Self Promotion

Why? Because we live in a perpetual state of comparison to those around us.

And we are always comparing ourselves as being less valuable or important than others.

I believe that the most important thing you can do is to create for your audience a great first impression, never leave it to chance. And that means it's important to let everyone know who you are, why you're there, and the benefits for them to listen.

Introduction formula

Who are you? Why should I listen to you? What's your motivation for talking, what's in it for me?

a. Enroll Women – by talking about your family, your relationships, the feelings you have. Especially describe the way you treat them, the people most important to you. This will help. I often talk about taking my wife on our honeymoon around the world for 3 months. Visiting San Francisco, Niagara Falls, Venice, and ending on a tropical island in Thailand. In the introduction, they realize that my relationship is a key area for investing my time and my money.

b. Enroll Men – by saying something impressive that you have done. Did you build something, do you ride a motorbike? We like to hear that you can do things, and magic numbers can also come into play here. Like using the word 'Million'. When we hear this, we assume $$$. So when I say I built a million dollar business before I was 30 with just 3 staff…. Its a big, bold fact but it triggers emotions in men.

c.  Likability  – It's important to tell people about how approachable you are. That you are open to conversations, that you are happy to share. If you have a lot of friends, share this. If you have strong relationships, share this. You want your audience to feel like they "LIKE" you. This is a key and unlocks the brain to take in the information that you are going to share.

a. Qualifications - Everyone has done something in the past, from a 20-year housewife to a 40 year executive. Teenagers have achieved study results and co-curricular activities. Long-term unemployed have a wealth of experience to share on what works and what doesn't in life. Of course when you construct your introduction, you have to start with a brainstorm, then refine it down. No-one wants to hear about every job you've had for the last 17 years. Just the key, relevant facts. Now is the time to prove we are the person they should listen to.

b. Work and life experience - This should always be things we are proud of. From trips around the world on motorbike, to teaching English in China. Dancing on stage or reality TV - my seminar students have always amazed me with amazing things they have done. When someone shares that they have done something special with a normal career, it makes that person unique. Teaching English is a career, Teaching it in China shows a willingness to travel, discover, take on challenges. When you share the things you are proud of, you aren't taking them for granted. Your past is feeding your future.

c. Unique Ability or Skills - We are all unique. It's important every day to realise that we are so different from everyone else. Our talent can be in the management of people, or great mental calculations with numbers. Or it might be playing sport left and right-handed. All these interesting things help people realise they are listening to someone who is unique. In the field they are speaking about, they are the most qualified because of this uniqueness.

d. Topic and benefits -You need to share with people what they are going to learn from their time with you today. You have the responsibility to sell the ‘sizzle' of your talk in your introduction because it will keep them interested. In my public speaking talks, I tell people that I make money everytime I open my mouth, and I want them to as well. This verifies that public speaking is not just a hobby, it can be a career. Every salesman already knows this. But the other 90% of the audience is who I am trying to get to. So they understand that if you master the art of public speaking you can do almost anything.

a. Tell a story – Think about how your friends would describe you. How would they promote your friendship, your generosity, your passion, your work ethic. What would they say about the way you treat people, how you speak, how you live your life.

b. With appropriate emotion/passion - You need to have a match between the words said here, and the emotion behind them. If someone says you are the most positive person they have ever met - you want them to say it with while smiling, making good eye contact. If they say how caring you are and your charity work is your life's passion, the pace is slower, with pauses, with warmth. Match the emotion to the pace and the style of the words.