A Blog By Speakers, For Speakers.
Are Your Butterflies All Tied Up? Harnessing Stage Nerves for Speaking Success
By Shanita Baraka Akintonde, MBA, M.Ed., DTM | Does this scenario sound familiar? You step onto the stage, your heart pounding, beads of sweat start a sprint across your forehead, and your stomach flutters. Butterflies. Pre-speech jitters can be off-putting and stimulating whether you’re a first-timer or delivering your five-thousandth keynote. Disturbing and energizing. Unnerving…
The EQ Edge: Building Unforgettable Connections with Your Audience
By: Lori King-Taylor | As a speaker, it’s not just about delivering information; it’s about creating an experience that lingers with your audience long after the presentation ends. Emotional intelligence (EQ), particularly the elements of social awareness and empathy, can be the difference between a forgettable talk and a message that truly resonates. When speakers…
“What’s Your Favorite App?” The Right Question Isn’t About the App—It’s About the Outcome
By Jamie Champagne, CSP | These days, with the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, asking others “What’s your favorite app?” is starting to be almost more commonplace among speakers than the “What do you speak on?” question. The explosion of AI technology into the hands of the average user has us all jumping at…
Crossing State Lines: Navigating State Tax Obligations for Speakers
By Marquita Miller-Joshua, CSP, MDSG As a professional speaker, your job often takes you across state lines to deliver keynote addresses, facilitate workshops, and conduct seminars for diverse audiences. While travel and exposure can be exhilarating, understanding the state tax implications that come with working in multiple states is important. Why State Taxes…
The Self-Eating Watermelon
By Kent Cummins, CMCE How can you help prospective clients get the money to pay your full fee? For more than 60 years, I have been using a technique which I call, “The Self-Eating Watermelon!” The concept was developed by myself and a few friends while I was an undergraduate at Louisiana State University (1961-1965),…
Why Not Insert a Panel Discussion in Your Presentation?
By Kristin Arnold, CSP, CPAE, CPF | Master | A few years ago, Joe Calloway, CPAE, called three people on the stage in the middle of his keynote presentation and facilitated a 15-minute panel discussion! Whoa! You can do THAT in a presentation? Indeed, you can! Embedding a panel discussion into your presentation can be…
Slide Decks: What Do I Do Wrong?
By Trevor Perry The first debate about presentation material is whether or not to use slide decks. The second debate is then a question of which tool to use. The answer to the first is…it’s your choice. A slide deck has many advantages, the main benefit being that it is a cheat sheet for yourself….
The Real Deal: What Meeting Planners Want Speakers to Know
By Linda Swindling, CSP, CPAE Speakers often want to know what items are negotiable and how much to charge. Not asking for what is available can be a rational concern. That said, there are lists of concessions and items to request. However, many speakers ignore the wants, needs and even fears of the busy professionals…
Reinvent Your Business
By Thom Singer, CSP | The pandemic hit my speaking career hard. Speaking mostly to midsize associations, the abrupt halt of live events meant my clients didn’t hold in-person meetings. They no longer had the same budget for paid speakers, and my income plummeted by three-quarters over two years. Emerging from the pandemic felt like…
