101 Ways to Captivate
a Business Audience

By Sue Gaulke
Amacom, $15.95

ISBN 0814479200

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Review by Michael Pellecchia

Sue Gaulke is a presentation skills coach who has carefully researched what audiences want and don't want in a speaker. They don't like the speaker to read a presentation, for example. They do like stories, audience participation, and style. Creativity of all types gets high marks.

Gaulke shows how to do your homework on your audience: which questions to ask and who to ask. How to develop empathy for the audience and get in synch with the program at large. Even how to develop charisma.

Many speakers must think they are who they are and have little hope of developing the larger-than-life quality of charisma. Gaulke lists ways you can fake it until you make it: smile, keep eye contact, be positive and agreeable, use humor, energy, and enthusiasm.

Going through the book's 101 ways gives the would-be speaker an opportunity to develop a personal improvement program. Gaulke's advice for keeping business audiences is concise and practical. Her new book is a handy review for anyone giving a speech or presentation soon.

Michael Pellecchia writes about business and finance books each month He can be reached at michael_pellecchia@bookpage.com.

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