Foundational Phrase

Nowmostpeopleunderstandtheimportanceoftellingastoryandmakinga point.Afterall,thatstheessenceofpublicspeaking.Butletmeaskyouthis haveyoueverseenastorythatwasallovertheplace?Nowbehonest,haveyou evergivenone?Metoo,andithappensbecausewestartdevelopingourstories inthewrongplace. Weneedtostartcreatingourmessagewithourfoundationalphrase.Sowhatis this?Itsthephraseuponwhichwebuildourstory,ourhumor,ouractivities,or whateverotheranchorswetendtouse.Itsalsothetakeawaylineforour audiencemembers. SohereareacoupleofexamplesoffoundationalphrasesthatIuse: Yourdreamisnotforsale. Whatgotyouherewontgetyouthere. Changesmallandchangeoften. Actionsspeaklouderthanwords. Nowwhatdidyounoticeaboutthosefoundationalphrases?Youprobably noticedthattheyreshortandtothepoint.Soalwaysrememberthisyour foundationalphraseshouldbefewerthan10words. WhenIaskmyaudienceswhy,theyusuallysaythingslike,Well,soyour audiencewillrememberit,orSoyoullrememberit,andthosearegood answers,buttheresamoreimportantreason.Itsbecausefewerthan10words forcesyoutobecrystalclearonyourmessage.Trustme.Ifyourmessageisnt cleartoyou,itdoesntstandachancetobecleartoyouraudience.

Theressomefolksouttherewhowillsay,Well,ifyoucanwriteyourmain messageonthebackofabusinesscard,thatmeansitsclearenough. Isaytothem,YouhaveabsolutelynoideahowsmallIcanwrite.ImeanIcan writeaparagraphonthebackofabusinesscard,butfewerthan10wordsforces youtobecrystalclear. Again,thisistheonlylessonthatwillexceedfiveminutes,butIthinkitsso importantforyoutolistentothisliveexampleofmegivingastorywitha foundationalphrase. ========== Beingtheworldchampionisablessinganda.[audienceanswersCurse].You saidit. Nowconsiderthis.IfyouhadbeenwalkingtowardsmeintheChicagoairporttwo daysafterIwontheworldchampionship,youwouldhaveseenmywifeonone sideofme,andmecarryingthisgiganticcrystaltrophy,justwalkingthroughthe Chicagoairport.Andofcourseeverybodyslookingatme,likeWhoisthat? Honey,isthatDenzelWashington?[audiencelaughing]Youdonthavetolaugh thatmuch!HowaboutBlairUnderwood?FlavorFlav?[laughing] ButthisiswhenIrealizedthatmylifewouldneverbethesame.Thispetiteladyin apinkdressrunsuptomeinthemiddleoftheconcourseeverybodyswatching andshestartsreadingthebottomofmytrophyinfrontofeverybody. Shesaid,Hmm,1999WorldChampionofPublicSpeaking.Hmm.Saysome things!andIwasspeechless.ButthatswhenIrealizedthatnomatterwhereIgo inlife,peoplearegoingtosay,Hey,wouldyoumindsayingsomethings?

RaiseyourhandifyouvebeentotheBahamas.Okay.SoIgototheBahamas.I attendachurchservice.Thepastorcomesoutandsays,Youknow,weheardyou werecoming.Whileyourehere,wouldyoumindgivingusmaybea15minute motivationalspeechbeforeIstart?HowdoyouturndownGod?[audience laughing] Haveyoueverbeenonateleseminar,asanattendeebeenonateleseminaror teleconference?Raiseyourhandifyouvebeenonthetelephone.Youbeenonthe telephone?[laughing]Yourelookingatmelike,Whatishetalkingabout? SoImonthisteleseminar.IcalledupandImjustanattendee.Isaid,Thisis CraigValentinecheckinginfromColumbia,Maryland,andImanattendee. Craig?Hey,whilewehaveyou,beforewestartcanyougiveusan10minute motivationalspeech? Iwaslike,Now?ButthatswhenIcametorealizeafundamentaldifferencein mylife.Whenitcomestospeaking,Icannolongergetreadytospeak,Ihaveto stayreadytospeak.Mynewmottois,Dontgetready.Stayready,because thenyoucantakeadvantageofallthespeakingopportunitiesthereare. Finishthisforme.Goodluckiswhenpreparednessmeets.[audience: Opportunity]Youwanttogetlucky?Stayready.DidthatsoundlikeaViagra commercialatall?[audiencelaughing] ========== Welcomeback.Didyougetthephrase?Dontgetready,stayready. Nowherearetwomoreimportantthingsyouneedtoknowaboutthe foundationalphrase.

1. Itsthebarometerforyourstory. Haveyoueverasked,IwonderwhatIshouldteachinthisstory,andIwonder whatIshouldleaveout.Well,theansweriseasy.Ifitsupportsthefoundational phrase,keepitin.Ifitdoesnt,throwitout.Thephrasedetermineswhatstays. 2. Thephraseisthetakeawaymessageforyouraudiencemembers.Itswhat theyshouldrememberforeachstory. NowIllbethefirsttotellyou,Iusedtotellstoriesforthestoryssake,buttoday, becauseIbuildmystoriesonfoundationalphrasesformyaudience,it automaticallykeepsthefocusonwhattheywillgetoutofit,somymessagesare muchmorevaluablenow. Sothatsit!Thatsthelessonforthisweek.Doyourselfafavorandbuildupona foundationalphrase.Illtalktoyouagainnextweek.Untilthen,keepspeakingup.

Craigs Top 10 Recommended Resources

1. http://www.edgeoftheirseats.com/ 2. http://www.createyourkeynote.com/ 3. http://www.dynamicdeliverydevices.com/ 4. http://www.learntoownthestage.com/ 5. http://www.wcspeaking.com/ 6. http://www.askcraigvalentine.com/ 7. http://www.audioforspeakers.com 8. http://www.resourcesforspeakers.com 9. http://www.thebookonspeaking.com 10. http://www.automateyourspeaking.com

Craig Valentines Background & Results

CraigValentine,MBA,anawardwinningspeaker,managementtrainer,andspeechcoach,has traveledtheworldhelpingspeakersbreathelifeintotheirpresentations.Hehasspokeninthe UnitedStates,Taiwan,Canada,Jamaica,Qatar(Doha),England,Bahamas,HongKong,and China.In1999hewontheWorldChampionshipofPublicSpeakingforToastmasters Internationalaftercompetingwithmorethan25,000contestantsfrom14countries. Theconferencewasthispastweekendandwithyour"virtualcoaching"Iwasableto givemyown"KillerKeynote".IstoodonthatstageandgavethespeechIhadalways dreamedofgivingtheylaughedwhereIwantedthemtolaughtheytearedup whereIwantedtotouchthemthemosttheycameintothesceneofmystories theyheardmymessageandbelieved.ItwasawonderfulmomentformeandIwill alwaysconsideritagift.NowIwouldbelyingifIsaidIdidn'tenjoythestanding ovationattheend...SusanLambRobinson,Speaker;Toronto,Canada "Inowdeliverbetterpresentationsin20minutesthanIdidin60minutes;moreover, myclosingratiohasincreased350%thankstothelessonslearnedinTheEdgeofTheir SeatsStorytellingHomeStudyCourse.Craig's9StepFormulahaschangedmy

 life."KevinD.Gross,MBA,President,AlumniConnection.com www.AlumniConnection.com IlearnedmorefromyouinonehourthanIhaveinyearsofgivingspeeches.Youarea masterofyourgame.Thankyouforinspiringmetofindmyownvoiceandgreatness asaspeaker!!Thankyou!PeleRaymondUgboajah;Author,Speaker,BusinessCoach; DreamBanc,L.L.C. CraigValentineisoneofAmericasfinestspeakers,1999WorldChampionofPublic SpeakingandauthorofwhatIconsidertobethebibleofpublicspeaking,Nutsand BoltsofPublicSpeaking.HesalsogotseveralaudioandDVDsonthesubject.Craig wasthedrivingforceandthebiggestreasonImadeittotheWorldChampionships lastyearinCalgary.ThetwodaysIspentwithhim,inhislivingroom,inBaltimore, completelychangedthewayapproachpublicspeakingMartinPresse,2008Finalist forWorldChampionofPublicSpeaking HeymanIknowyouarebusybutIwantedtobringyouuptospeedonus.Wejust returnedfromSanFranciscowherewespokeatthenationalconventionofNAMI.It wasgreat.Nonotes,webothspokeforaboutanhour.Basedonallthecomments theylikedit.Therewereanumberofpeopletherewhohadheardusbeforeandthey wereamazedatthechangeswemade.Thanks!BillNeely;www.billandtena.com; CourageinCrisis Thankyou1000timesover.IjustcamehomefromNiagara,whatafantastictimeI had.Allofyourtechniquesworked.Ioffered7free,1hourconsultationsifbooked todayofferedonlyinJanuary.InotonlybookedthoseIhadalineupafterward. SarahHilton;SpeakeronMentalHealth,Toronto Thanksforyourchanges...IgavethespeechlastMondayandeveryoneravedaboutit. Thankyousomuchforyourhelp.Iwentinveryconfident,knowingitwasaverygood speechthankstoyouradviceandchanges.Infact,theyhopetogetmebackagainand severalsaidtheywanttofindoutwhereelseIamspeakingsotheycancomehearme again.ChristineDuvivier;ManagingDirector,ImpactPartners