Bruce Outridge

Virtual reality may be the next amazing resource for speakers

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Bruce

Want to know what the next training tool for speakers may be? Virtual reality! For many the next question may be what is virtual reality? Virtual reality is the next step in online gaming for kids where the person playing the game feels as though they are actually inserted in the game and playing live. You can be inserted at the bottom of the sea or in outer space because virtual reality makes you feel as though you are actually there. The person playing the game puts on a head set, head phones, and holds a pair of controllers and are automatically transformed into another world.

So how does this help speakers?

I was introduced to virtual reality when I met the folks at Virtual Speech Lab at a networking meeting. They were promoting the program that can evaluate presentations by speakers through their virtual reality system. The company built a program that replicates an auditorium where a speaker could deliver their speech and then would get a print out evaluating how they did on their presentation. In the virtual reality space the speaker is presenting to an actual audience with movement and reactions allowing for the presenter to mimic movements as if in a live setting. They were looking for speakers to demo to the product and I was eager to try it out. Since then I have been totally hooked on virtual reality and have been helping the young owners to define their marketing strategy.

What was my experience?

Totally awesome! As I mentioned above I am totally hooked and see how the program can help speakers improve their presentations. Any professional speaker would love to have a system like this to practice their presentations at home with new material before taking it to the live stage. It allows you how to move around a stage, focus on the audience, and improve the flow of a speech. There are a number of other programs that are cool such as being in space or under water that certainly are amazing and something everyone should try. I am looking forward to the day when it becomes more cost effective for the everyday user to have the ability to possess the system.

How can you get access to the system?

If you are working in the professional speaking industry or teaching presentation skills then this system would certainly be of interest. Unfortunately at the time of writing this article it is not available publicly but I am hoping that will happen soon. The company can be hired to come out to your location and set up the equipment allowing people to work with the program. To learn more about the program visit www.virtualspeechlab.com. If you get a chance to check out virtual reality gaming then I certainly suggest you try it, it is an amazing experience. Check out the video below.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a professional speaker and business / marketing consultant from Burlington Ontario Canada. His presentations focus on business and leadership inspiring people to follow their dreams, connect with their audience, and grow their businesses. His podcast Cashing in on Creativity Podcast helps creative entrepreneurs. You can listen to the show at www.cashinginoncreativitypodcast.com and learn more about Bruce at www.bruceoutridge.com

Photos by Virtual Speech Lab

Testimonial-Transportation Safety Meeting

Posted on June 3, 2017 by Bruce

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It was a pleasure to work with you Bruce. I really appreciated how you helped to fine tune the content for the meeting and also your precise instructions to ensure the I was able to have everything ready for our group of drivers.

Cheryl
Snowbird Transportation

Attention to cargo is the focus for Road Check 2017

Posted on June 3, 2017 by Bruce

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How do you know when Spring is in the air as a truck driver? Road Check! That’s right folks the annual Road Check program will take place again this year on June 6-8, 2017. The focus of this year’s inspections will be on cargo securement. That’s nothing new as cargo securement, brakes, lights, and other important items are always on the list.

If you are new to the trucking industry you may not be familiar with this program, but any veteran will have gone through this many times. Road Check is a program where inspection personnel open all the inspection stations across North America for a 72 hour period inspecting as many vehicles as they can. This is a joint effort with law enforcement, inspection personnel, and other organizations to show the public that they are serious about road safety and taking unsafe vehicles off the road. The states such as New York that don’t have permanent inspection stations will be opening portable scales in various locations throughout the Country. You can bet that you will see enforcement somewhere.

This year the inspection focus will be cargo securement but that doesn’t mean they won’t look at other items. Every year the inspection program focuses on a different aspects of the equipment and you can count on brakes and wheel fasteners always being high on the list. During this period enforcement will have all hands working with inspection stations open 24 hours per day and will be trying to do as many Level 1 inspections as possible. It is well advertised to the public and is held the same time every year so it shouldn’t be a surprise.

As a driver avoiding inspections stations will not be a practical or suggested. The best way to get through the drama of inspections is to do thorough inspections yourself. If you are reading this anytime before June 6th then you have been warned! If the inspection process is a weak point for you then get better at it. If you have been letting things go on your truck now is the time to get them repaired. Paying attention to your loads should be a priority at any time but now is the time to give it that extra walk around and check before leaving the shipper.

A few years ago I was at a local inspection station viewing the program for that year. I decided to follow one truck all the way through to see what inspectors were looking for. A landscape truck pulled in to the weigh station and across the scale. The red light came on and he was asked to park around back. I followed the inspector and asked why he had pulled the truck around back as everything seemed fine from a view point from afar. The inspector pulled the driver around back because of a twig that was hanging off the back of the load of shrubs that this driver had on. The twig could have come off and hit a vehicle following the truck. That was easily fixed as the inspector walked over and took the twig off the vehicle. He then proceeded on with a full inspection. The driver was held up for hours as the inspecting officer found tire issues, brake defects and other items that needed attention.

The inspection process can change in an instant. You could be pulled in to just check a log book and find out now you are into a full inspection. Being prepared by doing proper pre-trip inspections are your best defence against Road Check 2017. If you would like to hear how the process at the weigh stations work then I invite you to listen to episode 156 of The Lead Pedal Podcast helping you get through with a clean inspection. You can find it at http://theleadpedalpodcast.com/lp156-surviving-the-scales-with-bud-kneller. Good luck with your journey and take extra care, you will get through.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge is a speaker / consultant with over 30 years experience in the transportation industry. He is the host of The Lead Pedal Podcast for drivers
( www.theleadpedalpodcast.com), author of the books Running By The Mile and Driven to Drive, and is a trainer and consultant for the industry. You can learn more about Bruce and his work at www.bruceoutridge.com

Who should be talking to the media for your company?

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Bruce

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Everyday we are being approached more and more about being in the media. Do you want to be on my podcast? Would you like to be on television? Can I interview you for our radio show? There was a time when media interviews were just for celebrities, damage relief efforts, or other such important matters. YouTube changed all of that and with the expansion of the Internet media channels are opening up all over. Sure you may get more exposure on Oprah, but you have more chance of being interviewed on YouTube. Does that make it any less important? Not in the eyes of the viewer? It’s a fact that people spend more time watching YouTube than Oprah.

It doesn’t matter how small the media channel is, it’s a media channel. What is better about YouTube and other channels is that they live on well after the show is taped and can be downloaded and shared to specific audiences allowing for better visibility and promotion. In other words you get more bang for your buck with more opportunity.

So who should be interviewed?

You or your company has been approached about doing an interview, who should be the person talking? If you are a solo entrepreneur then it may have to be you and we will talk about how to do that in a minute. Sometimes it depends on the situation, if the situation is a tragedy then the President of the company or an appropriate executive should be the talking to the media. That shows the public that the company executives are in control of the situation and the company is showing remorse for the situation. Hopefully your company won’t have many of those situations.

If your company is asked to be interviewed about their products or service then that CEO may not be the best choice. You want someone who will be engaging, knowledgeable, and charismatic, and that is not always the CEO of the company. They may have the knowledge part but may be failing in being charismatic or engaging.

I helped a company develop some promotional videos for their business. The CEO was in charge of promotion for the business and would be the one in front of the camera. That was not the best choice. When we shot the videos they came across flat and much of that was the person doing the video. He had a very monotone voice, little facial expression, and lack of energy when presenting the topic. He was knowledgeable, but lacked the other attributes. The video could have been much better with someone more engaging.

The person interviewed needs to be knowledgeable about the topic and someone engaging or camera ready should we say. The person should be energetic, excited, and able to answer general questions about the subject matter.

What to do if you are the only person to be interviewed!

If you are the only person that can be on the interview either because you are

a solo entrepreneur or have the only knowledge on your topic then you will have to be in front of the camera. Don’t be dull and boring. Be excited about being in front of the camera. It is okay to be nervous we all are. The producer of the show needs you to be excited and engaging. Keep your information geared towards the audience so that the topic remains about them. Every show has a certain entertainment value for the audience. By being excited, engaged, and focusing your information on the audience you will help with the entertainment factor of the show. Being good in the media could propel your company for the future, so jump at the opportunities.

About the Author

Bruce has been interviewing people for years. With two podcasts, moderator for events, and interviewee on other people’s radio and television shows allows Bruce to have a good handle on how to prepare for interviews on both sides of the microphone. Between his podcasts, seminars, and an author for publications he understands what it takes to communicate with audiences. You can learn about Bruce’s podcasts at www.cashinginoncreativitypodcast.com and www.leadpedalpodcast.com . You can learn more about Bruce at www.bruceoutridge.com