For Immediate Release
Tuesday, January 11, 2005

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Ed Barks
(540) 955-0600
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Author Delivers Success through Public Speaking; Sen. George Mitchell Adds Foreword

The power of public speaking is the engine that drives success for today’s professional. Solid presentation skills allow them to secure a new job or promotion, outperform competitors, shine in front of the boss, and climb the ladder in community and political affairs.

Now, leaders from the business world and other walks of life can sharpen their communications edge with a new book that shows them how to harness that power.

“The truth is the rewards in life typically go to those who embrace communicating with the public,” said Ed Barks, author of The Truth About Public Speaking: The Three Keys to Great Presentations. “Leaders who succeed—from the Fortune 500 CEO to the non-profit board member—understand the need for gold-plated public speaking skills if they have any hope of advancing their careers and causes.”

Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell contributed a foreword for the book. Mitchell writes, “I have witnessed on the stage of world events time and again how crucial communications skills are. Whether your stage is global or local, I suggest you build your success on a solid speaking platform. The contents of these pages will help you achieve that success.”

Veteran sports executive and author Pat Williams of the National Basketball Association’s Orlando Magic also added a foreword. He writes, “This book can make a difference in your career and your life whether you are a business executive, athlete, philanthropic leader, even a politician.”

The Truth About Public Speaking unlocks the secrets of Barks’ Three Keys to Great Presentations™, the system he developed to pull together all the crucial elements that go into a winning presentation. Diligent use of the Three Keys means, “A fair speaker can aspire to good; a good speaker can aspire to great,” the author said.

He shines the light on two often ignored secrets to improvement. The first is Assessing Feedback, an important element that Barks calls the most neglected of the Three Keys.

“Assessing Feedback covers the ‘after’ stage of your talk,” he explained. “It is essential for every speaker to gauge their performance if they have any hope of improving. Yet too many speakers disregard this key. That is truly a shame because assessing feedback represents one of the prime means of separating yourself from the pack of merely average presenters.”

Another factor that separates The Truth About Public Speaking from other books is its emphasis on the benefits of lifelong learning. Barks demonstrates why improvement must be viewed as a constant endeavor and offers strategies and tools for sharpening presentation skills over the long haul.

More information is available at www.TruthAboutPublicSpeaking.com.

Ed Barks is a trainer, author, and speaker who teaches today’s leaders how to deliver dynamic, message-packed presentations and how to work with the media. He has served as President of Barks Communications since its inception in 1997, guiding more than 2000 business leaders, government officials, non-profit leaders, physicians, athletes, association executives, entertainers, and public relations staff toward a sharper message and enhanced communications skills.