Read the "No-Choke Zone".
Learn tips and tools for becoming a fantastic, fearless speaker.
From the Creator of SpeakersTrainingCamp®
Learn tips and tools for becoming a fantastic, fearless speaker.
From the Creator of SpeakersTrainingCamp®
Buzz, the tracking dog, locates the cash prizes
I hope all of the contestants had a good time. I certainly enjoy meeting new people and connecting with clients and students. One of the winners admitted that this is the first time she’s won anything. Just as in business, winning is all about tossing your hat in the ring.
Congratulations to our 2010 Website Scavenger Hunt Winners:
1st place: $200: C.C. from the state of Washington
2nd place: $100: J.S. from Georgia
3rd place: $50: R.B. from Quebec, Canada
Here are the answers:
….. an attorney said that he learned more in the first morning of the SpeakersTrainingCamp® than he did in an entire 12 week course held by a national training company
…. the Certified Instructor is from Sydney, Australia
… the SpeakersTrainingCamp® will help you cut your nervousness in half, and help you become a fantastic, fearless presenter
Subscribe to “No-Choke Zone” Blog by Speech Coach & Successworks CEO, Sue Gaulke by Email
Jessica, from New York, was one of last year's cash prize winners
Hurry! The contest ends at 5pm Pacific Standard Time, December 15. Ready, set, go…… and good luck! This will take no more than 5 minutes:
Prizes: $200, $100, $50
Rules: Answer 3 questions correctly and you will be entered in a random draw for the prizes. One entry per person. It’s OK to forward to your colleagues and friends, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Deadline: December 15, 2011 at 5pm Pacific Standard Time
Winners will be notified by email – December 16 and announced by initials on my blog
Hints: Be sure to use the helpful hints. They will save you lots of time. Have fun and happy hunting. Good luck!
To enter: click here
Please forward to your friends and colleagues
Subscribe to “No-Choke Zone” Blog by Speech Coach & Successworks CEO, Sue Gaulke by Email
Christy Demetrakis, Certified Instructor, and new author
I am so excited to announce that Christy Demetrakis, SpeakersTrainingCamp® Certified Instructor, has become an author. In fact, Christy was the very first person who ever contacted me about the Certification Program way back in 2007. I knew when I met Christy that she was something special. She even took me out to dinner one night to “pick my brain” – she wanted to soak up every single piece of information I could give her. Writing a book certainly takes that self-starter gene, and Christy has it! I recently contacted her to find out her process of going from idea to published author. Here’s what she had to say about writing her book:
Faith to Conquer Fear: Inspiration to Achieve your Dreams – Christy Demetrakis
1. What is your new book about?
“Faith to Conquer Fear: Inspiration to Achieve your Dreams” unfolds one basic truth…All of us are afraid of something! Unfortunately, that fear often prevents us from following and achieving our dreams. Despite your fears, you have the power to achieve your dreams in both your professional and personal life. No matter how small or lofty your goals, Faith to Conquer Fear will give you the motivation you need to move forward with confidence.
2. What was the book writing process like for you? How did you get motivated to write?
In hindsight, the book writing process was fairly quick. I began the process in late Fall ’09 and received the first published copy in the mail November 2, 2010. There was a lot of night and weekend research and writing. Initially, I planned to write a book in order to have product to sell after my speaking engagements. However, in the midst of the process, I could see my passion flowing onto the pages and “Faith to Conquer Fear” took on a life of its own.
3. What advice do you have for new aspiring writers?
1- Once you make up your mind to write your book, set a target date for completion. I had a speaking engagement in November that would be my first opportunity to sell my book. That was the date I worked against to have my books in hand.
2- Schedule dedicated time on your calendar to work on your book.
3 – Always keep a note pad nearby because once you start the process, your mind will constantly think of ideas to include in the book.
4 – Let’s get on with it! Get started.
To order a book or for more information, contact Christy through her website
Subscribe to “No-Choke Zone” Blog by Speech Coach & Successworks CEO, Sue Gaulke by Email
When you Skype a potential client or current customer, what should you wear? The answer is very simple – wear what you think they would expect you to wear. Last week I Skyped a potential client in New Zealand. It was a very casual day for me at the office, but I actually changed into a business suit for the Skype date. I only had one shot at projecting the image I wanted and I had two choices:
1. A top-rated trainer worthy of her business (including a trip from New Zealand and a three-day training fee)
2. Someone who was having a nice casual day at work
Of course I chose Choice #1. I learned my lesson about a year ago on Facebook. Thinking that Facebook was a more casual meeting place, my profile picture included me wearing a pink top, holding my new Golden Retriever puppy in a beautiful fruit orchard. Someone from the Philippines sent me a personal email explaining that she was shocked by my Facebook photo – this was not the Sue Gaulke image that she saw on my website. Immediately I changed the profile picture to a corporate look. The lesson I learned was that image needs to be consistent throughout your cyber existence. People expect consistency. Imagine if Cheerios suddenly changed to a blue box!
Subscribe to “No-Choke Zone” Blog by Speech Coach & Successworks CEO, Sue Gaulke by Email
“Oh, you look too serious,” is a comment often given during the coaching sessions of the SpeakersTrainingCamp®. People often ask, “Well, why should I smile, I’m not saying anything funny.” The reason you want to smile is that it conveys enthusiasm for what you are talking about and it also conveys friendliness toward the audience. People rarely smile. And I’ll admit that it’s really hard to do if you’re nervous (which causes lots of facial tension). I can remember one video shoot that I was doing for a training video. I was really trying hard to be energetic and enthusiastic. While I was filming the clip, I was thinking, “This is probably way over the top,” but when I reviewed the tape, there wasn’t enough smiling. What we think is enough facial expression, is usually not enough for the audience. I’ve only worked with a few people who smile too much – it’s very rare. One of them was an executive from the IRS! Enough said.
Subscribe to “No-Choke Zone” Blog by Speech Coach & Successworks CEO, Sue Gaulke by Email
Train the Trainer: Become certified to teach the SpeakersTrainingCamp® workshop.
March 13-14-15, 2012 | September 11-12-13, 2012
SpeakersTrainingCamp®: Interactive small-group public workshops:
March 20-21, 2012 | July 22-23, 2012 | October 9-10, 2012
The SpeakersTrainingCamp® is customized for your group at no extra cost. Contact us for a quote.
