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Welcome
Meet the MasterMinds: Patricia Fripp -- So You're Going to Make a Speech
Seven Tips For a Winning Proposal
Meet the MasterMinds: Dive Into Speaking With Vickie Sullivan
This Month in History
This Month's Featured MasterMind: Bert Decker on Effective Communication
Speaker's Tool Kit
Subscriber Feedback
Coming Attractions
The End Page

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit reluctant to open the morning newspaper these days, as I wonder what corporate scandal will be next in the U.S. The atmosphere is not helping consultants either. But, to quote Mark Twain, "Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." So, here's an opportunity for a laugh on us -- a link to a site with consultant jokes. There are a few gems there. Enjoy the respite.

We can always improve on how we communicate our ideas to others, whether it's in a five-minute pep talk to the team, a presentation to a client, in the classroom or a speech to a big crowd. With that in mind, this month the MasterMind series examines public speaking, including topic selection, how to create and deliver a speech and marketing for speakers. You'll also find some relevant resources in the Speaker's Tool Kit section.

Almost twenty years ago (gasp), one of my first consulting projects was a series of presentations to executives on how to get the most from technology investments. Going into that assignment, I alternated between being confident and feeling petrified. Bert Decker, one of our featured guests this month, came to my rescue. His simple, yet powerful techniques helped me learn how to develop effective communications for any situation. He's done the same for thousands of people.

Another speaking expert, Patricia Fripp, adds her voice. In her article, Fripp describes exactly how to prepare a presentation that will leave the audience asking for more. Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Fripp later in the year.

You may be a good speaker, but can you get your message heard in the market? We asked Vickie Sullivan, a speaker-marketing strategist, how consultants can get traction in the market. Sullivan, who has launched the careers of speakers for years, tells you how to position yourself for maximum effectiveness.

Based on reader feedback, you can now print the newsletter in its entirety, in a printer friendly way, using the link above. Thanks for the suggestion. If you have other ideas, send them along. I'm listening…

Meetings and Conventions magazine named Patricia Fripp "One of the 10 most electrifying speakers in North America." Fripp is a prolific professional speaker, and the author or co-author of four books, including Get What You Want!, Make It So You Don't Have to Fake It!, Insights Into Excellence and Speaking Secrets of the Masters.

In addition to speaking over 100 times a year to Fortune 500 companies and associations worldwide, she is an executive speech coach and magazine columnist. Fripp has won every award and designation the National Speakers Association gives, including CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and CPAE (the Speaker Hall of Fame award). She was also the first woman President of the National Speakers Association.

The article by Fripp below, "So You're Going to Make a Speech," provides a nuts and bolts approach that consultants can use to develop and deliver effective speeches and presentations.

Congratulations! You've been chosen (or drafted) to deliver a speech. Don't panic -- Fripp is here!

1. Who is my audience? (What do I know about the corporate culture or collective personality of the group?)

If you're going to be addressing a particular group a few weeks from now, keep a small notebook handy to jot down ideas and situations related to your topic and audience. Make a list of what you know that can benefit your audience, all the experiences and situations that could serve as good (or bad) examples for others, high points and low points, failures and successes.

Keep adding those sudden and stunning bits of insight that come to you in the shower or car. Or maybe you said something on the subject to a friend that was particularly funny or memorable. Some of these experiences may become the original stories you use to illustrate a key point in your speech. When you actually sit down to write, you'll have plenty of material.

There are two basic outlines that work well for both beginning and advanced speakers alike.

Tell your audience a three-part story:
This is where I was.
This is where I am.
This is how I got here.

It's a simple format that helps you tell the audience who you are and why you are qualified to speak on the topic you've chosen.

Here's an example of how effective the outline can be. A successful realtor was asked to deliver a 25-minute presentation for the local Board of Realtors. I coached her to open like this: "Twelve years ago, before I went into the real estate business, I had never sold anything but Girl Scout cookies, and I hadn't done that well. Last year, I sold $13 million in a slow market, selling homes that averaged $100,000 each. Today, I'll tell you how I built my business." Right away, the audience knew exactly what she was going to talk about, and they were eager to hear her story!

The members of your audience probably want to know the answers to the same kinds of business questions you're asked at parties or professional functions. You can start with, "The five questions I'm most frequently asked about investments (or whatever your product or service is) are…"
Pose the first question to the audience and answer it for them in a conversational manner, just as you would with a potential customer or at a party. Even if you've never made a speech before, you've certainly had a lot of experience answering questions in your field.

That's easy. To begin with, don't. Gather and organize your ideas, plan and polish, but don't write it down word for word. For now, just jot an outline with key points and ideas on a note pad.

The first and last thirty seconds of your speech have the most impact, so give them extra thought, time, and effort. If you haven't hooked your audience's interest, their minds are going to wander off. Whatever you do, don't waste any of your precious seconds with "Ladies and Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be here tonight." Open with an intriguing or startling statement: "Half the people in this room are going to," "As a young man, my father gave me this valuable advice...", "Of all the questions I am most frequently asked..."

I helped a neighbor, Mike Powell, with a speech he was putting together for the Continental Breakfast Club in San Francisco. Mike was a senior scientist with Genentech at the time. I suggested that since most of us don't know what scientists are like or what they do, he should tell the audience. Mike captured everyone's attention by saying, "Being a scientist is like doing a jigsaw puzzle in a snowstorm at night...you don't have all the pieces...and you don't have the picture you are trying to create."

If you're using the Past-Present outline format, the middle of your talk is where you expand on your key points, and develop personal stories that support where you were and where you are now. In the Q&A format, develop one or two strong anecdotes to support each answer. Personal anecdotes are best, but you can also insert some of the ideas and examples you've been gathering in your journal or computer.

Your close should be the high point of your speech. First, summarize the key elements of the investment process (or whatever your topic is). If you're planning to take questions from the audience, say, "Before my closing remarks, are there any questions." Answer them then.

The last thirty seconds of your speech must send people out energized and fulfilled. Finish your talk with something inspirational that supports your theme. My scientist friend Mike talked of the frustrations of being a scientist. He closed by saying, "People often ask, why should anyone want to be a scientist?" Then Mike told them about a particularly information-intensive medical conference he had attended. The final speaker rose and said, "I am a thirty-two-year-old wife and mother of two. I have AIDS. Please work fast."

Mike got a standing ovation for his speech. He was telling his audience what they needed to know.

Your next step is to make a written draft of your speech. You can assemble your notes, or you may prefer to talk your ideas into a tape recorder and transcribe the words. Then read your draft to confirm that it is:

- Interesting: After every point you make, ask yourself, "Who cares?" If no one does, edit it out.

- Effective: Are your supporting examples strong and on target? If not, replace them.

- Personal: Does it have a high I-You Factor? Be sure you've connected yourself with your audience by putting them into your speech.

- Politically correct: "PC" is sometimes overdone, but it is essential. You lose listeners if you unintentionally offend them.

Vigorous polishing makes your talk tighter, more powerful, and less likely to bore or irritate your audience.

You've edited and fine-tuned a written version of your talk. Now you're going to practice it. (You may think this is too much trouble, but you'll be glad you did.)

2. Prepare outline notes. Even though you've just gone to a great deal of trouble to prepare a written speech, you're NOT going to read it! Nothing puts an audience to sleep faster. Instead, you're going to speak directly and spontaneously to the audience, maintaining essential eye contact. The secret is to prepare easy-to-read notes. Write your key points on a pad or card that you'll keep on the lectern or table. Use a bold felt-tip pen or a large typeface on your printer. As you speak, you'll follow your road map with quick glances. An easy-to-read wristwatch or small clock on the lectern lets you keep track of the time so you can speed up or slow down, cut or add material, so you finish on time.

3. Tape your "impromptu" talk. Again, check for timing. As you play it back, notice repetitive phrases and non-words like "er" and "ah." Try again, minus these distracting irritants, until you are speaking smoothly and confidently.

4. Practice in front of an audience. Ask one or two perceptive people for their feedback. Make it clear that you want constructive criticism, not just praise. Did they understand the points you were making? Was there a lack of logic or continuity? Did they think you spoke too quickly or slowly? Use their feedback to polish your presentation.

5. Write your own introduction, and bring a printed copy! Even if you're speaking for free, you want the emcee to pronounce your name right, mention your company's name, and tell people how to get in touch with you.

If you're speaking from a stage, explain to the introducer that you'll come on stage from the wings before they leave the lectern after introducing you. They need to get off the stage before the audience stops applauding. This way, the audience looks at you instead of the emcee.

Find out more about Patricia Fripp and her services at www.Fripp.com You can contact her at Pfripp@Fripp.com or 1-800 634-3035.

Seven Tips For a Winning Proposal
By Michael McLaughlin

Have you ever been drawn into a proposal effort that your instincts told you to pass on, but you didn't? You'd think we'd learn…

Not long ago, I received an RFP, by email no less, from a prospective client's purchasing department. Now, I've been around long enough that receiving a proposal request by email did set off my internal alarm. The one page RFP outlined a complex initiative, and described the process for submitting an electronic proposal. The instructions were crystal clear that phone calls to the client were not welcome, though email questions were acceptable.

I ignored both my instincts to politely decline to bid and their admonitions, and called anyway. Not surprisingly, I reached a friendly voicemail greeting telling me how important my call was, but that no one could answer it. Two days before the proposal due date, I reached someone at the client's purchasing department and asked six questions, three of which remain unanswered to this day.

To make a long story short, I did write the proposal; how is a whole other story. Afterwards, a colleague and I reflected on the rules of proposal writing, some of which we'd just ignored. We stopped at seven.

The Proposal Itself Doesn't Win, You Do

It's a widely accepted principle in marketing that people buy on emotion and justify with fact. In the consulting equation, the proposal is the "fact" and you, the consultant, are the "emotion." Your proposal must win the minds of your client, but only after you've won the rest. Throwing a proposal over the transom almost never works.

Consulting is a Contact Sport

The proposal process is a perfect opportunity to forge a stronger bond with your client or prospective client. The best proposals begin with a collaborative effort between the client and consultant. As the consultant puts ideas on paper, a healthy give and take with the client strengthens those ideas and the proposal. Too many consultants create a proposal in isolation from the client, missing the special opportunity a proposal effort provides.

Know the Client's Buying Process

The best consultants know that a project sale unfolds in predictable patterns, driven by how the client organizes the buying process. You'll save a lot of time and energy by understanding that process. Many consultant selection committees, for example, begin by focusing on finding the "best" answer, without regard to price. As the committee's work proceeds, other factors, including price, can change the focus. So, at the outset, ask the client to explain the process, especially the part about who will make the final decision. Then, pay attention and observe as the process evolves so you can stay in step with it.

Know Your Competition

I know this is one of those "duh" things, but many consultants don't spend enough time understanding the competitive landscape. We all know that some clients ask for a proposal simply to keep their preferred consultants on their toes. We also know that, sometimes, the process is actually wired in our favor. Consultants who grasp the competitive realities will make smarter decisions about sales strategy and the resources they devote to the proposal effort.

How do you get wise to the competitive situation? Again, ask the client for a straightforward answer -- that might work. I find reading upside down is still an invaluable skill in consulting. A little detective work never hurts, as long as you keep it ethical.

Style Points Matter

To paraphrase Voltaire, perfection is the enemy of good. In many parts of a proposal, though, anything short of perfection means you're likely to lose the project. Very few clients tolerate imperfections in grammar, names, titles or the use of their data. The consultant with a clear, well-written proposal can be assured of one thing: the proposal will, at least, be read. I know this advice sounds obvious, but many consultants fail to get it right.

Work the Hard Stuff First

When some consultants start a proposal, the first thing they do is assemble the supporting material, like firm qualifications and bios. It's an easy way to get some of the important pieces of the proposal put together. But, I've found that crafting a clear statement of objectives, value, and approach consumes the most "think" time and, the sooner I get on with it, the better. So, I do this "think" part first, and then assemble the supporting stuff, because I can tailor it to the engagement approach I've created.

Dump the Boilerplate in the Trash

In addition to writing them, I've also been on the receiving end of every imaginable sort of proposal, and I've been floored by the boilerplate some people try to submit. The best consultants recognize that every opportunity is different, even if it seems the same. A proposal must reflect the intricacies of the particular situation, not just the circumstances your last client faced. Sure, there are always similarities. But, it's the subtle differences that winning consultants uncover and include in their tailored proposals.

There's one rule I live by, and it serves me well: I rewrite my resume for every opportunity so I can shift its focus in just the right way. I rarely find an instance when a canned resume is good enough. The same is true for the rest of a proposal.

* * * * *

My colleague and I stopped at the seven rules above, but there are many more. I'd welcome your thoughts on additions to the list. Write and let me know.

As of this writing, I have not heard back from the email client. Do you think I still have a chance to win the proposal I launched into cyberspace?

Since 1987, Vickie Sullivan has been helping consultants, experts and industry leaders use public speaking as a marketing tool. She is a professional speaker, speaker-marketing specialist and the author of Springboard Marketing™, Speak to Sell, Speaking in the Strike Zone and Get Those Bookings.

Sullivan's articles have appeared in national publications, such as Professional Speaker magazine and Lawyers Weekly. She also publishes a newsletter, Splash, and is active in the National Speakers Association and the Institute of Management Consultants.

In this wide-ranging interview, MCNews picks Sullivan's brain on everything from speaking skills and topic selection to the use of speakers' bureaus.

MCNews: For most of us, the fear of public speaking ranks right up there with IRS audits and death. Any tips on how a speaker can conquer that fear?

Sullivan: The number one fear about speaking in front of others is that of rejection. We are afraid of being wrong, that the audience will not like or understand what we are saying, or that listeners will not get what they want from the presentation. But, in reality, the audience wants to accept us.

So, reframe the situation, and see it from the point of view of your audience. People in the audience want to get useful information, and they want you to succeed in giving it to them. To de-escalate the fear, the first thing is to know that the audience is pulling for you and wants you to do well.

To improve speaking skills, I also advise the use of outside help. Groups like Toastmasters offer opportunities for practice, and will help you with nervousness and get the ums and ahs out of your speaking. Also, go to any chapter meeting of the National Speakers Association and look for the humorists. They usually have ancillary services to help punch up a story, and they charge very reasonable fees. Thinking with humor relaxes the mind, which helps alleviate fear.

A lot of actors use breathing exercises to relax, and athletes use visualization. You can't really be present if you are scared, so it's all about getting rid of the fear.

MCNews: Would you agree that some amount of anxiety, or butterflies, is normal?

Sullivan: Butterflies show that you care about doing a good job, and you won't ever get rid of them completely. We have an old saying in speaking: you will always have butterflies in your stomach; just make sure they're flying in formation. It's a question of degree. Does the caring debilitate you? If so, it's no longer caring, it's fear. Good speakers will use that energy for an adrenaline rush, to be fully present, alive and out there, connecting with people.

A lot of people get scared because they don't feel confident in the spotlight. Speakers raise their confidence level by being sure of their content, practicing and getting outside help. It's magic when a speaker is fully present. The audience will forgive a multitude of sins when that happens.

MCNews: What advice would you give consultants about selecting speech topics?

Sullivan: To get results from speaking, consultants have to do something that isn't natural for them: they have to take a stand. They have to put a flag in the ground and stand for something. Generalists are reluctant to do that because they don't want to drive away business. However, in the world according to Vickie, taking a stand is a great way to avoid business you don't want.

The flag in the ground is the speaker's topic "hub," because that stance can be applied to a variety of topics. For example, a speaker whose message is that success is about results, not process, would weave that message into every speaking topic.

Another key to topic selection is to have a unique twist. Too many consultants who speak do not differentiate themselves. And because they don't differentiate themselves, the audience does not accept them as a resource. It's fine to speak about change, for example, but you must have something to say about change that is new and different. In Fast Company magazine, you can see this in action. Their "gurus" do one of three things with conventional wisdom: they disagree with it, twist it, or go beyond it.

Sullivan: Sure. Cheryl Stearns, who holds thirty world records in skydiving, speaks on the subject of fear. Now, a lot of people talk about fear but, as you can imagine, she has a unique twist on how it applies to her own identity and background.

She also underlines another key element for consultants to keep in mind: speakers have to prove they are worthy of the audience's time; they have to earn the right to speak. With her experience in skydiving, she has proven that audiences should listen because they can learn from her.

You have to make clear what gives you the right to speak, and apply your experience in a way that will help people see how unique you are. Then, you focus on critical beliefs, those little nuggets of wisdom that make the audience say, whoa, that's right, or I have never thought about that, or I need to keep in touch with this person and read her newsletter.

Consultants often make their identity too general. A consultant might say, "I've done X for the past twenty-five years." Well, news flash: if you've been working for the past twenty-five years, you've done something, and that statement doesn't cut it. What results did you produce in those years? What cool clients worked with you? Have you had any great media coverage?

MCNews: Based on your experience with speakers, what is the most common area for improvement you usually identify?

Sullivan: Consultants mess up in three areas. The first, failing to differentiate their message, we have already covered. Second, their content is terrible. Their stories ramble on with too many details, and often the stories are self-aggrandizing rather than making a point about their topic. Also, too many consultants do data dumps, just giving fact after fact with no context and no breather for the audience to digest the information. The third area for improvement is that consultants don't leverage the opportunity. They put out all this effort and they get nothing back.

Sullivan: They can change their mindset about the speech, and realize that a speech is not the end point, but a focal point for other marketing activity. Consultants often do not do anything before a speech, for example, to pack the house. Whenever you are speaking, especially if it's a local thing, find out how many guests passes you can get. Approach clients or potential clients, and tell them you want to highlight them in your speech as a great example of how to do X. This is an excellent opportunity to cement a current relationship or to get attention from a prospective client.

If you know the speech is going to be taped, make sure you get copies to distribute. If the sponsoring group doesn't tape the speech, you can tape it yourself for about $250. You can buy a gismo to put in your suit pocket that will digitally record your speech. Later, you can upload the speech to your computer and edit it yourself. This takes extra effort, but it's worth it as a marketing tool, because you will have an audiotape or a CD that you can provide to clients. You want as many people as possible to hear about your uniqueness from you.

Otherwise, you have wasted your time to get applause and nothing else. Too many consultants view speaking as sweat equity, something they have to do to be visible, so it's okay that they don't get any real business out of it. That's not true.

Given the time and effort involved in travel, giving the speech and the preparation, the return on investment should be high. People settle for less because they don't leverage the potential by using a speech as a focal point, instead of an end in itself.

Sullivan: It's not hot topics, but hot people. The demand is for people with a perspective, for people who have done something cool and are living to tell the tale. I think what we need from consultants is riveting information about the marketplace issues their clients face and how to deal with those challenges. Business leaders look to consultants to find out what they don't know about their industry, or how they can improve their processes and results.

But, information is not enough to draw business to a consultant. Consultants should include diagnostics in their presentations. Let the audience experience the magic of that consultant applying knowledge and experience to a specific audience member's problem. You want the others in the audience to feel that if you did it for that person, you can do it for them. So, deliver information, but also give the audience an experience that provides something tangible. Generally, this works best in the concurrent session format.

MCNews: Do you think consultants would have to significantly improve their speaking skills to compete in the keynote market?

Sullivan: Yes, because it's a performance. And, the less cool you are, the more it is about performance. If you are rich and famous, you can read from the telephone book and it doesn't matter. People will work harder to hear what you have to say.

Keynote speakers need to be a draw for a large audience and, unfortunately, most consultants don't have that kind of visibility. So, they are not in the cool people category, but in the cool data category. Until they understand that, consultants will never crack into the keynote market in a big way.

So, unless you are famous or humorous, which most consultants are not, you have to work on performance. That means you must have a stellar opening, which is not a stale joke but a real story. And, the punch line of that opening has to set the overall tone of the speech. Consultants who are serious about getting into the keynote market should consider improvisational acting classes, or story telling classes, and definitely get outside help. Do not try this at home alone.

Good keynote speakers make it look effortless, but it's not. They didn't come out of a box that way; they worked really hard at it. Consultants are educators, and they don't get the performance part of speaking.

MCNews: You created a concept called Springboard Marketing™. What is it, and how can consultants use it?

Sullivan: Generally, consultants do not approach speaking in a systemized way; they are haphazard about it. Springboard Marketing builds a platform for public speaking that consultants can use as an entry point to get more benefits for their business. Public speaking is a diving board, hence the name, for you to penetrate new markets, re-brand yourself in existing markets and generate leads.

Consultants have to keep in mind that the pool of speakers is huge. National associations are reporting three to five proposals for every speaking slot. They get hundreds of proposals from people who want to speak to their groups, including their own members who want to use speaking as a career builder. In some cases, industry vendors are sponsoring conferences and filling the speaking slots with their own people; they are paying to appear.

Then you have the professional speakers and other experts, not only consultants, but also coaches, as well as authors who want to promote their books. The big New York publishers are now saying they won't publish your book unless you have a speaking schedule. It's the 21st century version of book signing.

Consultants should approach speaking as they would approach a consulting project, because that's what it is, a marketing project. The Springboard program provides the tools to turbo-charge speaking to get benefits beyond applause.

MCNews: How can speakers avoid the trap of what you call "abundance" in the market?

Sullivan: My abundance theory is that whatever is overstated in the marketplace, and I don't care how true it is or how much of an achievement it is, has become a commodity. In the speaking market, the price for a commodity is zero, which means no payback for your efforts.

99% of my clients have material that is overstated, or abundant, in the marketplace. The key question you need to ask is whether or not the points you want to make, however riveting they seem to you, have already been made. And, the answer "I don't know" is not good enough. If you are expert enough to speak, you are expert enough to know what is being said in your industry about a certain topic. If you don't know, then how can you say you are an expert?

It's not effective for me to tell speakers their material is obsolete, because they aren't going to hear that. So instead, when I speak to groups about abundance, I have a speaker express one of her nuggets of wisdom to the group. Then, I ask the listeners to raise their hands if they have heard this nugget before. If every hand in the room goes up, the speaker gets the message.

Then, I point out to the speaker that her experience tells me there is more than this nugget in there, and we dig deeper. We go through the process again, and the speaker comes up with a completely different nugget, one the group has not heard before, and this gets applause. It's hard work, but it pays off.

Sullivan: Let's talk about audience attitudes that you must address to differentiate your material. First, recognize that audience members don't come to your presentation shopping for a consultant, or even thinking they need one. They paid to attend the conference, and are looking for take-home value now. You have to make sure folks not only receive great information, but recognize that you actually do this for a living and can apply your expertise to their specific issues. Interestingly, unless you are explicit about this, they won't get it. Of course, you can't pitch your services from the podium.

The way to be explicit is through your introduction and through stories that show how you have helped a client solve a specific problem. Make the client the star in the story. That gives the audience members a clue that you can work with them and gets them to see themselves in the role of the client in your story.

The second attitude audience members have is that your information or viewpoint does not fit their environment. No matter how competent you sound, they think their business needs are unique and you don't fit them. You can't change their minds about that with information; you have to do it with the experiential approach we talked about earlier. You show people with a live exercise what you cannot tell them with words. That way, they see for themselves that you can be a fit for their situations.

MCNews: Is a speaker's bureau a good resource for a consultant to use for speaking engagements?

Sullivan: Traditional speakers' bureaus don't represent speakers; they represent clients, for example, program directors, who are looking for speakers. A bureau might have a database with thousands of speakers. They will pitch speakers to clients and try to provide a good fit with what the client wants.

Bureaus deal most often with the market for keynote speakers. So, the first issue for consultants is whether they want to speak for free at concurrent, or breakout sessions, or they want to be paid keynote speakers. If you want to speak for free at concurrent sessions, speakers' bureaus will not help you. If you want to look for keynote opportunities, it's worth finding out more about speakers' bureaus and what they do.

Consultants would do better with a corporate speakers' bureau if their firm has one. In fact, more consulting firms should consider in-house, corporate speakers' bureaus as a systematic approach of outreach to get speaking engagements that function strategically. With a corporate speakers' bureau, the firm controls who the pitch is to, and can make sure that the opportunity is worth the time, preparation and travel it will require. Too often, consultants do not have a systematic approach for deciding which opportunities are good for them and which ones would be a waste of their time. A corporate speakers' bureau can help with that.

Visit Vickie Sullivan at www.SullivanSpeaker.com to find out about her newsletter, Splash, and her other products and services.

Bet you didn't know this: August is "Admit You're Happy Month." Each year, the Secret Society of Happy People sponsors this event, encouraging people to take stock of the good things in life and express their happiness. Find out more at the web site http://www.sohp.com.

Watch the skies for the annual Perseid Meteor Showers August 9-13, 2002. Among the best known and spectacular meteor showers, this year the Perseids will peak August 10-12. You might see as many as 50-100 meteors in a single night. Also called a shooting, or falling star, a meteor is a small piece of rock or metal that burns up from friction as it enters earth's atmosphere from space. If you want to learn more, one source is the American Meteor Society's site at http://www.amsmeteors.org/showers.html.

Now in its twenty-third year, the World Footbag Championships will be held August 5-11, 2002, in San Francisco. The Super Bowl of Footbag (also known as Hacky Sack) attracts competitors from around the world. Check out the fancy footwork at http://www.footbag.org.

An expert in personal communication, professional speaker and coach for speakers, Bert Decker has written numerous books on the subject, including You've Got to Be Believed to Be Heard, The Art of Communicating: Achieving Interpersonal Impact in Business, and Speaking With Bold Assurance: How to Become a Persuasive Communicator. His most recent book is Creating Messages That Motivate.

He created the Decker Grid System, which has helped thousands of people hone their communication skills. He has been featured in the New York Times, Business Week, and on 20/20. He was also a commentator for NBC's Today show for the Presidential Debates.

Decker is a Certified Speaking Professional and has received the Hall of Fame award from the National Speakers Association. MCNews asked Decker to shed some light on how consultants can become persuasive speakers.

Decker: I like to think of it as communicating rather than speaking, and that shift alone makes for a different mindset. People think of public speaking as those few times when they are in front of a big audience. Particularly for consultants, smaller-scale communication is every bit as important as large-group events. That's true whether you are talking to one person, a group of clients, or to your staff. People don't consider smaller talks with the same mindset as big speeches, but they should. Instead, too many people think speaking to a large audience is different and scary.

The fear of large audiences is very common, of course, and you should be at your best for those more formal venues. That's where your leverage is greatest: you have 500 people at a conference listening, and you have a chance to make an impact.

Decker: Fear of speaking comes from the adrenaline of the fight or flight response, and can range from absolute terror for those who seldom speak, to tension and stimulation for seasoned speakers. But, people should realize that every speaker experiences that flow of adrenaline to some degree.

It's very similar to athletic performance anxiety. An athlete in the NBA playoffs, or any championship, will tell you that there is enormous tension and pressure to perform. What they have to learn, and what speakers also need to learn, is how to take that tension and turn it into a positive flow. The only way that happens is through practice and feedback. You need to recognize that it's just a process and everybody goes through it. Emerson said, "Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain."

Actually, small audiences can produce just as much anxiety as large ones. You might have a lot riding on a meeting with a single client, or on a job interview. It's not the size of the crowd, but the circumstances that matter. When you want to be at your best, you need confidence and certainty in yourself and in your message.

MCNews: In some cases, the preparation for a speech can be harder than the speech itself. Do you have any tips on how to prepare?

Decker: Yes, but first, it might be useful to separate two aspects of communicating: style and substance. Style is the behavioral side, all those things about how you come across, like body language and eye communication, while substance is about your content. You must prepare both aspects.

When it comes to content, too many people do the exact opposite of what they should: they write their speeches. You should never read a speech, so why write one in the first place? That's just not the best way to communicate and connect with people. Instead, we should use the best innate ability of our minds, which is to be spontaneous.

With a few simple concepts, like those we teach in the Decker Grid System, you can develop a focused, listener-based message every time. It's not that hard to do, and once you learn the system, you can be spontaneous in everything, from full-scale, formal presentations to the beginning of an important email. This works for every kind of speaker, from executives to preachers.

Decker: The Grid system is a quick, easy way to create a high-impact presentation, or any communication. Once you have a subject for the communication, you identify the four cornerstones of the communication - the audience, your point of view on the subject, the action you want your audience to take and the benefits to your audience if they take that action.

Then, you brainstorm ideas to develop the key points of your communication, and cluster those ideas into natural groupings. These ideas could include personal experiences, stories and analogies that bring life to your subject. After you've clustered your ideas, you compose the communication by creating the key points, sub-points and relevant benefits. When that is done, you are ready to plan your opening, closing and the transitions between your key points.

MCNews: For additional information, click on the following link and look for the book, Creating Messages That Motivate, which describes the Decker Grid System in detail.

MCNews: Should speakers rehearse? How does being spontaneous fit with rehearsal?

Decker: I do suggest rehearsal, but people tend to over-rehearse. There is nothing worse then listening to a memorized speech. And, it does not allow the muse, or spirit, help you get to some of your best thoughts. For those of us who speak a lot, those thoughts that come out of the blue in the excitement and tension of speaking are great moments, and they give you material you can use again. But, if you have a set speech, and are so rehearsed that you have to be exactly at one point or another, it doesn't allow any room for better ideas.

I'm not saying you should not prepare. Inexperienced speakers especially should rehearse a lot in front of a video, not to get the content down but to observe their behavior and watch how they handle the content. The more experience you get, the less rehearsal time you will need.

MCNews: Do you think content becomes second nature for experienced speakers so they have more mental bandwidth to come up with new ideas as they are talking?

Decker: That's a good way to put it. I also think the degree of tension or fear you feel will determine the bandwidth you have left for other thoughts. For example, speakers who are comfortable and confident are able to follow about four mental tracks at a time as they talk. Those with less experience and a higher fear level find that their emotions flood those tracks, so they might be limited to only two tracks of thought at a time. This explains why people can go blank when speaking, because emotions block the mind.

MCNews: You have written that, for speakers to be heard, they must be believed. How do you suggest speakers make sure they are believed and heard?

Decker: You are believed when you are confident and certain of your message, and it shows. Most people either have habits they don't know about, or they get nervous and new mannerisms pop up that reflect lack of confidence and lack of certainty. So, whether it's in front of a large audience or in the conference room, good feedback is essential. Of the three types of feedback--from people, audio and video--the most powerful is video feedback.

It's not expensive to videotape your practices or meetings and speeches, but most people don't bother with it, which I believe is a mistake. It's extra work, but it has such a high payoff that I've become a nag on the subject.

MCNews: Do people resist because watching your faults on video gets so personal?

Decker: That's what communication is, a highly personal connection. When you see yourself on video, you perceive the disparity between what you think is coming across and what others are really getting. That disparity gets smaller and smaller the more you use video feedback. And, the more you do it, the less the personal aspects bother you; it becomes a positive experience when you see improvements.

The first time I saw my golf swing on video, I thought it was so terrible that I would never play golf again. But then, you get more objective, and see things you can fix or change. What turns it into a positive force is that you know your performance will improve. So, I urge speakers to get feedback, especially from video, and to use feedback constantly to improve how they project confidence in their core message.

MCNews: You've coached a lot of diverse people over the years. What's the most common area for improvement you usually identify?

Decker: A lot of business leaders are engaging and interesting in small groups, but when they get on stage they are stilted because they hold themselves back; they are completely different people up there. You don't have to jump up and down, but you do have to connect with people through your personal energy. That energy is expressed through eye communication, gestures, pauses and the use of your voice. Your enthusiasm and excitement show people what you are talking about, and that energy is what will be believed.

People have this notion that if they say the words, their listeners will understand. That's why so many speakers write and read their speeches; it's not as threatening, and they don't have to worry about skipping over something in the presentation. In fact, you can have the greatest message in the world, but if you don't connect with people it doesn't matter how great the message, people won't hear it.

Speakers need to communicate their energy to their listeners. And, you don't really change much whether you are communicating to five people or 5000, in person or on the telephone. You adjust the range of your energy level and your emotions to fit the situation, but you still want the same authenticity. Confidence and certainty breed authenticity, and authenticity leads to believability.

Decker: One of the top speakers I know is a preacher/pastor, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, who is not only authentic, but a phenomenal communicator. He has also written several books, including The Prayer of Jabez.

Bill Clinton is a master communicator. Whatever we may think of his character or politics, he connects with people; he has energy and passion, and doesn't have any nervous tics of any kind. John Chambers, over at CISCO, is very effective even though he's soft-spoken. Steve Jobs, of course, is a classic speaker.

George Bush has become an effective communicator since he took office. I often use a clip of him from 9/11 that shows his firmness, and that the tics and telltale patterns he used to have are gone. He spoke to the nation with a confidence and certainty that he didn't have before, and that's when he became President. That's a good example of how important style and confidence are for a leader.

What all these speakers have in common is confidence, certainty, focus and a passion that is readily apparent. Management consultants need those skills in ways that go beyond public speaking. They must be confident leaders, yet listen and show they care. They must solve problems and look for new business at the same time, which is an exciting balance. To be perceived as real, your passion for a client's success must be real.

For those who want more, here's a short list of resources on effective communication.

Your article struck a nerve, even though I can now count five years of success as a consultant. I still think of myself as a newcomer to consulting. There is always more to learn. Adding to the good advice you passed along, here are the four key assets I would contribute:

1. Contacts: You need someone who wants/needs to buy your services, or who can refer you to that potential buyer. Learn to cultivate contacts relentlessly.

2. Credibility: It can come from an institution (okay) or from experience (better) or both (best). Some gray hair is an asset. Know what your credibility derives from and how to portray it efficiently. Practice telling your stories in fresh ways.

3. Content: Too often we try to sell what we have, not necessarily what the prospective client wants or needs. The successful consultant learns to quickly sniff out the pain and craft content that provides a solution.

4. Curiosity: I have come to realize that my best skill as a consultant is the ability to ask questions effectively. The marketplace has changed so many times in the last five years, that I now practice and preach just-in-time learning. Woe unto him who thinks he has it all figured out.

We received these three recommendations from subscribers to add to the list of high-value newsletters:

1. The Monday Morning Marketing Memo - A free, weekly marketing newsletter sent out each Monday helps business executives and marketers focus on key topics to grow their businesses, retain customers, and leverage their corporate brands. Subscribe by sending a blank message to: MondayMorningMarketingMemo-Subscribe@Yahoogroups.com

2. Thinking About Sales - For free articles and an ezine on sales management, check out www.davekahle.com/article.htm. Dave Kahle, who has published over 300 articles, offers how-to solutions for every-day sales problems.

3. TrendsAlert - To stay on top of emerging trends impacting businesses, people and the economy, check out the weekly newsletter published by The Herman Group. The web site address is www.HermanGroup.com.

In September, we'll focus on web design for consultants with two special interviews. Vincent Flanders, author of Web Pages That Suck, will provide his own brand of advice on bad and good design features for web sites and home pages. Steve Krug, who wrote Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, adds his thoughts on how consultants can get the most from their web sites.

We'll also feature an article on why consultants' marketing fails, and bring you a sneak preview of an upcoming book you shouldn't miss.

The Fall Conference (Confab) of the Institute of Management Consultants (USA) celebrates the organization's first twenty-five years, and will take place October 27-29, 2002, in Reno, Nevada. Click here for details (www.imcusa.org).

The 56th Annual Meeting for the Association of Management Consulting Firms will be October 23-25, 2002, in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for details (www.amcf.org).

The Project Management Institute's annual meeting will be October 3-10, 2002, in San Antonio, Texas. Click here for details (www.pmi.org).

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." - Winston Churchill

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