Welcome to our many new subscribers who signed up through, Opinion Surveys, Profit Info, BizNewsletters, Antion.com, Zmedia, RankYou and our many other signup partners. (see bottom if you no longer wish to receive "Great Speaking") We now offer FREE email accounts. Visit http://www.GreatSpeaking.com AOL members click here ########################################## GREAT SPEAKING Circulation 138,507 The largest speaking ezine in the world Vol. 4 Number 7 - May 14, 2002 Publisher: Tom Antion tom@Antion.com http://www.Antion.com (C) Anchor Publishing 2002 ########################################## No one ever lost credibility by being interesting. ========================================== *** SPEAKER BUSINESS LEADS *** Your subscription gets you free speaking leads when available. WE PAY YOU TO SEND US SUBSCRIBERS http://www.listpartners.com/cgi-local/cashpartner?406 Please recommend this E-Zine to anyone you know that is interested in being a better presenter, or who may want to make money speaking and training. (It's a good way to stay in touch with client's too. Send this and tell them you were just thinking about them.) http://www.antion.com/recommend.html If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would like to get your own free subscription, visit http://www.antion.com/ezinesubscribe.htm To remove yourself from this list see bottom of this email. PRIVACY STATEMENT: We will not distribute your address to anyone. Period. ============================================= IN THIS ISSUE ============================================= 1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip 2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article (Beginners should read this too) 3. Humor Technique Series 4. Speaker Marketing Tip 5. Speaker Humor 6. Websites for Speakers ===================================================== 1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip ===================================================== MICROPHONE TIPS by Susan Berkley If you are speaking in any venue that is larger than an average sized classroom or conference room, I strongly suggest using a microphone to prevent vocal strain. There are two types of microphones you are likely to encounter. The first is a lavaliere mic that clips to your lapel or collar. This type of microphone usually has a battery pack, which you attach to your waistband, allowing you to move about freely. When wearing a lavaliere, speak conversationally with the same amount of volume and vocal projection you would use to address a small group. The amplifier will do the rest. Make sure you turn your mic off when you are not on the platform to avoid sharing private comments with the rest of the audience. The second type of microphone is hand held or fixed to a stand or podium. With this type of microphone, popping can be a problem. Popping is caused when "plosives" like 'p','t', and 'd' are spoken and the air from your mouth hits the mic. To prevent popping, position the mic about a hands width away and slightly below your mouth so that the air from your mouth does not hit the microphone. Speaking above the mic will also help prevent nasal noise. Keeping the mic about a hands width away from your mouth will also help prevent a "boom-y" sound. Reprinted with permission from the "VoiceCoach ezine" by Susan Berkley. For a free subscription visit http://www.greatvoice.com. Susan Berkley is president of The Great Voice Company and author of "Speak To Influence: How To Unlock The Hidden Power of Your Voice" available from 800-333-8108 or your favorite bookseller. ****** Watch the Crowd Hang on YOUR Every Word *********** NEW breakthrough speaking system taking you from dull to DYNAMIC! PLUS Four FREE Bonuses worth BIG MONEY. Outstanding! ~ Dub Hall 10 Speaking Secrets FREE. Send an email right now to: mailto:speakingsuccess@SubscribeMeNow.com ********************************************* ************ SPONSOR ************ See Tom Antion in person at ButtCamp in Orlando, FL Friday, July 12,(day before NSA convention) What is ButtCamp? You learn real world methods of selling your knowledge on the Internet while sitting on your rear end. :) Full Details: http://www.antion.com/buttcamp.htm Can't make it? Send your assistant/webmaster. OR We now have the entire session on Tape or Audio CD http://www.GreatInternetMarketing.com/buttcamptapes.htm ********************************** ===================================================== 2. Advanced Presentation Skills Article ===================================================== TALK IS CHEAP by Tom Antion Did you know that the time spent on stage by most great speakers is the easiest part of a speaking engagement? Let me explain. Gaining the knowledge and credibility to say what you say on stage is infinitely more expensive in both time, effort and money than saying it. Add to that the hassles of travel and the custom work on each presentation and you've got quite an investment in that "cheap" talk. => Most great speakers actually do or live what they talk about. This translates into high credibility. They are not simply giving book reports. => Great speakers have become well known enough in their circles of expertise to carry even more credibility along with their words. This is very valuable to the audience because it reduces their resistance to the believability of the speaker's message and allows them to focus on the message. => Great speakers know a tremendous amount about their audience. They research the organization and in many cases interview audience members. They choose their final comments carefully based upon what they have learned from their research. => Great speakers think long and hard about developing visuals that enhance their message instead of overshadowing it. They don't allow their visuals to take over the show. These visuals could be projected images, props, foam boards, costumes, flip charts etc. => Great speakers when possible come early and stay late to best connect with the audience members. Being aloof has some advantages, but unless you are a celebrity already, being aloof in most cases will slow your progress. => Great speakers must put up with the rigors of travel. Allowing extra time to rest before presenting allows them to give the best possible performance. Have you spent the time and energy to do what great speakers do? When is the last time you actually did what you talk about? Are you doing publicity work in your areas of influence so you become more well known? Are you diligently doing your homework for each speaking engagement? Are your visuals fresh and used only sparingly? Do you arrive in plenty of time to be rested and to spend some time mingling? You hear people all the time saying that a particular speaker makes it look so easy. They don't know that it takes quite an investment to be a great speaker. It reminds me of something Dolly Parton once said, "It cost of a lot of money to look this cheap." Talk is cheap. Becoming a great speaker isn't. Make the above investments and you'll be a well paid and in demand "cheap" speaker. ********* PROFESSIONAL SPEAKERS HANDBOOK ********* by Mike Rounds This prolific reference E-book (over 1000 pages) will teach you things about professional level speaking you can't find anywhere else. Mike tells you all about it for free at: http://www.public-speaking.org/handbook.htm **************************** ********* FREE MINICOURSE *********** FREE 7 Day Electronic Marketing Mini Course mailto:minicourse.GS041@aweber.com ******************************** **** HOW TO START A SPEAKING BUSINESS ***** Either part time or full time. Tom lays out everything you need to have and all the skills you need to develop in this one hour Audio Tape. http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/netcart.asp?offerid=1291 ******************************** ===================================================== 3. HUMOR TECHNIQUE ===================================================== TEST HUMOR by Tom Antion I was doing a taped interview with a very experienced speaker last week and I told him about the way I structure my introduction for a talk. This speaker had more than 20 years speaking experience. Here's what he told me, "I've never heard of this technique and I'm going to implement it immediately." Think about how you would feel if you delivered one of your best humorous opening lines and the audience sat there stone faced. It wouldn't really make you look or feel that good would it? That NEVER happens to me because of the following technique: I put a piece of "test humor" in my introduction. This is a simple, and mildly humorous line. (I want it to be simple so the introducer doesn't mess up the delivery of the line.) During the introduction I position myself so I can watch the reaction of the audience when the humorous line is delivered. When you have seen the same piece of humor delivered by many different introducers in many settings you get a good feel for the range of reactions different audiences give to the line. By doing this, I am able to see if the audience is "in fun" which means are they in the mood to laugh? If the audience chuckles or outright laughs, I know that I can deliver a humorous line and at least get a chuckle out of the audience. If they just sit there when the test humor is delivered, I go into a straight content oriented opening. YOU ALWAYS LOOK GOOD The use of this technique guarantees that I will never look poor or uncomfortable during the critical opening moments of a speech. If they're ready to have fun, then so am I. If they're not ready to have fun, then I give them their content while sizing them up. Maybe they want to get to know me a little before they trust me enough to go along with my humor. Maybe they want to see if I know what I'm talking about before they "respect me" enough to go along with my humor. This is what "warming up the audience is all about." The experienced speaker I mentioned above attempted to warm up the audience by forcing humorous lines upon them. If they weren't ready to laugh, then the speaker had to dig out from a hole he dug for himself. In some case the audience may never be ready to laugh for many different reasons. They might be tired. The time of day might be bad. They might have gotten some really bad news, It might be mandatory that they attend when they want to be out golfing. If you try to force humor to an audience that is not ready to laugh, you will look, very, very bad. Use test humor in your introduction to find out if they are ready to laugh BEFORE you hit the stage.. Visit http://www.antion.com/humor/speakerhumor/intro.htm and pick a few lines. ********* GREAT SPEAKER REFERENCE ******* BE THE HIT OF YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION! "Wake em Up! How to Use Humor and Other Professional Techniques to Create Alarmingly Good Business Presentations" "Toms program and materials will cut five years off a speakers learning curve." -- Cavett Robert, Founder National Speakers Assn. Now available for immediate download in pdf format http://www.antion.com/speakershop.htm click on "E Books" For a FREE Chapter visit http://www.antion.com/products/produc~3.htm ********************************************** ===================================================== 4. $$$$$$$ SPEAKER MARKETING TIP $$$$$$$$ ===================================================== KICK START YOUR MEDIA MARKETING: 16 WAYS TO GET SPEAKING CLIENTS TO CALL YOU PART II by Tom Antion Media is more than the standard radio, TV and print. Last issue (v4n6 http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues2002.htm ) I gave you 8 things I do to get speaking clients calling me. Here are 8 more things I do to get publicity because I'm a ham and also because I can't stand cold calling. 9. Get on TV Shows. You must think in terms of visual demonstrations when you do TV. Do whatever you possibly can to get a tape of your interview or segment. Have two or three reliable people tape it, or buy a tape of your appearance. You can usually get permission to use the footage in your video demo materials. Also get some training. It's different on TV because you have added the visual aspect. You must know how to sit, use makeup, and choose the proper clothing. etc. (The "Wake 'em Up Video Professional Speaking System" has a section on this. 10. Plaster website and contact information ON your products Sometimes the client will buy your product to get a sample of you before he/she considers hiring you. 11. Advertise other products IN your products. You can put ads in the back of your self-published book or negotiate with the publisher for a few pages of ads for your other products and services. You can also mention your products and services in the content of the product. Don't go overboard with this. 12. Advertise in your contracts. After you are hired to speak you can keep reminding the client that "additional educational materials" like custom workbooks, video tapes, and audiotapes, etc. are available. Sometimes they will call back and have the additional budget for product. 13. Set the stage for referrals. First, be great on the platform. Second, ask for referrals after you have done a great job and third offer a commission for referrals. 14. Solicit New Product Reviews. Many publications in your target market have space to mention new products that may be of interest to their readers. Of course, since you are the author of the product, you are considered the expert on the topic. 15. Add Value. I give 30 Days Free follow up consultation with all my speaking engagements which keeps me top of mind with the client for a longer period of time plus they must call me to get the consultation which gives me a deeper penetration into the organization. 16. Giveaway Products. I make review copies of books and tapes available to all types of media outlets and I even give them away to seat mates on airplanes. I was hired once before we landed . . . Of course, I did have a captive audience hah aha *** HOW TO BE A KICK-BUTT PUBLICITY HOUND *** a 300-page e-book by Joan Stewart and Tom Antion. You'll find dozens of checklists, sage advice on how to pitch journalists, and tons of handy websites you can use to track down contacts at newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations. (Note: Tom's big spokesperson contract came from a few line mention in just one newspaper in Florida) This is powerful stuff! For the table of contents and a free chapter visit http://www.antion.com/publicityhoundTOC.htm ********************************************* NOTE: The site below is where I began learning about E Marketing http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/12273/ Good and easy to use shopping cart system http://www.kickstartcart.com The email list management company I use http://www.postmastergeneral.com/?affiliate=antion Tom's Top Ten Marketing Resources page http://www.antion.com/marketingtools.htm ********* GET PAID TO SPEAK ********* Learn what it's like to become a paid professional speaker either part time or full time. Visit http://www.antion.com/public-speaking.htm **************************** ===================================================== 5. SPEAKER HUMOR ===================================================== => Learn from the mistakes of others--you can never live long enough to make them all yourself." - -John Luther => It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others. => Never test the depth of the water with both feet. => After hearing two eyewitness accounts of the same accident, you begin to wonder about history. => The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong. => Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning? => It used to be only death and taxes were inevitable. Now, of course, there's shipping and handling, too. => The sole purpose of a child's middle name, is so he can tell when he's really in trouble. => Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The mime next door went nuts. => Therapy is expensive; popping bubble-wrap is cheap. You choose. => Neither of my kids ever understood my logic. Both of them failed to see why they had to go to bed when I was tired. => Any child who is anxious to mow the lawn is too young to do so. => When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice safe playpen. When they're finished, I climb out. =>If you're not confused, you're not paying attention => Under Capitalism man exploits man. Under socialism it's just the opposite. => Two fonts walk into a bar. The bartender says to them, "Get out! We don't serve your type here." => A baby sitter is a teenager acting like an adult while the adults are out acting like teenagers. => A dog thinks: Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm, dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... They must be Gods! => A cat thinks: Hey, these people I live with feed me, love me, provide me with a nice warm, dry house, pet me, and take good care of me... I must be a God! Much more FREE speaker humor at http://www.antion.com/humor/speakerhumor/speakerhumor.htm ===================================================== 6. USEFUL WEBSITES ===================================================== http://www.stresscure.com/jobstress/speak.html Stage fright article http://www.school-for-champions.com/speaking/autowrite.htm Computerized speech writer http://www.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/toast/toasting.html A guide to proper toasting http://www.powerpublicspeaking.com/working_with_microphones.htm Tips on using microphones http://www.public-speaking.org/public-speaking-glossarya-e- article.htm Public speaking glossary http://www.GreatInternetMarketing.com/forums Free Internet Marketing discussion board ****** EARN BIG REFERRAL COMMISSIONS ****** You can earn a 10 - 25 percent commission for referring Tom for speaking engagements and bulk product sales. Commissions normally start between $850.00 and $1700 depending on your level of involvement. For complete details visit http://www.antion.com/referrals.htm *********************************************** ===================================================== FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS ===================================================== I have many articles available for reprint in your publication, company newsletter, etc. You may use articles written by me that you see in great speaking. Back issues can be viewed at http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues.htm OR mailto:freearticles@antion.com for an automated list of additional articles. All you have to do is print the article in its entirety along with the by line at top and the credits, and complete contact information at the end of each article. I would appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too. Thanks ******* Do YOU WANT TO BE A SPONSOR? ******* REACH OVER 138,000 SPEAKERS / TRAINERS / EXECS For automated sponsorship details send mailto:sponsor@antion.com or visit http://www.antion.com/sponsor.htm *********************************************** ===================================================== To subscribe to GREAT SPEAKING visit http://www.antion.com/ezinesubscribe.htm For Back Issues visit: http://www.antion.com/ezinebackissues.htm ===================================================== Antion & Associates / Anchor Publishing Box 2630 Landover Hills, Maryland USA 20784 (301) 459-0738, Fax (301) 552-0225 In Continental US (800) 448-6280 orders or paid consulting only mailto:Tom@antion.com http://www.antion.com Trade permanent links with us mailto:linktrade@antion.com To Join our associate program and make money from your website visit: http://www.antion.com/associates/assoc_program.htm