Save the Date!

I’m excited to be part of a terrific panel, Back Basics: The Art of the Spoken Word, sponsored by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. Four of us panel members will share some advice about best practices for using the spoken word to build your business  and advance your career. We will discuss some of the many different ways to use the spoken word to your advantage — from presentations and sales pitches, to managing meetings, to the value of video and podcasts to promote your business online.

The panel will be moderated by Jan Day Gravel Founder and Managing Director, Janus Development Group. Joining me  will be

Karen Bate (@KBConceptsPR) has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit and corporate communications and early training as a journalist. She brings to the panel her expert knowledge in utilizing the spoken word through online video – particularly through social media. She is the founder and president of KB Concepts P.R.

Jan Fox (@JanFoxTalks) was a reporter and anchor at WUSA TV 9 for almost 20 years. She won three Emmys for her work in DC and another for an ABC talk show in Boston. She eventually started her own speaking/coaching business called Fox Talks. She currently serves on the board of the National Speakers Association, Washington DC Chapter.

Charles Greene III (@CharlesGreene3) has presented in fifteen different countries on five continents. For more than 25 years, he’s delivered corporate messages with customized “magical” presentations,” dividing his time between leading public speaking workshops and presenting product messages at trade shows.

Click here to register.

Thanks to the great people at Ragan.com for asking me to blog about ways CEOs can make gloomy presentations less painful for their employees and less difficult for themselves.

Tip number three: Remember, this is about them, not about you!

For more, click here.

My thanks to the PR pros at Widmeyer Communications (“a fiercely independent PR firm” ) for asking me to do a blog post on my new book, Words That Mean Success.

In the post, I highlight “two things about writing speeches that may surprise you.” You can read more here.

Here are the links.

iTunes, Nook.

Still only 99 cents!

Reviews greatly appreciated.

In a recent blog post, Richard Branson — head of Virgin and possibly the coolest CEO in the world — shares a great story about the first time he gave a speech.

It did not go well: “My mind went blank..I mumbled incoherently for a bit before leaving the podium. It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life…”

Undaunted, he kept at it. “What I soon learned was that practice made all the difference. The more prepared I was, the less I stammered and stumbled. Good speakers aren’t just talented or lucky — they work hard.”

And he discovered something else — the power of authenticity. “If you speak with conviction and you’re passionate about your subject,” he says, “Your audience will be far more forgiving of your mistakes because they’ll have faith that you are telling the truth.”