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I'm the guest speaker and need advise


NC Scroller

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1. Start with a joke. i.e. "A little girl went to her mother and said, 'Mommy, what is the origin of the human race, where do people come from?' Mother replied, "In the beginning, God created Adam & Eve and we are all descendants of Adam & Eve.' 'OK' & the girl went out to play. Couple of days later, she asked Dad the same question. Dad replied, 'When the earth was first formed, it was inhabited by monkeys. After millions of years of EVOLUTION, we have all evolved from the monkeys. This confused the heck out of the little girl, so she ran right to her mother for an exclamation. Mother said, 'It's very simple Sweetie, I was explaining to you about MY SIDE of the family."

2. Take an example piece. Part of a scroll pattern showing how the pattern is attached. Cut a few of the frets out of it. Show a blade or 2.

3. Set out some of your best work. Three questions you will be asked: How long did this piece take you? Do you sell any? How much for this one?

4. Give a Door Prize. Take along drawing slips, pencils & a bowl. Let someone else do the drawing.

RELAX AND BE HUMBLE!!

 

I was told by a number of people there that I was the best, most interesting speaker they ever had.

 

jerry

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Wow, An hour...be gone before you know it.......

You know the rule, Just talk to one person, how you would introduce them to scrolling.

The variety of and buying a saw. necessary supplies blades, drill, sandpaper, attaching patterns

web links...........Have some 'business cards' to pass around.

Show a selection of scroll work from easy to hard

 

Use a lot of " Uh's and errs" and "you knows" and "talk slow" like yer from my hometown. :D

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1. Remember some people will seem really interested and are not, and some will look like they are bored but are very interested.  As a speaker, sometimes you can't tell the difference.  Don't let facial expressions bother you.  Be the expert and the enthusiast on scrolling that you are.

I did a business presentation once a one person could not sit still - looked like he didn't want to even be there.  Turns out he was having back pain like crazy.

2. Have fun.  This is a friendly audience.

Edited by GrampaJim
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To add to LarryE.  Here is another joke that goes over well to put somewhere in your hour, to help hold their interest.

 

Grandma and Grandson decided to bake a batch of cookies.  Grandma said, "Sweetie, would you read off the list of ingredients and the directions for me.  Double everything."  The little guy looked at the recipe and said, "Preheat the oven to 700 degrees."

 

A place you might find suitable jokes is;  1funny.  Humor is a good filler if you need to fill an hour and keep the audience awake.

 

jerry

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relax and talk to them as if you were just teaching/ talking to one person. Take samples of different types of scrolling if possible. Talk about from start to finish from applying pattern to final cut. When I did one I was asked where I got the patterns, blade sizes/differences, and most important what saw to use. Get the group involved, if they (at least a few) are interested in scrolling and ask questions time will seem to fly by. If you are going to have a saw there let some try to cut with it.

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Have handouts available with an outline of your presentation and a recourse list including saw manufacturers, pattern sellers, scroll saw catalogs, blade dealers, wood dealers and of course scroll saw forums like the Scroll Saw Village.

When someone asks a question, reapeat the question so everyone else knows what you are answering too.

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Scott, if it's only for an hour, you won't have enough time for much of a show and tell. You'll have to be set-up in advance, or you won't have much time for ask and tell after you go over a couple of items you want to cover. I did a show like this once, it was to be an hour long. Forget that, it took 5 hrs to answer all the questions, and to allow everyone to try out the saw. They were so interested, that they went out and bought me lunch so that I would stay longer. It was a good time, and a couple of them took up the hobby. Blink, and your hours gone.

Len

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Good Luck

 

I like to use a power point presentation if possible. It keeps me on track.   

 

I recently did a scroll saw session at our club and can be seen on Nov 16.  It my talk on scroll saw safety and my journey so far with Intarsia. 

 

http://www.durhamwoodworkingclub.com/SecondaryPages/Meetings-recent.html

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A local WW club invited me to their next meeting to talk scroll saws and scrolling.  I have done my share of demos and one on one instructions but never a stand up for an hour plus.  Any advise for those who have done this before?

give that job to me, lol  i talk so fast nobody can understand what i'm saying,lol Find one person out in the audience that smiles and pretend your telling them the whole schemel,the time will fly be it's self.

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