Public speaking?

[TheTreeWiseMen]

Just finished a talk/presentation at my second local garden club. Anyone else here do the public speaking thing in order to drum up business? I spoke for about an hour (or rather shouted) to a bunch of blue haired, little old ladies about correct planting/mulching/pruning techniques. Had tea and cakes afterwards too! Should get one or two jobs out of it. I even joined in when they all sang happy birthday to one of the rather senior members.

 

[vharrison]

Paul does that sort of thing. We will send our Arborist if asked, he has done a few talks.

 

[sotc]

i dont think id like to do a talk, im much better at answering questions

 

[top hopper]

Ive done it a few times at the city's annual garden show. Got a little business from it. I enjoy it.

 

[TheTreeWiseMen]

i dont think id like to do a talk, im much better at answering questions

I've found that if you talk about the tree stuff that they can relate to it pretty much turns into a question/answer sorta thing anyway. Now I've done it a couple of times, I actually get quite a laugh out of it......and the work I always get is a bonus.

 

[Frans]

I gave a talk to a local gardening club. Lots of little kids running around. It was fun, but I got sick from the little darlings and was laid up for about 3-4 days

 

[xtremetrees]

I'd like to start off by saying yes, this is the best way to stand up for trees. Besides our ethical treatment (not spiking trims) this is the single most beneficial thing we can do as arborist, stand up.
I borrow the county extension laptop, burn a photo cd here at the house and do a slide show. I've given 4 slide shows and thus far they have been following Dr. Ed Gilmans guide to pruning and pruning schedule (5 years). I start off useing his guideline verbatim. Then,I show them photos of the oldest living things on earth and local native species as well. I get great response, help educate and dispel myths and clear up outdated practices .. I do not get alot of work from this but the people I help I help repeatedly.
Sharon Lily emailed me some time back replying to my request for a slide show from the ISA. I was a little startled that such a prolific author would even write to me. I know it was alot to ask and the more than was possible from them, not only zone differences but species defferences as well and no one sideshow cd marketed by the ISA would be sufficient. Its been a year I doubt they sell the slide show yet. The ISA has a area where you can list yourself as speaking so that industry professions will know and besides you get 1 CEU for every one you give, what a deal.

 

[Stumper]

I have done some courses at the local community college.-These are not semester long credit courses but courses at the "mini-college" held during spring break each year-mostly senior citizen attendees. Yes it generates business and is also quite fun.

 

[Paul B]

yup, I do, I think I did 5 garden clubs this year, talk for about an hour take questions during and after. Last year and this year I started accepting their 'honorariums' instead of just doing it for free exposure. I have gotten some work from the talks also. Most clubs pay about $75 or so, the most I got this year was $200 for a group of near 100, for about 1.5 hours talking (shouting) and question answering.
I have a set of handout sheets I bring if anyone wants to have some basic reference material.

 

[Old Monkey]

Do you guys imagine the audiences naked to get over the jitters of public speaking? Or is that just too horrific?

 

[sotc]

if your speaking at the senior center i wouldnt reccomend that tactic

 

[Paul B]

what Willie said.

 

[stehansen]

I wouldn't know where to start.

 

[Stumper]

Darin, I never got into imagining audiences naked---that is just too distracting in some cases and horrific in others. Several years of addressing an audience several times per week didn't take all my nervousness away, but quelled most of it.

 

[TheTreeWiseMen]

Do you guys imagine the audiences naked to get over the jitters of public speaking? Or is that just too horrific?

You worry me sometimes Darin...

 

[Frans]

I wouldn't know where to start.

Just look at the first person in the center row. Then imagine them without their shirt on....

 

[stehansen]

Just look at the first person in the center row. Then imagine them without their shirt on....

I'm still traumatized from having to make a speech at my high school graduation. 37 years ago.

 

[Al Smith]

Some people get "stage fright" luckily I don't for some reason or another .It doesn't make a diff to me if it's ten people or 600 hundred .

I did quite a bit of so called public speaking when I was Pres of the local IBEW union ,some time back .

A little clue,if this might help some.Just pretent in your mnd you are addressing just one person ,forget the rest are even there . After a while you will be able to scan the crowd and go face to face with confidence .Remember,no matter who they are chances are they put on their britchs just like anybody else,one leg at a time .How they take them off might be considered a personal matter .