Featured posts
Opinion is a persuasive tool
Don’t stick to the facts! Add the spice of opinion to your next presentation.
Sales presentations: Understatement makes a great big statement
A subtle presentation tactic packs powerfully under-stated punch
Review: “HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations” by Nancy Duarte
Nancy Duarte’s “HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations” sets out all you need to know
Sales presentation strategy
The goal of a sales presentation is to sell something. Be upfront about it.
PowerPoint slide synchronisation. My interview with Indezine
My interview with Indezine: Presenters and PowerPoint synchronisation: Perils & pitfalls
Sales pitch strategy
In sales presentations, creating common ground with your audience will create credibility
Policed presenters lack yahoo moments
Why Marissa Mayer’s decision to cancel Yahoo! teleworking has ominous overtones for presenters
When your first public speech is in the service of others
When you need to speak-out in support of others, emotion moves mountains
Maria Miller and the jewel of Epanodos
How the rhetorical figure of Epanodos will carry your message to your audience
Book review: Your Best Just Got Better
A personal productivity book that will improve not only how you work, but what you work on
Some Business and Leadership Lessons from Downton Abbey
In our guest-post from Broc Edwards, eight leadership points for triumphing in a changing world
7 business speaking tips from the Inaugural Address
The 2013 Inaugural Address contained valuable tips for business presenters. Here’s the top 7
First Reaction: President Obama’s Second Inaugural Address
President Obama appeals to the support of the people, as he takes the fight to the Congress
Corsets come off in Downton Abbey. Time they come off for us as well
Mobile technology makes a mockery of © . Try © for ‘collaborate’ instead
Seasonal variation in presentation
We think in seasons. How can we add those seasons to our presentations?
Conjuring presentation magic for Halloween
Inspiring our presentation skills with the world of magic and illusion
Seven points for powerful debating
The seven top tips for debaters, as demonstrated by the 2012 Presidential contenders
The Third Presidential Debate 2012. Analysis and Commentary. And Who Won?
Our analysis and commentary on the third and final debate of the 2012 election, and who won!
Obama vs. Romney. Blogging the 2012 US Presidential Debates. Round 2. Head to Head at Hofstra.
Continuing our exploration of the inner mechanics of the Presidential Debates. This week: Rhetoric
Making presentations with an iPad. It’s time.
Why the iPad is now a proven tool for presentations by Peter Watts Some months ago I blogged about presenting with an iPad. At the time I was still tiptoeing into the world of Keynote and tablet-based presenting. I’m upgrading my recommendation from a cautious “give-it-a-go” to an enthusiastic “go-for-it”. After three months of extended […]
The Presidential Debates: Round 1. Our Analysis
Our first analysis of the Presidential Debates. How did the candidates perform from a public speaking point of view?
Ed Milliband Conference Speech. Showing how it’s meant to be done!
Ed Milliband’s victory. Showing us how a good old-fashioned speech should be done.
Obama v. Romney: Blogging the 2012 US Presidential Debates
Teaming up with Gavin at the Make A Powerful Point blog, we’re analyzing the US Presidential Debates. Come join the fun
Round. Nick Clegg’s Conference Speech Problem
Speaking “in the round” is always a horrible mistake for a presenter. Just ask UK Liberal Leader, Nick Clegg.
Changing minds, when minds are set
How would you convince an audience that 500 years of established fact, might just have been wrong?
Held up? Time to resource a presentation web library
Dead-time can be prime-time for tracking down presentation resources
the one skill to develop
Leadership blogger and consultant Broc Edwards describes it perfectly: When you have the confidence to speak, all else will follow
That Back-to-School Feeling. No kids required
New pens and fresh paint. Bringing Back-to-School to your presenting
Obama - the greatest speech-maker of our time?
Re-blogged from our good friends over at Grist Presents: “Why when Obama turns it on, he is simply brilliant”
No longer able to protect the crown jewels from the cameras? Time to embrace them
Prince Harry’s misfortunes demonstrate SmartPhone cameras are ubiquitous. Your Intellectual Property is going to get filmed, like it or not. What to do?
What have the Romans done for us?
A lot more than just the bridges, the aqueducts, and so forth! They taught us how to present
The fine art of presentation distraction: Romney creates a Ryan smokescreen
The timing’s wrong. The choice is wrong. Why did Romney just name Ryan as VP pick?
Stories and social media; At the roots of success
California based “Back To The Roots” demonstrate a case-study in sales and social media engagement
Running with the Olympic Blade Runner: Oscar Pistorius in London 2012
Oscar Pistorius, The Blade Runner: Exemplifying the power of taking part
Seven take-aways for beating block
Getting out from behind your desk is the the sure-fire way for beating block
Call me maybe. US Olympic Swim Team show presenters the way to go gold
US Swim Team demonstrates how to have a distinctive voice, how to win at Social Media, how to have a life, and how to win a gold
London 2012. Olympic Opening Ceremony. 7 points for presenters
The London 2012 Opening Ceremonies had Olympic sized ideas for presenters
Romney tax trap: The power and the pitfalls of tropes
Mitt Romney’s tax issues illustrate the destructive power when rhetorical tropes turn bad
You people… Mrs Romney has a message
Even if we can’t like an audience, it is imperative that we at least respect them
Quotes for Public Speakers (No. 137) - de la Rochefoucauld
The entire secret of public speaking, contained in one short and brilliant quote
7 steps to beating presentation procrastination
7 ideas for ways to beat the procrastination that keeps you from your public speaking goals
Microstyle: The art of writing little
Christopher Johnson’s “Microstyle: The art of writing little” provides a travel guide for writing in the information economy.
Social media presenting sales
Social media, sales, and public speaking can all benefit when they work together
Stories, anecdotes, and diversions
Stories and diversions bring the power of the senses to your presentation. Just make sure you know the way back out
How many PowerPoint slides should I have?
Super-sized slide-decks suggest inadequacies. How many slides is too many?
President Obama’s speech responding to Supreme Court decision: Analysis
President Obama’s response to today’s SCOTUS health-care decision will be crucial to his re-election. Here is an analysis of which techniques we should be listening out for.
Presentation books: The Pin Drop Principle
Published this month, new presentation skills book “The Pin Drop Principle” offers useful ideas for the experienced presenter.
Vocal power to project your pitch. YouTube site will show you how.
Vocal power has always been essential for attracting a crowd. Here’s how you can boost yours.
8 Points for Presentation Structure
From the opening words to the questions at the end; The Presenters’ Blog guide to structure in your presentation.
Guest post: “Five key mistakes and three golden rules”
How to find success in major architectural bids, and beyond
The presentation came out of nowhere. What to do?
How to avoid that deer-in-the-headlights feeling when delivering someone else’s presentation
McCain accuses Obama with rhetorical witchcraft
John McCain demonstrates how to conjure smoke without fire, with a little careful rhetoric.
Political Attack Ads. From Romans to Romney via Building Bishops
Political attack ads are not as recent a debating tool as you might think. It’s just that the Romans did them so much better!
Hear the sound of your self-esteem. Coach accordingly
Leaks in the pipework of your self-esteem, lead to a damp-patch in your confidence. Coaching can help.
Why you will fail to have a great career
The model graduation speech. Prof. Larry Smith’s alternative inspiration take on TEDx
Ancient Danish monarch: Alive and well in French election
Why President Sarkozy is emulating King Canute
Think free or die
Just because it’s greatest advocate might be celibate, doesn’t mean the rest of us should get castrated by dogma
Santorum out. But can Romney learn to like himself?
Mitt Romney needs to listen less to advisors and let himself off the leash
Steeplechase presenting? Try trick-jumps
Keeping content fresh during repeated presentations can be tough. Taking the occasional risk keeps things alive
Chicken soup for the Presenters’ soul (without harming chicken)
Feathered inspiration from the Farmyard
Scalia and the Broccoli Broadside
How hyperbolic brassica broadsides are deadly weapons when wielded with skill
Enjoy presentation adrenalin. Purge post-presentation epinephrin.
When stretching limits, don’t forget to stretch your limbs. It’s the only way to purge stress.
Retiring the retirement speech
Classical retirement is a thing of the past. We need to retire the classical retirement speech along with it.
One year from Tahrir
What do the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, and the Bank America boycott all have in common? Answer: The internet, and people finding their voice
Iowa Caucuses: Battles won, Wars lost
While it’s good to motivate your base, don’t do it so thoroughly that you motivate your opposition even more!
New year, new clothes
Old clothes can let down your presentation. Make sure your wardrobe expresses who you are, not who you were.
Enjoying the Journey
Whether making a presentation, or hosting the Holidays, everything comes with practice
Performing Arts Perform Inspiration
Regular visits to the performing arts act as inspiration for all types of presenter
Unaccustomed as I ham
Delivering an office party speech that doesn’t prematurely serve-up the Christmas ham!
Does my but sound big in this?
The b-word lowers our influence during business presentations. Aim to replace it with “and”
Handling the question that mustn’t be answered
False preposition questions are deigned to trip you. Here’s how to avoid the fall
Halloween Storytelling: Presenting the Fireside Roots of Public Speaking
by Peter Watts Through story-telling we express history, we express culture, and we construct the metaphors by which we understand our world. Two festivals lend themselves to the art: Halloween and Christmas. Both should involve spine-tingling tales to bring tribe and family tight together around the fire. It’s public speaking in the raw, and this […]
Presentation Skills Training
Presentation Skills Training is not always the best way to find your voice
Simple preparation rituals can power presentation energy
How do you psyche yourself up to your best achievement levels? by Peter Watts If you’re Rafael Nadal, about to win your sixth French Open tennis tournament, then the process looks a little like this: Push hair behind left ear Push hair behind right ear Knock heel of left shoe with tennis racket Knock heel […]
