What does your audience want?

A few years ago, I witnessed something remarkable while speaking to a room full of  “future leaders.” (That was the title of the workshop they were in – “Future Leaders.”) What killed me was that the average age of the … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Don’t read from your iPad!

Let me clarify: if you use your iPad (or tablet or whatever) to read magazine articles, newspapers, blogs…that’s cool. But when you need to stand up and deliver a presentation, put down the damn iPad! It’s a distraction. Plain and … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Join me in September at the Chicago Writers Conference!

You (and by “you” I mean all 2 of my blog readers) may have noticed my blog posts slipping off a bit. That’s a good thing…I’ve been busy with new coaching clients, speaking clients, and an upcoming conference. In addition … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Freedom on the Fourth

Thinking about today, July 4, reminds me not just of all the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, but freedom and fortune in general. We all have days when we detest our work, don’t want to go in, sometimes wish we … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Don’t apologize, part 2

Faithful followers of this blog have heard me harp on why you shouldn’t apologize when you’re presenting. (Hint: It undercuts your strength and your message.) The short version is that anything that puts a negative in your audience’s mind will … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

How to: 5 Tips to Manage Your Crowdfunding Anxiety

As I enter the last 7 days of my own organization’s fundraising campaign on Kickstarter, I’m reflecting on how the last 21 days have gone for me. Without boring you with a lot of details, it’s been super educational, fun, … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Chicago Writers Conference is coming!

I love speaking, I love teaching, and I love helping people get better at what they do. Which is why, in addition to public speaking coaching, I’m creating something else to help writers get better at what they do. Last … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Advice for college grads: Don’t be afraid to blog

I’m sure some Fortune 500 (or 100 or 1,000 or whatever) companies would disagree with me, but here’s what I want to tell job hunters of all ages: Don’t be afraid to blog. In fact, I encourage you to do … Continue reading →

Read more by mswallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

Things To Do Today: Update To-Do List

Staying organized, managing your time, and getting things done can be hard – but there is one simple tool you can use to make it easier. Your To-Do List. 1)    Write down every task you need to do. 2)    Update … Continue reading →

Read more by Mare Swallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author

PowerPoint vs. Prezi

I recently took a Prezi workshop. In case you haven’t heard of it, Prezi is a relatively new web-based presentation software often positioned as an alternative to PowerPoint. Prezi is fun, funky and free. You can tilt and zoom and … Continue reading →

Read more by Mare Swallow on Marianna Swallow: Speaker, Consultant, Author