Speechwriting
Executive communication coaching for DE&I: Is your strategy up to par?
Are you doing what the best organizations are doing with their DE&I communications? Here’s some executive communication coaching to help you find out by testing your DE&I speeches and other executive communications against three secret ingredients. I have a T-shirt I got a couple of years ago during an Aileron workshop for entrepreneurs that […]
Read MoreCommunication strategy: When should you contact a speechwriter?
Timing is everything at work and in life. If your communication strategy for an upcoming event calls for a keynote speech from your CEO, how far in advance should you contact a speechwriter? Learn from this experience I had recently with a marketing VIP here in the U.S. Last week I received a desperate […]
Read MoreIdeas for speeches: What to do next if the show does not go on?
Anytime you have to write and deliver a speech, it’s common to face a challenge or two. But what if something happens to disrupt the event? Keep this story close at hand in your bank of ideas for speeches, and learn how to pivot when problems arise. When it comes to a speech, the […]
Read More10 tips for collaborating with a thought partner to write powerful speeches
Are you writing a speech with a crucial message and feeling the need to bounce your ideas off of a trusted colleague? Effective collaboration is the difference between a futile partnership and a phenomenal one. Here are 10 tips for leaders who want to collaborate with a thought partner to write more powerful speeches. […]
Read MoreHow to write speeches: 5 burning questions asked and answered
Are you a business communicator or leader who struggles to create a speech or presentation? Here are five burning questions that communicators and leaders have been asking about how to write speeches. We had a lively discussion during my breakout room session at the virtual HERStory Business Communication Expo presented by IABC Greater Cincinnati. […]
Read MoreHow amazing public speakers avoid verbal slop and drivel
You can’t deny it: Verbal slop and drivel often find their way into speeches and presentations. Don’t let this happen to you! Instead, learn to do what amazing public speakers do. Did you know there’s an entire week each year – Words Matter Week – dedicated to stamping out “verbal slop and drivel”? That […]
Read MorePublic speaking basics: Why you need to repeat yourself when you speak
CEOs and business leaders: When you have a crucial point to make – and you need to drive it home – don’t ignore the power of repetition as one of the public speaking basics you need to master. Last weekend, my husband and I left a church service rather uninspired by the minister’s sermon. “Where […]
Read MoreSpeeches gone wrong: Here’s why your audience can’t remember what you said
Learn the one thing you must do as a speaker to avoid epic fails (aka speeches gone wrong). I was doing some catch-up work last week and tuned in to a recorded virtual presentation on a timely business topic delivered by an executive a few weeks ago. I tried to pay attention (really I […]
Read MoreHow to start a virtual presentation
Working on a speech for a virtual audience? Give your creative juices a jolt with these five ideas for a fresh approach to your opening lines. Getting a virtual audience on the edge of their virtual seats is no small feat. The best presenters agonize over their opening lines – and rightly so! […]
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