Sat 26-Jun-2010
Sun 25-Apr-2010
1. Article/Post
Why Public Speaking Is Good for You & Your Brand
Most freelancers and small business owners are required – like it or not – to spend a substantive amount of time on marketing. To ensure that the jobs and the clients keeping coming, we are constantly hustling – pitching new projects, updating our portfolios and CVs, and taking exploratory meetings. Yet, one of the best ways to build and promote your individual brand or company is one of the most oft overlooked: public speaking.
2. Picture
For The Fallen
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
3. Comment
"Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity."
- Irving Kristol
4. List
10 Tips for Getting it Done Today
Most freelancers and small business owners are required – like it or not – to spend a substantive amount of time on marketing. To ensure that the jobs and the clients keeping coming, we are constantly hustling – pitching new projects, updating our portfolios and CVs, and taking exploratory meetings. Yet, one of the best ways to build and promote your individual brand or company is one of the most oft overlooked: public speaking.
The Benefits of Public Speaking
- Know how long it takes.
- No time like the present.
- Challenge irrational thoughts and cognitive distortions in a daily journal.
- All tasks can and should be broken down into parts.
- Work backwards from a due date.
- Keep track of it all in an organizer (or organizer app).
- Keep a daily to-do list.
- Start every day with a review of your day, week and to-do list.
- Keep your schedule up-to-date.
- Take back control and reward yourself when you finish a task.
5. Video
On a serious note you should watch Michael Specter talking at TED on The Danger of Science Denial
Thu 04-Mar-2010
Tuesday night I attended Ignite Wellington. This is the first time Wellington has had an Ignite event. Ignite is a world-wide event, and this week it has been a global event, with presentations in 35 cities.
It's a tough presentation process; speakers have 5 minutes to talk on a subject, with 20 slides, each auto-advancing after 15 seconds.There was a couple of technical issues last night, making it harder for the speakers concerned to time their speeches with the slides. The better presentations didn't rely so much on their slides, and didn't use highly detailed slides.
Some presenters seemed only interested in self-promotion; some wanted to inform; and some wanted to simply entertain. Most inspired.
A few things I learnt from the evening:
- Vikings probably never lived in Dannevirke
- World-wide there are twice as many mobile phones as credit cards
- Teach gradually and playfully
- Show users ways to engage with your site with a smile
- Venice Biennale is awesome
- Insights come later
- Travel light and trust the serendipity
- Wellington's shared car are hidden
- We're going to be screwed over to preserve the failing business model of large corporations
- Use your mind to drive yourself past your boundaries
- Hire for attitude; skills can be taught later
- Get into the zone to win
- The creative destruction process describes what is happening in the music industry.
- Make it fun to connect people to their local environment
- Ideas take up brain real-estate. Dumping them into a book means they're not lost.
- Mind -> book -> list -> story => essence of an idea => ideas that really work for many, not just you
- Positive thinking is a brain hack. Picturing a positive outcome makes the task easier
- Kiwis can successfully help in emergencies from half a world away
- Failure is the best option
- Sometimes following the rules is wrong
- Prepare to fail; then learn and connect
- When you fail is when the adventure begins
The Ignite videos aren't available as I write this, but I look forwarding to seeing them soon.
I think I might try presenting next time. I'll need to find a suitable subject that can be entertaining. Thought-provoking subjects need more than 5 minutes.
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