Archive for Marjorie Geiser
How a Compliment Can Lead to Success
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by: Marjorie Geiser
February 6 is PAY-A-COMPLIMENT DAY ©1995, and the request of the founder of this day is that we all make genuine and soulful Compliments all day.
In 1995, Adrienne Soux Koopersmith was inspired to create this special day as a result of witnessing a bus driver make an unplanned stop for a lady trying to catch the bus during a blistery, February Chicago day. Granted, this was an act of kindness, but as Ms. Koopersmith left the bus, she complimented the bus driver, who seemed very pleased to accept this compliment. As a result, Pay-A-Compliment Day ©1995 was created.
Let’s look at how paying a compliment can lead to success, though!
Reaching Your Potential – It’s your Month!
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Marjorie Geiser
Did you know it was your month? It sure is! It is “Reach your potential” month!
By Marjorie Geiser
I believe that there is greatness in every single one of us. Zig Zigler is great at telling stories about ordinary people accomplishing great things.
Why not you?
Before you can live up to your potential greatness, however, you have to be clear what you’d like to create! What is your vision for your life? What legacy would you like to leave behind? What would you like colleagues and family members to say about you when you’re gone? Close your eyes and imagine: If there were no fear of failure, what would you do? There’s your vision, your legacy, your greatness.
Speak up to Succeed: 6 Strategies to build your speaking career
Posted by: | CommentsThrough the years, I’ve honed my speaking skills to the point where today organizations contact ME. But this wasn’t always the case.
Marjorie Geiser
By Marjorie Geiser
To celebrate “Speak up and Succeed Day”, which is January 22, I’d like to share six strategies to grow your own speaking career, that have worked for me. Although you can follow any order with these, this may be the best progression to follow:
Join Toastmasters. Before I joined Toastmasters (TM), I thought I was pretty good at presenting. What I learned was that I had a LONG way to go! I learned how to use the stage, how to use my voice, how to use timing. I learned things I never would have learned on my own. And the most amazing thing about TM is that after every speech, someone comes up and gives an evaluation speech on YOUR speech! I still remember the first presentation I gave after joining TM: It was at a national conference, with an audience of around 700 people. In my mind, as I’m using the stage, my mind was running through all I had learned from my weekly TM meetings. I was a different person on that stage than ‘before TM’. Today I feel I’m just a rookie, although I have much more experience under my belt.
Speak, speak, and speak. They say practice makes perfect, and with speaking to audiences, this couldn’t be truer. Contact local organizations and offer to give free, short presentations, speak at every meeting at your TM club. Learn how audiences react to certain stories; learn what you are best at, etc. The more you speak, the more confidence you build up, too. Every new presentation I give provides me with clues about what worked and didn’t work, so I’m able to refine my message for the next time.
Determine your rates. Certainly when you start speaking, you may not really know what to charge. And speaking at local community groups isn’t going to grow your income. BUT, if you plan to include speaking as one of your revenue streams, you need to include it in your business plan as you outline your services and products. Do your research: What do others charge? Who is your target audience and how will you reach them? With speaking, perceived value DOES come with your rates, so plan accordingly. When I started, I was happy if someone would just PAY me! But I have to admit that I did a lot of ‘pro bono’ work. When I was asked for my rates early in my speaking career, I was really stumped, because I hadn’t thought it through ahead of time.
Learn how to negotiate. Often a new speaker will be contacted by an organization and asked what their fees are. Unfortunately, the person gives a pat answer, without opening the door for negotiations! So, high on the list should be how to negotiate. Keep the door open, be clear what your own expectations are, and keep the discussions honest.
January 19 is the birthday of Janis Joplin: Stepping out of ordinary into greatness – Just Jump!
By Marjorie Geiser
January 19 is the birthday of Janis Joplin. She was born in 1943 and if alive today would be 67 years old. I could just see her now! She would be among the ranks of Willie Nelson or Mick Jaggar, still struttin’ her stuff.
If you’re not familiar with Janis Joplin, she was a popular rock singer in the late 1960s. She started as the lead singer of Big Brother and the Holding Company and eventually went off on her own. Listening to Janis was like watching lighting flash. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Janis #46 of the 100 greatest artists of all time, and in 2008, they listed her as 28 of the 100 greatest singers of all time.
What was it about Janis that helped her gain this status? Was it her singing talent? Oh, although I’m a HUGE fan, I have to say no. It was her passion! I’m not kidding when I say it was like watching lightening flash when she sang. She put everything she had into her performances.
