming!

This is my most popular program that I only run once a year -- and it's coming back in October!

Save the date for this one: October 21. Registration isn't open yet, but you can visit the page and read about it here.

There will be special early bird rates when I open the program for registration in September, AND I will be offering a first-time alumni rate for clients who have taken this course before or purchased the home study program and want a refresher, so stay tuned.

Get all the updates on this program and special early bird rates by joining my mailing list.

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

How many goofs are in your presentation?

I met with a client recently who will be speaking at a prestigious conference in his industry. When we started working together, I discovered that we have a similar approach to audience engagement.

He likes to make sure he has incorporated a couple of moments of humor into his presentations to shake up the audience and get them re-focused. He calls them "wake up" moments, or "goofs."

As he shared each "goof" with me, I couldn't help thinking how so many speakers are obsessed with "professionalism" or being "taken seriously." At the expense of audience engagement, I might add.

My client wants to make a particular point by Photoshopping his head onto a supermodel's body ("you can't just look at parts; you have to look at the big picture"). At another point in the presentation, he might hand out "nerd" glasses and a gold crown.

His ideas are fun and inspiring, and will certainly help make his points in a presentation that -- by the way -- is technical and could be rather boring in the wrong hands.

We're thinking about how to take a couple of illustrative stories about his students and make them cliffhangers. We're talking about using graphs as an opening quiz for the audience to get into the topic.

What "goofs" can you add to your next presentation to make your message more entertaining, more persuasive, more understandable and ultimately, more memorable? Please share in the comments!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Are you an awkward dork?

Do you identify with any of these: Awkward dork, goofball, character, goober, kook -- or other similar terms that you use to describe your inner weirdo?

If so, join the club!

I've always known I was an awkward dork.

I'm too loud, I put my foot in my mouth ALL the time, I can't pull off cool or smooth or poised to save my life. I'm always the weirdest person in every group, and even among my closest friends, I still feel like a little bit of an alien.

In fact, because my awkward dork goes everywhere with me, I'm also an awkward dork on stage. But I'll tell you what: This has only been GOOD for me. Where other speakers try so hard to "fit in" and be cool and smooth and poised, I've stopped fighting the awkward dork in me, and embraced it.

I'm not interested in fitting in.

I'm not interested in the status quo.

I'm not interested in pretending to be something or somebody I'm not.

How about you? Want to learn how to embrace and celebrate the awkward dork in you?

Then join me on my all-new free teleseminar, "Public Speaking for Awkward Dorks: Embrace Your Dorkiness and Discover Your Inner Superhero!" It's at 1:00 PDT/4:00 EDT on May 22. Click here to read more and to sign up:

http://www.coachlisab.com/awkwarddorkcall.html

Post a hearty YES in the comments if you identify with any of those terms at the top. And if I missed your favorite term for your inner weirdo, please share!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Come see me this weekend in Santa Barbara!

Sneak peek at what's in my Speakers Survival Kit!

Are you going to be around Santa Barbara this weekend? I've got two events coming up (well, one is technically on Monday), and I would love to have you join me!

1. On Friday and Saturday, I'll be at the Women's Festival at Earl Warren Showgrounds. 

My Expo booth will have interactive activities and a drawing for a fabulous Speakers Survival Kit (over $50 value).

Admission to just the Expo is $5.00.

2. On Monday, March 10, I'll be speaking at workzones in Paseo Nuevo.

The topic is "Speak to Engage: Make your Presentations Meaningful and Memorable." The event starts at 6:00 with networking, wine and cheese, and the presentation begins promptly at 6:30.

This event is FREE, but space is limited, so do RSVP. All the details are here.

I hope to see you this weekend in SB!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Bring LOVE into your presentation

Image by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

This Valentine's Day, I want to bring back a couple of previous posts with the theme of love -- loving your audience as well as yourself.

Take some time to read about how bringing love and gratitude to your audience creates a deeper and more meaningful connection with them and increases your "know, like and trust" factor.

Enjoy these blasts from the past and please accept my love and gratitude for being a part of my community!

L.O.V.E. (inspired by the Michael Jackson movie "This is It")

Love conquers all...

Complete your presentation with gratitude

Falling in love with the real you

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

A cheerful tune about conquering stage fright

If you haven't seen this yet, take a few minutes and watch how singer-songwriter-graphic designer Joe Kowan learned to manage his stage fright. I hope this inspires you to do that thing you've been dreading: getting on stage! Joe did it and so can you!



If you can't see the video here, view it on TED.com

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Show the world how big your brave is - program starts next Thursday!

Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down
By the enemy
Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing
Bow down to the mighty
Don’t run, stop holding your tongue
Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave



(Video not working? Watch it on Vevo: http://vevo.ly/c5Fmo8)

Ready to show the world how big your brave is? Join me for "SpeakUP! 8 Daily Challenges to Build Your Confidence Muscles at Work, at Home, and in Front of an Audience" and start saying what you wanna say!

This 8-week program starts next Thursday, January 30, so don't delay!

Register now and take $100 off the regular price -- but hurry, because this early bird rate expires Monday, January 27!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Holly Jolly holiday speaking tips!

Photo by Zsuzsanna Kilian

Happy Almost-New-Year! To celebrate this final week of the year, I've decided to share some of my favorite holiday-themed posts from my fellow speaking experts and coaches. Here's to a spectacular 2014, where every speaker provides value, motivation and inspiration to their audiences!

Michelle Mazur: Is your presentation on the naughty list?

John Zimmer: How the Grinch Spoke at Christmas (Must read!)

John Zimmer: A Charlie Brown Christmas: Linus' Speech

Angela DeFinis: Public Speaking and the Holidays blog carnival (featuring holiday-themed public speaking posts from 14 speaking experts!)

A couple of mine:

How to Mix and Mingle Your Way Through the Dreaded Holiday Party

Soon you'll be walking out the door...

And finally, some new year optimism. Enjoy this positive and inspiring new year song, and I'll see you in 2014!

What a Year For a New Year

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Deposit your tuppence in the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank!

Here's a fun example of what happens when you suffer from the Curse of Knowledge. Watch these bankers try to explain to little Michael why he should invest his tuppence in the bank. (Lyrics are below, but the song is more fun.)



Mr. Dawes Sr, Mr. Banks and Bankers:
If you invest your tuppence
Wisely in the bank
Safe and sound
Soon that tuppence,
Safely invested in the bank,
Will compound
And you'll achieve that sense of conquest
As your affluence expands
In the hands of the directors
Who invest as propriety demands
You see, Michael, you'll be part of
Railways through Africa
Dams across the Nile
Fleets of ocean greyhounds
Majestic, self-amortizing canals
Plantations of ripening tea
All from tuppence, prudently
Fruitfully, frugally invested
In the, to be specific,
In the Dawes, Tomes
Mousely, Grubbs
Fidelity Fiduciary Bank!
Now, Michael,
When you deposit tuppence in a bank account
Soon you'll see
That it blooms into credit of a generous amount
Semiannually
And you'll achieve that sense of stature
As your influence expands
To the high financial strata
That established credit now commands
You can purchase first and second trust deeds
Think of the foreclosures!
Bonds! Chattels! Dividends! Shares!
Bankruptcies! Debtor sales!
Opportunities!
All manner of private enterprise!
Shipyards! The mercantile!
Collieries! Tanneries!
Incorporations! Amalgamations! Banks!
You see, Michael
Tuppence, patiently, cautiously trustingly invested
In the, to be specific,
In the Dawes, Tomes
Mousely, Grubbs
Fidelity Fiduciary Bank!

From "Mary Poppins"

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!

Holiday gift list for speakers!

I've updated my annual shopping list again this year to help you find the best gifts for your favorite speaker -- who might just be you! You'll also find the oldies but goodies here, so take a look and have fun shopping!

Technology

If you're like me, you've been using the same video camera for a looong time. Mine is the Flip cam, and as you know, it's no longer being manufactured. I still love it for the excellent quality video, and I can boost the audio with software if it's not quite loud enough.

But sometimes it's more convenient to use my phone. The problem? There's no way to attach it to a tripod. The solution? This fabulous little GripTight adapter from Joby. I particularly recommend this one because it expands to fit my Samsung Galaxy SIII, even in its case. Most adapters are made to fit the iPhone and are too small for the Samsung. This adapter will fit any phone. It folds flat and even has a hole to add it to your keychain. I love this little guy!

Joby also makes the GorillaPod, a portable, bendable tripod that you can use anywhere and wrap around anything! A great addition to your video bag of tricks, especially if you like shooting on-the-go. (See both together in the photo on the left.)

Unhitch yourself from the laptop with a wireless presentation remote. This one fits perfectly in my hand, and has simple buttons to move slides forward, backward, and black out the screen. It also has a laser pointer, but please don't use that.

I love my portable 4-port USB hub (similar to this one), and it is a permanent part of my speaking bag of tricks. I never know when I'll need more ports (for example, ports on the host's computer are too close together for more than one of my USB drives to fit).

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Visuals

Make your flip chart notes portable when you carry a lightweight table top easel pad. The sheets stick to the wall like giant Post-It notes and can be placed around the room for further reference throughout your presentation. The easel folds out to stand on a table and folds flat for transport. You can also hang it from a traditional flip chart easel.

Or if you're in the market for a reusable flip chart, try this table top dry erase easel pad.

And for notes on the go, with clients or in small group presentations around a table, try these peel-and-stick dry erase sheets that you can quickly post on the wall, write and erase, or as I've done, just punch holes in them and keep them in a notebook for easy access. (You'll also need dry erase markers to go with these boards and sheets. This pack has nontoxic low-odor ink.)

For regular flip charts, I like these scented markers for their bright, saturated colors, but if you prefer unscented bullet tip markers and have concerns about the markers bleeding through the paper, try these instead.

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Fun and Useful Stuff


How about trying out a document stand for your speaker notes? I keep my notes to the side of the stage, on a table or lectern, and in order to see them clearly (I also use a big font!), it's nice to be able to stand them up to make them more visible from afar. This one is foldable. I don't use a clip, however, because I want to be able to flip pages quickly.

I've brought back some of my favorite speaker sayings as magnets in the Zazzle store. If you're looking for a cheeky stocking stuffer for your favorite speaker, this is it!

To keep your audience engaged and stimulated, bring toys, toys, toys, and more toys. These are some of my favorites!

Use this hand pointer to poke some fun at the audience.

Need a way to haul all your tools and materials around? I've got a rolling craft cart similar to this one. Holds everything I need!

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Reading Recommendations

Still my favorite book out there: Learn how to make your message memorable with Chip and Dan Heath's Made to Stick.

Dump the boring templates and bullets and create engaging support materials with Beyond Bullet Points, Cliff Atkinson's book that teaches how to outline and design image-based slides with ease.

Titles a bore? Not any more! Get Sam Horn's POP! Create the Perfect Pitch, Title, and Tagline For Anything, and give your presentation and blog titles that extra WOW factor.

Learn how to persuade anyone of anything with this easy read: Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive.

An interesting sneak peek behind the scenes of the motivational speaking industry is Yes You Can! Behind the Hype and Hustle of the Motivation Biz.

If you'd like an alternative to the usual Martin Luther King/Lincoln/Churchill "famous speeches" books, how about one that shines the spotlight on historical speeches by women? Women at the Podium : Memorable Speeches in History

Packed full of useful tips based on real professional speakers' experiences, National Speakers Association "Speaker Magazine" is a must-have to build your skills.

And if you don't like lugging books around with you, maybe it's time to invest in a Kindle. Once you buy your Kindle, then you can download this blog and my 101 Tips to Improve Your Public Speaking to take with you!

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Training

Last but not least, if you think the aspiring speaker in your life might benefit from some self-paced training for best practices in audience engagement and general presentation success, then consider giving the gift of my home study program, "Speak to Engage: 7-Step Shortcut to Public Speaking Success."

This is a web-based program with audios, videos, articles, a workbook and other resources for any speaker to complete at their own pace, on their own time schedule, with all the benefits of working with me in a live program!

Get in touch if you'd like to give this as a gift, and we'll work out the details!

Whew! The list changes every year, and I hope you find something here to make your presentations smoother and more effective, or a gift for that special speaker in your life. Happy Holidays!

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On The Everything Page you'll find everything you need to build visibility, credibility and influence through engaging presentations that move your participants into action: freebies, low-cost products and courses, and 1:1 coaching!