Mary Gardner » Speeches

Mary’s College Lecture and Seminar Testimonials

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:34:22 +0000

Thank you so much for recommending Mary Gardner as a guest speaker for CAB. The show was a hit on our campus. The turnout for Guerrilla Dating was one of the biggest crowds that a guest speaker has ever drawn. The best part of the program was the male beauty contest. The participants were really excited, and the audience members were almost jumping out of their seats! Mary was very easy to work with, and she was an inspiration to everyone….”

Jennifer Mullen
Vice President, CAB

I am writing to tell you how much I enjoyed meeting and listening to Mary Gardner when she came to SLU two weeks ago. Her show was very interesting and informative, and she was a wonderful inspiration to me as a person. On stage, she was confident and handled herself remarkably. She related well with her audience and used every opportunity to get them involved…”

Sincerely,
Kathy Robertson, CAB

I am writing to thank you for the wonderful program you did for our students at Young Harris College . People are still talking about the points you made. What I enjoyed the most about the show was the energy and the pace of your program. You were able to hold the attention of our students for the full time and that is not always easy to do.

Thank you again. I believe you made a difference at Young Harris College .

Sincerely,
David Palmour
Dean of Students

Kudos and five stars to you Mary Gardner, your presentation at Young Harris College was outstanding!!

I was delighted to observe not only the students attentiveness but also their active and willing participation in the interactive portion of your presentation. I continue to receive positive feedback from a multitude of students who ask when you’re coming back. We hope it will be soon!

You are truly a gifted speaker whose information can only enhance the lives of any audience fortunate enough to be in your presence. That you for what you brought to Y.H.C.

Lynne B Grady, M.S., L.P.C.
Director of Counseling Services

I just wanted to take this moment to thank you for coming and lecturing for the University of Alabama in Huntsville . This university has brought many professional lecturers, but in my mind, you are the best. Your professionalism has been unmatched.

Gus, Student Programer, UAH

Have you Written Your Book?

Mary — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:40:00 +0000

How many times have you thought about writing a book? Or how many times have people suggested to you, “wow.. you know so much about that subject, have you ever considered writing a book”?
According to Publishers Weekly, about 3000 books are published every day. This is a combination of e-books, international books, and the good along with the bad. There is certainly an information overload, and you may ask yourself, “does the world really need another book on the subject?”
My answer is YES! Think about all of the time you devoted to learning all of the information that you have accumulated! Consider the years in school, then with clients and the many hours of mistakes you probably made getting to the point that you were a genius in the subject matter! Think about all of your own “techniques” that could possibly save another person time and money!
What would you do with your book? Consider selling it on the internet? Consider self publishing and using it as a calling card or part of your bio! Or consider giving it away to your valued customers about what you’ve learned about your industry!
One of my recent acquaintances is a dedicated softball player. He probably plays 100 games a season on two leagues – one through his work and one through this town. He also has coached numerous teams, including at the local high school. His record is incredibly impressive and he has techniques that are simple and highly effective. Splattered through out his workday conversations in a sales capacity are mini stories of how a team would play on a field.. and it always relates back to real life somehow as sports often do. After hearing his passion and his unique twist on the game, I suggested he put together a pamphlet for others who are in his position. After all, he’s dedicated about 20+years to the sport and although he doesn’t consider himself an author, he certainly has a lot of expertise to share with others.
Think about it. Even though In the last 30 years mankind has produced more information than in the previous 5,000 according to Reuters Magazine, there has never been another you, with your experiences, with your clients and your successes or failures. It just might be you who helps others brake through to the next level by sharing what you know.
I’m writing one now and while its taking time, it’s also rewarding to see my experiences spill onto the page and I know through my own struggles, successes and experiences, it’s bound to help others learn something faster than what I learned it.
Here is a great quote by William Glasser:
“We learn…
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we see and hear
70% of what we discuss
80% of what we experience
95% of what we teach others”

Maybe it’s time to get your book out there! I look forward to learning from you!

Mary’s Speaking Testimonials

admin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:08:14 +0000

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the excellent keynote speech you delivered to our graduates, guests and faculty of the Support Specialist Program. The speech was very well received, and many favorable comments were passed our way regarding the enthusiasm and zest with which you spoke. You not only exemplified what the SSP participants learned about presentation skills in class, you went beyond platform skills when you shared your own personal stories of commitment to life-long learning. Again, thank you for being a part of a memorable experience for all of our graduates.”

Sincerely, Phil Bruschi,
State of New Jersey ,
Dept. of Personnel, Human Resource Development Institute

“…My point is that I felt you were as effective a seminar leader/coach this past week as any of the dozens of leaders/coaches I have experienced in the last several years. Anyone who knows me as the managing partners of my CPA firm, as a published author, speaker at seminars to chief executives coast to coast, and former college professor, will all attest to the fact that I am not one to easily offer compliments. Set high goals and expectations for myself and seek them of all people that I work with. I am very sensitive to effective coaching skills and techniques. Your skills, techniques, and overall presence created a magnificent forum for all those attending the seminars. The attendees searched deep within themselves to create possibilities for the future that were untapped before your seminars. You transformed the mindset from the predictable way of being from the past to the exciting world of possibilities of the future…”

Rick Gould , CPA / Managing Partner,
leading NYC Financial Consultant,
StevensGouldPincus LLC, NYC

I just attended your seminar, “Top 10 Secrets to Developing Charisma and a Magnetic Personality.” It was not your ordinary lecture, everyone was having a wonderful time and learning great skills at the same time. I personally learned new information and reinforced ideas I had previously heard. You came across as the perfect example and a great model of what you were teaching. It was great to see your energy, attentiveness, and warmth as well as your desire to help others to better themselves. Thanks again for a great seminar.

Sincerely, Chris Ferrara

She was both entertaining and informative. There was plenty of hands-on participation. Such as telling the group what really interests you and enjoy doing. This was done to get you into the mood and show to others what a delightful person you are. Mary is full of energy that rubs off on you and others in the class. Mary takes the time to guide you by-the-hand so there is a clear understanding on how to appeal attractive and shine to others. After the class you feel refreshed and energized, like putting in a new set of batteries. Mary is just a fun person to be with. I recommend Mary’s course to anyone who wants to get ahead in life and feel good about themselves. I know Mary has had a great impact on my life. I am able to open up to people and talk in front of groups. Being a shy person I was always afraid to talk to people. Mary has given me support in my quest to seek out people.

Thank you,
Jeffrey Freed

Thank you so much for the invaluable information you provided in your seminar! I attend many seminars and am tired of those that are big on “motivation” and low on any real information. Your seminar, in contrast, was both inspirational and practical! You provided specific information on skills, materials, and resources to develop my career as a speaker. Your presentation was engaging and energizing. I left with the knowledge and the motivation to succeed. I am looking forward to putting into practice the tools I learned last night, and also am looking forward to attending more of your seminars!

Thank you again.
Wendy Weiss, The Cold Call Queen

I was enchanted with your presentation on charisma! .

I am writing to let you now how much I enjoyed your warmth and style, and that it was obvious that you brought magic into people’s lives.

It was a truly wonderful event!

Sincerely,
Annette Grauman

“…Her high energy and willingness to share with the group allowed us to feel free to ask questions. Mary’s approach to presenting a workshop was professional, nurturing, and encouraging. The time flew by very quickly. Having been so impressed with Mary Gardner, I took another workshop … Again, Mary had the class laughing, sharing, enjoying, and learning. There was never a dull moment.

As a workshop presenter myself, I congratulate and complement Mary on her dedication, professionalism and charisma. She is delightful and I encourage others to attend her workshop…”

Sincerely,
Ms. Connie McKnight
Executive Director
Life Skills Consulting

I would like to thank you very much for providing an incredible seminar on how to develop charisma. This was my first time ever going to a seminar of this type and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I am only eighteen so I thought I’d feel very out of place.

However, you made me feel very comfortable and you created a relaxed, interactive environment in which I had all my questions answered and I learned a lot. I like how we were taught concepts and then given the opportunity to utilize them with the other people in the seminar. The two and half hours that the seminar took went by very, very quickly and all the information I learned is applicable to all parts of my life.

I couldn’t have been any happier with the value of the information I received. Being a freshman at NYU and the owner of a web development firm I feel that I will be able to use the skills I learned both in networking and in small talking with people at school. Little things that have always bothered me such as what I should do with my hands after I shake somebody’s hand and how long I should hold a handshake will never bother me again.

Another aspect of the seminar that I really liked is your enthusiasm and unconditional willingness to help all of us. You didn’t want us to buy a book or register to be coached by you. You just wanted to help us and I really felt it.

I wish you good luck in all your future endeavors, and I look forward to attending more of your seminars.

Sincerely,
Michael Simmons
Co-founder and Partner at Princeton WebSolutions

In every class she gives a wealth of information that I have found, and other people I’ve talked to in her classes have found, invaluable. Her classes are extraordinary in every way. Not only the invaluable information but her ability to present it in a way that involves, motivates, and uplifts her audience.

Mary not only has talent, but also the character, vision, and deep commitment to help people improve their lives. To watch her is truly experience being in the presence of someone who deeply cares about each member of her audience as individuals and is committed to helping them achieve their dreams.

Part of the success of her seminars is that through exercises and questions she is able to get to know each individual and give them feedback on a one to one basis. When she senses someone has a larger problem that is preventing them from participating she will move off center stage to come into the audience. She will then sit beside them, look into their eyes and give them her undivided attention. She will continue to work with them until she has found a way for them to move forward toward achieving their goals.

This passion and commitment to finding out about each person and caring about them as individuals creates a successful team environment.

In Mary’s seminars we all become one big, enthusiastic team. No one ever left on the sidelines. Everyone becomes a part of everyone else’s success and you can feel the energy rising. You always leave wanting more!

I sincerely believe that Mary Gardner will be a major star in the near future, and we fortunate at this point in time to be able to have the benefit of her classes. I am, therefore, hoping more of her classes will be offered while she is still available.

Quite simply, meeting Mary and having the good fortune to be able to attend even one of her seminars has changed the direction of my life dramatically.

Sincerely,
Kathy Kavanagh, Colgate-Palmolive

“…In particular, I am writing to compliment the instructor of the class, May Gardner. As I am sure you already are aware, she is a very capable and accomplished teacher and speaker but what made the class especially enjoyable was her enthusiasm and dynamic presentation of the subject matter…”

Sincere regards,
Jana Emerick

“Thank you for presenting such a thorough, informative and fun program at the Seminar Center last week. “Developing Charisma” was a joyful experience and you modeled the subject dynamically. I enjoyed the interactive periods where we got to put the information into use, making it more practical and real, and something to take home and apply immediately.

I would not hesitate to recommend your program to friends and colleagues. In this day of information overload and keen competition, I think everyone could use a little more personal dazzle and magic – known as “charisma”.

Martha A. Snee, President
Transcending Limits Center

I enjoyed your presentation and identified with many of your personal stories. I loved your energy and zest for life.

Thank you for putting yourself out in the world. You make it a better place.

God bless you.
Debbie R.

Mary,

I really enjoyed your program tonight! It was very energetic, lively and interactive!

Most speakers are not lively, fun nor interactive. You stood out from the crowd! Great Job!

Bruce

Conquering The Master of Ceremonies Role

Mary — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:56:00 +0000

Conferences can be long and drawn out. They can also be overwhelming because of the amount of information that is presented in such a short time. At conventions where industry experts present, the presentations are highly professional, packed with rich information, research and show hard core results. Most of the speakers use PowerPoint, with video spliced into the speeches which breaks up the slides of data.

Because each presentation is so thought provoking and jammed pack full of information, there seems to be a need to process the information after each speech. Our brains can only hold so much information before they start to tune out and think about all of the items sitting on our desks at home.

For the past few days, I was the Master of Ceremonies at the national Emarketing Association Convention in San Francisco. There were about 6-7 speakers per day on the highest level of marketing. This made the conference challenging as well as highly innovative. They brought results, tips and the tried and true secrets that have worked for their high level companies and clients.

Because I got to sit in and listen to the speeches, I was swimming with new and exciting information and constantly stimulated at the many ideas that I developed. Additionally, I met and get to know so many dedicated marketing professionals; I nearly decided to switch careers, based on their passion for their jobs.

As the role of Emcee, my job was to give breaks to the participants and to introduce the speakers. I always love this role because it’s an opportunity to be playful with people and to bring some lightness to break up the serious topics that are being discussed. Because this role is often given to professionals in their own field, I came up with a list of suggestions for others who are also engaged in this position as facilitator for a meeting or break out sessions, Master of Ceremonies or Emcee for any event they host.

1. In the beginning, welcome the participants with enthusiasm and a smile and offer an overview of the next few days. Share with them some of the exciting highlights that will happen and share with them some ideas for activities on their time off.

2. Stay in close communication with the event manager or whoever is putting the conference together. This person has specific announcements that come up, and has a certain idea of how information is presented.

3. Study up on the town where you’re staying to offer highlights of the city. Introduce yourself to the GM of the hotel and the concierge so you have their name and can rattle their names off to the participants in the event. Having a good concierge can save your participants time researching area restaurants if they have free time for dining out. And sharing their name will add one more thing that allows the participants to feel comfortable in their temporary “home”.

4. Sit down with each of the speakers before they go up on stage. Ask them the basic questions such as where they’re from and how they got in their careers, but also ask them what they do for fun. If they’re in terrific shape, compliment them and ask how they do it? The answers will surprise you!!! From sky diving, scuba diving, rollerblading and kite surfing to wind surfing and being wine enthusiasts, these activities bring a personality to the speakers that may not be apparent from the platform. After reading a shortened version of their bio, share extemporaneously what you learned about the speakers in an enthusiastic and fun way.

5. Ask the question, “What is one thing that no one here would ever know about you or guess about you? The speaker at that point will check into his or her long term memory bank and come up with some really interesting stories that they love to tell!!! One high profile speaker shared how he was arrested at age 12 after being harassed by other children on his paper route for cussing at the children. Another conservative looking speaker shared that he was in a rock band in college which was really bad but started getting better after 5-6 beers! These stories allowed the audience to take a peek at the inner lives of these speakers to see the real fun of behind the professional image the person.

6. Share a bit about yourself throughout the conference. The audience needs to feel comfortable with you as well, so offering advice from your own careers, offer up famous quotes, or stories from your own personal life. This brings more intimacy and liveliness to the audience. Make sure that the stories are short and sweet and have a punch. And if you find that a speaker needs extra time getting set up, go up to individual participants and ask them what they are getting out of the conference so far. Sharing the limelight and engaging particpants is a way to stall for time. Make sure you ask questions of people who look open to answering questions. It can be embarrassing for a participant who is intrinsically shy and who clams up in front of audiences.

7. In between the speakers, ask the participants to stand up, cross the isle and meet someone new each time. Then ask them to share what they are taking away or enjoyed from the previous speaker. This helps all of the participants to get to know lots of people in the room besides just those sitting in their immediate area.

Many of us will be cast in the role of Emcee or Master of Ceremonies at some point in our careers. This is the time to allow others to shine, to bring out their uniqueness from the stage so the audience can sense how likeable they are in “real life”. It’s a role that takes a bit of preparation, the ability to promote others, and to act enthusiastic even when you’re exhausted from long travel or from late hours. But it’s the one role that can bring fun to any event that might otherwise be on the serious side, and it’s the role that can get everyone talking, sharing laughing and engaging with one another when they might normally stay to themselves. Getting to know others on a fun level ultimately makes the conference memorable and a success for the participants.

Future of Professional Speakers

Mary — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 20:28:00 +0000

More and more people are moving into the direction of pursuing their dreams. Many have gone through incredible hardships and have learned through heart ache and struggle that they’ve learned survival and success techniques that they’re anxious to share with the world.

These people become speakers. And with any luck, hard work and persistence, they become professional speakers!

The path of being a professional speaker up until now has had two distinct career paths. Since the beginning of time, experts, former politicians and business leaders and professional athletes have shared their wisdom from the stage. These people get the big bucks and are now represented by celebrity agencies in the major cities.

The other path, are the speakers and trainers who study personal development, organizational development, sales or customer service and enjoy performing. These speakers write trainings which become books, and usually have a business model that combines speaking, coaching and consulting.

I see a third level of speaker who is about to emerge on the scene and it should scare the current motivational speakers and should leave them shaking in their shoes.

I believe that in the future, actors will replace speakers to deliver the latest content available in the universe. These actors will be trained to retain and deliver dynamic information which is entertaining, funny and interactive. These performers will be paid a day rate, and will be highly specialized speakers yet will not have ever worked in business. Content providers and researchers will hire these actors to present their material.

Speaker bureaus who now work with a barrage of professional speakers, will offer another tier of speaker. Performer to deliver keynote, workshop or Training. Union scale will apply. Ads for actors will read: Multiethnic performer/female, age 30s to deliver motivational speeches of adventure, fulfilling potential and excellence. 30 all expenses paid vacations a year paid by corporations. Spokespeople/models encouraged to apply.

Companies will pay $700 for these actors to deliver a highly motivational and exciting speech. The actors can mingle after or during the reception as the “person who climbed the mountains” and take on the whole persona of an outdoor adventurer. Later that night, she’ll climb back in bed and get up the next morning to shoot a movie or a commercial. She’ll be a speaker for hire. An actor. And she delivers up to date, engaging information.

The speaking business is now highly computerized. Anyone can make themselves out to be an instant celebrity by understanding internet marketing and how to build name recognition as an expert. The information is available on the internet for anyone to sound like an expert with an hour or two of study.

I believe as a result we’re not far away from the Milli Vanilli’s lip sync scam from the 80’s who performed on stage in front of thousands around the world who bought the group’s music which earned the group a Grammy. Later, Americans learned they’d been scammed by a record label and that the two in the group couldn’t even sing. They lost their Grammy and their credibility. But the reality was, was that the audience didn’t seem to mind. They loved the music they were hearing, and loved the looks and the moves of the performers. It was entertainment and it was successful.

Will corporate audiences care who delivers the content? Will meeting planners care who researched the material that is delivered? Won’t they care more that their staffs are updated on current information and wouldn’t it be a bonus if the spokesperson on stage is nice to look at? Professional meeting planners won’t have to answer phone calls or even speak with speakers. They’ll just search for an actor who can deliver exactly the message they need at the moment.

Already, companies hire young actors to travel to the high school circuit to deliver inspirational messages. These actors have to be certified and memorize 2-3 speeches but then service their immediate city along with many other actors to reach the masses.

Motivational speakers beware. More and more people are pursing their passion of speaking and this competition is going to drive the price of a no name motivational speaker down. But a notice to all of the up and coming actors: Here is a new gig to consider! So get out your suits, polish your shoes …. You’re now a Motivational speaker who has a live crowd to motivate today!

Written by Mary Gardner, Speaker, Coach and TV professional. She can be located at www.marygardner.com. Send for her 10 ten necessary tips for new speakers or review her new ebook: “Prosperity Journal for Professional Speakers” which provides a system to save speakers hundreds of hours of time in learning the business of professional speaking.