1). Have you ever been influenced by a speaker? Think of the best speaker you've ever heard. What was it about that speaker that made his or her communication memorable? Think of the worst speaker you've ever heard. What do you remember about his or her message?

I was influenced by a speaker within my professional organization. She is a Vice President for a large Fortune 300 company. I attended this speach in New Jersey where she lived and where my business is based. K had the perfect blend of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. What I remember most about her speach was her unbelievable confidence in herself. At the beginning of the speach the audience did not truly understand the position that K held within the company. Throughout the presentation it became evident that her stature was more than initially met the eye. In a nut shell it was her confidence and delivery that made the speach truly memorable.

I have also seen some very bad speakers. One memorable speaker that comes to mind as compeletly ineffective I will refer to as B. B got up in front of a group of high lever company officers to deliver a sales presentation. As visual effects and aides have become a necessity to spice up a presentation they had the opposite effect for B. Instead of playing off the visuals, in this case a power point presentation, B read from the slides facing away from the customer. Speaking in front of your customer in an effective manner gives the buyer confidence that you know what you are delivering and can make good on your promise. B's lack of ability to discuss and deliver value hindered and ultimately lost the sale. Perception is very important!