In a recent posting 10 Tips on Moderating a Panel Discussion I listed suggestions for anyone who has been appointed a panel moderator.

In this companion piece, I’ll list tips for those of you who’ve been invited to speak on a panel. Simple math indicates there’s a greater chance you’ll be asked to be on a panel than moderate one (unless your name is Terry Gross or Jeremy Paxman).

Many of the tips for moderators have a corollary for panel members. Just as the moderator should know the audience; schedule time to participate in panel rehearsals or pre-event meetings; and be aware of the electronic backchannel, so should should panelists. The reverse if also true. If panelists need to learn to shut up, the moderator must make sure to engage less aggressive panelists in the discussion. Not only is this courteous, but it provides the attendees with a more rounded, more interesting discussion. A good panel is a dialog between an intelligent and aware moderator and an engaged group of panelists for the benefit of the audience.

10 Tips for speaking on a panel

1. Know about the panel you are on

There’s a vast difference between participating in a political slug-fest such as Crossfire or light entertainment like Just a Minute. Even if you know that’s it’s an industry panel, be aware, for instance, if you are the sole Microsoft representative on an Open Source panel. Some moderators delight in generating controversy and might introduce an unwary panelist into a hostile environment.

2. Know the other panelists

Use social media tools to find out the scoop on other panelists. Search their names in Google, Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter. Find out what other panels they have been on, read any reports and look for videos of them on YouTube and read about them in blogs.

You should know what positions they’ve taken in the past and opinions they hold. Nothing is more disarming than to reference their Alma Mater (listed in LinkedIn) or an important paper they’ve written in the middle of the discussion.

3. Know your material

It’s assumed you are an expert, but refresh yourself by checking in Google News and doing an advanced search into the Twitter archives to update yourself on the venue, issues and other hot topics. Heck, you don’t even need a Twitter account to do this.

4. Don’t be boring

Remember you are there to entertain, not to inform.

National Speakers Association President Kristin Arnold suggests:

Panel members face the same challenge as all speakers, the need to move from being boring to “bravo!”. Be keenly aware of how much airtime you are using, keep you remarks short and to the point. Be relevant and controversial – a little chutzpa goes a long way!

5. Be prepared – don’t walk into the panel cold

Once you’ve spoken to the moderator and other panel members, sit down and create an outline of the points you wish to make. List the brief stories you can tell to illustrate the points. Remember, an entertaining story includes a great opening line and an obstacle that was overcome. One tool to use to list your points is the Challenge, Action, Response framework.

Media trainer TJ Walker advises:

Treat a panel like any other speaking opportunity. Have an outline with a few points. Make sure you have a story and specific case studies for your audience to make your points come alive.

6. Respect others

Even if you get into a heated discussion with another panelist or an audience member criticizes you, don’t lose your cool. Stay in relationship with the other panelists and audience. This means interacting with other panelists, acknowledging what they say, agreeing to disagree. Be aware of the flow of the panel discussion and sensitive to the mood of the audience, but don’t allow yourself to be bullied. You can see mistakes to avoid and pick up some survival techniques by watching anyone with liberal opinions being interviewed on Fox News.

UK business commentator and experienced panelist Stephen Harvard Davis says:

I always remember that I’ve been invited to join the panel because someone else has views and opinions that are different to my own. When responding to what they say I should never take their words as a personal attack and must always remain calm and pleasant, whilst making my point robustly. After all, it’s not their fault that their opinion is wrong! I always remember that the audience has come to hear all the panel’s opinions and not just my own. The audience wants to see a gladiatorial contest of wits and be entertained by it. A couple of minutes in answer to any one point is more than enough and whilst my opinion may be the only one worth listening to, I must let the audience be the judge of that.

7. Don’t be a show-off

Don’t compete with the moderator or other panelists for time or attention. It’s not a discussion if one person dominates. Keep your bio brief. Don’t promote your company. Get into the topic right away.

Joel Postman, author of SocialCorp, notes:

In school, there was always that guy in the front row who had his hand up for every question, begging to be called on with pleas of ‘oh, oh, oh, oh.’ Well he grew up and he participates in every panel discussion. And he’s still just as annoying as he was in Mrs. Benson’s English class.

8. Remember you are always onstage

Even when not speaking, maintain eye contact with other panelists and the audience. It’s not advisable to look at the moderator, even when you are talking, it’s the audience you are there to address.

9. Hang around afterward

Unless you are a CEO with an entourage and places to go, stick around after the panel ends. Audience members who need some of your time will come up to speak. Exchange cards with them. You never know who you’ll meet.

10. Have fun!

After all, that’s what the audience wants to see. Part of the fun might be blogging or tweeting about your experience and using social media to magnify the impact of the discussion for those unable to attend the event.

I’d like to thank Kristin Arnold, TJ Walker, Stephen Harvard Davis and Joel Postman for their contributions to this blog posting.

Diane gives talks about living with bipolar disorder. Her husband, David (profiled in this series back in March) had to overcome his own struggles with bipolar. It’s estimated that 1 in 50 people in the USA have this disorder.

It is also estimated that 20% of people with bipolar disorder will commit suicide either on purpose or by reckless behavior during depressive or manic episodes. Biploar causes more deaths than aids and most forms of cancer. Bipolar disorder is believed to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and is treatable with many different medications.

However, medication alone is not enough to effectively control this illness. She and David share what else is necessary to live a healthy happy life in spite of having this devastating illness in their book Surviving Bipolar’s Fatal Grip – The Journey to Hell and Back.

Diane’s presentations describe her own story about living with this illness in her family and offers practical advice to others. She shares a success model and encourages the audience to use strategies such as mood tracking; getting adequate sleep; discovering their own triggers and learning how to lessen those triggers; taking their medicines at the same time every day; and other important strategies that will help them avoid depression, mania, and mixed bipolar states.

Pro-Track Profile

David and Diane are the only husband and wife team in the 2010 National Speakers Association of Northern California Pro-Track class.

I asked Diane what motivated her to get into the speaking business. To hear what she told me, click on the podcast icon below.

 

 Interview: Diane Mariant [8:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Guy Kawasaki is a Silicon Valley legend. The erstwhile Apple software evangelist, now a successful VC, has written a string of best sellers from the 1990 The MacIntosh Way to the 2009 The Art of the Start.

He’s currently working on a new book Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions. On Thursday he gave an entertaining presentation to an internal sales group at Cisco – where I’m employed in executive communications – based on his new book. From tips on how to smile with sincerity, to ways to enchant the influencers in a group, Kawasaki shared insights on ways to understand and influence change.

I caught up with him after his presentation and asked him to share something about his approach to public speaking and life as a professional speaker.

Click on the podcast icon below to hear Guy reveal:

• what he looks for in an audience to see if his message is connecting with them;
• the reason he likes speeches built around Top 10 lists;
• what he thinks of people tweeting while he’s speaking;
• what speakers can learn from The Grateful Dead.

 

 Interview: Guy Kawasaki [5:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Boring to Bravo: Proven Presentation Techniques to Engage, Involve, and Inspire Your Audience to Action

Kristin Arnold is a speaker’s speaker. Her new book is filled with nuggets of wisdom based on her years of experience as a professional facilitator. She also features guest content from an A-list of contacts she’s cultivated as the current President of the National Speakers Association.

This is not a basic presentation skills book. Arnold encourages readers to step outside the role of the speaker as an authority figure who controls the audience from the front of the room, to someone who passionately participates in an event that is enjoyed by the audience as a collaborative experience. Rather than speaking at an audience you should have a conversation that engages and connects with them. This tracks the move from Web 1.0 (carefully controlled content delivered in a one-way stream for mass consumption) to Web 2.0 (a social media dialog or conversation with mostly user-generated content).

Dynamic tips

In this book Arnold gives us a smorgasbord of techniques we can start using today. Tips range from straightforward suggestions on how to deliver a well-crafted introduction to more subtle hints about which side of the stage to enter (stage right, from the left side of the room).

She lists a range of ways to break the mold of the “boring” presenter and become someone who will elicit “bravos”. Refreshingly, she does not attempt to bake all the references you need into the book. Instead, in current social media style, she links to her dynamically maintained website where references are continually updated and readers comment on their experiences using the book in her lively blog.

You just know from how she writes that she has first-hand experience of all of the techniques she suggests. Checklists and chapter recaps provide an easy way to move from reading to implementation. Oh, and as they’ll tell you in the Twin Cities, the Mall of America is in Minnesota, not Michigan (p. 154).

So, if you are curious about the ways a presenter might use a contractors measuring tape; when it’s appropriate to bribe audience members; how to make eye contact with an audience of thousands; who to contact to license copyrighted music or movies for your event; how to conduct pre-event surveys on the web; or eight ways to conduct an audience poll; and much, much more…read the book.

See Kristin run

If you want first-hand evidence that Kristin walks the walk, check out her own “Bravo” performance on YouTube:

Have you noticed? Panel discussions are replacing keynotes and solo break-out sessions by experts at conferences. Rather than a rock-star presenter, who might disappoint, meeting planners are choosing to put a panel onstage and hear from multiple points of view. It’s a refreshingly democratic approach to conference content – safer than having all the eggs in one basket.

Speakers, corporate types and industry experts can expect to be asked to participate or moderate a panel discussion. This presents unique challenges for participants and moderators alike. I’ll address the best practices in moderating a panel in this post, and follow-up next week with Part II on how to prepare if you are asked to participate in a panel.

Like any blood sport, a good panel discussion needs a referee. The moderator’s job is to be the voice of reason, the champion for the audience and, if necessary, the inquisitor who probes beneath the surface for compelling comments.

So, if you’ve been assigned to moderate a panel, there’s a lot to be aware of. Here are ten things to bear in mind.

10 tips on moderating a panel discussion

1. First and foremost, just as any speaker should, a moderator must know the audience. What are their key interests, needs and concerns? What is it about the panel that attracts them? What questions are they hoping to find answers to? What will be the impact of the panelists’ comments on their work and lives? This helps you to prepare a discussion guide that captures your intention in hosting the panel and will keep the discussion relevant and meaningful to the audience.
2. Allow sufficient time for advance preparation. This includes understanding the purpose of the panel; becoming updated on pertinent/controversial industry issues; researching/contacting panelists; establishing panelist ground rules; writing your own introduction as well as the program introduction and the introduction for each panelist that correctly summarizes their bio and qualifications; verifying correct name pronunciation and title for each person; and creating a list of questions.
3. Choose panel members carefully. Just as you would if planning the ultimate dinner party, you need the right mix of expertise, ability to express an opinion coherently and divergent points of view. If everyone is a senior vice president of blah-de-blah it won’t be as interesting as if there’s a customer or partner from outside the organization included. Research the panelists and know their points of view on the topic, as well as as much as you can about their interests and background. Look for diversity in backgrounds, opinions and vested interests. Be cognizant of the hidden agenda they’ll each have for agreeing to be on the panel.
4. Prepare open-ended questions in advance that are both specific to each panelists’ individual interests and representative of issues the audience will be interested in. Part of the art of moderation is the art of interviewing, and any interviewer will tell you that preparation is the key to asking the most interesting and provocative questions.
5. Schedule rehearsal time for the panel members, ideally in person, otherwise over the phone or via video-conferencing. This helps establish chemistry between panelists. Share the results of your research into audience expectations. Lay out the timeframe and any other ground rules or guidelines they need to know. Review the room logistics and the time you expect them to arrive in the green room or other location prior to coming onstage.
6. Immediately before the event, attend to room logistics (seating arrangement of panel as well as audience, use of amplification, position of moderator, room temperature, lighting, acoustics). If you are hosting a virtual event, such as panel over WebEx, make sure the dial-in logistics are handled and you have a fall-back way of contacting panelists – such as their mobile number – if the main lines of communication have any hiccups.
7. Once the panel is in session, be sure to introduce each person, especially if anyone is a last-minute substitute whose name won’t be in the event program. Start out with an easy question or topic so that they can settle in and relax. Then, raise the stakes, probing into more controversial areas.
8. While the panelists are talking—especially if there’s a part of the panel where panelists deliver prepared remarks—listen very carefully and take notes. Wherever possible, capture important statements verbatim. Then use what you’ve heard to invite other panelists to comment on particular parts of other panelists’ statements. Keep an eye on time; too many moderators let speakers ramble on and on. Be prepared to navigate and intervene with panelists on behalf of the audience as needed. Ask follow-up questions that get to the story behind the canned response: Ask “Why do you believe this…?” “Do we all agree with what Joe has just stated…?” Panels that are too general or full of platitudes tend to bore audiences; controversy keeps it interesting.
9. Rather than field every question yourself, allow the panelists to question each other. The audience will be far more interested in dialog between panelists than every single exchange starting with your question. If you are allowing questions from the audience establish simple systems everyone can access. This might range from an open mic in the aisle to note cards they can write questions passed to your assistants to online systems for submitting questions.
10. Finally, talking of online, be aware of the increasing likelihood of what author Cliff Atkinson describes as The Backchannel. Expect that more and more audience members will be carrying smartphones and PDAs and communicating about what they see and hear onstage on Twitter and social networks while the event is in progress. This has the potential to sow the seeds of conflict. Opinions expressed by the audience need to be taken into account. Atkinson suggests effective ways to incorporate the backchannel into the discussion. Ignore these suggestions at your peril.

I’d like to thank the members of the Speakers and Panelists Group on LinkedIn who submitted many of these tips. Specifically:

Robert Buccino
Ruth E. Thaler-Carter
Kay Meyer
Dale Klein

Museum artist Allison Massari found peace, purpose and happiness after overcoming two extraordinary personal tragedies. In 1998, Massari survived a near fatal 60 mph car crash where she was trapped and burned severely. Just three years later, she was hit again at 60 mph and sustained a brain injury. The level of betrayal she felt from life seemed insurmountable. She became determined to create an amazing life.

Taking a long, steep climb from ashes into recovery, she learned very clearly how to navigate her way to true healing and to a life beyond anything she could have dreamed possible. The award-winning painter and sculptor added a new medium to her inventive work—the written and spoken word. Her rededicated mission is to share her story of transformation and revitalization to activate visionary change in people and the organizations that nurture and inspire them.

Allison Massari is passionate about igniting the human spirit—the core of her message is courage, heart, happiness and redefining the impossible. “I’ve come to a place where my heart pounds with excitement instead of fear. If I could do this with my own life and under such extreme circumstances—imagine what you can do with yours.”

As a member of the National Speakers Association, Massari’s message is expertly relayed through inspirational keynotes, workshops, audio programs and coaching. Massari effectively weaves awe-inspiring stories and her compelling art images as metaphors for her most powerful insights.

Her professional career is rich with diverse achievements. In 1998 Massari founded programs for teens with severe burn injuries which continue at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado. For over 15 years she has been creating, selling and placing fine art with international collectors and Fortune 500 clients such as General Mills, US Airways and Lockheed Martin. She holds a Masters of Arts degree from School of Visual Arts in New York City and a Bachelor of Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. The Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida displays her collage work in its permanent collection.

Look for her in the forthcoming international documentary film ReSolve—teaching solutions for those coming through post-traumatic stress.

Pro-Track Profile

Allison carefully researched the National Speakers Association of Northern California before deciding to join. It was the reputation of Pro-Track which convinced her that her already thriving speaking business would benefit from the tips and techniques she learns in the monthly meetings.

To hear Allison’s discuss her speaking business and the way in which she’s finding ways of expressing the essential messages she expressed as an artist in words, click on the podcast icon below.

 

 Interview: Allison Massari [3:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Celebrated keynoter, facilitator, author and ICF-certified business leader coach, Marsha Egan is on a quest to help others save thousands of hours and reclaim their lives due to email mismanagement. She has been a featured guest on ABC Nightly News, FOX and Friends, and NBC talking about the 12 steps to curing email addiction now outlined in her best selling book Inbox Detox – a guide to shifting your e-mail habits that shows you how to take charge of your inbox, your workday, and your life.

Marsha rocketed to national prominence after publishing a simple e-book on curing email addiction. Requests for media appearances flooded in from around the world, as she shared her insights on changing our email culture, one inbox at a time.

I sat down with Marsha at the recent National Speakers Association Convention in Orlando and asked her the details about what she tells audiences about the steps to free up and time and attention from email. In the podcast (click on the icon below) you’ll hear Marsha:

• Share shocking stats on how much time an average employee wastes on email – and what this translates to in terms of the bottom line.
• How much is wasted annually by needless email interruptions (hint: it’s greater than the GDP of 38 nations in the world).
• Suggest one effective tip on reclaiming your life from email addiction.
• Let us in on the secret as to how many emails she reads a day!

Now, if only there was a similar book for Twitter and Blogging addiction!

 

 Interview: Marsha Egan [8:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Rory Vaden is a Self-Discipline Strategist who relates profound truths coupled with humorous anecdotes empowering professionals to conquer their fears and take immediate action in their businesses and their lives. Consulting with organizations, companies and individuals on leveraging self-discipline to create extraordinary performance, he has shared the stage with John Maxwell and conducted special programs for both Dave Ramsey and Zig Ziglar’s companies.

His insights on overcoming procrastination, creative avoidance and personal setbacks have been shared on shows such as Oprah radio with Dr. Oz and featured in print media such as SUCCESS™ Magazine. As the Co-Founder of the multi-million dollar public training company, Southwestern Consulting®, his pragmatic advice has been field tested by thousands of professionals from all different industries and he has personally coached clients such as Chad Goldwasser, the former #1 Keller Williams Real Estate Agent Worldwide.

In 2007, Rory became the World Champion of Public Speaking first runner-up for Toastmasters International out of 25,000 entries worldwide. He is the author of the book No Laughs Know Laughs How to Be Funny to Make More Money, and the audio series entitled, “The Audience is NOT in their Underwear: How to Craft Truly Compelling Presentations and Deliver them Like a Champ”. His groundbreaking book “Take The Stairs – Success Means Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do” is set for tentative release in within a year.

Today in addition to being an author, speaker, and entrepreneur, Rory is leading a rapidly growing international social movement called the Take The Stairs World Tour in which he is raising money for charity by climbing the 10 tallest buildings in the world. Combining a hilarious and compelling delivery with unprecedented expertise, Rory energizes audiences into action with his signature program: Take the Stairs – Success Means Doing Things You Don’t Want To Do.

Selling with Social Media

Rory’s presentation at the 2010 NSA Convention was titled Selling with Social Media – Nine Techniques for Using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to Get Coaching Clients, Book Deals and Keynotes.

Now that the social media craze and rush to popularity is here, the question remains, how do you actually make any cash from all this hoopla? Rory shares practical advice, pragmatic techniques and straightforward methods for maximizing your time online. He shows clients how to get referral business on LinkedIn and how to use Facebook to turn fans into coaching clients.

In this podcast interview I asked Rory where he sees social media going over the next year or two, what it means to generation X/Y and, finally, why anyone in their right mind would want to climb the 10 tallest buildings in the world. To find out why, click on the podcast icon below.

 

 Interview: Rory Vaden [7:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The annual National Speakers Association Convention was held July 17 -20, 2010 at the Orlando World Center Marriott.

Over 1,500 professional speakers met for the four days and attended a series of main stage keynotes, break out sessions and informal workshops

Attendees generated over 4,300 tweets under the hashtag #nsa10. 3,100 of these were posted by 526 contributors during the week of the conference.

Twitter is ephemeral. It only maintains 10-14 days of content, so this information will soon disappear. However, here’s a useful permanent archive all of the tweets. It’s with deep gratitude to all the attendees who posted their messages that this content has been made available worldwide on Twitter. Thanks!

Building on an idea of listing of “top tweets” I’ve experimented with at other conferences, I’ve curated a list of 206 tweets I found most content-rich and interesting; adding links where appropriate for easy reference; consolidating others. Removing the re-tweets (RT’s) alone reduced the number of total tweets by 35%. The list below is in alphabetical order – no judgment is implied by being #1, #10 or #110.

I feel that this summary listing demonstrates the power of social media to capture elements of an event that would otherwise have been missed.

Please share your own experiences of the event in the blog comments (or on Twitter!). I apologize in advance if I omitted your favorite tweet – feel free to add it to the comments below.

(Oh, and a personal note of thanks to @marshaegan for #56.)

Enjoy!

1. @mpaynknoper: $30 billion eTraining Market. What an opportunity – @ginaschreck.
2. @Ginaschreck: 1,000’s of Pro Spkrs make air even HOTTER in ORLANDO in July!
3. @thomsinger: 17 countries are represented at the NSA convention (18 when you include Texas).
4. @stephenshapiro: 24% of people on LinkedIn have a portfolio value over $250k – @rory_vaden.
5. @Ginaschreck: 63% of marketing professionals said they’re more likely to attend conferences online than in person in 2010 (source: On24).
6. @Ginaschreck: 83% of meeting planners see the need to add virtual elements to their meetings and events (source: Virtual Edge).
7. @allankarl: A great keynote must have a strong thesis and strong structure – Peggy O’Neill.
8. @TJatCAMPUSPEAK: A mime is opening the morning’s general session of the National Speakers Association. Ponder the irony.
9. @bigkid: A movie is like life with all the dull parts left out – Alfred Hitchcock
10. @PamGilchrist: A thousand followers does not make you a guru.
11. @1000cranes: ABC Virus: 1) Attention 2) Blaming 3) Claiming / ABC Spirit: 1) Attraction 2) Believing 3) Commitment – Robert Benniga.
12. @GetResults: Ain’t it the truth – “Professional speaking is a tough way to make an easy living.” – Scott Friedman (@FunnyScott)
13. @bigkid: Airport bookstores primarily buy business books, regional, bestsellers, and children’s.
14. @gsflive: Always add twitter hashtag to all marketing material of events you’re organizing! ex: http://bit.ly/c2Lnkt
15. @soarwitheagles: Analyze competition’s strengths & vulnerabilities. Identify all critical elements for success – Pete Johnson.
16. @goldasich: APPLIED knowledge is power – @Joachimdeposada.
17. @SkullJuggler: Are you practicing to rehearse… or improve bad habits? – @PFripp.
18. @hduckworth: Are you the spice or the core dish? Your fee will be influenced by this. You want to be the core dish – @RobertBradford
19. @meredyth25: As a non-religious person, having a hard time with religious tones of general sessions at #nsa10. Feeling frustrated rather than inspired.
20. @neenjames: As speakers we need to be the butlers for our meeting planners – Ruby Newell-Legner: @7StarService
21. @GaryKushner: At speeches people are looking for help and ideas – @gitomer
22. @Ginaschreck: Attendees need to learn to use twitter to share nuggets not just “great session” comments – @alisonrbcm.
23. @sallyhogshead: Audiences will let you go over the line… if your content is good – @gitomer.
24. @bigkid: Audio programs are bought by 70/30 M/F, 35-55, lives on a coast, commute, college, upwardly mobile, learning new skills.
25. @Ginaschreck: Be a little weird & different to stand out. Don’t copy other people – @RobertBradford.
26. @SellingChange: Be your publicist’s favorite client by giving them lots of video blogs – @tjwalker.
27. @BeyondtheBrink: Being right is Insufficient for being effective – Steve Lishansky.
28. @socialmedia_DDS: Branding tip: When networking, instead of sharing “What you do” share the 1) problems you solve & 2) benefits of working with you.
29. @SkullJuggler: Bundle your teleseminar products into bigger packages of related things – @RebeccaMorgan.
30. @soarwitheagles: Comment from a hotel guest in the elevator: The Nat’l Speakers Assoc are the best-dressed people in the hotel.
31. @ThomAbbott: Conference Networking Tip: BlackBerry or iPhone is NOT your friend. Don’t bury your nose in technology during breaks!
32. @thomsinger: Conference Networking Tip: do not memorize an elevator pitch about you. Memorize 3-5 questions to ask others. Get them talking.
33. @thomsinger: Conference Networking Tip: sit with strangers at meals. Do not always be attached at the hip to those you already know.
34. @thomsinger: Conference Networking Tip: top reason to attend conventions is “networking opportunities”, but many suck at it. Reach out to people.
35. @dougdevitre: CraigsList job ad for you to use http://budurl.com/delegatethehow
36. @tracykennard: Create natural attraction in social media through interest. Be authentic – @Rory_Vaden.
37. @PamGilchrist: Define your editorial boundaries before you Tweet.
38. @Ginaschreck: Do more of what you ROCK at & less of what you SUCK at – @RobertBradford. Hmmm sounds like recipe for success!
39. @CoachJennie: Do you know about BlastFollow? I just followed all of the peeps talking about #nsa10 – sweet!
40. @1000cranes: Don’t be too overwhelmed by what you’ve learned at NSA2010 – Eat Your Elephant one bite at a time – Rick Jakle (@RadioRick).
41. @1000cranes: Don’t dilute your market with mixed content. Keep your content separate with separate blogs -Per NSA Bloggers.
42. @SkullJuggler: Don’t put anything that does not reflect who you are really about. A bad video won’t hurt you if you are always genuine – @tjwalker.
43. @dnewman: Each time you sell speaking or training, also sell coaching and followup svcs to ensure results – Steve Lishansky.
44. @1000cranes: England generated some of the best users of the English language: W. Shakespeare, W. Churchill and Simon Cowell… – @MediaCoach.
45. @SellingChange: Everyone is learning social media–beware of “experts”- Chris Brogan.
46. @SkullJuggler: Find a quick, easy way to add contact info in the video: graphics, backdrop with the website in the background, etc – @tjwalker.
47. @Style_Matters: Finish your speech by giving the audience something to do or think about, and tie it back to your intro.
48. @TJatCAMPUSPEAK: For too many, social media is recycling others’ thoughts. Tons of broadcasting, but too little conversation/original output.
49. @bigkid: Fripp: you were so good today that I could DANCE to your talk…Speak in rhythm – @PFripp.
50. @Ginaschreck: Get rid of the commas – you are NOT an expert on 5 different things – @RobertBradford.
51. @hduckworth: Give help, hope, money, and answers – @gitomer.
52. @BeyondtheBrink: Give your best lines to the other characters of your speech – @PFripp.
53. @soarwitheagles: Go from selling to positioning. Why should I do biz with you? When I think of what you sell, do I think if you? – Nido Quibein.
54. @paulwandrew: Go through the pain of discipline now, or later in life you will suffer the pain of regret – @Joachimdeposada.
55. @SkullJuggler: Go to Google and type your keyword. Then go to YouTube and type your keyword. YouTube has LESS COMPETITION – @tjwalker
56. @marshaegan: Great meet the Pros session w/Ian Griffin – Use LinkedIn polls in advance of speech to pre-engage audience, get stats.
57. @mpaynknoper: Great men are measured by how they treat small men – says du Plessis from African wisdom. Important message for many at #nsa10 to remember.
58. @SellingChange: Great video about Speaker’s Corner at #nsa10 – Watch the video, then stand on the soap box next week at the conference!
59. @richdigirolamo: Have you actually read the twitter terms of use? Facebook? LinkedIn? You should – @FrancineWard.
60. @SkullJuggler: Homework: go home, do one video, and post it! Use the news and give an opinion – @tjwalker.
61. @bigkid: HootSuite connected to 22 accounts that led to 6,600 impression with one status update, downloading now!
62. @alisonrbcm: Hope the blogggers at the bloggers breakfast will blog their learning and insight from #nsa10 – @BethMRamsay.
63. @SkullJuggler: How can I offer something different that isn’t already free on the web? – @RebeccaMorgan.
64. @TJatCAMPUSPEAK: How many minutes do you listen to a relationships speaker before you start noticing that he/she is completely hetero-centric?
65. @doncooper: How Tweetable are your slides? – @gitomer.
66. @soarwitheagles: How you change is how you achieve. Two ways to success in biz: dominate the market or create a niche – Nido Quibein.
67. @Ginaschreck: Husband: Test to see who loves you more … wife or dog. Lock both in trunk for 2 hours open & see who’s happier to see you.
68. @delwilliams: I like the speaker at #nsa10 who said you are not an expert at five things, so focus on what you are an expert in.
69. @soarwitheagles: I miss Dale Irvin’s recaps at #nsa10 meetings. Know he’s edgy but he’s OMG funny. Bring him back next year?
70. @sallyhogshead: If you *suck* in real life, you will *suck* online – @Rory_Vaden.
71. @rory_vaden: I’m always amazed at how people at #nsa10 who are so much more successful than me take time to help me.
72. @bigkid: I’m grateful for my hands today, what are you grateful for that you’ve taken for granted? – @chadhymas.
73. @PamGilchrist: Is Twitter the biggest bird on the table; no it’s part of a great buffet of tools that work together to grow your business.
74. @Style_Matters: It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech – Mark Twain.
75. @doncooper: It’s what speakers do OFF the platform that makes them great – @chadhymas.
76. @allankarl: Judge effectiveness of a speaker by how many times you look at your watch when he/she is speaking.
77. @Ginaschreck: Keep fluffy non tangible stuff out of your marketing material – @RobertBradford.
78. @CindyWMorrison: Keep Tweets clean and bright with TidyTweet.
79. @stephenshapiro: Key to successful business: don’t trust other people, verify.
80. @dnewman: LinkedIn: Cruise thru one prospects or clients network to find more prospects in their industry or sphere – @Rory_Vaden.
81. @dnewman: Linkedin: Find common people and mention THEIR connections as 10 second phone call opener – @Rory_Vaden.
82. @SkullJuggler: Look at news for the day, find something that relates to your area, do a quick video with your opinion, then send it out – @tjwalker.
83. @1000cranes: Make sure you represent yourself truthfully. If you didn’t earn a certification/degree, you shouldn’t claim it (i.e. MBA, PhD, etc.)
84. @TheBulletman: Marketing is great. Sales activity is important. But getting good on stage will get u booked more often than the others – @Ginaschreck.
85. @soarwitheagles: Maybe it’s what speakers do OFF the platform that gives them the greatest presence ON the platform – @chadhymas.
86. @WellConnectLead: Million dollar speakers focus on repeatability, scalability and flexibility of their biz.
87. @soarwitheagles: NSA President Phillip Van Hooser just recognized the huge # of 1st-time attendees. Serious about the biz? This is the org to join.
88. @sallyhogshead: Offer online training to your customers. You can speak to a 100 people, or, you can train a million – @gitomer.
89. @SkullJuggler: Open with second best song and end with the best song – grab the audience with the first one and lead them to the next thing.
90. @CindyWMorrison: Our non-verbal signals not only liberate us … they liberate others – Michael Grinder. Wow!
91. @doncooper: People are looking for THEIR answers not YOUR answers – @gitomer.
92. @feistywoman: People don’t want information. They want epiphanies – Sam Horn.
93. @SkullJuggler: Photos are great to help slides – emotion, humor, story, and lessons – @gitomer.
94. @neenjames: Place laptop on a box (shoe box)if you are using video – more flattering (no chins!) and you look up at it – @Ginaschreck.
95. @alisonrbcm: Please encourage more speakers to tell audience their Twitter name at start to maximise opps for those not there to find out more.
96. @SkullJuggler: Populate your stories with flesh and blood characters that the audience can relate to.
97. @soarwitheagles: Pete Johnson: To compete w/ free industry speakers, pro spkrs have to deliver better content, platform skills, higher quality extras.
98. @sallyhogshead: PowerPoint is a presentation tool, not a presentation maker – @gitomer.
99. @LiveYourBrand: Presentation tip: The longer the time you speak to people, the slower you should speak – Michael Grinder.
100. @CoachJennie: Pro speakers have nervous butterflies before speaking…they just fly in formation – Gary Rifkin.
101. @allankarl: Proactive communication is key to preventing problems when working with speaking bureaus.
102. @neenjames: Productivity tip: bring your Flip and collect video testimonials of your session or survey speakers for comments.
103. @bigkid: Publishing is finally changing after 580 years of Gutenberg style printing, also sell your Kindle, buy an iPad! – @clintgreenleaf.
104. @SellingChange: Put Social Media icons on your WordPress site with http://www.wibiya.com – @dougdevitre.
105. @SkullJuggler: Put the words you care about the most in your title, keywords, description, and in the video – @tjwalker.
106. @allankarl: Rehearsal is the work. Performance is the relaxation – Michael Caine.
107. @hduckworth: Secret to stories 1. Live life 2. Pay attention 3. Take good notes – Jean Gatz.
108. @stephenshapiro: Seven-figure business owners are implementers,innovative, passionate, focused, risk takers, persistent and resilient – Bill Bachrach.
109. @cheshirelad: So why *should* speakers care about Social Media? Watch this video and find out why.
110. @hduckworth: Social media is the new cold call – @gitomer
111. @soarwitheagles: Some speakers at #nsa10 attend in character or wear their branded apparel. Seen Will Rogers, Forrest Gump, Ben Franklin, & Doctor Finance.
112. @bigkid: Speak to be remembered and repeated – @PFripp (Maybe tweeting is good practice for speaking.)
113. @allankarl: Speakers shouldn’t be speaking about stuff they should still be in therapy for – Stef du Plessi.
114. @MediaJess: Speaking is not what you do. It is the delivery mechanism @gitomer for what you think – Scott Ginsburg.
115. @rory_vaden: Speaking tip: I invest an hour to edit 8 words to 5 – Seinfeld.
116. @HansRuinemans: Stef du Plessis: “There are no neutral choices, you leave a trail.” – How true.
117. @SkullJuggler: Structure is the skeleton under the flesh of your words. This is how you tidy up the creative mess.
118. @sallyhogshead: Success is never owned. It is only rented. And the rent is due every day – @Rory_Vaden.
119. @doncooper: Surprise your customers w/quality – price doesn’t matter.
120. @SkullJuggler: Talk to interpreter before your talk to get your humor right to international audiences – @gitomer.
121. @larrychiang: Text messaging changes Q&A. You don’t need social media to do a better job with Q&A. Its no longer at the end. Its during.
122. @hashalbum: The 50th photo was just added to the #nsa10 hash album! http://hashalbum.com/nsa10
123. @SkullJuggler: The average YouTube video has 3 views total – @tjwalker.
124. @SkullJuggler: The first 30 seconds and last 30 seconds are the most important in a speech.
125. @DrTinz: The lighting for the stage in the grand ballroom is lousy.
126. @BrianOMalleyCSP: The measure of a great man is not how he tweets great men, but how he tweets small men.
127. @doncooper: The more directly what you sell relates to sex, happiness or money, the higher your fees can be – @RobertBradford.
128. @goldasich: The more ego you bring into the room, the less your audience will take away – Stef du Plessis.
129. @doncooper: The most important element of success is the ability to delay gratification – @Joachimdeposada.
130. @Style_Matters: The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t being said – Anon.
131. @SkullJuggler: The most important thing we all must learn to do is EDIT.
132. @bigkid: The opening chapter sells this book, the closing chapter sells the next book – @PFripp
133. @SkullJuggler: The point is to repeat the central theme/key phrases in speeches.
134. @SkullJuggler: The secret: tagging frequently and creating good content – @RebeccaMorgan.
135. @LiveYourBrand: The weirder your uniqueness, the more money you can make as an expert and speaker – @RobertBradford.
136. @preciseselling: There is too much focus on social media among pro speakers. Does this tweet make me a hypocrite?!
137. @SkullJuggler: Think about how you can speak to the camera as if speaking to a reporter; speak for 60 – 120 seconds – @tjwalker.
138. @PamGilchrist: Think of Twitter as a small part of a larger conversation.
139. @BethMRamsay: This conference is like a pillow fight gone out of control – there’s feathers everywhere! – Forrest Gump.
140. @TJatCAMPUSPEAK: Tip for #nsa10 veterans. Every time you drop a name at the mic, you widen the division between you and the newer attendee.
141. @MOSTraining: Tip: preschedule tweets of high points of your presentation and have them stream out during your presentation.
142. @Ginaschreck: To find great story ideas simply live your life, pay attention & take good notes – Jean Gatz.
143. @Ginaschreck: Toughest crowds to speak to: Jr High School students & professional speakers!
144. @bigkid: Tracy Williams got a speaking gig at the White House by leaving phone # and website at end of audio program!
145. @SkullJuggler: Transcribe your speeches and go through them critically. Circle unnecessary words and get rid of them.
146. @Ginaschreck: Trend right now is smaller meetings. If your market is one that is shrinking its time to shift! – @RobertBradford.
147. @Rickun: Try replacing conference calls with Skype video. It’s faster, more intimate, and more likely to result in success.
148. @TheSalesHunter: Turn blog content into a book – @RebeccaMorgan.
149. @delwilliams: Tweeting at a conference isn’t rude its reporting – @bethemedia.
150. @PamGilchrist: Tweets should focus on your thought leadership, not your cat’s hairball.
151. @PamGilchrist: Twitter can help you extend the life of your speech. Use pre- and post-Tweets.
152. @PamGilchrist: Twitter combined with Google natural search instantly raises your profile.
153. @stephenshapiro: Twitter is like teenage sex. Everyone wants to do it but no one knows how – @Rory_Vaden (quoting someone else).
154. @bigkid: Use http://rhymer.com/ to create phrases with alliteration – @PFripp
155. @marshaegan: Use http://whostalkin.com to monitor your brand on Social Media – Dr. Maurice Ramirez (@renaissancedoc).
156. @BeyondtheBrink: Use lists in Social Media to reduce the noise to improve ur listening – @Rory_Vaden.
157. @SkullJuggler: Use slides to help your presentation, not make it – @gitomer.
158. @jeffkorhan: Use social media to be a fly in the wall – @mauriceramirez.
159. @BeyondtheBrink: Use the advanced search function in LinkedIn for prospects – @rory_vaden.
160. @PamGilchrist: Use the back channel to converse and collaborate with tools like http://www.tweetscan.com
161. @LiveYourBrand: Using Gestures – Use two handed gesture when your point is twice as important – Michael Grinder.
162. @mpaynknoper: Virtual events allow delivery of training at best times for attendees, delivery of tools they need in customized way. Add component.
163. @HansRuinemans: Wanna know a secret to speak better? Go to Resources at http://www.stefduplessis.com and use the codeword ‘africanwisdom’.
164. @CindyWMorrison: Want to assume position of authority.. Put weight on both feet. Want to be approachable? Weight to one foot – Michael Grinder.
165. @sallyhogshead: Want to be a professional speaker? Start for free: Rotary Club, Kiwanis, civic clubs. And, write every week – @gitomer.
166. @LiveYourBrand: Want to get your content and information distributed around the world? iTunes University learn anything.
167. @BertVerdonck: We hired your for the fun, but paid your for the content – Mike McKinley.
168. @smaxbrown: We just had a prayer with @chadhyams back stage. He is truly inspiring…and here we go.
169. @stephenshapiro: We like captain crunch over oat bran. Flavor over fuel. Feedback is fuel. It just doesn’t always taste great – Shari Harley.
170. @mpaynknoper: Webinars now like conference calls. Need to be really, really good or make it interactive through immersive environment – @ginaschreck.
171. @SkullJuggler: Webinars: corporate gets it, keep engaged, raise hands. Con: MUST have Internet and device – @RebeccaMorgan.
172. @allankarl: What are the five memorable moments of your speech? All successful speeches have them. Does yours?
173. @paulwandrew: What if your Career & your Cause were two Clydesdale horses? Harness them together & they’ll pull 5 times what either one could alone.
174. @neenjames: When a woman is stressed out she has to talk about it or her brain will explode – @markgungor.
175. @Style_Matters: When delivering a speech, begin at center stage. Moving around livens up your delivery but don’t leave any part of the room out.
176. @LiveYourBrand: When presenting, do not move any part of your body while pausing. Don’t move until you start talking again – Michael Grinder.
177. @LiveYourBrand: When speaking professionally, hand gestures help us make a good first impression or can be a distraction – Michael Grinder.
178. @DonCooper: When you ask for feedback, be willing to hear the answers – Shari Harley.
179. @SkullJuggler: When you focus on your audience, you must have transformed your speech to muscle memory.
180. @SkullJuggler: When you post to your blog regularly, your rankings will go higher because you always have fresh content – @RebeccaMorgan.
181. @1000cranes: When you’re blogging, keep them short. Don’t have a “”toilet paper page”" have a “”read more…”" link instead.
182. @Ginaschreck: Wisdom from @Schrecklet “”The hardest part of Nat’l Spkrs Convention is having to be SUPER enthusiastic all the time!”" SO TRUE.
183. @WorldRider: Women: if you want something from man ask for it–more than once & the right way – http://ow.ly/i/2GJn – @markgungor.
184. @allankarl: Words I heard most at #nsa10 “What can do for you? How can I help you?” For this 1st timer, I’m blown away. Thank you!
185. @Ginaschreck: Words mean diff things to men & women. “5 minutes” means 5 min to men. It means less than an hour to women – @markgungor.
186. @TaraDiversi: Work for yourself, not by yourself. #nsa10 community.
187. @SkullJuggler: Would people stand in the rain to see your speech?
188. @allankarl: Wow! I had no idea. But Robert Fripp, the virtuoso guitarist of King Crimson fame, is @PFripp’s brother.
189. @SellingChange: You are the curator for your audience -> Sort of sad. “You don’t have to be creator of great content; you have to be the *conduit*” – @Rory_Vaden.
190. @amandajohnsSWC: You don’t have to create a great message to be a conduit of a great message – @Rory_Vaden.
191. @MediaJess: You don’t need permission from anybody to be great – Brad Barton.
192. @SkullJuggler: You don’t need the best speech coach in the world, but someone who knows more than you.
193. @bigkid: You give your best lines to OTHER characters. Give them credit – @PFripp.
194. @allankarl: You have to get messy before you get tidy – @PFripp on speech prep creative process.
195. @SkullJuggler: You must have different versions of our speech in case circumstances outside of your control change your timing.
196. @GetResults: You offer your brand to the world, the world decides, refines, allowing your brand to takes on its true identity.
197. @SkullJuggler: Your audience will remember what they “see” the pictures you paint for them in your speech.
198. @doncooper: Your audience won’t remember your PowerPoint bullets, but they will remember your stories – Jean Gatz.
199. @bigkid: Your best marketing is your speech, so work on your speech, not on your marketing!
200. @tracykennard: Your blog is your central hub. Everything should feed it – @Rory_Vaden.
201. @TheSalesHunter: Your competition is not others it’s others not knowing you – @visibilitycoach.
202. @SkullJuggler: Your fee is in your head. Double your fee and raise it every year – @gitomer.
203. @WorldRider: Your life is not your material – Stef du Plessi.
204. @bigkid: You’re better off taking money and playing craps than hitting it big in book publishing – @clintgreenleaf.
205. @SkullJuggler: You’re not having a bad day, you’re having a bad slide. Wrong pics on the Internet are a risk and make you a fool – @gitomer.
206. @SkullJuggler: YouTube as your base. Most people go there for video 60-80% videos viewed there – @tjwalker.

In a few short days I’m off to Orlando for my 6th National Speakers Association Convention. This one is being held at the Orlando World Center Marriott Hotel next to the Magic Kingdom.

Six years after my first convention I’ve learned that advanced planning is a necessity. So, in addition to following some great tips on attending conferences and lining up informal meetings with business partners and friends, I have planned my personal agenda. I’ve chosen from among the dozens of different break-out sessions that are on offer on the full agenda.

In addition to the main tent sessions at the start and end of each day, here’s where I’ll be spending my time. If you’ll be at the convention be sure to get in touch and say Hi.

Social Media Focus

This is clearly the year Social Media arrived at the NSA. The convention features ten break out sessions on different aspects of the topic. Since I’ve been speaking on Social Media I’ll be checking out many of these workshops to find out how some of the best speakers are addressing the issues.

Sunday July 18

10:00 – 11:15 am

Design Your Million-Dollar Speaking Engine, Robert Bradford, CSP, MBA

Challenge your business model to get more gigs at higher fees. You will realistically re-think your program, marketing, search engine optimization and audience—and act to improve all of them! Robert will demonstrate his ideas with hot-seat sessions for lucky attendees! After one of Robert’s previous presentations, an attendee used insights from the program to book $1 million dollars in business! By attending this session, you will learn to identify your islands of profit * Identify things you can stop wasting time on to make more money * Be able to tell prospective clients exactly why you should be hired over your competitors.

(Even though I’ll be focusing on social media, I’m willing to skip two sessions on that topic scheduled for this time to catch Robert. I heard great things about his 2009 session and at the end of day it’s all about finding gigs at higher fees.)

2:15 – 3:30 pm

How Social Media Can Help You Successfully Co-Produce a Major Public Event, Myra Corrello, PhD; Michelle Cullison and Jennifer Ledet

Ever thought about joining with your NSA colleagues to host a major public conference? Five members of the New Orleans chapter took on the challenge and lived to share it! In this panel, you’ll hear how they successfully used social media and technology tools to organize and plan the event, secure strategic partners and sponsors, generate product, gain long-term publicity and attract over 300 attendees and keep them all day. By attending this session, you will recognize and understand how these virtually free communication tools can help you coordinate, collaborate, promote, connect, publicize, recognize and, ultimately, monetize your time and investment * Understand how social media can be instrumental in attracting major sponsors for public events * Evaluate the rewards and risks of a public seminar by learning what worked, what didn’t, and what you should know before taking on a similar challenge with your colleagues.

(This promises the be one of key talks of the weekend for me. I believe that the speaking industry will be revolutionized by social media, helping magnify the impact of a speech before, during and after the event.)

4:00 – 5:15 pm

Selling with Social Media – Nine Techniques for Using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to Get Coaching Clients, Book Deals and Keynotes, Rory Vaden, MBA

You’ve figured out that social media helps you get a few extra readers for your blog—great! But how do you actually make any cash from all this hoopla? Rory Vaden shares practical advice, pragmatic techniques and straightforward methods for maximizing your time online. He shows you how to get referral business on LinkedIn, how to use Facebook to turn fans into coaching clients, and how he landed an A-list literary agent using Twitter. By attending this session, you will learn how to use Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to generate referral business, repeat business and third-party testimonials * Use social media more effectively for better marketing, platform building and effective follow up * Create a powerfully efficient 45-minute to-do list to maximize your daily social media use.

(Another key talk.)

Monday July 19

1:45 – 3:15 pm

Social Media: From Conversation to Participation Sponsored by the Business Coaching PEG – Open to all attendees, David Mathison

David will show you how to leverage social media to move fans from conversation to engagement—to help you sell more products, earn more revenues and get more gigs—without professional PR. Learn how fans helped Mathison pre-sell 5,000 books in 11 days, got him featured in The New York Times, placed his book in universities and set up speaking engagements at the U.S. Embassy, the University of Missouri, Columbia University and the United Nations. By attending this session, you will learn how to engage fans to book you for more speaking opportunities and events—because they want to * Sell more products, services, consulting and training by enlisting fans as affiliates, resellers and distributors (in other words, the work that publicists, managers, agents, bookers and employees used to do.) * Have fans create content for you, and link to and virally spread your ideas, messages and products at no cost to you.

(This looks like a straight-on “make money with social media” talk. I’ll be interested to hear where the audience is on this and how directly they want to engage with money making social activities.)

3:45 – 5:15 pm

The Power to Inspire: The Non-Verbals of Dramatic Presentations, Michael Grinder

The average presenter informs. The good presenter persuades. The great presenter inspires. Michael Grinder’s discoveries will shatter some of your beliefs and replace them with practical tools to move your career to the next level. You will learn the effect of your gestures, pauses, how to mark off the stage and how to increase your intelligence and credibility. Bring a big bag to carry away your increased non-verbal intelligence from the “people whisperer.” The format will be one-third presentation, one-third demonstration and one-third rehearsal for reality. By attending this session, you will experience six least recommended ways to present material and one recommended way * Experience the flat, business-like voice pattern of credibility and the rolling, rhythmic voice pattern of approachability * Discover how people follow our eyes, not our hand. So where we look is where we want to gesture.

(I can’t make the WHOLE event about social media. Voice is a crucial way by which a speaker establishes credibility and communicates clearly. I’ll be interested to hear how Michael’s approach compliments what I’m learning from reading Kate Peters’ blog.)

Tuesday July 20

10:00 – 11:15 am

Meet the Pros: Speechwriting and Social Media, Ian Griffin

Social media add exciting new options to the traditional speechwriting toolkit. From researching audience interests to developing speech content, tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter and blogs can save you time and make your speeches more compelling—if you know how to use them. Speechwriters can now leverage social media to greatly improve the value of their services in the planning, preparation and scripting of a speech. Then, once the speech is written, social media can magnify its impact beyond the confines of the auditorium.

(Well, I don’t have a choice on this one! The first time I’ve taken an active role in presenting at a NSA Conference – even if it is to a maximum of 18 people. Full details including a preview video and outline of the content are on my presentation home page for the event.)