======================================================= Simply Speaking...Selling Yourself & Your Ideas E-Zine Volume 9, June, 2006 Published by Lenny Laskowski Copyright LJL Seminars(tm), 2006 All Rights Reserved ------------------------------------------------------- LJL Seminars (tm) (203)375-5617 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 Fax: (800) 743-3314 www.ljlseminars.com ------------------------------------------------------- This E-Zine meets the requirements of the "Can Spam Act of 2003" (S.877), of December 16, 2003 ------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: You are receiving this E-Zine because you have subscribed via our website or by email. If you did not subscribe, removal instructions can be found at the end of this newsletter. ================================================================= ------------- Lenny's Tip of the Month ------------------ The Importance of Checklists by Lenny Laskowski © 2006 LJL Seminars "10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking" (Chapter 8 - page 170) http://www.ljlseminars.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Importance of Checklists - Part I Go the extra mile to make sure your speech or presentation is a grand slam. I make checklists for every presentation, seminar, or workshop I give. Since any one of a host of problems can sabotage your presentation, it is important that you do not let the little things fall by the wayside. In my career as a public speaker, I have spoken at many conventions and conferences and witnessed presenters panic because they forgot their visual aids, can't find their handouts, or didn't get the name of the individual coordinating the meeting or the new location of the hotel or meeting center when it was changed at the last minute. These are mistakes that can frazzle your nerves. To prevent this from happening to you, I will be providing some checklist examples you can use so this does not happen to you. PRESPEECH CHECKLIST Use this checklist when you are planning to give a speech to an association or organization. "The sooner the better" is the motto you should follow when you are putting together your prespeech checklist. As the date of your presentation draws closer, make sure to confirm the following points. - Actual date and time of your speech Make sure the date and time of your speech is the same as when you sent the information to the meeting planner along with your precustom survey. Over the years I have experienced several occasions when the date and time have changed, especially when I wasn't the only speaker on the program. However, even if you are the only speaker on the program, contact your meeting planner to make sure the date and time are accurate. SHORT STORY (REAL STORY) Let me share a story of when a presenter didn't confirm the date and time. My colleague was scheduled to speak to a large group at an association meeting in June. He did not call or contact the organizer after the date was scheduled. The day before the scheduled presentation, he flew to the city where he was speaking. When he arrived at the hotel he asked if anyone else from the association had registered yet. When the hotel checked the reservation list, they told him they had no record of that association being scheduled to be at that hotel. Naturally he was confused, and after several phone calls to members of the association he quickly learned that he had made a huge mistake. Yes, he was at the correct hotel on the correct date, but he had arrived a year early! Keep in mind, many associations schedule their meetings two or three years in advance, and it is not unusual for them to book speakers for the events at the same time. When he was contracted in March, my colleague had written down the date of the speech for the upcoming June. Since he thought the presentation was only a few months away and he was never contacted again by the association, he assumed that everything was all set. Boy, did he get a very expensive surprise! This story illustrates the necessity of confirming all dates, times, and locations. Once again, never assume anything when you are planning a speech or presentation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEXT ISSUE: The Importance of Checklists - Part II ======================================================================= UPCOMING PUBLIC SEMINAR DATES - LJL SEMINARS (tm) ======================================================================= Three Seminar dates to chose from: September 13, 2006 ($ 247 / participant - $ 197 / participant for three or more if registered before July 13, 2006) October 4, 2006 ($ 247 / participant - $ 197 / participant for three or more if registered before August 4, 2006) October 31, 2006 ($ 247 / participant - $ 197 / participant for three or more if registered before August 31, 2006) For details about this exciting program click on the link below: To download the brochure click on the link below: LennyL@LJLSeminars.com ======================================================================== We look forward to providing you with all your presentation skills and public speaking skills training for 2006! You can also write to us at: Lenny Laskowski LJL Seminars (tm) 430 Freeman Avenue Stratford, CT. 06614-4026 United States of America