Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial. But too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here are some proven tips on how to control your butterflies and give better presentations:

• Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use personal stories and conversational language, that way you won’t easily forget what to say.

• Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary.

Continue reading...

Do you know what your Value Proposition is exactly? You must know it and be able to deliver it each and every day to add VALUE for our clients and customers.

So, what IS your Value Proposition? Many will say something like “Excellent Customer Service”, or “Exceptional Products and Service”. Others will suggest it has something to do with their reputation or their long standing history of excellent performance. I believe it must be stated in terms of a FEELING that they get when they do business with you.

Continue reading...

I have been doing a lot of evaluating what I have learned over the years, both the personal and the professional level, some are unique to me and others are universal.

While it would have been nice to know all this when I started running a business, I feel like most of it had to be experienced precisely as it has happened. See if you recognize yourself anywhere in here.

Here are some key lessons that I have learned:

1. The flight attendants are right. You have to put your own oxygen mask on before taking care of anyone else. If you pass out, you’re useless to everyone relying on you, and they’re doomed too.

Continue reading...

The words you use in your marketing will make or break the success you see. Copywriting is really “salesmanship in print” and here are some basic techniques to make your marketing and sales materials do what they are supposed to which is to sell more products and services.

1. Have your offer in the headline or near the top of your advertisement. Possibly have a box that highlights areas of importance with the offer near the top or on the right hand side after your initial 3 paragraphs. This will weed out tire kickers immediately as they realize it is not free, they have to pay for it. Do that and many people are ready to read it all but are interested (possibly) in what your offer is.

Continue reading...