tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53041544662048399012024-02-18T23:59:31.668-08:00The Extra Inch!THE EXTRA INCH. I believe that success is your fault. I believe that attitude is everything. I believe that meetings should be entertaining. I believe that your lowest paid employee is as important as your highest paid. I believe that funny is funner. I believe civility is good for business. I believe that the difference between good and great is measured in inches. I believe you should tell your wife and kids you love them everyday. I believe that one good speech can change the world.Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-13571654414675497202013-09-04T11:57:00.000-07:002013-09-04T13:58:55.917-07:00The Jelly Belly Effect: Creating Emotional Buy-In I’ll never forget the first time I ate a Jelly Belly. On that day a
whole new world was revealed to me and all children of the eighties. No
longer were jelly beans bound by the primary colored blandness of green,
red, yellow, purple and bleech… er, I mean black. Thanks to President
Reagan and his magic beans, we could now choose from exciting and
renegade flavors such as orange sherbet, root beer, and buttered
popcorn.<br />
Do you remember when you first discovered that you could combine
Jelly Bellies to create entirely new flavors? For me, this was probably
the best discovery since I cut open my Stretch Armstrong doll to see
what was inside. My friends and I would get together, sit in a circle,
and see what exciting and new flavors we could create: 2 blueberry + 1
buttered popcorn = blueberry muffin. And 2 green apple + 1 cinnamon =
candy apple. Life was good. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY13EVVEhNpKTHLgV-C0aoMCio4dP_bnkHN7p3eB3zW00lb3EWEAWeroxAmoXrt85C3p4AK99hydnv0TEUfeSX04wgjzCwt33P8rARJb1s5PO23gfq3Gg5b6AHj5rmEB777E1PJAT9_Wo/s1600/52829_Red_Apple_Signature-ns__53881.1287423827.1280.1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY13EVVEhNpKTHLgV-C0aoMCio4dP_bnkHN7p3eB3zW00lb3EWEAWeroxAmoXrt85C3p4AK99hydnv0TEUfeSX04wgjzCwt33P8rARJb1s5PO23gfq3Gg5b6AHj5rmEB777E1PJAT9_Wo/s200/52829_Red_Apple_Signature-ns__53881.1287423827.1280.1280.jpg" width="200" /></a>I was recently thinking about Jelly Bellies as I was doing research
on the science of emotion and human behavior for an upcoming seminar. I
was drawn to the work of Dr. Robert Plutchik. According to Plutchik,
there are eight basic human emotions: Anger, Anticipation, Disgust,
Fear, Joy, Sadness, Surprise, and Trust. These are basic, primal
emotions that drive human behavior. There are varying degrees of each
basic emotion that are both mild and intense. For example, the mild form
of anger is annoyance; and the severe form is rage. The mild form of
joy is serenity; and the intense form is ecstasy.<br />
Emotions create feelings, feelings create actions, and actions drive
results. I believe that if you can create an emotional response in your
customers or employees, then you can influence their actions. Plutchik
theorizes that more complex emotions such as love or remorse can be
attained by simply combining varying states of basic human emotions. For
example, the complex emotion of love is made up of the two basic
emotions of trust and joy. Optimism is the combination of joy and
anticipation, and submission is created by combining trust and fear. And
thus, I was immediately reminded of Jelly Bellies again – and their
powerful combinations.<br />
Plutchik’s theory is used by fiction writers to use emotions to evoke
behavioral responses in the reader. Why not in business? I can’t think
of a better model for sales people or managers to create desired
responses in their customers or teams.<br />
Oftentimes, people start a business with a great idea, product,
ideology, or service, only to find that it fails due to poor sales or
low customer engagement. If you want your customers to love your product
or service, you must create a platform that incorporates the basic
emotions that make up love – which are trust and joy. Trust is created
by providing value in a consistent manner; and joy is created by doing
it in a fun and pleasing way. When you focus on combining basic emotions
to produce the desired result, then people become passionate about
buying what you are selling.<br />
If sales managers want an optimistic team of sales people, then two
primal emotions are at play: joy and anticipation. Joy is created by
creating a stimulating, fun work environment where civility, respect,
and support are a part of the culture. Anticipation is created by
providing reward, good pay, bonus, and perks.<br />
Sales are made and driven by emotion, even though they are justified
with logic. The most successful salespeople are the ones that uncover
the pains, concerns, problems, fears, and desires of their customers –
and then focus on the basic emotions that evoke an emotional response
that ultimately leads to action. <br />
Want an example of using joy and anticipation with your customers? <a href="mailto:Patrick@PatrickHenrySpeaker.com" target="_blank">Email me</a> with Jelly Belly in the subject line and receive a free chapter of my new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Pancake-Principle-Seventeen-Customers/dp/1457515792" target="_blank"><i>The Pancake Principle: Seventeen Sticky Ways to Make Your Customers Flip For You.</i></a>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-88930928819075591872013-04-15T07:44:00.000-07:002013-04-15T12:00:32.195-07:00Dont Call Me a Comedian<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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What’s the difference between a comedian and a humorist?
Most humorists, especially those who began their careers as comedians, would say
that the difference is context…(and money). Comedians primarily perform in
comedy clubs while humorists are often writers and speak and perform at
conventions, association meetings, and corporate events. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-9OHgx6RPLwePXoeHDIK7RmhEMv3lci-ugjiFIKQE3UE99b5hnTUEMxPusePgF7-nUJ5dWhSZybRvSKP0k8PA46JWOyHwIaYg76Gi-3GdKNK_lAT_r1XWMu9K3aNNOPwqwUkLWuIEE/s1600/VW7n-Lu5W-KCCSSdPhjo3k8KrU0EQPemyXiVXtJa8kg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-9OHgx6RPLwePXoeHDIK7RmhEMv3lci-ugjiFIKQE3UE99b5hnTUEMxPusePgF7-nUJ5dWhSZybRvSKP0k8PA46JWOyHwIaYg76Gi-3GdKNK_lAT_r1XWMu9K3aNNOPwqwUkLWuIEE/s320/VW7n-Lu5W-KCCSSdPhjo3k8KrU0EQPemyXiVXtJa8kg.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-9OHgx6RPLwePXoeHDIK7RmhEMv3lci-ugjiFIKQE3UE99b5hnTUEMxPusePgF7-nUJ5dWhSZybRvSKP0k8PA46JWOyHwIaYg76Gi-3GdKNK_lAT_r1XWMu9K3aNNOPwqwUkLWuIEE/s1600/VW7n-Lu5W-KCCSSdPhjo3k8KrU0EQPemyXiVXtJa8kg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-9OHgx6RPLwePXoeHDIK7RmhEMv3lci-ugjiFIKQE3UE99b5hnTUEMxPusePgF7-nUJ5dWhSZybRvSKP0k8PA46JWOyHwIaYg76Gi-3GdKNK_lAT_r1XWMu9K3aNNOPwqwUkLWuIEE/s1600/VW7n-Lu5W-KCCSSdPhjo3k8KrU0EQPemyXiVXtJa8kg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUS-9OHgx6RPLwePXoeHDIK7RmhEMv3lci-ugjiFIKQE3UE99b5hnTUEMxPusePgF7-nUJ5dWhSZybRvSKP0k8PA46JWOyHwIaYg76Gi-3GdKNK_lAT_r1XWMu9K3aNNOPwqwUkLWuIEE/s1600/VW7n-Lu5W-KCCSSdPhjo3k8KrU0EQPemyXiVXtJa8kg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>A popular quip among my buddies in
the National Speakers Association is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“do
you have to be funny to be a professional speaker?...only if you want to get
paid”.</i> My goal as a humorist is to, not only make people laugh, but to also
deliver content, motivation, and expertise to my audiences in a funny way. For that reason, I was pleasantly surprised and a little taken off guard when SiriusXM Radio
called and asked me to perform a one hour comedy show from the Blue Collar
Theater in Nashville, Tennessee last month. In one phone call I became what I
never aspired to be…a comedian. I don’t perform in comedy clubs so, in
preparation for my show, I pored over my material and removed anything that
resembled content. My wife and I, along with some friends from North Carolina,
flew to Nashville for the recording. The Blue Collar Radio theater is tucked away in
the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville. The Southeastern Conference Championship
basketball game was being held that weekend so we fought our way through
Vanderbilt and University of Kentucky fans until a security guard saw us and
escorted us inside. The studio audience, made up of invited guests and SiriusXM
subscribers, was lined up waiting to go in. After a few brief hellos, I was
escorted up the elevator to the “green room” in rock star fashion which is
where I decided that I could get used to being a comedian. For about 20 minutes
I chatted with the programmers for the SiriusXM comedy stations. One of them
said “I love you Blue Collar Radio guys”. I asked why and he told me that he
regularly visits comedy clubs across the country looking for talent to put on
the radio for the uncensored comedy stations such as Raw Dog or the Foxxhole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said “ I will find someone who I
think is great and ask them to send me their materials so I can put them on the
radio…they rarely follow through.” He then went on to say “when I ask one of
you Blue Collar guys to send me your materials, not only do I have a package
the next day…there’s a box of cookies with it”. </div>
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As a professional speaker I have to sell myself on a regular
basis to meeting planners. In order to do that, I must have video, a cd,
marketing materials, and a website. When SiriusXM radio asked for my materials,
I simply reached onto the shelf and put together a package (with cookies) and
over-nighted it. Opportunities come to us every day. The people who take
advantage of those opportunities are prepared to embrace them. Talent, skill,
and a good product are prerequisites for success. The trigger that creates the
emotional buy-in, however, is often in the packaging. Are you waiting to be discovered? or are you building a package that will enable you to embrace success?</div>
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<i>Patrick Henry is a funny professional speaker, author and songwriter. He is the author of The Pancake Principle: Seventeen sticky ways to make your customers flip for you. Buy it at Amazon.com</i> </div>
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<div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Pancake-Principle-Seventeen-Customers/dp/1457515792/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366036431&sr=8-1&keywords=the+pancake+principle">http://www.amazon.com/The-Pancake-Principle-Seventeen-Customers/dp/1457515792/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366036431&sr=8-1&keywords=the+pancake+principle</a></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-36167167317854647632012-09-19T02:36:00.000-07:002012-09-19T05:01:10.934-07:00I'LL HAVE THE LOBSTER... WITH A SIDE OF COMMUNICATION<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">I recently
coached a client in presentation skills and as a token of appreciation, he sent
me a $150 gift card to Ruth’s Chris steak house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife and I decided to use it to celebrate our eighth
wedding anniversary. I have eaten at Ruth’s Chris before and fully intended on
tearing through the gift card like Caesar through Gaul, but what happened next
was a very expensive lesson in the power of communication. When we arrived at
the restaurant, my wife and I requested a booth in the corner so we could be fully
present with each other. We ordered wine and perused the menu. I wouldn’t call
myself cheap, but I have yet to look at the prices on the menu at Ruth’s Chris
Steakhouse and not wince ever-so-slightly. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was
the mood of the moment, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and order
the whole Maine Lobster. I love lobster. Some of my fondest childhood memories
are of my father returning from business trips to New England with a crate of
live Maine lobsters. I can remember being woken up at eleven o clock one night
because my father’s plane had been delayed, but that wasn’t going to stop us
from having a lobster feast. My mother started boiling a pot and we dined into
the wee hours of the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s where my love of lobster began and now I was continuing it at
Ruth’s Chris steak house. The waiter described the specials, raved about the
filet, and finally I asked “hows the Maine lobster?” His eyes lit up as if I’d
asked about his children. He went into a description that had me giddy with
excitement. “How much?” I asked. “$37.00?, bring me a Maine Lobster”. It was
every bit as good as he described. The succulent morsels dissolved in my mouth,
the butter dripped from my chin and my smoking hot wife stared lovingly at me from
across the table. I was in heaven. We enjoyed the evening all the way through
the after dinner B&B. When the check arrived, I pulled out my gift card to
see if we had fufilled the limit…we had. Maybe it was intentional or maybe it
was because english was our waiters second language, but apparently, when I
asked how much the lobster was, he left off the words… PER POUND. I ended up
paying $120.00 for a beady eyed shellfish! I was speechless. I should have
become suspicious when the manager came over to shake my hand and thank me for
ordering the lobster. I now know why the kitchen staff was lined up at the door
dabbing their eyes. They were saying goodbye to an old friend. That damn
lobster was probably soaking in a tub for years, growing fat, waiting for a
sucker like me to come along. What would you do if you were in that situation?
I wanted to wring the waiters neck, but I didn’t. I didn’t even complain. I
simply paid the bill, tipped the waiter and left with my wife. I decided that the
lack of communication was as much my fault as it was Raul’s. Will I go back to
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse? Probably, although that particular restaurant has seen
the last of me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">There are two
parts to effective communication. Listening is as important as speaking. My
fault was in my assumption and not asking questions. His fault was not
presenting all of the facts. Did Raul benefit from the lack of
communication?... yes and no. Sure he made about thirty dollars more on his
tip, but he lost the opportunity to create a profitable relationship. Every
time you interact with a customer, it is an opportunity to seed the
relationship for future opportunities. Had Raul been more forth coming with the
information, he would have created an emotional debt that I would have paid at
a future date. Maybe with friends, clients, or even a party of ten. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Are you creating
a culture of openness with your clients, customers or team? Do you communicate
effectively? As the presidential campaign is in full swing, Mitt Romney is
being blasted for not sharing his financial records, and this is ticking some
folks off. I don’t care which side of the aisle you’re on, I believe that
those who find this offensive do so, not because they care how much money he
makes, but rather because of the lack of communication. When you don’t
communicate effectively you diminish trust. No trust? No Sale!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-55832577899533368382012-08-03T06:08:00.000-07:002012-08-03T06:08:31.086-07:00Death of a speaker...NOT!<br />
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<span style="color: #343434; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I listened to journalist
and author Jeff Jarvis tell 1000 professional speakers from across the globe that
a disruption is coming that will forever change the landscape of the meetings
industry. He went on to say that speakers who refuse to adapt will find
themselves in trouble. Jeff is an old school New York newpaper man who was on
the last train into the World Trade Center when the first plane hit. In the
following weeks, he began to blog about his experience which lead to hundreds
of thousands of followers and a shift in his perception about the dessimination
of content. He began to believe that freely given content was going to disrupt
the media business and newspapers and magazines that tried to control and monetize
it were going to find themselves on shifting ground…he was right. Thanks to
free content on the internet, newspapers and print magazines around the world
have been reluctantly closing down their presses with a swiftness that would
make Gutenberg roll over in his grave. Jarvis told us (speakers) that youtube,
Google+Hangout, and crowd sourced formats are going to replace the traditional
speaker model and if we did not find new ways to communicate our content then
we run the risk of becoming obsolete. I 43% agree with his line of thinking. If
you paint all professional speakers as simply distributors of content then yes,
there are multiple ways to receive information. Our audiences are now
participating in the conversation and are more informed than ever before which
requires speakers to remain current and relevant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do, however, believe that good professional speakers don’t
just communicate content, we PERFORM content. As a professional speaker, I am
responsible for not only delivering my message but also delivering an
experience. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a humorist so there are no
huge gasps of awe as I blow peoples minds with new information, but even the
"content speakers" Like Gary Vaynerchuk, Peter Sheahan, Jeffrey
Gitomer and yes Jeff Jarvis help create a live experience with charisma,
talent, skill and PERFORMANCE that will never be replaced by google+hangout or
youtube. The economy is still bad! we get it! conventions have been hit hard
because it is expensive to make one happen when people are being forced to
choose where to invest time and resources. This has created an opportunity to
receive content from other sources BUT I believe that this is a distant second
to being a part of a gathering with a charismatic professional speaker at the
helm. I'd much rather hear the Eagles live than on my iphone wouldn’t you? So
YES, I agree that like the newspaper and magazine business, the speaking
industry is in a state of disruption. Yes, some of the speaker herd will fall
to the wolves, but I also believe that as long as people gather in person to
learn, share ideas, and eat Marriott chicken, there will be a need for a
brilliant professional speaker to lead the conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-11815259158510226712012-07-30T13:54:00.000-07:002012-07-31T04:44:05.700-07:00<br />
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SELLING THE
EXPERIENCE</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja90oXVSm96ITEWZjHl3ROQFeKVPsOfu0AOmSceosRbK6Gs32INqbLj99LA4TWMolnn98hCt4tax7LExGXqMfst7HnFMaJIz0wQcj7up-OccjC-SIqhR6t6q9fGwAkLSDZ__eEblNNOzM/s1600/Van-Gogh-PBandJ-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja90oXVSm96ITEWZjHl3ROQFeKVPsOfu0AOmSceosRbK6Gs32INqbLj99LA4TWMolnn98hCt4tax7LExGXqMfst7HnFMaJIz0wQcj7up-OccjC-SIqhR6t6q9fGwAkLSDZ__eEblNNOzM/s320/Van-Gogh-PBandJ-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>I was coming to the end of a long Honey-do list which had me
standing in the liquor store staring at bottles of Skinny Girl Vodka. My wife
is a teacher so during the school year we rarely drink alcohol but since it was
summer, we’ve resurrected the age old tradition of five o’clock happy hour. I was trying to remember
which flavor I was supposed to pick up when a friendly gentleman named Van Poteet approached me. I don’t
know how long Van has worked at the ABC store, but this was the first time I’d
met him. I was taken a little off guard by his smile and casual manner
especially since I’ve rarely seen an ABC employee anywhere other than behind
the counter ringing up sales. Van asked me “whatcha drinking tonight?”. I told
him that my wife wanted to make some kind of cocktail that involved Skinny Girl
Vodka. “Have you ever tried a King?” Van asked. I had no idea what a King was,
but Van got so excited telling me about this new drink that I got caught up in
his enthusiasm. A King was basically an ounce of Bannana Liqueur and and ounce
and a half of PB&J Vodka. You read correctly…Peanut Butter and Jelly Vodka.
Van began to share with me three different variations of the drink and
convinced me that I would be missing the most amazing cocktail in the modern world if I left the ABC store without
the ingredients for “the King”. I
walked into the ABC store for a $15.00 bottle of Vodka and walked out with
$65.00 worth of cheer. Unlike most the the ABC liquor store employees across the country,
Van Poteet does not sell liquor. Van Poteet sells experiences. He sells
cocktail hours, wedding toasts, libations, celebrations, and intimate
evenings. As I reflect on my
experience with an objective frame of reference, I imagine that Van was told to
“push the new PB&J Vodka”. Had he simply asked me to consider the new
Vodka, I would have politely declined, but Van knows that people buy for two
reasons; the desire for gain or the fear of loss. Van made me feel that if I
left without buying what he suggested, I would be missing out on a terrific
experience. Van reinforced, for me, a few simple truths about sales.</div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SELL THE
OUTCOME.</b> The PB&J Vodka was simply the means to achieve that outcome.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CONNECT WITH EMOTION. </b>Van made me want
to buy because of his enthusiasm. I wanted to be a part of what made him so
excited. When you truly believe in your product, your enthusiasm will be your
best wingman.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KNOW YOUR PRODUCT. </b>Van was so convinced
that I would enjoy what he was selling that he gave step by step directions as
to how to best use it. One of the 5 traction points for a killer customer
experience is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">convenience. </b>By making
it easy for someone to use your product or do business with you, you create a
buying atmosphere.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-68610253529663670422012-07-26T09:40:00.000-07:002012-07-26T10:58:35.323-07:00LAZY LEADERSHIP<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPjB40qU_RtGfS5Xe09tpLBWMoXe7eGMdZOHO4LcjW58fQOhOvJyRn2Nqa4grfSCmDjZ1AvVJHBlnts7lJSqKBTEjhOpM39uYG1zNAnVUU3FhuuOKe3OI7_QgoTGvZMx2Rb5OZ8hsXV8/s1600/HomepageConvBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPjB40qU_RtGfS5Xe09tpLBWMoXe7eGMdZOHO4LcjW58fQOhOvJyRn2Nqa4grfSCmDjZ1AvVJHBlnts7lJSqKBTEjhOpM39uYG1zNAnVUU3FhuuOKe3OI7_QgoTGvZMx2Rb5OZ8hsXV8/s400/HomepageConvBanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It’s finally over. After three years of planning,
organizing, creating and agonizing as the convention chair of the 2012 National
Speakers Association convention in Indianapolis this summer, I’m officially old
news. My synapses are once again beginning to fire steady, my world is coming
back into focus, and now I reflect. The convention was a huge success and
although I’d love to take credit for the entire event, I can’t…or can I?</div>
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<br /></div>
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For ten years I was a professional musician and songwriter
in Nashville, Tennessee. Incidentally, I learned more about leadership,
management, HR, sales, and psychology by being the front man of a band than in any
class I ever took at the University of Southern Mississippi. The most important
lesson that I learned is that the best leaders are lazy. Let me explain. We’ve
all read in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i>
about how Tom coerced his friends
into cheerfully white washing the fence that he was supposed to paint while he
relaxed in the shade. Tom would rather be lazy than do the work himself. Did
that make him a bad leader? No Way! I planned a successful convention that was
attended by over 1000 professional speakers from 14 different countries. It has
been receiving rave reviews, and just as I did when I was the front man in a
band, I learned two things from my experience as convention chair. 1. I like
being in charge, and 2. You can get other people to cheerfully do the work for
you… if you know how. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FIVE WAYS TO BECOME A
LAZY LEADER:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1 GET THE RIGHT
PEOPLE.</b> I am right brained. I
am creative, vision driven, and focused on the big picture. I surround myself
with people who live in the details and enjoy logistics. A “LAZY” leader will
compliment their weaknesses with the strengths of others.</div>
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<br /></div>
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2. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">COMMUNICATE VISION</b>.
When I fronted a band, I would never tell the other musicians what to play. I
selected the song, tempo, and feel, but when it came to their instrument, I let
them be the expert. As the NSA convention
chair I took the same approach. I specifically communicated the outcomes that I
wanted but then let the speaker or session host reach them in their unique way.
This allowed the meeting to have texture and variety.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">3. CREATE “SHINE” OPPORTUNITIES</b>.
A great band leader will let each band member take a solo and give them the
opportunity to be in the spot light and receive applause. Incidentally, the
best music happens during the solo. A “Lazy Leader” will create vision but then
appoint quality people to carry it out. By observing but not micromanaging
their efforts, they will be free to add their flavor and take credit for their
contribution. As the NSA convention chair I gave my team an opportunity to be
on stage more than I was. This rewarded their efforts with publicity.</div>
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<br /></div>
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4. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PRAISE OFTEN. </b> It never fails to amaze me what a
powerful motivator recognition is. No matter how successful, wealthy, or
accomplished a person is, we all crave an “atta-boy” from time to time. When
you make habits out of delivering honest, consistent recognition and praise,
you will create a team of confident, happy, employees who strive for
excellence.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BE NICE. </b>I
believe that people are more productive when working with nice people . I
believe civility is good for business. When you are nice to people, you create
loyalty. Loyalty fosters commitment. Commitment is the basis for a culture of
excellence.</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-74629303663890064392012-06-13T12:24:00.001-07:002012-06-17T10:25:01.093-07:00TOFU WRAPPED BACON...BE THE BRAND<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Clean Comedian for
corporate, government, or personal events. Contact me for rates and
availability.”</i> That’s what the post said on the professional speakers and
entertainers group that I am a part of on Linkedin. I was intrigued, not
because I am looking for a corporate comic, but because I wanted to see the
face of the person who would break etiquette and blatantly advertise </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRNqqd6lQM9PaNodtx7vezjburSkdfjhuwueM4eZ2yUigvkRu8X8ljFMayssiIejBhyOWhbRd7BrYhBkshaWJQvXlYkL-sDdapGbZtVrvXr2oS_-IdBvKYzgYgoFHdKsp985bDLExD_o/s1600/tofuwrapped+bacon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRNqqd6lQM9PaNodtx7vezjburSkdfjhuwueM4eZ2yUigvkRu8X8ljFMayssiIejBhyOWhbRd7BrYhBkshaWJQvXlYkL-sDdapGbZtVrvXr2oS_-IdBvKYzgYgoFHdKsp985bDLExD_o/s200/tofuwrapped+bacon.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bacon wrapped tofu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
on
Linkedin. I googled the name and found a youtube clip of a comedy show that he
did a couple of years ago. “Clean Comedian” is how this person branded himself
and 28 seconds into his act, he dropped the F Bomb. THE F BOMB! Now don’t get
me wrong, I am not easily offended by profanity as long as it’s not around my
kids, but I AM offended by a misleading branding statement. If you say your
book is a best seller, you'd better not mean within your mother’s bible study. If
you say you are the toughest man in the world, there had better be a line of broken
and battered bodies littering your wake, and if you say you are a clean
comedian then you’d better not drop the F bomb. If I were to have a conversation with this gentleman
and express my opinion he would probably tell me that he modifies his language
based on the event, or he may just tell me to ‘F’ OFF. I would then tell him “you
can’t call yourself a vegeterian and have your tofu wrapped in bacon”. Unlike in
years past, we no longer have control over our brand. Major companies such as
Nike, Apple, and McDonalds spend millions of dollars on creating a branding statement which is nothing more than
four or five words that come to mind when you hear a product name. Nike=swoosh,
sports, running, football. Apple= Mac, sleek, fast, elite. McDonalds = easy,
tasty, kids, cheap. For years, corporations were able to control their brand
with advertisments and commercials. This is no longer the case. Thanks to
social media and youtube, the control of our brand has transferred to the consumer.
If I receive bad customer service, I tell my online community. If I do it in a
funny or interesting way then it will ripple into their communities. Videos of
me speaking and performing are all over Youtube and Vimeo. Some were put up by
me and some by others. Because the internet provides immediate access into our
brand, there is a transparency between us and the customer that has never
before existed. The best way for
us to promote and protect our brand is to simply…BE THE BRAND. </div>
Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-54571578532755751842012-06-06T07:34:00.000-07:002012-06-07T03:14:07.882-07:00CREATING PROFITABLE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH...INCLUSION<br />
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<br /></div>
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The sense of belonging is one of the most basic human needs.
If you took freshman psychology in college, you learned about behavioral
psychologist Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs Pyramid. In Maslows 1943
paper, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A theory of human motivation, </i>he
identified the five areas of human needs. The first area is made up of physiological needs such as
breathing, food, water, and sex. (It’s a need. It’s science. Guys win.) These
needs must be satisfied before you can progress to the next level which involves safety needs such as shelter, job security, not being eaten by a
bear. Then comes love and belonging followed by self esteem needs and self
actualization. The need for
belonging is a powerful influence for healthy and profitable relationships
whether they are with the customer, coworkers or team. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkxqGguLdfFewVxlp1ro9guiEOfNmefYGqahlGhMftyhOzZnq4FyKURyhmt-I1-ZkpvJvHsuy7wSQwtCcr1ibzSja1lA15ofK8lFyvbbYTUWdJw00jAhGoECIA0Dp8FeKOg_RLKxIlYU/s1600/p-17037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTkxqGguLdfFewVxlp1ro9guiEOfNmefYGqahlGhMftyhOzZnq4FyKURyhmt-I1-ZkpvJvHsuy7wSQwtCcr1ibzSja1lA15ofK8lFyvbbYTUWdJw00jAhGoECIA0Dp8FeKOg_RLKxIlYU/s200/p-17037.jpg" width="152" /></a>Not long after I moved to Nashville in the mid-nineties, I
met a group of guys that I started hitting the town with. Back in those days I
had a flat stomach, a tolerance for Jack Daniels, and a tendency to see dawn as
he end of an evening. Now my six pack has turned into a one pack, the smell of
Jack Daniels makes me queasy, and dawn is often the backdrop for my second cup of
coffee. We were all aspiring artists, musicians, songwriters or studio
engineers which meant we were broke. One guy in our group worked for RCA
records…in the mail room. I used to wonder what an intelligent, college
educated, ambitious guy like him was doing working for nine bucks an hour in
the mailroom of a record label. I finally understood one night when we all went
to a downtown Nashville night club. At RCA records, all of the employees
received an RCA jacket. They looked like high school letterman jackets with the
RCA logo on the back. When we walked into the club that night and people saw
his jacket, you would have thought royalty had entered the room. Keep in mind
that 80% of the people in the bar were trying to make it in the music business
and as far as they were concerned, he could make their dreams come true.
Beautiful women were brushing past me to brush against my friend. Guys were
buying him drinks and bartenders were passing him their demos. I then
understood why a college educated, intelligent, ambitious young guy would work in
the RCA mail room for 9 bucks an hour. He wasn’t working for nine bucks an hour. He was working for the jacket. RCA had created a sense of belonging among
their employees that encompassed everyone from the C-suite to the mail room.
They were a part of something bigger than themselves and it created an
atmosphere of inclusion that translated into job satisfaction that was not predicated
by salary. People want to do business with people who enjoy their job. They are
happier, friendlier, more helpful, and nicer.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -63.0pt;">
It reminds me of the old story of a man walking with his young son past
a construction <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -63.0pt;">
site. An old brick mason was mixing mortar and laying bricks along a
bare foundation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -63.0pt;">
The young boy asked his father “what is that man doing?” The father
replied “He is a brick mason.</div>
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He is mixing mortar and laying bricks”. Overhearing
the conversation, the old man walked over and said </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -63.0pt;">
“I am not just laying
bricks.” “What are you doing then?” asked the little boy. The old man proudly
replied “I am building a beautiful cathedral”. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -63.0pt;">
It is so easy to define our job by the tasks we do, but when
people are made to feel a part of something greater than themselves it creates
a sense of belonging. When you create a culture of belonging then employees not only have more fun at work, they take
ownership in the performance of the team.
Have you ever heard an orchestra warm up? It sounds horrible. That is
because the focus of the musician is on the task of playing their instrument. It
is only when the group focuses on their instruments with the outcome in mind is
music created. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -63.0pt;">
What song is your team playing? What is your cathedral? Creating a sense belonging is about communicating outcome and including the team in the process.</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-10425324455440252662012-05-08T12:36:00.000-07:002012-06-07T03:14:57.453-07:00CREATING PROFITABLE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH...CONTEXT<br />
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In 2004 my world changed. It was altered, not because of events or circumstances, but
because of context. I became a husband in 2004. I became a father in 2004, then
again in 2005, and once more in 2008. Finally my wife told me that if I wanted
another child I would have to do it with my next wife. Up until 2004 my
identity existed on the basis of accomplishment, achievement, or circumstance. I suddenly found myself with an identity predicated by something
different…context. My friend and
fellow professional speaker John Crudele summed up the true meaning of context for me. He told me that the moon is only the
moon because of the Earth. Its
relationship to the earth is what frames its identity. He said without context and mutual attraction, it is just a
rock floating in space. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgyMV7U7aMfUnUZquU7UZ2oO2kZR83mU5jptUxNxADwVhR28AE2-KiksM3J6slREw4vt7ARD2vVLCGY-PJjF5RpA3PNj3JCGoO9uVtAY1mZCSukHLGYSOYxVZJcXYIgwSb81wmH-5VWU/s1600/moonearth_580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgyMV7U7aMfUnUZquU7UZ2oO2kZR83mU5jptUxNxADwVhR28AE2-KiksM3J6slREw4vt7ARD2vVLCGY-PJjF5RpA3PNj3JCGoO9uVtAY1mZCSukHLGYSOYxVZJcXYIgwSb81wmH-5VWU/s320/moonearth_580.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a husband and father, not because of me or what I've done, but rather because of my relationship to my wife and kids. Just like our identity as a family member is determined by the relationship to the rest of the family, so is the identity of our customers. Our customers are not our customers because we
exist. We are who we are because our customers exist. As a professional speaker
and writer, I only maintain that identity if I have an audience. If not, I am
just another opininated big mouth looking at an empty calendar on the wall of
my office. I am a humorist. I believe that funny is funner so I try to
incorporate humor into everything I do. I was once asked during an interview
“what is the difference between a comedian and a humorist?” I thought for a
minute about all of the humorists that I know and gave the most honest answer I
could even though many comedians would disagree. I said that most comedians believe the audience is there for
them. As a humorist, I am there for my audience. When you treat your customers
as if your existence depends on them, you will be nicer, more efficient, more
transparent, and just plain better than if you operate as if your customers
need you. When your customer relationship is based on mutual attraction and
context, you decommoditize your position in your industry and become the brand.</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-25160720209079232702012-05-03T05:56:00.002-07:002012-05-03T05:56:44.596-07:00CREATING PROFITABLE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH ACCOUNTABILITY<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I was recently at an event in Charlotte
where I had the chance to meet a man who had made his career
working in the cutthroat world of New York newspaper and magazine
publishing. We were talking about the slow bleeding death of hard copy
magazines and I told him that before she gave it up, they would have to pry <i>US
Weekly Magazine</i> out of my wife’s cold, dead, fingers. He smiled and told me
that he was the original editor of US Weekly. I was in the presence of
celebrity gossip royalty. I couldn’t wait to tell my wife. We talked about
journalism and the impact that blogs, social media, and wireless devices have
had on the dessimination news and public perception. The good news is that
thanks to Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook, we can receive information as it
occurs. We followed the World Cup, the Arab Spring Revolution, and Lindsey
Lohan’s latest stumble in real time. What can possibly be wrong with that?
Accountability. He told me “Patrick, as a journalist, I am bound by rules.
Sources must be vetted, information must be validated, opinions are not fact,
and wikipedia is not a wellspring of truth. Bloggers, tweeters, and paparazzi
are not bound by the same rules of journalism and ethics that I cut my teeth
on.</span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Without accountability, we are doomed
to developing a world view based on versions of the truth or outright
falsehoods. There is a great line from the 1993 movie Jurassic Park where Jeff
Goldblum’s character, Dr. Ian Malcolm is confronting billionaire John Hammond.
He said “<i>I’ll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you’re
using here. It didn’t acquire any discipline to attain it. You read what others
have done and you took the next step. You didn’t earn the knowledge for
yourself so therefore you don’t take any responsibility for it.” </i></span><span style="font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 48.0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Like good journalism, creating
profitable and productive relationships demands accountability. Those
relationships are predicated on two fundamental elements…liking and trust.
If your customers, teammates, or employees don’t feel that you are
accountable for your actions and responsible for the outcomes you produce, then
there can be no trust. Would you do business with someone you don't trust? I wouldn't.
If you are a leader who doesn’t walk the talk, how can you expect your
employees to cheerfully fulfill their responsibilities? If you are more
concerned with closing a sale than providing value, how can you expect your
customers to sing your praises? Build trust…build relationships…build profits.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-41450042234819127602012-03-20T05:55:00.005-07:002012-03-20T10:58:11.813-07:00Social Media Is For The Dogs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnMcgDwunmTlytlLKCuYidPnbka4LFkMPCnKQfwUxmU-UzVEaCJgZZagltZHSgva7LV13ksaTzKmx7lDiREHjrSmiGfD5Z18b_A3dFQ3hkUNzwY9_LmKV_7-7ZQge2OszCup03zsgUNM/s1600/dog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnMcgDwunmTlytlLKCuYidPnbka4LFkMPCnKQfwUxmU-UzVEaCJgZZagltZHSgva7LV13ksaTzKmx7lDiREHjrSmiGfD5Z18b_A3dFQ3hkUNzwY9_LmKV_7-7ZQge2OszCup03zsgUNM/s400/dog.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span">I finally get social media. No, I didn’t just acquire 500 linkedin connections, or get my twitter account up and running. Like 3/4ths of the human population, I have been a user of social media for years. It is only now that I finally get it. Like most facebook users over thirty, I segment my friends into those I went to high school with, college buddies, professional acquaintances</span><span class="Apple-style-span">, local friends, and cyber hookers with 46 friends who slip through the cracks undetected. I usually post witty remarks, photos, or videos about my life, business, kids, accomplishments, or challenges. I send it out into the universe hoping that my thousands of friends find me as interesting as I do. I am all things to all people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"> Yesterday I had a pure social media experience that gave me my AHA! Moment. My three year old was standing at the door yelling goggy, goggy. I was working in my office placating her with “that’s right dear, doggy, good doggy”. She became more animated so I got up and walked to the glass door. She was nose to nose with a black, wolfish looking dog that had wandered onto our porch. It turned out that the dog was very friendly, very thirsty, and very lost. Its tag had fallen off, so after giving it water and explaining to my daughter why we don’t put our face next to strange dogs, I took a picture with my Iphone and posted on my facebook page. My post simply said “lost dog. If you live in Burlington and recognize this dog, get in touch…before my kids get too attached”. Within ½ hour, the dog was back home safe and sound with its grateful owners thanks to one of my facebook peeps who live next door to them. I now realize that this is what social media is all about. It is certainly what the 25 year old twitter users with 150,000 followers have understood from the start. Social media is about more than connection, it is about connecting on common ground. It is about having a conversation with like minded souls on a specific topic. Did my 1500 plus facebook friends who do not live in my town respond to my post? No! because I wasn’t talking to them and they knew it. Most of us are like the guy on the off ramp with the sign that says “will work for food…God bless”. His message is generic and displayed without purpose. Thousands pass him daily with little interest in his message. When we start joining conversations based on topic, geography, ideology, brand loyalty etc., we can then make connections with individuals on a personal level. They will buy our products, align with our beliefs, and drink our kool-aid. By the way, if you happen to pay someone to tweet, post, or manage your social media, you have missed the point. In order to effectively use social media, you must be authentic and be willing to participate in a conversation. If you are the only one who is doing the talking, you are talking to yourself.</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-66645783210358032962012-03-06T12:18:00.005-08:002012-03-07T11:20:56.044-08:00Is your phone menu screwing you?I finally have it. The idea that will make me my first million. A pad that affixes to the side of my computer screen that I can punch repeatedly when I encounter an idiot by phone, web, or mail. It would not only be a great stress reliever, but a wonderful way to protect my computer screen.<br />
I would have punched it into tatters today after my dealings with a cd manufacturer that I was hoping to use to make my next batch of cds. Poor price point? nope, bad attitude by the sales rep? nope, inferior product? nope. What, you ask, could have set you off and down the road to senseless violence?... a crappy phone menu. We have all trudged through the maze of press 1 for accounting, press 2 for sales, press 3 for I am pissing my customers off by wasting their time with this attempt to avoid serving them with a live person, but this one takes the "Press 4 for cake". It took me over two minutes to finally reach the menu option that allowed me to enter the name of the person with whom I needed to speak, and only after I was given the number for maintenance. So what's the point? I teach that one of the 5 traction points in an effective customer relationship is empathy. Customers want their supplier to identify with their pains, problems, concerns or fears. This traction point can be avoided altogether if companies would stop causing the pain before the transaction even takes place.<br />
Like most married men with children, I look for opportunities to take a vacation with my wife AWAY from the kids. Do I need to explain? Ironically, it was a couple of those "little vacations" that were responsible for the kids in the first place. Those opportunities don't happen as often as we would like, so we take them when we can. Like most married men who are slipping away for a weekend with his wife, I like to set myself up for success. I make a reservation at a nice restaurant and hotel. I may even have a bottle of champagne chilling in the room when we arrive. Flowers always set the tone for a lovely evening. My chances for success would be significantly diminished, however, if I called ahead to the hotel and had housekeeping mess up the bed, throw a wet towel on the bathroom floor and scatter the room with my dirty underwear. "Oh, while you're at it housekeeping, use the toilet and don't flush". <br />
When you set the tone for a customer interaction with a drawn out phone menu, uncomfortable waiting rooms, unclean facility, or laborious administrative processes, you are defying one of the most basic traction points for an extraordinary customer relationship, CONVENIENCE. Stop making it hard for me to give you my money. If you want to understand how your customers feel when doing business with you, call your own voicemail, or phone system. Mystery shop your business and you will discover what it is like to do business with you. Walk a mile in your customers shoes.Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-69362174979564601962011-10-09T10:43:00.001-07:002012-05-06T10:14:54.831-07:00Daddy BillyPatrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-10400836668020166092011-09-22T06:43:00.000-07:002011-09-22T10:20:24.856-07:00Painting HiSTORY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9SrMQej0Ily-ezAWKst3vF1IK9iTXtTqxEsHJMELlkMBpl_WJwu16pvC5zjJe0u2aOjAiDawFWDhkFjoV7KecnkyZz8V5YCMhu2NTytPUTB5rms_Y95bAxPbfwuQFQQYdEKoShFTCE0/s1600/IMG_0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9SrMQej0Ily-ezAWKst3vF1IK9iTXtTqxEsHJMELlkMBpl_WJwu16pvC5zjJe0u2aOjAiDawFWDhkFjoV7KecnkyZz8V5YCMhu2NTytPUTB5rms_Y95bAxPbfwuQFQQYdEKoShFTCE0/s320/IMG_0084.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Staring at the painting of the two Japanese women hanging in my mother’s house, I realize that I have stared at that picture my whole life. I first remember it on a wall in my grandparents’ house beside the upright piano that my grandfather loved to play, especially after a scotch on the rocks had loosened his fingers. Surrounded by southwestern art, a shadow box of arrow heads, and a painting of a running mule deer, I didn’t understand how out of place the painting of the two Japanese women was. I just knew that it was always there and had come to represent the dependable, unchanging, stability that tends to only be found at your grandparents’ house. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As a child, I always knew that my grandfather had fought in World War II, but his service had been somewhat marginalized in my young mind by what I saw in old movies and what little he told me about his experience. To me, WWII was a bunch of white guys wearing green or khaki uniforms with shirts tucked in and hair perfectly combed with a part down the side. I also presumed that most of it was fought in black and white. Like my hundreds of plastic army men, no-one actually got hurt and everyone got to go home for dinner. It wasn’t until I had left my teenage years behind that I actually learned the truth about World War II and the truth about the painting.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you study the painting in my mothers house, you may think it is good. You may even think it is really good despite the simplicity of the subjects. How much would you pay for a good painting? two hundred dollars, five hundred dollars, a thousand dollars? If you were to compare it to a similar painting, you may decide that it doesn’t measure up. You may even begin to notice the rudimentary flaws in the design, the unproportioned features of the subjects, and perhaps the fallability of the artist. You may decide that it isn’t worth a lot of money until you hear, as Paul Harvey used to say,”the rest of the story”.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My Grandfather was an engineer in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He built runways and buildings on Okinawa. One of his responsibilities was to oversee Japanese POWs. We have all heard the horror stories of how the American POWs in the South Pacific were treated. I’ve learned that, as a whole, Americans were much kinder and humane to POWs than their Japanese counterparts and my grandfather was no different. Although efficient and strict, he treated the POWs he supervised with kindness and respect. He allowed no ill treatment on his watch. As a matter of fact, because of the humane treatment that the Japanese POWs received under my grandfather, they viewed him with respect. I was told that the Japanese soldiers would put on theatrical productions and invite him and his officers to attend. They would clear the front row to provide them a place to sit. When my grandfather was due to return to the States, he bid farewell to many of the Japanese POWs that he had come to know, and in some cases like. It was then that he was unexpectedly presented with a gift.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You may look at the painting of the two Japanese women hanging on the wall in my mothers house and think it is good. You may even decide you would pay two hundred dollars, five hundred or even a thousand dollars for such a painting. The value of the painting, however, may change in your mind if you knew that in 1945, a Japanese prisoner of war painted two Japanese women on a United States Army issued bed sheet using paints that he made with materials that he found in and around an Okinawan POW camp. He would then present the painting to my grandfather as a token of appreciation for the kindness bestowed upon he and his comrades by their captor. How about now? A million dollars, two million? How much would someone pay for a painting with the history of the one on my mother’s wall ? That is a question that will never be answered because the painting will never be sold. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Value is in the eye of the buyer. Long term relationships are created when value is provided. We routinely pay $4.00 for a cup of Starbucks Coffee, not because it tastes better than the coffee sold in the gas station or at McDonalds, but rather because of the context in which it is delivered. Why do people pay hundreds of dollars more for front row seats at a Broadway show or rock concert? CONTEXT! Creating an extraordinary customer experience is not simply about providing quality goods and services. It is about providing those goods and services within the context of:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FRIENDSHIP</b>- People will buy from friends first.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TRUST</b>- When your goal is to provide value rather than simply closing a sale then you establish trust.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CONVENIENCE</b>- Is it easy to do business with you? your customers will tell you.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">4.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">EMPATHY</b>- People want to buy from those who genuinely care about their challenges and problems. When you care, you become a guide to the solution.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whether you are in sales, management, education or an entrepreneur, the product, service, or message that we provide, is only as powerful as the person behind the product and the context in which it is delivered.</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-60593679863709050372011-09-12T10:19:00.000-07:002011-09-12T10:22:15.614-07:00HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">CHAPTER 8.</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">POSITIONING<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Where you stand during your speech is a non-verbal communication between you and the audience that can make or break you as a speaker. We have all seen a speaker planted behind the lectern holding on for dear life. Sometimes standing behind the lectern is appropriate, especially if there is a fixed microphone, but I like to move. I have seen powerful speeches given by speakers standing behind a lectern, but if you are going to do that then you must engage with other forms of nonverbal communication. Eye contact, acknowledgement of individuals or small groups, emotion, pauses, etc will enhance your presence and your connection with the audience. If you have some flexibility as to where you stand, you must avoid certain mistakes such as pacing. Pacing is a natural nervous motion unconsciously employed by many amateur speakers. The best way to counter pacing is by planting and moving with purpose. When you begin your speech, do so from a power position, planted in front of the room. Don’t move unessesarily. The best time to move is when you finish a thought. Walk to another point in the room or on the stage and plant your feet. This is called moving with purpose. When you have no clear intent regarding your movement, the audience becomes distracted and uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">TALKING TIP: </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PRACTICE MOVING WITH PURPOSE IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU PRACTICE YOUR VERBAL DELIVERY.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">DO THIS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span>WRITE WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO YOUR SCRIPT. EVEN IF YOU DON’T STICK TO IT, IT’S A BLUEPRINT THAT WILL HELP.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><br />
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</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-61282107969297579652011-08-16T11:29:00.000-07:002011-08-16T11:29:45.557-07:00HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES SERIES <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">CHAPTER 7.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">EYE CONTACT<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A speech is a conversation between you and the audience. It may last 5 minutes or 50 minutes, so you don’t want to lose them. Many of the same elements of a one on one conversation also apply to giving a speech. Eye contact is crucial. You may have heard to focus on a dot on the back wall if you are nervous…HA! What a load of crap. You fool no one by doing that and inevitably, someone in the audience will turn around to see at what you are looking. “Picture your audience naked”. Ever heard that one? I think it is a great idea to picture your audience naked, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but it won’t help you give a better speech. I have found that the best way to engage an audience is by making one on one eye contact with individuals or small groups within the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you speak to individuals, you are forcing them to focus and respond to what you are saying even if that response is a nod or smile. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I was watching the Country Music Awards show years ago and Garth Brooks was receiving the award for entertainer of the year. Garth steps up to the microphone hat in hand and begins to say a few words. From the balcony a fan yells “I love you Garth”. Garth Brooks looked up to the balcony and said “I love you too”. The whole balcony erupted in cheers. Why? Because when he focused on that section of the room in a meaningful way, he made the entire balcony feel included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was an aha moment for me that has been reinforced over the years as a speaker. There are two entities in the room, you and the audience. When you engage individuals or small sections of the room with a meaningful interaction, you are creating a intimate connection with the audience that will pull them on your side. It is much easier to speak in front of friends. <o:p></o:p></span></div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-29081330238401382722011-08-08T08:16:00.000-07:002011-08-08T08:16:43.684-07:00HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES SERIES <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 20.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">SECTION 2. DELIVERY<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">THE OPENING</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">I mentioned in a previous post the importance of the opening line. How it is delivered is equally important. You make an impression on the audience from the moment you are introduced until your first words. You have thirty seconds to make it a good one. The most dreaded sound to amateur speakers is silence and many miss the opportunity to connect with the audience because they quickly fill it to the detriment of the speech. Masterful speakers will use silence to create a connection with the audience. No other time in the speech is this connection more important than at the beginning. Nothing feels more awkward than standing before an audience saying nothing, but you are communicating with them none-the-less. You are saying “listen to me, I am in charge, what I have to say is important”. When you hit the stage, plant your feet, make eye contact, (smile) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PAUSE</b>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you fill the room with silence, you are creating palatable anticipation of your first words which is why they have to kick butt! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">TALKING TIP: PAUSE RIGHT UP UNTIL THE MOMENT IT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE THEN BEGIN WITH A CLEARLY SPOKEN OPENING LINE.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-17923454381391549902011-07-18T08:09:00.000-07:002011-07-18T08:13:37.361-07:00SPEECH SERIES PART 5<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">CHAPTER 5.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">To Script Or Not To Script<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>I have had more than one person tell me that they don’t like to prepare a speech, they’d rather just wing it. When I hear that I immediately think that they are over-confident , amateurish, and getting ready to crash and burn. More importantly, I believe that they are missing a huge opportunity to connect with their audience. You may get lucky in front of a group of friends from time to time by delivering off the cuff, but 9 times out of 10 you will suck! John Wooden’s line “ the failure to prepare is preparing to fail” is absolute gospel when creating and delivering a freaking amazing speech. I am a huge propent of scripting. This is where some people disagree with me so read what I have to say and decide for yourself. Scripting your comments will allow you to craft exactly what you want to say and how you want to say it. You may say “Patrick, I don’t want to come across as scripted”. Great point! Then don’t read your speech! There is nothing worse than someone who reads a speech from behind a lectern. I was having a conversation with a fellow professional speaker named Warren Greshes. Warren teaches selling skills and we were talking about how to engage clients on the phone. Warren said “Patrick, give me the first line of your phone pitch”. I told him that I didn’t have a first line. “Why not?” he asked. I told him that I didn’t want to sound scripted. He then asked me if I had ever been to a Broadway show in New York city. I told him that I had seen a couple of shows on a recent visit and He said “Patrick, did the actors do a good job?” “Of course Warren, they are the best”, “Did they sound scripted?” “Of course not”. “Patrick, do you think that Broadway actors wing it or do you think that they work from a script?”. I said that they work from a script. “Why don’t they sound scripted?...BECAUSE THEY PRACTICE !” Most amateur speakers script out their speech, but they go no further. When they get up in front of the room, it is obvious that they are reading a speech. When I deliver a speech, you will hear many of the same stories. I have practiced these stories so many times that even the inflections on certain words are the same from speech to speech. After you script your remarks…PRACTICE! The key here is not to just memorize words, but learn your speech. There is a difference. Once you learn your stories, then you will have the confidence that makes a good speaker a great one, and if you veer off script, you can find your way back. Former Auburn football coach Pat Dye used to say “practice doesn’t make perfect, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">perfect</b> practice makes perfect”. I realize that this is a Vince Lombardi quote but my blood runs orange and blue so as far as I’m concerned it’s a Pat Dye quote. PRACTICE!!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">DO THIS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">SCRIPT FIRST<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">LEARN WORDS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">PRACTICE DELIVERY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">TALKING TIP</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">: DON’T BRING UP A SCRIPT OF YOUR SPEECH TO THE STAGE. IF YOU NEED NOTES, USE BULLET POINTS AND KEYWORDS TO REMIND YOU OF WHAT COMES NEXT. BY THE WAY, 90% OF PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PODIUM AND A LECTERN. YOU STAND ON A PODIUM AND SPEAK FROM BEHIND A LECTERN. <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-58798915198391697652011-07-06T05:56:00.000-07:002011-07-06T05:56:18.382-07:00SPEECH SERIES PART 4<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS</span></div><br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">CHAPTER 4. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The Call To Action<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A call to action is a polite way to tell the audience to get off of their butt and DO SOMETHING! It is also a wonderful way to create relevance and a final connection with those in the room. In my speech, I tell the story about when my father died. It is a sad story with a lot of emotion. I tell the story of how my father told his children how much he loved them every day. People connect with that story because they see their relationship with their own parents in the imagery. At the end of the story, I tell them to not let another day pass without telling their kids how much they love them or avoid missing an opportunity to tell their friends, family and coworkers how much they are appreciated and valued. The whole point of the story is for the audience to take the lesson that I learned through a difficult experience and use it to create a positive experience in their lives. A call to action is important if you want your audience to do something. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Please vote for me next Tuesday”, “Take what I showed you today and write down a plan of action”, “put all of your money into the offering plate”</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Circumstances will dictate how focused your call to action is. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">DO THIS: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THIS SPEECH REQUIRES AN ACTIONABLE RESPONSE ON THE AUDIENCES PART.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO DO IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR SPEECH.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO DO TWO WEEKS AFTERWARDS.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><!--EndFragment-->Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-69676278600436669972011-06-29T07:55:00.000-07:002011-06-29T07:58:10.723-07:00SPEECH SERIES PART 3<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS</span></span></div><br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">CHAPTER 3.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Opening Line<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, “Call me Ishmael”, “It was a dark and stormy night</i>”-these are all opening lines from great novels. The importance of the first line of a novel is paramount in setting the tone for the book. A great opening line will instantly engage and grip the imagination of the reader and the same is true for a great speech although most speakers screw it up and miss the opportunity. There are a number of different ways to begin your speech, but first let’s discuss what NOT to do. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T </b>start with a famous quote<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. “As John F. Kennedy once said, ask not what your country…or Webster’s dictionary defines love as….”</i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>Every junior high school student who has to give a speech in class does this. Is it wrong? NO. Is it common? YES. Be original. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T </b>tell the audience how happy you are to be there. Some will disagree with me on this, but I am right. Who cares if you are happy to be there? It is a fluff line so don’t start that way. If you must tell them how honored you are, save it for the end. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T </b>start off with a joke. Notice that I didn’t say don’t be funny. Funny is good, funny is smart, funny is actually expected in many cases. Many speakers will start off with a joke and destroy the opportunity of making a positive impact on the audience. They will either tell a joke that they got off of the internet that has been heard before, they will tell a joke that is offensive to some or all of the audience, or they just stink at telling jokes. If you are naturally funny then tell me a funny story or experience especially if it is relevant to the event. It is much safer and it is authentically you. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DON’T</b> tap the mic and ask if it is on. That is a nervous action that screams amateur. Of course the mic is on. If for some reason it’s not then you will find out soon enough. The best way, in my opinion, to begin your speech is to just start. I prefer to start as if I am in the middle of a conversation. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“If you had been standing next to me on July the 26<sup>th</sup> 2008, you would have been surrounded by five hundred triathletes preparing to compete in the mission man triathlon…” </i> Another cool way to start your speech is by asking a question. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Have you ever had a near death experience?”</i> When you ask a question you instantly engage the listener by requiring them to process and answer even if they are answering in their mind. A striking statistic is also a great way to capture attention. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“2 out of 5 American children go to bed hungry</i>”. Now that’s a powerful statement.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">TALKING TIP:</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> IF YOU BEGIN WITH A QUESTION, GIVE THEM TIME TO ANSWER EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR AN AUDIBLE RESPONSE. COUNT TO FIVE IN YOUR HEAD.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">DO THIS: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">WRITE DOWN THREE DIFFERENT OPENING LINES AND PRACTICE THEM UNTIL ONE JUMPS OUT AS THE RIGHT ONE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-87417059192945618182011-06-29T07:50:00.001-07:002011-06-29T11:01:56.900-07:00SPEECH SERIES PART 2<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 27px;"><br />
</span></span></div></div></span></b><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">CHAPTER 2.</span></b></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Message<o:p></o:p></span></b></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Renowned speaker and author, Scott Mckain, once told me “People don’t care about what you have done. They care about how what you’ve done applies to them”. If you’ve climbed Mount Everest, in my opinion, you are a rock star, but what really matters to me are what observations, lessons, and skills, you learned along the way that I can use to help me climb my mountain.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">A good story is terrific, but in a speech, a story is the simply the means by which you communicate your point. What are you trying to say? In my program, I tell a story about the first time I ordered coffee at Starbucks…it was a disaster. Now, if you are saying “who can’t order a Starbucks coffee?” then you are probably under 30. In the beginning of the story I have no idea how to order. I was embarrassed and frustrated so I just ordered a plain coffee. By the end of the story I am ordering a “double skinny, double decaf latte, no fat, no whip, no foam, no soy, tall cup, short straw, extra hot with a little cardboard cup holder so I don’t burn my fingers.” It gets a huge laugh, and after my story I give the audience the five keys to creating an extraordinary customer experience. You may not have time for five points, but you do have time to connect your story to the audience. If you have received an award in sports, or business. There are generic success principles that enabled you to reach that level of excellence. Your goal is to show the audience how they can incorporate those principles and achieve their own success. If you are honoring someone then the point of your story or anecdote is to show the endearing qualities of the person or organization.<o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">TALKING TIP</span></b><b>: DON’T TRY TO TEACH TOO MANY POINTS. THEY WON’T REMEMBER THEM ALL AND YOU RISK BE BORING.<o:p></o:p></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">DO THIS:</span></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">WRITE DOWN WHAT POINT(s) YOU WOULD LIKE THE AUDIENCE TO WALK AWAY WITH THEN WORK BACKWARDS TO CREATE THE STORY OR ANECDOTE.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">MORE TO FOLLOW. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT PART OF THE SERIES, EMAIL ME AT PATRICK@PATRICKHENRYSPEAKER.COM WITH THE WORD "SPEECH" IN THE SUBJECT LINE</div></div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-361748233072767932011-06-09T05:46:00.000-07:002011-06-14T05:51:32.022-07:00SPEECH SERIES PART 1<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A </span><span style="font-family: Mistral; font-size: 20pt;">FREAKING</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"> AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">WARNING: THIS INFORMATION CAN BE OFFENSIVE TO COMMUNICATION PROFESSORS<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.0in; text-indent: .5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> WHY THIS ?<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, you have to give a speech. If you are like most non-professional speakers you are either receiving an award, running for office, giving a wedding toast, or addressing a small group for any variety of reasons. Initially you may have thought “no big deal…it’s only 10 minutes”, but now as the time draws near you are starting to sweat. We have all heard that the number one fear of most Americans is the fear of public speaking. Not true! The number one fear of most Americans is SUCKING in front of a crowd. The thought of being laughed at, ridiculed, pitied, or disdained is what starts our stomach turning backflips and keeps us awake at night staring at the little red light on the dvd player. I am a professional speaker and have delivered over 1000 speeches to student groups, trade associations, and corporations. Some of what I tell you will blur the rules that your college communications teachers will have taught you, so if you are a college student and are using this book to prepare for class…be careful. The information you will read in this post works. It is not the only way to write a speech, but it is how I prepare for my speeches. It is the formula that I have used to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking revenue. The tips and strategies found in this book are the combination of my ideas as well as a number of professional speakers and speech coaches that I have learned from over the years. If your goal is to make an A in your speech 101 class, log off. If your goal is to influence, entertain, or motivate your audience to action…read on.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">INTRODUCTION</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In freshman speech classes, you will learn that there are three types of speeches; Informative, Persuasive, and Narrative. You have also learned that a speech should have an introduction, body, summary and conclusion. I am not saying that that information is wrong, but I would encourage you not to be confined by rules.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> ALL</b> speeches should contain information, persuasion, narrative, entertainment, and motivation. The most influential and profound speakers are not always the most eloquent or the most diverse in vocabulary. The best speakers are the ones who create an intimate connection with the audiece. That connection can be created with humor, emotion, story telling, relevance, or good old fashioned likeability. The following pages will detail how to create content as well as some tips on creating a connection with your delivery.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Impact; font-size: 20pt;">SECTION 1. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">PART ONE.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Story<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">“Daddy tell me some bedtime statistics.” Have you ever said that? Of course not. Why? Because everybody wants a story. I started my career speaking in high schools and have spoken to tens of thousands of students across the country. I have discovered that if you can speak to a group of high school students, you can speak to anyone. They are the only audience, besides in comedy clubs, who want you to fail for entertainment value. I have been laughed at, cursed, ignored, and mocked. I have broken up fights and actually had a disturbed student try to fight me ( I would have whooped him like he stole something). As bad as those speeches were, I have also had mountain top experiences that I am certain had a profound positive effect on the lives of the students in the room. As a musician and songwriter, I differentiated myself from other speakers by playing music to get the students all fired up. They loved the music, but it never failed to amaze me how a good story would capture the attention of the entire room. I have seen the rowdiest students stop in mid-sentence to listen to a story I was telling, therefore, I cannot stress the importance of connecting with your audience through a story.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So where do the stories come from? The best ones come from real experiences . Let’s say you are going to deliver a toast for your best friend Brian at his wedding. Brian happens to be a kind and giving person and you want to talk about his character in your toast. Instead of saying “Brian is kind and giving”, you may tell the story of how, in college, you and Brian were heading to the mall to buy a batting glove for intramural softball. You noticed an elderly woman in the parking lot who was wandering around looking for her car. Once Brian realized she had forgotten where she parked, he refused to leave her and walked around with her for half an hour until they found her vehicle. This is a much better way to illustrate Brian’s character. Another example may be an acceptance speech. Maybe you just won a citzenship award for community service and will give a short acceptance speech. From whom did you learn the value of giving back to your community? Maybe your grandmother would let you accompany her to the homeless shelter every Saturday to serve food to the homeless and as a result you saw first hand how one individual could impact many lives. Give an example of an experience that happened that inspired you to serve others. Do the stories have to be your own? Not necessarily, but in my opinion they are more impactful if they are original. Great speakers are conversational in their tone and delivery. Write your story as if you are telling it to a friend.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">TALKING TIP: </span>NEVER PASS OFF SOMEONE ELSES STORY AS YOUR OWN.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">How to get started:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Write down the names of the three most influential people in your life. Write down one lesson that each of them taught you. Now give the circumstances in which the lesson was learned. Be as descriptive as if you were telling the story over a cup of coffee at Starbucks. The following story is one that I tell in almost all of my speeches. It is a true story of an event that happened between me and my father. The story illustrates the importance of paying attention to the details. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">By the way<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, DO NOT USE THIS STORY IN YOUR SPEECH!</b> It is mine, it is copywritten, and more importantly it is not authentically yours. The best story will come from you. You have wonderful stories in your past that just need to be pulled out, dusted off and polished. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Had you been standing next to me on any particular Saturday in the early to mid nineteen eightees, you would have probably seen me pushing a 21 inch, <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">self-propelled, Craftsman lawnmower. </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">When I was twelve years old I mowed almost every yard in my neighborhood. I charged ten dollars for a small yard, fifteen for a big one, and Judge Nix had the biggest yard in our neighborhood. Had I known that it would take almost seven hours to mow, I probably would have charged more than fifteen dollars but that is the arrangement that we came to. Every other Saturday, spring through fall, I mowed the judge’s yard. One Saturday afternoon, I had been mowing all day long in the ninety five degree Alabama heat and humidity. I was dirty, tired, and ready to go home. When I had finished the last row, I turned off my self propelled lawn mower (meaning I propelled it myself) and began to push it across the yard to the curb where my dad was going to pick me up. As I walked across the yard, I looked back over my shoulder and noticed a row of shrubs in between the judge’s house and the neighbor’s. I had forgotten that behind those shrubs was a patch of grass about fifteen feet long and four feet wide and I had forgotten to mow that grass. I debated whether or not to go back and cut it and in my exhausted twelve year old mind decided that nobody would notice if I didn’t. Besides, half of it belonged to the neighbor anyway and he sure wasn’t paying me. As I reached the curb, I looked back at those shrubs. “Should I go back and cut that grass? Naaa… nobody will notice if I let it go, I’ve already finished the hard part anyway”. After a few minutes of silent debate, Judge Nix came out and handed me a check for fifteen dollars. When my dad arrived I helped him get the mower in the back of the truck. He then began to walk around the yard inspecting my work, as he was known to do, and I saw him begin to walk towards those shrubs. “Uh Oh….somebody is going to notice.” He gave me the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">come here</b> gesture with his forefinger and I walked over. “Son, I believe you’ve missed a spot”.” Daddy, I’m tired”. “That’s not what I said…you’re not finished” “Daddy, no one will notice”…”Son, remember what I always tell you, don’t ever do a job unless you’re willing to sign your name to it. Are you willing to sign your name to this job?”……”yes sir”. My father and I walked back across the yard in silence. When we got to the truck, my dad pulled out the mower. He pushed it across the yard, started it up and he cut the grass behind the shrubs. It took him all of forty seconds. When he got back over to me he asked if the judge had paid me. “Yes sir, fifteen dollars”. My dad then looked me in the eye and said…..”Give it back”. I said “say what?!!???” “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GIVE IT BACK</b>” he repeated. I was stunned. I said “are you kidding” He said “son, you don’t want to get paid for incomplete work”….I said …”yes I do”. He said “then you shouldn’t want to get paid for incomplete work. Now go give the check back and while you’re at it finish mowing the part that is in the neighbor’s yard too” I had been mowing that yard for almost seven hours in the Alabama heat and humidity and not only do I have to give back the check. My dad made me do work in the neighbor’s yard that I wasn’t even being paid for. I wouldn’t speak to him for a week. Fast forward twenty five years. My wife and I had recently purchased a new house. It was new meaning it was new to us so we had some remodeling to do. We knocked out a wall to open up space, ripped up the carpet, put down hardwood floors and painted the whole house. Painting is the one thing that my wife would let me do and I quickly discovered why they call it faux finish. When you are married to a perfectionist like I am, you will paint it “FAUX ” times “FAUX” you finished. One Saturday afternoon I had been painting all day long. I was hot, tired and ready to quit. I had just finished the half bath downstairs, had put my paints away and come back in to inspect my work….and pat myself on the back. After a day of stripping wall paper, sanding, priming and painting, I was ready for some relaxation. As I looked around the small bathroom, I noticed a spot behind the toilet that I had missed. It was only noticeable if you bent over, craned your neck and looked at the five inch by five inch spot on the wall. I thought to myself “nobody is going to notice” I then remembered the lesson my father taught me almost 25 years earlier. It just cost me 15 dollars. We have all heard the phrase “GO THE EXTRA …MILE”. The extra mile is easy to identify. It is not always easy to do, but it is easy to see. My dad was teaching me that true success is not measured in miles but rather in inches. It is the little bit extra that we give, the little extra we do, even when we think no-one is looking that creates authenticity and distinction in the market place. It’s the small ways that we exceed expectations that is the difference between good and great, between a commodity and a brand, between nice looking and SMOKING HOT!<o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This story was written in the exact manner I described. Professional speaker and speech coach Patricia Fripp sat down with me and said “Patrick, who is the most influential person in your life?” I said “my dad”. “Tell me one lession that he taught you when you were a child”. I told her that he always said “don’t ever do a job unless you are willing to sign your name to it”. “Patrick, tell me the story of when he first taught you that lesson.” As I told her the story, Patricia recorded it and later we transcribed it into this story that has become a central part of my speeches. As you create these stories and anecdotes, write them down and save them in a file. When an event or occasion arises where you have to deliver a speech, you an access your file and choose an appropriate story.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">TALKING TIP: Save your stories in a file on your computer. You can use them again when the occasion calls for it.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">DO THIS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">WRITE DOWN THREE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">WRITE DOWN ONE LESSON EACH TAUGHT YOU<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt;">·<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">WRITE DOWN HOW EACH LESSON WAS TAUGHT<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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* More to follow. If you just can't wait, send me an email to Patrick@PatrickHenrySpeaker.com with the word SPEECH in the subject line and I will send you part two.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-62660087665616775872011-04-24T04:06:00.000-07:002011-05-23T11:44:15.380-07:00CAN YOU EAT YOUR OWN CRAWFISH?... Leadership with a kick<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">As a student at the University of Southern Mississippi, I began a love affair that has endured throughout the better part of two decades. No, the affair of which I speak was not with one of the beautiful southern belles that make up 60 percent of the student body, but rather with a dirty, disgusting looking, beady eyed little creature called the crawfish. Until I ventured onto the USM campus in the early nineteen nineties, the only crawfish I had ever seen had been in the creek behind my parents house and the thought of actually putting it in my mouth never crossed my mind. Imagine my surprise and trepidation when I was invited to a fraternity party only to find rows of tables covered in newspaper with piles of red, steaming, crawfish waiting to be devoured. As the Zydeco band played in the background, one of of my buddies showed me how to pinch the head off of the little lobsterlike creature, peel back the first layer of shell on the tail and pull the meat out with my teeth. I was hooked. It was the most wonderful tasting food I had ever eaten. It even made the beer taste better. I later learned that for generations of louisianians and Southern Mississipians, crawfish is social fare in the same way that chili is for Texans, clams are for New Englanders, and fried catfish is for my native Alabamians. I also learned that they take pride in the spiciness of their crawfish. Cayenne pepper is the predominate seasoning for boiled crawfish, and for many daring souls, the hotter the better. When crawfish season was approaching, arguments would begin to float around the halls of the ATO house as my fraternity brothers would boast about who made the spiciest crawfish. When I later observed one of my drunken brethren writhing on the ground in pain, wiping his tongue after sampling a crawfish boiled in his personal blend of spice, I decided that it takes no great skill to dump heaps of cayenne pepper into a pot of boiling water. The real test is can you eat your own crawfish?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Not long ago I gave four speeches for a major utility company in Tennessee. After the event, I was chatting with the meeting planner who told me of a negative experience they had with a previous speaker. I was told that he was really good, highly energetic and well liked by the audience. He talked about not letting the little things get you down and negatively impact your attitude. She said it was well received until the second day when he arrived complaining about his hotel room, the noise next door, and the food, among other things. This is a speaker who talks about not letting the little things impact your attitude and all he was doing was complaining about the little things. My contact said that she and her staff were put off because this person obviously did not practice what he was paid to preach. This guy didn’t eat his own crawfish.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Are you a good ambassador of your message? Do you preach customer service but don’t promptly return phone calls? do you promote positive attitude but curse out waiters? Do you talk about teamwork but reject input? Do you encourage donating but don’t give back in your community? The most successful leaders tend to be the ones whose behavior becomes the model for excellence. Simply said…they eat their own crawfish.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">THREE INGREDIENTS FOR KILLER CRAWFISH…THAT YOU CAN EAT:<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1. A TABLESPOON OF TRUTH: </b>If you can’t take the heat…don’t make it so hot. Too many times we will promise anything to close the sale or pacify the customer. If you can’t deliver on what you promise, then don’t promise so much. You will always be judged on the margin by which you fail to deliver…and rightly so.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2. A DASH OF OVERDELIVERY</b>: Don’t just do what you say you are going to do…<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">OVERDO</b>. The cajuns have a word, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">LAGNIAPPE</b>, which means “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">a little bit extra”. </b>The difference between good and great is found in the lagniappe.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">3. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A HEAPING HELPING OF ATMOSPHERE. "Laissez les bons temps rouler- let the good times roll</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt;">” </span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt;">The best way to enjoy crawfish is in a group of people who are drinking beer, dancing, and having a great time. What kind of atmosphere are you creating? People want to buy from, learn from, work with, and do business with those whom they enjoy being around. If you are not reaching your goals, then look at the messenger. </span> <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i>Patrick Henry is a professional speaker who shows audiences how to create extraordinary customer, client, and coworker experiences. He is what happens when keynotes, comedy, and concerts...collide ! Please visit his website at www.PatrickHenrySpeaker.com</i></span>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-70851054577527545232011-01-08T05:49:00.001-08:002011-01-21T07:03:12.559-08:00AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS...25 YEARS IN THE MAKING<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Ted Williams. The name of a man beloved by generations of Americans throughout the decades. A name that conjurs up memories of ballparks, home runs, and heroic slides into homeplate. Over the years, the name Ted Williams has become synonymous with excellence in baseball..until now. Another Ted Williams has emerged and grabbed America by the heartstrings bringing new meaning to the name. It is no longer just synonymous with baseball, but also with…redemption and second chances. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We have all heard the story. A homeless man panhandling on a dreary off ramp in Columbus, Ohio holds a sign that simply says <i>“ I have a God given voice. I’m an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times…Please help</i>”. A local news reporter finds it interesting so he asks him to “work for his dollar”. Thanks to a video camera, YouTube, and the law of exponential growth, Ted Williams has gone from a homeless man to a household name in a matter of days. He has had appearances on the Today Show, radio interviews, and employment offers from around the country. It is estimated that Ted Williams could make upwards of two million dollars this year.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What a story! Drugs and alcohol steal the future of a promising radio announcer only to be given a second chance. It’s like winning the lottery…or is it? </div><div class="MsoNormal">I keep hearing the comparison between Ted William’s story and winning the lottery and I can’t disagree more. I am not blind to the fortuitous cirmcustances that led to his new found fame, but what is being overlooked in the media is the fact that Ted Williams, despite his faults, was READY!! Lets look at the facts. 1. Ted Williams has natural ability. His voice is deep and rich. 2. He went to school to develop his natural voice into a “voice for radio.” 3. He is no stranger to the control room. He knows the equipment and the process. 4. Ted Williams had his pitch down cold: <i>“When you’re listening to nothing but the oldies, you’re listening to Magic 98.9.” </i>When the reporter said “I’m going to make you work for your dollar”, Ted Williams didn’t stutter, stammer, or back away. He jumped at the chance to perform what he has so obviously been practicing for years. When the opportunity came, Ted Williams grabbed it and became an overnight sensation…25 years in the making. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What about you? Do you believe in luck? Or do you believe that you create your own? The Roman philosopher Seneca said <i>“luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. </i>Does Ted Williams find himself in his current circumstance because he has a deep voice? NO. Many people have deep voices. It is the combination of raw talent, developed talent, and good old fashioned preparation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whether you are in sports, the arts, in sales, education, or any myriad of professions, defining moments appear regularly. Most people are not prepared to meet them and miss out.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b> THREE WAYS TO BECOME AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS:<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">1.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b>EXCELLENCE IN WHAT YOU DO</b>. According to Malcolm Gladwell’s <u>Outliers</u>, mastery is achieved after 10,000 hours of practice. When you practice every day, grabbing the defining moments becomes second nature.</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">2.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b>FOCUSED EXPERTISE</b>. The more specific you can be in defining what you do, the easier it is to find a fit. Ted Williams didn’t have a sign that said “ I have a great voice put me to work”, he said he can do voiceover work thus making it easy to identify his value.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">3.<span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span><b>AFFABILITY. </b>People want to do business with those whom they like and trust. Ted Williams is a humble, likeable guy. If he had been arrogant, smug, or ornery, the response would have been negligible. Be nice.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6rPFvLUWkzs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div> <i>Patrick Henry is a professional speaker who shows audiences how to create extraordinary customer, client, and coworker experiences. He is what happens when keynotes, comedy, and concerts...collide ! Please visit his website at www.PatrickHenrySpeaker.com</i></div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5304154466204839901.post-21034224267552213722010-11-09T02:45:00.000-08:002011-01-14T04:44:43.986-08:00Funny Money<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">FUNNY MONEY</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Laughter is the best medicine… Obviously that statement was originated before the invention of Percocet, but having said that, laughter truly is a powerful elixir. It is the most powerful reaction a human can generate. Laughter is more powerful than anger, sadness, fear, melancholy, or any myriad of emotions that we humans struggle with in our daily lives. Laughter boosts immunity, lowers stress, decreases pain, relaxes muscles and has been known to prevent heart disease. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> We are all familiar with the physiological benefits of laughter, but what is not ubiquitously recorded in the annals of knowledge is that <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">laughter closes sales, attracts clients, and strengthens relationships. </span></b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">“you don’t need more business, you need more friends”, “People want to do business with their friends”</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"> If you have ever read any of Jeffrey Gitomer’s books, you have heard that.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Contrary to popular belief people are not born funny. I believe that funny people simply choose to find the humor in every day situations. Becoming funny is a process. Here are three ways to start.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b>1.BE INCLUSIVE</b>. The reason humor is so powerful is that it touches one of our most basic human needs, the need for belonging. When you are included in a joke or a funny story, it is as if the teller has embraced you and welcomed you into their world. It is a good feeling and a potent connection between people. The goal with humor should <b>not</b> be the laughter but the connection, so don’t use profanity or tell racist jokes, sexist jokes, fat, short, gay, ethnic, or religious jokes. You are taking a huge risk. Even if you get a laugh, you have just proven out loud that you are a risk to do business with, have poor judgment, and are probably a monumental jackass.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b>2.</b> <b>BE ORIGINAL. </b> If you read it on the internet…so have they. The best-case scenario is they let you finish the joke and act as if it is the first time they heard it. The worst-case scenario is they blurt out the punch line in front of the group leaving you standing there like a foreign exchange student on the first day of class. All smile…nothing to say. Tell about funny things that happen to you in traffic, at the store, tell about your family vacations, mother-in-law, etc. These situations are relatable and original.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b>3. WRITE IT DOWN. </b> Planned spontaneity…<i>this is the phrase of the day class</i>. If something funny happens, write it down. If you hear a funny phrase or see a funny gesture, record it and review it. If <i>something funny happens to you on the way to the forum </i>(gratuitous Broadway reference), then write it down in story form and save it. You will find a time to re-tell it and you will come across as witty, spontaneous, and funny.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">Becoming funny is a process. It does not happen overnight nor does it happen because you have memorized a few jokes. Humor is a natural byproduct of a positive attitude. If you choose to find the positive in your circumstances, then it is easier to find the humor. When you find humor where others can’t, you are funny. When you are funny and share your humor in a positive way, you make friends. And when you easily make friends, you will close sales, attract clients, and strengthen relationships with your customers, clients, and co-workers.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;">Want more funny? Watch Patrick here:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times,'Times New Roman',serif;"><a href="http://click.salescaffeine.com/KadroServer/maillink/530880/42/73871262" target="_blank">www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FGcVHsvqGY</a></span></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, and professional speaker, who shows clients how to create distinction in the market place and blow away the competition with the four keys to becoming a “ROCKSTAR IN A ROOM FULL OF KARAOKE SINGERS”. Patrick’s entertaining programs show audiences what happens when Keynotes, Comedy, and Concerts Collide. For more information go to www.PatrickHenrySpeaker.com</span></i></div>Patrick Henryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10831062494796718462noreply@blogger.com2