Is your audience getting bored? Here are 10 ways you can grab their attention and get them re-enganged.
- Ask a question
- Vary your voice … volume, pitch and tempo
- Slam the lectern … but only if it helps make your point
- Move about … we are born to notice things that move
- Tell stories
- Share interesting, compelling and unusual facts
- Mingle with the audience … I see Jill Lublin use this one all the time
- Be enthusiastic … with your voice and your gestures
- Share a relevant quote
- Survey or quiz the audience … make them a part of your presentation
By Featured Speaker Daniel Hall
Being an approved cruise enrichment lecturer is the greatest gig on the seven seas. The deal is simple: you furnish the cruise lines three or four 1-hour lectures on subjects you love and you get a free cruise for yourself and a companion. The best part is the lectures are usually scheduled on sea days so you’ll have every port day totally free to explore. Further, you cruise as a passenger (not a crew member) so you’ll get every other passenger perk, too.
Although it is relatively easy for anyone willing to try there are some pitfalls to becoming an approved cruise lecturer. Here are the things you should watch out for:
1. You don’t do your homework. Learn which cruise lines have enrichment lecturer programs and what topics they generally seek.The cruise lines will know if you aren’t asking intelligent questions. You’ll only be able to sound intelligent about their programs if you’ve done your homework. Being labeled as an amateur because you have not done the required up front work will be the kiss of death to your application.
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Your audience may be bored … or just need an energy/bathroom break if …
- They are yawning
- They are fidgeting
- They are playing with their portable devices
- They are talking or whispering to their neighbors
- They are sleeping
- They are slouching in there seats
- They are leaning their chin on their hand and frowning
- They are spacing out, their eyes are glazed over
- They are leaning back and not making eye contact
- They aren’t responding … no laughter, no questions, no applause at appropriate points
The Master of Ceremonies, or MC for sho (sometimes emcee), is the host of a staged event. As MC you are in charge of introducing the speakers, and sometimes for making the opening presentation before the Keynote. You are the conductor of the meeting, the host of the event.
In most cases, the MC is the face of the organization putting on the event. The MC rarely runs the meeting lie a facilitator, but acs as the transition between speakers and segments of the event. Like a facilitator, the MC is responsible for making sure the meeting runs smoothly and on time. However, the MC’s role is not as integral to the flow as that of a facilitator.
Here are some tips for being an effective Master of Ceremonies.
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By Featured Speaker Bob Urichuck
Attracting and maintaining a solid sales network today is the foundation to tomorrow’s success. Your net worth is interdependent on your sales network. The more people you know, or who know you, the bigger and more solid your sales network will be.
Because people buy from, and refer people to, people they know and they trust, you will find that your success will come from your sales network. So, what can you do to attract and maintain a solid sales network?
To attract a sales network you first need to clearly identify your market, your ideal prospect based on your best customers and their profile. Paint the picture of your ideal prospect, the type of customer / prospect that you would like to see in your sales network. If you can’t see them, you cannot attract them into your life.
Then you need to come up with creative ways of attracting them, engaging them, creating a relationship and then maintaining that relationship for an ongoing solid sales network.
When is comes to attracting or building a solid sales network, your objective is not to sell them something, but to acquire the trust to build and maintain a relationship that will turn into sales.
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Sometimes you’re not going to be the center of attention. Sometimes your speaking opportunity is to facilitate others in giving their presentations or in experiencing an event. You could facilitate a panel discussion, a meeting or a support group. Being a facilitator is a like being a guide or sherpa. Everyone else is really doing the work, you’re just showing them the path. What follows are some tips for facilitating that will help you do a more effective job.
Before the Event
Get clear on the purpose of the meeting so that you can organize the best flow to accomplish that goal. To do this, you’ll need to know the answers to these questions:
- How much time do you have?
- What outcome should attendees expect by the end of the meeting?
- What options are available to create those outcomes?
- What resources and facilities will you have access to?
Now you can determine which activities can be done given the time and resources, as well as in what order to schedule them.
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As you step up to the front of the room, you can feel your face flush and your ears burn. Your hands are shaking as you take command of the stage. A little voice in the back of your head is telling you that everyone can tell how nervous you are.
That little voice lies.
You might be surprises how many people are actually oblivious to your nervousness. And there are two big reasons for this:
1) You’re probably not as obviously nervous as you think you are.
I know from my own personal experience, that sometimes when your face and ears feel hot, they haven’t changed color at all. Also, a small tremor in your hands that isn’t noticeable to the audience, can feel like your hand is jerking about wildly. But it’s not.
2) If you play your cards right, your presentation will wow them so much they’ll never get around to noticing your nervousness.
When I gave my first speech for my current Toastmasters club, I was so nervous I was actually seeing purple in the sides of my vision and I was convinced I was going to faint right there in front of them. I even forgot some of my stories. But when I asked around the room after my presentation, no one had a clue I was nervous. You can see a video of that speech here.
I believe I was able to hide my nervousness using these few tips I’d like to share with you today.
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