Spice Up Your Presentation with Quotations

Add one or a few quotations to your presentation to make it more entertaining and insightful. Your quotation might spur your listeners to think or laugh. Sprinkle lightly like pepper. Use a quotation that emphasizes or clarifies your message.

Here are three sources you can search for quotations:


Quote a Famous Person

This is the most common method. Be sure to quote from a person who is well known and well liked by your audience. That ensures that the quotation lends more weight to your message.

Name the person who said it. Don’t pretend to be the source of that phrase and don’t make your audience guess. An appropriate quotation helps you tap into the credibility of the person who first spoke that piece of wisdom. Select the right quotation from Albert Einstein and it sounds as if he agrees with you.

Avoid repeating the overused quotes. It looks bad when speakers are using the same quotations. If most people have heard the quotation several times you appear unoriginal in your thinking.

Instead, search for a quotation that is not so well known.

“I went to the gym on the days that I felt like it and I went to the gym on the days that I didn’t feel like it.” Muhammad Ali


Quote a Client, Colleague or Industry Expert

Another source of valuable quotations could be your clients – especially if you are talking to your staff or company colleagues. You could use praise or complaints.

The company or association founder could be a source of colorful insights. But don’t just look to the leader for words of wisdom. With a little research you might uncover hidden gems from the janitor or the guy on the loading dock.

“We hurry to ship it out and it comes back on the next truck. Why not get it right the first time?” Truck Driver


The Twist

A third variation is to take a common phrase or quotation and twist it. This technique can add an engaging element of surprise and humor to what might have been a dull presentation

“He who laughs – lasts.”

Children will offer you useful twists as they rephrase the words they hear and describe the world as they see it.

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us some email." 4 year old girl


How to Deliver the Quotation with Drama

Pause just before you deliver the line and just after. While you are stating the quotation, shift your stance so you look slightly different and alter your voice a bit. Then resume your previous stance and voice to demonstrate that you are back to your own words. You don’t need to deliver a perfect impersonation of the person. Just make the little shifts. Those tiny changes will help the audience perceive you as the character you are quoting. It adds drama to your presentation and makes your message more memorable.

What if you can’t remember who said it or you’re not sure if you’ve got the words right? Then preface the line with, “As my grandmother used to say…” No one will get annoyed with your grandmother for altering the line.


The right quotation and appropriate source can inject spice into your presentation. It will help make your message more engaging, insightful and memorable.

“All we have to fear - is being boring.”


© George Torok helps business professionals deliver million dollar presentations. Find more free tips at http://www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com Learn about upcoming seminars and audio classes at http://www.Presentation-Skills-Seminars.com To arrange for personal presentation coaching call 905-335-1997


Spice Up Your Presentation with Quotations

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Presentation Crisis: How a Quote, Cartoon and Story Could Save Your Career

The Six Blind Men and the Elephant saved my job.

Props provide a powerful way of enhancing presentations. Verbal arguments aren't enough to convince people of your message. Try using visuals such as charts or cartoons, or physical props such as products or tools. Verbal props come in several forms: quotations from famous people, anecdotes, plays, poems or even questions.

The following is a true report of how I used my new-found communication skills and a combination of props to get me out of hot water with my company's auditors.

The auditors had submitted a report suggesting that I, as the chief supply manager, had exceeded my purchasing approval authority. I strongly disagreed and tried explaining to them the difference between our use of approval authority and implementation authority within the computer system. They did not buy my explanation - that is, until I had a chance to meet with them.

The meeting seemed to take forever. Tension clouded the room, because the auditors intended to remain firm on their "observation" and everyone knew my position.

Finally, it was my turn. I started: "I offer the quotation from George Bernard Shaw who said, 'In the right key you can say anything, in the wrong key, nothing.' So to help set the right key I ask you to look at this cartoon and parable that I am passing out."

There were some raised eyebrows at this point, but no one objected to my strange approach - yet.

After everyone had a copy of the handout I continued:

"This cartoon shows the parable of the six blind men and the elephant. The six blind men went to see the elephant, but being blind they had to examine the elephant with their hands. Each touched a different part of the elephant and noted their observation. For example, the first clutched the swaying trunk and said, 'The elephant must be a snake.' The next grabbed the tail and noted, 'The elephant is really like a rope.' Another fell against the side and exclaimed, 'Oh my, this elephant is like a wall.' Hugging the leg the next argued, 'The elephant is like a tree.' The fifth, while holding the tusk, stated, 'You are all wrong, I know it is like a spear.' And finally, the sixth felt the flapping ear and noted, 'This elephant is surely like a fan.'"

The nervous laughter dissipated the tension and now the people were more relaxed. Then I explained how the computer system we were using was very big and complicated, like an elephant, and that we had poor documentation. Therefore, it was unreasonable for any visitor to fully understand the workings in a two-week period (this was the duration of the auditors' visit). The heads nodded in agreement at this point. Then I showed a flowchart of our approval process - emphasizing that the "approval" they were focusing on was only "an approval to print".

The bottom line is they understood my point, and the audit report was changed. It is important to know that the facts were unchanged from my earlier discussions with them, but this time I packaged my sale and they bought it.

When was the last time you had a proposal or idea turned down? Could it have gone better if you had taken more care to sell it? To deliver a powerful message understand your audience, be clear on your purpose, plan your approach - and use props!

© George Torok delivers inspirational keynotes and practical seminars. He trains managers and sales presenters how to present to win. Find more free tips on presentation skills at http://www.SpeechCoachforExecutvies.com Arrange for George Torok to help you at http://www.Torok.com or call 800-304-1861

Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.

Always be Prepared for Your Worst Question: Reagan Video

While preparing to give your presentation - consider the questions you might be asked. Always think of the toughest questions that might be posed. That might be that your price is too high, your experience is limited, your company is too small...

Don't waste your time praying that they wouldn't ask. Instead, plan and rehearse how you will respond. Your calm and confident reponse might be the tipping point that closes the deal for you.

Watch how Ronald Reagan handled the tough question about his age in this debate during his campaign for re-election as US president. He was the already the oldest president and he was running for his second term. It was easy to suggest that he might be too old for the job.

Some experts suggest that it was this reply that tipped the election in his favor.

You know that his reply was not off the cuff. He was prepared. Watch his face as the question starts to unfold. Notice how patiently he waits for the questioner to finish to heighten the tension.

This was a masterful example of dealing with your worst question. The reply was so good that that even the opponent laughed. I think that Reagan was so pleased with himselft that he took that drink of water so he won't giggle.

George Torok

Presentation Skills Training

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Helping business leaders deliver million dollar presentations

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George W. Bush memorable lines

George W. Bush Quotes

George W. Bush will be remembered for many things. One of those might be his mangling of the english language.

Below are statements credited to Mr Bush:

'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'

'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'

'Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.'

'No senior citizen should ever have to choose between prescription drugs and medicine

'I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change.'

'One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.

'Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.'

'I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.'

'The future will be better tomorrow.'

'We're going to have the best educated American people in the world.'

'One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures.' (during an education photo-op)

'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.'

'We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.'

'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.'

'I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.'...George W. Bush to Sam Donaldson

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George Torok

Presentation Skills Training

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Presentation Quotes from Walt Disney

Presentation Quotes from Walt Disney

When delivering your presentation it is always powerful to inject a quote from a powerful leader. Walt Disney certainly was a powerful and inspirational business and community leader.

Enjoy these quotes from Walt Disney.
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"I don't believe there's a challenge anywhere in the world that's more important to people everywhere than finding solutions to the problems of our cities. But where do we begin... how do we start answering this great challenge? Well, we're convinced we must start answering the public need. And the need is for starting from scratch on virgin land and building a special kind of new community that will always be in a state of becoming. I twill never cease to be a living blueprint of the future, where people actually live a life they can't find anywhere else in the world."


"Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world."


"We did it (Disneyland), in the knowledge that most of the people I talked to thought it would be a financial disaster - closed and forgotten within the first year."


"It's no secret that we were sticking just about every nickel we had on the chance that people would really be interested in something totally new and unique in the field of entertainment."


"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse."


"We are not trying to entertain the critics. I'll take my chances with the public."
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Find more Walt Disney quotes

Learn more about Disney


George Torok
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Presentation: Quotes & Insights

Presentation: Quotes & Insights
Compiled for you by George Torok


Enjoy and repeat (with accreditation) these quotes and insights on communication.


Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all.
Sir Winston Churchill


If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.
Doug Larson


He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)


We have too many high sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.
Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818), letter to John Adams, 1774


A man thinks that by mouthing hard words he understands hard things.
Herman Melville (1819 - 1891)


Words have a longer life than deeds.
Pindar (522 BC - 443 BC), Nemean Odes


Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.
Robert Benchley (1889 - 1945)


No one has a finer command of language than the person who keeps his mouth shut.
Sam Rayburn (1882 - 1961)


I understand a fury in your words,But not the words.
William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), "Othello", Act 4 scene 2


Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.
William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939)


Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.
William Penn (1644 - 1718)


Discretion in speech is more than eloquence.
Sir Francis Bacon (1561 - 1626)


If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.
Benjamin Franklin


Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.
Benjamin Franklin


Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. Plato


Most speakers are afraid of silence. It is so powerful.
Peter Urs Bender author, Secrets of Power Presentations


When you deliver your speech, the only person who hears every word is you.
George Torok, Executive Speech Coach


George Torok
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Presentations: Using Quotations

Tips on Using Quotations in Your Presentation

In your presentation a good quotation can crystallize an unclear message and help to anchor an important point. It can help to have one powerful quotation to to sprinkle a few throughout your presentation. But be careful - too many and the impact is lost and you might appear to be just a copier of thoughts - not an original thinker.


The choice of source that you quote is as important as the selection of the words. For example even if they said something well you would probably not quote Adoph Hitler, Idi Amin or even OJ Simpson. They will probably not help your message or credibility.


Here are four points to help you improve the delivery of the quotation.


1. Always state whom the quote is from.

2. Change your voice slightly when you deliver the quote - this gives the impression that these are not your words - but of the authority you are quoting.

3. Pause just before you begin the quote and just after. The pause acts like quotation marks.

4. Memorise a short quotation. But you can read a longer quote.

5. When quoting from a book - hold the book up to show where the quote comes from.


George Torok

Speech Coach for Executives

Presentation Skills Training

Canadian Motivational Speaker



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Presentation Insights from George Torok

Presentation Insights from George Torok


Enjoy these pithy presentation insights from George Torok. Use the ideas that resonate well with you. If you reprint these insights or quote them – be sure to credit George Torok as your source.

George Torok is a presentation specialist who simplifies powerful presentation principles and shows you how to be a more effective presenter.

If you like what you read and would like to work directly with George Torok contact him at 905-335-1997.




The more we see you speak in public – the more we believe you to be a leader.


If you attempt to present yourself as perfect – we will not believe you and we will hate you. We like you when we see that you are imperfect like we are.


We love to hear stories. We don’t need another lecture. Just ask your kids.


Your audience will remember how they felt about you. They will forget your name and your message.


Smile when you start, when you finish and when you say something important.


Do not attempt to think on your feet. Instead be prepared with a menu of options. Then you only need to select. Thinking on your feet is too dangerous. Your feet are for running – not for thinking.


PowerPoint! Yuk! No one changes minds, leads people or makes the sale because of PowerPoint. But a lot of presenters annoyed their audiences with their PowerPoint.




For more presentation insights from George Torok read his articles on this website, read Secrets of Power Presentations or call him to work with him directly. 905-335-1997


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Foul Language at the Learning Annex

Foul Language at the Learning Annex in Toronto

I attended the two-day program by the Learning Annex in Toronto. The keynote speakers included George Foreman, Tony Robbins and Donald Trump.

What surprised me? Foul Language and Profanity


Tony Robbins
When did “shit” become a main stage word? Tony Robbins said the word several times during his presentation. At the same time he danced around the word “penis” with the phrase “Mr Happy”.

I wonder why Tony Robbins used these words. They did not help his presentation in any way. As the hero of many profesional speakers why was Tony Robbins so unprofessional?


Donald Trump
Donald never mentioned the word “shit” nor anything about his “penis”.

He did say “frigging”. He said the word “fucking” once while recounting a conversation he had with a banker. And he mouthed the same word while expressing his opinion about President Bush.

In Donald Trump’s case his use of these far more vulgar words fit his message. I wasn’t offended. I expected to be offended by him.


George Foreman
Curious that the most street-tough-punk of the bunch did not use offensive language. Good on you George! Read more about George Foreman's presentation here.


George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives

PS: What other words should you avoid when speaking?

Quotations about Communicating

Enjoy these powerful quotations about communicating. Learn from them, and if you repeat them be sure to quote the one who first spoke these words.

Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all.
Sir Winston Churchill

If the English language made any sense, a catastrophe would be an apostrophe with fur.
Doug Larson

He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
Abraham Lincoln

If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.
Benjamin Franklin


For more quotations on communicating.

For quotes from George Torok on presentation skills.

A great source for many quotations you might use.


George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives

Jack Welch

“An overburdened, overstretched executive is the best executive, because he or she doesn't have the time to meddle, to deal in trivia, to bother people.”

-Jack Welch
CEO General Electric 1981-2001
AKA “Neutron Jack”


George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives

Quote Business Leaders

Instead of regurgitating boring clichés use quotes from other business leaders – especially the successful CEOs, executives and entrepreneurs.

Why?

It shows your listeners that you are more current and more relevant.

Stop using stupid and boring clichés when you present. Instead use quotes from current or recent business leaders. That shows more insight – and it is more interesting to listen to.

To help you, I will post some powerful quotes from proven business leaders on this blog.

When you use a quote from someone else be sure to name the source. Two reasons: Give credit to the originator. When you name the source you tap into their credibility.

You might have read the quotes in previous posts from Mary Kay Ash and Richard Branson. Over the next several weeks you will find quotes from other business leaders including: Jack Welch, Donald Trump, Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Victor Kiam, Anita Roddick, Sam Walton, Peter Ueberroth, George Soros…

When I find more good ones I will post them for you as well.

George Torok
The Speech Coach for Executives

Richard Branson

“I believe in benevolent dictatorship provided I am the dictator.”
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson
Entrepreneur extraordinaire, adventurer, maverick

Founder of:
Virgin Records
Virgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Trains
Virgin Express
Virgin Galactic


Unofficial Branson Blog

George Torok
Speech Coach for Executives

Cliché hell

Cliche hell

Please stop using clichés. It is like vomit - Regurgitated bile. Hell is a place where everyone speaks in clichés. Most of us are already suffering from listening to clichés. Some of us are guilty of spreading them.

It reeks of unoriginality. It is not clever. It is lazy.

Every time you parrot something that we heard before – you diminish yourself. And we tend to stop listening when we already heard it before.

The exception to this is the use of distinctive quotations – which I will discuss in another post. For example, Shakespeare never goes out of style.

So, which clichés push my barf nerve?

Pushing the envelope

Thinking outside the box

Raise the bar

Win – win

There is no ‘I’ in team

Go over his head

Bend over backwards

Just business – nothing personal

Fly-by-night

Nose to the grindstone

The full nine yards

Thirty thousand foot level

Working my fingers to the bone

Another day, another dollar

Put your money where your mouth is

24/7


Clichés are boring, unimaginative and destructive.

If that is the way you want to be remembered – use clichés. You will be quickly forgotten.

If you want to be different – be different. And you will be remembered.

In another post I will talk about how to twist clichés to make you more interesting, effective and memorable.

George Torok

The Speech Coach for Executives