The Pioneer Strategist -- August 2006

"Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to

effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and

ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others.

If a leader can't get a message across clearly and motivate others

to act on it, then having a message doesn't even matter."
- Gilbert Amelio, Former President & CEO,

National Semiconductor Corporation -

PR Blog Topics

Recent entries posted on our blog, Public Relations Insights, include:

• July 31 -- A PR Blunder in Raleigh?

• July 30 -- Rudy Giuliani on Communication

• July 26 -- Web Site Promotion Tip #1: Content is King

• July 22 -- Discipline: One of the keys to an Effective PR program

• July 13 -- Survey Rates Consumer Perceptions of Customer Service

PR Tool:  Public Speaking

by Frank Williams, President

Given the choice, would you seek business advice from an Average Joe, or would you call on someone who is widely viewed as an expert on the topic?

If you're like most people, you would call on the person you believed to be an expert.  Your prospective clients likely share this sentiment:  that they would prefer to work with someone who is viewed as an expert in your field.

Are you an expert in your field?  If so, are you viewed as an expert in your field?

It is important to remember that perceptions are real, even when they are inaccurate, and that an inaccurate perception of you or your business can have a real impact on your ability to succeed.  Simply put, it doesn't matter whether you are an expert if no one thinks you are.  You can have a list of credentials as long as the U.S. Tax Code, but they are useless if your key target audiences view your competition as the experts and you as the Average Joe. 

If you are an expert in your field, you should take proactive steps to position yourself as such.

Public speaking is one of the most effective tools to define yourself as an expert in your field.  Think about it:  if someone is able to give an articulate, coherent, informative speech on a topic, don't you tend to view them as having some level of expertise on that topic?

If you desire to position yourself as an expert in your field and are comfortable with public speaking, you should develop one or more speeches on topics related to your business.  Your speeches should be informative and should demonstrate your expertise in your field.  Additionally, they should provide useful information to your audience. 

Once you have developed your speech(es), you should proactively offer yourself as a speaker for appropriate groups.  Such groups may include:  civic organizations, business groups, industry-specific groups, trade associations and so forth.  Start small and gain experience.  This will enable you to hone your skills before you speak on a larger stage. 

Take advantage of the opportunity to build your credibility by promoting your speaking engagements:  as appropriate, announce your speeches via press releases, company newsletters and other publications.

You demonstrate your expertise by developing and effectively delivering an articulate, useful speech related to your field.  By promoting your speeches using press releases and other tools, you communicate your expertise to those who are unable to hear your speech.

"An expert is someone who lives at least 50 miles away

and has a suit, briefcase and slide presentation."

- Anonymous

RALEIGH -- Pioneer Strategies' president, Frank Williams, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Business Leaders’ Club, Inc., a group of top Triangle-area small business leaders. 

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