Buzz Builder

Five Public Speaking Lessons from King George VI in The King's Speech Movie

 
My wife and I are time-delayed when it comes to watching movies that interest us since we rely on Netflix instead of movie theaters. Such is life with a toddler and the complications involved in arranging for a babysitter. One movie worth the long wait for its Blu-ray availablity was The King's Speech that deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Picture.  

The movie is based on a riveting true story that provides insight into the life of English royalty in general and King George VI's struggle against a severe speaking disability. As a professional speaker, I got five excellent takewaways about public speaking from the movie: 

1. Fear can motivate

According to various studies, more people fear of public speaking than death. I love how this movie shows how one of the most powerful people in the world was fearful of speaking in front of even small groups of people. Rather than let fear keep him from speaking, King George VI realized that he needed to work hard to overcome it. It inspired him to work with a speech therapist who irritated him but knew how to help the King get over his difficulties. The King's ultimate success is an inspiring example of how to channel fear into a force that drives self-improvement.

2. Practice is essential

Too many people put hours into a preparing well-written speeches but don't spend adequate time practicing the material. King George VI spent days rehearsing presentations that were less than ten minutes along. Although he did this becuase he had a severe stuttering problem, other speakers should follow his example. Speakers who practice usually sound much more confident and knowledgeable than those who don't spend the necessary hours to completely master their material.

3. Pauses sound good

For many speakers, the hardest thing to say is nothing. Heightened adrenaline and nerves make many speak too rapidly. Even with outstanding speech therapy, King George VI simply couldn't speak quickly an and there were many pauses in his most heralded speeches. His speech therapist told him not to worry about the slow speed and pauses since they highlighted his thoughtfulness. This is good advice for most speakers who tend to rush through their material. Rather than rush to fill the air with one's voice, it is often much effective to breathe in and pause.

4. Be authentic

It's tempting to turn admiration for another speaker into imitation of that individual's unique style. Yet, speakers will be much effective when they don't worry about being like anybody else. King George VI struggled for years to be more like his father King George V who was an excellent speaker. When King George VI spoke in his own style, pauses and all, his subjects connected with him. They appreciated his struggle to better himself as a speaker. Although it was never easy for him to speak in public, King George VI's gained recognition as the voice of British resistance against the Nazis in large part because his struggle to be a better speaker demonstrated his commitment to the nation.

5. Be brief

There is oftentimes an inverse relationship between a long speech and its lasting impact. A short, well-crafted speech that has been adequately rehearsed can cause tremendous benefits. Most of George VI's speeches were well under ten minutes, and these are the ones that made the biggest positive impact on his subjects. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a contemporary of King George VI, was surely not suprised with the King's oratorical success. Roosevelt said the recipe for successful public speaking was "be sincere, be brief, and, be seated." Roosevelt's advice remains as timely now as it was when he said it.

Bloggers Not Celebrities More Influential for Female Purchasing Decisions According to BlogHer 2011 Social Media Social Matters Study

The lucrative product endorsement deals that celebrities sign are something most peole have heard about so much that they barely notice them. I've always wondered whether companies are justified in paying so much for endorsements. Well, if companies are trying to market to women, there's an intriguing study that indicates blogger endorsements have a far bigger payoff than those coming from stars.

According to the BlogHer 2011 Social Media Social Matters Study, 78 percent of the female American adult populations are active social media users, and of those, nearly twice as many (20 percent) are motivated to consider products promoted by or with a blogger they know, than they are by promotions featuring a celebrity (12 percent).

Before buying a big ticket item like a computer printer or LCD TV, I read blogs - particularly those that review products, and these have influenced my decisionmaking. I can't recall ever having purchased a product because a celebrity endorsed it. But, if you have, I would be interested to know why. Does what celebrities say matter or is the mere fact that they endorse something the most significant?

Tips for Growing Your Business With Referrals

Below is the main article from the March edition of my free monthly Buzz Builder newsletter. If you're interested in having future newsletters sent directly to you inbox, please sign up here.

A common lament that I hear from business owners is: "Why don't I get more referrals when I provide such a great service (or product)?" Today's post addresses that question.

Be Bold

Until three years ago, I couldn't explain why people don't provide leads to businesses that they like or even love. Then, at a Word of Mouth Marketing Association conference I learned from a professor that 50% of all people need to be asked specifically for a referral in order to make one. Why?  First, modern life is so busy that many people simply forget or feel too harried to make referrals. Second, when someone is happy with a product or service, he or she may assume that the business already has all the repeat and referred customers that it needs.

Be Confident

Many business owners hate asking for referrals because they are afraid of alienating their customers. But, it's absurd to assume that only sales sharks ask for referrals. After all, if you provide a quality product or service then you are doing your customers a huge favor by asking for referrals. Why? Because you're giving them an opportunity to provide their friends with something of value.

Be Specific

A few years ago, a friend of mine in the promotional products industry was frustrated that he wasn't getting referrals from one of his networking groups. I suggested that he start telling people about the specific client he desired as well as the title of the person who would buy his products. After a few months of repeating this desire and providing leads and valuable information to others in his group, he got the golden referral that helped him land his dream client. "Without being so specific, it never would have happened," he told me.

Be Sincere

Since relatively few people seek referrals, I always take note when I'm asked. A couple of years ago, my wife and I stayed at a fantastic B&B in Bend, Oregon. When I was checking out, I told the owner how much we enjoyed our stay complimenting him on the comfortable beds, amazing breakfasts, and friendly atmosphere. He thanked me and said, "I really appreciate what you're saying. It would mean a lot to me if you could share your thoughts about our place online since reviews are the best way for me to compete against the big hotels and their expensive advertising." Then, he proceeded to whip out his business card which had the URLs for Trip Advisor and Yahoo! Travel noted on the back. He said, "These are the two most important websites for getting people to book at our hotel, and I would really appreciate your review on either."

Of course, as any self-respecting word of mouth marketer would do, I asked whether positive online reviews made a big difference, and he asked me, "How did you find our place?" "Well, you were number one on TripAdvisor," I said. He smiled and told me that over 70% his business came through people who read about his property on TripAdvisor and a good chunk of guests also found him through Yahoo! Travel.

If referrals are important to the success of your business, I would love to hear what techniques are working for you to improve the quantity and quality of customers referred.

How to Get Great Press Coverage Using Social Media Like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to Identify and Pitch Journalists

I've learned some interesting marketing lessons from promoting our book Secrets of a Working Dog: Unleash Your Potential and Create Success that should be useful for many business trying to create buzz.

When went to the Tampa Bay Area in Florida for Spring Break to get some much needed sun, we decided seek out press for our book. I couldn't find a producer for "Good Day Tampa Bay," the top-rated morning news program in the area on Fox. I entered the name of the show in the search bar of Facebook and discovered a producer who had listed the show on his profile. I knew I had the right guy when I saw him pictured with his cute dog in various photos.

I dropped the producer a note via Facebook messaging. After reading my pitch and seeing some of our previous media, he agreed to book us on for a segment which you can watch below. Since media folks get so much email, they often tune it out. I'm finding Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to be increasingly useful ways to identify and pitch journalists. 

Do you have a PR success story involving the use of social media? If you do, please share it here to inspire Buzz Builder Blog readers and shed a spotlight on your business.