I am a big fan of audience participation, because here’s the deal: even someone as magnificent as you are can’t hold most people’s attention for very long.

A study once showed that at any given moment while a speaker is presenting:

• 12% are actively listening
• 28% are listening selectively
• the other 60% are daydreaming, reminiscing or having an erotic fantasy!

To read this article and discover six ways to snap even the groggiest audience members out of their stupors, click here.

Looking to help your company's top executives become more effective speakers? Did you know their ability to give good speeches could affect the company's bottom line? Email us today at info@gabbettgroup.com and we'll set up a consultation to start coaxing out the dynamic speaker hidden inside. Visit our website at: www.gabbettgroup.com and read other articles which have already helped others become savvy communicators.

Janie Gabbett, President

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In this issue:

• FROM THE PODIUM
• IS COACHING FOR YOU?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FROM THE PODIUM -- When it comes to hand-outs, be optimistic!

If there is one thing I have learned from my own recent speaking gigs, it is that audience size estimates are rarely accurate. I usually hand something out when I speak, for branding purposes. As a rule, I bring at least 10% more than they tell me to bring, but I’m revising that rule of thumb.

I recently spoke to a group of professional women. There were 15 people signed up a week in advance, 30 were signed up the day before. I brought 40 copies of my handout. Fifty people showed up! OK, I might have given the slight impression the first 50 in the door would win a new car.

As a speaker, you never want to be rattled and scrambling for a copier minutes before you go on stage. You also never want there to be “haves” and “have nots” in your audience. Believe me, you have lost the “have nots” way before you begin. They’ll spend your entire speech wondering why you hate them, plotting to steal their neighbor’s copy or lost in their own thoughts and fantasies (see earlier article).

I used to think I had an inflated ego if I brought more handouts than I needed. Now I know I’m just being a savvy communicator.

A few more tips when it comes to handouts:

• Make them look professional or don’t make them at all. If they are handed out in advance, your audience is already making decisions about you based on their quality.
• Make them specific to this audience. Even if that just means taking your generic handout and adding a top line or cover page that names the organization, event and date.
• Make them brief, clear and supportive of your material. Don’t print your speech, or they’ll be reading instead of listening.

The best handouts relate to an exercise or other interactive portion of your presentation.

So, the next time you are rushing out the door to speak to the Society for the Elimination of Public Speakers, be optimistic. You may be a bigger draw than you think.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IS COACHING FOR YOU?

How about you? Do you have a presentation coming up? Whether you are a deer in the headlights or a good presenter ready to become a great one, we can help. We guarantee that after just one coaching session you will improve. Call us today. Start sounding smarter tomorrow.