To our No Sweat Speaking(sm) Ezine readers with AOL addresses...    Click the link, "Show images & enable links," that AOL puts at the top of each message.   Make a global change to the default so that you can see all messages as they were designed and interact with all embedded links.   Click the "Add Address" icon to the right of your message. This will allow future emails to pass through the AOL filters and render properly.   ----------------------------- No Sweat Speaking(sm) Ezine ----------------------------- Speaking Tips for Greater Confidence, Skill, Influence & Profit ----------------------------------------------------------------- Volume 3, Number 7 July/August, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Allan Kaufman & Allan Misch, Editors, Allan and Allan, Inc. mailto:cust-serv@nosweatspeaking.com http://www.nosweatspeaking.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- This monthly newsletter is distributed by request only. If you want to stop it, you can find instructions at the end of the newsletter. (c) 2004 Allan And Allan, Inc. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Please send this Ezine to those you know who (1) need to give technical, sales, marketing, or management presentations; (2) are interested in developing or improving their presentation skills; (3) want to make money speaking and training; (4) need to improve their performance; or (5) have a fear of speaking or are nervous when they speak. This newsletter also is good for building relationships with your clients, customers, associates, and friends. Send this to them with a note that you're thinking about them. ----------------------------------------------------------------- *** Attention *** If you're receiving this issue from someone and would like to get your own complimentary newsletter plus TWO valuable BONUS reports, please visit... http://www.nosweatspeaking.com or... mailto:nssezine@nosweatspeaking.com?subject=Subscribe ----------------------------------------------------------------- PRIVACY STATEMENT: We absolutely will not share your address with anyone. Period! ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Learning to communicate is like taking out an insurance policy. You never know when you'll need it, but it's too late to take it out after you need it." Allan Kaufman as quoted in Baltimore Magazine ----------------------------------------------------------------- *********************** Check This Out! *********************** ***Is Your Public Speaking Fear Holding You Back?*** Are you not getting the job you want or the promotion you deserve because you suffer from speaking anxiety? How much money, loss of opportunities, or damage to your reputation is this fear costing you? ***We Can Help You*** Using our No Sweat Speaking(sm) techniques, we provide personal coaching to help you get rid of your speaking anxieties in a relatively short period of time. Send us an email and tell us you want assistance. We will email you some questions to assess your situation and then send you a proposal as to how we can help you. It doesn't matter where you live as this can be done via email and phone consultations. mailto:allank@nosweatspeaking.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- In This Issue ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Featured Article 2. Presentation Skills Tip 3. Humor Tip 4. Dear Allan and Allan (Answers to Your Questions) ----------------------------------------------------------------- *** Attention Small Business Owners *** Here's one of the best websites on the Internet for small business marketing. We use this site and its great information as a resource. Get a free 24-page Marketing Plan Workbook. Visit... http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?AFID=50478 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Featured Article ----------------------------------------------------------------- ** Preparation Is 75% of Any Good Presentation ** by Allan Kaufman and Allan Misch Some people have a fear of not being prepared. This fear, unlike generalized fears, can be eliminated by good preparation. Here are three preparation strategies that will lead to successful presentations. * Strategy #1 -- Know Your Audience * Determine who is your audience. Consider their... ~ Age ~ Sex ~ Education ~ Occupation ~ Interests and needs ~ What they want to know, or what problem they want to solve. This information will help you to define the subject, purpose, and construction of your talk. For example, if they just want information, you would construct an informational presentation, not a persuasive one. * Strategy #2 -- Learn About the Sponsoring Organization * Get background information about the organization sponsoring the event. Find out... ~ Who are they? ~ Who are the officers? ~ What are some of their pet projects? ~ With whom will you be sitting, etc.? Get to the event early and mingle with some of the officers and audience members. Find out one or two things about as many of them as you can. Then you can bring some of this up casually during your presentation. This information will help you to establish rapport with the group. * Strategy #3 -- Become Familiar with the Logistics * Find out where you will be speaking. Ask questions such as... ~ How big is the room? ~ Will you need a public address system and is there one available? ~ Will you be speaking from behind a lectern? ~ Where will you be sitting? ~ Who will introduce you, etc.? If possible, visit the site before the event. This will put your mind at ease as you will be able to better envision yourself in the room giving your talk. Also knowing the speaking environment will help to eliminate any last minute surprises that could negatively affect your performance. So use these three strategies. Know your audience, learn about the sponsoring organization, and become familiar with the logistics. As Mark Twain commented, "It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." Remember, preparation is at least 75% of a successful presentation. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "In minutes you were able to do for the audience what some people have been trying to do for themselves for a lifetime. You two helped audience members get rid of the fear of public speaking right before my very eyes.... Any organization can benefit greatly by witnessing your seminar.... You two are a great team!" Craig Valentine Toastmasters International 1999 World Champion of Public Speaking ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Presentation Skills Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------- **How to Prepare for a Question & Answer Session** by Allan Misch Q&A sessions are not a time to relax. They could be the most important part of your presentation. Hold your Q&A before your prepared close. After the Q&A session, end with your prepared close so that your audience benefits from the summary of your main points and reiteration of your main message. Write down every question you think your audience will ask. Prepare a response to each question, and record it on an audio cassette tape. Play the tape several times to become familiar with your responses. For very important presentations, get several of your business associates or team to play the roles of audience members such as the CEO, marketing director, sales manager, etc. Give your presentation and have your associates ask questions and write them on 3x5 cards. Brainstorm effective replies, then record and learn them. Don't "wing" Q&A sessions, because they may make or break your presentation. Do your homework and prepare your answers. ----------------------------------------------------------------- *** Great Speaking Resource *** Turn your speaking, training, or sales skills into cash. Check out a great professional speaking resource. We recommend it highly. Lots of great tips and tricks. Just click on or paste the URL into your browser. http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?AFID=50475&u=www.antion.com/public-speaking.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Humor Tip ----------------------------------------------------------------- **Humor Targets that Work** by Allan Misch Humor targets are those people or "things" that are the targets of your humor. There are right humor targets and wrong humor targets. Right humor targets are safe to poke fun at. Avoid wrong humor targets, those that break rapport with your audience. The best humor target is yourself, called self-deprecating humor. Other right humor targets are superiority figures such as politicians, lawyers, doctors, etc. One caution, don't target a superiority figure if that's who makes up your audience, such as an audience of lawyers. Wrong humor targets are women, mother-in-laws, religion, sex, politics, and any other topic to which people have strong sensitivities. Here's my rule of thumb: When in doubt, leave it out! Just stick with the humor targets that work. ----------------------------------------------------------------- **If You're Looking for a Home for Your Website, iPowerWeb Makes Website Hosting Simple!** We did a lot of research on Web hosting companies and compared many of them. We decided on iPowerWeb to host our website, and we made a good decision. iPowerWeb is rated #1 for affordable, high quality web hosting. You get an incredible 500 megs of space, 300 POP email accounts, 30 gigs of transfer, website builder, 24/7 customer support, free setup, marketing package, and much more... all for an incredible $7.95 per month! So if you're interested in establishing a presence on the Web for the first time, or if you want to change your Website hosting company because you're tired of getting ripped off, check out iPowerWeb. http://www.ipowerweb.com/cgi-bin/tracker/trackeraf.cgi?rid=afftrend ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Dear Allan and Allan (Answers to Your Questions) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Allan and Allan, When I have to do a briefing or give a report at a meeting, I break out in a sweat and get flushed. I rush through my talk and get very nervous. I worry that I will not get it right. What is wrong with me? Why do I have this horrible speaking fear? Pat in Pomona. Dear Pat, You don't have speaking fear and there's nothing wrong with you. We believe you're afraid that you won't "get it right." It probably started in childhood as a result of experiences you had at home or in school. Maybe your parents set very high expectations. Maybe your teacher or classmates said something to you or acted in a way which led you to believe that it's no fun not to be right. One way this fear exhibits itself is when you have to give a presentation. Probably, public speaking training will not help you overcome your fear. If you eliminate the negative emotional reactions of your early experiences but not your memories of those experiences, your fear as it relates to presenting should disappear. Your task is to find a way to do that. Our No Sweat Speaking(sm) process will help you do just that. Allan and Allan Submit questions to mailto:questions@nosweatspeaking.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------- *** Hot Internet Business Secrets *** Over 1,000+ PAGES of the Hottest, Proven Profitable Internet Business Secrets Broken down Into An EASY-TO-DUPLICATE System! We highly recommend checking out this site. It's jam-packed with THE EXACT INFORMATION YOU NEED to start, build, and grow your very own, profitable Internet business. This is what we used to get started. So visit... http://www.marketingtips.com/t.cgi/769587 ----------------------------------------------------------------- *** A Fantastic Resource *** Need MORE TRAFFIC to your website or affiliate links? "Turn Words Into Traffic" reveals the secrets for using *free* articles to drive Thousands of NEW visitors to your website or affiliate links... without spending a dime on advertising! We use this resource and it's incredible! The idea is simple and ingenious. Find out more at http://hop.clickbank.net/?aanosweat/ezarticles. ----------------------------------------------------------------- **************************** Earn Referral Fees **************************** You can earn a 15 percent finders fee for referring Allan and Allan, Inc. for speaking and training engagements. For details contact us at... mailto:cust-serv@nosweatspeaking.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- Complimentary Articles for Your Publications ----------------------------------------------------------------- We have articles available for reprint in your publication, company newsletter, etc. You may use articles written by us that you see on our website at... http://www.nosweatspeaking.com/articles/article_index.html and in the NSS Ezine. View back issues at... http://www.nosweatspeaking.com/ezine/back_issues-2002.html Print the entire article along with the by-line at top and the credits, and complete contact information at the end of each article. Also, please send us a tear sheet or electronic copy. Thanks! ----------------------------------------------------------------- We don't send out an unsolicited newsletter. You must request it to receive it. We don't like receiving SPAM, and we sure as heck try not to SPAM others. But sometimes people sign up their friends. If you received this issue and don't recall requesting it, refer to the email address at the end of the Ezine. If it's not yours, then someone sent it to you. To get your own copy, sign up now. To stop the newsletter, refer to the instructions below. ----------------------------------------------------------------- To Request the No Sweat Speaking(sm) Ezine: http://www.nosweatspeaking.com or mailto:nssezine@nosweatspeaking.com?subject=Subscribe To Stop Receiving the Ezine: http://www.nosweatspeaking.com/unsubscribe.html For Personal Coaching Inquiries: mailto:allank@nosweatspeaking.com For Back Issues: http://www.nosweatspeaking.com/ezine/back_issues-2002.html To Submit Questions to Dear Allan and Allan: mailto:questions@nosweatspeaking.com For Feedback on the Content of This Issue: mailto:cust-serv@nosweatspeaking.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- "... I've even taken an extended course at UCLA Extension in California. The course was about $500.00 and lasted 8 weeks. I've learned more from 2 of your newsletters than I learned in an 8 week course... your newsletter is incredible, enlightening, informative... the best I've read to date... and I've read some good ones!" Janice Smallwood-McKenzie, The Networking Coach/Author "101 Commandments of Networking: Common Sense But Not Common Practice" http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/2513 (The link is for your information. We make nothing on it.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- No Sweat Speaking(sm) Ezine ----------------------------- Publisher: Allan and Allan, Inc. Editors: Allan Kaufman and Allan Misch P.O. Box 2721 Columbia, Maryland 21045-1721 USA Tel: 410-363-0080 Fax: 410-356-8374 mailto:cust-serv@nosweatspeaking.com http://www.nosweatspeaking.com "Your next presentation doesn't have to make you sweat!" Experience No Sweat Speaking(sm)! -----------------------------------------------------------------