Never mind attention spans, the research shows that it only takes 30 seconds for someone to make up their mind about you. In this newsletter, we’re exploring first impressions – how they work, how to ensure you make a good one, and how to avoid creating a disastrous start. Enjoy!
How to craft your elevator speech
The elevator pitch is more important than ever in this increasingly ADD world. Whether it’s your boss in the elevator on the way to work, or a potential customer in a social setting, or even a neighbor at your kid’s sports game – everyone gives you a moment – no more – to tell them why you matter. What do you say – and how fast can you say it – when people ask you who you are and what you do? This digital short shows you how to create pitch-perfect elevator speeches – and how and when to use them. Read more»
The 3 postures and authenticity
You make an impression with people even before you start to speak. When speaking to audiences, Nick often does a quick demonstration with a volunteer that reveals how people respond unconsciously to slight differences in a speaker’s posture. Here’s a quick video that explains why getting your posture right is essential to connecting successfully with an audience. Watch the video»
How do you pull off a great job interview?
The classic situation that maximizes the importance of a good first impression – and the stress associated with it – is the job interview. Only a very few people seem to enjoy job interviews, or do them well. In this article we provide some tips on how to join that elite crew and make your job interviews fun and successful. Read the article»
Giving a Presentation? Don’t Tell ‘Em What You’re Going to Say
In this instant first impression world, the old model for a speech – tell ‘em what you’re going to say, say it, and tell ‘em what you said – is no longer a good idea. In this blog post, Nick explains why starting with an agenda slide and other such repetitive openings no longer work. Read the post»
Speech Openers
The hardest part of a speech is the opening. In this blog, Nick discusses a variety of sure-fire ways to start a speech successfully. Read the post»
Sex and Humor in Speeches – where’s the line?
The old advice for a successful speech was to start with a joke. That’s bad advice for a number of reasons – the first of which is that you’re under pressure at the beginning of a speech, and liable to muff the line. That’s a great way to make a bad first impression. But you can and should use humor in your speeches – so here’s how to do it successfully. Read the post»
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