All In The Preparation

Part of my seminar at Walkers Stadium 30 September

My stand at Walkers Stadium Event 30 September

Hello everyone,

After an August of rest (mostly), I hit the ground running in September.  When thinking about a subject for this blog I realised I had been doing a lot of forward planning for things that were coming up.  Some events are business and some are social but they need an equal amount of focus I think.
As you know, I do quite a lot of exhibiting and speaking and it’s amazing how much time it takes to ascertain numbers, decide what materials you want and then design and print everything.  Nowadays most businesses seem to have an in-built design and print shop but you still aim to produce something that looks professional.
In around six weeks I’ll be off to Hong Kong again – this time for 4 and 1/2 weeks.  (for those of you who don’t know what I get up to out there, I’ll be one of the judges at the National English Speech Festival).  Ladies will sympathise with me when I say that fitting clothes for that amount of time (and business ones at that!) into cases you can manage is no small feat!  There is also the small matter of reading all the materials from the festival office and familiarising yourself with the set pieces to be spoken.
On a lighter note, Stewart and I have a holiday arranged in the New Year and for the first time in a while we’ll be off to the USA.  so it’s VISA time……thankfully they’ve decided I’m not an undesirable alien so I’ve managed to get one.
On 17 September I ran one of my open ‘Dynamic Speaking’ courses at the Marriott and part of the delegate’s preparation was to be ready to present a 6 to 8 minute long speech with visual aids, if required, in front of the camera.  This is quite a scary situation but with the confidence that comes from good preparation you can take some of the fear away.
So where did good preparation come in useful for my September diary?  Well, I began on the 1st with a half-day workshop for a teachers’ INSET day in Peterborough.  I had an exhibition stand at a Network Midlands event in Leicester on the 3rd, one at Erewash Partnership lunch in Notts. on the 7th and I held a seminar and exhibited at the Leicester Business Event at the Walkers Stadium on the 30th.
I had other speaking engagements during the month:
Integra (Leicester Chamber of Commerce)
BoB Clubs, Nuneaton Branch (launch meeting)
4Net, Braunston (Nr. Burton-on-Trent)
Business Networking, South Leicestershire
4Net, Derby
4Net, Olney (Bucks)
Let’s Go Local Ladies Event at Champney’s Springs
Training-wise I ran the ‘Dynamic Speaking’ course on the 17th; a ‘Voice Matters’ day (also at the Marriott Hotel) on the 27th and a voice protection CPD course for the ASA in Derbyshire.

There was also a day in London at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art for all examiners to share new info and be standardised in mock exam scenarios.

Those of you who read last month’s blog will know that the play I had been rehearsing through the summer, ‘Dick Barton – Special Agent’, opened early in September.  I’m pleased to say it was a great success with audiences of around 1,000 in total.  So, once again, meticulous preparation paid dividends, with all the technical support enhancing the actors’ performances.

So what am I preparing for this coming month?  Work for the ASA again, Fleetwood Festival, The Parkinsons Society, Coventry, judging a talent contest and several more speaking engagements.
If you would like to follow my tweets you will find me here – VoiceExpert – and become a follower.
Here is a little feedback from my open September day courses:
Joan Edwards, Business for Breakfast 27 September 2010
This is a very enjoyable and helpful course.  I would recommend it for anyone in business.

Richard Gant, The FD Centre Ltd. 27 September 2010
Excellent content and expertly presented, fun and practical.

Gary Metcalf, Gemini Wealth Management 27 September 2010
You take your voice for granted.  It is an extremely powerful tool to use and anyone in business should attend this one day course.


If you would like to give it a try, the last ‘Voice Matters’ day this year is on Friday 8 October – cost £160 including lunch and all refreshments

ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT

Next year we are booking:

17 January – Solihull.  Just a deposit secures your place (maximum of 12 delegates)

The final ‘Dynamic Speaking’ day of 2010 is on 8 November but this is already full.

Please register your interest for 2011 (early March) on our contacts page.  The cost will remain at £210 and we only take a maximum of 8 delegates on this intensive, fun & practical advanced presentation skills course.

AND FINALLY – ONE FOR THE LADIES!!!

Have you ever wanted to know what makes men tick in the communication stakes? 

Learn how to make them listen
Get that message across

Fascinating, fun and useful for business and other things……


Date:  5 November
Place:  Premier Inn Hotel, Braunstone, Leicester
Time:  9:30am to 12:30pm
Cost:  £35

Maximum 25 places and already half-full.  

To book contact us by email or phone or use this link

Well, That’s it for another month.  Whatever you are preparing for, I hope you find the route smooth and the result worth the effort.  Until next time:

Speak wisely


               Speak well

                                          Speak   Loud & Clear!


Contact:
Web:  www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loud-n-clear.dev.cc
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388


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