Can anyone comment on Todd Bates coaching. I feel I need stimulation that coaching might provide and this one popped into view.

Jeff Jasper

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I have no experience with Todd Bates, but you might also consider Jerry Rossi of RossiSpeaks, http://www.rossispeaks.com . I have personal experience with Rossi and recommend him highly.

At the least, read his book, Dog Eat Dog and Vice Versa.

Lenn Harley
Homefinders.com
Serving home buyers in Maryland and Virginia

I, too, agree with Toastmasters and Dale Carnegie.

Often I am asked how I broke into speaking. My answer is, "By doing it for free." As Saul says, practice, practice, practice! I would get up at 4 a.m. and drive three hours to present to the "Benevolent Society of One-Eyed German Shepherds" for cold scrambled eggs, greasy potatoes, and not even expenses - practice, practice. Then after two years and more than 60 presentations, I got a call and I was in a pissy mood. So off the wall I said, "I would have to have $300 to do that," and they said, "OK." And my brain went - ding ding ding ding ding!

Now for pointers on how to become proficient:

1) Know your topic.

2) Know your audience. I missed this one once with 340 CPA's - My topic... Creativity, well that was painful. `,-0

3) Have an open. Comedy is the toughest open to do - and telling someone else's Joke is NOT a good idea.

4) Timing - not only how long, but when - nothing like teaching Marketing to an Association of Independent Carpet Cleaners - after dinner and open bar. OUCH!

I've spent 30 years learning about timing. I teach timing to other instructors, I've written on timing, I coach other speakers on timing, I practice it each time I go out, and yet, there are volumes to learn. Some of the best: Johnny Carson, Ellen DeGeneres, Charlie Rose, and Jack Benny.

5) Use your third eye - now that's a long email in itself, but bottom line, monitor yourself and others from outside of yourself.

6) Breathe - breathing and breath control demonstrates confidence, and smoothness. It creates a calming acceptance from the audience.

7) Dance - stationary speakers standing behind a podium are for funerals (not mine please), besides a moving target is harder to hit with a tomato.

8) Speak to the Room - not just those in the front row. As you dance, give everyone in the room (randomly) eye contact. Speak to both sides of the room and from both sides of the stage. Stage - anything at the front of the room before two or more people. Next time you are in an audience, watch for speakers who only talk to or from one side.

9) Have and use VISUALS! Words on a screen are not visuals. Rubber Duck is not a visual, a picture of a Yellow Duck Bath Toy is. There are hundreds of other lessons on Visual Presentations, most include the term, "Less is More".

10) NEVER turn your back to the audience and read the visual! In Hawaii this October, the room was set for 700 people and it was packed. It was set up with my computer at the back of the room, stage left. I could barley see it, let alone pick up clues as to what it said. I elected to leave it as to change it would delay the already time-filled program. I, therefore, had to turn my back to the audience to see which slide was up. BAD FORM (but good critiques).

So in New Orleans at NAR when I had the same unacceptable setup, I said, "STOP IT!" and made AV change the setup. Well, they did, but, the two screens were fuzzy and glitchy! (Critiques were generally good and it was the number one selling CD. However, there were lots of comments on the poor visuals even though the audience was aware of the situation.)=20

Lesson, when you have the choice of turning your back to the audience or glitchy screen, choose turning your back.

11) Repeat the Question! This accomplishes three things: One, it gives the person asking the question the ability to correct it if you heard it wrong or they said it wrong. Two, it gives you time to formulate an answer. Three, and most important, it lets the audience hear what was asked!

12) Have FUN! If you don't, they won't.

Keep Smiling,

Rossi, Certified e-PRO Trainer
Speak2Me@RossiSpeaks.com

Aloha,

I am excited and honored to be sharing the stage with Linda Lingle, Governor of Great State of Hawaii, for the opening session of the Hawaii Association of REALTOR'S Pacific Rim Real Estate Conference "Discover A New Day". On October 11th at 9:30 a.m.! I'll be presenting "Stop It a Two Word Solution to Marketing.
 
This topic come from the pages of my new (first book) book, "DOG EAT DOG & Vice Versa: 9 secrets to Put the Bite into Your Marketing" that will debut at NAR. I've pre-sold 20,000 copies and I'm just a little thrilled! Wow, it's a magic carpet ride. 

I hope to see all the Hawaii e-PRO's at the conference as Saul and John will also grace the Islands
with there presence. I can't wait to see everyone there... 

Mahalo nui loa and Keep Smiling, 

Rossi, Certified e-PRO Trainer
ROSSI Speaks, inc.
Edutainer, Humorist, Coach, & Bon Vivant
E Me mailto:Speak2Me@RossiSpeaks.com
See Me http://RossiSpeaks.com
Call Me 919-846-6333 / 800-722-7543

By Jerry Rossi

The day of the real estate agent riding in like the Calvary with a satchel of knowledge saving the day for sellers is gone, along with 49 cents a gallon gas, airmail, and the 1900s.  Real estate agents of yore were the purveyors of knowledge and thats what the clients paid for.  The adage Knowledge is Power just isnt true anymore.  Knowledge is instantly everywhere.  If you can think of it, you can Google it, as is done millions of times a second! 

The Internet has changed the landscape of real estate like a bulldozer blades a lot.  Within this change, some are designing the foundation, some are driving the dozer, some are watching in awe, and the balance are saying, That wont work in our area. 

In that we are no longer the source of knowledge, who are we?  We are still agents and brokers; however, weve changed hats from a size too big to one that fits just right.  Yes you heard correct, this new hat is a good thing.  We now wear the hat of Advisor.  The Advisor hat has worked for quite some time for successful associates (see the success expectation below) and perhaps this is what has made them successful.  The balance of the real estate community is now forced to wear this hat or they will be forced out.

Whenever change happens in our industry, it acts as magnesia of sorts by cleaning out those who are stuck in old ways, negative associates and brokers who find difficulty in justifying their fee, those who fear change, and finally those who got into real estate because its easy, fast money.  If you believe that its easy, fast money, Ive got some swamp land to show you.  This change and industry cleansing has caused quite a stir in the media, as do most things negative.  I recall past hurdles of; declining property values, 19% interest rates, lead paint, asbestos, and radon.  But as in all changing industries, the cream will rise to the top.

For more on this subject, go to http://rossispeaks.realtownblogs.com

Keep Smiling