Personal AND Business Development

A Reminder from the Master

Yesterday, while listening to a recording by one of the true masters of public speaking, Patricia Fripp, she said something in her talk that absolutely blew me into a stunned state, “Your job as a speaker is to be remembered and repeated.”, and then a few moments later, “What will people say about your speech 10 months from now?”

I remember hearing her say the same thing in teleconferences on the Champions’ Edge and at the Get Coached to Speak Champ Camp I attended a few months ago. However, the point did not stick at that time. I was too worried about the mechanics of my speech at the time to really sit down and focus on what the message was in my speech.

Upon contemplating this for awhile, I kept being drawn back into things people have been saying to me the past two weeks. Things like, “what is the point?”, “OK, that is the why but what is the how?”, or “what value does it add.”

How many times in your speech has someone said something like that to you?

We are too Focused on the Mechanics

It hurts, because we do get wrapped up in the mechanics more then the content. That is one of the flaws of Toastmasters. That is one of the reasons why after so many presentations, we only remember the ones that are designed to be “remembered and repeated.”

What lessons can you learn from this?

1. Make sure you have a clear and concise message before you sit down to prepare your speech.

2. Write down the key phrase that you want people to walk away saying after your presentation.

3. Make sure that the key phrase is short, connects to the purpose of the speech, and is something that can be repeated at key moments in the speech without sounding like you are trying to get people to memorize the phrase. Yes, that is tough, but audiences know when you are trying to trick them.

4. Most importantly, know your topic. You are far more likely to have key phrases in speeches that you have internalized then something you have put together at the last minute with little to no background on the subject of the speech.

Remember what Patricia Fripp said, “Speak to be remembered and repeated.”

How will you be remembered and repeated in your next speech?

The other day I attended a seminar and heard something interesting. The speaker was making a point that MLM business is a better business opportunity than internet marketing, and mentioned in passing that more than 95% of internet marketing business failed.

Sitting among the audience, the immediate thought that came to my mind was: Isn’t this the same comment people said of MLM!

It is amazing how biased people’s view can be when they look from their own perspective.

In the market, it is also commonly sited that MLM has more than 95% failure rate, if not more.

Is It True That MLM Has Over 95% Failure Rate

It is interesting to note, that people in MLM don’t think that internet marketing is a viable business, while people in internet marketing feel the same towards MLM.

So, who’s right and who’s wrong?

The fact is: They are all right!

Henry Ford said: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

John Lilly said: “In the province of the mind, what one believes to be true either is true or becomes true.”

There are lots of highly controversial comments on the viability of MLM business. It is not possible or necessary to ascertain whether they are true or false. The reason being that they all come from personal experiences and opinions.

All opinions are true in the man’s own perspective, but may not be in others. If you want to have the same experience as the man, follow his opinions.

Looking At MLM Failure Rate In Perspective

Despite how much people like Robert Kiyosaki, Donald Trumps, Warren Buffets and Stephen Covey have endorsed MLM business in one way or another, it is still a subject that evokes much cynical emotions.

Very often, claims that include statistical proof, eg: “Over 95% Failure Rate”, often bring high emotional impact on those who are less capable of critical-thinking.

Claims like that can easily create an impression that the business is not viable. While the claim may be true, it is a false representation of the subject business relative to other businesses.

Why?

The fact is: This same claim is true for most businesses!

Do you know the failure rate of career in insurance agent, real estate agent, or any other small business start-ups?

It is important to view this claim in perspective.

How Do You Interpret Such Claim When Assessing A Business Opportunity

There are 4 things to remember when you research on business opportunity:

1. Recognize that opinions are diverse when it comes to viability of different business model.
2. In almost all legitimate businesses, the number of failure is much higher than success.
3. Failure evokes a much stronger emotion that needs an outlet more than success.
4. For the reasons in point 2 and 3, you will hear more negative comments from people who have failed, than positive comments from people who have succeeded.

When assessing a business opportunity, look at the industry growth figures, the overall sales trend, the number of players in the market, and its growth trend.

Read everything you can find on the business, from the internet, books or magazines. And form an independent view of the business viability.

The single most important advise is: Listen to people who have succeeded if you want to succeed like them.