| Public speaking and presentation skills are skills that | | | | the list goes on and on. They all know the value |
| we all need at some time in our lives. Many people | | | | of using public speaking to grow their businesses. |
| have a deep fear of public speaking and fear it | | | | Irrespective of the different products and |
| more than even death. | | | | services they offer, they all use their public |
| "According to most studies, people's number one | | | | speaking skills to promote their products and |
| fear is public speaking. Number two is death. | | | | services as well as those of others. |
| Death is number two. Does that sound right? This | | | | Through public speaking and making presentations |
| means to the average person, if you go to a | | | | you increase your visibility and the visibility of your |
| funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing | | | | company or organisation. You cannot achieve |
| the eulogy." | | | | success if no one knows about you. Public |
| Jerry Seinfeld | | | | speaking is one of the best ways to gain visibility |
| While you can't cheat death, anyone can learn to | | | | and build your business. Arvee Robinson who |
| master public speaking and making presentations. | | | | describes herself as a "Persuasive Speech Coach" |
| Surely it would be better to master these skills | | | | says that every time she speaks she get new |
| than to quiver with mortal fear anytime you were | | | | clients. |
| asked to make a presentation? Wouldn't it be | | | | How much is a new client worth to you? |
| great to see such requests as a great | | | | Don't think that these skills are limited to standing |
| opportunity to sell yourself, your products and or | | | | on a stage in front of scores or even hundreds |
| services? | | | | of people. Don't think that a presentation has to |
| Now selling is one of the most loathed professions | | | | be hours long. It can be mere minutes. Christine |
| but everyone is in the business of selling whether | | | | Comaford-Lynch, author of "Rules for Renegades" |
| you want to believe it or not. Nothing happens | | | | said that she once camped out in the reception |
| without a sale. Robert Louis Stevenson said | | | | area of a company for six hours to get the |
| "Everyone lives by selling something" and one of | | | | opportunity to meet with its CEO. She wanted |
| the world's greatest orators said: | | | | him to join the board of directors of one of her |
| "Half my lifetime I have earned my living by selling | | | | companies. If she was successful in her mission it |
| words, and I hope thoughts." | | | | would've have added enormous value to the |
| Sir Winston Churchill | | | | perceived financial value of her company. Millions |
| Fundamentally, when you are engaged in public | | | | of dollars were literally at stake. After waiting for |
| speaking or making a presentation you are selling | | | | hours for a chance to speak to this CEO she had |
| words but it is your ability to organise and deliver | | | | minutes to persuade to get on board. Can you |
| words in a coherent, congruent and compelling | | | | see how critical presentation skills would be in a |
| manner that counts. To be able to sell effectively | | | | situation like this? |
| you must have great communication skills. | | | | When you introduce yourself you use these skills. |
| Topher Morrison, master NLP Trainer and speaker | | | | Do you want to make an immediate impact? Do |
| said that a friend of his wanted to buy a Rolex | | | | you want to be a person that people gravitate |
| watch. They visited a local shop in Tampa, Florida | | | | towards and want to get to know? Or do you |
| but because the salesman lacked good | | | | want to be the person that no one remembers. |
| presentation skills his friend left without making a | | | | An introduction can last mere seconds and yet |
| purchase. When you are about to spend | | | | leave a lasting impression. You want that |
| thousands of dollars you want to be served in a | | | | impression to be a favourable one. |
| particular manner. In fact, his friend took a trip to | | | | Some people are natural orators but even they |
| the Bahamas just to purchase his Rolex watch | | | | have to practice. The best professional public |
| justifying the trip by saying the savings he made | | | | speakers spend years honing their craft. Dave |
| by buying the watch duty-free paid for the trip. | | | | Lakhani, speaker and author of "Persuasion: The |
| How much money are you losing every day | | | | Art of Getting What You Want" says: |
| because you lack public speaking and presentation | | | | "Speaking is a business and a process and |
| skills? | | | | processes are built on the back of education." |
| John Childers, described as the "millionaire maker" | | | | Through mastering public speaking and |
| and who teaches one of the world's most | | | | presentation skills you can build a career that will |
| expensive public speaking training courses | | | | serve you a lifetime and can provide you with an |
| describes public speaking as "the world's most | | | | income anywhere in the world. Even if you don't |
| profitable skill." He has trained some of the biggest | | | | want to become a professional speaker through |
| names in the public speaking arena - individuals | | | | mastering your public speaking and presentation |
| such as Alex Mandossian, Armand Morin, Mark | | | | skills you can vastly improve your business profit |
| Victor Hansen, Mike Filsaime, Debra Johnson and | | | | margins and enhance the quality of your life. |