Episode 116 — Comedy, Speaking, and Podcasting with Phil Johnson

Speakers can learn a lot from comedians — and not about how to open with a joke. Comedy requires a detailed understanding of language and storytelling, plus the flexibility to work with an unpredictable and sometimes intoxicated audience. It can take years to craft an hour of material.

This week I talk with comedian and musician Phil Johnson about his journey, working with an audience, storytelling, and piracy.

Episode 094 — Watch Yourself on Fast Forward and Speaker Resolutions for 2019

2-Minute Tip: Watch Yourself on Fast Forward   I met speaking coach and entrepreneur Emily Messner (AKA Sleevs) on the JoCo Cruise earlier this year and she told me about this tip.   Gestures are a complicated thing for many folks. Your gestures may or may not feel natural, but it’s hard to tell how they look. We’re not watching ourselves while we speak; we have higher priorities. So if…

Episode 093 — 18 Public Speaking Tips

    2018 has been a great year for 2-Minute Talk Tips, and I got to talk with some amazing people from around the world for the show, This week, I pull together the initial tip from each guest into a single episode. If you want to listen to the whole episode each tip came from or explore the guest’s background, click in the link below.   Episode  Guest Tip…

Episode 091 — Describe your Audience and Meet Phillip Andrew

  2-Minute Tip: Describe your Audience   Back in 2008,  Best Buy described 4 personae who represented their target customers. The even started designing different stores to appeal to Buzz, Barry, Ray, or Jill. They had detailed descriptions for theses archetypes.   I’m not sure if it’s the best approach for a big-box retailer, but it can help your talks.   It’s important to understand your target audience. Start by…

Episode 089 — Practice in the Mirror and Meet Andrew “Mecha” Davis

  2-Minute Tip: Practice in a Mirror   The key to success on stage is to practice as much as you can. Prep by using a mirror to give yourself an audience to impress. And often the person in the mirror is the toughest to impress.   Practice with your notes at first, and get good enough so you don’t need them. Once you don’t need your notes, that means…

Episode 084 — Control the Lights and 9 Ways to Get More Speaking Time

  2-Minute Tip: Control the Lights   An important part of room setup is the lighting. You want folks to see you and any visual aids you are using without straining them selves so lighting matters. What does good lighting look like? Well, it depends.   If you are using a data projector, you likely need to minimize sunlight and dim the lights near the screen while keeping the rest…

Episode 082 — Act as If and Impostor Syndrome

2-Minute Tip: Act as If   When you are nervous, or think you don’t see,m confident, don’t tell yourself not to be nervous or just be more confident. That rarely works; it usually just makes things worse. Instead, think about other speakers you know who don’t appear nervous (they might actually be). How do the act? Can you adopt some of those behaviors? Try to act like you’re not nervous….

Episode 066 — Practice in the Shower and Meet Mario Porreca

  2-Minute Tip: Practice in the Shower   The shower can be a great place to practice your talk. It’s a comfortable, warm environment. You don’t need to pay too much attention to your other activities. You are less likely to be distracted by other folks and tasks. In general, the environment really helps you shift your mindset in a way that allows you to mentally prepare and visualize yourself…

Episode 058 — Schedule Practice and 3 Myths and 1 Mindset for Nervous Speakers

  < 2-Minute Tip: Schedule Your Practice   We mean well. We put “practice” and “rehearse” on our To Do lists. Unfortunately, that often gets bumped by other, more urgent matters. Or meetings get scheduled in our open blocks of time.   That’s why it’s important to schedule practice time on your calendar. Set up a meeting with yourself to rehearse. Reserve a conference room if you don’t have a…