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Present Like a Pro

The Field Guide to Mastering the Art of Business, Professional, and Public Speaking

Cyndi Maxey, CSP, and Kevin E. O'Connor, CSP

St. Martin's Griffin

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ISBN10: 0312347731
ISBN13: 9780312347734

Trade Paperback

288 Pages

$21.99

CA$29.99

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Sales calls. Weddings. Business conferences. Weekly meetings. We are all called on to speak in public. Often, professional success and advancement depend on it. Yet many people find the experience draining or terrifying, or remain unsatisfied with their own ability to engage and sway an audience.

In Present Like a Pro, you will learn how to:
· Solicit useful feedback.
· Deal with hecklers.
· Gracefully handle A/V malfunctions.
· Sell your point through audience participation.
· Evoke the power of your own life in your talk.
· And much more!

Cyndi Maxey and Kevin E. O'Connor have distilled the knowledge they have acquired from more than forty-five years' combined experience of professional speaking into a concise, easy-to-use guide that will help anyone Present Like a Pro.

Reviews

Praise for Present Like a Pro

"A must-read for aspiring speakers as well as the experienced professional . . . A masterpiece for every speaker."—Les Brown, author of Live Your Dreams

"Present Like a Pro . . . will definitely help you deliver more powerful presentations!"—Dr. Tony Alessandra, author of The Platinum Rule and Charisma

"Targeting managers, salespeople, professional speakers and even best men preparing wedding toasts, communications and leadership consultants Maxey and O'Connor provide useful advice and moral support to anyone who is about to speak up. Through judicious peppering of personal stories, they demystify the near-universal fear of speaking in public, while offering potential speakers at all skill levels encouragement and practical advice. The guide is organized for ease of navigation in short, snappy chapters, each concluding with a boldfaced summary of key points—a boon to time-crunched presenters. Among numerous pointers, the authors emphasize practicing your speech, especially in front of someone or by timing and taping yourself. The authors conclude that any speech is 'all about you in conversation with the audience'; they stress the importance of knowing your audience and their language, achieving rapport with repetition and with stories, and making an immediate connection with a creative introduction. Though some of their advice is common sense (e.g., attend to your appearance), inexperienced speechmakers in particular will find this manual instructive."—Publishers Weekly

Reviews from Goodreads

BOOK EXCERPTS

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One

Aristotle Knew the Basics

Power is in the character of the speaker.

Power is in the speech itself.

Power is in the mood of the audience.

Why should you look forward to your next presentation?...

About the author

Cyndi Maxey, CSP, and Kevin E. O'Connor, CSP

CYNDI MAXEY is a communication consultant and speaker who specializes in communication that drives profitable performance. She lives in Chicago, Illinois. KEVIN E. O'CONNOR is a leadership consultant and speaker who specializes in developing technical professionals. He lives in Long Grove, Illinois. Combined they speak more than 200 times per year.

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