Diane DiResta's "Knockout Presentations" Graces Times Square Billboard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Staten Island, NY – March 1, 2024 – The power of compelling communication has found its spotlight in the heart of New York City's iconic Times Square. Diane DiResta, acclaimed author and communication expert from Staten Island, has achieved a remarkable milestone as her book, "Knockout Presentations," illuminates the vibrant screens of Times Square billboards.

DiResta's groundbreaking work has captured the attention of audiences worldwide with its practical insights and strategies for delivering impactful presentations. From boardrooms to classrooms, her book has become a beacon for individuals seeking to enhance their communication skills and leave a lasting impression.

The decision to showcase "Knockout Presentations" in one of the world's most renowned advertising spaces reflects not only the book's success but also its enduring relevance in today's dynamic professional landscape. As the digital displays of Times Square shine brightly, they serve as a testament to DiResta's dedication to empowering individuals with the tools they need to excel in public speaking and presentation delivery.

"It's a tremendous honor to see 'Knockout Presentations' published by Morgan James Publishing, featured in Times Square," said Diane DiResta. "This moment underscores the importance of effective communication in our personal and professional lives. I hope that seeing the book displayed in such a prominent location inspires others to hone their presentation skills and unlock their full potential."

With her expertise honed over decades of experience as a keynote speaker, executive speech coach, and author, Diane DiResta continues to make a profound impact on individuals and organizations worldwide. Through her book, "Knockout Presentations," she shares invaluable techniques for captivating audiences, conveying ideas with clarity, and leaving a lasting impression long after the presentation ends.

For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information about Diane DiResta and "Knockout Presentations," please contact:

Diane DiResta Founder info@diresta.com

About Diane DiResta: Diane DiResta is a communication expert, author, and keynote speaker based in Staten Island, New York. With over three decades of experience, she has helped thousands of professionals across four continents, improve their communication skills, enhance their public speaking abilities, and deliver impactful presentations. Diane is the author of two books, including "Knockout Presentations," which has garnered widespread acclaim for its practical insights and actionable strategies. She is passionate about empowering individuals to communicate with confidence, authority, and authenticity.

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Stop Playing It Safe in Front of the Room. It Begins with the Shoes.

Are you playing it safe in front of the room? Many of my clients work with me because they want more confidence and clarity. in their presentations. They know where they want to go as public speakers but don’t know how to get there. They want to be respected for their leadership and admired for their inspiration.

What I discovered is that too often they are playing it safe in front of the room. They default to what they know and don’t take the risks that would allow them to stand out and be a memorable public speaker.

A few years ago, I stopped in the Michael Kors store in New York City. He’s one of my favorite designers and I like to see his designs even if I’m not buying. It was before New Years and I saw a dress I loved. It was a black knit with long sleeves and ostrich feathers lining the bottom. They had my size and it looked good when I tried it on. Then the store consultant brought in some shoes. They were black stretchy sneaker boots with bling on the back of the heel. I tried them on. They were very comfortable but a little expensive. After all, they were not shoes to wear with a New Years Eve dress. The store consultant said I could wear them with the dress. Really? I turned to my friend and asked her opinion. I told her I would never have considered pairing these black sneaker boots with something dressy. She said I should buy them. I looked at the consultant. He didn’t pressure me. He let the conversation I had with my friend play out. After a bit of hesitation, I bit the bullet and pulled out my credit card. I wore them with the New Years Eve dress.

People liked the look. It was different. Those shoes were warm on a cold night and SO comfortable.

I had stopped playing it safe in front of the room. A presentation begins with how you look before you ever open your mouth. I stepped out of my comfort zone of what I thought was appropriate footwear for dressy occasions. I had been holding back my self expression with limiting beliefs about what was appropriate.

Fast forward to today. I wear those sneaker boots to speaking engagements. No more commuting or standing in heels. I’ve combined fashion and comfort. What’s interesting is that when I collect audience evaluations of my speaking engagements someone usually writes, “Love the shoes.” I no longer feel I have to look perfectly “corporate” or follow rigid rules of fashion. As Tom Cruise said in the movie Risky Business, “Sometimes you just have to say (expletive).

What I didn’t know then that I know now, is to stop playing it safe in front of the room sometimes begins before you open your mouth. For me it began with the shoes.

If you want to Stop Playing It Safe in Front of the Room and Be Respected for your Leadership and Admired for your Inspiration, contact me at DiResta Communications.

(When we work together I promise you can wear any shoes you want.)

4 Barriers to Presentation Brilliance

What causes a public speaker to fade in the background instead of lighting up a room? Each presenter has an opportunity to share their wisdom but often barriers get in the way of conveying their brilliance.

Are you afraid to step out of your comfort zone? There’s a saying, “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know”. Public speakers easily default to the familiar instead of trying something new. Sometimes it’s because they don’t know anything else or may be unaware that they need to improve.

It’s essential to understand that being uncomfortable is part of unearthing your brilliance. The goal is to be comfortable with being uncomfortable- to seek it out-to embrace it. Ask yourself, “How can I stretch?”

A major roadblock to stepping into a bigger version of yourself is the fear of humiliation. When I first wrote Knockout Presentations, I interviewed people and asked them the reason they feared public speaking. After analyzing the responses, a theme emerged. What most people dreaded was the fear of humiliation. That being the case, you can overcome this fear by

1. Anticipating a humiliating experience and preparing recovery strategies.

2. Reframe the mishap as a learning experience. It’s not humiliating unless you consider it so.

   While fear is the biggest barrier here are four common reasons that public speakers cast a shadow on their own presentation brilliance.

Failure to adapt. To be a master communicator you must be flexible. That means adapting to a different audience, a different company culture and especially last minute changes. Here is where we separate the novice from the pro. It’s not unusual to have your time cut by the manager or meeting planner. Would you know how to do it? The most common way presenters adapt is to speak faster. Or maybe the first speaker on the agenda used the exact examples you planned to use. Failure to adapt will take you out of brilliance and launch you into dullness.

Poor communication skills. There is no shortage of subject matter experts who have valuable insights and data but can’t communicate their message. The presenters may be disorganized. They may not define terms. More frequently, the presenters speak too fast or don’t articulate clearly and often go off message. If your audience is scratching their heads with confusion, they will tune you out.

Little or no audience connection. Are you a talking head? This is the presenter who is scripted and overly rehearsed. They sound unnatural and they talk at the audience. People don’t want to hear a lecture. Presentation brilliance is about the relationship with the audience. Talk to them in a conversational tone. Ask them a question and challenge them. Provide an exercise and tell them a story that is relatable. Create an experience. It’s about how you make them feel. Facts tell but stories sell. Without emotion they’ll probably forget most of what you say.

Insufficient technology skills. Like it or not, we all need to be proficient with technology. Have you ever seen an expert fumbling with equipment? What’s the experience of the slides not working? It’s easy to lose credibility as a public speaker when your technical skills don’t match your expertise. You don’t have to use technology in every presentation. If your story is compelling all you need is you. But remember YOU are the visual aid and the technology is about how you work the room and command the stage.

These four barriers don’t have to overshadow you. Master the skills of adaptability, communication, connection, and technology and let your presentation brilliance emerge.

To learn how to Speak Confidently and Effectively check out my LinkedIn learning course. It ranked in the Top 20 Most Popular courses for 2 years.

To learn techniques to overcome fear of speaking, read Chapter 3 of Knockout Presentations.

To work with me contact DiResta Communications, Inc.

Your Presentation is in Your Head

My friend told me that when she was growing up she would pass a dilapidated house on the road. As they drove by she would envision a white picket fence among other embellishments. She saw the house refurbished in her mind. Her family would make fun of her. When they passed the next fixer upper on the road they'd say "What do you see now?" This was before the house improvement shows and even before Martha Stewart was on the scene. My friend could see a beautiful presentation when nobody else could.

When you give a presentation, do you see yourself as that dilapidated house or do you see the beautiful finished product? Do you see yourself with limitations or do you see yourself as you can be?

People fear public speaking because they have limited vision.

They see an image of themselves as ineffective and the audience as the adversary that keeps them stuck. It's time to change the picture! Public speaking is a skill anyone can learn. I've coached C-level executives and I've coached 7th graders to succeed. Not everybody is a visionary like my friend. But everybody can benefit from a champion. Whether it's a coach, a friend, a support group, an internal advocate, reach out and borrow someone's positive vision of you. The secret to a knockout presentation is the vision in your head!

To learn how to Speak Confidently and Effectively check out my LinkedIn learning course. It ranked on the Top 20 Most Popular courses for 2 years.

To learn techniques to overcome fear of speaking, read chapter 3 of Knockout Presentations.

To work with me contact DiResta Communications, Inc.

The One Speaking Mistake TV Presenters Make That Radio Presenters Don't

My mouth was watering. I was listening to a major network television broadcast. They were interviewing a restaurant owner and he was describing a delicious recipe. They talked about his menu, his background, and of course they all sampled the tasty dish. So far so good. They captured and kept my attention. Wouldn’t you want to go to a restaurant with such good food? There was only one problem. They ended the interview without mentioning the chef’s name, the name of the restaurant or the location. How frustrating! A lost opportunity for the restaurant and for me. It’s happened too many times to be a coincidence. If you don’t catch the opening line at the very beginning of the interview you won’t know who they’re talking about.

I can tell you this rarely happens on radio interviews. As a podcast and radio Interviewer, the host is trained to promote the guest. They’ll often mention the name of my book in the introduction. They’ll end by mentioning the book again, asking where people can buy it and how they can find the website.

A good presentation has a beginning, a middle, and an end. When coaching my clients I often find that the weakest part is often the end. Many public speakers leave off the conclusion. They’ll end with their last point or they’ll say “That’s it.” And the presentation ends with a thud, like a lead balloon. The purpose of the conclusion is to complete the presentation and tie it all together.

A good conclusion recaps the main points. Consider that some people may miss the beginning points. A good public speaker will be sure that the audience leaves remembering the main message. And the really skilled speaker will tell the audience the next step. It could be an upsell or food for thought (no pun intended). But they’ll tell the listeners how to continue to connect with the speaker and learn more.

So take a public speaking lesson from the radio interviewers. End with the key points and tell them who, what and where. And that’s a wrap.

3 Mistakes That Derail Your Elevator Speech

If you’re a networker you’re going to give an elevator speech. The name comes from the idea that if you got into an elevator and your ideal decision maker was there, you would have about 30 seconds to introduce yourself before arriving at the next floor. Too often business owners show up without preparing for a networking meeting. If you’ve ever scratched your head with confusion after hearing an introduction, that presenter was unprepared.  Three common elevator pitch mistakes are:

1.       Too long

2.       Not clear

3.       All about them

Nobody wants to listen to a person drone on for three minutes when there’s a roomful of people. Save that for one-on-one meetings and get to the point. Prepare a 15-second, 30-second- and one minute version. Then take your cue from the facilitator. Even more effective, is to have a one sentence elevator pitch. Some one-liners include: I help speakers book more business. I help companies sell more in less time. I work with people who want to start a business and grow a business.

If your message is unclear, you will not attract prospects. People won’t refer you and you won’t be memorable. Brevity enhances clarity. Don’t mention everything you do. Keep the message high level. Start with one stand alone sentence. Then add more details. Test it with people you don’t know and then ask them to explain what you do. You may be surprised by the feedback. An elevator speech is a presentation. As a public speaker, be clear, be brief and be listener-centered.

To learn how to Speak Confidently and Effectively check out my LinkedIn learning course. It ranked #5 on the Top 20 Most Popular courses.

To learn techniques to overcome fear of speaking, read chapter 3 of Knockout Presentations.

To work with me contact DiResta Communications, Inc.

#publicspeaking #elevatorspeech