Author: Adrienne McLean

We watch so much television, DVDs , in the past video, now a days Youtube – its everywhere – whats so hard about presenting in front of a camera?

Its easy to get up but then, your words may not be quite what you were thinking, you don’t like the way you look, even worst, you don’t like your mannerisms or your accent – you might speak too high pitch or keep fidgeting. What does your hair look like? When you watch back the video – in the background there’s a funny old photo on the wall and you can hear the dog barking!

Actors and Television professionals are trained rigorously with presenting in front of a camera. Every aspect is discussed, developed fine-tuned so that the performance is like what you see. When we as business people get up and present in front of a camera – without the training then we wonder why our performance doesn’t match our expectations.

What are some of the common things to remember when presenting in front of a camera that you can develop to create a useable video ?

1. Its important to set out what you are wanting to achieve with the video– the more planned and prepared you are the better the final result will be.

· 2. Script preparation is a big issue – commonly, business people have so much content they want to include that their script is far too complex – too much detail is discussed and the presentation becomes far, too long.
Short, concise scripts are important for maximum impact – for most video – no longer than 90seconds – 50% of your audience has gone after 2 minutes.

M 3. Mannerisms become very distracting – these need identifying and worked on – examples are for instance what you do with your hands, perhaps you hold your head one way in particular – you may forget to smile – check these.

· 4. What you wear is important – watch out for stripes, very bright colours

· 5. Remembering lines under a time pressure is challenging – keeping focus on the moment is really important. When professional videoing is an option – being trained to use an autocue will really assist you to present without forgetting your lines – this becomes quite an issue when you’re on the spot.

6. Finally, nerves – getting up infront of the camera and speaking to the camera rather than a person can be a challenge – looking at the camera as though its a person helps along with practice – getting familiar with the process.

Being polished when presenting to video camera is a valuable skill that will enable you to connect with your clients before you have even met them. They will get to know you and your business – if you connect confidently and clearly then you will make an impact on the viewer – who could be a potential client.

The Speakers Practice is running the Effective On-Camera Presenting workshop on the 30th August and 6th September with Professional Media Skills Trainer – Tim Stackpool at the PowWow Studios at North Sydney. This is a fantastic opportunity to become really comfortable and capable with presenting in front of a video camera – you will be able to confidently speak to your potential clients via video and win them over!

Go to : http://www.thespeakerspractice.com.au/presentation-and-video-program for more details and to book in http://bit.ly/13qDtvz or ring Adrienne McLean on 0414 367 960 to discuss the Effective On-Camera Presenting workshop more.

For Professionals who have been in the working life for a long time, it is forgotten how strongly focussed, highly skilled and just plain confident they come across. To new, fresh out of university graduates, it can be quite intimidating how powerful the Professionals approach can be. This also holds true for business people delivering a presentation, for people with English as a second language, mothers returning into the workplace, men or women who have been retrenched and are looking for that highly sort after and needed job and many others.
Professionals can seem unapproachable and the whole interaction can seem daunting. What can be done to have a friendly and less nerve-racking with a Professional either in the workplace, at university or in an interview, delivering a presentation or where-ever?

Smile – Sometimes, when you first encounter the Professional you are wanting to speak to they may seem really focused and not wanting to be interrupted or uneasy because of the interruption – your best approach is to smile – the simple smile and greeting can really start to break down barriers – makes you seem at ease and friendly (even if you’re not). You can even shake hands ONLY if its appropriate.

Make sure you know their Name – if you are in the workplace – make sure you know the names of everyone around – if you are in a meeting – know everyone’s name – speak to them using their name. Absolutely everyone enjoys being acknowledged by using their name. If you’re delivering a presentation – its essential to use the organisations name during the presentation.

Do away with Negative Self Chatter – You are working where you are for a reason, you are in the interview because you got through the first stage, if you are meeting someone as a potential client – they have agreed to the meeting – eliminate any negative self chatter – it doesn’t serve you. Think about why you are there, by getting a successful outcome will assist you in one way or other – focus on that – Have Confidence in your ability to deliver – have confidence in yourself.

Make the person you are meeting feel important – you are in this meeting for a reason – the assistance of this person will help you in your job, help you get the job, help you get the business or whatever the situation. By making this person feel important or the group you’re speaking to feel acknowledged, it will help you to achieve your goals.

Ask Questions – be focused and involved with the conversation. Ask questions along the way to increase your understanding of whatever the topic. You have the opportunity to get to know this person so apart of the process is to ask questions. This enables you to show how interested you are. Just make sure the questions you ask are appropriate to what you are there to discuss.

Listen – if you are asking questions, make sure you hear and understand the answers – sure , if you don’t understand ask another question.

Remember – these intimidating, high level people (in your eyes) are people just there to do a job. These seemingly very important people will appreciate friendliness, openness and respectfulness. If you can build a bond whether one-to-one or one-to-the group – they will get to know you and you will then have formed a memorable connection.

To engage with Professionals whether at work or at university, in a presentation or in a networking situation – where-ever, by using these easy to follow ways of engaging – you will find that your interactions will become much more friendly and successful and those intimidating and nerve-racking thoughts will disappear. It just needs a bit of practice.

How can the The Speakers Practice – Business Speakers Forum assist you as an Entrepreneur?

By using the Forum – there are many ways this Business Speakers Forum can assist you – Here are Nine ways-

Entrepreneurs generally:

Work by themselves or with small groups on projects to follow their dreams
They are really focused on what they are doing and trying to achieve
Entrepreneurs always looking for ways to promote their business.
Entrepreneurs are always wanting to learn more to better their business

So how can the Business Speakers Forum assist Entrepreneurs?

The Business Speakers Forum is designed to assist Entrepreneurs to Promote Their Business by Speaking – Speaking is a great way to get to a large number of potential clients easily and get your message across.
For each Business Speakers Forum, there is a 30-45 minute training session on a topic around Presentation Skills in the workplace – this gives the attendees current, uptodate information about a variety of topics – the Trainers are all Professionals in their fields – your Facilitator, Adrienne McLean is a member of the National Speakers Association of Australia and has connections to gather experienced speakers who address valuable topics. See http://www.thespeakerspractice.com.au/business-speakers-forum
The Business Speakers Forum – provides an audience for Entrepreneurs to test out their presentation – after the presentation – the presenter talks to the audience to find out observations about the presentation – did the message get across? – Did the presentation flow and was it easy to follow? – Was the delivery entertaining? The Peer Mentoring used is incredibly powerful way to develop skills.
The Business Speakers Forum meets for five sessions four times a year. This gives an Entreprenuer regular times to attend without it being too onerous.
At the Business Speakers Forum – Videos can be prepared – there is a suitable Sony camera along with quality video lights in place for the meetings. Attendees are able to present short – 1-3 minute videos – if attendees present one video each session for the full series – for $187 they can have 5 videos of suitable quality for a newsletter or blog. How useful is that to an Entrepreneur for promoting their business? Blogs with video are three times as likely to attract inbound links.
Entrepreneurs can work on material at the Business Speakers Forum, to assist them to prepare for a big pitch to an investor or client. This is incredibly useful for really fine tuning their presentation and knowing that they are prepared for the big day.
Networking is important and at the Business Speakers Forum – attendees get to speak with Like-Minded Entrepreneurs who are forging their business forward. Connections are made and business is created at this forum.
Presentation Skills are a priority – your Facilitator – Adrienne McLean – will build your confidence , assist in areas that you can develop , shows practical ways to prepare for presentations. Adrienne finds avenues to assist you to promote your business by speaking – Rotary events and Radio are some of the ways available.
The Business Speakers Forum is a highly informative training session with presentation skills development – it is highly interactive , a place to experiment on ideas and presentations, a place to create and practice video and a place to learn from others. Have a look at our website – http://www.thespeakerspractice.com.au/business-speakers-forum

Come along! Join our Meet-up Group and follow the wonderful series of trainers and activities . – http://www.meetup.com/Business-Speakers-Forum/

Michael Port is an International Author of Book Yourself Solid and has a marvelous system which he claims is the Fastest, Easiest and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients. This overview is about one section of Book Yourself Solid which will assist you at networking events, pitching or when you’re in that elevator explaining to someone what you do!

OK, you are at a networking function and someone comes up and asks ” What do you do?” Well, its this response that you really need to be clear on and even practice over and over so you know it so well that you say it naturally.

What are the five sections that Michael Port asks you to identify?

The following five points are:

1. Summarize your target market in one sentence

2. Identify and summarize the three biggest and most critical problems your target market faces

3. List how you solve these problems and present clients with unique solutions

4. Include the most dramatic results that you or your clients have achieved

5. List the results and the deepest benefits your clients receive.

Its these five points that you need to prepare and then learn. You need to know them so well that you can say them in your sleep!!

Then, there are three versions that you prepare a Long, Medium and Short version and then you can use these when you feel its appropriate.

The Long Version:

You know how (Insert part 1) do, are, or feel about (Insert part 2)

Well, what I do is ( Insert Part 3)

The result is (Part 4)

The benefits are (Part 5)

This is an overview of what you do that really addresses the issues for your target market and how you can help.

The Medium Version is:

You know how ( Insert Part 1 and 2)

Well, what I do is (Insert Parts 3 and 4)

This gives a concise overview of what you do.

The Short and Quick version is:

I help (Part 1) with achieving (Part 5).

This gives a quick overview with the benefits to your clients.

Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port is a really great read for anyone who is in business – his 7 core self promotion strategies are an incredibly powerful system to follow – its well worth your while to get a copy of this book – its a valuable resource.

http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/ Published with Michael Port’s approval.

The Speakers Practice offers a Presentation and Video program to assist business people to create online video for their website. How does the workshop help the business owner?

Our “Effective On-Camera Presenting Skills program” where our guest trainer, Tim Stackpool , Media Skills and Publicity Professional, guides attendees through a training day looking at presenting on camera from the presenting , appearance , learning to use Autocue and one-on-one training with the attendees 1 – 2 minute video script (which they had practiced and knew before attending). This fine tuned their presentation and they got an opportunity to become familiar with the camera.

Our second day “Connect with your Audience by Video”- the attendees have more one-on-one practice then the presentations were filmed with professional Lights, Camera, Microphone and equipment with a white background. This is in a professional studio or can be in a specific location for groups. The video was professionally edited and the video files were emailed to the attendees.

This training package can assist Business owners, business groups, networking groups, chamber of commerce to improve viewing rate and ultimately turn interested parties into customers. The video produced are of a professional standard that a Business owner can be proud to have on their website to represent their business.

Here’s some Testimonials about this program:

Contact The Speakers Practice on adrienne@thespeakerspractice.com.au or ring 0414 367 960 for more details.

This training can increase your chances of Connecting You With Your Customer!

Here are some statistics –

Visitors who view product video are 85% more likely to purchase than visitors who do not (Internet Retailer April 2010)
On-Line video is the fastest growing ad-format in 2012 with nearly 55% growth (eMarketer Jan 2012)
52% of Consumers say that watching product video makes them more confident in their on-line purchases (Internet Retailer 2012)
Shoppers who viewed video were 174% more likely to purchase than those who did not (Retail Touch Points Channel Innovation Awards 2012)
More than three out of five consumers will spend atleast 2 minutes watching a video that educates them about a product they plan to purchase and 37% will watch three video for more than three minutes
Professionally produced video optimized for eCommerce out performs user generated video by 30%
Blog Posts incorporating video attract three times as many inbound links as blog posts without(SEOmoz October 2009)

The reality is that on-line video is becoming more and more important with this digital mobile world we now live in.

If you own a business and have a website or blog then on-line video can help the viewing rate significantly.

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.

David Williams, Growth Whisperers personally enables you to double your income, influence and energy by releasing your hidden handbrakes in your personal and business life.

Do you know that sensation of your heart beating as you wait to give your presentation?

Does your mind start fast forwarding to the moment when you go blank and can’t remember what to say next?

And what about the butterflies in the stomach and the pulsing around your temples?

If you get nervous giving presentations to groups, then you’ll know what I’m talking about. Its no fun and it can be really frustrating. Why? Because except for your nerves, you’re perfectly capable of giving that presentation, right?

Now I know what those nerves are like. For years I got told things like, ‘Practice make perfect’, ‘Just take three deep breaths’, and I love this one, ‘The audience are your friends’. Now lets be honest, did any of these well intended suggestions really solve your nerves? Not for me at least. And that’s the way it was until I had this blinding flash of the obvious insight. Whenever we’re incomplete, we get stressed. Let me explain what I mean.

Will All of You Please Stand Up?

So many times when I watch people presenting, I see more than one person is up there on the stage. There’s the person who wants to be all confident and professional, and then there’s other person whose being push into the background, whose concerned about making a mistake and not being liked by the audience. When we push an uncomfortable part of ourselves away, we make ourselves personally incomplete, and that’s at the core of what makes us nervous.

Now you could say that all I’m saying is for you to ‘Be Yourself’. But that’s another one of those helpful hints that in my experience doesn’t actually tell you how to do it. How do you be yourself? Well the solution lies in what I call ‘the moment of resistance’. In the moment of resistance, you experience some type of discomfort. Its resisting that tiny moment of discomfort that makes you personally incomplete, which makes you nervous and which stops you from being yourself when you present. Let me give you an example.

Naming and Accepting makes it Fun

Say you have a part of you that’s feels you can do a good job at this presentation, and that you have this other part of you that remembers stuffing up and is concerned it could happen again. Now most of us are aware of how nervous we are outwards towards giving the presentation, but there a more powerful inward emotion that’s already there and which you instantaneously resist. In the moment of getting nervous for a presentation, what are feeling towards yourself? Are you actually feeling out of control of how the audience will react, inadequate to answer their questions, or maybe even vulnerable to showing your emotions in public. Its being willing to experience these uncomfortable emotions that is the key to making yourself complete and gaining the calm clarity that you probably want. Because think about the professional speakers that you’ve seen. They often tell stories about their mistakes. Its a little known secret that to tell those stories, those presenters have had to actively accept any uncomfortable emotions surrounding the event when they stuffed up. They laugh at themselves and we laugh with them. And it will be the same for you. When you name the specific uncomfortable inward emotion that you experience as you start to get nervous, make a decision to actively welcome experiencing that uncomfortable feeling. As you do this, you’ll see your nerves subside and your presentations will transform from frustration to fun.

Its The Same For Leaders

Of course the same can be said of any leader having a converssation with their team. Australians in particular can detect a mile away a leader whose pretending to be something more than they really are. Why do you think we call them ‘Tall Poppies’? Equally, staff lose respect when you as a leader don’t respect a part of you that you’re uncomfortable with. Your self doubts create doubts in others, be it your audience or employees.

Now what I’ve explained above is the proverbial tip of the iceberg. There’s a whole other area about a unique process that we use to make being more calm and complete in front of groups a fact that lasts a lifetime.

So come to my live event where I’ll show you how three business leaders harnessed the power of these insights and techniques to literally make millions and enjoy great lifestyles. We’d love to have you there, CLICK HERE to register.

Double Your Profits, Partnerships and Productivity Preview Meeting

Tuesday 9 April

5.30pm for 6-8pm

Amora Hotel

11 Jamison Street, Sydney (near Wynyard)

Cost: Zero – Finger food and refreshments provided

CLICK HERE to register.

In the meantime, please let me know what you found useful and the difference this article makes in your personal and business life. I’d love to hear from you. Warmly,

David Williams ,Growth Whisperers www.growthwhisperers.com

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. Ric Willmot, Executive Wisdom is an author, speaker and owner of Executive Wisdom

Ric Willmot is an expert Executive Business Coach.You can accesss Ric’s books, the outstanding Business Forum at greatly reduced rate through the affliation with The Speakers Practice.

See Ric’s Business products – http://bit.ly/YfYt4H

Business owners, managers and those responsible for marketing are commended to write media releases, speak at trade association events, and have articles published in the journals that their clients read. That’s not unreasonable advice. But unless you were exceptionally good at English at school, or in the University debating team, or lucky enough to have exposure to journalism, the whole idea can be a little daunting. And so as you settle into your office with a fresh cup of coffee, there are numerous other priorities that take precedence over you actively progressing the writing of your next press release, article, or presentation to your local Chamber of Commerce. So, it never happens, even with the best of intentions.

The good news for you is that with just a small amount of effort, the correct guidance, and an editable template you can do any of these three tasks in ninety minutes or less. A media release can be written and disseminated within thirty minutes. A presentation to a business association, industry group, networking event, and the like can be crafted and composed in under sixty minutes. A full-page article in any business or trade journal may require the full hour and a half.

There is no one perfect way to write a media release. Take solace in the knowledge that much of the reason for a release being picked up is entirely luck. That said, through plenty of trial and error I’ve identified some key points that will greatly improve the chances of your release being considered favourably by radio, journalists and editors.

Before you invest time in writing a media release, critically decide if the topic is something that people want to read about. Is it newsworthy? Will it be interesting for the editor of a particular publication? Can provide a controversial twist to the topic that will capture the reader’s attention? Do you have a message that is contrary to conventional wisdom or what is currently being touted by others? Can you support your philosophy with evidence, facts, data, or a case study that proves you’re right and everyone else isn’t? If you can do this your media release will go to the top of the pile on the editor’s desk.

When you write your release, contrary to what you might assume, you are not writing it for the editor. Articulate your message specifically to the readers of the publication. Your answers to the following questions will have your media release writing itself:

i What’s your purpose for writing the release?

ii Who are you specifically speaking to as you write?

iii What are your 3 most important points of wisdom you can share with the reader?

iv How do each of these improve your readers?

v What one piece of evidence can you provide to support the 1st point?

vi Summarise a case study that proves your 2nd point.

vii What data can you provide in bullet point form that supports your 3rd point?

viii So looking at what you have done so far, what do you now believe is the most powerful way to write your premise that his benefits based for the reader?

ix Does your article raise any questions that you need to refute? If so, enter them in your writing.

x Can you conclude your media release without powerful and interesting call to action that is not a sales pitch?

You have now rapidly written a media release that has a far better chance of being published. At first it may take you slightly longer then the thirty minutes I mentioned. However, if you diligently use this process and schedule the time to write at least once every month, you will very quickly get better in quality and speed. And, as a bonus, here’s three of Ric’s Tips for you that are worth the price of admission, alone:

The media release does not have to tell everything you know. Simply tell the reader what they have to know, today.
Keep your sentences concise and on point.
If you can incorporate a visually appealing, unusual, or amazing photograph, you must include it.

Press releases can be a valuable tool for your business in terms of branding, repute, and word-of-mouth. But press releases on their own do not make you money. So they are only one component of your Whirlpool Marketing™. Media releases don’t need to be perfect, must not be lengthy, and written in a tone that’s easy to read and understand.

Ric Willmot: Improving Your Business Results Through Intelligent Strategies

Executive Wisdom Consulting Group

You can accesss Ric’s books, the outstanding Business Forum at greatly reduced rate through the affliation with The Speakers Practice. See Ric’s Business products – http://bit.ly/YfYt4H

Website: http://executivewisdom.com

Blog: http://ricwillmot.com

e-mail: info@executivewisdom.com

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 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.

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. –

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.

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 –

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.