Host Your Next Conference In Phoenix, Arizona
By Sean Buvala

Do you need to get ready for training events in the next year? That means it is time to start searching where to hold the annual conference for the company. There are a lot of factors involved in this decision. Here are some things to consider about choosing Phoenix, Arizona to hold your annual conference.

Phoenix has a major airport. “Sky Harbor” is one of the busiest in the United States, hosting major hubs for airlines such as US Airways and Southwest. Yet, this huge airport has been rated as one of the friendliest anywhere and boasts a large team of volunteers able and ready to assist travelers. Your conference guests will find them in the purple jackets in all terminals. This clean airport is easy to access from anywhere in the greater Phoenix/Scottsdale area and should be a big factor in choosing your next meeting location.

Another factor is the great weather. Few storms or winter complications delay air travel or car travel. How many times have you worried about the impact of weather on your conference travel? Come to Arizona and relax. Instead of being limited to certain months to hold your event as you are in other major cities, you can even have a great conference in the middle of December if you wanted to.

Transportation is easy in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Many of the hotels will pick up the guests from the airport, free of charge. In addition to that, there are many good choices for affordable ground transportation into the Phoenix suburbs should you be holding your event in one of those cities. These transportation issues give you peace of mind for safety of the guests of the conference.

Once they get to the hotel, they will have plenty of things to do. Many of your conference guests will come in a day early or stay an extra day to take in day trips to locations such as the Grand Canyon, the artsy city of Sedona or the laid-back vibe of historical Tucson. They can also schedule a visit to the historical Hoover Dam and the newly completed “Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge” which in itself is an amazing piece of construction. If your team has golfers as members, there are dozens of excellent courses that will challenge their golf skills.

Arizona is a hospitality state, too. You can easily make a list of hotels that will give you a price break for holding the conference. Check with your meeting planner at the hotel and find out if the hotel will give discounts on attractions in the area to give the guests a break and discover Phoenix.

There are plenty of things to do in downtown Phoenix and the surrounding area. Make some creative ideas for your conference and have a theme. Then, see if some local businesses like restaurants and clubs will give discounts for your guests.

Your next conference in Arizona could be your best yet.

When you choose Arizona for your next event, why not use an Arizona-based presenter or speaker? You will save money on travel costs while still getting national-level training. For example, consider Sean Buvala as your Arizona event’s speaker. Teaching communication skills and storytelling techniques since 1986, Sean has spoken to thousands of people across many industries. Your conference attendees will benefit from a keynote, workshop or breakouts session with Sean and your accountant will love you for making a smart financial move. You can contact Sean at his website at http://www.seantells.com.

Maybe you just want to come to Arizona and have us do the conference for you. Explore our “Executive Speaker Training” event. Sean and his team offer this one or two day training workshop that focuses on developing unique skills and presentation style. Learn more at http://www.executivespeakingtraining.com today.

It is important in your public speaking to quickly capture the minds of your audience. While your audience will no doubt want you to do well as a speaker, their minds are still wandering about as you begin your presentation. Here are six ways to grab hold of the group’s attention.

1. Ask a question and let the audience members answer each other.

While many speaking coaches will advise you to ask hypothetical questions of your audience, it is good to begin a speech with a question that the audience will actually answer.

As an example, during a recent parenting storytelling-techniques workshop I was presenting, I asked the audience, “Do you remember being told any stories when you were a child?” Then, I had them turn to another participant and share that memory with others. This creates an instant icebreaker for the workshop participants. You will also find that the audience will frequently comment about this question directly with you after the presentation.

2. Sing.

If you can carry a tune, sing a brief piece of a common song, hymn or jingle that connects directly with the subject you will be discussing. Use this short tune repeatedly as a transition between points in your presentation.

3. Tell a story.

Skip the old jokes and tell a story. A story has a beginning, middle and end. Research the numerous world folktales and fables that are available to you via the Internet and choose one that helps to clarify your subject. Reflect through your own experiences and find anecdotes that you can use to create a story. Storytelling tip: be focused and concise in your story and avoid rambling.

4. Use artwork.

Great art inspires people to think differently about your speaking subject. Find a painting, sculpture or photograph that reflects your content. With a bit of research, you can find out more about the art and use that information to kick-off the connection to your discussion. For times when you are speaking to the same group for multiple days, ask the participants to come back to the sessions with their own art as well.

5. Use a barrage of facts.

Thoroughly research your subject to find facts and quotes that demonstrate your point. At the start of your speech, speak these short illustrations in quick succession, laying a foundation in your listeners’ minds that you will build upon as you speak.

6. Use a prop.

What can you bring up with you to the stage that initially seems completely out of place? Once, during a youth leadership conference, I dragged an eight-foot long piece of wood up to the front of the room. I announced that I came “with my two by four” to speak about how leadership was not something adults practiced “at” youth but rather was done “with, to, by and for” young people. I held on to that piece of wood throughout the presentation as the audience learned to say with me, “with, to, by, for” whenever I prompted them. Both the content of that speech and the image of me with a huge board in my hand were talked about for many years.

These six tips give you some ideas to help you stand out in your next presentations. Storytelling techniques, public speaking training and your own imagination may help you create your own attention grabbers as well, tailored for each audience.

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The author, Sean Buvala, has been speaking about and coaching clients in the use of storytelling techniques since 1986. Hundreds of companies across many industries and thousands of people have experienced his work as a coach. He is the executive director of Storyteller.net, an award-winning storyteller and an in-demand public speaker. Sean is based in Arizona where his wife says he’s a great cook.

For more information about Sean’s two-day workshop that teaches you to harness the power of business or corporate storytelling, please visit our website at http://executivespeakingtraining.com/. To get Sean’s free 30-lesson Ecourse, visit his site at http://www.seantells.com today.

Every day, you are on the receiving end of public speaking. For the most part, you might not even be aware that someone is “doing” public speaking. The best speakers and presenters speak in a natural way that invites you to make some change in your life, no matter how small. There are four essential purposes of public speaking, listed below in random order:

1. To Entertain.
It seems that the best public speakers these days tend to be the comedians and storytellers who can make us laugh or touch our emotions. If you have good storytelling techniques, you can command the attention of any audience. As a public speaker, you can lift the spirits of your listeners through an entertaining presentation and still any of the items listed below as well.

2. To Educate.
A well-prepared public speaker can help anyone of any age learn new ideas, concepts and skills. In formal settings such as schools, a good speaker moves students beyond “Do I hafta learn this?” to “I can’t believe I learned so much!” Outside of learning institutions, there are many places for anyone to give great educational speeches such as community organizations and health-care institutions. Smart people of any age always want to learn and there is a place for you to teach with public speaking.

3. To Convince.
If you want someone to change his or her mind about a subject, then public speaking is the key to that change. While the Internet has brought us many ways to be in touch, the well-told story from an authentic speaker is still King in communication.

4. To Inspire.
While the “motivational speaker” may be a cliche that is abused on comedy shows, a person who is passionate about their topic and has coupled that with effective audience-reaching speaking skills can inspire both young and old to reach for something beyond themselves.

While most public speakers try to create positive messages, it is possible to fall into a fifth reason for speaking: to manipulate. When you speak, think about your goals and reason for speaking. Are you trying to build up your community and the people in it? Or, are you attempting to build up something or someone through false stories and lies? Be wary of manipulating your audience through your speeches.

Public speaking can be fun and educational for both your audience and you. Create some good presentations today.

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Many people are nervous about public speaking, but a good coach and teacher can help you overcome that hurdle. The author, Sean Buvala, has been speaking about and training clients in the use of storytelling techniques for public speaking since 1986. Hundreds of companies and thousands of individual learners have experienced his work as a coach. He is the executive director of Storyteller.net and lives in Arizona.

For more information about Sean’s two-day workshop that teaches you to harness the power of business, nonprofit and corporate storytelling, please visit our website at http://executivespeakingtraining.com/. To get Sean’s free 30-lesson Ecourse, visit his site at http://www.seantells.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Buvala

When it comes to public speaking, do you find yourself nervous and maybe even afraid? Like that first experience on your bike, let me hold on the seat and help you learn.

1. Let Your Nerves Work for You

I am probably right when I say those few moments of being on a bicycle without training wheels were some of the most focused moments in your life. All your senses were ready to learn. Your nerves, in that case, were working for you.

Nerves are not the enemy. I have been presenting public speaking courses for over two decades and I have never found a good speaker who was not nervous about their work. Notice that I wrote “a good speaker.” There are plenty of cocky and arrogant public speakers who are “never nervous” but they present without energy or enthusiasm.

What good are nerves and nervousness for the public speaker? Your nerves keep your energy level high and your focus sharp. Speaking with high energy while focused on your presentation benefits your audience. They are getting a speaker who is truly present to the subject they are presenting instead of someone who is spewing out just another average speech. Before going onstage, accept your nerves as part of being human, take several slow deep breaths, smile big and step onto the stage with energy and enthusiasm.

2. Remember: Your Audience Wants You to Succeed.

When you were riding without the training wheels, were your family or friends standing on the sidewalk hoping you would fall off and hurt yourself? Of course they were not hoping that you would fail.

In public speaking, your audience wants to you to be at your best. They do not want you to be boring as that means they will be bored. Your audience wants to see you having fun or deeply in touch with your subject. In the old days, people were told to imagine the audience in their underwear. That was just horrible advice. Your audience is on your side and you are in partnership with them. Remember, you are the expert and you are giving them a valuable presentation. They want to walk out of the building saying, “Wow. I can really use what that speaker was talking about.”

3. Good Coaching and Training is Invaluable.

When you were a small child, you did not just hop on to your bicycle and hurry down the street. No, you started with training wheels. Then, someone took off those training wheels and ran behind you, holding on to the seat, while you wobbled down the road. Several falls later, more running and wobbling, and then, whoosh you took off down the road.

Coaching and training for public speaking are invaluable ways to get to the whoosh moments of public speaking. We who coach and train public speaking skills are always getting letters of thanks from our clients who successfully used simple techniques taught in public speaking workshops or private coaching. Seek out the experts who can take you to the next level. You will discover that it is an incredible experience to have a speaking coach who can point out areas where you need to improve and support you in your natural skills as a presenter.

Learn to focus your nervous energy to achieve excellence as a speaker.

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To learn more about public speaking, please visit the www.executivespeakingtraining.com website today.

What Others Say About Our Workshops:
“I think I learned more in eight hours with you than I did in my entire Master’s program.”
-John, City of Glendale, Arizona

“A real kick in the right direction. You’d better show up to Sean’s workshop if you have any intention of doing professional work. Get started now!”
-Sandy, Professional Speaker, Arizona

Attention. Retention. Recognition.
That’s what you’ll get from and give to your audiences using our advanced techniques coached by our experienced training team during the “Ancient Secret of Public Speaking” public speaking course.

Download an information flyer from coming soon.
 
You’ll create more sales and improve your business and personal relationships when you attend our next public-speaking workshop!

In our two-day live event (and you have never been to a speaking workshop like this one), you’ll learn, absorb and practice the tools and tips you need that they didn’t teach you in school (law school, seminary, MBA classes, teacher training, real estate classes, military school or whatever school you went to) that will help you make your message STICK IN THE MINDS of your listeners.

Your GOLDEN Tongue
“There’s gold in them there words” of yours! (Paraphrasing the old-time movie prospectors!) Learn to mine the gold of increased sales. Discover the gold in customers and clients who can’t resist the power of your presentations. Mine the gold in your
own relationships with family and friends! Find the gold in conveying a message that motivates your customers, your students, your congregation, your family.

What Others Say About Our Workshops:
“Absolutely worth the time and money. Easy to understand. Practical Knowledge.”
-Cyndy, Pro Speaker, California

Experience New Growth to Your Skill Set
You know the old cliche that people are more afraid of public speaking than dying, right? We’ll take you way beyond just “having confidence” to KNOWING you are using your public speaking with mastery and conviction. Our small workshop size (just 10 total) and small breakout sessions (for groups larger than 5 people) will give you a chance to practice and master what we’re teaching. It’s more like a boot camp then just another in-service or a get-out-of-the-office “conference.”

“But I am Already a Pro!”
Congrats, Mr. or Ms. Confidence! We’re ready for you, too, as we will go in deep on the ONE ANCIENT SECRET practiced by the great speakers, teachers and orators of history past and present. (And when current leaders don’t use this skill well, they become the butt of jokes on the late night comedy shows.)

Here are some of the things we’ll cover in our two days:

*The one question you must answer for your audience right away or they’ll be working on their mental grocery list while you speak.

*Discover your individual secret that separates you from the rest of the speakers.

*The surprising techniques of a good speaker that you need before you even open your mouth to speak a single word.

*The power of crafting a story: knowing what to keep and what to lay aside.

*How to focus on “us” and not “them” or “me.” Your audience is never your enemy- forget the archaic (and harmful) advice of “seeing them in their underwear.”

*The power of our proprietary process of “Interpret. Express. Integrate.”TM in your speaking events.

*How to engage your audience using theater techniques even if you hate (or fear) theater techniques.

*The strength and techniques of “Intentionality” that will help you develop your repertoire of having the exact story you need at the exact moment you need it.

*How to be vulnerable and available to your audience without being sappy or manipulative or turning over control.

*The energy of “word sounds” that create pictures in the minds of your listeners.

*How to incorporate much needed down-time into every presentation.

*Excellent, experienced coaching that gently “pulls out” your innate skills rather than abruptly forcing what they think should be in your presentation.

*Networking with other professionals with our fun brain-set stretching activities.

*Master the microphone while learning the do’s and don’ts with real equipment.

*More materials than we are posting here!

Next 2009 Dates in the Phoenix, AZ area:
January 8/9*February 5/6*March 5/6

You get all these features:
*Many hours of training, coaching and practice in a small group setting

*Individual speaking time with your group

*Continental breakfast, buffet lunch and afternoon snack each day

*The “Ancient Secret” workbook

*An audio training CD

*Certificate of Completion

*2 follow-up conference calls

*Alumni Discount for future events or private coaching

An Investment in Yourself.
Your investment in your future success is just $877

Limited-time offer on first-quarter 2009 is just $597! for all the features of the “Ancient Secret of Public Speaking Workshop.”