Use a human helper if you have no handheld clicker

by David Folkerson on February 7, 2015 , 1 comment

One of the most critical success factors when presenting to an audience is good eye contact. That’s why handheld clickers are so important – you can advance your slides without ever breaking that all-important audience connection. So what do you do if you lost your little remote?

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David FolkersonUse a human helper if you have no handheld clicker

Discover a magic word that increases influence by more than 30%

by David Folkerson on January 25, 2015 , No comments

Decisions are tiring. It takes a lot of energy to ponder the pros and cons of the thousands of choices we make on a daily basis. Thankfully, our subconscious has developed tools to help us make all these tiresome decisions quickly and efficiently. According to studies, one of these subconscious tools is a trigger word we can take advantage of to influence the decision-making process.

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David FolkersonDiscover a magic word that increases influence by more than 30%

Embrace your vocal range for increased attention

by David Folkerson on January 19, 2015 , 2 comments

It is far too easy to slip into a monotonous speaking tone when conducting meetings or speaking to an audience. Perhaps you do this in an attempt to control your nerves, or to appear more serious and in control of your material, but you’re not a boring person, so don’t speak like one.

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David FolkersonEmbrace your vocal range for increased attention

Combat anxiety with the thermometer visualization technique

by David Folkerson on December 20, 2014 , No comments

I’m happy that I get anxious before delivering a big presentation. It means that I’m excited about what I’m about to do. But I don’t like feeling anxious. Too much anxiety can be crippling. I like to use what I call “the thermometer visualization technique” to help manage this kind of anxiety when speaking in public.

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David FolkersonCombat anxiety with the thermometer visualization technique

Opening, body, conclusion – a familiar structure that works

by David Folkerson on December 13, 2014 , No comments

Great oral presentations often follows the same structure as great written communication. As every essay-writing high school student knows, you lead with an introduction, elaborate your main points in the body, and summarize your argument in the conclusion. A well-developed oral presentation adheres to the same structure.

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David FolkersonOpening, body, conclusion – a familiar structure that works

How to make better eye contact during presentations

by David Folkerson on December 7, 2014 , 2 comments

Just like a newborn baby whose eyes meet yours for the first time, your audience is looking for that same window into your soul. Don’t deny it to them – they are thirsty for information and they are going to be looking at you for access to it! Think of your eyes as a conduit, like a tractor beam, that can lock onto a person and draw her into your world, enveloping her in your message.

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David FolkersonHow to make better eye contact during presentations