While working in television & film, I learned from some great masters how to visually tell stories and captivate audiences.

Crossing into different media like business (print, internet  or even social media), the lessons blur when that movie screen separating actors from audience – is removed. With email & social media, we can communicate with immediacy so the “story” is more about our connections and engaging friends and followers.

Having recently attended some great presentations by masterful speakers, I witnessed another lesson on connections.

The value for your audience is not just what they learned from your presentation, but also their beneficial connections with people they met at your event.

It’s part of our human condition to connect. We are social animals and prefer our tribes to isolation.

It’s the people we meet that  inspire us. Don’t you think that’s why Presidential candidates travel the country while campaigning.

Many of the great speakers and speaking trainers (some of our favorites noted at the end ♥♥) teach us to allow an audience time for engagement, exercises to do together, or group networking activities.

 

In our era of everything-exposed-on-facebook or tweeting-mania it seems so old fashioned to find extra time for networking.

But statistically, more business is closed from meeting people in person so they get to know you and trust you. Building comraderie on social media can lead to closed business when it’s strategically done right. That’s what we help businesses manage.

However, we think it’s also important to get away from your computer and meet the amazing people in person who are developing amazing ideas in our world.

NEWSFLASH

If you haven’t seen our article featured in Better Business Focus, take a peek. It reminds us that still, the solid rules of marketing apply in our tweet-everything world.

FEATURED ACTION TOOL THIS MONTH

We’re featuring this month our special action report on My Favorite Networking Tips in hopes that it inspires you to meet a few people, in person, who can inspire and support your business!

WHO BENEFITS?

For business people required to attend those boring company functions, for leaders who want to stay at the top, or for business owners (or even anyone dating), our networking action report is only $12.99 this month.

What’s Your Experience Networking? Share your own favorite tips in the comments below. There’s no right or wrong answer, just what works for you! We’ve already seen great phone networking result from people commenting on our blog.

What can you learn?

Designer Erin Ferree shares her comments.

“I like your “bright side” approach. This turns a lot of networking approaches on their ear and reframes things from a viewpoint that’s more in alignment with my views – and has helped me see networking in a whole new light.” – Erin Ferree, Brand Style Design

“Thanks Erin. I liked your novel and useful video about how to think of your branding in terms of fashion trends. Excellent reframe yourself!”

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Trainer extraordinare Suzanne Fong, from The Sweet Life says:

“It was very step-by-step and detailed, with lots of information and alternative ways of going about getting speaking gigs. “- Suzanne Fong

If you need serious marketing support, we have a full service agency to support your business.

SOME OF OUR FAVORITE SPEAKERS AND PRESENTATION TRAINERS

Special congrats to our client, the Dirt Diva, Annie Spiegelman, author of  “Talking Dirt”, and columnist for the Pacific Sun who was recently named as finalist in the green category for a nationwide book competition of the MS Society.

Annie is a correspondent for the Huffington Post, Pacific Sun and a few other publications and somehow she makes writing about dirt just hilarious. She’ll be speaking about organic gardening at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show on March 26^th.

Caterina Rando has exemplified excellence in speaking for decades. She’s a master at involving her audience. She’s offering a class to teach people how to become sought after speakers and I have no doubt it will be worthwhile.

 

 

Robert Graham of Grahamcomm trains speakers and has the best newsletter on the topic, hands down. His information is poignant, useful, and makes me laugh (often at myself).

 

 

 

Shannon Presson just took one of our “Walking with Bliss: Idea Labs” to brainstorm some of her own wisdom regarding her healing your money story teleseries; “I’m Brilliant… and I’m Broke”. You can email her to get details of her next presentation.

 

Joie Seldon, Actress and Presentation Trainer brings to her talks her groundbreaking work as an emotion educator and therapeutic counselor, teaching a unique kind of “emotional intelligence” to use in the workplace.