• Give a great introduction
• Five ways to put an audience to zzzzleep
• 3 Quotes from Executive Image Power, co-authored by Maureen Merril
• Champion your Cause!

Bringing on the speaker is your chance to shine

The main purpose of a speaker introduction is to set up a certain kind of listening. You want to establish the speaker's credibility and the value of attending to the presentation. When you introduce a speaker, you are setting up a relationship between that person and the audience. As in a social introduction, it's prelude to what comes next, and can affect the entire experience for both parties.

Ask yourself these questions: Why should my group listen to this person, how will we benefit, and why do we care? Then practice an introduction that sets up the speaker to succeed, by establishing credibility and friendly anticipation.

Most speakers provide a written introduction, often in preemptive self-defense against inept or inaccurate MC's. It's always clear to an audience when you're just reading this material, so don't do that. Skim for the highlights, note or memorize a few interesting points, and add an observation or two of your own.

While the content of an introduction shouldn't be about you (and how you met the speaker, and what good friends you are, etc.), the role of introducer does put you and your communication skills out front. So take it seriously, do it well, and when it's your turn to speak, make sure that your introducer does the same.

It's so easy! And for no one

1. Lower the lights to show your PowerPoint.
2. Turn your back while you recite the words on your slides.
3. Read your speech.
4. Apologize at the outset that you're not a very good speaker.
5. Stare at your notes and shuffle them every few minutes.

Available for sale at www.harrismerrill.com, with co-authors' names and chapter titles

"If you were a product, clothes would be your packaging."
-- Amy Elizabeth Casson, Navigating the Corporate Cocktail Party

"If you cannot repeat what someone has said, or if you forget what they say immediately after they say it, you are not listening."
-- Beverly Samuel, The Nine Tenets of Body Language

"We might reason that if we give listeners a whole lot of information, we increase the chance that some of it sticks. Sadly, the opposite occurs."
-- Maureen Merrill, Give a Great Presentation

Champion your Cause!

We will provide a pro-bono seminar at the Volunteer Center, "Persuasive Public Presentations: Confidence for a Cause" on Sept. 24 and October 1. To register, click the title link or go to VolunteerNow.org, then to "Resources".

Available for your team at your place of business or ours, by special reservation: Workshops in:

• Confident First Impressions
• Persuasive Presentations
• The Short, Memorable Talk

For references, services, and more information, go to: www.harrismerrill.com.

Workshops available now to schedule for your team:

• Axe the Anxiety! Dealing with mild to extreme public speaking nerves
• Powerful Presentations: create a persuasive, business-building message in 2-3 hours
• PowerPoint Cure: let's save the world from boring PowerPoints!
• Basic / Advanced Presentation Skills for organizational leaders, spokespersons and anyone who needs to enroll, persuade, or gain the confidence of listeners

Call Maureen at 707.544.7286.

See our website www.harrismerrill.com, for testimonials and more information.