Shannon's thoughts on marketing, public relations, social technology, entrepreneurship and other things

Yes, you have been there…the presentation from hell.

You discreetly tweeted #killmenow.
You yawned and hoped no one caught you.
You took copious notes, which looked a lot like a grocery list.
You made faces, rolled your eyes and exchanged smirks with equally bored co-workers.
And the same things will happen next week when YOU are giving the presentation.

Think back to the last great presentation you attended. What captivated your attention? What was memorable about it? Why could you have sat there for another hour listening to the speaker?

It’s probably because the presenter was -- repeat after me -- ENGAGING. Audiences don’t want to be spoken to or lectured at, they want be in conversation with you. This may seem like a play on words, it isn’t.

Consider how you have a good conversation: you look the person in the eye, you tell jokes or share stories, you gesture or talk with hands, your voice fluctuates and you enjoy it. The same principles hold true for good presentations.

1. Connect with your audience. Look up from your notes and at your audience. Find a few people to connect with, eye-to-eye. They won’t bite you.
Don’t cheat and stare at the back wall. It won’t positively reinforce you.

Bonus tip: have a couple of friends in the audience to give you smiles and occasional winks of encouragement

2. Invite your audience into your world. Share a funny story. Your life consists of hundreds of funny, interesting and amazing experiences…tell them. Your audience will relate.
Don’t share anything that is overly personal; religious and political stories aren’t a good idea either.

Bonus tip: go with cute stories about your children, in-laws or pets

3. Move it, move it, move it. Let your natural rhythm flow. You naturally move when you talk, holding back makes you look stiff and nervous.
Don’t fidget. Remember your movements should flow like a river, not babble like a brook.

Bonus tip: request a lavaliere (clip-on) microphone to keep your hands free and to allow for movement around the stage

4. Modulate your voice. Speak, just open your mouth and speak as you normally do. The only way for the audience to receive the message is for you to deliver it.
Don’t use your “outside voice.” The AV techs will adjust the microphone to you.

Bonus tip: do a sound check before you get on stage

5. Have fun. Breathe…inhale…exhale. The audience is on your side; they want to hear from you.
Try not to be nervous. If you’re uncomfortable, then your audience will be uncomfortable.

Bonus tip: practice, practice, practice…it makes perfect

Speaking in front of people shouldn't be painful for you or your audience.

Additional Resources:
Toastmasters International
Speech and Public Speaking, Kennesaw State University
Public Speaking Tips (video series)

What is Indie Business?
Indie Business is Indie Business Media, LLC, the company I own with my husband. One of our subsidiaries is the Indie Beauty Network, a trade organization that provides educational and small business networking services, and products liability insurance, for our small manufacturers of health, beauty and lifestyle products. Another subsidiary is INDIEgu, an e-commerce hub for American handmade and artisan products like soaps, candles, fragrances and confectionery goodies.

When did you start?
We launched on January 16, 2000, the day we also published our first online newsletter. Launching this business with a newsletter was the biggest and most important professional achievement of my life.

Really, launching a newsletter was momentous?
Yes, because the newsletter is one of the most fun and effective tools I use to connect with my customers and other stakeholders. It allows me to do four things that are important to me: have fun, help others, increase profitability and stay in touch with people easily and consistently.

Are these four things your priority?
Yes, in the sense that I use them to evaluate how I am doing as a business leader. If I am having fun, helping others, earning a profit and staying in touch with those whom I serve, then I am achieving my purposes as a woman and a business owner. In the case of the newsletter, for example, since I was a journalist/public relations major in college, I learned a lot about publishing. I combined this formal education with my love for the writing process, and this makes newsletter publishing not only effective, but also fun for me. Writing is professionally and personally satisfying for me, as is reaching out and connecting with other people.

Tell me about the newsletter.
The Indie Experience Newsletter is published each Monday. The tagline for the newsletter is my own personal motto, "Enjoy your life! Build your business! Have your way." It is a news, business and product resource.

How do you use media to get the word out about your business?
Connecting with and nurturing relationships with all kinds of media outlets is an integral and enjoyable part of my business. I share information and publish content that helps people, and this ultimately grows my business. I enjoy training others to use their own branded media outlets to do the same through my one-day The Media Is You training workshops. When it comes to media, I employ what I call the trifecta: passion, instincts and training. It's a part of my purpose to help others use media outlets, to discover their voice and share their passions and ideas with the world.

Nugget of knowledge: Everyone needs to be their own best media outlet.

How did you get started on our entrepreneurial journey?
I had a traditional 9-5 job and I was unfulfilled because I didn’t learn anything about myself. I was paid to perform, not to grow. I wanted to grow, and when I realized that a traditional workplace was not helping me do that, I decided to create my own workplace by launching a business that I could design to fit my life -- instead of designing my life to fit my profession. I decided I wanted my life mantra to be, “Enjoy my life! Build my business! Have my way!" So I created that for myself and my family, and now, I help others do the same.

You’ve also found another stream of income as a public speaker, what are some of the messages you share with young people when you talk with them?
This is a great question, since I'm just back from lecturing to graduate students at Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business. I encourage young people to start a blog, to be in control of their online identity, their brand and to use technology to reflect skills, integrity, humanity, and professionalism. Young people must be careful to take control of their online personas. If they don't, future employers, business partners, spouses and children could uncover unfavorable things (true or not), which can hurt them in down the road.

"You may not be able to control what people say about you online, but if you aren't a proactive part of the conversations about you on the Internet, you're abdicating your responsibility to present the best possible reflection of yourself to the world."

What are some of the keys to your success?

• Patience: I am willing to do tiny things no one else sees in order to take the big steps that are more visible.
• Focus: I'm not trying to be all things to all people. I have a niche and I do my best to serve it.
• Faith and Family: My husband and personal faith are integral to everything I do, and everything that is done to me.
• Persistence: I don't give up. When an obstacle comes, I assess it and figure out how to go over, around, under or through it so I can achieve.
• Humility: I ask for help when I need it. This is one of the most effective ways to achieve your goals.
• Relationships: Life and business are nothing without them so I try to maintain healthy, interdependent relationships.
• Technology: I embrace it every step of the way. I use it to position myself as someone here to help, offer a service you need, and bringing value to your life.

Finally, life is a process of constant rebranding...I’m in a constant state of beta.