On 22nd May 2024 the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, stepped out of the door at 10 Downing Street to a wall of journalists and photographers to announce that he was calling a general election. A moment of great importance; his opportunity to show his leadership skills and authority to the world. I know he
Have you checked there’s nothing distracting your audience? Read More »
We’re coming up to wedding season and many grooms, brides, best men and parents of the happy couple will be preparing for a speech that fills them with dread and yet they desperately want to do well. Those feelings aren’t so different from those of us who have to present for work … we don’t
For many of us just being able to stand up and speak coherently would be amazing, let alone being confident! I know when I first started having to do sales presentations, I would have done anything to stop myself showing how scared I was, both physically and vocally. My first boss could see how scared
How to present confidently, every time you stand up to speak Read More »
Do you tell yourself stories about what is, has or will happen? Or provide yourself with a running commentary as you go about your daily business? That’s self-talk … the voice in your head … what you say to yourself, whether positive or negative, can boost or undermine your confidence. And unless you question it
Why self-talk matters. Read More »
As regular readers will know, I attend a lot of networking events, at which business owners and representatives can take the opportunity to give a short presentation. The topic usually relates to an overview of their business, the market they work in or some top tips for the audience to take away. As the speaker,
Five ways to ruin your presentation and what to do instead! Read More »
Some years back I was invited to be a guest on Business Connections Live The UK’s leading online business television channel. And I won’t lie … I was nervous! Over the past few months, a couple of our clients have been presenting in studio for programmes to be aired in- house and for TV channels with
How comfortable are you in a TV studio? Read More »
A few weeks ago, I got a call about 6:30 in the evening from a friend and ex colleague. “Sally … I’m at an exhibition and we’re not making enough connections. I’m desperate … this cost a fortune and the team just aren’t getting the footfall … can you give me any suggestions for making
How to make the most of your exhibition stand Read More »
According to the German Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus you are likely to forget what you learn within 7 days. After 24 hours he concluded that about two-thirds of anything memorised is forgotten. Not great news if you are trying to memorise your presentation. However, there are some things you can do to help yourself retain information.
What does the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve have to do with your presentation? Read More »
Podcasts have fast become the newsletter of our day and having your own or being a guest on someone else’s is a great addition to your marketing mix. However, there is something uniquely uncomfortable about speaking on radio or recording in a studio. I think it’s the fact that the microphone is right in front
How to make the most of a podcast invitation. Read More »
A frequent question I get asked is how to remember a presentation. And it is often an excuse I’m given for why someone has to have bullet points on each slide … so they can remember what they want to say. Last month I talked about the HICCY method for creating a great pitch and
How to remember what you want to say. Read More »
