Top Tips for Speaking Effectively at an Event

Nearly everyone gets nervous to some degree when it comes to public speaking, it's a natural anxiety response to doing something outside of one's comfort zone. However, with the right guidance and know-how, you can do plenty to help shake off those public speaking fears.

It's important to note that anyone can improve their public speaking skills. With enough practice, anyone can ace a speaking role, even in large events with hundreds of people. It's a skill like any other, and just like any other skill, it can be improved with enough time and effort.

Below we're going to take a look at Ribbon Works' top tips for speaking effectively at an event.

Practice Makes Progress
Most people aren't all that great at public speaking the first time they try it, most of the charismatic people you see making speeches on television actually had to practice to become as well-spoken as they are.

You can improve substantially by practicing your speaking. Try writing out what you plan on saying and read it out loud first by yourself, then in front of supportive friends and family. You'll soon find that you are more comfortable speaking in public because of this preparation and practice.

Mistakes are Completely Normal
Many charismatic and well-known people have made a mistake or felt embarrassed during public speaking, and while it's never pleasant, it's certainly not the end of the world. Strong people keep a level head when things go wrong, this applies to public speaking at events especially.

If you make a mistake during your speech, put it behind you and keep on going, it's only a setback for as long as you allow it to be.

Project Pure Confidence
Before you arrive at the event you are speaking at, do whatever makes you feel confident so that positivity carries on into your speech.

Be it wearing your very best clothes, getting your make-up just right, or listening to a powerful piece of music before arriving, anything that gets you into that positive state of mind is going to be very helpful.

Do What Makes You Comfortable
Find out what can help you feel more comfortable on stage. It could be something as small as having something like a clicker in your hand so that you feel you have something to do with your hands. It could also just be pacing little-by-little across the stage. Regardless, if it helps you feel comfortable and doesn't affect your presentation negatively, then go for it!

Don't worry about any of it being noted by your audience, they'll be too absorbed in what you are conveying during your speech to notice any quirks that may be helping you feel comfortable.

Be Slow & Steady
When it comes to your speech and breathing, try to keep a slow and audible rhythm. By doing this you will relax more easily and your audience will be able to keep up with what you're saying. This can be difficult to remember during a speech at first, but as you improve your speech and presentation skills, you will become more aware of your breathing and talking speed.

Remember that there is usually no rush to getting your message across as quickly as possible, your audience is there to take in everything you plan on presenting to them, take your time to do this well.

Improve With Every Event
By keeping our top tips for speaking effectively at events in mind, you will no doubt increase your proficiency in public speaking. Don't be disheartened by making mistakes, public speaking is a challenging skill to master, everyone makes mistakes every now and again.

Good luck speaking at your next event, from all of us at Ribbon Works, we're sure it'll be a great success.

This article originally published at here

The Power of Quality Promotional Products

There are a massive variety of different ways to advertise companies, organisations, brands, products, and services. From television and the internet, to flyers and wristbands, there is always a myriad of promotional avenues for any individual, group or business to use. However, we're going to look at one very effective method of good advertising, promotional products.

What Exactly is a 'Promotional Product'?
Promotional products have been used for years as an effective way of spreading the word about anything from company brands to important causes. They encompass a wide-range of products that all have different uses, from multi-purpose products like lanyards, to specific-use products like mobile phone accessories.

Companies will release all kinds of useful accessories with their own brand placed upon them, often handing them out to the public for free. The interest generated in the brand or company by promotional products usually ends with promotional products effectively paying for themselves.

With the correct marketing know-how, promotional products can be created and distributed in such a way that increases business substantially, making promotional products an extremely worthy investment.

If you own a business or are in charge of advertising a particular brand, it is definitely worth considering promotional products as part of your advertising campaign.

How Do They Work?
So why are promotional products so successful in the first place? How do they work? Well there are multiple reasons as to why they are such an effective advertising strategy.

Firstly, because many promotional products are freely given out to the public, members of the public will are much more inclined to take them, naturally. Once someone has received one of your promotional products, they are essentially responsible for some of your advertising at very little cost. They may carry a lanyard around their neck for days at a time for anyone to notice, people they are in contact with will notice your brand and it will become familiar to them.

Another reason promotional products work is because they tend to be useful accessories that most people don't specifically go out and buy for themselves. You seldom hear of people going out to buy lanyards or sweatbands, and that's because they fully expect to receive them as promotional items from vendors. People are completely fine with accepting your advertising via products, unlike advertising via something like internet ads which many find irritating at best.

The bottom line is that many people underestimate the power of quality promotional products. They can be a fantastic and unique way to reach new customers and clients, so make sure to consider all of your options when it comes to your advertising strategy.

What Promotional Products Should I Use? And When?
Most companies and organisations can use whatever promotional products they like, anything from wristbands and phone covers, to slap bracelets and card holders. However, some items may be more appropriate during certain events.

An example would be that wristbands, card-holders, and lanyards would be perfect during a big conference or popular event as they can be used to identify guests. Knowing what promotional products match your context is key to a really good promotional product advertising campaign.

Consider Promotional Products as Your Next Advertising Solution
Using promotional products as part of your advertising campaign is a great way to reach out to new and existing clients and customers. Consider the many uses and advantages of using them to promote your business, organisation, or cause.

How to Use Your Lanyard Creatively

Lanyards are nifty little accessories that can be used for a very wide array of different everyday things. Whether you need a way to keep an important object handy, or if you're just looking for a way to keep your wallet safe, a lanyard can accomplish both of those and more.

What's fantastic about using a lanyard in the modern day is that it is extremely customisable to suit your intended use. There are multiple different ways a design, logo, or brand can be applied to a lanyard for a unique design, such as screen printing, heat-transfer, dye sublimation, and jacquard weaving. There's also variation in the type of attachments you can have on you lanyard, including; bulldog clips, mobile phone pouches, g-clips and many more.

Below we're going to take a look at some of the most creative ways you can use a high quality lanyard in your day-to-day life.

Attach Your Keys
Losing your keys can be a disaster and unfortunately it happens all too often to the average person, however a lanyard can prevent annoyances like this from happening to you.

By attaching your keys to a quality lanyard, you can not only prevent the loss of your keys but also make them easier to find again after you set them down. Objects as small as keys can get misplaced in your home or workplace pretty easily, but having a colourful lanyard attached will make sure they are easy to spot.

Try attaching your keys to your lanyard, then either attaching the lanyard to a loop on your jeans, or wear the lanyard around your neck so you always have them handy.

Keep Your Wallet Safe
Another popular use for your lanyard is to attach it your wallet and then attach the lanyard to your trousers. This can be a great form of security if you're worried about dropping your wallet or having it stolen.

Once again this gives you a similar advantage to attaching your keys to a lanyard as you'll be less likely to misplace your wallet when you set it down somewhere. A lovely colourful design on your lanyard will make sure it's easy to find, you can even have details put onto the design as to who you are and what someone should do if they find your wallet somewhere.

Keep Outdoor Gadgets Handy
If you're out hiking, hillwalking, or mountain-climbing, you may to keep something important handy at all times, like a bottle of water or a map of the area. A lanyard is a creative way to keep whatever you need right in front of you for when you need it most, this can be especially great if you happen to be in position where looking through a backpack would be inconvenient.

Another common item to have on a lanyard for outdoor activities is sunglasses. All too often we can be afraid they may fall off when we're doing something physical, however a lanyard will be able to prevent anything falling off of you.

When considering all the different ways a lanyard can help when you're doing outdoor activities, it almost seems like a must-have for anyone!

Lanyards Can Be Used in Hundreds of Ways
Above are just some of the ways in which a lanyard can assist you in your every day life. There is really no limit as to what you can do with a lanyard with some ingenuity, which makes them especially convenient as they are cost-effective and quality-made when bought from Ribbon Works.

Get in touch with Ribbon Works today to find out how we can design and create and perfect lanyard to suit your individuals needs, we always look forward to hearing from you.

This article originally published at here