Sandra Schrift

Clever marketing ideas are a cost-effective way to attract attention and boost profit.  Jeff Quattry of MonkeyMarketing said he sent a prospective client a pair of chocolate shoes in a clear box.  They read:  “How can I get my feet in the door?”  Then, he followed up with a phone call. This a sweet way to get the attention of a meeting or program planner.  Another marketing gimmick comes from Armen Liverbach, a graphic artist, who said a local broker hired him to paint a watercolor picture of every house the broker sells.  Then, the broker presents the painting to the new owners as a gift. 

The Coach asks . . . what product or idea are you trying out on your customers or clients?

Many business professionals contact me about their fear of public speaking.  Surveys suggest that more people are afraid of speaking in public than dying!  We also know that speaking is the number one way to advance in your career or profession.  Simply put, the only way to reduce your fear of public speaking is to speak often in public.  And remember to BREATHE !

Are you looking for ways to promote your business?  Begin by offering a free presentation on a topic that would benefit your audience and establish you as an expert in your field.  If you are a financial planner, you may wish to talk about what attendees could do with their investments at retirement . . . a cruise, cosmetic surgery, more traveling.    Next, find some speaking venues.  There are many groups who meet regularly and schedule speakers as part of their meetings.  Service groups such as Rotary, Kiwanis, etc meet weekly and program speakers at each meeting.  Speak for your local chamber of commerce, community college, adult learning centers (Learning Annex), online communities via webinars, podcasts and teleclasses.  Over the years, I have been a guest speaker for many online groups.  The host organization invites and enrolls the attendees - this  is more preferable than promoting my own event.  You can also do an audio or video podcast.  Try the interview format with you as the guest expert responding to questions from your host.  Make your podcast interview available as an MP3 download.

The Coach sez . . . Wouldn’t it be great to be able to stand in front of an audience of hundreds of people and hold them in complete captivation?  Need a coach?  Contact me at sandra@schrift.com

(C) 2010                           www.schrift.com

According to Life Learning, when kids laugh and act silly they are not only having fun, but they are also training their brains and practicing their social skills, logical thinking and creativity.  If laughing is a complex activity that uses many of the same cognitive skills needed for problem solving, then we adults need to engage ourselves and others in more laughter and silly behavior to look at a situation from various viewpoints and to put them into perspective.  A good message here for public speakers on how to engage with their audiences.

 The Coach suggests . . . that you joke around with someone today.

(C)2010                              www.schrift.com

Back in the 80’s, when I owned a national, professional speakers bureau, my staff and I often brainstormed ideas to provide better service, increase sales and make our business a source of pride for all of our employees.  Hazel Wagner, an author who is a brainstorming expert/facilitator provides a few tips for “Power Brainstorming.”

1.  Write it down, right away – when you get an great idea, you may forget it unless you record it.  Do you ever resolve a problem in your sleep when you dream?  Everyone involved in the brainstorm needs to write down their ideas before sharing them.  READ MORE . . .
2. Time yourself . . . quickly.  Ask your group to write down about 6 ideas in three minutes or10 ideas in six minutes.  When you pressure yourself and the group with a time limit,  you tend to be more focused.  Some terrific ideas should result from this process and trigger the one fantastic idea  that solves your problem.
3. Non Judgement is key.  Tell your group not to praise someon’s idea or put the fire hose on another idea.  Positive or negative comments have no place in a brainstorming session.  Just the straight ideas from everyone involved.
4. “Organize and reorganize after the lightning rounds.  After any lightning rounds of fast-paced idea generation, organize the ideas into clusters that fit together.”  I like this idea that Wagner presents.  I never quite got to step #4 with my staff. I will do this with future brainstorming groups to bring more value to the exercise.

The Coach asks . . .when you brainstorm do you enjoy more than a drizzle?

 (C) 2010                              www.schrift.com

I have been booking and coaching professional speakers since 1982 and here is what I have observed:

•  The best speakers do not fill the air with a lot of words-they make the space for their audience to tell them what they need to know.
• The best speakers ask, “What do you need to really hear from me to give you what you came to hear?” 
• The best speakers are brief and clear and make the most of a short period of time.
• The best speakers focus on observations, feelings, needs AND clear requests of their audience.
• The best speakers demonstrate exuberance for their topic and engage their audience with that exuberance.
• The best speakers are trusting, generous, loving and expressive.
• The best speakers have great insight and wit and use deprecating humor where appropriate.
• The best speakers are great storytellers – highly entertaining and inspiring
• The best speakers are irreverent, zestful, courageous and have a masterful command of their language.

The Coach believes . . . that the best speakers inspire their audiences to make some change . . . if they do, things will probably get better.

(C) 2010                            www.schrift.com

Everyone is a story.  When a speaker tells his/her story, ithelps us tap into our wisdom because in some way, thesestories are about us, too.  Our deepest lessons arelearned through life experiences.  We don’t take much time to hear each others stories anymore, because we are busywatching the unreal stories portrayed in the movies and on television.

 The Coach asks . . . do you know your own story?  (who you are, not your achievements)  And can you tell it?

(C)2010          www.schrift.com

If you are to be a legend in the speaking business, you wil lneed to come from authenticity, courage, possibility, imagination and caring for others.  Some suggestions I have made to my clients over the years include:

• Your speech is not about your  words – it’s about the environment your audience lives in.
• Let the words take you somewhere – go for freshness of material
• Good speakers improvise –  move your audience from A to B.
• Speakers know that an audience’s ‘lights” will be lit, not by blackberries and   ipads, but by their imagination.
• Turn your speaking passion into a soulful performance as well as performance profitability
• Have the discipline to do what you are doing until you are really good at it.

 The Coach agrees . . . “The priority is to create something new that’s never been before. And you put your life on the line every time that you speak.”

 (c)2010                              www.schrift.com

I have been brokering or coaching professional speakers since 1982.  Here are some of my observations about the successful ones:

• They live from the inside-out, not the outside-in.
• They have passion and a commitment to their audiences and LOVE what they do.
• They don’t just sell their products/services but are a resource of ideas with their presentations.
• They customize their presentations to fit the uniqueness of each audience.
• They under promise and over deliver.  They know that repeat and referral business result from exceptional service.

What makes you a successful speaker?  Share your comments and I will expand the list. (and credit you)

The Coach thinks . . . the ultimate speaker gives back.  They are grateful for their success and want to help/mentor others towards their own success

The Invitation , May 1994,  By Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Indian Elder

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

 I want to know what you ache for,

and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

 It doesn’t interest me how old you are.

 I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love,

for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive.

 It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon.

 I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,

if you have been opened by life’s betrayals

or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain!

I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,

without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with JOY, mine or your own;

if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of

your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, or

to remember the limitations of being a human.

 It doesn’t interest me if the story you’re telling me is true.

 I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself;

if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul.

I want to know if you can be faithful and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty even when it is not pretty every day,

and if you can source your life from ITS presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine,

And still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “YES!”

 It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

 I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,

weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done for the children.

 It doesn’t interest me who you are, how you came to be here.

 I want to know if you will stand in the center of the fire with me

and not shrink back.

 It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.

 I want to know what sustains you from the inside when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself,

and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

 The Coach thinks . . . these are wonderfully wise words that are timeless and for all people everywhere – on and off the platform.

Are you ready to be a successful speaker, a great speaker? Start by being a guide so that your audience will learn enough to make some changes,think differently,take some chances, become innovative and think for themselves. Know where your audience is coming from before you speak so you can help them reach their destination. Be passionate on purpose and let the audience know you care. This can be infectious.

The Coach has learned . . . it is not about me; it is about them.

(C)2010 www.schrift.com