10 tips to build audience rapport

1 Get out from the lectern and embrace your audience.
2 Spread your eye contact around the room.
3 Get to meet your audience before the speech.
4 Don’t let your body language betray your words.
5 Aim for their soul.
6 Ask questions.
7 Be you.
8 Show your audience you care about them.
9 Make them feel like stars.
10 Understand them.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

How to make characters come alive on stage

Here’s a tip for you when you have different characters in a story you are telling. To improve audience attention and interest pick a place on the stage to look at when you are talking about each character. For example, if you mention Justin you could look to your left, and if you mention Tanya you could look to your right. The movements must be very slight but if executed correctly will help place the characters of your story on stage with you. You can also change your tone of voice for each character, which will help bring them alive.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

Communicate on TV

The TV election debates are looming and the pressure is on for all party leaders. In the USA, we know Nixon lost to Kennedy because TV didn’t like him and Obama and Clinton have an ability to transport themselves into your living room. Will our big three perform to the standard Obama set in his campaign? Brown, Cameron and Clegg will be listening very carefully to their media advisers, so they come across as the only person to lead the country. They might know their subject but when it comes to TV it’s not even half the battle.
Kellcomm’s Media PRO 365 programme is essential for projecting yourself in the best way possible on TV. Here are some tips for when you face an interview on tv.
• Study the TV show or similar style shows before you appear
• Prepare answers to possible questions
• Always answer every question
• Correct any errors about you or the body you represent
• Drink room temperature water while waiting in the green room. No coffee or alcohol
• Find out, which is the close up camera
• Think of only one viewer at home watching you and connect with them
• Never switch off until you leave the studio

You can call Darren on 0800 4488 639 to book a free consultation for your future Media appearances.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

A Lesson for Public Speakers from The Jackson's.

I interviewed Lionel Richie twice in my media career, and he always enthused about The Jackson’s. He said they were so polished and prepared, and that they loved their audience too much to offer a half hearted delivery. He told me the number one thing they taught him was that you must offer your best at the start of any performance. He smiled and said “If you don't they won't stay around for the rest.” He also learned the importance of practicing when The Commodores supported The Jackson's in their early days at Motown. The current DVD from Michael Jackson’s brothers ‘The Jackson's, A Family Dynasty ‘offers an even greater insight into offering your audience the best performance possible.

Two points stood out.
•Jermaine asked his brother Tito to coach him, which highlighted that even experts need expertise
•Eldest brother Jackie wasn’t prepared to do a show without proper preparation. He said The Jackson's had set the standard, and they weren’t going to drop it

So who is your coach and are you always prepared to give your audience the quality they deserve?
Are you making the most of every sales presentation, motivational speech and golden marketing opportunity in the media? Could you be doing better? Call Kellcomm. We can help.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

Humour in a speech

I was asked a question about humour in a speech by a friend who works for a major international bank. He had watched a famous comedian on DVD and thought he could borrow the jokes that the comedian’s audience loved. I asked him if he was trying to commit career suicide, and he stared at me with a blank expression on his face. I believe humour is essential for any speech, but you are better off introducing it gradually if you are new to it. Some comedians have been rehearsing their routines for 10 years before they get their break. So why would you think you can do it after 10 minutes. Here are 5 tips for using humour
• practice at least 25 times before you deliver
• record yourself and listen to it
• get feedback from a pro
• only use a joke if it suits your personality and your audience
• keep a humour library

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

The number 1 reason for typing errors

The reason is that people can process 400 – 500 thought words per minute. People try to type as fast as they can speak and this leads to errors in typing. Through research and training at Kellcomm, The Academy of Public Speaking we have found that some people are so excited by their message that they forget to put it in the proper context. Here is a suggestion to avoid typing mistakes, which make you look unprofessional. Type as fast as your ideas will let you for creative flow but leave it for 10 minutes and analyse for mistakes before hitting the send button.
If you type and correct as you go along you will hinder the creative process. Go with your flow and then edit.


Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

Are you listening?

The average person can process 400-500 thought words per minute. The average person speaks 150 words per minute. Now that leaves quite a bit of time for a listening mind to wander from your communication. What's the solution. See www.kellcomm.co.uk

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

Number 1 trait of a great communicator

I was asked today by a potential client what I thought was the number one trait of a great communicator.I replied "the ability to listen." Would a doctor diagnose you before hearing what you had to say? Too many people think that standing up in front of an audience and speaking makes you a great communicator.You must remember it's a two way interactive process.Listening is just as much an art as speaking.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

Desire, dedication and determination in business

Barack Obama has his problems in America with his proposed health reforms not being welcomed by the opposition. It was just over a year ago that the President was granted higher status than Superman. He is, however, made of stern stuff and will perhaps seek inspiration from the greatest ever US president and his idol. Abraham Lincoln's path to the White House is a lesson for everyone who faces adversity.

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865)

Business failure in 1831
Legislature defeat in 1832
Business failure in 1833
Nervous breakdown in 1836
Speaker defeat in 1838
Electorate defeat in 1840
Congress defeat in 1843
Congress defeat in 1848
Senate defeat in 1855
Vice president defeat in 1856
Senate defeat in 1858
Elected the 16th US president in 1860

Whatever your goal is, keep going.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk

The recent live edition of Eastenders throws up an interesting thought for all people who speak in front of an audience. It was obvious that in such a pressured performance we would see quite a few mistakes. People got excited when they spotted one. What surprised many people was the number of mistakes they missed. So here is a giant Kellcomm tip for when you make your next speech or presentation. The audience does not know your script or full plan so don't get hung up on what are minor blips to you. The audience probably never noticed. Famous golfer Jack Nicklaus said his greatest talent was his ability to forget a bad shot. So keep going and focus on what you are getting right and not the occasional blip that others will have missed.

Darren Kelly
KELLCOMM
The Communication Experts
Leeds
www.kellcomm.co.uk