3 Easy Tips for Giving a Polished Presentation

You're giving a business presentation, a speech to your colleagues in your field, or maybe a speech to a civic organization. What can you do to make it better?

As a speech coach, I see many people make similar errors. Here are three tips to make your next presentation better.

First, practice the key words of your presentation much more than you think is necessary. Key words are the main points, "linked" to each other in your mind. If you link them powerfully, when you think of the first word, you will be then able to think of all the other linked concepts. Do not memorize the entire speech word-for-word; if you forget a single word, you may forget the entire speech!

Second, you have only 30 seconds to get the audience to decide to pay attention to you. Make sure every word in those first 30 seconds is important! Let the audience know why it is worthwhile for them to listen to you. 

Third, if a member of the audience asks you a question, repeat it into the microphone before answering it. This allows your entire audience to hear the question and gives you time to think about the question. 

You only have one chance to make a great first impression on your audience!

Business Speech Improvement can help you with speech coaching,  in-person or, in many cases, online. An e-book, Public Speaking: You Can Do It, is also available.

Be prepared for your next presentation; get speech coaching today!

SLPs: Considering retirement?

At this time of year, many speech-language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists, physical therapists and special educators are tired of excess paperwork/IEPs/insurance claim denials/productivity demands/etc and considering other career choices in the field. (Supervisors, beware!) Others in the helping professions are Baby Boomers who are considering retirement or want to have a second job.

 Creative SLPs for years have been combining speech pathology with other fields to find greater career satisfaction. Most of the choices do not require a new degree.

"Alternative Career Options for Speech-Language Pathologists" is a book describing the choices made by 20 of these speech-language pathologists. It covers each person's choice, how he got into it, the advantages and disadvantages, and more. The book includes a career self-assessment survey to help readers consider new possibilities.

Many of the choices in this book are suitable for physical and occupational therapists, special educators and others in the helping professions who are ready for a change, a second job, or who are considering retirement and yet want to stay in the workforce, albeit in a slightly different way.

Alternative Career Options for SLPs comes with  a special bonus that expires February 10, 2015; check here to learn about this remarkable offer!