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In This issue: (June 09)
1) Professional vs. Non-Professional Speakers
2) Newly Added Speakers in Leadership, Social Responsibility, Association and Non-profit management, Green Business, Sales and Women's Empowerment/Well-Being
In Recent Issues:
1) Ins and Outs of Hiring Speakers: Frequently Asked Questions
2) Newly Added Speakers/Speakers $10,000 and Under
3) Where is the Productivity in a Recession? by Chad Hymas
4) Winning Words by Jeff Blackman
5) Growing Sales Potential of Women Owned Businesses
6) Don't Cancel That Meeting -- Rethink It!
7) Increase Your Negotiating Leverage with Speakers
8) The Firm Offer: A Key to Booking Headlining Speakers
Visit www.promenadespeakers.com for recent newsletter issues.
Professional Speakers: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Recently, I attended a conference with a mix of professional and non-professional speakers. The difference in speaking skills and my resulting interest and retention was notable. Maybe you’ve had similar experiences. When you hire a professional speaker, you take for granted a range of capabilities. I occupied myself during the more excruciating sessions by jotting down those key skills. They determine a professional’s value along with their fame and other factors:
Professional vs. Non-Professional
Big words only when those words are explained or audience is familiar/Overuses big words for no discernable benefit
Clean verbal delivery/Run-on sentences galore
Modulated tone/Monotone, racing through delivery
Talks TO audience in language and body posture/Talks to screen, reads verbatim off screen
Confident & Energetic/Verbal crutches and full of clichés
Reflects the real world/Overly academic
Storytelling/Straight information dump
Visuals, skillful use of presentation technology/Text only or overly reliant on technology vs. substance
Personalizes to audience/Abstract & detached from attendees
Personal & Professional credibility enhances audience engagement/No pre-speech credibility, an uphill battle - see above on big words
Original content/Book report, summarizes others’ work
Timed to fit preset duration/Runs over significantly
Tight, insightful answers to audience questions/rambling, canned answers
Well practiced (dozens or hundreds of times for similar speech)/Inadequately practiced and it shows
Provocative points of view/Predictable
Big picture/Minutae
I can’t wait to hear what they’ll say next/Can't wait for this to end
This event host knows what they're doing and are a trusted resource/What is this event host thinking? What do they think of me?
New Promenade Speakers
Since May's newsletter, we've added a number of speakers to our site:
Green Business:
Andrew Winston - Co-author of Green to Gold, the best-selling guide to what works - and what doesn't - when companies go green
www.promenadespeakers.com/page145.html
Sales, Leadership & Social Responsibility:
Robin Sharma - Author of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
www.promenadespeakers.com/page135.html
Craig & Marc Kielburger - Me to We Youth Empowerment Speakers
www.promenadespeakers.com/page136.html
Jeff Conley - Leading People Through Gigantic Change, Becoming a Difference Maker
www.promenadespeakers.com/page152.html
Women's Well-Being & Empowerment:
Dr. Joan Borysenko - World-renowned expert in the mind/body connection
www.promenadespeakers.com/page149.html
Dr. Karen Wolfe - Women's Wellness, Body Image, Integrated Health Management
www.promenadespeakers.com/page148.html
Association & Non-Profit Leadership & Management:
Mark Levin - Author of 4 Books on Association Leadership & Membership Development
www.promenadespeakers.com/page137.html
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