Give a Great Speech: Think EATS

Did I capture your attention?

When thinking about giving a speech, you really need to think about the fundamentals of giving a good/great speech!

I recently attended a seminar with Jeff Porro, a specialist in communications, and his talk was spot on!  For more information on Jeff go HERE.

He laid out his thoughts on giving a great speech using the EATS theory!

EATS

  • Event - research the group and the specific event.  Understand what the group expects to get out of your presentation.
  • Audience - who's attending and what is the demographic?  Millenneals, X, Y, or is it the Boomers?  Or is it all of the above?
  • Theme - what's the theme of the event?  What is their expectation?  At the end of the day, it's what they want is what you need to deliver.  Figure out what that is and knock it out of the park!
  • Speaker - that's you!  Obviously, you're experienced or they wouldn't have invited you to address the group.  Relax, create your story for this group and deliver the goods!

Now let's get to the speech.  Make your speech personal (tell a story about yourself at the beginning of your speech).

Use stories not statistics.  He said he gets a lot of push back here - but stories about statistics, is the way to go.  People remember stories, not statistics.

Repeat yourself REPEATEDLY - rule of three is another tip I gained at Jeff's presentation.  Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, and finish with what you've told them.

He also talked about how conflict can be a good thing in a speech.  Most people are not comfortable with this concept, but once you've mastered it, he says it's the way to go!

He ended his presentation with a couple of odds and ends: don't tell a joke to start - tell a story about yourself instead.  And end your speech with the facts and the story that you began with.

For more information on giving great speeches go to Jeff Porro's website HERE or for a great article titled 8 Tips on Giving a presentation Like a Pro from Entrepreneur Magazine go HERE.

Sponsorships: Make it a Win Win For Both Parties

Sponsorships have been a great source of income over the year, but are we spending the right amount of time and energy to make sure they are working for both the sponsor and the chamber?

I like to use the word "partner" instead.  It just makes a statement that we’re in it together.

And that's the way it should be.  They need to see value, if they get it, they’ll be there for the long haul and that means you have to spend less time on the next deal.

Do you have exclusive deals?

In other words, limit the about of “partners” you will have and focus on those opportunities in your program of work.

I’m a fan of less is more, that's an example of fewer “partners,” but paying more for that opportunity, which is a win win for both entities involved.

What are some of the things you could be doing together:

  • Joint marketing letter/email showcasing their product/program;
  • Logo placement throughout the year on your social media platforms and website;
  • A chance to introduce a speaker/s at your monthly programs; and
  • Allow them to write a blog post (you have editing rights) etc.

Again, what’s key is your future sponsorship deals is to think of them as “partners."

Something to think about!