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Browse every published article connected to Peter Fogel, or search within this exact expert archive.
I have an entrepreneur friend who is an engaging speaker. He always gets high marks on audience evaluations. On stage, he comes off as quite confident. Watching him, you’d think he was loaded with self-esteem. In fact, the opposite is true. And at a recent presentation, he let his audience in on this personality “flaw” right from the start.
Victor Borge, the late, great, Danish comedian once said, "Laughter is the shortest distance between two people." Well, it can also be the longest yard in trying to make an audience laugh, as I tell you what happened to me when I once performed on a cruise ship. Remember: when it comes to public speaking start powerfully to get the “undivided” attention of your listeners and then build to a large close. I thought! Oh, my God... I-Am-In-The-Bermuda-Triangle-of-Humor!
Perhaps you've been there yourself. You are listening to a speaker drone on with facts and figures… and figures and facts. At that moment your eyes are rolling towards the back of your head. As I always say - audiences will forgive a lot of things from you -- but they will never forgive a boring speaker. The speakers job is to engage and capture an audience's mind and tug at his heart strings. You always want to keep them listening… a great way to do that is chuck the fact and figures and use effective stories during your public speaking engagements.
If you want to clearly get your message across in front of an audience, guess what? You can communicate in a very effective fashion with not only your words, but with other methods of communication that do not involve speech at all. Alright, now you're wondering how a speaker can speak to an audience without saying a word. The Sign of a Great Speaker To understand that I want you to think of the most successful speakers you may have encountered in your life. What was it about these speakers that left you remembering them, their words, the ideas they left you pondering?
I always say when it comes to speaking or performing, you must adhere to Murphy's Law. What can wrong … will. I don't know who this Murphy was, but perhaps he should get in touch with Montezuma (and his revenge.) Please note, dear reader, I am not a fatalist. I am more of a realist. Yes, you can fix the lighting the sound… even the proximity of the platform to the stage. But the challenging part is getting the host, (or organizer) who hired you -- to give you the proper introduction.
Whether you’re a professional public speaker or someone occasionally called upon to speak at company meetings… or to prospective clients… you want to make sure your audience quickly “gets” your message. The way to do it is to brand yourself. In other words, to sum up your message with a brief, slogan-like phrase — and build your presentation around that phrase. Sort of like the way Rodney Dangerfield built his act around the hook “I don’t get no respect.”
One of the reasons I like writing articles is that I can test out real world public speaking techniques and then share my results to you. Which brings me to a recent speaking engagement that was… how do I say this delicately …well, NOT the ideal speaking situation. In fact, for any humorist or speaker it might not be ideal. It was certainly a challenge, to say the least. In over 30 years of either speaking or doing stand-up comedy -- this was an engagement that tested me, my ability and confidence.
When transitioning from my former career as a stand-up comic into my new one as “The Reinvention Guy,” I realized that one of the things that had been holding me back from accomplishing my goals was the desperation of wanting success too badly. I swore that once I transformed myself, I would do my best to get rid of it (the desperation)! Sure, I would still have tenacity. But I would pull back more, give people a chance to get to know me, and not be a jackhammer in trying to land engagements.
After you have given a presentation, and especially at the beginning of your career (and even when you are at a level of expertise), you should critique your presentation skills to improve. It’s safe to say the more proficient a speaker you are, the better the communicator you are. The better the communicator you are, the more engagements you will get!
Have you ever thought about speaking on cruise ships? Now, I’m not talking about chit chat at your assigned dinner table here. I am talking about standing in front of five hundred to a thousand people in a gorgeous show room (or smaller lounge) and sharing your passion and expertise on your subject. You? Yes, you! In fact, speaking engagements on ocean liners can involve all sorts of topics. You name it - -it could be anything from teaching a technical skill you have to sharing some fun on a subject you just happen to know a lot about.
Peter Fogel's "How to NOT to Compete With Food While Delivering a Speech or Presentation!" This truly could be the bane of any speaker's existence. Just think: You have to WOW your audience (who might never have seen you before)…. you have to deal with the set of the room (location of chairs and tables near platform) and NOW, you have the nightmare of having to deal with food that is being served. That said, when preparing to give a formal speech at a banquet (or any large gathering focused around a meal), experience has taught me you have make "a few adjustments."
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." ~Victor Frankl Did you see the HBO movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers? Sellers was always transforming himself. The man slipped into a persona as easily as you or I would slip into a pair of gloves. While watching the movie, I was reminded that, in today's turbulent and competitive job market, thousands of Americans reinvent themselves every day. Many do it so they can move up in their careers.
It’s becoming a national nightmare for the working class in this country. According to a recent survey — ONLY 45 percent of today’s employees are satisfied with their work. Not surprising, this was the lowest level ever recorded by the Conference Board research group in more than 22 years of studying the issue. Economists and experts blame soaring health insurance costs…fewer employees consider their jobs meaningful or interesting... not to mention many feel their pay is not keeping up with inflation.
The speakers people like the most, or who have the greatest impact, are said to have “presence.” Something special that leaps out at you. Certain actors have it, and that makes them "stars." Certain models (who by the way are sometime average looking people in real life) somehow "click" with the camera and it just loves them.
This truly could be the bane of any speaker's existence. Just think: You have to WOW your audience (who might never have seen you before)…. you have to deal with the set of the room (location of chairs and tables near platform) and NOW, you have the nightmare of having to deal with food that is being served. That said, when preparing to give a formal speech at a banquet (or any large gathering focused around a meal), experience has taught me you have make "a few adjustments."
Have you ever really sat down or studied what it takes to become and effective speaker? Well, to begin, you should first determine where you are in the speaking world. Do you want to be a professional speaker who makes this your livelihood? Are you a weekend warrior who does this part-time to make a few bucks and sell some product? Or are you a sales person or an executive who was asked to speak at a company meeting? No matter what type of speaker you want to evolve into -- you should determine what your dedication to the art is.
There's no getting around it: The moment you bound onto the platform or stage your credibility is at stake. And one way to cement your credibility is to master the art of Q & A (short for Questions and Answers) Look at how Q & A's are done on the political battlefields. Remember the Hillary and Obama debates? These seasoned political pros knew at any time “one slip up” can hurt them in the eyes of their audience (in the studio and at home watching.) It a nutshell: How you respond to an audience member's Q & A can undoubtedly haunt or help your career for a long time.
There is a major 'problemo' that a lot of speakers sometime fall into when using Power Point. I call it upstaging yourself. 'Upstaging' is a 'technique' that stage actors have been using 'against' each other since Greek times. It happens when one actor moves up the stage which in turn makes the other actor turn his back to the audience so he can continue the conversation with the other actor. Guess what happens? All the audience's eyes are focused on the 'other actor.' That's why stage actors get miffed and tell their brethren, 'Please don't EVERr
For many people, selling is still a dirty word, conjuring up images of deceitful used car salespeople selling shonky vehicles or struggling door-to-door salespeople selling encyclopedias and getting doors slammed in their faces. Know this: You do not need to be embarrassed about selling your products. All the famous speakers do it, and even the not so famous. It’s not just about making a profit. Selling product at your speaking engagements is what helps spread your name.
Welcome back to Storytelling Tips and Tactics. As I mentioned in my previous article… specificity sells and makes a story more personal! When it comes to effective story telling give your audience a place to envision by telling them the specific location of your joke or story. For instance, say you were in Tommy's Diner in Hoboken, New Jersey -- as opposed to just New Jersey. Your audience will have a specific place to think about and will become more engaged.
With over twenty-four years experience performing stand-up comedy, writing comedy, and doing audience warm-up on sitcoms, I've learned that using humor in a corporate setting is a lot different than in a comedy club. For success here, you must tread carefully. To that end, I offer you my five writing commandments for delivering humorous keynote speeches.
There's no getting around it: The moment you bound onto the platform or stage your credibility is at stake. And one way to cement your credibility is to master the art of Q & A (short for Questions and Answers) Look at how Q & A's are done on the political battlefields. Remember the Hillary and Obama debates? These seasoned political pros knew at any time “one slip up” can hurt them in the eyes of their audience (in the studio and at home watching.) It a nutshell: How you respond to an audience member's Q & A can undoubtedly haunt or help your career for a long time.
OK If I Laugh Now? It seems the jury is out on this one, with opinion divided on whether or not it is okay to laugh at your own jokes. Maybe it's just me (although I doubt it given the number of comedians and humorous speakers who also laugh at their own jokes. But I believe the aim of a speaker is to connect with the audience, and sharing a laugh is the perfect bridge to achieve that. Speakers are entertainers. Entertainers do it because not only do they love what they're doing, they love the interaction with and the reaction of the audience.
Speakers and writers share one thing in common – they’re both susceptible to mind blocks. This is where your mind goes blank and you can’t think of anything new to write and speak about. You feel like you’re facing a blank wall; your creativity has left you. You’ve covered everything you know about and you don’t know what to do next. You’ve run out of ideas. YIKES! You are without inspiration. You are full of exasperation. You may even start to indulge in some procrastination!
The beleaguered carpenter ran his hand over the wood the way a horse trainer stokes the back of the thoroughbred that he is about to take out for a run. In happier times this artisan was in high demand. Of course, this was before “the accident” that shocked the town. “No mistakes… not THIS time!” he chided himself. Not when you’ve had loan sharks bust your leg for not paying them on time. So the carpenter gently picked up the bevel--- like a mother lifts her child, and began to measure the straightness of the mahogany that he was about to sculpt.
Ever drive a stick shift in a car? If you have, then you soon discovered if you don't use the clutch the right way (too fast or too slow -- or not at all), the gears will collide and you'll hear an annoying and scary grinding of metal. Most new teenage drivers know this hellacious sound. (And their fathers know this hellacious sound as they curse under their breath at the thought of having to get a new clutch job.)
According to a poll take by MSNBC men and women were asked what personal qualities had the greatest impact on the success of their careers. Naturally, men and women differed when it came to the importance of intelligence, ability and 'looks.' (I know... what a surprise) BUT the one thing they did agree on was the importance of self-confidence. As you can imagine self confidence is of 'mucho' importance when it comes to speaking. I am sure you know that people judge and size you up in about five seconds when you first meet them.
As I mentioned in Part I, being specific sells and makes a story more personal. Give your audience a place to envision by telling them the specific location of your joke or story. For instance, say you were in Tommy's Diner in Hoboken, New Jersey -- as opposed to just saying New Jersey. Your audience will have a specific place to think about and will become more engaged. Here are some more tips.
One of the most important things as a speaker has to do to make an impact with their audience - is to control the environment they are in. Believe it or not, some speakers get the “gig” (aka the engagement) show up at the correct time and realize the seating arrangements or the lighting is off. Trust me: If your lighting or environment is not at optimal levels, your performance will suffer and you could get a poor evaluation.
Who are you if you have a book available for purchase? An expert? Someone successful? A smart marketer? All of the above. Reinventing yourself often requires a new life set of references. The doubts are out there. "Sure", the clients says (or worst, just thinks), you were successful as a project manager for IBM for the last 20 years.
New speakers (as well as audience members) occasionally approach me after one of my keynote presentations and ask me how I knew I wanted to be a speaker. Well, that is certainly a good question that has many answers. However, the one resounding theme that percolates inside my head as to why I love public speaking is the thrill of inspiring my audience where I can make a profound difference in their lives. I am not just talking about at the conference that I just spoke at. I am referring AFTER the event.
As a professional speaker, not all of your talks will be designed to be humorous or entertaining in that fashion. Sometimes your talk may be on serious subjects to elicit donations or certain actions from people in positions of influence. In these instances, you still need to wear your creativity hat, because once again, you will be appealing to people's emotions, except this time, not their sense of humor. To get people to feel involved or want to become involved, you have to appeal to their emotions.
Humor and the Size of the Audience Welcome back to part II. In a group of ten or more, there is emotional protection and thus it is easier for someone to laugh. The jokes that work for a large group of people are those with generally accepted interests or conce s. Example: Here’s a no-brainer: During a Republican rally, making fun of Democrats or liberals always works ( and vice versa).
In the direct marketing world, of which I am a part of, there is a formula that sales writers adhere to. And it’s one that speakers can use as well. It is called The 3 T's Speaking Formula! It is old advice, and yet, it's an excellent use of your talents and time and is quite effective in holding your audience’s attention. This formula holds up today. Because, well, human nature really doesn’t change.
I don't know how to say this any clearer: But most people are lazy. (Not you, of course, I am talking about other people who are reading this article.) And being lazy is part of human nature. A body at rest; stays at rest… a body in motion yada, yada, yada… Anyway, the reaso I am asking is that I want to know what you are doing today towards reinventing yourself? I know, you have family commitments… work commitments… people tugging at you… and all you have want to do sometimes is to be left alone so you can work on what's vital to reaching your goals.
I've been studying and as a copywriter writing for the financial markets for quite a while now. Of course, I am not an expert, more than anything I come from school of hard knocks. So here are some aspects that you should think about when and if you want to take the prudent approach to financial planning. First off: If you are still thinking that financial planning is only for the rich ,you might just want to change your mind on that now.
It would be nice to think that the companies on the leading edge of work/life balance programs are simply being good citizens and doing the right thing! But, the fact is that these programs make good business sense. In addition to increased productivity and employee satisfaction, companies can retain valuable employees in a competitive environment, and attract new employees with these programs.
Preparing your speech and writing appropriate stories can be a challenge at the best of times, but the real challenge is in using and writing those stories in such a way that they really engage your audience. First, think about how other speakers and presenters manage to grab your attention. Sure, their stories about themselves may be amusing but as with anybody who is all about "me me me", you can find your concentration drifting. What really grabs your attention, and keeps it, is when the presenter talks about things that relate to you… so it's more "you you you" tha "me me me".
There are basic principles of humor that can enliven your talk. Perhaps the most important one is to avoid telling generic "funny stories," Instead, find and build more humor within the context of personal stories. To make your mark as a speaker… to get into the hearts and minds of your listeners… you must learn to develop engaging stories (that use humor effectively at the right time!)
The first part of connecting with the audience is to do the proper research for the event. And by that I mean, you have to do your homework. You have to consult with the client and event planner and truly understand the reason your presentation has been arranged-- and why they chose you! You see, past experience has shown me that a poorly prepared speaker cannot properly connect with his audience.
When you’re speaking, do you rely too much on your audience? Are you always getting negative messages from their body language and facial expressions? When you’re speaking, do you rely too much on your audience? Are you always getting negative messages from their body language and facial expressions?
It was 1990 and I was back in NYC from LA dealing with my terminally ill mother in Cedar Sinai Hospital. Three years earlier, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. As you might have experienced yourself, back in those days the dreaded chemo was really the only treatment available. She put up the good fight, but by this juncture it had spread to the liver and lymph nodes. Mom was losing the battle and she was in and out of a coma.
Have you ever really sat down or studied what it takes to become and effective speaker? Well, to begin, you should first determine where you are in the speaking world. Do you want to be a professional speaker who makes this your livelihood? Are you a weekend warrior who does this part-time to make a few bucks and sell some product? Or are you a sales person or an executive who was asked to speak at a company meeting? No matter what type of speaker you want to evolve into -- you should determine what your dedication to the craft is.
Talking to the Bureau in Person or On the Phone Before you call a speaking bureau, do some research to figure out which ones match your goals. Just as two snowflakes aren't a like -- it's the same with speakers bureaus. Your best plan (and you'll discover if they are truly interested in you) is to Invite the right bureaus to come to a program. Afterwards, go into schmooze moan take their representatives for lunch or a drink afterwards. Each of these bureaus is a way for you to get more paid bookings. So the trick is to get deal with bureau individually.r
One of the skills a marketer knows if he wants a high response from his campaign is to understand the make-up of his audience. He (or she) will dig deep to understand their core desires, needs, and wants. In essence, what “makes them tick!” Well, the same type of expertise is needed to win over your audience when you giving a speech or presentation. For the speaker to succeed he NEEDS to know who they are and why that audience is there. The good part is that the client and the location can give significant information about the audience and related demographics.
Biorhythmic differences aside, generally speaking, the majority of people are not at their peak first thing in the morning. What does this mean for you if you want to public speak like a pro? Especially if you're expected to "warm them up" with your witty repartee? Well, it means that you have to make allowances for early morning audiences and make some slight adjustments to your talk. You will rarely find an early a.m. audience to be a rowdy raucous bunch of lively participants.
Persuasive public speaking is all about connecting with your audience. One of the quickest ways to heighten your audience connection is to use a theatre acting technique called 'Breaking the Fourth Wall. One of the reasons you go to the theatre is to be transported to a different time and place and experience something magical. Of course you know it's a play (orrna movie), you paid a ticket to see it, but once there you've suspended disbelief. Picture two characters on stage having a passionate argument.
It seems the jury is out on this one, with opinion divided on whether or not it is okay for a professional public speaker to laugh at your own jokes. Maybe it's just me (although I doubt it given the number of comedians and humorists who also laugh at their own jokes), but I believe the aim of a speaker is to connect with the audience, and sharing a laugh is the perfect bridge to achieve that. Yes, to a degree speakers are entertainers. Entertainers do it because not only do they love what they're doing, they also love the interaction with and the reaction of the audience.
New speakers make the mistake of focusing all their creative efforts on the body of their talk, and maybe the opening. But guess what? The 'close' is just as important as the 'opening' of your talk. In fact, your audience may remember you more from your close than from your opening. If you think about it, the close is probably even more important than the opening. If your opening wasn't the huge success you'd hoped for, you have the rest of your talk and your close to remedy the situation.
Before the turn of the century breaking into the world of consulting and freelance work was a buyer's market, but that has changed. What changed this market were the corporate structures themselves. Corporations and even smaller companies decided that they could no longer maintain a large base of employees, and put freezes on head counts, while relying on layoffs to increase bottom lines. While this may have worked, the needs for skilled individuals did not diminish, and in fact, increased. • 10 percent of current workers and their spouses have had their traditionalr