An Unfair Advantage is anything that allows you
to better compete or to out-compete your competitors. An Unfair Advantage can
be the use of Competitive Intelligence; it can be the act of redefining how your sales and
marketing departments interact; it can be the realization of why your customers REALLY use
your products or services; and it can be the discovery of the importance of Strategic
Communications and your ability to communicate -- getting your ideas across by telling an
interesting story. When you think about it, any Unfair Advantage boils down
to simply TELLING A GREAT STORY! (not a lie, not a fib, not an untruth, not a
political promise, but a real, honest to goodness, interesting STORY!)
"If You Can't TELL IT ... You Can't SELL
IT"!
Every single day, we are
"selling" ourselves, our ideas, our business services and products -- yet most
people want to believe they are not, nor do they EVER want to be involved in SALES.
I've learned there are only three types of people in this world, (1) those who MAKE
things happen, (2) those who WATCH things happen, and finally, (3) those that look around,
bewildered, and ASK, "What the heck happened?"
If you want to be a person who MAKES
things happen, congratulations, you think of yourself as a leader. As a successful
leader, you will need to influence, motivate, and clearly communicate your ideas to those
around you. All great leaders are seen as great
communicators (yet the reverse is not always true). All
great communicators have mastered the "Unfair Advantage" -- they have become
distinguished public speakers by learning how to become remarkable
"story-tellers".
Mastering the skills of creating and
presenting a GREAT keynote (or luncheon) speech can offer your profession or business a
unique competitive advantage. As a
business owner or upper level executive, you realize that your top managers and key
employees have many opportunities to speak in front of professional and service
organizations, key accounts, media representatives, and public officials.
You also know they will most likely base their presentations on your
company's products and services. Will they come across as interesting, persuasive
professional-level speakers, or boring, mediocre, note-reading lecturers? How they
appear to an audience is a direct reflection on your company -- AND ON YOU!
Unfortunately, most top-level
executives believe they are good public speakers and do not need professional coaching or
training. Yet, these same individuals appear
uneasy, require podium notes, and are addicted to PowerPoint. Average speakers use notes; great speakers memorize
their speeches. Average speeches have an
obvious plan; great speeches appear to be spontaneous and unrehearsed. Average speakers are clearly nervous; great
speakers cannot wait to “own” the stage. Average
speakers try to learn the tricks of the trade; great speakers know the secrets of the
trade.
The power of public speaking is
unrivaled in the business world. Being
able to persuade and motivate can propel you to the top of your profession ... no matter
what business you're in, but only if you know how to create and deliver an entertaining,
professional platform presentation. For
example, George W. Bush is a good presenter – Ronald Reagan was a GREAT communicator.
Jimmy Carter was a good presenter – Bill Clinton was a GREAT communicator. The gap between good and great is huge.
I specialize in closing that gap.
Great platform speakers command a high
degree of respect and prestige, and great speakers are always in demand. The better you speak, the more people want to hear
what you have to say -- about you, about your business, or about your profession. One 20-minute speech has the ability to double or
triple your income, and great presentations can open the doors of opportunity that are
closed to over 98% of the population. Some
say it might even give you an Unfair Advantage over
your rivals and competitors – imagine that – an “unfair” advantage
– just for the ability to speak in public!
"Your audience
will remember your stories long after they forget the content of your speech, so if you
want to be remembered, learn to tell GREAT stories!" – M.Rix © 2002
