Dear fellow speaker,
Do you feel like – even though you know your material well – your message is still not resonating with or intriguing your audiences? Do they seem like they just don’t get it?
Do you wonder why people heartily applaud at the end and maybe even come shake your hand, but you never hear from them again? Do you wonder why they’re not inspired to follow up with you?
Do you secretly feel, deep down, that no one really wants to hear what you have to say? That you have nothing special to offer, and that you’re really no different than the next person with a similar message?
Do you secretly feel, deep down, that if you could just break free from your doubts and fears (of being judged, of looking foolish, of taking a risk that fails), that you could really NAIL this speaking thing?
Here’s the good news: There’s one missing element that can turn this all around.
This one missing element is the difference between a speaker who commands the room and a speaker who’s forgotten the next day.
It’s the difference between a speaker who stands out and a speaker who’s hiding in plain sight.
Wanna know what it is?
It’s CONNECTION.
Sound too easy?
Picture this:
You walk into the speaking venue. Maybe it’s an industry conference, maybe it’s a board room, maybe it’s a lunch-and-learn. You’ve already met some of the people in the room. You feel like a million bucks, greeting the audience members as they arrive, smiling and chatting, more like a host than a guest.
When it’s time to speak, you walk to the front of the room feeling powerful and invincible. Your energy soars. You toss that energy to the audience, and they give it right back to you, through their body language, their facial expressions, their questions and their engagement.
You feel completely FREE onstage. You feel relaxed and energized – at the same time. Your mind is clear and sharp. Your body moves with grace and purpose. There’s no stiffness or awkwardness. The words coming out of your mouth are articulate and flowing.
You’re in the moment, in your body, poised, present, and you own the room. Not only do you own the room, but you feel connected with every person in the room. You feel filled with love and gratitude for their participation, their engagement, and their openness to taking this journey with you.
And you NAIL your presentation. Afterward, people approach you with questions, with inquiries, and with the desire to follow up and get to know you better.
That’s how it feels to connect and engage with the audience.
Is that what you’re experiencing right now in your speaking engagements?
Now, let me be honest. Not every speaking engagement is going to look like this. We all have our “off” days.
Like the time I was the last speaker in a long day of training, where the speaker before me ran long, in a room that was overheated. The audience could barely keep their eyes open.
Or the time when I gave a day-long training on two hours of sleep, after a night of insomnia.
So let’s just cross these off as the occasional circumstance that’s necessary if you’re a frequent speaker who’s going to learn to roll with the punches!
But what if…
What if – on your “on” days – you were actually influencing your audience to change their thoughts, attitudes and behaviors?
What if you could command the room with your presence and feel that sense of satisfaction and accomplishment at the end of your talk?
What if you could feel confident in any situation, with any audience, and know – deep down inside – that you were making a difference in their lives?
Because this is what it feels like and what it looks like to be a successful speaker who has credibility, gives value, makes an impact, and creates a meaningful and memorable experience for the audience.
What it’s NOT about:
- Impressing people
- Being the smartest person in the room
- Controlling every outcome
- Following a bunch of speaking “rules”
- Getting a standing ovation
- Making it about you
(Whew! That’s a relief. Takes some of the pressure off, yeah?)
The ability to connect with and engage your audience will make all the difference in your growth and success as a speaker – and as an entrepreneur.
Are you ready:
To get out of the rut of doing the same thing over and over but not getting results?
To challenge what you already know and understand about public speaking and shake up your routine?
To try some new, maybe risky, ideas in the service of creating a memorable and engaging experience for your audience?
To truly embrace and celebrate your own uniqueness and bring that to every speaking engagement from here on out?
To stop “just getting through” your speaking engagements and instead start taking pride in mastery and proficiency as a speaker?
To own the stage like the awesome speaker you’re meant to be?
You probably have learned some of this already – logically and intellectually. And maybe you’ve already learned some of this from me, through a virtual class or short training. But learning it and actually implementing it are two different things.
Which is why I want to invite you to my 2 1/2-day workshop in the magical village of Ojai, California:
Shake Up Your Speaking: Get Real… Get Results
You’ll have the opportunity to connect with your fellow speakers in a small, intimate coaching group, learn and practice new skills, and get inspired to break out of your routine, up your game, cut loose, and actually have FUN when you speak (no matter the size of the audience)!
At the Shake Up Your Speaking retreat, we’ll cover both practical skills to improve your presentations, and mindset factors that are holding you back from being as effective and powerful on stage as you could be.
And, hey, we’ll have fun! Because there’s no point in doing all of this if it isn’t fun. Am I right?
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“Shake It Up was a fabulous experience!
Lisa is a wonderful example of hard work, dedication and understanding the needs of her clients. While each participant joined with a unique skill set and goals, everyone left more knowledgeable, confident and trusting in their visions.
Lisa provided an engaging experience from start to finish with a beautiful mixture of courses, activities, practice, and fun. I appreciate her You-Can positive attitude and talent for uncovering personal strengths.
It will be my sincere pleasure to recommend her to all my friends and co-workers.”
Alex Heath
Development & Communications Manager
Mental Wellness Center
What you’ll learn:
There are four main principles that every successful speaker will master, and these will be the main principles covered in the retreat:
Being real:
Being real creates connection! How can you bring your unique and special qualities onto every stage with you, interacting with your audience in an authentic and honest way? Lots of speakers are afraid to do this, afraid of coming across as “unprofessional” or afraid of embarrassing themselves. Don’t let your fear of being real get in the way of authentic connection!
Preparation:
Sounds boring, right? But would you deliver the exact same presentation in the exact same way to an audience of farmers and then to an audience of accountants? Unfortunately, many speakers do, and by not preparing for and tailoring your talk to your audience, you are guaranteed a major disconnect. I’ll be blunt: You are not doing everything within your power to fully prepare yourself. Let’s remedy that!
P.S. Preparation includes practice, so know that you will be standing up in front of our small, intimate group for the opportunity to practice your speaking. There’s no point in learning ABOUT speaking if you’re not going to DO speaking!
Engagement:
This is critical to creating an experience that your audience will actually remember the next day, and the day after that, and maybe even months or years later—not to mention following up with you to create a business relationship. But if you leave this piece out and you choose to go old-school with a dreary lecture format (remember your boring high school geometry/history/Spanish teacher?), well, you just can’t expect to connect. And without connection, you’re doomed to giving hollow presentations that go nowhere.
Mindset:
Let’s face it. You can “fake it till you make it” till the cows come home (and actually, I’ll show you a great tool for this at the retreat). But ultimately, you want to feel real, true confidence, deep down all the way in your gut. Right? Confidence in your message, your material, your abilities, your awesomeness as a person, and your certainty of knowing that you are bringing a new vision of the world to your audiences. This piece is about mindset, and you can expect to do some work on your mindset at this retreat.
Do you want this? Come to the retreat!
These are the four pillars of every successful presentation, and the keys to your mastery of speaking.
“I was profiled by a local news station and felt a little nervous, found myself falling into some old traps. I recalled your lessons and I pushed the nervous energy out instead of holding it in. I was relaxed, happy, focused and articulate.
Everything you taught me at your amazing retreat took hold. It was a 4-5 hour filming and it flew by. It was the first time I felt like ‘I got this.’”
Audra Gaines Mulkern
Author/Photographer at The Female Farmer Project
AudraMulkern.com
Join me March 19-21, 2018 at the historic Acacia Mansion in Ojai!
Built in 1929, Acacia Mansion is a majestic and sprawling property where you feel pampered in old world elegance and glamor.
Our tentative schedule
** Please clear your calendar for the duration of the event. If there is something on your schedule that will prevent you from taking advantage of the entire 2 1/2 days, please wait for next year’s retreat.
Sunday, March 18:
Optional pre-event happy hour and meet ‘n’ greet by the dipping pool.
Monday, March 19:
9:00-10:00: Breakfast provided. Coffee and tea at morning sign-in
10-12:30: Group training session
12:30-1:30: Lunch on your own—many delicious and healthy options within walking distance!
1:30-6:00: Group training continues
6:00: Dinner on your own. Explore Ojai’s many options for dining!
After dinner: You’ll have some light homework, but you’re free to continue exploring the area, or snuggle into bed with a movie or a book! It’s your time.
Tuesday, March 20:
9:00-10:00: Breakfast provided. Coffee and tea at morning sign-in
10:00-12:30: Group training session
12:30-1:30: Lunch on your own—many delicious and healthy options within walking distance!
1:30-6:00: Group training continues
6:00: Dinner on your own
7:30: Wine and dessert social hour – it’s on me! Let’s enjoy some social time after all your hard work throughout the day
Wednesday, March 21:
9:00-10:00: Breakfast provided. Coffee and tea at morning sign-in
10:00-1:00: Group training session
For those heading home after the main workshop, we wrap up at noon! Head back to the airport or stick around for more Ojai exploration!
Just imagine what your life and business will be like when you’re able to reach and connect with the people who need to hear your message.
Imagine what it’ll be like when you’re no longer indistinguishable from other speakers in your field.
Imagine what it’ll be like when you’re able to radiate confidence, fully express yourself onstage, and engage and persuade your audiences to take life-changing action.
If you’re ready to stand out and show up on stage, register below – and get ready to Shake Up Your Speaking!
“I’m so so glad I was able to attend – it was a lot of fun and I’ve got more tools in my back pocket now. I’ve looked back at my notes several times during some recent meetings. Plus, I’m putting together a template for an event my office is hosting that invites 10 people to give 5 minute presentations; I’m integrating your advice into my email to them. Yippee!”
Whitney Scott, PhD
Director of Faculty Development
Professor, Child & Adolescent Development
California State University Northridge
The first five people to register also receive the following bonuses (all taken!)
Personalized StrengthsFinderⓇ assessment and 60-minute call with me to discover how to apply your strengths to your speaking.A Speaker Survival Kit, full of necessities that you’ll want to have with you when you speak!A signed copy of my book “Presenting for Humans: Insights for Speakers on Ditching Perfection and Creating Connection.”
The total cost of the retreat includes:
1. Your sleeping room, single or shared, for three nights.
There is one sleeping room left, with two beds. First come, first served.
2. Happy hour on Sunday night by the pool
3. A delicious and healthy breakfast each morning
4. Coffee, tea and plentiful snacks each day
5. Wine and dessert social on Tuesday night
6. 2 1/2 days of fun and engaging group work on your speaking skills and confidence, including all materials
Registration is closed.
Check out the player piano at the mansion:
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is this retreat for?
A: This retreat is for anyone who gives regular presentations for your job or your business.
This retreat is for speakers who are looking for more than a “quick fix” to get through the next presentation, and for people who are ready to up their game in a big way. Ready to stop blending in and start standing out? This retreat is for you!
If you’re a speaker who’s ready to achieve proficiency and mastery in speaking and you intend to regularly use the skills you learn, this retreat is for you.
Q: Is this workshop for advanced or professional speakers?
A: This retreat is for speakers who have regular speaking engagements or would like to have regular speaking engagements, but you may not consider yourself advanced, even if you’ve been doing a lot of speaking. You might speak for your job, or you might speak to promote your own business. You do not have to a paid speaker to attend the retreat.
Previous attendees have come from the fields of social services, finance, real estate, academia, tech, health/wellness, the arts, and more! Some have been self-employed and others have been corporate or nonprofit employees.
If you’re open and willing to learn, to try new things, and to expand your comfort zone, you are welcome.
Q: Will you offer this program virtually?
A: This retreat is only offered in person. We come together, face-to-face, away from our everyday environments, specifically so we can stretch and grow. This is not a program to be consumed sitting on the couch or at your desk at home. The small group environment allows true collaboration and partnership in learning, and allows for practice and feedback in a real-life speaking environment. It also allows you to absorb and integrate your learning away from the daily distractions of life. And yes, you will be speaking in front of the group.
Q: Will all of my fears and anxiety about speaking be resolved at this retreat?
A: Nope. I will never deceive you by telling you you’ll never be nervous about speaking again. Anyone who tells you that, well, they’re trying to trick you into giving them your money.
In fact, adrenaline plays an important role for speakers. We learn to manage our adrenaline and our nervousness, and to harness it as a tool, just like athletes and other performers. Honestly, at some speaking engagements, I’m not nervous at all. At others – even after earning a theater degree and spending more than 20 years in front of audiences (including some of the toughest ones you can imagine) – I still get the sweaty palms, dry mouth and pounding heart. It comes with the territory.
What I WILL teach you at this retreat is how the four pillars of speaking success will greatly reduce your nervousness and will allow you to turn your focus to the audience rather than to your own needs and feelings. You’ll learn how human connection and authenticity are far more critical for success than polish and perfection. And you’ll learn how adjusting your mindset, being real, and approaching your audiences with love and gratitude will change everything for you and make way for transformation every time you speak.
Q: Will I learn to sell from the stage?
A: Before you can sell from the stage, you have to understand how to connect and engage with your audience. You cannot persuade them to take action if you’re not authentically in the moment with them. Once your mindset and your connection pieces are in place, then selling is really just about relationship. And guess what: We’re always selling! Selling ideas, selling causes, selling transformation, selling change. No matter what your topic, you’re selling from the stage right now. This retreat will get you to the emotional place you need to reach with your audience in order to be truly persuasive, but it will not include specific selling techniques.
