TJ’s Insights

When I flick through my 1000 plus channels of digital cable TV I am often struck by the fact that there are entire networks devoted to poker skills, golf skills, gardening skills, even tile grouting skills! And yet there is no TV network devoted entirely to presentation skills.

Why?

Relatively few people provide food and shelter for their family via their poker earnings, and yet hundreds of millions of people earn all or a majority of their paycheck based on their ability to speak. People in the following professions are highly dependent on their capacity to communicate through the spoken word:

You are about to be a star! You’ve just received the call from a major morning network or Cable TV news show. You’re going to be an on-air guest to promote your latest book or product for a three minute segment.

You can hardly wait. Of course you are going to bring your book or product case to promote, right?

Wait!

This might not be your best strategy. I have found that producers really don’t like the clutter of more books in the studios. Hosts don’t want the hassle of remembering to hold up your book or product during an interview segment and they really don’t appreciate you doing it either.