In public speaking the term "prop" is a shortened version of the theatrical term "property," a word used to describe any object handled or used by an actor in a performance. As a speaker you are a performer whether you believe it or not. You have an obligation to use whatever means necessary to get your message across to the audience.

I think of props as any physical item that is on stage with you. Your flipchart is a prop. Your lectern is a prop. Overhead...

There is nothing I like better than an all female public speaking audience. All female audiences tend to laugh more easily and louder than all male audiences. All-male audiences are the toughest because the male ego gets in the way of laughter. They look around to see if anyone else is laughing before they laugh, and they won't laugh as loud because they think they will look less powerful.

If you speak to an all-male audience it is more critical to bond and be "one of the...

Good public speaking should use attention gaining devices. Here is one that works every time: Virtually every speaking presentation I do, I find some excuse to get someone on stage with me. When an audience member is on stage, the rest of the audience is glued to the action for the following reasons:

1. They want to see what is going to happen to one of their own.

2. They are priming themselves to be up there.

3. They are worrying to death that they may be asked to be...

RESEARCH YOUR AUDIENCE It amazes me how some speakers will show up for a speaking engagement and really not know anything about the audience they are speaking to. Many speakers just get lazy and feel that their message is so important that anyone would want to hear it. They couldn't be more wrong. Your core message may be about the same for everyone, but knowing your audience will allow you to slant the information so that the audience feels it was prepared just for them. They will...

These may sound like no brainers, but you'd be surprised. No matter how high-tech your business has become, there is no doubt you still have some non-electronic aspects of your company. These are things like your business cards, stickers, and work shirts, to name a few.

Check out your business cards first. These should be at the ready whenever possible. Make sure your website is listed on your card: this is a way for a possible customer to check you out on their own. A good tip is...

Think of it like this: your fee credibility is as important as putting on your clothes before going to a speaking engagement. Having questionable integrity when it comes to your fee, will leave you open for attack from many different angles (as would giving a speech nude). Without question, all hiring events should receive identical fee bills, as long as they are getting identical presentations. Overcharging or undercharging an event will do nothing but get you in trouble with the...

When choosing keywords, you’ll want to stay away from using general terms like “speaker,” for example. This will only leave you competing with stereo speakers for a top ten spot in a search engine like Google. Don’t discard the word from your list altogether, but don’t make it number one either.

Think about what services you offer. Let’s say you are a customer service speaker in Los Angeles. Some key phrases for you to use might be...

I’ll cut to the chase. To make your video look right, you have to wear makeup. Sorry guys, be macho if you want, but when you have a five o’clock shadow after you just shaved, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The harsh lights used in studios penetrate several layers of skin that would appear a lot healthier if you had just put on some powder. It gets worse… baldness seems to be highlighted by cameras for some reason, get over it and put on some makeup....

I owe the completion and success of my book to a big cardboard box that saw me through the entire process. I found this box and filled it with any and all information I could find on my topic ‘advanced presentation skills for speakers and business presenters.’ I printed out articles I had written, listened to tapes and read every single book on presentation skills that has ever been published. I have a huge library filled with these books, which are a great thing to have. I...

Don’t knock it; “Keep It Simple, Stupid” is a great rule to live by. Nobody likes a website to “yell” at them, with blaring colors and flashing lights. Too many buttons will turn customers off. I had this problem with my homepage at . A colleague of mine, who makes a lot of money, pointed out the cluttered look of my site. I had worked so closely on every detail of the page; that I couldn’t see it for what it was anymore.

I set out to simplify...