In the year 2003, I went to a presentation in Australia. There were 450 people in the room. And two fancy cars (yes in the room!) And then the speaker ran from the back of the room to the front, amidst thunderous applause. Five days later, I was $10,000 poorer. And none the wiser. I’d […]
Understanding the Rosetta Stone (And How It Affects How You Learn)
Understanding the Rosetta Stone (And How It Affects How You Learn) Do you know the story of the Rosetta Stone? You do, don’t you? You know how archaeologists couldn’t make head or tail of hieroglyphics. And it’s not like they didn’t try. They just weren’t able to figure out what those nice little pictures on […]
The Bicycle Moment: When Everything Falls Together
If you learned to ride a bicycle, there’s a pretty good chance you fell. And fell down a lot. I sure did. What’s worse is I learned to ride on hills, with red mud. And that means there was a good chance of losing control on the slopes. And grazing your feet, hands and face […]
How To Make Sure You Get Paid On Time
When you went to buy your computer, you paid for the computer in advance. When you went to the dentist, you paid your $5000 bill on the way out. And yet, when it comes to collecting money in your own business, you’re running up against a big, bad wall. So how do you get paid […]
How To Make A ‘One-Wave’ Presentation
Your brain is like a surfer on the waves. When the surfer sees a big wave coming, he rides that wave. And then he zigs and zags to keep his balance, as the wave rushes madly to shore. But right after the ‘surfer’s wave’ is another wave. And another. And dozens of others. But the […]
How The Wrong Example Alienates Your Audience
Examples have a singular goal: They help the reader understand a concept. But could the wrong example actually alienate an audience? And how would you know which kind of example would alienate you? Let’s look at a simple example of a ‘rocking chair.’ So if were to talk about a ‘rocking chair’, for instance, you’d […]
How To Get Maximum Impact From Your Speaking Engagements
Have you ever seen a rock concert where the singer holds out the microphone in the middle of a song. And not surprisingly the audience sings the lyrics of the songs, while swaying madly to the music. Your audience should be so adoring, eh? Well, if you can’t exactly be a rock star to your […]
How To Avoid Getting Caught Off Guard When Training
If you’re a trainer, there’s one scenario that’s almost impossible to avoid. It’s the scenario where you see a hand going up. The participant is about to ask a question. And there’s nothing wrong with the question, except that it’s out of left field. The participant is asking: How do I blazaboo the configulation spectroconfiture […]
Why ‘Impossible-To-Goof-Up’ Questions Relax Your Audience
Put a two year old child in front of a Barney video for the first time, and watch the child’s face. It’s intent. It’s focused. And not very relaxed at all. But put that child in front of that same Barney video for the seven hundredth time, and watch the anticipation on her face. She’s […]
How To Record A Screen Video Presentation (Without Having To Do Tons of Editing)
One of the biggest marketing tools you have at your disposal is the power of video. If you don’t have video on your site, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to showcase your credibility. In the end, customers don’t give a whit about your products or services. They want to know that they can […]
