Emerging presenters often wonder, “Should I join the National Speakers Association? Toastmasters? Both?” Darren and Mark ask and answer these questions while sharing the benefits of both organizations. 

SNIPPETS:

• Learn the art and business of speaking

• Both organizations are valuable

• Toastmasters is a wonderful place to make mistakes

• NSA provides business-building tools and expertise

• Toastmasters provides a friendly practice audience

• NSA helps build professional relationships

• Visit 3 Toastmasters clubs

• Attend an NSA meeting as a guest

• Find out how you can serve each organization

• Both provide mentorship

• Visit both NSA and Toastmasters for what you can get, and what you can give

Jeff Rogers, a fairly new member of the National Speakers Association, is the winner of NSA’s LAST STORY STANDING storytelling competition. He and Mike Davis…one of his coaches…chat with Mark and Darren about his intent, his process, and the lessons he learned on his journey to the first-place trophy.

SNIPPETS:

• Seek to build relationships first

• Enter contests to learn

• Work with a coach to sharpen your story

• Step away from your ego

• Don’t just tell the story; enact it

• Show your characters’ perspective

• Don’t be the hero of your own story

• Your story’s hero can be a CONCEPT

• Stay in your style; don’t let anyone coach you out of it

• Go down with YOUR message

• Practice, then go play

“Why would I need TWO coaches?” you may ask. To answer that question, Mark and Darren have a conversation with Stage Time University coaches Chris McGuire and Mike Davis. They have coached together, as have Mark and Darren, and in today’s discussion they explain the benefits of having a duo coaching team.

SNIPPETS:

• Different coaching styles are complimentary

• Different perspectives create multiple options for clients

• Client gets twice the value in half the time

• Coaches learn from each other

• Coaches become better when they coach together

• Duo coaching is more engaging

• Duo coaching is more dynamic

• Duo coaches trigger each other’s thoughts

• Duo coaches must check their ego

• Duo coaches grow in each other’s strengths

• Duo coaches must be sponges

• Batman and Robin roles interchange

Speakers make a common mistake when seeking audience participation. They ask “HOW MANY of you…” That question needs a NUMERICAL response. Today Darren and Mark explain how to ask BETTER questions, and how to use the audience’s non-verbal response to enhance their own experience.

SNIPPETS:

• How would you say it over coffee to one person

• Use the language of a conversation

• Respect the versatility of the word YOU’

• Ask you-focused questions

• Put the audience into your story

• Tap into their world, and transport them into yours

• Give the audience time to answer questions in their heads

• Read the audience

• Acknowledge their responses, even non-verbal

• Take inventory of the questions that you ask

• Ask yourself, “Is there a better way to ask that question?”

• Speaking is dialogue, not monologue

Speakers sometimes ask for help making tweaks, adding humor, or finding more powerful stories…a few days before their presentation. All too often, it’s just too late. Today, Darren and Mark share their experience with speakers who have waited too long, explain the benefits of getting help early, and offer advice on how to avoid waiting until it’s too late.

SNIPPETS:

• Get a speaking coach sooner

• Speech contestants, don’t assume you will reach a certain level automatically

• Stop making changes several days before the presentation. Freeze the design

• Don’t expect last-minute miracles

• Get help perfecting your script before focusing on stagecraft

• Getting help early has several benefits

• You will be more confident

• You will have stronger content

• You will find your best stories

• You will uncover humor in time to perfect it

• You will present more effectively

• You will deliver a more unforgettable presentation

You can’t teach everything you know in an hour. (At least we hope not!) So, if you are a speaker, consultant or coach are you allowing people to take more of your wisdom home?

Anyone can write a book, but do you have the right book? Do you offer it in your proposals? What if you could wave your speaking fee and still earn revenue. Darren sits down with his publisher, Henry Devires to get some insights from experience.

Why other experience does Henry offer? "The Agency Owner Book Guy" | Author of Marketing With A Book For Agency Owners | Agency Owner News | Agency owner TV show host | Professional Speaker | CEO of Indie Books | Ghostwriter & Writer for Forbes.com & Inc.com

SNIPPETS:

• Henry’s background

• Tapping into other budgets

• Why the right book matters

• What is an independent publisher?

• 3 Critical Mistakes author’s make

• It easier, faster and more affordable now than in the 1990’s

• The two biggest book revolutions publishing in the past 20 years

• Persistently helpful

• Success stories from Henry’s authors

• Write the Right Book Workshop

Every time you introduce a character in your story, you have an opportunity for humor.  Quirky characters are familiar, engaging, and create memorable moments in presentations.  Darren is joined by Television Writer & Producer Chris McGuire to discuss the people in our stories and how to make them unforgettable.  

SNIPPETS:

• Use quirky characters to create memorable moments that enhance speaker relatability with the audience.

• Character traits are the qualities that make a character memorable.  (Brave, smart, loyal) Quirks are exaggerated, unusual or unexpected qualities that add humor or intrigue to stories.

• Base your characters in reality and avoid making logical jumps that lead the audience to “crazytown.”

• Use the following quirks to make your characters memorable: Distinctive habits, ususual interests, eccentric speech patterns, exaggerated fashion and physical traits.

• Good joke formats for explaining quirks include “They were so [QUALITY]m that BLANK.” Or, “They’re the type of person who [GIVE EXAMPLE OF QUIRK]

• Use comedic twists to introduce quirks

• Quirks usually involve something the characters in your stories don’t know about each other.

• When using twists, you set expectations and then subvert them.

• Use sparingly or risk the audience noticing the “magic trick.”

How do four inexperienced presenters, who have never delivered a presentation to an audience of 1,000 people before, each get STANDING OVATIONS?
Mark and Darren review their recent experience coaching four CEOs to deliver deeply personal 8-minute stories to their peers in the Young Presidents’ Organization. The lessons learned are invaluable and will help you to deliver your unforgettable presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Invest energy an effort

• Be coachable

• Practice, practice, practice

• Rehearse handling distractions

• Trust your instinct about what works well for YOU

• Talk to your coach about your ideas

• Tell your story in your own unique way

• Find your 11…that which makes you stand out

• Build a relationship with your coach

• Learn from others who have given similar presentations

• Don’t focus on a standing ovation

Humor is necessary to make a presentation interesting and entertaining. Uncovering humor can be a challenge, and to learn more about how to get more laughs, Mark and Darren sit down with Hollywood comedy writer and humor expert Chris McGuire. Chris shares tips and techniques for uncovering humor and being unforgettably funny.

SNIPPETS:

• Use levity at the beginning of your presentation

• Connection with the audience is critical; always connect first

• Find out what the event attendees have in common

• Use People, Places, Things, Events, Sayings, and the Weather

• Be sensitive and avoid potentially offensive material

• Only poke gentle fun at things that folks can change, like haircuts & clothing

• Learn about your client’s industry

• Get interesting, unusual or significant details about the event location

• Get information from the client and venue’s websites

• Review event itinerary/schedule

• Connect the location to well-known celebrities if possible

• Look for awards humor

As presenters, we should expect the unexpected. At times, we will encounter unexpected circumstances and situations, and today Darren and Mark discuss steps that we can take to not only adapt, but to give our audiences unforgettable experiences.

SNIPPETS:

• Assess the situations

• Explore options

• Use creativity

• Go heart-to-heart with the event planner

• Let go of your ego

• Adjust your presentation as needed

• Ask: How can I best serve my client and my audience

• Always have slide decks for different presentation lengths

• Learn about your audience and adjust your references if necessary

• Take an improv class

You want to ‘make it’ in the speaking business so you seek advice from a seasoned pro. Are you willing to take their advice…even if it’s hard to receive?
Mark and Darren talk about advice they have received…and given…that some people don’t accept. These poignant nuggets of wisdom can help any presenter along the path to becoming unforgettable.

SNIPPETS:

• Get your sea legs

• Find a way to give 100 speeches

• Invest the effort to get XXX rated…Xperience, Xpertise and Xposure.

• Take and pass the ‘book test’

• Get stage time from service clubs, Toastmasters and more

• Speak for free before you speak for fee

• Pay the mountain

• Do what others won’t

• Speak virtually even if it’s uncomfortable

• GET A COACH

You have just attended a conference, heard good speakers, and received powerful content. You walk away with a folder full of notes, e-mail addresses and phone numbers. NOW what should you do?
Darren and Mark share best practices to keep your enthusiasm and momentum alive and productively take full advantage of the event experience.

SNIPPETS:

• Review KEEPERS and ACTION ITEMS

• Prioritize ONE ACTION and follow through on that action consistently

• Connect with another attendee as an accountability partner

• Create a mastermind with other attendees

• Connect with fellow speakers and attendees on LinkedIn

• Connect with the event planner and thank them

• Eliminate items that create bad habits

• Apply the principles your learned

• Revisit your notes from the last event you attended and take ONE ACTION

Rotary Speech Contest, Story SLAM, MOTH, Last Story Standing, World Championship of Public Speaking, and more. Speech competitions abound, and today Darren and Mark are joined by Stage Time University faculty member Mike Davis as they face the question: “Why compete?” Their answers provide the myriad benefits of competing. 

SNIPPETS:

• Get better faster, grow, and improve quickly

• Breakthroughs come from experience, and experience comes from competing

• Transcend your comfort zone

• Get coaches - plural

• Competition pushes you to work harder

• Get a higher level of feedback

• Push to be your best at your competition’s level of excellence

• Build confidence

• Learn lasting techniques from the best

• Apply discipline and a process

• Work against a clock with deadlines

You have just presented at an event and after all your hard work planning, preparing, and presenting, what should you do?
Today Mark and Darren offer solid suggestions to help you stay on top of your game after every speaking event.

SNIPPETS:

• Schedule a day off

• Block time for your family, even if they are at the event with you

• Don’t ruin your “speaker’s high”

• Debrief with the client within a week

• Treat the debrief as a sales call

• Connect with fellow speakers and attendees on LinkedIn

• Ask for other opportunities to serve

So, you want to travel the world and share your message. Perhaps you’ve wondered what it’s like to be a ‘road warrior.’ Mark and Darren pull back the curtain on their experiences of a combined 50+ years of traveling to speak, and share their time-tested tips for being a successful road warrior.

SNIPPETS:

• You are not alone

• It’s not always glamorous

• Give yourself grace

• Going international hire an agent/bureau to manage proposals & negotiations

• Examine the systems you set up to function while you’re on the road

• Arrive a day early to prepare yourself

• Tack on an extra road day to refill yourself; self-care is critical

• Decide what’s best for your stress

• Join frequent air/hotel/rental car programs

• Take photos of room numbers and parking spaces

• Use airport security programs like TSA Pre-check, CLEAR and Digital ID

• Maintain balance

Imagine, your largest audience so far has been fewer than ninety people, and you now get to tell your most emotional personal story on a BIG STAGE to more than 1,300 CEOs! What thoughts swirl through your head, and how will you pull it off?

Today Darren and Mark get answers from Management Consultant and Executive Coach Jody LaVoie. Mark and Darren helped to prepare Jody for her first time on the big stage…a global conference for CEOs. Jody’s lessons learned and wisdom gained will help you to get ready for your first (or next) time on the big stage!

SNIPPETS:

• Be open to your coaches’ point of view

• Start preparing your presentation with the end in mind

• Build your story in scenes

• Invest time refining your message

• Use  Foundational Phrase to make your message more meaningful

• “Don’t over-Darren” - Bring YOURSELF to the platform

• Focus less on delivering your next line, and more on your audience

• Make sure your message lands with the audience

• Serve your audience

• After your first time on the big stage, take time to do nothing tomorrow

Have you ever received advice that changed the game in your business, career, or relationships? Today Darren and Mark discuss some of the nuggets of wisdom that they’ve received…and successfully applied…throughout their careers.

SNIPPETS:

• Let no one out-prepare you

• Strive to be the client’s favorite

• Your money should make more money than you do

• A true champion overcomes all adversities

• Write a speech you can’t wait to deliver

• Humanize data

• Invest in your success

• Don’t be informative; be transformative

Don’t memorize, internalize! Do you have a stage plan? Had you considered using the stage with purpose? A stage plan can help you internalize your speech while giving your audience clarity.

It helped me and four CEOs that Mark and I coached over this past month. It was a game changer.

SNIPPETS:

• Why are you moving?

• Are you clarifying or diluting your message?

• Do you move on your key lines? Don’t!

• Do you know stage left vs. stage right?

• Do you use the depth of the stage?

• What is your plan? Do you have one?

Sit down with Darren and Michael Davis as they cover what it really takes to make an event flow, the MC. Michael is not only a speaker and a TEDx Coach, he has been MCing Lady and the Champs and Game Changers for over a decade. 

Unforgettable events have unforgettable MCs. World-class MCs have skillsets that many do not even think about. Whether you want to be an MC, speaking at a large event or running one, get a deeper understanding of the role they play. It is critical to the success of the event.

SNIPPETS: 

• The critical skills of listening and improv?

• Transition from one speaker to the next

• MCs can get paid really well

• It’s a true team effort

• Two-way communication is critical

• The greatest compliment for Ford Saeks

• What did Patricia Fripp say about Michael Davis?

• Confidence comes from experience

• Virtual MC?

• The virtual proximity effect

Check out Game Changers:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/game-changers/

Use Ford’s Discount Code: Michael25

Sit down with Darren and Ford as they talk prospecting. How to remain timely, topical and relevant. What does an ideal prospect look like for you? What are some of the tangible tactics that you can use to get in front of the audiences you can serve.

To get booked you have to be found first! 

SNIPPETS:

• What are some to the mistakes speakers make?

• Are you bookable?

• What is your digital footprint?

• Fish where the fish are and have bait!

• Deliver and create content on a consistent basis

• Do you have lead magnets?

• Are your lead magnets in a form they want to consume it?

• Build trust and social proof

• How to reach out to add value without selling

Check out Game Changers:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/game-changers/

Use Ford’s Discount Code: Ford25

Can you influence without authority? Yes!

Do you know how to truly influence with integrity? You already do every day. Maybe you didn’t realize it. We do this naturally, but maybe you need to take a closer look at what you already do at home, at work and with your family.

It is happening all around you. Take note and influence with purpose.

Discover 7 Ways to Influence

In addition to being part of speaking communities, we, as presenters belong to professional, social, charitable, faith-based, and other communities. Today Mark and Darren discuss the power of community, examining the ways that communities make us grow…and change. They offer advice on collaborating with your community, growing your community, and even leaving your community. Using Stage Time University, Toastmasters International, and the National Speakers Association as examples, they show benefits and blessings of being in community with like-minded people and reveal how community has helped them to prepare unforgettable presentations.

SNIPPETS:

• Community helps change perspective

• Choose your community

• Use your community

• Serve your community

• Build your community

• Don’t be abused by your community, if you must leave, do so with grace

• Protect your community

• Don’t think NETWORKING; think NETSERVING

• Is your community helping or harming you

• Take inventory of your communities

Thorough research is an invaluable part of preparing unforgettable presentations. There are myriad ways to access information, and so much information from which to glean. Where do I look? How much should I use? How can I verify? Darren and Mark discuss these questions with…and get answer from…researcher/author/speaker Vince Antonucci and comedy writer/TV producer Chris McGuire. Their perspective on effective research will help you to prepare your unforgettable presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Dig deeper into your subject

• Look for compelling and unique information

• Put in the extra work

• Use AI tools

• Use ‘old-fashioned’ tools; search and read.

• The more you learn, the better your chances of finding critical content

• Ask: “What generates an emotional response?”

• Test research results on small audiences to gauge emotional reactions

• Research for customization; learn from The Barenaked Ladies

• Use the ‘Registration Desk Principle;’ find what bugs everyone

Imagine being asked to deliver new material, on a subject you have never addressed, on short notice, under pressure, three times in 24 hours. Today, Mark and Darren talk with professional speaker and coach Sheree Cain-Jones, who found herself in that situation recently. Her insight from the lessons learned, and the principles she applied along the way, will help you navigate the ‘new content on short notice’ path, and deliver your unforgettable presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Acknowledge the weight of responsibility when delivering new content

• Stop, think, take it in, then decide to accept an assignment on short notice

• We can find reasons to say ‘no;’ find reasons to say ‘yes’

• Be wary of your ‘echo chamber’ and lean on your support group

• Start with a PREGNANT PREMISE

• Adopt a research mindset and dig deep into your topic

• Put on your hat of humility

• Be vulnerable, even though it creates risk

• To internalize content, record, listen, re-record, listen again

• Don’t be perfect; be prepared

• Incorporate your strengths and skillset

• Your message isn’t in you; it IS you

Virtual presentations are now commonplace and it’s easy to assume, “I’ve done quite a few of these and I’m good!” Today Darren and Mark share reminders of how FLOW, FOCUS and PACE ELEMENTS can make a significant difference in your virtual presentation…especially since distractions can be continuous and abundant.

SNIPPETS:

• Check your studio setup…especially what’s behind you

• Re-evaluate every aspect of your virtual presentation

• To maintain FLOW, it’s wise to have a producer, co-host, or co-presenter

• Be aware of the difference between a co-host, and a co-presenter

• Establish key toles up front

• Create smooth handoffs

• To maintain audience FOCUS, make slides simple and clear, 1 slide, 1 point

• Use PACE ELEMENTS to keep your audience engaged

• Use client’s language to solidify your connection

The story is arguably a presenter’s most potent tool. While it’s important to tell stories well, it is equally…if not significantly more important to transport your audience into the story. As Mark and Darren explain today, the key is to have CONGRUENT CHARACTERS, whose emotions are congruent with the emotion that they feel in the story. They share why many presenters fall short in this area and offer solid suggestions for using body language for greater emotional impact.

SNIPPETS:

• Let your audience feel the emotion of the characters

• Don’t elicit confusion

• In your script add ‘before’ and ‘after’ emotions in parentheses

• Your eyes should change when the emotion changes

• Emotional shifts are unclear without a character’s baseline emotion

• Leave your emotional baseline when you embody a character

• Record video, playback muted, ask a friend to identify the emotion

• Be congruent to connect

Holograms? Hula hoops? What do they have to do with delivering an unforgettable presentation? Mark and Darren explain how and why holograms help you to vividly create scenes in the minds of your audiences. This simple but potent technique will allow you to transform your speech into an experience.

SNIPPETS:

• Holograms appear in the audience’s mind whether you’re aware or not

• Holograms establish characters and scenes

• You can point to a hologram and the audience will recall the scene/story

• Holograms have experiential value

• Holograms have emotional impact

• Use the depth and width of the platform to make holograms more vivid

• Use hula hoops – INSIDE is dialogue; OUTSIDE, speak to your audience

• BLOCK spots on stage. Use them to show MOMENTS of TRANSFORMATION

• Time progresses audience left to right

• Decide what scene/character/story each hologram represents

Avoiding mistakes and adopting the right practices are keys to successfully growing your business. Today Darren and Mark talk with business growth expert and Hall of Fame speaker Mark LeBlanc as he shares four decades worth of wisdom on finding your niche, developing your content, connecting with your audience, and much more.

SNIPPETS:

• If you quit 1,000 times, start again 1,001 times

• You must earn the right to speak

• Avoid thinking that you’re better than you are

• Raise your hand and get help

• Engage minds, touch hearts, stir souls, and make them laugh

• Focus on a singular idea and build your speech around it

• Frame your content

• Build an ‘accordion’ presentation

• Create a great defining statement

• Find your sliver of the market

A new year often brings New Year resolutions. Today Mark and Darren offer four unforgettable habits to help you take your presentations…and your business…to a new level in 2024 and beyond.

SNIPPETS:

• Take a TOP 5 Inventory

• Disconnect to reconnect

• Marketing has changed; find a way that works today

• It is our job to reach out to clients and stay TOP of mind

• Share fresh ideas

• Reach out, and reach back

• Get TOP Level professional feedback on your marketing and presentation

• Change sales calls into RAPPORT calls

• Go ALL IN to TOP it off

• Attend GAME CHANGERS in April 2024 using discount code EVENT25

Go to: https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/workshops/game-changers/

As presenters, our words are our most important tools. Preparing an unforgettable presentation requires some wordsmithing. Darren joins Mark…our resident wordsmith…to discuss this critical aspect of the script editing process. They offer several wordsmithing techniques, explain how to use them, and reveal why they are extremely effective.  

SNIPPETS:

• Say it in a more VIVID and VIBRANT way

• Edit for impact by asking, “How can I say it better in fewer words?”

• Monosyllabic words are easier for the audience to remember

• Use rhythm and rhyme have more impact in less time

• Use impingement words

• Choose, use and lose words as necessary

• Use rhetorical devices

• Find funny words, and words ending with a ‘K’ sound

• Craft your Foundational Phrase, Elevator Pitch and Value Proposition

• Use tools like https://wordhippo.com

“I thought you would come out with more ENERGY!” Imagine hearing THAT from a meeting planner! (Ask Darren!) He and Mark talk about matching the audience’s energy as they share techniques for connecting quickly and delivering an unforgettable experience.

SNIPPETS:

• Read the room and match the energy

• Always connect first

• Research the audience; learn what is top of mind for them

• Arrive hours or days early and have conversations in the corridor

• Keep your finger on the pulse of the event

• Avoid get caught thinking, “I didn’t see THAT coming!”

• Avoid starting with energy too low or too high

• Look at the audience as you speak and check their body language

• See the audience’s perspective

Getting referrals after a presentation isn’t always easy, but a new tool called TALKADOT is a game changer. Mark and Darren talk with professional speaker and TALKADOT co-founder Arel Moodie about his own speaking journey and the power of TALKADOT to get referrals and grow your business. Arel also shares principles for building relationships with prospects and creating a win/win/win for you, your clients and your audience.

SNIPPETS:

• Leave an indelible mark on people’s souls

• Always elevate your audience

• Be clear on the problem you solve

• Don’t show up, blow up and giddy up

• Focus on a singular idea and build your speech around it

• The money is in your e-mail list

• The secret to speaking success is to consistently be top of mind

• Plant seeds today to serve your future self

• Your job is to make your audience remember you; use keywords

• Add a call to action to every e-mail and newsletter

Mental Health. Suicide. Comedy. Those topics don’t seem to flow seamlessly together…unless you’re talking with 10-time TEDx speaker and comedian Frank King. Darren and Mark have a heart-to-heart with Frank, as he reveals his techniques for addressing such a tough topic, including vulnerability and humor. He also shares sage advice for securing, preparing and presenting TEDx talks. This powerful conversation delivers emotional and inspirational information that will help you to deliver an unforgettable presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Find your idea worth spreading

• Avoid bringing too many ideas

• Don’t say too much about too many ideas

• Sell your idea in 90 seconds or fewer

• Be passionate about your idea

• Your title and subtitle must contain a ‘hook’

• Stand in your truth

• You can’t be inspiring if you aren’t inspired

• Use funny, personal stories instead of jokes

• Making people laugh prepares them for your next serious point

Your presentation is over, you’ve delivered great content, and you’ve served your audience well. But is there a way to add value IMMEDIATELY? Darren and Mark discuss the concept of CORRIDOR CONVERSATIONS…how getting an audience to continue engaging and interacting with each other can provide added benefit.

SNIPPETS:

• Ignite corridor conversations

• Use stories as conversation-starters

• Invite attendees to ask: What’s the problem, and what story has the solution?

• Create questions that spark conversation

• Hang around to gauge the impact

• Debrief corridor conversations in your post-event call

• Arrive a day early to learn what questions will spark conversation

• Add stimulating questions to a slide

• Follow up before the end of the event when you can

We ALL speak with an accent, and at times it’s easy to believe that we must ‘lose’ our accent to be accepted. Today, Mark and Darren have a frank conversation with speech and accent expert Dr. Leslie Gordon, as she gives advice on using your accent as an asset. 

SNIPPETS:

• Honor the skill of owning more than one sound

• Treat the world as a playground for your eyes and ears

• The way we speak creates a picture of who we are

• Your accent is a tool in your toolkit

• Your accent can create a connection

• Your accent is a layer of your story

• We all have more than one accent

• Focus on being understood and prioritize clarity

• Language can be a social and political tool, causing some to feel ‘othered’

• Move away from self-judgment

• Code-Switching requires great skill and is governed by rules

• Don’t think ‘accent reduction;’ think ‘accent acquisition’

• Your accent can feel like home

“To be unforgettable, you must have calluses on your head and your hands.” So says Dr. Jeff Magee, one of the world’s foremost leadership and marketing strategists. In a brutally honest conversation with Mark and Darren, Dr. Magee opens his treasure trove of wisdom and passionately reinforces the value of solid content.

SNIPPETS:

• People pay for your wisdom

• Make sure your content stands up

• What are your calluses on your head and your hands?

• Play the student

• Ask: “How can I become better?”

• Knowledge isn’t enough; learn the craft of rhetoric and speaking

• Your presentations come from your history; search your mind’s archives

• How will your audience be different on Monday morning?

• Make time to think

• Provide content that meets people where they are mentally

How do you communicate a message of LOVE in a highly competitive, fast-paced, results-driven corporate world? Mark and Darren get the answer to this question…and many others…from Joel Manby, former CEO of SeaWorld who was also featured on an episode of ‘Undercover Boss.’ He shares lessons learned about customizing presentations, revealing failures and sharing a message of love. Applying his practical but powerful techniques will help any speaker to deliver an unforgettable presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Clearly identify your audience demographic

• Tell stories to which your specific audience will relate

• Truthfulness and authenticity are critical

• Opening with a ‘life turning point’ story is very effective

• Take your audience to your low point or nadir

• People connect more with failure than with success

• Be passionate and share the angst in your soul

• Select stories to connect, identify principles to teach, share an action to take

• Develop your personal style

• Make sure your core idea connects with your audience

Script writing takes work and the practical, time-saving methods that Darren and Mark discuss today will make the process easier. Listen as they examine how to create your first script, edit with impact, and use your script as a presentation roadmap. 

SNIPPETS:

• You can’t edit what you don’t create

• In Microsoft Word use DICTATE to generate a transcript

• Create your ‘sloppy first copy’

• Separate each line of your script

• Add LINE NUMBERS in Google Docs, MS Word, etc.

• Add WORD COUNT

• Insert PAGE NUMBERS

• Insert LINE NUMBERS

• Customize with pause cues, timing cues, emotion cues, and stage direction

• Color code notes as you wish

• Say it better with fewer words

Quotations from famous speakers, authors, and celebrities can be very appealing and can support your message. The same can be said of oft-quoted statistics. Today Mark and Darren discuss the importance of accuracy when using quotes and statistics, share a few examples, and provide simple yet effective advice for ‘getting it right.’

SNIPPETS:

• Do due diligence

• Your reputation and credibility are at stake

• Verification sources abound…web searches, AI, etc. Use them

• “Stop quoting dead white men!” – Patricia Fripp

• Create your own quotes

• Quote the people who have influenced you…teachers, friends, family

• Your audience needs your perspective

• Verify EVERY quotation for accuracy

• Double check the context of every quote and statistic

• Name the source of each quote and statistic

• Your accuracy…and inaccuracy has a global reach

Sometimes, even after your best pitch, the answer is “No.” But that need not be the end of the relationship. Darren and Mark offer some sage wisdom about taking advantage of every ‘no,’ and sometimes turning a “no” into  “yes.”

SNIPPETS:

• No can mean several things

• “Not yet, not the right time, not the best fit”

• Be remembered

• Have CONTENT and INTENT

• Don’t take “no” personally

• Build relationships, regardless of the outcome

• Play the long game

• Record and replay each sales call to learn from every “no”

• Be a referral resource when you get a “no”

• Be a favorite

In this follow-up to Episode 253 (What Do You Ask An Event Planner) Mark and Darren talk about questions to ask participants ahead of your speaking engagement. This episode will help you to unearth critical material and help you to customize your unforgettable presentation. 

SNIPPETS:

• Discover the organization’s mentors, matriarchs, patriarchs, and legends

• Get permission to call event attendees

• Schedule a 10-minute call to weeks before the event

• Ask questions and listen carefully to answers

• Learn the organization’s language

• Find out why they attend these events

• Ask about taboo topics

• Find stories that connect to your content

• Invite them to seek you out at the event

You’ve got the speaking engagement, now what? What can the event planner tell you to help you to deliver an unforgettable presentation? Darren and Mark discuss the pre-event questionnaire and offer insight into how you can set yourself up for presentation success.

SNIPPETS:

• Prepare an Event Planners Questionnaire

• Have a call and connect casually first (video is ideal)

• Ask questions and listen carefully to answers

• Your client is the event planner

• Identify the economic buyer

• Read the Zoom room

• Be a Planner-Pleaser

• Critical question: Ask about taboo topics

• Ask about recent company/organization changes

• Strive to be their favorite

• Ask permission to interview 10 event attendees

• Start your own questionnaire as an editable document

Perhaps you’ve heard a speaker say something like, “Excuse my slide!” Today Darren and Mark talk frankly about why speakers make excuses for poor slides and offer firm suggestions for preparing and presenting effective, professional slides.

SNIPPETS:

• One slide, one point

• If you have  a lot of detail, put it in a handout

• You must be able to defend your slides

• Think of what the audience sees

• What does the audience need to know?

• Simplify your slides

• Use fewer words on the slide, then explain as you present

• Magnify the point you wish to make

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

What does it take to win the National Speakers Association’s LAST STORY STANDING competition?

Today, Mark and Darren get answers from the 2025 winner, Michelle Hutchings-Medina. She shares her journey, her process, and the lessons she learned along the way. Her wisdom will help any presenter on their path to delivering an unforgettable presentation.

SNIPPETS:

• Rethink how you use your voice

• Marry your creativity to your desire to have an impactful message

• Spend an hour every day working on your speaking

• Do your best around your intention and let go of the outcome

• Sometimes your message isn’t for a particular audience

• Much of the exposition in your stories is not relevant

• In rehearsals, ask for specific feedback

• Your story is like having a conversation with the audience

• Stay in touch with yourself, your values, and your why

• On contest day, get rest, do vocal exercises, pray/meditate

• For contests/timed talks, factor in beats for gasps and laughs

• Speak to let the audience feel something different

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

You’ve worked hard on your presentation and it’s time to rehearse for readiness. In this episode in the series on their book DELIVER UNFORGETTABBLE PRESENTATIONS, Mark & Darren share tips for adding the final touches before taking the stage. This episode covers Step #7: OWN YOUR STAGE.

SNIPPETS:

• Use your script to indicate emotions, stage movement, pauses, and more

• Create a stage plan

• How you use your stage will enhance your audience’s experience

• Don’t memorize your talk; internalize it

• Your audience wants you to be present, not perfect

• Walk through your presentation

• Rehearse for a live audience and CRAVE FEEDBACK

• Use slides as guides

• Well-chosen props and illustrations clarify, solidify, and edify your message

• Get a qualified coach

How to Write Your Own Introduction:

https://markbrownspeaks.com/set-up-your-success-with-your-introduction/

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

Impactful presentations are memorable, and today Darren and Mark share techniques for adding this final touch to your presentation before taking it to the platform. This episode covers Step #6: MAKE IT UNFORGETTABLE.

SNIPPETS:

• The more complex your topic, the more you need a simple structure

• Make your points digestible

• Use a proven story structure

• The ‘THEN/NOW’ model is a powerful option

• Show a day in the life of the main character

• Introduce a challenge

• You must have a guru, guide, source of wisdom

• The character must experience a change

• Your Foundational Phrase will make your message memorable

• Cater to different learning styles (See podcast episodes 70, 71 & 72)

How to Write Your Own Introduction:

https://markbrownspeaks.com/set-up-your-success-with-your-introduction/

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

A weak presentation closing can dilute your message and at worst, nullify your impact. In Part 4 of this series, Mark and Darren explore both principles for a solid closing, and mistakes that inexperienced presenters tend to make. This episode covers Step #5: CREATE YOUR COMPELLING CLOSE.

SNIPPETS:

• Your close should reinforce your premise

• There are several closing options

• Select the most appropriate closing for your specific presentation

• The DIALOG CLOSE is a flexible and easy option

• A compelling close is an opportunity to repeat and reinforce a guru’s wisdom

• Internalize your closing; know it cold

• Prepare your closing and opening like choosing slices of bread for a sandwich

• Avoid the common mistake of delivering multiple closings

• Use Q & A to set up your closing

• NEVER end on Q & A; leave one final point that inspires your audience

How to Write Your Own Introduction:

https://markbrownspeaks.com/set-up-your-success-with-your-introduction/

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

“Open STRONG!” This is Darren’s advice in Part 3 of this series as he and Mark explain the ‘WHY’ and the ‘HOW’ behind an unforgettable presentation’s opening. This episode covers Step #4: CREATE YOUR STRONG OPENING

SNIPPETS:

• Set the stage with your introduction

• Your opening sets up your premise

• The opening sets the trajectory of the listeners’ experience

• Open strong

• Explore various opening options

• Use effective opening words

• Be concise and precise

• Avoid platitudes until after your strong opening

• Choose opening words carefully and deliberately

• Internalize your opening; know it by heart

How to Write Your Own Introduction:

https://markbrownspeaks.com/set-up-your-success-with-your-introduction/

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

In Part 2 of this series, Darren and Mark discuss the importance…and the benefits…of having a world-class presentation structure. This episode covers Step #3: STRUCTURE THIS!

SNIPPETS:

• The ‘Tell them, tell them, tell them’ structure is rudimentary and limited

• The ‘Tell a story make a point’ structure lacks cohesiveness

• Good structure gives your audience clarity and gives you confidence

• The Fripp Speech Model provides the perfect structure

• Solid structure makes your content digestible 

• An effective structure allows you to organize your thoughts logically

• Proper structure allows easy customization

• Proper structure is flexible and can be used for virtually any presentation

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com

An unforgettable presentation requires an unforgettable process. Today Mark and Darren begin breaking down their 7-Step speech process, laid out in their book DELIVER UNFORGETTABLE PRESENTATIONS. This episode covers STEP #1: FINDING YOUR CONTENT, and STEP #2: CLARITY, CLARITY, CLARITY!

SNIPPETS:

• You need an unforgettable process

• It’s your responsibility to give your audience next steps

• FIND CONTENT from your own life and experience

• Don’t undervalue your expertise

• Start with what you know

• Build your story folder

• Be clear about your premise

• Give information in context

• Don’t give your audience a reason to take a mental detour

• Don’t leave unanswered questions in your audience’s minds

Work with Mark and Darren:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com/get-a-speaking-coach/

Check Out Stage Time University:

https://www.stagetimeuniversity.com