As an entrepreneur, public speaking has to be one of the most effective ways of marketing yourself. There are countless opportunities out there for you to get yourself in front of your target market. There is no better way to have a captive audience full of prospects. It is the fastest way of establishing yourself as an expert.

You don’t have to be a professional speaker to speak in public. Just doing a reasonable job is better than not doing anything at all.

Prospects are much more likely to engage your services if they’ve seen you speak. Let’s look at the following example. Say you were looking for an accountant. Would you be more inclined to trust someone you had found in the Yellow Pages, or someone you had heard speak knowledgeably at the local Chamber of Commerce?

Look into opportunities in your local area where you can offer to speak for free. Professional associations, networking groups, Chambers of Commerce, educational bodies and Rotary Clubs are all potential public speaking venues. They often look out for speakers for their events, meetings and workshops.

Also research the audience that is going to be at your talk. For example, what industries are they likely to represent? Are they from large or small companies? What would interest them? What angle should your presentation take?

When it comes to finalizing your speech topic, be sure to make it sound enticing and interesting. People often decide whether to attend a talk based on just the title so put some serious thought into this.

Practice is key to coming across in a professional manner and reducing nerves. Write your speech out in full, but never read it verbatim. Have an outline prepared and available for you to refer to.

Check with the event organizer how long you have for your talk. Include timing in your practice runs. There is nothing worse than having a speaker run over time.

Get the most mileage out of your presentation by having some promotional material at the back of the room, for example some business cards, fliers, custom presentation folders or brochures that people can take with them if they wish.

You can be even more proactive and set up a newsletter before starting to give speeches. At the end of your presentation you can encourage your audience to sign up for your newsletter in exchange for a promotional gift or free e-book. That way you have also added valuable contacts to your database.

Many entrepreneurs swear by public speaking as a way of building and maintaining a steady stream of clients for their businesses.

I discovered a great company called Savoy house.  They have the most beautiful lighting fixtures.  I was really impressed by their selection and range in price.  They have something for everyone.

I have had the hardest time finding a chandelier for my dining room  that I like at Lowes and Home Depot.  I have not wanted to order anything online because of the monstrous shipping fee.  Well, Savoy house ships many of their fixtures for free.  Time to go shopping…

I absolutely hate to iron!  I only do so if it is unavoidable and usually only clothes for church on Saturday night.  Well, I think I have found just the thing.  Have you seen the Incrediball Steamer Dryer Balls?  They are supposed to be as good a wrinkle remover as the expensive steam dryers.  All you do is fill it with water and put it in the dryer.  The water heats up and steam comes out of tiny holes all over it. Sounds like it could really work. I can’t wait to try it out!

I usually welcome spring and all it’s beauty, but this year I have mixed feelings.  Along with the beautiful flowers, bunnies, and butterflies have come ants.  They are in our kitchen and bathroom.  They are everywhere outside. They are all over the yard, in the garage, the dog food, and even under the hot tub covers. We have put out traps and that didn’t work.  I even gave into spraying poison out of desparation.  We sprayed outside and in with two different chemicals.  The ants are finally dying outside after putting out Seven Dust, but are still inside.  I am sick of them.  Any ideas??

It’s amazing how something as simple as a new bookcase or coffee table can change how a person feels about their home. Now that ready-to-assemble furniture (commonly called RTA) is so widely available, and the prices so much lower than ready-made, has society been given the gift of good taste or have standards been lowered?

“Do People Want RTA Furniture?”

A resounding “YES” answers that question. RTA sales have increased tremendously - especially in discount and do-it-yourself venues.

Stores like WalMart are increasing their offerings to a ready group of consumers while industry giant IKEA continues to spread the availability of stylish furnishings around the globe. According to market analysis reports, RTA furniture is one of the fastest growing segments of the furniture market in the world.

“Is RTA Good Quality?”

Ready-to-assemble furniture has made it’s reputation in simple storage items, like microwave stands and bookcases, which were often considered low quality. Price point and package handling have always been a big feature of RTA. You could easily take what you need from the store and put it together at home that same day.

On the other hand, consumers are beginning to demand more sophisticated design as well as durability. While the consumers’ standards may be increasing, their pocketbook still forces them to watch for price. Many younger consumers are looking to create stylish rooms that integrate with newer technology - the slim and modern designs common to RTA have a clear win over heavier, more expensive furnishings with this group.

The quality of RTA is also improving. Better materials can be afforded when the consumer saves on shipping costs by buying items flat-packaged.

“What About Putting It Together?”

More involvement by local manufacturers has improved the clarity of instructions available to the do-it-yourselfer. The common problem of RTA was often that instructions were translated by the foreign makers - leading to confusion and frustration. Improvements to the instructions lead to happier consumers, fueling the trend even further.

“What is Available in RTA Furniture?”

While RTA furniture originally focused on the home entertainment or home storage markets it has branched out considerably. Many office supply stores began carrying desk and office furniture to take advantage of the trend for home offices. RTA furniture has since expanded into dining room, bedroom and living room furniture.

Now you are just as likely to find a designer look bedroom set at your grocery store or discount department store as at an uptown furniture boutique. Store buyers know consumers want it and are increasing their display space to fill the need. While those who can afford to choose still turn to ready-made furniture, RTA makes a stylishly furnished home possible for just about everybody.