For several years, I’ve been talking about pursuing excellence in communication, and that is often interpreted to mean excellence as a speaker or a trainer. That doesn’t surprise me, especially since I’ve been doing significantly more speaker coaching since the pandemic hit in early 2020, and they all want to excel on the platform. However,…
Nobody wants to make mistakes, but we all do…emerging speakers and experienced professionals alike. In this episode, Darren and Mark talk with their mentor, Hall Of Fame Speaker Patricia Fripp, and co-author of their new book DELIVER UNFORGETTABLE PRESENTATIONS. They discuss and expound on some common mistakes, and reveal a few others that presenters fail…
“Speak to TEENAGERS?” To some, that’s normal. To others, it’s SCARY. Today Mark draws from his 20+ years serving the youth market, as he and Darren discussion how to effectively connect with and serve that tricky age group of 11 – 18 years old. What they share will make it a lot less scary and…
You may have more stories than you know, and for years, Darren and Mark have encouraged their students to ‘keep a story file.’ They have upgraded that concept and now encourage presenters to maintain a story FOLDER. In this episode they explain it, and share not only how we should use it, but WHY we…
You may one day be interviewed on television, and you may have only 3-5 minutes to deliver your message. How can you be effective in such a short time? Darren plays clips from one of his recent TV interviews as he and Mark discuss the importance of ‘soundbites’. They also provide tips on how to…
Does your life hold an untold story? Perhaps one you tried before that didn’t work well, so you abandoned it? Maybe you thought it wasn’t powerful enough. Mark and Darren have a discussion on stories that remain inside us…stories that need to be heard. They share how to find them and offer suggestions for resurrecting…
In this follow-up to last week’s episode about preparing to be a panelist, Darren and Mark share how some of the DOs and DON’Ts in Ep 153 have helped them. They served on separate panels in recent weeks, and in the aftermath of their recent panelist appearances, they discuss additional lessons they learned during that…
As a speaking coach, I work with presenters who want to be better immediately…which is understandable. Of course, the most common suggestion for rapid growth is to SPEAK. Often. At every opportunity. As my friend, associate and fellow World Champion of Public Speaking Darren LaCroix says, “STAGE TIME, STAGE TIME, STAGE TIME!” One critical factor…
Your expertise can earn you a seat on the platform as a panelist. Today Darren and Mark and Darren unpack the DOs and DON’Ts of serving as a panelist, and examine some critical pre-event responsibilities which, when followed, will help you to be an unforgettable panelist. Ask organizers the objective and intent of the panel…
You’ve been tasked with moderating a panel discussion. Where do you start? What do you do? Mark and Darren offer SIX suggestions that will help you to create an unforgettable experience for your panelists, and your audience. Snippets: Write your own introduction to give you credibility Contact panelists by phone or in person, not by…
“I don’t live there any more.” That was the answer that 1999 World Champion speaker Craig Valentine gave to many who asked him to deliver his winning speech several months and years later. While there is nothing wrong with delivering the same speech for years, Darren and Mark explain why being unforgettable sometimes means examining…
Have you ever felt depressed or actually had depression and still had to give an inspiring presentation? Mark and Darren tackle this thorny question in an honest and vulnerable discussion. They share painful personal stories…some never told before in public…to reinforce the reality of one of the challenges of being unforgettable. The truths they share…