Ten Tips to Pinpoint your Business Book Topic

The Speakers Practice has invited Australian Business owners to submit articles on the topic of the Presentation Skills in the workplace. Contributors are experts in their industry , discussing aspects and giving advice concerning presentation skills in their field of expertise.Introducing Bev Ryan –

Bev_headshot_2011-22-252x300

Bev is a book coach working with busy professionals wanting to publish a career-changing book, who know they need information, assistance and accountability to make it happen. Bev ryan is the Founder of the Women’s Publishing Network and the only Australian Book Midwife® Licenced Practitioner working with successful international book coach Mindy Gibbins-Klein’s proven book coaching system.

As a speaker you are fully aware of the value of publishing your own business book. It remains a proven and powerful strategy for extending your sphere of influence, becoming more recognized in your field, and attracting exciting speaking opportunities.

It’s also a superb way to become more knowledgeable – a self-funded and self-directed path of higher learning. Like a degree, in my opinion, though I am cautious stating this amidst academics.

Two models

1. Business Tool: Business owners such as Peter Rowe of ProfiTune (Solving the People Puzzle) and Robyn Pulman (Habits Aren’t Just for Nuns) have published their books as business development tools, and have seen positive results in various forms, such as increased client numbers, higher paying clients, invitations to speak, and opportunities for alliances.

2. Profit Centre: Others, like MaryAnne Leighton, (Equine Emergency Rescue) an equine rescue expert, and Anke Bialas, with a life-long interest in the value of herbs, (Homemade Health) have written books around their personal passions and expertise, and now have successful profit centres sitting around them.

If you are not yet sure what to write, here’s TEN TIPS to get you started:

1. Write about a topic you wish others to see you as an expert in. Write about a topic you want to be an expert in, especially if you don’t really feel like one yet. Researching and writing will truly educate you. You will be an expert when you are finished, if you do it well.

2. Think small and narrow for your first book. The easy-to-read 90-page book ‘Why do you Frown, Daddy?’ by Chris Whitecross establishes him as a consultant, and coach for stressed managers, assisting them to deal with unacceptable behaviour in the workplace.

3. Look for opportunities – tune in to others’ complaints, frustrations and questions. MaryAnne (above) was upset by the many instances where inexperienced people attempted difficult horse rescues, harming the animals in the process, so she wrote the book helping to prevent the problem.

4. Take note of the book categories and book topics in book stores and libraries that you are naturally drawn to. If you have not been there recently, take time out to relax, visit and tune in to your own responses.

5. Think about what people come to you for. Your crazy brilliant ideas; your connections; your supportive reassurance; your resources; your clear instructions? There are clues there.

6. Write the book you would buy for yourself or your client/partner/kids/best friend/parent if you saw it on the shelf. What issues are people close to you dealing with? Do many others have the same problem at some stage in their life?

7. Look for creative and unusual ways to combine interests and demographics: functional graphic design for business owners; vegetable gardening for dementia sufferers; finance for teenagers; footwear for cats … well, maybe not that one, but you get the drift.

8. Publish solutions not prevention. Most of humanity seeks the fix after the (mini) catastrophe – and we will pay for it. That’s just what we do. We want to know how to lose weight, how to find new clients, how to get a better job, how to leave a lover after things go pear-shaped.

9. Here’s an obvious one: write for people who read/gather/value books. Not much point to do otherwise. If you are gifting your book, make sure it impresses the right people. If you are selling your book, research Amazon for data on books which sell. Who buys print books? Who buys e-books?

10. Still looking for a topic? Listen to talk shows: what fires people up and grabs their attention, and yours? Look at magazine selections in large news agencies: which have been going for a long time? Can you write a book around a similar theme for a similar audience? (Oprah’s magazine is full of ideas which could become book topics for coaches working with women, for example.)

A fantastic article , Bev, with lots of useful tips and information. Bev is launching her next book coaching group webinar series on Wed evening, 27 February. She also works with individuals and organisations. Click here for details on her website.

Lights, Camera…….Action?

The Speakers Practice has invited Australian Business owners to submit articles on the topic of the Presentation Skills in the workplace. Contributors are experts in their industry , discussing aspects and giving advice concerning presentation skills in their field of expertise.Here’s a wonderful article from the team at InsideOut PR who specialise in internal and external communications for corporate and consumer brands. –

Inside-out-pr

You’ve just landed the perfect media opportunity. A film crew is ready, the hosts have been briefed and your suit has been dry-cleaned. This is your chance to represent your brand and showcase its offering to the marketplace – it’s make or break time.

Tomorrow your live interview airs, and you win your audience over (think Justin Bieber and his thousands of screaming tweens). You leave the public with a favourable impression of your organisation, and better yet, they’re taking action like visiting your web page or making a purchase.

Alternatively…

You hear crickets. No response to your message – no calls, no enquiries and a social media explosion of negative commentary. The interview opportunity has taken a turn for the worse and you’ve completely lost not only the public’s interest, but their trust.

A negative outcome can happen to even the most well-connected individuals, Australian Actor of a celebrity family, Matthew Newton is going through it right now.

As a communications agency, it’s InsideOut PR’s job to prepare our clients for the most favourable outcome possible. But what are the 10 worst things you can do in an interview? We’ve listed them here:

Avoid answering the question. It’s a tactic that PR practitioners and politicians have prescribed to for years – never admit guilt, respond with a statement that appears as though you’re answering – but in fact you’re merely repeating pre-approved statements. The problem is this just doesn’t work in today’s two-way digital world – the public sees through it and you’re not doing your brand any favours.
Fidget. Move uncomfortably throughout the interview and you will look like you’re trying to dodge a bullet – literally.
Lose control. Raising your voice or becoming aggressive will never win empathy – no matter the situation.
Long-winded responses. If you take more than 10 words to answer a simple question – then you can lose or confuse the audience.
Lie. Once you’ve been recorded, it’s eternally stored for reuse by media in future stories. Lose public trust, and you may as well place an advertisement for your competitors.
Keep repeating the same words. If you don’t offer any new information, your interview will be cut and it’s likely you won’t get the opportunity again. The media prefers personalities that can engage with the interviewer and offer an interesting and fresh perspective.
A physical appearance clash. If you’re not dressing appropriate for your role, the situation and your organisation, then it will be hard for the audience to relate to the interview. You’ll have no control on how photos/videos from the interview will be used or distributed in the world-wide web.
Avoid responsibility. Blaming others, especially other departments in your organisation, will not reflect well. If you’re being interviewed as a spokesperson, represent the organisation’s position and take responsibility for the outcome.
Lack empathy or sincerity. Put yourself in the shoes of viewers and see what they see. The Australian culture respects authenticity and a genuine concern for others in tragedy.
Offer no solutions. If you’re being interviewed in relation to a negative situation, then you’d better have solutions ready. The speed at which an organisation makes amends is in direct proportion to how fast your reputation will be restored.

The most important thing you can do is take the time to prepare for the interview. Your PR agency will be able to provide you with the training and support to ensure you project the right image and get the results you desire.

Start observing media interviews and you’ll soon see for yourself which personalities win over the Australian audience – and – which ones don’t.

Thanks to the team at InsideOut PR . There are significant points raised here to maximise our impact when those valuable media opportunities arise.

How to Present like a Pro !

The Speakers Practice has invited Australian Business owners to submit articles on the topic of the Presentation Skills in the workplace. Contributors are experts in their industry , discussing aspects and giving advice concerning presentation skills in their field of expertise.Introducing InsideOut PR –

Inside-out-pr

INSIDEOUTPR specialises in internal and external communications for corporate and consumer brands. Break-through media coverage, strong brand engagement, a social media following, and messaging that resonates with your target audience.

In most realms of PR, marketing and advertising, being able to effectively communicate your ideas is essential. However not all of us are blessed with the coveted “confidence” gene…so we gotta fake it, til’ we make it!

To help get you over the line, we have come up with some simple tips that will have your audience sitting on the edge of their seats.

Be Prepared – Know your product inside and out and predict the types of questions that may come up in your presentation, so that you can answer them without fumbling. Make a list of the main points you want to convey and memorise, so that if you find yourself talking off track during the speech, you can always find your way back.

Engage – To engage with your audience, you must know them. Immerse yourself in their culture, use their jargon and make references they can relate to. Most importantly, try and make them feel a part of the speech. This can be done by using interactive phrases, such as “we are about to witness a revolution” and “I don’t know if you have this problem, but…”

Laugh – Don’t be afraid to throw in a few one liners. The trick is to keep them witty and inoffensive. Laughter helps keep your audience alert and makes you (the presenter) more likeable. Remember, if you have to question whether a joke will work with your audience, don’t risk it.

Loosen Up – One of the biggest mistakes presenters make is to stand still. It doesn’t look natural and is a dead giveaway that you are uncomfortable. Try and pretend you are conversing with friends, use hand-gestures, take a couple of steps around and try to take a relaxed stance. The easiest way to do this is to unlock the knee joints, keep your chest and chin out and your shoulders back.

Watch Yourself – When nervous, most people overuse stalling words like ‘um’ or ‘ah’ without even noticing. This can get irritating for an audience, and can lead them to lose. The best way to avoid using these words is to first identify your fall-back word (the word that you are most likely to fall back on when stalling). Practice in front of a friend and get them to help you pick it and when you know what word to avoid, it makes it easier to stop yourself from saying it.

Once you have nailed these, you are ready to go and pitch your ideas to the world. If you still need a confidence booster InsideOut PR finds that donning a killer pair of heels always helps!

Thanks to the team of InsideOutsidePR – to find out more about this dynamic PR team , based at Crows Nest, see www.insideoutpr.com.au . They can assist you to promote your business.

Be empowered to speak with confidence, influence and ease!

The Speakers Practice has invited Australian Business owners to submit articles on the topic of the Presentation Skills in the workplace. Contributors are experts in their industry , discussing aspects and giving advice concerning presentation skills in their field of expertise.Introducing Maureen Bell –

D314604-2-300x287

Maureen Bell, “Speak with Presence” works with people and Companies who speak in public, to develop presentations, present to engage and speak with confidence. Maureen is based in Sydney.

The ability to present persuasively, naturally, and professionally is one of the most important assets you can develop in both workplace and social situations. It is one of life’s great truisms that they way we communicate with others determine’s the quality of our life. Good communication is vital because we often have to change or influence the thoughts and behaviour of others, particularly in the workplace. Good speaking skills are necessary to communicate a message clearly. However, many people feel scared or nervous to speak out particularly in the workplace and this can stop you taking opportunities or career advancements.

Understanding how to prepare and practise public speaking will decrease your nerves significantly. The following 10 tips are designed to help you focus when next delivering a presentation.

Know your audience. Why are you speaking to this audience? Who is going to be in the audience? Why are they attending?
Know your environment. Make sure you arrive early to check out your speaking arena. Check lighting, audiovisual equipment, microphones, room layout and anything that may impact your presentation to ensure all is ready and working fully.
Know your purpose. What is the reason for your presentation?
Is your purpose to inform, demonstrate, persuade, or entertain? Perhaps it is a combination of the above?
Know how to start. Start your speech or presentation with real impact. An effective introduction allows you to establish rapport with your audience. It should grab their attention and interest, as it is your chance to create a favourable first impression. Research show you only have 30 seconds to do this.
Know how to structure. Have you organised your presentation so that your main topic points flow in a logical order and are easy to understand? Have you used anecdotes, stories and humour to help your audience understand the meaning of your facts and statistics?
Know how to end your speech. Do not end with questions and answers and remember to end with a conclusion. The conclusion is an important part of a presentation as it is the last thing your audience hear. It is your last chance to create a lasting impression. It plays a key role in how your audience will remember you and your key messages.
Know how to talk with ease. Presenting is talking to other human beings, therefore talk to them rather than read from PowerPoint. Humans need connection and when you read from slides there is no connection with the audience. Use slides to reinforce or enhance your message. Remember the only way to influence people is by connecting with them. Look them in the eye and converse with them.
Know that you must practise. Have you practised your presentation over and over again using only abbreviated notes? Have you practised your eye contact, pace of speech, volume, tone and body gestures? Have you practised to the point where you are comfortable with the material or content?
Know when to use handouts. If your presentation involves statistics and analytical data, put them in a handout that the audience can refer to. Don’t bore them by reciting a plethora of numbers. When used well, numbers and data will add to the impact of a speech, rather than bogging the audience down in detail.
Know that it is you that brings a presentation or speech alive. What will the audience most remember? It is unlikely they will remember power point slides. They will remember well presented information supported with relevant data and anecdotes which is delivered with meaning and emphasis. They will remember you!

Thanks Maureen, some great words of advice. There’s alot to remember when delivering a presentation , your 10 tips will really assist anyone giving that important presentation.