Biesenblog
Riveting Insights on Communication, Storytelling and Presentation Skills
Worried About the Competition? Get Over That Foolishness
I'm amused by old-fashioned notions about competition and how to deal with competitors. The old approach of putting up walls, guarding secrets and drawing strict lines between "us" and "them" may still work for companies holding truly proprietary information (like...
A Lesson in Career Planning from Steve Jobs
Are you feeling lost or directionless in your career? Like you’re on the wrong track or you’re wasting your time? I can assure you you’re not alone. Practically everyone has felt that way at some point in his or her life. I can also assure you that it’s going to be...
Dull, Ugly Presentation? How to Cure Death by PowerPoint
Are your presentations ugly and boring? Do your slides lull people to sleep? Do your audiences suffer from Death by PowerPoint? Here are some warning signs to watch out for: You use your slides as a script. You follow a tired old formula like “6 lines of text per...
Rehearse Your Speech, Early and Often
How long should you rehearse that big speech? How long have you got? The short answer is you should practice your presentation as much as you possibly can. Know your content backward, forward and sideways. There is no such thing as over-rehearsal. Here's why and how....
How to Talk to Customers: A Tale of Two Companies
Companies update their privacy policies all the time. Sometimes the changes are innocuous, and sometimes they're downright alarming. So it's a good idea to pay attention to them, even if they're written in a way that seems to deliberately obstruct understanding by a...
Book Review: Spin Sucks, an Indispensable Marketing Guide
If you buy just one business book this year, make it mine. If you buy two business books, then I strongly recommend Spin Sucks: Communication and Reputation Management in the Digital Age. It's a new book authored by Gini Dietrich, CEO of marketing and communications...
I Am Not a Motivational Speaker
Why would anyone ever hire a self-described "motivational speaker?" Would you hire a motivational accountant? One who makes you feel great about your vital role in the economy but may or may not help you avoid an IRS audit? How about a motivational plumber? Somebody...
6 Steps to Becoming a More Energetic Public Speaker
Are you a low-key person? Reserved? Introverted? There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re unable to turn up the necessary energy when you hit the stage, it can make or break your success as a presenter or public speaker. That's why low energy is one of the 11...
5 Advanced Public Speaking Tips from a Master
Last week I attended one of the best presentations I've ever seen in person and came away with some really important public speaking tips. Some of these are for advanced speakers, but they're skills anyone can aspire to achieve. The occasion was a local chapter...
How to Cut the Fat From Your Speech: 7 Tips
One of the best ways to surprise and delight an audience is to leave them wanting more. After all, nobody ever left a room saying, “I wish that speech had been longer!” So your first priority is to trim the fat and keep your presentation focused. The Incredible...
Now on Sale: 11 Deadly Presentation Sins, The Audiobook!
The audiobook edition of 11 Deadly Presentation Sins is now on sale! So if you're not the "reading type," you can just sit back, listen, and learn how to become a more skilled and confident presenter—all in just two hours. If you're suffering from stage fright, unsure...
Apple’s Tim Cook Shows CEOs How to Be Human
Who says a shareholders meeting has to be boring? While most companies seek to minimize risk at these events, Apple CEO Tim Cook showed last week what can happen when a leader acts like an actual human. Or, "feisty, funny and fiery," in the words of the Los Angeles...
