All Things Marketing – Personal vs Corporate Branding
Last spring I particpated in a panel discussion as part of the All Things Marketing Conference. Here is an excerpt from the discussion. The question was about Personal vs Corporate branding in social media. Opinions varied between the panelists as to whether you should brand as a company or an individual.
There are pros and cons of each to be considered. Watch the video for our opinions
Tips for Speakers from The Audience
As many of you know I split my time between Roundpeg and TechPoint. An interesting benefit of splitting my time is getting a chance to listen to a number of speakers on a wide range of topics.
I’ve learned the hard way ( listening to speakers who should never be allowed in front of an audience) being an expert in your field does not make you an expert at public speaking.
I’m not an expert on public speaking, I will leave that to people like Ellen Dunnigan. I have, however, come up with three tips for speakers, particularly technical ones, to use when speaking to small business owners .
- Use the KISS model. We’ve all heard the phrase: “Keep it simple, stupid.” Well use it in public speaking. Treat your audience as if they’ve never heard of your product before. Truth be told, most of them haven’t. If they have, there is a good chance they have only a superficial understanding of your product or process. Favor basic words and avoid technical jargon so your audience will be able to understand what you are talking about.
- Your slides are guidelines. One of my biggest pet peeves is a speaker who reads word for word from their powerpoint slides. If you are going to do that, you might as well post them online, let us review them, and then we can save a trip coming to hear you speak. Your slides are supposed to be guidelines. Use key points and expand on them during your presentation.
- Hold the microphone away from your mouth. Many speakers have a tendency to hold the microphone too close to their mouth to make their voice sound better or louder. This will often cause the microphone to pick up every breath you take, and create a bit of distortion. Hold the microphone at chest level and the audience will still hear you. If they can’t hear you, it’s not you, the microphone isn’t working.
- And finally, practice. I know I promised only three, but I have seen too many speakers walk up and wing it. Small business owners are busy, and if they have given you an hour of their time, give them something of value in return; a professional, polished and practiced presentation.
If you follow these simple steps, you might even be invited back a second time.
Everyone Loves a Good Story
I have always loved a good story. Whether I am telling it or listening to a great story teller, a story told well engages the audience.
In this article, Stew Friedman explains why now more then ever a 2 – minute story is an effective way to grab an audience’s attention and drive home important points.
He says: A good leadership story has the power to engage hearts and minds. It has these six crucial elements:
- Draws on your real past and lessons you’ve learned from it.
- Resonates emotionally with your audience because it’s relevant to them.
- Inspires your audience because it’s fueled by your passion.
- Shows the struggle between your goal and the obstacles you faced in pursuing it.
- Illustrates with a vivid example.
- Teaches an important lesson.
I love a good story, and rely on this technique often when trying to make a point. Here are links to some of my favorites.
- Cinderella, Magic Wands and Small Business
- Go For the Gold
- Marketing is a Numbers Game
- Harrison and the Diving Board – Or Past Failure is No Indicator of Future Success
