August 6, 2014
by Andy Saks If you’ve ever watched a presentation, you’ve probably observed first-hand at least one annoying presentation habit, something the speaker did or said repeatedly that distracted you from the information he or she delivered. I call these habits “presentation irritations.” Like a lone scratch on a beautiful car’s paint job, they can mar an otherwise-perfect delivery. And once your brain’s Continue Reading »
June 25, 2014
by Andy Saks Like most Americans, I’m an idiot when it comes to soccer (OK, fine: “football”). I’ve been following FIFA World Cup 2014 results and trying to get excited. But it’s hard to warm up to a game in which scores are low, touching the ball with your hands isn’t allowed, and (as I just Continue Reading »
June 2, 2014
by Andy Saks Over many years as a professional presenter and speaker, I’ve accumulated a treasure trove of funny, inspiring, insightful public speaking quotes. These quotes are near and dear to my heart. They’ve helped me immensely, and helped me help others. Some date back to biblical times. Others are hot off the Twitter press. Sometimes I show Continue Reading »
March 24, 2014
by Darlene Price, guest blogger Do you believe great speakers are born, not made; that you either have the gift or you don’t? This is one of many public speaking myths that often prevent potential ‘stars’ from shining on the platform. The reality is that any effective speech has at least three critical elements: style, Continue Reading »
March 20, 2014
by Andy Saks Live trade show booth presentations rank among the most powerful, effective ways to maximize your lead count. Done right, they quickly and efficiently attract a large stream of attendees to your booth, set them at ease, teach them your value proposition, and prime them to talk with your staffers. We at Continue Reading »
March 11, 2014
by Andy Saks St. Patrick’s Day is a great holiday for giving toasts, especially for those with public speaking anxiety. Why? The holiday’s focus on drinking gives you four advantages: 1. Toasts are nice and short, so you don’t have to talk a lot 2. Toasts are sweet and funny (some even rhyme!) which makes Continue Reading »
February 5, 2014
by Andy Saks We watch them, quote them, mock them and remember them. They’re the acceptance speeches the Hollywood elite give upon winning an Academy Award. What we rarely do is learn from them. So in this post, we’ll dispense with the “best Oscar speeches” and “worst Oscar speeches” labels, examine five memorable Oscar speeches, Continue Reading »
January 15, 2014
by Ken Newman, guest blogger Several years ago, at a trade show in Las Vegas, I was strolling the aisles during the setup/rehearsal day, and happened to pass a very large booth. In that large booth was an enormous theater area with a small thrust stage, about 80 seats, three pipes loaded with stage lighting, Continue Reading »
January 7, 2014
by Andy Saks Film director Michael Bay is known for making us experience our worst fears on the big screen. Recently, Bay experienced our real worst fear himself at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas: an epic public speaking fail. Bay succumbed to stage fright during a keynote presentation for Samsung’s new 105-inch curved Continue Reading »
December 5, 2013
By Tim Patterson Communication One Exhibits We haven’t met before, but I thought I might take a few moments to share some thoughts on your upcoming quest to find a new trade show booth consultant to assist with design and fabrication. First – congratulations! Trade show marketing is one of the most effective ways of Continue Reading »
