The Dangers of Reading from a Script or Teleprompter

I helped produce an awards event this evening -- each presenter was reading from a teleprompter. And each presenter sounded like he/she was reading from a teleprompter -- flat delivery, stumbling over complex sentences and dry humor delivered like a news story. OOF! The best moments of the evening came when award recipients were given the podium to make a few off-the-cuff comments (no script).

A truth is that most business and community event presenters are not professional actors or Emcees. It's just us regular folk. Someone hands us a script or tells us to look at the teleprompter and off we go hoping not to look the fool.... Here are a few suggestions for injecting a bit more personality and fun back into scripted events:

• Hire a coach to work with your presenters for an hour or two. A good coach will offer valuable instruction on voice modulation, engaging the audience and working with the script, not for it.
• Don't put humor in the script word-for-word. Instead put a placeholder in the script and have the presenter practice his/her delivery.
• Place reminders in the script for the presenter to look at and talk with the audience.
• Have the presenters read through and rehearse BEFORE the day of the event.

A great presenter, to me, is one who sounds like he/she is using his/her own words to engage me in the importance of what is being said. This can only happen with coaching, preparation and passion.

MC Joins The Showpros Group

I have joined The Showpros Group -- in a more real light, I have joined with John Brown, an exceptional individual!

This is quite the move for me. After more than 16 years marketing law and accounting firms I have chosen to go over to the other side and become a vendor -- and am happy for the move.

What John does is create exceptional audience experiences. John has been my go-to guy for a long time and I'm so excited to be a part of what he creates. What we can create together is yet to be seen, but I have to say, I am so excited to be back on the creative side of performing extraordinary!

Stay tuned for more.

One Relationship is Better Than One Hundred Acquaintances

What is the price of one great business relationship? Could it be worth the cost of your annual marketing budget? I bet the answer is, "YES!"