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1. Getting there late.

Walking frantically into a room full of people who have been waiting for you to arrive can be an embarrassing situation. Unless you are a magician, you might as well turn around and leave. It would take a miracle to get this audience to forget the inconvenience you have caused them. They probably have already passed judgment on you, deciding you’re an inconsiderate speaker rather than a viable expert in your field. Make the extra effort to arrive at least 1/2 hour before the event begins.

2. Apologizing before you start.

Starting off your presentation with “Uh, I’m sorry that I . . .” is the quickest, most assured way to lose your audience’s attention and leave them cold. Remember, YOU are the expert and true experts have nothing to be sorry for. The audience doesn’t care if you have a cold, woke up late, got caught in traffic, or tripped on a banana skin. All they care about is what information you’re going to give them that will benefit them in the shortest amount of time. Remember Love Story-”Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”

3. Not having a clear purpose.

Not having a clearly defined purpose for speaking is like driving to a restaurant in another city without a clue about how to get there. You’ll end up meandering, not really going anywhere, until finally the people in the car with you get frustrated, lose their patience, and take a mental exit, determined never to ride with you again. Decide why you are speaking, and to whom, and stick to it.

4. Pacing while you speak.

Walking back and forth is a BIG distraction to your audience. Not only will their necks hurt after the game of Ping-Pong that you just put them through, but you’ll have them anxiously wondering “Is this ever going to stop!?” Pacing keeps the audience from hearing what you’re saying. Movement is good; it keeps a presentation lively and interesting. However, it’s important to move with a purpose instead of meandering.

5. Swaying in the wind.

Like pacing, swaying in front of an audience is a HUGE no-no. Not only is it a distraction, it may even make your audience seasick. The best way to keep from swaying is to stand in the rooted position, which is when both feet are shoulder-length apart. Standing in this position will create a look of confidence and eliminate the temptation to sway.

6. Leaning on the lectern.

A surefire way to lose your audience’s confidence is to lean on the lectern. Not only does this casual style show a lack of respect to both the audience and the lectern, it also gives the appearance of a sloppy speaker. Treat the lectern as you would your child. Never lean on it, hit it, or leave it unattended.

7. Speaking in a monotone voice.

Speaking in a one-dimensional, monotone voice is boring, boring, boring. If you deliver your presentation using only one vocal pitch and rate, you’ll surely put your audience to sleep. People can’t grasp your message if they’re snoring. Therefore, it’s important to create excitement and keep interest by using a variety of vocal tones, pitches, and rates when you speak.

8. Avoiding eye contact.

The old adage “look above your audience’s head” is a bunch of hogwash and should never be done. If you don’t look at your audience, they’ll soon lose interest and ignore you, too. To reach your audience, you must connect with them. The best way to do this is by looking them directly in the eyes as you speak. That doesn’t mean you stare at them. It means you look at each person for about three to four seconds, then move on to the next person. Be careful not to bop your head from one side of the room to the other. Instead, slowly move from one person to the next in a sweeping motion.

9. Using the wrong hand gestures.

Inappropriate hand gestures such as placing your hands in your pockets or flailing them can be as distracting as pacing the floor. Keep hands and arms comfortably at your side ready to jump up and make a meaningful gesture. The best gestures are those that demonstrate an action or a point of measure. All gestures should add to the understanding of the message, not be distractions.

10. Taking a mental exit.

Forgetting what you’re going to say can really mess up a presentation. It can cause great awkwardness and often is hard to cover up. Typically, speakers forget what they’re going to say because they have either memorized their speech or relied too heavily on their notes. If this happens, simply return to the lectern, look down at your notes, pause and look up at your audience, and deliver the next line. The main message here is to not panic. Never let your audience see you sweat.

For more tips and articles, visit http://www.instantprospeaker.com

Don’t panic. There’s still time to find the perfect Christmas presents for men. Yes it’s that time again and you’re stumped. “What do I get my husband, dad, brother, or uncle Bob for Christmas this year?” Well, if you’re feeling under pressure, relax. There are tons of great ideas for Christmas presents that the man in your life will love. Read this article to learn how to pick right one for him and where to find it.

The first thing we need to do is decide what this person does in his spare time or what’s the most important item on his Christmas wish list.

Is your man a Sportsman? Does he play football, rugby cricket, tennis or squash? If he does then think about a Christmas present related to his sport. Consider buying him a new tennis racquet maybe or a new hold-all for his cricket gear. Sporting goods and accessories make great Christmas presents for men.

Maybe your husband is the outdoor type. Does he spend hours in the garden or take long walks with the dog? If the answer’s then look at gardening tools, the latest gardening books. Why not choose an MP3 player like the iPod Touch so he can listen to his favourite music when he’s out with Rover?

Do you have a DIY expert on your Christmas list? Yes, great because this is an easy win for you. Which power tool is missing from his collection or has he told you about a drill that keeps breaking. If he has, replace it with a shiny new one. He’ll be smiling from ear to ear when he opens this unexpected gift.

Does your Dad have an aquarium or run a model railway in the loft. Perhaps he’s a collector or loves photography. Whatever the hobby there’s bound to be something they need that’s linked to their past-time. Just ask a few questions and you’ll soon know what to buy him for Christmas.

If he says he doesn’t need anything, why not surprise him with an annual subscription to a related newsletter or hobby magazine. You could consider buying him a book about his hobby, the history of it or even an autobiography from a famous person who shares his passion.

Do you have an avid reader who needs a Christmas present? If so, take a look at one of the new electronic reading books – there’s a review of one on my site (click on the link below).

If he prefers holding a real book in his hands but you don’t what he likes to read, give him a gift card. Don’t think that a gift card is an easy way out, it’s not, I love getting gift cards because I can choose the books instead of someone else trying to guess my choice of reading material.

The same goes for music lovers, if you don’t know their taste in music give them a gift card. If you do know what he likes – buy him the latest album or even better if he is a close relative why not take him to see his favourite band or orchestra.

Christmas presents for men don’t get better than gadgets or boy’s toys. There’s hardly a man on the planet that won’t be thrilled with the latest hot item. Whether it’s a new Smartphone, plasma T.V., espresso coffee maker or laptop computer you can’t go wrong buying us men something shiny with buttons to press.

Investor meetings are the life-blood of public companies. They can motivate potential investors to invest in a company as well as provide existing investors with information about their investment. To reach new investors, CEOs traditionally engage in road shows traveling from city-to-city to meet with investors. However, today the time and financial costs of travel have skyrocketed for busy executives, as well as investors and analysts. Worse, with today air traffic problems executives find themselves stranded in airports wasting valuable time that could be used to build a business.

Virtual Investor Presentations (VIPs) solve this problem through live virtual investor meetings using the internet to present the PowerPoint and the audio for the speaker’s presentation and Q&A. This allows CEO’s of public companies and investors to attend a live meeting in the convenience of their offices.

VIPs are NOT webcasts of live conference presentations. They allow the audience to interact with the presenter and receive answers to their questions just as they would at the live conference itself.

VIPs don’t replace face-to-face meetings; rather, as part of a comprehensive Investor Relations Program, they complement such meetings. Just as companies use webinars to market their services and products to potential buyers, and then follow-up with one-on-one sales meetings with serious prospects, cost-effective Investor Relations Officers companies use VIPs to introduce their company to potential investors, and then travel for one-on-one meetings with investors anxious to make a commitment.

One of the best benefits of a VIP, is that it can reach a larger, potentially, national audience, since all investors and analysts can attend from the convenience of their offices. This allows the public company to put itself on these people’s radar screens, and then follow-up with them to show that they are delivering on the promise. And when they do, they can announce another VIP to let people know that the company is executing on its growth strategy – something every investor wants to hear!