This week, I got all sorts of virtual tugs on my sleeve to share presentation tools, particularly about PowerPoint, a topic not often covered here on The Eloquent Woman. But so many mentions, good tips and recommendations came across my desk, I thought I'd share what's in my inbox with you:

Eloquence can be defined as a persuasive mix of apt, fluent and forceful words that engage and inspire your audience.  So when speakers fritter away the force of their words and opt for weak constructions and references, you'll find me wincing in the back of the room.  If you want to shore up your signal and make sure it's getting through to your audience, catch yourself when you use these five weak speaker statements, and replace them with something strong

Yesterday was Mother's Day in the U.S., and I wondered whether mothers figure into our speeches.  I think women can be especially eloquent and powerful when speaking about women and women's issues, and I notice plenty of women working their children into their speeches--usually an effective tactic.  But do they mention Mom?  I turned to the community on The Eloquent Woman on Facebook to find out:

Sometimes in my workshops, I'll ask for a member of the audience to join me up front so we can remake a draft message together, with the goal of helping everyone learn that process together. Most of these volunteers are cooperative and willing to get feedback.