October, 2007 INTRODUCTIONS: How to hook your Audience BEFORE you even begin to speak!
	Quote of the month: "Master presenters know that they have a very short period of time to establish their ABC's, which stands for Authenticity, Believability and Credibility." Warren Evans, CSP		" PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME__________!" Have you ever heard a speaker being introduced and you thought to yourself: " So what! Who cares? What's in it for me?" Unfortunately, many speakers write introductions that turn audiences off even BEFORE they step onto the platform and begin speaking. Their introductions may be: boastful, all about them; they may establish little to no credibility or relevancy to the topic; no inference as to why this speaker has been chosen to speak on this subject; no stated value for the audience. Consequently, many presentations suffer because of poor introductions. An introduction establishes the tone or mood for your audience. It is extremely important that you begin on a smooth, positive note. The secret to a smooth, effective introduction is to be pro-active. Prepare it in advance for the person introducing you. When you supply the introducer with the written material, explain that it is important that he/she read it word for word with no ad-libbing or altering of your prepared text. In it, you will state your accomplishments, as long as they are relevant to the topic you are presenting. This month we offer a special treat. Craig Valentine 1999 WCPS has agreed to allow me to use his audio link on INTRODUCTIONS.
	I guarantee that after listening to his entertaining, informative audio, you will write your introductions in a totally different manner. Click the link below, listen in, enjoy and learn! Craig Valentine's Audio I placed Craig's audio postcard on Introductions as a sample of one of the five monthly lessons CHAMPIONS' EDGE members receive on a CD. If you are interested in joining Champions' Edge, I recommend you do so now before Oct. 1, since your monthly investment will be $19.95 and remain at $19.95. If you choose to pay a year in advance, as I do, you receive 2 extra months free. After Oct. 1 the fee will increase to $29.95/month. You are not committed to a contract and can cancel anytime. Check Champions' Edge and all its many benefits by going to this link: Champion's Edge This month I challenge you to work on your INTRODUCTIONS. State the value for your audience by establishing your credibility on the topic; consequently, the eager, interested audience will lend you their ears right away and you'll be off to a great start! Join us next month, when we discuss the letter J and we explore the speech as a JOURNEY. kathryn@kathrynmackenzie.com 416.489.6603 If you wish to unsubscribe from these newsletters, please contact Kathryn at the above email address with the word: UNSUBSCRIBE in the heading. On the other hand, if you know someone who may benefit from these newsletters, please forward them. Thank you. www.kathrynmackenzie.com © 2007 All rights reserved