Patrick Henry...WHERE KEYNOTES, COMEDY, & CONCERTS COLLIDE !!

Daddy Billy

2011-10-09T10:43:00.001-07:00

I wrote this poem a few years ago about my grandfather. No lesson here. Hope you enjoy

Daddy Billy

Patrick Henry

2006

Will Watermelon taste the same when he’s gone?

My memory is sticky with the sweetness of childhood summers.

Will the lake’s water still reflect the innocence of dawn?

Or fall victim to the chop of boats passing.

Will my hands ever be as big as his were?

With calluses that speak the history of a man.

Will my legacy leave traces of awe and wonder?

Or fall victim to the chop of boats passing.

Someday ebbs to remember when

Time’s cadence marks the beat

Will watermelon taste the same when he’s gone?

Surely………..just not to me.

Painting HiSTORY

2011-09-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

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.

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.

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”.

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.

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.

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:

1. FRIENDSHIP- People will buy from friends first.

2. TRUST- When your goal is to provide value rather than simply closing a sale then you establish trust.

3. CONVENIENCE- Is it easy to do business with you? your customers will tell you.

4. EMPATHY- People want to buy from those who genuinely care about their challenges and problems. When you care, you become a guide to the solution.

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.

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS

2011-09-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

CHAPTER 8.

POSITIONING

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.

TALKING TIP: PRACTICE MOVING WITH PURPOSE IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU PRACTICE YOUR VERBAL DELIVERY.

DO THIS:

· 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.

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES SERIES

2011-08-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

CHAPTER 7.

EYE CONTACT

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, 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. 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.

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. 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.

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES SERIES

2011-08-08T08:16:00.000-07:00

SECTION 2. DELIVERY

THE OPENING

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 PAUSE. When you fill the room with silence, you are creating palatable anticipation of your first words which is why they have to kick butt!

TALKING TIP: PAUSE RIGHT UP UNTIL THE MOMENT IT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE THEN BEGIN WITH A CLEARLY SPOKEN OPENING LINE.

SPEECH SERIES PART 5

2011-07-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS

CHAPTER 5.

To Script Or Not To Script

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, perfect 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!!!

DO THIS:

· SCRIPT FIRST

· LEARN WORDS

· PRACTICE DELIVERY

TALKING TIP: 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.

SPEECH SERIES PART 4

2011-07-06T05:56:00.000-07:00

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING

AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS

CHAPTER 4.

The Call To Action

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. “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”. Circumstances will dictate how focused your call to action is.

DO THIS:

· DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THIS SPEECH REQUIRES AN ACTIONABLE RESPONSE ON THE AUDIENCES PART.

· WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO DO IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR SPEECH.

· WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE TO DO TWO WEEKS AFTERWARDS.

SPEECH SERIES PART 3

2011-06-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A

FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH

IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS

CHAPTER 3.

The Opening Line

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, “Call me Ishmael”, “It was a dark and stormy night”-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. DON’T start with a famous quote. “As John F. Kennedy once said, ask not what your country…or Webster’s dictionary defines love as….” 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. DON’T 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. DON’T 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. DON’T 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. “If you had been standing next to me on July the 26^th 2008, you would have been surrounded by five hundred triathletes preparing to compete in the mission man triathlon…” Another cool way to start your speech is by asking a question. “Have you ever had a near death experience?” 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. “2 out of 5 American children go to bed hungry”. Now that’s a powerful statement.

TALKING TIP: 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.

DO THIS:

· WRITE DOWN THREE DIFFERENT OPENING LINES AND PRACTICE THEM UNTIL ONE JUMPS OUT AS THE RIGHT ONE.

SPEECH SERIES PART 2

2011-06-29T07:50:00.001-07:00

CHAPTER 2.

The Message

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.

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.

TALKING TIP: DON’T TRY TO TEACH TOO MANY POINTS. THEY WON’T REMEMBER THEM ALL AND YOU RISK BE BORING.

DO THIS:

· WRITE DOWN WHAT POINT(s) YOU WOULD LIKE THE AUDIENCE TO WALK AWAY WITH THEN WORK BACKWARDS TO CREATE THE STORY OR ANECDOTE.

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

SPEECH SERIES PART 1

2011-06-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

HOW TO WRITE AND DELIVER A FREAKING AMAZING SPEECH IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS

WARNING: THIS INFORMATION CAN BE OFFENSIVE TO COMMUNICATION PROFESSORS

WHY THIS ?

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.

INTRODUCTION

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. ALL 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.

SECTION 1. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

PART ONE.

The Story

“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.

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.

TALKING TIP: NEVER PASS OFF SOMEONE ELSES STORY AS YOUR OWN.

How to get started:

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.

By the way, DO NOT USE THIS STORY IN YOUR SPEECH! 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.

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,

self-propelled, Craftsman lawnmower. 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 come here 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?!!???” “GIVE IT BACK” 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!

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.

TALKING TIP: Save your stories in a file on your computer. You can use them again when the occasion calls for it.

DO THIS:

· WRITE DOWN THREE INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE

· WRITE DOWN ONE LESSON EACH TAUGHT YOU

· WRITE DOWN HOW EACH LESSON WAS TAUGHT

* 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.

CAN YOU EAT YOUR OWN CRAWFISH?... Leadership with a kick

2011-04-24T04:06:00.000-07:00

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?

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.

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.

THREE INGREDIENTS FOR KILLER CRAWFISH…THAT YOU CAN EAT:

1. A TABLESPOON OF TRUTH: 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.

2. A DASH OF OVERDELIVERY: Don’t just do what you say you are going to do…OVERDO. The cajuns have a word, LAGNIAPPE, which means “a little bit extra”. The difference between good and great is found in the lagniappe.

3. A HEAPING HELPING OF ATMOSPHERE. "Laissez les bons temps rouler- let the good times roll” 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.

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

AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS...25 YEARS IN THE MAKING

2011-01-08T05:49:00.001-08:00

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.

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 have a God given voice. I’m an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times…Please help”. 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.

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?

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: “When you’re listening to nothing but the oldies, you’re listening to Magic 98.9.” 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.

What about you? Do you believe in luck? Or do you believe that you create your own? The Roman philosopher Seneca said “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. 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.

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.

THREE WAYS TO BECOME AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS:

1. EXCELLENCE IN WHAT YOU DO. According to Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, mastery is achieved after 10,000 hours of practice. When you practice every day, grabbing the defining moments becomes second nature.

2. FOCUSED EXPERTISE. 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.

3. AFFABILITY. 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.

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

Funny Money

2010-11-09T02:45:00.000-08:00

FUNNY MONEY

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.

We are all familiar with the physiological benefits of laughter, but what is not ubiquitously recorded in the annals of knowledge is that laughter closes sales, attracts clients, and strengthens relationships. “you don’t need more business, you need more friends”, “People want to do business with their friends” If you have ever read any of Jeffrey Gitomer’s books, you have heard that.

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.

1.BE INCLUSIVE. 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 not 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.

2. BE ORIGINAL. 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.

3. WRITE IT DOWN. Planned spontaneity…this is the phrase of the day class. If something funny happens, write it down. If you hear a funny phrase or see a funny gesture, record it and review it. If something funny happens to you on the way to the forum (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.

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.

Want more funny? Watch Patrick here:www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FGcVHsvqGY

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

ARE YOU TWEET WORTHY?

2010-07-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

Sitting in the office of the A&R director of Curb Records many years ago, I thought "this is it". This was the magic moment I had been waiting for. The tipping point that I had worked for since I first picked up a guitar, strung three chords together, and sang my own homegrown lyrics. With eyes closed, I played what was sure to be Tim McGraw's next chart topper. I hit every note, added the appropriate amount of emotion and Pathos, mixed texture with melody and envisioned the excitement building two feet away in the expensive smelling leather chair. I opened my eyes expecting to see a face full of jubilation and exuberance, but was instead confronted with crossed arms and an expression devoid of emotion. I was stunned. How could this person not see the songwriting brilliance that my mother and her bible study were so quick to acknowledge? I was instead told something that changed my thinking for life. "Patrick, your song is good. However, hundreds of good songs come through my door every week. A hit song has a quality that will make the listener get up off his butt, drive to the record store and pay fifteen dollars just so he can hear it again. Your song doesn't have that"

Even though the relevance of mainstream record stores has disappeared, the relevance of that statement has not. I call it being tweet-worthy. My concept of tweet-worthiness developed not long ago after a speech in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was speaking on the topic of customer loyalty and had just tried out a new bit of material that I had written specifically for this audience. It was a five-minute poem that illustrated the creation of a peak customer experience. I was a little nervous because I was out of my comfort zone, but after much rehearsal and memorization, it came off better than expected. After my speech, a woman excitedly approached me asking "what is your twitter address?" "Why?" I asked? She told me that she enjoyed the poem so much that she was tweeting during my speech and wanted to let people know how to reach me...WOW! an AHA moment if there ever was one.

I now create presentations with tweet-worthy moments in mind. As I am preparing a talk, I visualize impact moments throughout the speech that will make audience members reach for their smart phones and tweet to their followers about what they just heard. Are you tweet-worthy? Are you engaging your customers, clients, and co-workers in a way that will make them stop what they are doing, pick up their smart phones, and share with the world how wonderful you are? Who will testify on your behalf?...Your customers will. Jeffrey Gitomer says "when you say it about yourself it's bragging. When someone else says it, it's proof".

Three ways to create tweet-worthy moments:

1. DO THE UNEXPECTED. Observe what the competition is doing and do something different. Delivering gourmet cupcakes to the office staff is nice, but hardly original (unless you have their names written on them in frosting)

2. PROVIDE VALUE. Do you spend every moment in front of the decision maker detailing your product? Look for opportunities to help their business succeed by sending articles, blogs, and resource links that help them achieve their goals. When you become a person of value to the customer, you create a buying atmosphere.

3. BE SINCERE. If you become known as slick...you are finished. If you treat your customers the way you treat your friends, you will soon be tweeted to prosperity. Just don't get your tweet caught in your twitter.

Death of a Lawnman

2010-06-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

My lawn man died. It took me by surprise when my mother-in-law showed me the obituary a few months ago, but there it was in black and white… Dennis was gone. Dennis was a real nice man and although I didn’t know him very well, we did have a couple of meaningful conversations leaning against the fence that separates my property from Mrs. Smith’s.

I grew up cutting grass. As a boy in Auburn, Alabama, I mowed almost every yard in my neighborhood, and as I painstakingly manicured the lawns of the Bent Creek subdivision, I used to fantasize about one day having a lawn man to do it for me. I did – and now he was gone. I will miss him, but now I faced a dilemma. Dennis charged the same rate for twenty-five years. Even when gas spiked at over three dollars a gallon, Dennis held firm. His rate was far below what the big landscaping companies in our area charge -- and there was no way I was going to pay that -- so I decided to man up and get back into the business of mowing lawns. My lawn.

After a testosterone-filled trip to Lowe’s Home Improvement Store (full of grunting, pointing, and kicking the tires of the zero-turn-radius lawn mowers), I arrived home with a new mower (not a zero turn radius), a weed eater, and a high-powered blower. I was locked, cocked, and ready to rock.

For three months now I have been mowing my own lawn and have discovered a few truths that I feel are worth sharing. First of all, I love mowing my yard. I feel a sense of pride and satisfaction when I am finished that I never did as a kid. This came as quite a surprise to me, because for years the smell of fresh cut grass reminded me of hours of hard labor in the unforgiving Alabama sun. Secondly, I discovered that I do a better job than Dennis did. Don’t misunderstand me, I am not disparaging Dennis in any way, but I wasn’t paying him enough to pick up sticks, trim shrubs, and edge the driveway. He came once a week, mowed and left. Finally, I now know every inch of my property. This sounds a bit silly, especially since I have lived in my house for four years, but when you are responsible for managing your own yard, you become familiar with every nook, cranny, root, rut, and problem area.

So why now? Why do I now feel differently about doing something I despised as a kid? One word: OWNERSHIP. I own my property, therefore I take pride in its appearance. I own my property, therefore I take responsibility for its functionality and purpose. If I don’t manage a routine maintenance schedule, the blame for the appearance of my yard lays with me. Why? Because I own it.

Why would it be any different in your business? The most successful salespeople are the ones who take ownership. You may not sign your own paycheck, but when you take ownership of your customers, clients, product lines, and territories, you begin to control your outcome.

Here are three ways to OWN THE SALE:

GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY. I once spoke for a restaurant chain that required all of the management trainees sweep the parking lot for a week. I was told that at the end of the week the trainees will be able to fully understand and appreciate the job they are asking a restaurant employee to do -- as well as know EXACTLY how long it should take to complete the task.

INTIMATELY KNOW YOUR YARD (PRODUCT). My friend Jimmy Prophet sells industrial batteries. He not only knows his product, he knows so much about the equipment that utilizes his product that company engineers call him in to solve problems they can’t. Do you think his competition can intimidate him by undercutting his price? NO WAY. He is a valuable resource.

MAINTAIN YOUR MOWER. It is amazing how much easier it is to cut my grass when I have the blade sharpened regularly. Is your company too cheap to buy you a new laptop? Buy your own. Boss too stingy to reimburse for client meals? If it closes the deal, pay for it yourself. You are the owner. It’s time to stop complaining and cut the grass.

My first real hatemail.....YES !!!!

2010-04-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard it said that you’re not a real writer until you receive your first hate mail. I guess I am now officially a real writer.

I wrote an article a few weeks ago about a bad customer service experience that I had in a Hallmark store with my four-year-old son who was denied use of the restroom. I relayed the incident as it happened, added the appropriate amount of drama and suspense, threw in a touch of pathos, and then ended with a moral. Are those not the mechanics of first rate article?... apparently not. I received an email from a guy whom I will call Richard. Richard was thoroughly offended that I had the audacity to name the store where the confrontation occurred. Furthermore, he wrote “people like you make me sick. What makes people with kids think the world is their restroom?” He went on to tell me that I only wrote that article because I was “scraping the bottom of the barrel for material for the ezine” . He continued to say that he had over “200 books on sales and he would never own one of mine.” Wow…who knew an article on customer service could inspire so much ire. Now that his letter has marinated for a couple of weeks, I feel that I am doing Richard and my tens of loyal readers all over the country a huge disservice if I don’t respond. Here goes….Richard, I take issue with you on three levels. First and foremost, I am insulted that you would criticize me with cliché. I have been criticized by the best. They used metaphor, originality, alliteration, and multi-syllable words that cut deep into my self-esteem and ego. I expect nothing less from you sir. Secondly, I am most insulted that you think I am short on material. As long as there are people like you in the world, my cup of material runneth over. Finally Richard, after reading that you have over 200 books on sales, I shared your letter with many of my friends and colleagues who are also in sales and we initially had the same reaction, WOW… 200 books….you must really suck !!! I then decided that I was being unfair. No one should be criticized for growing their resource library. My criticism lay with the fact that you just don’t get it. Effective selling is predicated on a simple premise. We read about it in Jeffrey Gitomer’s books and it is surely written in the pages of the 200 books adorning your shelves. “People want to do business with people they like and trust”. Does a business owner have the right to enforce policy? Of course. Are policies important? Yes. Good policy guides actions as well as reduces liability (as I was politely educated by another reader responding to the article). Sometimes a choice must be made. Do I enforce policy, or make a sale? There is not a right or wrong answer here, only cause and effect. Richard, sales are not made on our terms, they are made on the customers. Remember what Jeffrey Gitomer says “people don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy”. When you try to force someone to act according to your terms you are either in the Army, or at home alone reading sales books.

Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, and speaker who teaches clients how to create distinction in the marketplace 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. To book Patrick Henry for your next event, visit www.patrickhenryspeaker.com

No "P" in Customer Service

2010-03-02T13:37:00.001-08:00

I used the “S” word in front of my children today. Yes… the “S” word. The expletive of all expletives, and I said it in front of my babies. I actually hadn’t even noticed that the word had passed my lips until my four year old admonished me in the car on the way home from the movie theatre. I admit it, I said it…. but that woman really was STUPID !!.

I had just taken my two boys to see The Tooth Fairy with Duane “The Rock” Johnson, and we stopped off at a Hallmark Store to buy a card for a friend who has just had a huge event happen in his life. I am typically not a card buyer, but this was a special occasion so I didn’t just want to pick one up from the grocery store, I wanted to go out of my way to buy from a specialist.

We walked into the Hallmark store and were directed to the Congratulations cards where I perused the various choices. My four year old began tugging on my coat and informed me that he had to use the bathroom…again. After being dragged out of the movie twice I was a little tired of his bathroom breaks so I told him to hold it. I chose a card and walked to the counter to pay. As I waited in line, I noticed that tears had formed in his eyes and realized that he really had to go so I asked the lady behind the counter where the restroom was. She informed me that they didn’t have one. You and I both know they have a restroom, so what she meant to say was they didn’t have one for customers. As my son began to cry, I looked at her with a “can you help me” look and she shrugged her shoulders with half hearted empathy and said, “It’s our policy”. I am not one to give customer service lessons at point of purchase, So I held my tongue (no small task) and left with my children. It was on the way home that I was admonished for the “S” word.

We all have poor customer service stories that we enjoy telling when the conversation calls for it. The fact that I will never shop at the Hallmark Store in Alamance Crossings is no real “AHA” moment. As I contemplate my experience, I would have to say the lesson is this… Mess with me you lose my business. Mess with my kid you gain an enemy. The sales woman at the Hallmark store in Alamance Crossing, Burlington, North Carolina :-) let policy override common sense and compassion. Had she chosen to ignore “policy” and helped my child and me she would have created a fan. Fans are loyal. Fans will go out of their way to spend money. Fans don’t shop alone. She chose not to and as a result, not only destroyed a consumer relationship, she created an adversary who will take any and every opportunity to steer people away from her card store. He may even write an article about his experience that is distributed to hundreds of thousands of people.

Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, and 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

IT’S CALLED A SPEECH

2010-01-28T12:34:00.000-08:00

I don’t much care for awards shows. Every now and then, however, I will see someone who impresses or even inspires me, like when Cuba Gooding Jr. won an Oscar for his role in Jerry Mcguire or when Roberto Benigni won an Oscar in 1998 for Life is Beautiful. For the most part I see a room full of people who haven’t had a job in months who are just happy to be dressed up and out of the house.

My wife enjoys awards shows, so when the Screen Actors Guild Awards aired on January 23^rd…we watched it. I was actually quite impressed with Sandra Bullock and especially Betty White who hails back to an era where class and decorum were the order of the day. I was completely underwhelmed by Drew Barrymore. When the award for best actress in a television movie or miniseries was announced, Drew Barrymore’s name was called. She gave the customary “oh my God I can’t believe it’s me” look to her fellow aisle mates then made the triumphant march to the stage to accept her prize. This is where the wheels came off !!!!

I am a professional speaker. I believe that a person’s ability to effectively communicate thoughts, ideas, and gratitude is paramount in fomenting success regardless of profession. Apparently Drew Barrymore doesn’t think so. As she accepted her award, she began to stutter and stumble over her words in a cutesy and contrived display of ums & ands. When the awkward moment began to turn uncomfortable, she said “usually improv is a good thing….it’s backfiring on me very badly right now”. I have news for you Drew, IT’S NOT IMPROV….IT’S A SPEECH !!!!. Considering that you have been in the movie business since before ET phoned home, it is a speech that you should have been prepared for!!!!!!

In a matter of seconds she went, in my eyes, from brilliant to buffoon, from star to stammer, from “bless my stars” to “bless her heart”, all because she was painfully unprepared.

There are certain moments where the right words delivered with eloquence, passion and skill can create, what my friend Scott Mckain calls, a mountain top experience. In sales, these moments happen EVERYDAY. Are you prepared? Have you developed the skill and “material” to inspire people to action?

Three ways to prepare for your awards speech:

COLLECT MATERIAL.

Continually be on the lookout for real life experiences, stories, and anecdotes that can be recalled and delivered with dexterity at a moments notice. Become an expert in your field and your client’s by reading books, articles and web copy about topics that relate to the field. Keep a file.

LISTEN TO GREAT SPEAKERS

Never miss an opportunity to listen to great speakers speak. Don’t steal their material, take note of their style and technique then create your own.

PRACTICE

As good as you think you are, YOU’RE NOT!!!. I don’t care how many successful wedding toasts you’ve given. Until you’ve delivered a thousand speeches or presentations, you still have room for improvement. Even then, you still can find ways to become better. JOIN TOASTMASTERS…NOW!

The Ballad of Rusty The Roofer

2010-01-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

Sitting in the living room of “Yellow House”, watching water drip from four different leaks in the ceiling, I decided that it was time to fix the roof. Yellow House was a rental property in Nashville that I shared with my two beautiful female roommates years ago who, despite my best efforts, still thought of me as a buddy.

After receiving a number of estimates, a guy pulled up unannounced one afternoon in a white van and said “wud up?” Enter Rusty the Roofer. Rusty was a red faced, red headed, redneck who offered to repair my roof for half of what the other roofers would. In my naiveté’ I hired him on the spot. The events that transpired over the next week taught me two things, 1. In the words of Ronald Reagan “trust but verify”, and 2. Never do business with a guy in a white van.

On the first day, Rusty and his crew came out and took all of the shingles off of the house. I had to later apologize to my female neighbors for the cat-calls that were being lobbed from my roof like grapefruit. Taking shingles off of a roof does not require exorbitant amounts of brain matter. Putting new shingles on, however, requires a bit more skill, but in order to apply that skill one must be present. When Rusty was ready to leave for the day at the crack of two, he told me that he would return the following morning at 9:00 am. I assured him I would be waiting. The next morning, nine o’clock came, nine o’clock went and I was left standing on my porch underneath my naked roof growing agitated. Rusty finally showed up at 10:30 and apologized for his tardiness. I told him that I was planning my workday around his start time so I insisted that he be on time. The following day at 9:00 am, I am standing on my porch waiting for Rusty to show up only to be stood up yet again. When he rolled into my driveway at eleven o’clock, I was hot. I said “Rusty, when you tell me that you are going to arrive at nine….I EXPECT YOU TO BE THERE !!!!! When you don’t arrive until eleven you screw up my whole day.” Rusty looked at me and said “Patrick you’re right. But I have a good excuse. Last night I was out at a bar and met a woman who is doctor from Vanderbilt Medical Center and we [Partied] all night long.” I looked at him with an incredulous look on my face and said “Rusty, don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t look like the type of guy who [parties] with doctors from Vanderbilt.” He chuckled and said “you’re right, but last night I had it going on, I was looking sharp…. I HAD ALL MY GOLD ON”

I guess I underestimated the seductive charms of a herring bone chain and a nugget pinky ring. I told him that doing business with him was becoming more trouble than it was worth and he looked me in the eye and said “Patrick, you have to admit that 90% of the time, I do exactly what I say I am going to do”. There ends the ballad of Rusty the roofer.

Like with Rusty, customers judge a vendor or service provider by the 10% of the time their expectations are not met. Here are three ways to turn prospects into clients, clients into fans, and avoid becoming a “Rusty the Roofer”.

1. 1. DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO.

Become known as a person of your word. This establishes trust.
Trust enables friendship.“People want to do business with their friends” (Jeffrey Gitomer)

2. 2. UNDERpromise and OVERdeliver.

   Too many times we are tempted to say anything to close the sale.
   When you close the 10% margin of error you become a resource
   who provides value. Value creates loyalty.

3. 3. BE PROFESSIONAL.

Professional standards of communication and dress have relaxed
over the last decade. Become known for superseding the standard.

Fatback and Gefilte Fish

2010-01-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

I am a Southerner. I am not a confederate flag waving “if the South would’ve won, we’d have had it made” Southerner, but I am proud to be from the South. I grew up in Alabama, went to college in Mississippi, and my roots are known to show from time to time. Not many of my friends, however, know that I was born in Silver Spring, Maryland.

For the first four years of my life, my father was a lobbyist in Washington, DC, and we were the only non-Jewish family living in an all-Jewish neighborhood. From an early age this Southern Baptist Alabama boy developed a taste for Jewish cuisine. Lox, bagels, chopped liver, and gefilte fish were common fare when I was playing with the Lieberman or the Rosenthal kids.

Years later, when I was living in Nashville, Tennessee, as a single musician, I befriended an older Jewish woman who lived in a small house in my neighborhood in Hillsboro Village. I was finishing a jog one afternoon and as I passed her house, I noticed that she was trying to mow her lawn and seemed to be having trouble. I stopped and introduced myself, and then offered to finish the job for her. After mowing her yard, she invited me into her home for lemonade. We talked for a while and she shared with me pictures of her children, grandchildren and even a picture of her ex-husband -- “May God rest his soul….soon” (her words). On her mantle was displayed a beautiful menorah so I told her of my early years in the all-Jewish neighborhood outside of Washington D.C. She said we were the “token gentiles”. We came to an agreement on that day. I would mow her yard in exchange for her homemade chopped liver. Music City had never seen such a deal and probably never will again.

I’ll never forget the advice Mrs. Frank gave me one afternoon over lemonade. She said “Bubbulah, it is just as easy to marry smart and beautiful as it is to marry dumb and plain”. I married a smart and beautiful woman and I thank God every day that my wife never met Mrs. Frank for fear that she would have followed her advice and done the same. Mrs. Frank was right. It is just as easy to marry smart and beautiful as it is to marry dumb and plain. Just as it is as easy [if not easier] to surround yourself with talented and motivated people rather than those who bring you down.

My favorite quote comes from High Point University President Dr. Nido Qubein. Standing in his office many years ago, I asked him “What is the secret to your success?” He pointed to a beautiful credenza on the far side of the room and said “Go push the button.” I walked over and pushed a button on the front of the credenza and to my surprise the lid began to fold back and a crystal statue arose from the interior like something out of a James Bond movie. The statue was three figurines holding hands. Dr. Qubein told me that the statue was a gift from his mother and the figure in the middle represented himself, the figure on the left represented Albert Einstein and the one on the right Jesus Christ. The inscription at the bottom of the statue simply read “If you want to be great, walk hand-in-hand with greatness.”

Are the people you are surrounding yourself with pulling you forward in your career or holding you back?

Here are three ways to maintain positive relationship capital:

1. ELIMINATE NEGATIVE PEOPLE FROM YOUR SPHERE Of INFLUENCE.
The biggest and most delicious fruit comes from trees that have had the dead branches pruned away.

2. CREATE RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE.
A rising tide lifts all boats.

3. FIND A MENTOR.
A commonality of successful people is GREAT MENTORS. Seek out a mentor who is where you aspire to be in their career; has a similar set of values; and is accessible.

Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, and speaker who teaches clients how to create distinction in the marketplace 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. To book Patrick Henry for your next event, visit www.patrickhenryspeaker.com

FANtastic Coffee

2010-01-07T12:59:00.001-08:00

As a frequent traveler, I often find myself in airports searching for nuggets of inspiration hiding in between the runways. I was on a four-hour layover in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport and had grown a little tired of the book I had been reading since I had left home three days prior, so I put it away and decided to cure my boredom with a cup of Starbuck's coffee. You may be thinking to yourself "why not grab a real drink"? Even in today's stressful travel environment, I have yet to lose my temper and I credit my perfect record to the fact that I don't have [real drinks] in airport lounges. I strolled over to the Starbucks next to gate A-16 where I stood in line. I was a little surprised at how many people they had working behind the counter. After a few "how many Starbucks employees does it take to screw in a light bulb" jokes had flashed through my head, I perused the menu. The employees behind the counter were having a great time. They were laughing, joking around, and seemed to be having a lot of fun as they took orders and made coffee. I heard a voice say "hi, how ya doin"? I turned to see a pleasant young lady behind the register talking to me. I was a little taken aback as many of us are when weare actually confronted with good customer service, so in my best Joey Tribiani voice (if you don't know who Joey Tribiani is then ask someone under 40) I said "how you doin?" I told her what I wanted and she asked my name. "my name is Patrick" "Hi Patrick.... hey everybody this is Patrick" more hellos and smiles from behind the counter. I answered a few questions about my trip and by the time I received my order, I felt as if I was saying goodbye to old friends. I got two more cups of coffee on my layover. Not because I particularly like the coffee, but because a few outstanding Starbucks employees chose to include me in their good time. The employees of the gate A-16 Starbucks understand that having fun at work is important but including the customer in the fun is profitable.

How are your customers being included? When you make a customer feel important you are creating an intimate connection
that will turn them into fans. One common trait of fans is loyalty. Loyal fans are not buying a product, they are buying YOU !!

HERE ARE THREE WAYS TO TURN CUSTOMERS INTO FANS:

1. BE PREPARED !! know as much about their business as you possibly can. In addition to reading strategic pages from their website, spend time on the websites of national trade associations that relate to their company. Read the white papers, best practices, and understand the issues and new legislation that could affect their business. If you have a firm understanding of the issues that impact their bottom line, you can more easily fill their needs.

2. FIND A COMMON INTEREST!! Do you both play the guitar? Do you both enjoy imported beer? Do you share a love of Saltwater fishing? Find a common link that intimately connects you to the prospect.

3. BECOME A RESOURCE!! Continually send emails, articles, and "swag" with the sole purpose of building their business or positively supporting the common interest you both share. If the consistency of your correspondence is supported by a genuine desire to be helpful then you have turned a prospect into a client and a client into a fan.

Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, and 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

the house SPECIAL

2010-01-05T05:26:00.000-08:00

When I entered the Nashville music scene in 1994, it wasn’t long before I was rubbing elbows with some of the biggest names in country music. Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Alan Jackson…I was rubbing elbows with all of them. Truth be told, it was usually when I was reaching to refill their water glass, but every now and then our elbows would touch.

I worked at a restaurant called the Green Hills Grille. It was a delightful little bistro nestled in the heart of the Green Hills area of Nashville and staffed mostly by aspiring songwriters, singers, and musicians. The joke was “if you wanted a job at a restaurant in Nashville, you had to submit a three song demo”. The Green Hills Grille almost always had a line out the door with people eagerly awaiting the spinach and artichoke dip, chicken salad melt, or the famous white bean soup with corn cakes. I was always surprised that the restaurant did absolutely no advertising. The food at the restaurant was excellent but the secret to their success did not lie in the taste of the food, but rather with a little old woman named Mrs. Stevens.

Mrs. Stevens would come in everyday at four O’clock and would always sit at the same table, in the same chair and order the exact same thing; a hot fudge brownie, vanilla ice cream, and black coffee. We all got to know Mrs. Stevens and when we had a chance, we would stop by her table to say hello. One afternoon I had her table in my section, and when I saw her walk into the restaurant I put in her order and had a cup of coffee waiting when she sat down. As she was eating her brownie, I said, “Mrs. Stevens, that must be a pretty good brownie to keep you coming back day after day”. She put down her fork and looked up at me and said, “Patrick, this is a great brownie, but I don’t come here for the food. I’m here because of you…and Gail, and Brigid and Jed and Doug and Steve”…. To my surprise, Mrs. Stevens began to name every single server in the restaurant and as she looked up at me, her eyes began to mist over and she said, “y’all make me feel so special”

I can remember my first day of work at the Green Hills Grille. We were in a back room taking a menu test, and Brian, the general manager, walked in and spoke three words then left. He didn’t say don’t be late, or don’t drop dishes…. He said REMEMBER THEIR NAMES! The secret to the Green Hills Grille’s success was not in the food. (Isn’t good food an expectation?), it was that we made the customers feel good being there.

Do your customers feel good about you? How are you exceeding your customer’s expectations? Great customer service is not a selling point, it is expected. Product reliability….expected!!!, competitive price point…expected !!!!!!

Here are three ways to exceed expectations and turn customers into fans:

1. REMEMBER THEIR NAME. It makes them feel special and makes you look competent. Remember details of conversations you have and recall them in follow up correspondence.

2 2. REMEMBER THEIR BIRTHDAY . A famous Hollywood producer spent $60,000 a year on flowers. He said, “they don’t always remember who sent flowers, but they always remember who didn’t.”

3. REMEMBER YOUR MANNERS. I was conducting interviews of my best clients asking them why they continued to do business with me. One said, “My secretary loves you. You always call her maam”. She was an older southern lady who appreciated the “old school”.

Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, 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

Lessons from the back of the pack

2010-01-03T08:43:00.000-08:00

Had you been standing next to me the morning of July 26^th, 2008, you would have been standing on the shore of North Carolina’s Lake Cammack watching the sunrise. Had you been standing next to me on July 26^th, 2008, you would have found yourself surrounded by 500 people preparing to compete in the Mission Man Triathlon, and had you listened closely on that thick morning in July you may have heard me whisper and possibly whimper quietly to myself… “What in the heck have I gotten myself into?”

For almost ten years, I have been an avid practitioner of Mixed Martial Arts. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muy Thai Kickboxing… I love it all, but now that I see 40 on the not too distant horizon, I have realized two things about the sport I love. 1. The guys are getting younger, stronger, and faster, and 2. I am too old to be getting hit and/or kicked in the face… I needed a new sport. One afternoon my brother and I were having a conversation when I told him that I was looking for a new challenge. I wanted a sport a little on the extreme side but with minimal chance of bodily harm. I wanted to reduce the risk of getting hit and/or kicked in the face. He said why not compete in a triathlon? At 6’4, 225 pounds, I have never considered myself the “triathlon type”, but he then uttered the words that sent me on my way to becoming a tried and true, full fledged triathlete….He said ”I dare you”. “you dare me?” “you daRE ME??!!?? ..don’t dare me Bubba, I’ll do it. When is it?” He said “there’s one in three weeks”……… “DONE” !!!!

For the next three weeks I trained like a mad man. I ran every day. I swam every day and I borrowed a bike that I rode everyday. When the morning of the triathlon arrived, I was up before the sun. I packed my gear and headed out to the race site. At the starting point, I stood in thigh deep water with my bright blue swim cap holding in my slightly graying hair. My spandex biker shorts and under-armour top were struggling against my slightly expanding mid-section. I looked like a super hero five years past his prime. When the horn sounded we took off like a school of grunion. I was paddling as fast and furious as my arms would allow. Fifty yards into the swim I began to tire. 60 yards into the swim, my freestyle turned into a breast-stroke, and by the time I reached the first buoy, was doggy paddling. When you doggy paddle your way through a triathlon you become the unwilling provider of piggyback rides for anyone who happens to have started behind you. Half way through the swim as I was being passed by the competitors wearing pink swim caps, (women over 40), I made eye contact with a grandmotherly woman who could not have been day under 65. In a cosmic moment of irony and humiliation, she overtook me, passed me by, and then KICKED me right in the face.

LESSON….. IT TAKES LONGER THAN THREE WEEKS TO TRAIN FOR A TRIATHLON !!

My friend and fellow speaker Bill Bachrach is a real triathlete. Bill is a Hawaiian Iron Man, which means he completed a 2.5 mile swim, 116 mile bike ride and a marathon. I asked Bill “what does it take to become an Iron Man?” I expected him to tell me of above average athleticism, superhuman strength and endurance, but instead, he told me that it all came down to commitment. Do you have the time, patience and discipline to focus your efforts on the process of training to become great? He said the roadmap to becoming an Iron man is finite, measurable and tested. All it takes from you is a commitment to work the process.

What is your commitment to the process of becoming an Iron Sales Man? Are you working a process or slinging it up against the wall hoping something sticks. Martial Arts legend Gene Lebel said “the harder you train the luckier you get”. The same is true for sales.

Here are three simple tips to incorporate into your sales workout:

1. WAKE UP EARLY. By the time your competition’s feet hit the floor in the morning, you should be on step three of your daily to do list. “The early bird gets the worm”…I love worm..tastes like chicken.

2. READ TWENTY MINUTES OF POSITIVE MATERIAL DAILY. Before you logon to Fox News, CNN, or enter the blogosphere and get the latest dose of negative headlines, start with twenty minutes of uplifting material. It is like waking up and chugging a glass of water. (ever done it ?…you’ll feel amazing

3. PRACTICE . Having trouble on the phone? Practice with a mirror on your desk or the camera on your computer…smile and create friendly facial expressions and it will come through in your voice. Create scripts and practice them until you don’t sound rehearsed. Roll play with friends or co-workers until walking into a brand new office feels exciting.

Patrick Henry is a songwriter, author, and 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