“The bottom line is, you gotta pick up the phone and make the calls. ~ Joe Bonura
This week, I had the pleasure of spending two hours with one of the best sales trainers in the country, Joe Bonura.
After creating a successful ad agency, Joe sold his business in 1988. Within a few days of that sale, he jumped head-first into the world of professional public speaking. His specialty was sales training, with an emphasis on using the telephone to increase your number of prospective clients.
During his talk this week, Joe said, “The bottom line is, you gotta pick up the phone and make the calls.”
In those few words, Joe also summed up the key to becoming an effective speaker. I love studying the craft of public speaking and storytelling, and coaching others to be the best possible speakers they can be. I also enjoy sharing wisdom from my failures and successes, if it will save you time and heartbreak.
As important as this information is, there is ONE key to becoming a great communicator – whether speaking to a large group, teaching a small gathering or a one-on-one sales meeting.
Stand Up and SPEAK!
It’s that simple. I’d rather a prospective speech coaching client give six months of speeches with no coaching, than to hire me but never speak.
The only way to get comfortable in front of others, and learn if your message is clear, or if your stories make an emotional connection is to share them with real, live human beings, and get their feedback.
After 20 years of speaking, it’s still not easy to listen to feedback when you’re told “Your message isn’t clear,” or, “Your story doesn’t resonate with me.” I don’t know anyone who loves to re-write a speech into which s/he has invested a great deal of time.
If you’re willing to hear honest feedback, and do the work to improve, you’ll quickly move past those people who aren’t willing to do so, and you’ll stand out from the crowd.
Want to be a better speaker?
Stand Up and SPEAK!
You’re invited to share your thoughts below.
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EDUCATIONAL TOOL OF THE WEEK
For You or The Speaker(s) in Your Life, Check Out This Holiday Gift Idea That Will Last Far Beyond The Season:
Add More Humor to Your Speeches
If you want to leave a lasting impression on your audience, it’s vital that you have humor in your presentation. If you doubt this, check out the best speakers in the world – the highest paid professionals, World Champions, and Hall of Fame speakers. One skill they each have is the ability to make their audiences laugh.
If you’d like to save years of learning time, check out the new program Humor Speaking Secrets from my mentor, Craig Valentine. He is a highly successful speaker and sales professional. None other than legendary speaker Les Brown has said that “Craig is the best trainer of speakers that I’ve seen since coming into this industry.”
If you want to learn how to uncover humor that deepens your impact with any audience, check out Craig’s program during his special introductory period (through December 9)
For more details, click here.
Michael’s mission is to help leaders, managers and sales professionals communicate with more confidence, impact, and influence. This passion is born from his own communication difficulties early in his career.
Fortunately, he discovered that public speaking is like riding a bike, swimming or driving a car - it’s a learnable skill. Once he discovered this ‘secret’ he became a voracious student of the craft. He took courses, studied some of the world’s best speakers and storytellers and continues to study presentation and business storytelling skills.
He is hired by companies and organizations, leaders, managers and sales professionals, and TEDx speakers to help them become more confident, impactful and influential communicators.
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