I'll Be Speaking at CCSNYS' Money for Mission Tomorrow -- Hope to Meet You

I'm jumping in the car now to drive to upstate NY, where I'll be speaking tomorrow at CCSNYS' (the NY association of nonprofits) Money for Mission conference. I was lucky enough to meet the ebullient Valerie Venezia at the NTC conference, where she proffered this lovely invite.

Are you going to be there? If so, please say hello. You know what I look like (just look at the top of this page) and I'll be wearing a Getting Attention t-shirt. I'd love to meet you.

I'm eager to dive into this conference, especially hearing the two bound-to-be inspiring keynote speakers; Greg McHale of Good2Gether and Charlie Crystle of Giftwork's creator Mission Research.

But what I'm most excited about is meeting you guys in person(I don't get enough of that) and, as the featured workshop speaker  be premiering my nonprofit tagline workshop! Can't wait.

Strengthen your nonprofit brand with the Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Report. Subscribe to the Getting Attention e-newsletter (in-depth articles and case studies on nonprofit marketing) to get the free report on publication in mid-September 2008.

Speak and Be Heard like Al Sharpton

As I've listened to eulogies delivered over the past few days at the various memorial services for Former President Gerald Ford, and musician extraordinaire James Brown, I was reminded how slim the line is between making and missing the mark in public speaking.

No one fires up his audience better than Al Sharpton, who delivered an impassioned eulogy  at the renowned singer's funeral in Augusta, Georgia this past Saturday.

"Rap started from James Brown. Hip-hop started from James Brown. Funk started from James Brown. We got on the good foot because of James Brown. And, Peter, if you don't consider it too arrogant, I don't know too much yet about what you do in heaven. But if you have Sunday morning service, you ought to let James Brown sing tomorrow morning," sang Sharpton.

I listened, I remembered and I repeated. Here are some of the reasons Sharpton's words resonated with me:

• Short sentences
• Lots of pauses, to let his words sink in (analogous to white space in hard copy or online); and Sharpton was comfortable with that silence
• Dramatic language
• Repetition of key ideas
• Gestures, not too many but not too wooden.

Although there's lots of guidance out there on improving fundraising letters, annual reports and Web sites, there's far less on high-impact speaking. I frequently rely on the guidance of Patricia Fripp whose free e-newsletter (FrippNews) features a wealth of tips and case studies on effective speaking. Fripp focuses on getting her readers' words remembered and repeated -- every speaker's end goal.

Are you Getting Attention?  Subscribe to my free e-newsletter today.