Book Description
Never Be Boring Again is unlike other books on presentation skills because it focuses on strategic storytelling for business professionals. It targets speakers, trainers, entrepreneurs, salespeople and executives and teaches them how to choose, craft and deliver a story that makes a point, teaches a lesson or sells a product. It introduces a breakthrough approach from a dynamic new voice.
Customer Reviews:
Do you have to include stories in your program as a speaker? Only if you want to get the audience involved!.......2007-05-01
We all have a story to tell. If you are in a position where you influence people, lead organizational teams or speak to groups professionally, "Never Be Boring Again" must go on your short list of books to read. Doug teaches you how to incorporate humor into your message in a way that people laugh and have fun while they learn. His step-by-step method helps find the stories in you, and then shows you how to effectively use them to make your message authentic and truly delivered from the heart. I'm a professional speaker and use Doug's tips and techniques every time I'm on the platform. I highly recommend Doug Stevenson's book, "Never Be Boring Again"!
Doug Stevenson is the master!.......2007-04-23
Doug Stevenson knows how to create a winning presentation, and even better, he knows how to show us what he does. His book, "Never Be Boring Again," gives clear, step-by-step advice on the sure-fire way to craft presentations that will wow your audiences. He has organized his advice into a method which all speakers can employ. He himself is not one bit boring, and his own presentations are dynamite. The sweet success of his book is that he reveals his method to readers in a clear, easy-to-follow format. We still have to work and practice, but in his book we see what to do. He is the master!
Shallow, repetitive, no great insights but plenty of fluff.......2007-01-01
I am preparing a PowerPoint class for people who already know the mechanics of PowerPoint but need a class on how to better design slides and prepare a presentation. One of the topics will be preparing a script using story-telling techniques. I thought this book would offer some good advice, especially since the reviews were so good. I was sorely disappointed.
Ironically, this book bored me. I admit that I am a tough audience, but if you are a corporate trainer or speaker addressing a sophisticated, intelligent audience, the advice in this book may do more harm than good. The stories are not very interesting and I don't think it's good advice to tell readers they need to act out or pantomime parts of a story. That may work for some, but there are other ways by which a speaker can enliven a presentation or a talk. This book would be more appropriate for people doing info-commercials than for corporate speakers. In fact, as I was reading it, the book reminded me of the exaggerated gestures and pasted-on smiles that info-commercial people affect.
A great example of how stories are used to enliven a presentation and illustrate points is the book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. I am listening to the book on CD while I do my daily walks. (I checked it out at the local library.) Gladwell (not the most exciting person in the world) had to use stories to get his points across and he does a masterful job. You will learn more about using stories from Blink than from Never Be Boring Again. And you won't be bored!
Good book-bad binding.......2006-08-02
I enjoyed the author's style and found several useful tips on improving my presentations. Given the accepted wisdom that an audience learns more from a speaker's visual presentation then his/her verbal presentation, his advice concerning acting out a presentation was very helpful.
I have a complaint about the quality of the book itself. After I had been reading the book off and on for about a week, the book's binding gave out and chucks of the book began falling off the binding.
Inspire Your Audience.......2006-01-28
"To be nobody but yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else- means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight, and never stop fighting. ~E. E. Cummings
Doug Stevenson is the creator of the Story Theater Method. As a master storytelling coach, he teaches the secrets of telling compelling stories and also explains how to add humor and fun to your presentation.
The quotes in this book are especially intriguing, especially the one by Virginia Satir. In just a few sentences, she explains how communication skills can determine the quality of your life.
How do you choose a story?
Where can you find stories?
What are the seven types of stories?
What can you say that your listeners won't expect?
Doug Stevenson teaches you how to entertain all while getting your message across. I remember the first time I gave a speech and said a line that caused the entire audience to laugh. It was shocking to me when it happened, it made my day and it was something I never forgot. While I am much more of an introvert, that extrovert moment in my life was definitely due to the fact that I said something the audience didn't expect.
This book will teach you all the essential skills for communicating with an audience and they will learn while they laugh.
~The Rebecca Review
Book Description
Phyllis Mindell, an acclaimed expert on professional communications, shows women how to transform themselves by transforming their language; shed weak words, phrases, and gestures; empower themselves to win attention and respect; and get their ideas across with confidence and power.
Perhaps the best teacher of how the power of language can transform is an unexpected one: Charlotte the spider of E.B. White's, Charlotte's Web. Mindell demonstrates how Charlotte communicated messages that gained national attention and saved a friend's life. As a model, she combines female strengths of wisdom and compassion with the determination and power to make a difference.
As part of Prentice Hall Press's highly successful How to Say It tm series, How to Say It tm for Women is packed with practical tips, techniques, and examples that arm women to grapple with every communication issue, from choosing the right word or sentence to speaking, reading, writing, leading, dressing, and interviewing effectively. Readers will learn how to: shun words that weaken messages and make women invisible; sail through interviews; assess and develop leadership skills; say NO, kindly but firmly; respond appropriately to slurs, insults, and harassment; say the one winning word that gets people to follow directions.
True stories about women in every field, along with quotes from Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Carla Hills, Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth Dole and others, enable women to tap the power of words to persuade, motivate, establish authority, and make a difference-- without sacrificing their integrity, their compassion, or their femininity.
Customer Reviews:
What every woman should know!.......2006-03-09
I read about this book - actually, I consider it a textbook - when searching for tools on expanding my career. I usually wouldn't buy something like this, and instead look for similar information from free 'Net sources. But on a whim, I bought it, and am so glad I did. I'm not even halfway through and what I've learned already has helped me to speak and express myself in a way that gets people's attention, and has improved my professional image. One of the best tips, which comes early in the book, is catching myself using the "I think/like/don't like" phrase when I want to discuss facts. I do it, so I don't look like a know-it-all. Dr. Mindell, however, shows several ways to express facts without appearing as though I have all the answers.
The author also cites common grammar and language mistakes that keep women in the background, and prevent us from asserting our strengths and skills. The concept of Weak Language is especially intriguing; in reviewing the examples, I saw myself in almost every one. Her solutions are very attainable, but she strongly recommends practicing this new language with another woman. I have, and my women friends were amazed at how powerful this "new" language sounds.
These are hard habits to break, but with the tips and examples in this book, I'm getting better at it. And I can see the difference in how others treat me; more importantly, I feel different about myself. The book is really a life-changing experience, for someone who has never really put much thought into my "image" but is continually frustrated at not getting the positive attention for my work success as I believe I deserve. Thank you Dr. Mindell!
Review by the Business Librarians of the Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh.......2005-07-17
The lights go down. The speaker strides confidently towards the podium, pauses and makes eye contact with the audience. And from the very first moment you know, instinctively, that it's going to be an excellent presentation. An experience like this reinforces your desire to create your own unique aura of self-confidence. What can you do to make this happen?
One thing you can do, right away, is to get a copy of Dr. Phyllis Mindell's book, How to Say It for Executives: The Complete Guide to Communication for Leaders. It's an excellent guide for acquiring and practicing the communication skills you'll need to get ahead and stay there, complete with exercises, charts, lists, examples, and a simple format that makes it all easy to digest.
Primary among those skills is something obvious but often overlooked: listening. When you pay close attention when others are talking, instead of interrupting or jumping to conclusions without hearing the entire story, it will be noticed and appreciated. Of course, a favorite chapter for us here at the library is "Reading Like a Leader," in which the author doesn't tell what to read, but rather how to read - both speedily and deeply - in ways that will build skills in analysis, synthesis, and argument. A chapter on nonverbal leadership breaks down the powerful code spoken by gesture, dress, and body placement.
Preparing a presentation is the centerpiece of How To Say It For Executives, and Dr. Mindell meticulously lays out each step of the process. Before you begin, gather some information about the audience. The speech should be written out, using an absolute minimum of sentences that begin with "I", and rehearsed. The most objective way to find out how you really look and sound in front of an audience is to videotape the speech. After viewing it, turn off the sound and watch it again. Now that you know where improvement is needed, complete the assignments in each chapter that target problems commonly faced by public speakers.
You never know when hostile or difficult people will be in the audience. One individual can spoil an entire presentation by monopolizing the floor or asking inappropriate questions. The author offers several techniques for tactfully handling a variety of problems and disruptions that can occur in an open forum.
Perhaps the most valuable lesson in How to Say It for Executives is this: Make a concerted effort to stop using weak words like "I feel", "sort of", "I guess" and "I think" in everyday conversations as well as presentations. Instead of coming across as tentative and unsure, practice substituting phrases that will make your sentences strong and persuasive. Although the advice in this book is directed primarily to those in leadership positions, anyone but a hermit will find life is made much easier by becoming a better communicator
Not Helpful.......2005-04-25
I bought this book at a womens' leadership conference a couple of years ago. I read it cover-to-cover and decided to try the skills covered when communicating in my office. My supervisors' opinions of me changed drastically - they began to view me as surly and defiant. I didn't think any of the verbage alternatives were rude, but in the organization where I was working, the higher-ups expected you to consider them omnipotent and not have an opinion of your own. Ultimately one should consider their audience and adjust their language accordingly.
Great basis for coursework.......2005-04-05
I am using this book as a reference for my students in a business english course in Japan. Although the students find reading it cover to cover a bit too much (lower intermediate English level) when I point out specific points and pages I want them to read and understand, they really get a lot out of it. The book is written well and ideas are developed and backed up clearly. I would recommend this to any teachers of women students.
A valuable resource for aspiring women leaders.......2004-07-30
I can't recommend this book highly enough. As a leadership coach in Silicon valley I often help women managers and executives to become better leaders, and this book speaks directly to two of the biggest roadblocks to women's advancement: communication and confidence. These women are shocked at how closely Mindell understands their work challenges. The book takes highly volatile, challenging workplace situations and offers suggestions that immediately actionable.
Product Description
Audio Success Series
Verbal Success
Expand Your Vocabulary & Verbal Acuity
Its a multi-session public speaking retreat in a box! And with Verbal Success on 14 audio compact discs, youll have unlimited access to the worlds top communication experts any time you want. From creating and delivering effective presentations to memory skills and working a room, the Verbal Success audio suite offers hours of techniques to increase your speaking power. Also included are two bonus DVDs on improving communication. Discovering Your Gifts... Improving Communication with all Types on DVD from Jennifer Rousseau Sedlock will show you how to improve communication in the workplace and at home. Finally master the language of success and become a verbal superpower with George Walthers DVD, Power Talking What you say is what you get.
Featuring: 11 dynamic speakers. 14 audio discs. 1 bonus DVD.
Added Bonus: Store all your discs in the convenient carrying case included inside!
Featuring :
Verbal Power® Series
Chris Widener
Brian Tracy
Elizabeth Jeffries
Colette Carlson
Marilyn Sherman
Ron White
Brian Tracy
Dianna Booher
Chris Widener
Brad Worthley
Nido Qubein
Customer Reviews:
Would have been nice if they were not defective..........2007-05-14
4 of the disc's in the set were defective. This must be a common problem with Amazon because the last book on disc I ordered was partially defective also. Quality control should step it up a bit.
Average customer rating:
- More annoying than helpful
- The Art of Talking to Anyone
- Not at all what I was hoping for
- How to be a boring individual
- Basic and Specifics of Talking in Various Situations.
|
The Art of Talking to Anyone: Essential People Skills for Success in Any Situation
Rosalie Maggio
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
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ASIN: 007145229X |
Book Description
From the author of How to Say It, the million-copies-sold bestseller
If you want to improve your conversational skills--and achieve greater levels of personal and professional success--The Art of Talking to Anyone is the ultimate book. Rosalie Maggio has built a career on teaching people how to say the right thing at the right time--and she's made her techniques available to you.
This essential communication handbook includes:
- Sample dialogues, topics, and responses
- Quick-reference dos and don'ts
- Tips for handling special situations
- Confidence-building advice and quotations
- Key words that get to the business at hand
Whether it's small talk or big, social or work-related, The Art of Talking to Anyone gives you all the tools you need to speak up with confidence, to charm and persuade, and to talk your way through any situation--successfully.
Customer Reviews:
More annoying than helpful.......2007-06-22
I have recently been into social dynamics and thought a book about the fine points of conversation would be helpful. Unfortunately, the book seems to be written by a prude who makes every effort to make your conversations as dull and boring as the book itself is.
Some major issues with the book.
a) Although "art" is the word chosen, most of the advice consists of things to avoid and in very specific detail (for example she says NEVER to say "to make a long story short")
b)More than half of the book text consists of assanine quotes from others that hardly relate to the subject as well as NUMEROUS and seemingly endless lists of statement examples (ie. "How nice of you" etc.) The author fails to realize that reading these are incredibly uninteresting and eliminate any sense of style one may develop. To top it off they are in alphabetical order which makes it easier to quickly glance over them.
c) The author seems to want to make you a parrot by telling you exactly how to respond in certain situations. She also often contradicts herself in these examples. She states to not say anything personal to anyone you meet yet reccomends a converstation starter as "you look fit, what do you do for a workout regiment".
Overall this book is a complete waste of time written by someone who I would never want to have a conversation with. She is so afraid of making a mistake that I would end up talking to her for an hour about the weather.
Conversations (at least socially) are meant to be fun, not exercises in safety. It is not the end of the world if you take a risk. It makes for a memorable conversation. I would avoid this book like SARS.
The Art of Talking to Anyone.......2006-06-30
The author provides savvy, helpful ideas on improving communication in all situations. Very good.
Not at all what I was hoping for.......2006-06-20
I put this audiobook in my Wish List several weeks before it came out. What I was hoping for was some good info on the psychology and execution of the lost art of conversation. What I got was an endless list of do's and do nots. I ONLY recommend this for EXTREME introverts. If you are looking to polish your social skills or socialize with anyone other than friends then keep looking.
How to be a boring individual.......2006-05-25
The first 1 or 2 chapters of this book do indeed give you some good pointers on how to build rapport and to look for common threads, all very important parts of a conversation. However the latter chapters really get dull and tend to advice the reader to shy away from responding openly to real life situations such as when a friend approaches you with a problem, the author advices that you shy away from really putting yourself in their shoes and offering help, rather it gives you advice on how to decline offering help to someone in need. It also advices the reader not to tell jokes in any situation or to shy away from tellign detailed stories. Whilst for a social lepper this maybe sound advice most of us want to live in a world full of excitement and have conversations that are fullfilling for everyone, not just being a bore and trying to "fit in". Perhaps as an Brit this book is very American centric, but I'm sure even Americans are not even so boring!
Basic and Specifics of Talking in Various Situations........2005-08-05
Much of life starts with conversation. To some of us it comes easy, to some of us it is very difficult. Perhaps the hardest is the conversation at a job interview, or that first conversation with someone to whom you are attracted.
In the job interview, the interviewer will usually be asking questions. Your job is to provide the answers he wants to hear. Even if you decide you don't want the job, if you don't get an offer you don't get to decide.
In the romantic area it's really much easier. If both of you are interested, the conversation will flow - once you get it started. If the other person isn't interested, there isn't anything you can do to change it, move on to the next person. Getting it started is your job, and as with the other situations where you need help, this book will give you some good ideas. Good ideas of both things to say, and things not to say.
This book has eight chapters on the basics of being a good conversationalist. Then there are nine chapters on talking in various situations from the workplace to social events to talking with romance in mind. She knows what she is talking about.
Book Description
"New Sales Speak is the first book on the vital marriage of persuasive selling techniques and crucial speaking skills."
-Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times bestseller Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive
"An incredible book on sales effectiveness! You can learn how to release your brakes and step on your accelerator toward higher sales."
-Brian Tracy, Brian Tracy International
"Terri Sjodin is one of the country's top sales trainers, and her book, New Sales Speak, is a must-read for anyone in sales or sales management. Now, the Second Edition is here and it's even bigger and better! I highly recommend it."
-Roger Dawson, author of Secrets of Power Negotiating
"This book gives you real-world knowledge that you can apply every day. The new chapter on elevator speeches alone is worth the investment."
-Eric Worre, cofounder, Better Life Media
Written for anyone who gives presentations, New Sales Speak, Second Edition identifies the nine most common mistakes people make when presenting and shows you how to avoid them. Inside, you'll learn how to: Build and deliver a presentation that is persuasive rather than just informative Make the best use of your allotted time and craft interest-generating elevator speeches Just say "No!" to boring PowerPoint presentations Transform fear into energy-and more!
Customer Reviews:
Talks the talk and walks the walk.......2007-03-15
As a seasoned sales professional, and one who is required to deliver sales presentations in extremely competitive environments, I can say simply that Sjodin nails every point of what it takes to get deals done with this easy to read and use book. I read the first version, and with the updates and added elevator speech chapter in the 2nd edition, I think this book was taken to a higher level: how many times are we caught off guard asking for a clear, concise rendition of what we have to offer, and then close the deal or at least get a meeting? It happens all the time, and this book gives you the tools to do it.
Too many times we fall into the trap of creating a boring presentation without sizzle AND substance, and our presentations get categorized as fluff. This book encapsulates everything we should think about when recognizing who our audience is and how to make an impact and be remembered.
I've seen Sjodin speak a few times, and if you see her speak then you'll realize she is a true saleswoman with grit and she knows her stuff. Many times in just general life interaction I've drawn upon her knowledge and expertise to set myself apart...and it works!
Kudos to the book and Sjodin; if you're serious about selling, this book has nuggets that will get you ahead.
Brilliant Sales Stimulation!.......2006-05-10
From reading New Sales Speak, I learned the importance of focusing on the "how" (delivery) not just the "what" (product). Enthusiasm and expertise shine though on every page as the author teaches invaluable tools to develop dynamic sales presentation skills. I became aware of the limitless potential within an individual to fulfill their desires and learned how to attune those desires through effective communication, courtesy, and creativity. After applying the sales presentation skills taught in New Sales Speak to my next listing presentation, I walked away with 3 things... a signed contract, a satisfied client, and a smile.
and anyone with a paintbrush can be a painter..........2006-04-30
Some people believe salesmen are born, not made. Sjodin, a public speaking and sales techniques consultant, insists anyone can become an effective seller by polishing his speaking skills and learning to sell himself and his ideas to business partners, investors, employers and supervisors.
How insulting to people that earn their living in sales...If you follow her simple thought, anyone with a paint brush can become a master painter and if you have a wrench and screwdriver you can get a job as a mechanic.
You either have what it takes or you don't!
Her claim that anyone can become an effective seller by polishing his speaking skills and learning to sell himself and his ideas to business partners, investors, employers and supervisors is ridiculous! She probably makes more money selling books with great catch titles...
Definitely applies to 90% of all sales people.......2002-04-12
Most sales people are not getting the job done. Period. They move around from company to company, making the same mistakes, and blaming their poor numbers on the product, their employer, the economy, or the price of tea in China.
While this book will not surprise top performers with something completely new, these folks may glean some value out of the distinction between an informational presentation and a persuasive presentation.
I could almost guarantee if all sales managers gave this book to the lower 75-90% of their sales teams, and made it a requirement to use the simple outlines in the book, their numbers would improve.... Anyone who cannot use the outlines to build compelling presentations should not be in the sales arena.
"Lite" Treatment for Beginners Likely to Disappoint Pros.......2002-02-24
This book, like so many others in the field of selling techniques, is probably useful for people new to selling but disappointing to those with more than a few years of experience. Ms. Sjodin's writing is competent, engaging and easy to read. She illustrates her points with pertinent anecdotes that make the book engaging to read, but the content is definitely "lite," meaning both general and thin on substance. Although she has targeted her book for sales professionals, it may be less useful to sales reps than the many more more substantial books on public speaking and the principles of persuasion written for a broader audience. The points Ms. Sjodin makes about sales presentations are no different from tips presented in any low-level high-school or college speech class.
Importantly for new sales people, Ms. Sjodin makes only passing reference to the critically important differences between complex sales that require many presentations over a long period of time and simpler sales that are likely to be closed after a single presentation.
The book is another volume in a growing library of thinly veiled self-promotion vehicles that provide contact information on the back page in case you may want to hire the author as a consultant.
As a 15-year sales professional who has been closing multi-million dollar software deals for years, I read almost anything about selling techniques in the belief that even a nearly useless book can easily justify its cover price if it provides a single good idea. Even so, I wish I had not spent the money on this book.
Book Description
How do highly paid professional speakers put magic and motivation into every talk? Lilly Walters, Executive Director of Walters International Speakers Bureau, reveals their secrets and strategies in this practical, conversational guide. Mark Twain reputedly said it took him three weeks to prepare an impromptu speech, but readers of Secrets of Successful Speakers will do it in days-or minutes. This book spells out the rules in 11 easy-to-follow steps, each accompanied by interactive exercises. Readers will learn to: set objectives before writing; customize the talk for each audience; conquer stage fright; cultivate a reputation as an expert; develop themes for each presentation; organize material in memorable manner; edit for best effect; project a professional "platform image" through personality, voice, and clothes; motivate audiences to change their actions and attitudes; involve listeners by using humor, heart, and audience participation exercises; deal with problems and pitfalls ranging from poor staging and faulty audio-visual equipment to hecklers and questions of ethics. This authoritative and accessible guide also contains fascinating anecdotes of well-known personalities and how they mastered the art of public speaking. It will quickly become the reference of choice for trainers, lawyers, doctors, managers, and everyone who makes presentations or gives talks.
Customer Reviews:
This book is worth its weight in gold!.......2006-07-08
Lilly and Dottie Walters have contributed volumes to the world of professional speaking. All of their books provide veteran and upcoming speakers alike with the resources, tips, and guidelines needed to be successful. This book is another example of the quality and care the Walters provide in all aspects of their speaking enterprise. I found this book to be most helpful in planning and writing my public speaking presentations as well as in my daily lesson preparations as a secondary school teacher. Lilly Walters presents page after page of straight forward approaches to capturing and keeping any audiences attention as well as numerous methods of achieving and reinforcing the exact message you were aiming at delivering. This is a must have on every public speaker's and educator's book shelf. My name is Kelly Croy. You can learn more about me and how I use this excellent book by Lilly Walters on my website at www.kellycroy.com.
Too Many Cooks.......2005-09-07
There are plenty of good books on public speaking - and this is NOT one of them. For several reasons.
First and definitely most importantly - it regularly contradicts itself. For example, on the subject of humor and the person who is to introduce you:
"...If it looks like they are going to read some big long thing, give them some quick funny story to say instead." Dr. Ken Blanchard
"Never give and introducer 'risky' material that requires comic timing." Tom Ogden
So, assuming that Mr Ogden meant "material which requires comic timing is 'risky'," we have two "experts telling us, one straight after the other, to (1) get the introducer to tell a funny story, and (2) avoid asking the introducer to tell a funny story!
This confusion is mainly down to the author's choice to use a vast collection of quotes from people she presumably regards as "expert speakers," interspersed, from time to time, by her own thoughts and observations. Unfortunately, despite her wealth of experience as a head of a "professional lecture agency," or maybe because of it, Ms. Walters has produced a book that is about as superficial as most of the "key note" and "after dinner" speeches I've ever had to witness.
There's a mountain of material here, and SOME of it is genuinely useful, but it's all so mixed up with the dross that you'd have to be something of an expert already in order to know which bits are worth taking notice of, and which are likely to make things worse rather than better. In which case you wouldn't need this book in the first place.
The second important flaw in the book is that it assumes that the "experts" actually know what makes them successful. Which is also unfortunate, since it is widely recognised that "experts" usually have little or no idea as to what their success is really based on. The best they can do is tell you what THEY think they do - hence the conflicting instructions and the highly variable usefulness of the book as a whole.
Thirdly, there is the author's own rather questionable knowledge. In Chapter 5, for instance, there is a section on mind maps, which shows little or no understanding of the subject. To be sure, the author does say, at one point:
"True mind map experts, which I am not, will tell you to use only one word per line along with the pictures."
No they won't. They'll tell you never to use a complete sentence, because if you do you will seriously undermine the main reason for using a mind map. And that's just after they'd tell you that you do NOT have to use pictures all over a mind map, as this author asserts.
The obvious question is "Why describe a technique if you know that you don't really know what you're talking about?" It may fill up some space, but it certainly doesn't do the reader any favours.
If you're the sort of person who gains confidence from getting "Reader's Digest"-sized quotes from a host of big name speakers then you may well enjoy this book. If you want something with a modicum of genuine authority, from someone who writes from an in depth knowledge AND UNDERSTANDING of their subject then you'll need to look elsewhere.
A Must for your Library.......2004-08-21
Any person looking to raise the level of their speaking needs to add this book to their library. I personally own every book Lilly has published. As a professional speaker myself and the author of, "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" (Warner Books), I appreciate the value of the information in Lilly's book and I recommmend this book to anyone.
A potent concoction of surefire tips and techniques.......2002-11-08
This is certainly one of the best books on public speaking I've read. The only other work that deserves special mention is Jack Valenti's Speak Up with Confidence. Walters gives surefire tips and techniques that are recipe for a successful presentation that may inspire for years.
Her crisp advice on the main requirements of a speech of "passion and compassion with a purpose" is very potent and often leaps off my mind each time I prepare to instruct or make a speech. Walters has carefully drawn from the "secrets" of public speaking pros and concocted them into a surefire formula for success. What's more, her anecdotes and quotes are both entertaining and memorable.
I found myself a better speaker even after reading and applying steps 1 and 2. Wait till I conquer step 11! Thank you Lilly Walters for an absolutely inspiring and terrific book.
A potent concoction of surefire tips and techniques.......2002-11-08
This is certainly one of the best books on public speaking I've read. The only other work that deserves special mention is Jack Valenti's Speak Up with Confidence. Walters gives surefire tips and techniques that are recipe for a successful presentation that may inspire for years.
Her crisp advice on the main requirements of a speech of "passion and compassion with a purpose" is very potent and often leaps off my mind each time I prepare to instruct or make a speech. Walters has carefully drawn from the "secrets" of public speaking pros and concocted them into a surefire formula for success. What's more, her anectdotes and quotes are both entertaining and memorable.
I found myself a better speaker even after reading and applying steps 1 and 2. Wait till I conquer step 11! Thank you Lilly Walters for an absolutely inspiring and terrific book.
Book Description
It's not all in the delivery. Here's expert guidance on how to write a dynamic speech. Splashy slides, confident body language, and a lot of eye contact are fine and well. But if a speech is rambling, illogical, or just plain boring, the impact will be lost.
Now everyone can learn to give powerful, on-target speeches that capture an audience's attention and drive home a message. The key is not just in the delivery techniques, but in tapping into the power of language.
Prepared by an award-winning writer, this authoritative speech-writing guide covers every essential element of a great speech, including outlining and organizing, beginning with a bang, making use of action verbs and vivid nouns, and handling questions from the audience. Plus, the book includes excerpts from some of history's most memorable speeches--eloquent words to contemplate and emulate.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic- a great resource.......2006-01-27
Ultimately, what stays with an audience, is the content of your speech. Richard Dowis, a former journalist and retired senior vice president of Manning, Selvage, and Lee Public Relations provides information to help you effectively collect, organize and shape content into powerful speeches. He urges you to consider first the purpose of your speech, what you really want the audience to walk away with. Then, to fit your purpose into the format and time allotted. You must begin by researching your topic, clarifying your purpose, creating an outline and identifying a strong thesis, or unifying idea. When organizing your speech the most important consideration is that it must be logically organized. He identifies several organizational strategies you can use. For example, Chronological order, the "Big Bang" where a shocking thesis is presented up front, and Cause-and-effect which outlines the causes of a problem, describes its effect and suggests a solution. He also provides the following guidance on writing your speech:
1. Begin Well: Your opening should establish rapport with the audience, set the tone, reinforce your credibility and arouse interest in your subject. 5 categories of opening are: novelty, dramatic, question, humorous and reference/quote.
2. Watch Your Language: Avoid Jargon and overly complex language. Try instead for a simple elegance. Be yourself.
3. Use Proven Techniques: The Rule of Three: Organize related thoughts into groups of three to make them more memorable and dramatic. Anaphora: repeat words or phrases at the beginning of several sentences.
4. When using statistics: make them interesting and meaningful, express statistics in terms your audience can understand, and avoid using too many raw figures in a row.
5. Closing the Speech: use your closing to reinforce your point, or to reinforce the goal of the speech. Most closings fall into seven categories: Summary, Wrap-up, Direct appeal, Thesis, Reference, Inspirational, and Humorous/Anecdotal.
6. Editing: When editing consider content, organization, style, language and grammar.
The Lost Art of the Great Speech: How to Write One--How to Deliver It.......2005-09-09
I originally checked this out at the library and realized I needed it in my reference collection. It's well writen, informative and fun to read. The author walks you step by step through the process of writing a speech to giving it, along with useful tricks of the speech writers trade. I highly recommend it.
An Excellent Resource for Speakers.......2002-10-03
Richard Dowis spends no time lamenting this lost art. Instead he focuses his energy on its resurrection.
Dowis's background in journalism and public relations provided the foundation for his writing a remarkably readable book. His conversational style serves as a model for the language you would want to hear -- and use -- in a speech. Frequent headings and an especially legible font also contribute to the book's readability.
In _The Lost Art of the Great Speech_, Dowis addresses every conceivable aspect of this topic -- from deciding whether to accept a speaking engagement to "leveraging" a speech by converting it to one or more publishable articles. The book takes a holistic approach to speech writing. Chapters follow the process of speech preparation, including delivery as well as crafting. In addition, Dowis discusses topics such as how to write a speech to be delivered by someone else and how to introduce a speaker.
Each chapter includes pertinent excerpts from actual speeches, many taken from the business world, and also includes a full speech or a substantial excerpt of a speech by a well-known person. Many of these speeches have historical significance. Having asserted that "reading and listening to speeches is one of the keys to learning how to write and deliver them," Dowis supplies us with many examples to study.
Dowis devotes several chapters to rhetorical devices that can lift a speech from the respectable to the eloquent. To illustrate how rhetoric can immortalize a concept, he compares several versions of an idea that appeared in speeches by famous Americans.
In addition to a detailed index, _The Lost Art of the Great Speech_ includes two helpful appendices: An Editing Checklist for Speech Writers and Resources for Speakers and Speech Writers.
_The Lost Art of the Great Speech_ is a valuable resource for anyone who might have the opportunity to address a group of people. Although it does not include study questions or practice exercises, it would be an excellent book for a class of high school or college students as well as for adults who are studying independently.
This is a terrific book!.......2001-08-09
Although this book was written for business folk, it serves as a tremendous text for high school students. The suggestions are clear, the models exemplary, and the writing concise. Also, the texts of speeches that end nearly every chapter are well-chosen. AND there's a handy appendix listing resources for speakers and writers.
A Must Read.......2001-05-05
For those of you who don't like text book reads but need the information, this is the book for you. This book gives useful information and useful hints on speech writing and speech giving. It is the best of Speech Communication classes and everyday ideas for the beginner in public speaking and the expert speech writer.
Book Description
When it comes to speaking for big money, bestselling author Alan Weiss knows what he's talking about. Popular on the pro circuits, he details all the steps on how to go from free speaking to big-fee speaking. Using examples, tips, and checklists, he shows how to target markets, develop speeches, set fees, improve platform skills, use the tools, expand business, fashion a "star" image, and gain personal as well as financial satisfaction. Included is a resource section of books, tapes, Web sites, and other aids.
Customer Reviews:
The truth about the speaking business.......2007-05-21
A friend of mine loaned me this book and I started reading it. By the time I got to the 3rd chapter, I went ahead and ordered it of off Amazon!
No B.S., no sugar-coating it. Just the facts about how to make serious money in the speaking business. What you should do and what you should NOT do (sometime even more important).
The yin and yang of the speaking world would be Speak & Grow Rich by Dottie Walters and Money Talks by Alan Weiss. Both coming from different directions, but both equally as important.
Get it!
Concepts As Good Now as Then.......2007-04-18
Alan Weiss knows his stuff, and delivers it in an accessible and straightforward package. Never one to sugarcoat, his advice to speakers centers on marketing more than delivery. If you are looking into the business of speaking, this book is for you. If you want to become a better speaker, this book is only 'sort of' good for you. But its definitely good for your audiences.
It's Great, You'll Love It.......2007-01-14
Alan is the real deal. He tells it straight. He's really interesting (just like his talks). Read the other reviews--as they capture my experience that this is a great book for those who want to improve every facit of their professional speaking experience. If you're serious, buy the book. If you're not, re-read the other reviews again....until you 'get it'.
Bill Wiersma
Author--The Big AHA
Great book for speakers.......2006-03-21
As a new speaker I purchased this book to add to my collection and it's one of the top books. Weiss holds no punches and just gets real. Not alot of fluff and some wonderful recommendations to continue to help me to think like a speaker. I read the book in one night. I recommend buying this book and Speak and Grow Rich by Dottie Walkters and Lilly Walters to read together. The both give excellent insight into the world of speaking.
Helpful suggestions about publicity for speaking engagements.......2006-03-19
This book had many helpful suggestions about publicity for speaking engagements. Weiss seems to have made high dollar lifestyle from speaking, and leading workshops. He comes across as arrogant and opinionated, but the book is full of good ideas of where to look for speaking engagements, and make top dollars in the business.
Book Description
With endorsements from two of the largest and most influential public speaking groups -- the National Speakers Association and Toastmasters International -- this book is written by an expert speechwriter whose eloquent voice leads readers through the difficult process of writing a great speech. In these pages a seasoned speechwriter reveals his trade secrets - from analyzing the needs of an audience to leaving them with a satisfying sense of closure - as he guides readers through the process of planning, writing, and honing an outstanding speech. Readers will discover effective ways to connect with an audience, explain concepts, and support ideas, learn how to time and cut a speech when necessary. The bottom line? When readers have finished this book, they will be well on their way to making their next big speech a big success! Anyone -- from a businessperson to a community member -- who wants to learn the skills necessary to write and deliver a memorable speech.
Part of the Essence of Public Speaking Series.
Customer Reviews:
Necessary for any great speech.......2002-03-26
I had an important ceremony coming up and I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to wow the crowd. This book gave me enough good ideas to research, write, and deliver a great speech. I had three goals for my speech: Establish myself as a great speaker, make the audience understand that I had written a great speech, and bring the receipient to the point of tears.
I did just that. The crowd was taken aback by my speech and that speech ended up being the one thing that everyone remembered about that evening.
I strongly encourage anyone who has a speaking engagement coming up to read this book. It will give you the guidance necessary to write a great speech regardless of the reason.
Best Public Speaking Book for analytical & intense reader.......2001-01-12
In architecture schools considerable time is spent on materials for building. The potential of the materials determines what can be built and how it will look and feel. How is it that other public speaking books spend so little time on choosing the right word. Perlman spends a great deal of effort on teaching how to find and select the right word. He demonstrates how the right word for speaking is different than the right word for written communication. You can be a great writer without being a good speaker, but you can't be a great speaker without being a good writer.
"Writing Great Speeches" is for the analytical or educated reader that can handle a fast and furious pace. A direct approach on how to research and construct well organized speeches. Should be ranked high on anybody's list of excellent books on public speaking. It is the best book in the "Essence of Public Speaking Series." Excellent guidance on how to start writing a speech where you are knowledgeable on the subject and how to research areas that are not your expertise. Excellent chapter on how to pick exactly the right word and why it is important.
No other book covers demonstrating legitimate creditability as well as Perlman. He focuses in on exactly how to write great speeches. Like a fast moving train you are carried down the track of learning the skills with overpowering intensity.
The Appendix of Aids to Quick Creditability is worth the price of the book. It is a refreshing list of reference books the provide a map to rapidly gaining knowledge on any subject.
If you are like me nearly every book I read is disappointing in its content and /or its clarity and hence we read many books when a subject is important to us. Extremely rare do we find books so insightful and tightly written that we read it many times. These special books are so important that they will always stand out in your memory. This may be that book on public speaking for crafting the speech.
Customer Reviews:
Finally a Speech Book for Geeks !.......2000-12-01
There is no passion to write an excellent book here. It might be a good book for geeks. Perhaps Chapter 4 (Engaging Audience) is the reason that I am left with this feeling. That chapter is particularly shallow. Or may be because the author Jefff Slutsky uses the powerful phrase "street fighter" so banally. The book is often very superficial in its advise. Just one example at bottom of page 30. "Humor should be funny." The title of this books touts three objectives. Overcoming fear is one of them. It never gets around to fear in any meaningful way. It is an easy book to read but partly because it does not get intense about any subject. This is a good book if you are going to be talking to very conventional run of the mill crowds where you can be contrived and shallow because you are not going to develop into a great speaker. If you address high powered people this is not the book for you. Co-author Michael Aun won the Toastmasters International championship in 1978. I have listened to this speech several times and it is greatness. Just to be a finalist is a glory--ardently admired. To win is beyond my ability to extol sufficient respect. Their are many good points to this book but they are found in quiet little places and if you have read a number of books on speaking this book can be read to advantage.
OK if you're promoting seminars..........2000-03-24
This book seems to be more directed at those who wish to promote themselves through public speaking. For the rest of us who just want some good, straightforward information on how to become better at speaking in front of a large group, it falls short.
This book gets straight to the point with tips you can use........1996-12-13
Michael Aun and Jeff Slutsky deliver a practical guide to using the skill of speaking to move your business forward, whether you're a speaker or not. A lot of great information packed into an easy read. David DeCurtis, Executive Vice President, Enanti Corporation
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