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Witt Communication Newsletters
(Archives)
Each month's newsletter addresses one topic of interest to
people who want to improve the way they present themselves
and their ideas. The focus is primarily on public speaking
and presentation skills, although occasionally a more basic
communication issue will be addressed.
Many of the ideas developed in the
newsletter will be taken from my latest book, Real
Leaders Don't Do PowerPoint: How to Sell Yourself and Your
Idea.
Here is a sampling of newsletters that have
been published over the past couple of years.
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Big Ideas
or Big Words
Every speech or presentation should be built around one
idea. Just one idea. But it has to be a "Big
Idea." There seems to be an inverse correlation between
BIG WORDS and BIG IDEAS. The bigger the words used in a
speech, the smaller the idea.
Why Leaders
Speak
Leaders speak for one (or all) of three reasons: 1) to
establish the identity of the audience, 2) to influence how
the audience thinks and feels, and 3) to inspire the
audience to take action.
The
Four Elements of a Great Speech
Demosthenes, the father of Greek oratory, identified the
four elements of a great speech: 1) a great person, 2) a
noteworthy event, 3) a compelling message, and 4) a
masterful delivery.
Create Images When
You Speak
Masterful speakers create images in their audience's minds,
because long after people have forgotten everything else,
they'll remember the images. The
3 Myths of Technical Presentations
Technical presenters often assume — erroneously — 1) Knowledge is power; 2)
Facts speak for themselves; and 3) The best ideas win out.
Be Yourself When You
Give a Speech
The trick to being a good communicator, whether you’re
speaking to a small gathering or to a packed auditorium, is
to be yourself. Which isn’t as easy as it sounds...
How
to Connect
With Your Audience
Lots of presenters speak without ever reaching their
audiences. They talk AT their audiences without connecting
WITH them. (And, as a result, they bore their audiences and
ensure their resistance.) Reaching your audience means making a connection with them.
To do so, try these techniques...
How to Gain
People's Cooperation
When you want people to do something they're not already
doing — whether at home, school, or work — it's not good
enough simply to tell them. You have to show them what you
want them to do, why they would want to do it, and how they
can do it...
How to Get a Standing Ovation
The best way NOT to get a standing ovation is to try too
hard to get one. Aim instead to give a compelling
speech...
How to Start a Speech
If you lose your audience in the first 15 seconds to 2
minutes, you might as well pack your bags and go home.
You’ll never — or almost never — regain their
attention. Here are some tips to help you get through the
first few moments of your speech.
5 Ways to Shorten a
Speech
Most speeches can be dramatically improved by cutting down
on their length. How to Improve a Technical Presentation
Here are three ways you can improve just about any technical
presentation.
Projecting a Commanding Presence
Developing a commanding presence isn’t something you can
learn from a workshop or a self-help book. It’s more a way
of being than anything you do, although the way you act can
enhance it. Here are ways you can make yourself more attractive to
audiences...
The 7 Biggest Presentation Mistakes
Giving a speech isn't as difficult as it's made out
to be, as long as you keep a few basic principles in mind.
Know what you want to accomplish. Understand the audience's
needs and motivations. Organize your material simply and
clearly. But it is easy to make mistakes when you're giving
a presentation. Here's my list of seven presentation
mistakes to avoid.
Speaking Trends for 2007
Here are the trends I've noticed as I've observed effective
speakers and contemporary presentations.
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The Witt Communications Newsletter contains advice for
improving your ability to present yourself and your ideas in
a way that wins people's cooperation. It comes out once a
month. Subscribe here.
For information about how Chris Witt can help you become
a more powerful speaker, contact
us.
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