Category: Public Speaking

 
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7 Steps to Help Increase your Google Page Rank:

Google Page rank is based on back links. Back links are Links pointing to your website from another website. The more back links you have the higher your PR will be.

1. Join forums, forums are a great way to achieve links to your website. In most forums you are allowed to have a signature and in your signature you can put a link to your website. But another important note to look on is making sure the forum is somewhat related to your website. You will still get credit if it’s not, but if it’s related to your website than you will be accomplishing two tasks at once.

You will be advertising for your website (bringing in targeted traffic) You will also be building your websites presence.

Your websites presence is very important to your survival. The more people see, or hear about your website the more credibility you will have and this increases your chances of having these visitors come back and possibly become leads.

2. Submit to search engine directories. Search engine directories are a good way to get a free link to your website. They also increase your chances at being listed higher on popular search engines like Google, and overture.

Most search engine directories allow you to submit to their website for free. This will allow you to increase your web presence by being listed on another search engine, and it will also be a free link.

Remember the more links you have the higher your PR will be

3. Using ezine ads (or newsletters). Creating an ezine will probably be the most beneficial step you can take to increasing your web presence. When you create an ezine you will be able to keep visitors coming back to your website for more by using signatures and giving special deals.

Ezine’s will also allow you to increase your back links. By creating an ezine you can submit your information about your ezine to an ezine directory. This directory will than link to your website(thus giving you a free link).

4. Creating and publishing articles. Articles are an easy source of generating new traffic. You can include your signature in your article. This will bring in more traffic from article submission directories.

Your signature usually consists of 4 to 8 lines. Usually the first line would be the title of the website that you are trying to advertise. The last line would be the link to the website and the lines in between these would be a sales pitch to draw your viewers into your website.

5. To increase your PageRank, or more precisely the PageRank of one of your pages (the homepage or any other, think of this), the first thing to do is to get links from other sites.
Getting External Links…

Here are some councils:

* Try to obtain a great number of links to your page (read our councils on this subject)
* Choose first the pages having good PageRank (be careful to distinguish the PageRank of a site and that of its pages: the PageRank of a site is by abuse of language that of its homepage, but the link towards your page will be perhaps located on another page having very bad PageRank)
* Choose pages having the least links possible (especially if their PageRank is small)
* Check that the page which put the link is well indexed by Google, otherwise its PageRank is worth zero and that will not bring anything to you. In particular, it should not contain any directive indicating to the crawlers not to index it (file robot.txt or META tags), and it should not be orphan (otherwise Google cannot index it).
* It can be more effective to have a link from a page with PageRank 4 with only a few links that a link from a page with PageRank 6 with a great number of links.
* The two best examples of links to be obtained are those of directories DMOZ and Yahoo! who seem to play a great role in Google’s algorithm. See our special pages about these two directories!

6. Importance of your internal links

Getting links from other sites is a very good thing but it is hard to control. On the other hand the links between YOUR pages, you can and must attach importance to it.

Thus, it is crucial to organize your own site well to optimize PageRank of all your pages. Indeed starting from the study on the formula of PageRank, we can consider that each page has a reserve of “points” (its PageRank) it can make some benefit to other pages by “transmitting” them a part of it.

Let us take the example of your homepage which succeeded in having good PageRank thanks to the exchanges of links with other sites. Your other pages can profit from it if you put a link from the homepage. Attention, the same rules apply: if you do many links, the share of PageRank transmitted to each one of your other pages will be weaker.

If you try to optimize your own site, it is better thus to avoid putting outgoing links (towards other sites) on your pages which have good PageRank, because an important part of your good PageRank will be spread and not transmitted to YOUR other pages. It is thus rather traditional to make a link from your homepage to a links page which will contain outgoing links.

Conversely, you can also build your site so as to improve PageRank of some of your pages (with the detriment of others). For example it is common to seek to have best possible PageRank for your homepage. Make therefore a link to this one on each page of your site, by putting for example your logo in the top left.

7. Links from related websites. Gaining links from related websites can be one of the most frustrating tasks you can attempt.

They are very easy to find, but can be somewhat difficult to obtain links from.

To find related websites, all you have to do is go to a search engine… say Google… and type in your subject. Maybe your website is based on ford mustangs.

You go to Google and type in ford mustangs, than you look around for pages that are somewhat related to your website. After you have done this (which should be very easy) you have to contact them in some way to get your link posted on their website. This can be the most difficult task because a lot of webmasters ignore e-mail’s from people requesting links because they don’t see the importance of it at the time. Some other reasons could be that they are rarely online, or they delete spam mail and sometimes delete their important emails in the process.

Important note: When looking for link partners don’t just link with websites that have a page rank of 4 or higher. Link with anyone and everyone you get a chance to. If you link to someone that has a page rank of zero, this will not hurt your page rank. It will only increase it because you are getting a link back to your website. Google doesn’t look at your back links page ranks to determine what yours is going to be. It simply looks at how many back links you have.

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5 Tips to Magnetize Your Book Web Site With Benefits

What will make your home page interesting? Good design plays an important part in your site’s overall effectiveness. But it’s not the flash that will interest your audience. It’s not the jingles that will connect with your visitor. It’s the benefits – the ‘what’s in it for me’ list that create interest and even desire.

Would you like to create a magnetic home page, one that magnetizes your visitors? Webster’s Dictionary defines magnetic as ‘powerfully attractive.’ Best selling author and owner of the largest advertising agency in the 20s, Bruce Barton said, “The theme (any advertisement) ought to be based on two principles-first that a man is interested in himself, second, that he is interested in other people.”

What will make your home page interesting? Good design plays an important part in your site’s overall effectiveness. But it’s not the flash that will interest your audience. It’s not the jingles that will connect with your visitor. It’s the benefits – the ‘what’s in it for me’ list that create interest and even desire. Create a home page filled with benefits and it will pull your visitors in. What you say your product/service can do is much more attractive than a beautiful web page with weak copy.

Promote with benefits instead of your bio, your credentials and even the features of your product/service. Put them in their proper place on your site. But your audience will most want to know the value of your product to them.

You must answer questions like, “Will it solve my particular problem?” “What will I gain?” “What will I lose if I don’t use your service?” Some universal benefits answer the how tos: getting more passion, more energy, less fatigue, more money, good relationships, more time, less trouble, less stress, less drama and trauma. Here’s a quick tutorial on magnetizing your home page:

1. Develop a list of 10-20 benefits of each product and service. For example, a client of mine realized her audience didn’t just want to know how to get articles written, they wanted to know why should they write them?

So on the home page selling her article writing ebook, she started with a list of good reasons to write short articles to promote: For the serious marketer this ebook explains step by step how to promote your business, build a gigantic Opt-In List, increase your traffic, get qualified links, increase your page rank, grow your affiliate base, become a recognized expert, and collar more sales.

2. Be specific. List specific benefits. Describe how your customer will feel after buying your product. For example, after you buy my service of teeth whitening, you’ll look and feel 10 years younger without plastic surgery. Then post a picture of what your client looks like before and after the teeth whitening service. Let them see how happier and more confident they look with whiter teeth. Make your page magnetic with specific benefits.

3. Let the passion for your topic show in your marketing copy. Which arouses your interest more? “A 9-Step Power Plan to decimate and dominate the Consultant’s Marketplace” or “The 9-Step Plan to Become a Better Consultant.” “How to Convert More Buyers Into Customers” or “How to use the ‘FTP’ factor to pull amazing clickthrough rates that most marketers will only dream about!” Magnetize your web page with passion that creates desire and sales with your audience.

4. Develop the skill of writing headlines. Provocative titles will stir interest. Provocative statements capture our attention like a fish on a hook. They throw out the baited hook and reel a captive audience in every time. The shocking statement ‘Wives Who Don’t Want Sex’ even if they don’t have this problem will get the attention of the curious.

Use the Command statement for an immediate effect, ‘Become an Internet Millionaire!” Even if it’s a well worn claim, it still captures a large share of attention. Don’t forget the power of the simple ‘How To” information title. It alerts your audience that the information that follows will be simple and easy to digest. Capture the attention of your audience with a home page filled with magnetic headlines.

5. Give your links the power of benefits. We have added magnetic pulling power to our bulleted list, headlines, and titles. It’s all good. But there’s one more area that will give your home page even more pulling power. I got this tip from Allen Says’ “The War Report.” Many unseasoned site owners create links that say things like, “Get your FREE ebook here!” or “Sign-up for our FREE ezine!”

When first exposed to this tip, all I could say was, “Ouch!” I know my sites were filled with links like that. Perhaps we thought the magic word was FREE and people would automatically click on it and download. The truth is ‘Free ezine” tells our audiences nothing. Impart life to all your links with benefits. Those left over benefits and titles you developed earlier in this article. Review each link and pretend you have to get every visitor to click on it.

Don’t wait. If you wait you could be starting the next year without the explosive sales and traffic your site deserves. You have invested time and perhaps money into making your site the best it can be. Now, create a magnetic home page by giving your bulleted lists, headlines and links the power of benefits. Magnetize your home page and prosper!

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How to Hire the Perfect Keynote Speaker

In a perfect world, you would have an unlimited budget to hire top speakers for your next meeting or convention. Since it’s not, here are some tips on getting the most for your meeting dollar. Let me tell you about a project I worked on with the American Payroll Association that could be a model for you — or at least expand your thinking about ways to use speakers.<br><br>
APA’s Executive Director/CEO, Dan Maddux had a week of speaking and seminar slots to fill. Instead of assigning each slot to a different speaker, Dan chose to maximize the contribution of a few top people, using three of them in three different ways. That’s how Dan made 1 + 1 + 1 = 9. Three speakers used three ways equals nine slots filled. Here’s how such a move can save your organization and money and let you “trade up” to speakers you otherwise couldn’t afford.<br><br>
<b>Save on Hotels and Airfare</b><br>
Cutting the number of speakers might or might not reduce the total nights lodging needed, depending on your schedule. However, you’ll definitely save on transportation — for instance, three round-trips versus nine.<br><br>
<b>Speakers May Reduce Fee</b><br>
I can’t promise you that all speakers will do extra presentations for the same rates — they won’t. But the speaker you hired last year might have been more flexible if you had only thought to ask, “After your keynote, could you do a breakout session?” Or,” Could you emcee?” “Could you moderate a panel?” Even, “Our chairman is a bit nervous. Could you coach him on speaking?”<br><br>
Speakers may give you a better price for three consecutive days at one hotel, rather than three separate dates months apart.<br><br>
For example, for the Florida Realtors Association, I asked, “After my luncheon speech, would you like me to do a seminar on speaking skills?” They said, “Well, the agenda is already slotted in, but we’d love it if you would emcee our Top Producers’ panel, the first breakout session after lunch.”<br><br>
For the California Interment Association, I was scheduled to present a two-hour seminar after lunch. I said, “What else is going on? Would you like to me to do a spouse program?” They said, “We’ve never had one, but we’ve invited spouses for a breakfast get-together.” I added a 45-minute program that same morning. The only difference to me was that I had to go to the hotel a few hours earlier. Like most speakers, I want my clients to know I am there to serve them, not to pick up my speaking fee and run.<br><br>
<b>It’s Easier to Get Sponsors</b><br>
Trading up to big-name (or bigger-name) speakers makes it easier for you to get sponsors. Whenever people say, “We can’t afford you,” I always ask, “Do you have sponsors to help pay for your event?”<br><br>
Who would sponsor your event? Consider approaching the exhibitors at your conventions, or whoever sells to your members or who wants good PR with the people in the audience. List these “angels” prominently in the program. I always make a point of giving sponsors a good plug in my presentations. For example, after my opening story for the American Cemetery Association, I quoted the founder of my corporate sponsor, Service Corporation International. Then I gave examples to reinforce my points by reading from their newsletters, and my walk away line incorporated their name. I always let sponsor know, “Don’t worry, they won’t have any doubt who paid for me,” and make a joke about it in my speech.<br><br>
<b>Three Invaluable Bonuses</b><br>
Having speakers on hand throughout your event gives you far greater flexibility in scheduling. Continuity can establish a powerful connection between audience and speaker, getting your message across in a way that a wide variety of speakers couldn’t. Dan Maddux says, “We found that when we triple-booked those speakers, they become even more popular, really getting to know our people who always want them to stay around longer.” Continuity, during an event or from year to year, means your speakers are able to notice and volunteer to help your organization in special ways you may not have thought of.<br><br>
<b>How It Works</b><br>
Recently, 1,674 members of the American Payroll Association attended its Sixteenth Annual Congress in Nashville. Dan chose as keynote speakers Art Linkletter, Susan RoAne, Willy Jolley, Al Walker, and me, Patricia Fripp. He had little trouble getting sponsorship to help pay for these keynoters because of the success of his past conferences.<br><br>
The Congress was scheduled to start on a Monday. Dan came up with the idea of offering an extra pre-Congress program on Sunday, “For Women Only.” This isn’t as sexist as it may sound because seventy-five percent of APA’s membership is women. Dan figured that many could take advantage of cheaper Saturday night airline tickets, saving their company’s money, so they might be open to an extra day of education and fun.<br><br>
He called this extra program “Women on the Ladder to Success: Career Strategies for the Millennium,” and used six presenters. Three were from within the Association and industry, including the current president. Three were professional speakers who were also scheduled to speak during the main Congress. Each of the professionals gave two talks at this separate Sunday session. I did “Women in the Workplace, the Evolution of Career women” and “Are You a Wonder Woman or Superman in Payroll?” (In a custom-made Wonder Woman costume I had made 20 years ago. The fact I can still wear it deserves applause!) Susan RoAne spoke on “Taking Charge of Your Accomplishments” and “Women Who Make Things Happen: Traits of the Savvy and Successful.” Diane Parente’s programs were “Your Passport to Image Credibility” and “Looking Your Professional Best Without Spending a Fortune.”<br><br>
Then, at the kick-off Monday session for the full membership, Susan was the keynote speaker with “Schmooze or Loose: How to Gain the Verbal Edge.” She also presented a program for the vendors, “How to Make the Most of the Trade Show.” Diane Parente delivered a breakout session on “Image, a Powerful Tool,” and gave Dan’s Board of Directors one-on-one consultation as a bonus. (17 in all.) I delivered the Congress’s keynote speech, “Insights into Excellence,” presented a marketing seminar for the vendors, “How to Nurture Relationships Once You Leave the Trade Show,” and, as a break-out, conducted a workshop on “How to Sell Yourself and Your Ideas.”<br><br>
Having booked the Sunday before the conference, Maddux thought of a way to use his talent pool for a Speakers’ School on Saturday. Last year this program had been a success, but with a smaller audience of their speakers who talk on tax law changes, it had not justified a hiring a keynote caliber presenter to teach it.<br><br>
As I was already going to be there for several days I was excited at the prospect. I suggested we invite his association members scheduled to give programs during the congress. He also invite the APA leadership from the State chapters who have to speak at their meetings and get no formal public speaking training. As far as I am concerned the more the merrier. I charge the same whether my audience is five or 5,000. After the session I helped the President and Woman of the Year totally rewrite their talks. They have now requested I train them at least 3 months before next yearÌs convention.<br><br>
<b>Synergy Makes Good Sense</b><br>
Dan says “Using proven professionals in several slots so they develop a rapport with the audience is a better investment than bringing in a different speaker for each slot. In our case, two of the speakers, Diane and Patricia, had been so successful as keynoters the previous year that the audience was looking forward to seeing them again. This gave us the advantage of repeat role models, because our presidents turn over every year. The added fact that Patricia, Diane, and Susan had worked together before, and are best friends, gave us even more bang for our buck. We could never have put a dollar value on that kind of synergy.<br><br>
“I need my speakers to deliver a message and be powerful role models. Patricia, Diane, and Susan are all self-made women over fifty, looking good, feeling good, and they’ve built their careers themselves. This is an important message for our Association audience.”<br><br>
<b>More Bang for Your Buck</b><br>
Dan Maddux was able to negotiate with his speakers for a lot of extras. Many professionals figure that, as long as they are there anyway and being well paid, their time belongs to the client. Therefore, they are happy to take on extra tasks.<br><br>
The next time you are planning to hire a speaker, consider using him or her in multiple ways. It doesn’t hurt to ask if the speaker would be willing to:<br><br>
<ul><li>Deliver one or two “breakout sessions” or a spouse program along with the keynote at the same half-day fee.</li>
<li>Introduce other speakers.</li>
<li>Emcee the event that they are part of.</li>
<li>Help association Presidents of Board of Directors with their own presentations, either in advance or while the speaker is there.</li>
<li>Say a prayer at a meal.</li>
<li>Moderate a panel.</li>
<li>Sign autographs.</li>
<li>Appear in the sponsor’s booth to make their sponsorship more of an investment.</li></ul>
Like most of my comrades in The National Speakers Association, I want to be memorable and to give full value for your meeting dollars. For the Hamilton Bank in Philadelphia, I even leaped out of a spaceship, wearing a Wonder Woman costume. (Getting into the spaceship was a little more complicated, but that’s another story.)

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Timing In Goal-Setting

When most of us set goals, we hold an expectation that everything will work out as planned. We have this picture in our minds of a smooth process from start to finish, easily achieving our goals without a hitch. This is especially true when it comes to the timing of our desired results!

Let’s face it; we wouldn’t be setting goals in the first place if we didn’t believe they were possible to achieve. Even if we expect a fair amount of difficulty in reaching our goals, we usually don’t expect to encounter major delays and setbacks.

Early in the game an optimistic mind-set can be a strong benefit because it gives us high confidence and strength to push through any preliminary obstacles that appear before us.

However, as more and more time passes and our desired results aren’t showing up – or worse, we continue to experience problem after problem, our determination begins to wane. We wonder what we’ve gotten ourselves into. We wonder if we were crazy to think we could accomplish something so difficult!

Most importantly, we forget that there is one little aspect to any goal that is often beyond our control: timing.

As much as we might like our results to show up quickly and easily, that is not always how it happens. When we find ourselves stuck, we have three choices: We can strengthen our focus and put forth a stronger quality of energy toward our desired outcome; we can build up our resolve to work through obstacles more persistently, or we can wait patiently for the timing to be exactly right.

That last one is the stickler! We don’t like to feel out of control, especially where our own lives are concerned. We don’t like feeling that there is some mysterious “force out there” controlling what happens to us.

There is no easy answer for why results don’t appear when we expect them to. Each situation is different, as is each goal and the person setting it.

When this happens to you, the important question to ask is not WHY it happens but what you will do when it does.

Will you shove through obstacles with vicious determination? Will you find an easier path to your goal? Or will you wait patiently for obstacles to dissolve in their own time?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions; only what you choose for yourself.

Like most people, you may find that certain outcomes cannot be rushed. No matter how hard you push, you will not be able to move forward until the timing is right.

In situations like these, hindsight usually reveals clear reasons why you could not move ahead until the timing was exactly right.

Perhaps you needed to wait for the assistance of someone who could provide the right opportunity to move ahead. Maybe you weren’t emotionally ready to handle the responsibilities of your desired outcome and once you did some more work on your personal development, all obstacles simply melted away.

There are endless possibilities for why the timing may not be right, but what can you do when you find yourself stuck?

Two of the most beneficial steps have proven to be:

1) Do what you can. Remain open to the possibilities, re-evaluate your plans and see if you can make improvements or adjustments.

2) At the same time, be willing to detach from the exact timing of the outcome. This is not easy, but it can open up many doors for you!

When you let go of trying to force something into being, you automatically decrease the pressure that deadlines place upon you. Because you feel more relaxed, you are better able to focus and awaken your creative thinking process. Through this creative insight, you may accidentally discover the perfect solution to your problem, or at least have more fun exploring possible workarounds.

In the end, the length of time needed to achieve your goals is not nearly as important as the delicious satisfaction you get from seeing them through to the end.

And when that day arrives, you’ll believe only one thing: it was well worth the wait.

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Public Speaking Dilemma: What To Do When You Don’t Have Enough Time

Do you have a standard hour-length presentation, but your host can only spare a half hour? Are you in the middle of a presentation when you realize that, due to a late start or abundant questions, you are running out of time?

No matter what your topic, always be flexible and ready to cut short your session (or ready to lengthen, as the case may be). Here are some ways to make sure your presentation always fits the time slot.

<b>Pointer #1: Use a timed outline</b>

When you create your presentation outline, include time estimates next to each section (I like to add mine in red to make them easier to spot on the page).

A brief, one-page bulleted outline (or two pages double-sided) will be easier to time than a long, rambling novel written in paragraphs.

Practice your presentation and jot down time estimates as you go (two minutes for opening, five minutes for section I, seven minutes for section II, etc.) When you get to the end, add up all the time and determine whether you should add to or subtract from any sections to make it all fit into the allotted time slot.

If you have to edit severely to fit into a different time frame and your presentation will be adversely affected, you might want to develop separate self-contained presentations for short, medium and long time slots.

(If you are a PowerPoint user, see the book “Beyond Bullet Points” for instruction on creating a PowerPoint that serves different timing needs.)

<b>Pointer #2: Shift information depending on its priority</b>

If you notice that you are running out of time while in the middle of a presentation, you may have to shift some of your content around. If you have important points at the end of the presentation, now is the time to bring them forward. As soon as you notice the time crunch, start changing the order of your sections.

When creating and practicing your presentation, it’s always a good idea to think ahead about how you would handle this situation. The layout of your bulleted outline should make it easy to see which sections to leave out, move up or move down.

If you have to leave out something that you feel is important, gather business cards from the audience and offer to e-mail them additional content.

<b>Pointer #3: Supplement with handouts</b>

There’s usually some information that we want to share, but that we don’t necessarily want to include in our live presentation. You might have some relevant articles to supplement your workshop, or you might have charts and graphs that you didn’t have time for or the technology to project.

Use handouts wisely. If the material does not need to be reviewed during your presentation, then leave handouts at the back of the room for the audience to pick up on the way out. If you choose to put them on seats before you begin, be aware that your audience may spend half the time reading and not listening to you.

Your handouts should always include your contact information and a link to your website, if you have one. Make sure all resources and references are clear and easy to read; use graphics if appropriate and leave a lot of white space on the page. Don’t overload handouts with text; make them concise and relevant to your presentation. Otherwise, they will end up in the recycling bin!

Follow these suggestions, and you will always be prepared, no matter how much (or little) time you have.

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Microphone Technique

Although it sounds strange to you, to hear your own voice over the P.A, in fact it doesn’t sound any different to the audience than if you were talking to them in normal conversation.

The trick here is to be Yourself, if you haven’t got the skill to project a warm friendly personality at the functions where ice breaking is required then being an entertainer isn’t for you. The trick is to find a balance, most people would simply hire the gear – saving around 50% of a D.J’s booking fee and throw a NOW Cd on – if human input and personality wasn’t important to them. At some functions, if they pay for an entertainer and get a human jukebox who doesn’t own a mic and just sits there playing music then they occasionally feel cheated!.

I can’t stress the ìBE YOURSELFî, advice enough, don’t put on a radio style zany DJ voice – that will sound false and doesn’t fool anybody. If you are lucky enough to have a D.J training you, or are a young person helping an older mentor D.J then DON’T be tempted to become a clone of him or her. Adopt your own mic style (not a false voice), use your own tag lines but don’t rely on the same cliche’s 20 or 30 times a night – this becomes boring and predictable.

Don’t rely on ìthat wasî, ìThis isî introductions all night. At some functions going out with a Radio Mic and creating banter with your audience is a great way to break the ice at the beginning of difficult, non formal functions – and a good way of enouraging them onto the dancefloor early on. You can relax the mic work and the frquency of them – once the dancefloor is filling.

Of course there are always going to be functions where you need more mic work than the last, and other functions where it is going to be little mic use, but the key is to develop a style and strength and confidence in your mic working ability and not to rely on non stop music alone to do the work for you.

Just be yourself, and talk normally into the microphone. The thing to work on is to speak confidentally and clearly and try to pace yourself. Speaking too fast will make what you are saying sound garbled, speaking too slow will make you sound like you are addressing a bunch of village idiots . Pretty soon, with a little time and practice you’ll develop your own individual skill and style and that is the most important aspect, don’t try to copy anybody else or put on a different voice, it will sound false and make learning and maintaining the technique a lot more difficult.

If being a comedian is not you, then avoid the jokes unless you are good at this sort of thing , forced comedy can sound false and you may find yourself laughing alone, after all the Client has booked a Mobile Disco and not a stand up comedian!. One of the best pieces of advice I was given my the D.J who trained me, was to ìStick at doing what you are good at and have been booked for, and if in any doubt then leave it outî.

Spontaneous one liners are another matter, if something amusing happens, then share it – use the mic to get requests, make a fuss over other people celebrating birthdays / anniversaries – people like to have their 30 seconds of glory and hearing their name mentioned, over the mic

My advice to those nervous about public speaking for the first time, is not to be frightened of the mic or avoid using one – its your closest and most useful ally, at all functions. Don’t talk all over the track, learn to pace yourself over the outro of the previous track and any intro of the next track – don’t gabble – talk clearly into the microphone as if you were talking to a friend. With time you should be able to familiarise yourself with how themore popular tracks end and finish, this way you can talk upto the vocal, similar to how they do on the radio – stopping your banter at the moment the vocal on the next track starts. Don’t rush to perfect this or gabble to do so, it all comes with time and practice. Keep it simple to start off with.

Start with the easy stuff first, just introducing tracks, and buffet announcements. Once you’ve built up a bit of confidence, you’ll move on from the ëThat wasÖ.. this isÖ.’ routine. Try and include your audience, invite requests, make them feel welcome. Even if you are having a difficult gig don’t take it out on the audience and try and look like you are enjoying yourself, even if it’s not going to plan. Don’t worry about making mistakes on the Mic, we all do from time to time, but don’t draw attention to it, or dwell on it it’ll just make it worse – besides making mistakes shows that you are human and not a pre-programmed jukebox

Keep key information on the gig, such as the Bride & Grooms’ names, Best Man Name etc on a piece of paper on the mixer, so that you can casually glance down if you have a sudden memory blank, but don’t write your links down as a speech, otherwise it will sound like you are reading from a script and less natural.

Remember that once the dancefloor is full, you can ease off the mic a little, but keep doing the requests and don’t forget that it exists. Learn to find the balance, too much talking can bore the pants of your audience, too little mic work can make people think that you aren’t earning your keep!. There are functions where you have a full Dancefloor and it would be obtrusive to chat all over the music when people want to dance, equally there are more formal functions where there isn’t the room or inclination to dance, and so a bit of light hearted banter to break the ice and the empathsis on the entertainment side of being a DJ is required rather than just continuous music

All of this will take some time, don’t expect to develop a mic technique overnight just take it one gig at a time.

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