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Speaker Fails come in different categories. There’s technical issues and human error. This week, Innovation Women founder Bobbie Carlton; CEO of Engaging Virtual Meetings John Chen; and virtual event designer Robbie Samuels joined #GoalChatLive to talk about speaker fails.
Even the most seasoned speakers encounter issues, whether they’re in the audience or at the podium. Bobbie, John, and Robbie offered tons of tips and anecdotes. The talked about microphones, filter words, engaging the audience, mastering Zoom, and much more.
How to Avoid Speaker Fails
- Bobbie: Do the rehearsal.
- Robbie: Check your audio; get a good microphone.
- John: Practice, record yourself, and watch.
- Robbie: Have a chat moderator or producer to watch your back/chat
- John: Maintain your mental health. If you are sleep-deprived/exhausted you may have no filter on stage. Bad impressions last.
- Bobbie: No sales pitches.
How to Avoid Audience Boredom
- Robbie: Understand the purpose of the gathering. When you have too many elements, it gets confusing.
- John: Change your tonality. Vary your tone in speed and pitch.
- Bobbie: Offer value, do not talk down to your audience, and do not tell people they need to get your book for the answer.
Speaker Fails #GoalChatLive
Goals from our Guests
- John: People don’t come to see slides, they come to see you. Make your next presentation about your audience.
- Robbie: Get clear about your set up ahead of presenting. Make a checklist.
- Bobbie: Finish your presentations on time.
Final Thoughts
- Robbie: When you speak professionally, adaptability is key.
- John: Read the schedule. Know the schedule.
- Bobbie: Show up early. Check out the event, support the other speakers and be there if they need you to go on ahead of time.
Links
- Learn more about Bobbie Carlton and Innovation Women, and sign up for the Innovation Women Newsletter
- Check out John Chen, get the first three chapters of John’s book, and find a time to meet John
- Join Robbie Samuels’ #NoMoreBadZoom meetups and join learn more about him
- Connect with Bobbie Carlton, John Chen, and Robbie Samuels on LinkedIn
- Watch our #GoalChatLive on Virtual Meetings and Speaking & Accessibility
- Check out the trailer for my new podcast: Taste Buds with Deb
- Learn more about Goals with DEB and Deb’s Goal Strategy for Event Attendees
- Get your copy of my latest book, Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals. Then join the Your Goal Guide Facebook group.
What’s your biggest speaker fails? Please share in the comments.
Next Week
Next week, we are talking about Marketing with guests Jennifer Ballard, Winnona Gaviglio, and April Woodcock. Join us on Monday, May 1, at 4pm PT, for #GoalChatLive.
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For more inspiration, motivation, and tips, follow @TheDEBMethod on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. And connect on LinkedIn.
