Tom Antion: Background Music

Background music playing when participants enter a room is a great way to set the mood for a NO ZZZZZs meeting or event. It also makes you look like a more polished presenter. The proper selection of music gets people in the right mood and adds a touch of drama to the presentation. You can also use music when the participants are leaving to give them a pleasant atmosphere as they exit. Avoid turning music on or off suddenly. It should always fade in and fade out slowly.

When selecting music, generally you would pick upbeat music for upbeat presentations and slower music for more serious ones. This is very subjective, but not usually too critical unless you're the type who would play loud rock music at a retirement home. If you have no clue how to pick music, get some expert help or buy music designed for presentations from a training supply company that has labels that tell you when to use it.

If you are on a tight budget and can't arrange for professional sound equipment, don't worry. In small rooms a decent boom box will suffice. If you are in a larger room, you can put the microphone that will be used for the presentation in front of the speaker of the boom box. This will send the music through the room's sound system.

BIG WARNING:
DO NOT PLAY COPYRIGHTED MUSIC WITHOUT THE PROPER LICENSING OR YOU WILL BE SORRY. THE MUSIC POLICE WILL GET YOU. Don't worry though, I'll explain below how you can still use music without the threat of a lawsuit.

There have been many lawsuits between meeting planners and organizers and Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) and The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). If you want to use copyrighted music, make sure you tell your meeting planner. At the time of this writing, the sponsoring organization is ultimately responsible for the proper licensing of music played at an event. However, the real life story says that you should clear your use of music with the sponsoring organization well in advance of the program. If you don't, you may be the one responsible for a lawsuit against the organization that hired you. Better hang up your laser pointer because you won't last long as a speaker pulling those kinds of stunts.

HOW TO GET LICENSING
If you are doing your own public seminars and you want to use copyrighted music, you must obtain your own license. Call BMI or ASCAP in New York City for details.

The way to get around this hassle is to play copyright free music which, for use as background music, is just as good. This music is available through production music houses, or you can get prepackaged music for meetings from a company called Resources for Organizations (952) 829-1954.

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Tom Antion: Costumes

No, you don't have to go on-stage in a gorilla suit, although you could if you wanted to. A costume can be anything from a flashy tie, to a feathered hat, to a full blown shiny Marca Polina outfit (the feminine Marco Polo) complete with an illuminated magic wand, that my friend Sally Walton wears when she talks about the magic art of "Communicating Across Cultures." Costumes add a flare and excitement to your presentations and certainly help to make them more memorable.

If you don't like to wear costumes, get the audience members to wear them. Better yet, get the "big shots" to wear them and you will probably be the hit of the meeting. I was doing a customer service talk for a pizza franchise and I had one of the senior managers march into the meeting wearing a filthy, doctor's lab coat with ketchup all over it (fake blood). I had another senior manager come in with a crisp, new lab coat. I asked a simple question, Which manager would you like operating on you? Of course, all the junior managers yelled out that they wouldn't let either one of these people operate on them. Everyone was laughing and joking around, but the point was made. They must keep their employees looking clean and neat because nice customers won't want to be served by grungy food service workers.

Costume characters can be hired to hand out fliers at your event, entertain, and generally create an air of fun and excitement. The local heart association has a "blood drop" costume they use when they are soliciting funds. There are literally hundreds of costumes available through costume shops or via mail order. Just make sure, as always, the theme of the costume matches the theme of your presentation or event.

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Tom Antion: Public Speaking Hand Gestures

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Tom Antion: Now I Lay Me Down . . . To Talk

If you want to create some extra impact when public speaking, don't be afraid to present in some odd postures. My friend Ron Culbertson starts his talk while standing on a table. Another friend of mine Barbara Sanfilippo climbs a ladderwhile on stage. Zig Zigler kneels.

I do a signature story while sitting on a chair and I have sprawled myself across a table to make a point. I have seen speakers doing handstands, backflips, riding a bicycle and standing on their head. Of course, I wouldn't do the whole talk standing on my head, but who knows. . . I might look better that way. hahahaha

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Tom Antion: How to make an audio cd webinar

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Tom Antion: Specific Objectives

Make sure you find out exactly what you are supposed to accomplish when you are asked to do a public speaking engagement. It is best to have it in writing. This can be handled with a question on your pre-program questionnaire. If you don*t get this information, you are open to complaints that you did not achieve the goals of the meeting organizers.

P.S.: Just because this is a short article doesn't mean you should ignore it's BIG message. Ignore this point and it can mean BIG trouble.

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