In natural pageants such as Pure American Girl (PAG), Miss American Coed (MAC), National American Miss (NAM), and other pageants similar in format, there is a required 20 or 30 second onstage personal introduction that you need to deliver to the judges.

The purpose of the introduction is to give the judges an instant snapshot into your personality.

For years I’ve been helping young girls write their introductions but it wasn’t until I had to write and memorize my own that I gained even more valuable insights. Honestly, memorizing the silly thing was creating stress I hadn’t felt in a long time. Ridiculous, right? Maybe. But I learned much by going through the process myself.

First, what looks good on paper doesn’t always come across well when spoken. You need to say your introduction out loud. Then say it to a couple different people. Ask them what they hear. Certain word combinations may not convey what you mean. Make necessary changes and say it out loud again.

Secondly, you have to believe in what you are saying. If it’s just a bunch of memorized words, it won’t stand out and will sound fake. People have to believe what you are saying.

Finally, focus on the meaning not the words. Your chances of getting tongue-tied are greater if you focus on each individual word instead of the whole meaning.

I probably had 10 different versions of my introduction before I decided on the final one. It developed over a couple weeks during the long hours of driving on the road.
So here are my final words of wisdom. Give yourself plenty of time to create it and say it out loud as often as you can. If it doesn’t feel right, change it. It must be 100% you. No one else.

On my training DVD, my daughter and I demonstrate how to deliver an on stage introduction along with numerous other modeling and training tips .

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

WTP Take The Stage Training DVD

The Winning Through Pageantry Take The Stage™ training DVD is a must have training tool for natural beauty pageants. The depth of information shared in this video will further polish your on stage presence.

Remember, the judges cast their final vote when you are on stage in your evening gown. Your overall stage presence and appearance will determine your final placement.

In this 60-minute DVD, you will learn:

• proper posture and alignment,
• foot positioning,
• timing of your turns,
• multiple walking patterns,
• stage presence,
• microphone etiquette,
• Numerous tips as Rhonda demonstrates all of these techniques.

The modeling style taught in this video will work for those contestants competing in the following natural pageant systems:

• Pure American Girl (PAG),
• Miss American Coed (MAC),
• National American Miss (NaMiss),
• Miss America,
• America's Outstanding Teen,
• Miss Teen USA,
• Miss USA,
• Mrs. America,
• Mrs. United States,
• Teen, Miss and Mrs. International,
• America's National Teenager (Antso),
• American Royal Beauties,
• Any of the numerous systems that follow the standards of a natural pageant.

Contestants who are brand new to pageantry or have done a couple pageants in the past; and those who do not have pageant preparation resources close to them will benefit most from this DVD. Even if you feel confident in your modeling skills, the numerous tips shared in this DVD will take your onstage presence to the next level.

Please allow up to 14 days to receive your DVD. This is being shipped from a separate vendor. The DVD is readable in all countries around the world but should you receive a defective DVD, a replacement one will be sent.

Rhonda Shappert, is both an iPEC and ICF certified expert pageant coach. In addition to holding multiple titles herself, her clients have won titles at local, state, national and internationals pageants. Her award winning newsletter is received weekly by thousands internationally.

With over 30 years experience in the pageant industry as a contestant, titleholder, judge, emcee, staff member, coach and mother of daughters who compete, there isn't an area of pageantry she doesn't fully understand.

$27 (+$7 S&H)

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry®  to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete positive pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to succeed From The Inside Out ®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels. Rhonda is the reigning 2012 National Ms. Elegance Pure American Girl queen.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three daughters educates their children within the home and has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen. They are part of the music ministry at their church and have produced an original contemporary Christian music CD. She is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for two nonprofit organizations.  For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

Many pageant systems are moving away from suits to fashionable dresses for interview. This doesn’t mean the task of finding the perfect interview dress is any easier. You still have to find the right color, cut and style that compliments your coloring, body shape and sense of personal style. 

For Miss America’s Outstanding Teen and Miss America contestants, sheath dresses in bold colors are a great choice. Look for dresses that have an interesting neckline or some sort of feature to bring attention to your face. One solid color will make you look professional and taller. Another option would be to find a dress where the top third of the dress is one color (or a print) with the bottom two thirds is a different color (solid). The hemline should be high enough above your knee so it is flattering to your legs but long enough so you don’t make the judges blush.

 

Below you’ll find some examples and the links to the dresses I found that would be great choices for interview. The Cache dresses are on sale for $80 now. If you like one of them and they still have your size, order it. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to find your interview dress. All the shoes are from Zappos.

The stores are receiving regular shipments of their spring lines now. Make friends with one of the sales people in the store. Tell them your size, color and possible style of dress you’re looking for so they can call you when fresh inventory arrives.

 

Mark your favorite websites and check a couple times a week for new dresses.
Then line up a local seamstress who can make any necessary adjustments to make it fit you like a glove- not too tight, not too loose.

For your shoes, find a fashionable pair of high heels (peep or closed-toe) that coordinate with the color of your dress.

Now, you don’t want them to be so attention grabbing that the judges spend their time admiring your feet during the interview; but you don’t need to wear the plain closed-toe taupe shoes any more.

If you’re petite and want to elongate your legs, then stay with a skin colored shoe but choose a pair that is stylish.
Happy shopping.

You’ll have to do a store locator search to find this Heather French dress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cache.com/detail/starburst-dress/N5370A70251005/62

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cache.com/detail/origami-ribbon-dress/N5370A70253290/42

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cache.com/detail/asymmetrical-cut-out-dress/M5370A70253770/64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No black hose for interview.

http://www.cache.com/detail/asymmetrical-pleated-dress/N5370A70253730/66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.

The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Life Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on two governing boards of non-profit organizations.  She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

<a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/grammar-goofs/"><img src="http://netdna.copyblogger.com/images/grammar-goofs.png" alt="15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly" title="15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly - Infographic" width="600" height="4661" /></a><br /><small>Like this infographic? Get more <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriting-101/">copywriting</a> tips from <a href="http://www.copyblogger.com/">Copyblogger</a>.</small>

 

What did she just say? Words that are mispronounced and poor grammar can influence people’s opinion of you and your education level. For example, just because the word “ain’t” is in the dictionary doesn’t mean you should use it. The dictionary will tell you if the word is spelled correctly. That doesn’t necessarily mean the usage of the word itself is “proper” or viewed in a positive light if you say it. Over the years, many slang words have been added to our dictionaries.

I am not an English major, but here is my shortlist of mispronounced words that drive me crazy:

• The words are “wasn’t, business, isn’t, and didn’t” not “wadn't, bidness, idn’t, and din’t.”

• "I have a ways to go" should be "I have a way to go."

• The “t” in the word “often” is silent. You will find both pronunciations in the dictionary but in the United States; the silent “t” version is preferred. It’s “off-en” not “off- ten”.

• The word is regardless, not irregardless.

• This is important for all pageant girls to know. The word is “jewelry” (jewel- ree) not “jew-ler-ee”. No extra syllable.

• It is “with” not “wit”.

• It is “that” not “dat”.

• “Ask” me something but don’t “ax” me. Pronounce that “s”

• Say all the consonants in the word “important”. I’m going to have a hard time taking you seriously if you say the word “im-poor-unt”.

• Do say “across”, don’t say “acrossed”.

• The place where we borrow books is the “library” not the “ly-berry.”

 

• ESCAPE / ESPRESSO / ET CETERA

           • Incorrect pronunciation: ex – cape / ex – presso / ex – set – err – uh 
           • Correct pronunciation: ess – cape / ess – presso / ett – set – err – uh

 

• FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES
  • Incorrect pronunciation: “for all intensive purposes”
  • Correct pronunciation: “for all intents and purposes”

 

• SHERBET
  • Incorrect pronunciation: sherr – berrt
  • Correct pronunciation: sherr – bet

 

Here is a list of other commonly mispronounced words.
http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/mispronounced_words.html

WTP Take The Stage Training DVD

The Winning Through Pageantry Take The Stage™ training DVD is a must have training tool for natural beauty pageants. The depth of information shared in this video will further polish your on stage presence.

Remember, the judges cast their final vote when you are on stage in your evening gown. Your overall stage presence and appearance will determine your final placement.

In this 60-minute DVD, you will learn:

• proper posture and alignment,
• foot positioning,
• timing of your turns,
• multiple walking patterns,
• stage presence,
• microphone etiquette,
• Numerous tips as Rhonda demonstrates all of these techniques.

The modeling style taught in this video will work for those contestants competing in the following natural pageant systems:

• Miss American Coed (MAC),
• National American Miss (NaMiss),
• Miss America,
• America's Outstanding Teen,
• Miss Teen USA,
• Miss USA,
• Mrs. America,
• Mrs. United States,
• Teen, Miss and Mrs. International,
• America's National Teenager (Antso),
• Any of the numerous systems that follow the standards of a natural pageant.

Contestants who are brand new to pageantry or have done a couple pageants in the past; and those who do not have pageant preparation resources close to them will benefit most from this DVD. Even if you feel confident in your modeling skills, the numerous tips shared in this DVD will take your onstage presence to the next level.
Please allow up to 14 days to receive your DVD. This is being shipped from a separate vendor. The DVD is readable in all countries around the world but should you receive a defective DVD, a replacement one will be sent.

Rhonda Shappert, is both an iPEC and ICF certified expert pageant coach. In addition to holding multiple titles herself, her clients have won titles at local, state, national and internationals pageants. Her award winning newsletter is received weekly by thousands internationally. She has helped her clients win local, state, national and international titles.

With over 30 years experience in the pageant industry as a contestant, titleholder, judge, emcee, staff member, coach and mother of daughters who compete, there isn't an area of pageantry she doesn't fully understand.

$27 (+ $7 S&H)

The WTP Interview Card (Set of 12)

What kind of questions will the judges ask me in interview?
What if I don't have an answer?

The ability to answer questions about you, your family, platform, goals, community and pop culture in a clear way is an important life skill. The more practice you have in conversing with people, the better your speaking skills will become.
Over 1000 contestants from ages 7 to 80 around the world have used these cards and reported back to me that they were confident and prepared for their pageant interview. Many of my clients receive the highest interview scores.
As a contestant and judge, these are real questions that I have asked, been asked, or heard other judges ask in the interview room. I know they are effective and relevant because my clients and pageant family on Facebook have told me several times that they have experienced other pageant coaches and judges using my cards. By the way, I take this as a compliment, not a threat :).
Outstanding features of this 12 card set includes:</ p>

• Over 200 questions covering 12 diverse subjects. Each card has questions dedicated to one topic. For example, there are 56 questions on the "favorites" card.
• The back side is blank so you can jot down your ideas for answers.
• Being the size of a recipe card, they are easy to carry and you can practice anywhere.

$25.00

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three has been married 23 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.

At some point in your pageant experience, you are going to be asked questions about politics. A contestant’s level of ignorance (the condition of being uneducated, unaware, or uninformed) is quickly revealed based on her answers about general politics and government.

Having been an elected member of council, former mayor of my community, and a current school board member, I have learned a lot about politics in the past 13 years. I’m not an expert, but I know and understand how government works. I also know where to go and what to do if I feel a social ill needs to be changed. The system no longer intimidates me nor do the people holding elected offices. I respect their authority; but I am not intimidated as I once was in my youth.

I understand why people think it is complicated and don’t want to get involved. Growing up I had no interest in politics. I didn’t understand politics, I had no idea of how the governing process affected me, and it wasn’t a topic talked about in my home. Plus, I always had the impression that it was a “guy” thing. Oh my, I shudder at even saying that.

The switch came almost 15 years ago when a housing development issue happened in my town and I needed to get involved. There will come a time in your live when something will happen to you, your family or community where you will need to understand how our government works in order to have something corrected. Start now by educating yourself on the basics and work your way up.
The way to educate yourself is to become familiar with the basic vocabulary used in politics and certain fundamental laws in your state.

Become very familiar with the Sunshine Law, or Open Meetings and Public Records Act, within your state- just search those words online. This law explains how meetings are open to the public, how to request public records, and other very important topics regarding meetings and records. Violation of this law may render a law invalid along with other legal ramifications. Also check with your state Municipal League for educational materials and Google your state’s Codified Law, or Revised Code. Again, I am not an attorney but rather a very informed citizen and former public official.

It’s important to note that government was set up with a system of checks and balances so no one branch of government goes on an ego trip thinking they have more power than they actually do…LOL.

All branches are intended to be of equal importance. The different governing powers are split up amongst the three branches- executive, legislative and judicial.
The national level of our legislative body is called Congress and is made up of the House of Representative (called Congressmen) and the Senate (called Senators). Both make laws.

Our country is politically divided and subdivided. Realize that every division and subdivision has its own set of laws. Don’t assume what is law in one state or town is going to be the same in another. I’m going to use Ohio as an example to illustrate the dividing. Below is a photo of how Ohio is divided into the 88 counties.

 

States are divided into counties. Counties are divided into townships. Within townships, there are incorporated municipalities of towns and cities, and rural farmland areas which are unincorporated. Every piece of land in the United States falls under someone’s authority. It’s important for you to know which governing authorities control the law making processes where you live and provide services to you. Each level of government is responsible for different types of services and have specific law making authority. This is a photo of how Pickaway County is divided into the fifteen townships.

In a township, the Board of Trustees is the governing body. This would include the rural, farming areas and the towns and cities within the township. So if the your farm road needs more gravel or pavement, that is an issue for your Trustees.

In municipalities, you’ll either be a town or village based on the population. Towns and villages have smaller populations. Every state has a different scale but towns and villages generally have populations under 5000 people. Cities are usually over 5000 people. There are different governing laws for towns/villages than for cities, so you have to know which one your municipality is.

Here is a very general explanation of the different levels of government and what they do.

National Level

• Legislative Branch - Congress which is made up of the House and the Senate. They make the laws.
• Judicial Branch - Supreme Court Judges interpret the meaning of the constitution and national laws.
• Executive Branch - The President is the head of the executive branch and puts the laws passed by Congress into action and enforces them. He does this will the help of his cabinet, which the President selects. Some positions need the approval of Congress.

State Level

• Legislative Branch - The Legislature is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. They make the laws.
• Judicial Branch - State Supreme Court Judges interprets the meaning of the state laws.
• Executive - The Governor is the head of the executive branch at the state level. He puts the laws passed by the legislature into action and enforces them. He does this will the help of his cabinet.

County Level

• The County Commissioners are the governing body for the county.
• Judicial Branch - The county courts interpret county wide laws.

Township Level

• The Board of Trustees govern within the township.

 

Local Municipalities

• Legislative Branch - The Council makes the laws within a town or city.
• Executive Branch – The Mayor is the head of the local executive branch and the responsibilities are to put the ordinances (local laws) passed by the council into action and enforce them.
• Judicial Branch - Mayor’s Court interprets and upholds local ordinances (laws).

 

So why is it important to understand the division of power in our government? Because every time I’m judging a pageant and a contestant answers the question “If I were President (or insert the word Governor, or Mayor) of my area, I would make a law to …” I role my eyes because these offices do not make the law. Same goes if they say they want to be a judge because they feel it’s important to make laws to keep the criminals off the streets. Sigh… honorable intention, but judges DO NOT make laws, they interpret the meaning of the laws.

And that concludes my politics 101 class for today. I hope that helps. Maybe I should have done a clever You Tube clip in the theme of Schoolhouse Rock to share my thoughts…LOL. Hmmm, now there’s a thought.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

One of the most common comments you may receive after your pageant interview is that you sounded too rehearsed. The judges can say this in a number of different ways including the words “sounded too coached, memorized, programmed, stiff, fake, pageanty, formal, intellectual, nervous” and the list goes on. It boils down to the fact that you didn’t speak WITH the judges, but rather TO them.

The interview must be a conversation. A good conversation requires listening and speaking by both parties. Notice, I did not use the word “telling”. Telling is when you are focused on you. When you are truly listening to the other person, you are turning your attention from yourself and focusing on them. That’s when the conversation becomes magical and you will connect with the judges.

Here are 5 common mistakes that I see when I am judging a pageant or working with a client on interview.

• Being a copy cat. If you are imitating someone else’s style, using their words, or copying their information, you will come across as fake. You must take time to explore and reflect on who YOU ARE and expressing yourself.

• Thinking instead of feeling. In other words, speaking from your head and not your heart will back fire on you. Don’t waste your time trying to figure out what the judges are looking for or coming up with answers you think will sound impressive and great. Stop thinking. People connect with you when they “feel” something, not “think” something. Speak from your heart.

• Focusing on the words and not your message. Do you to remember why you hated history class in school? It was a class filled with too many facts, quotes, or words that didn’t mean anything to you. Focus on sharing your message instead being the next Jeopardy contestant. You do need to know your facts. It’s the way your present the facts that make the difference between being real and fake.

• Failing to prepare- Never memorize interview answers word for word. Even if you have been asked the same question 5 times before, when you answer the question your answer must sound like it is the first time you are answering it. This takes time and practice to develop. And the answer is no if you are thinking that you’ll sound more natural by not practicing and you’ll just winging it.

• Letting your thoughts and nerves control you. You need to be aware of your internal dialogue at all times. It can be both your best friend and worst enemy. Same thing goes for your nerves. You need to learn how to quickly relax when you get stressed.

If you can work on these 5 areas, not only will your interview scores go up; but you will become a better communicator and the quality of your relationships will increase in life beyond the pageant.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF).

She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

The words you choose and what you put on your pageant paperwork will either build up or destroy your credibility in the judges’ eyes. Everything and anything you put in writing is fair game in the interviewing process.

 

Trust me. If you put one thing on your resume hoping inside that the judges won’t ask you about it, there will be at least one judge who WILL. If you reference a website or an organization in your paperwork, know that some of the judges will go online to check it out as well as look at your Facebook wall.

That’s why it is so important to be as clear as possible when creating your paperwork. Your written paperwork is not the place to be cutesy. That personality trait is best shared in the face-to-face interview. Remember, the interview must feel like a conversation not a speech. Talk with the judges, not at them.

The written documents must be straight forward, filled with enough factual information so the judges can ask you quality questions, and all information must be completely truthful. Never try to mislead people by making something appear bigger than what it is.

On the other hand, there are often golden pieces of information that contestants leave off their resumes because they don’t feel they are “special or unique” enough to share with the judges. This is also a mistake.

You cannot leave filling out your paperwork until the last minute. When creating a judge’s bio, I often go through three or four drafts with my clients before we get to the final copy. This takes hours, not minutes to do. If you want to get better interview results, this is one area where it will be well worth your time and money to find a qualified professional to assist you. Let me know if I can be of service to you in creating a written resume that reflects your unique invisible qualities in their finest light.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

---

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. This handy interview card is a great way to practice with a partner or to use by yourself.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview. Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

 

 

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

The mark of a good pageant judge is their ability to quickly size things up, be decisive, and score according to what is taking place in the moment.

Whether I’m judging a pageant, a show choir competition or interviewing people for a job, I make my decision within the first 5-10 seconds. The remaining time is usually spent confirming my initial impression.

There are all kinds of studies and documentation supporting that a person’s first impression is made within 1 to 10 seconds. The numbers vary depending on the report you read, but the truth is people make a judgment about you within seconds, not minutes, of seeing and speaking with you.

The following excerpt is from The Tesh Media Group and I found the short article to be interesting and to the point.

“A man named Roger Ailes, a media strategist, famously said, "You have just 7 seconds to make a good first impression." And he was pretty much right. Our primitive ancestors needed to be able to size up a situation quickly and decide if they were faced with a friend or a foe. And we do the same thing today.

According to Yale University psychology professor Marianne LaFrance, 90% of a first impression is based on appearance, posture, facial expressions, and tone of voice. So here’s how to put your best foot forward.

First, know this, when you meet someone new, your hair style will get noticed more than your facial features. Long hair says, "My looks are important to me". Short hair says, "I’m confident and successful". And shoulder length hair says, "I’m intelligent and level-headed".

Next, your handshake matters. The Yale study found that people who make eye contact while offering a handshake that’s firm, dry, and vigorous – as opposed to clammy, limp, and wimpy – not only makes a better impression, but makes people believe you possess the qualities associated with your grip. Also, here’s something just for women.

Your instincts about other women are more accurate than your instincts about men. Why? Because women are programmed to want to make a connection with a man, so your opinions aren’t as harsh. Chemistry throws off your radar.

Now, what about charm versus cheekbones, which goes further? A good looking face or a charismatic presence? Charisma wins over beauty. If you seem confident, open to new experiences, and interested in others, you’ll get better marks than the good looking guy next to you.

But here’s the one thing you need to remember – a first impression is less about you, and more about making the person you meet feel good.”

I tell my clients time and time again: most of what you tell the judges will be forgotten by the time you walk away from the table. It’s more important how you say things than what you say. The feelings you evoke within the judges are what will stay with them as they cast their scores.

It’s very important to continually tweak your outer style and develop your inner qualities because the winning combination occurs when both your outside and inside images match.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

DEADLINE TO ENTER THE

WTP RELAY FOR LIFE PAGEANT IS

MAY 5, 2011

If you are experiencing problems with the links and want the pageant information emailed directly to you, please send me an email atRhonda@winningthroughpageantry.com and
I will send you the registration form.

• Do you need practice for your summer pageant?

• Are you looking for a pageant with no swimsuit or talent requirement?

• Do you like the idea that 20% of all the money raised from this pageant is going to the American

Here's your opportunity.

• Every contestant will go home with a crown and prizes valued beyond the registration fee.

Click here for full details about this opportunity and share it with your friends.

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INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.

Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents.

This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

In mastering the pageant interview, you need to ask the director what type of interview style the system uses. There are 5 different types of beauty pageant interview styles: one-on-one interview, panel interview, press conference style (or media) interview, on-stage questions, and talk show style. How to prepare for and have a winning pageant interview will be much easier once you know the style of interview and understand how each one is conducted. 

Also, ask the director if the interview will be closed (for the judges); or done in front of the audience. Will you be standing or sitting? Will you be using a microphone? How long is the interview?

One-On-One Interview

• This is a closed interview where the judges are seated at individual tables around the interview room. Contestants will enter the room in groups based on the number of judges, and you will rotate around the room in a round-robin style. Each contestant in that group is being interviewed at the same time in different spots within the room. When the time runs out, you stand up and move to the next table. For example, if there are 5 judges and each interview is 4 minutes in length, you’ll be interviewing for 20 minutes. Each interview will be different because each judge is different.

Panel Interview

• Can be either a closed or open interview setting. All the judges are seated at one long table. You enter the interview space and will either sit or stand in front of the panel to answer your questions. The interview is usually 5 minutes in length, and every judge hears the same answer. Depending on how long it takes you to answer each question, every judge may not get an opportunity to ask you a question.

Press Style Conference or Media Interview

• Can be conducted in a closed interview setting, but it is usually held on stage where the audience can also participate. You will stand either holding a microphone or behind a podium and answer questions from the judges and audience. Questions can be random and are asked quickly. Think of a presidential press conference and that will give you a good idea of this type of interview.

On-Stage Questions

• You will be onstage with the emcee. You will be asked either predetermined questions that you pull out of a bowl; or the emcee will ask you impromptu questions based on the information you wrote on your emcee card.

Talk Show Interview Style

• Think Oprah, or any other talk show format, and you will know what this setting looks and feels like. The finalists are onstage as a group and sitting in chairs. The emcee will then ask each finalist a question or two. It is supposed to have a more casual, conversational feel so the contestants can express their personalities.

 

Pageants also have a tendency to shake things up from year to year. They may try a different style, or blend two of the styles to create a hybrid format. The more diversified and experienced you become in your interview skills; the less likely you are to be caught off guard or feel uncomfortable.

As a titleholder, you will be interviewed on stage, over the radio, on TV and for newspaper articles. Knowing how to express yourself in a concise and articulate fashion is very important. The best way to develop your Q&A skills is to practice, out loud, with an individual who can give you honest feedback and bring out your very best information.

If you want practice questions, be sure to request my interview card. Each month you will receive a new postcard with new questions to practice.

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

 

The $75 pageant entry fee ends in two days.

• Do you need practice for your summer pageant?

• Are you looking for a pageant with no swimsuit or talent requirement?

• Do you like the idea that 20% of all the money raised from this pageant is going to the American

Here's your opportunity.

When you use the coupon code RELAY and register before
March 31, your pageant fee is only $75.

April 1st, the registration fee will be the full amount of $100.

• Every contestant will go home with a crown and prizes valued beyond the registration fee.

Click here for full details about this opportunity and share it with your friends.

---

INTERVIEW CARD

The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.

Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music.  For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With great excitement you've paid your pageant fee and have received your information packet from the director. Woo Hoo! But wait…what's all this paperwork? "Oh well, I'll read it later", you might say as you toss it onto the huge paper pile in the corner, or if it's digital, put it in the "to read later" folder. You eagerly jump into your car and head to the nearest mall to begin shopping for your pageant wardrobe. You find some really cute things on clearance and buy them on the spot.

 

Weeks go by and you receive an email from your director informing you that she hasn't received your necessary paperwork yet and it's due tomorrow.What? You had to send in additional stuff? Now you're in panic mode. Where's that paperwork , you say to yourself as you frantically hunt for it. Alright, you found it.

 

Great, this will just take a few minutes and you'll be done … so you think. That is until you start reading what's in the paperwork. Come to find out, there's $500 due to pay for a mandatory ad page which needs to be printer ready in digital format and there are mandatory tickets sales. Where are you going to come up with the money? Plus, you have no idea how to create an ad page on your computer.

Then, you see a sheet that says judge's bio ( or contestant fact sheet). It's asking you to list all of your career information, awards, hobbies, community service, church activities, and why you want to be "Miss All That and More". Your mind goes completely blank. You can't remember anything important to put on the paper. Worse yet, upon reading the wardrobe guidelines, you realize the outfit you bought for interview isn't appropriate for the pageant. Since you bought it on clearance and can't take it back, you have to go shopping again. Ugh!

 

I wish I could say this was an exaggeration of what happens, but I've had too many last minute calls from panicked clients saying "HELP ME" who were in the situations I just painted.

Read every piece of material sent to you from the director before you do or buy anything. You've heard the old saying, haste makes waste. Well, in pageantry that haste could cost you hundreds of dollars and waste priceless time if you aren't clear on what is expected of you. You must have a clear understanding of the clothing guidelines and the dates you need to have things turned in. Take out your calendar and put big red circles around the dates the director needs the materials. That doesn't mean that you should mail them in on that day. Materials need to be in the directors' hands by the dates that are indicated. If the directors extend their deadline dates, that another story. It's your personal responsibility to meet their deadlines.

If you have your personal information and records organized before the pageant, creating a professional bio full of substance and free of errors is easy and enjoyable. Your paperwork makes your first impression with the pageant staff and judges. Poor grammar and misspelled words may be acceptable on Twitter or Face book; but not in a pageant. Allow several weeks and many drafts to do a thorough job on your paperwork.

This information is not only important for a pageant; but also when you’re applying for colleges, jobs, scholarships and membership to organizations or boards. Quantifiable information about you will expedite your desired results. Everyone should have an up to date resume, or bio, created regardless of their age.

 

Yes, a 7 year old child's bio is not going to look the same as a married woman's; but mothers, your ability to document your children's lives will reap benefits in so many ways. Start today if you haven't already begun.
Here are three of my recommendations.

• 

  Have a separate composition book for each member of your family. This will be the chronological journal where the entries are listed in order. In this book jot down the detailed facts (who, what, when, where, how many, why) of what happens in the areas of family, education, community, organizations, sports, grades, recognitions, awards, accomplishments, church, service, and career.

• 
  For example, if Sally went door to door in her community collecting old candles and blankets for the homeless shelter; count and write down how many candles and blankets were collected, how long it took her to collect them, which shelter she took them to and take a picture of her boxing them up to take to the shelter. Document your travels in the same way. Some days you may not have an entry. That's ok. Just write down events while they're still fresh in your mind.

• Have a three ring binder of 8 ½ x 11 plastic protector sheets to store your certificates, test scores, programs, newspaper clippings and paper documentation. Again, one for each family member. You can keep

  

  this in chronological order as well if you want to keep things simple. The point is to have all of the loose documentation in one place. It's easy to access, move around and reorganize into different categories depending on your needs.

• Have an accordion organizer for each family member. Here you can store photos until you put

  

  them in an album. Purchase one that is photo safe so if you lose track of time, your photos won't prematurely fade. You can put special greetings cards and other mementos in here too.

I also scan ribbons and artwork. For three dimensional projects, trophies, medals, and things too big to scan, I'll take pictures of them. When the appreciation time is over, we recycle the object to get rid of the physical clutter; but have a permanent memory of it in a more manageable format. When these things are saved digitally, you can easily create 8x10 photo collages to show with your paper documentation.

This is extremely helpful if you're doing optional academic or community service competitions. Not to be redundant, but you're going to need all of this information when it comes time to apply to colleges anyway. Do yourself a huge favor, and start now.

If you're a stay-at-home mom, quantify and document your life, too. You may reenter the work force (or enter a pageant) at some point, and all those volunteer hours at the school, church or Boy Scouts will come in handy.

Putting together pageant paperwork is one of my favorite things to do. If you're having issues with this, ask for help. Contact me and we can get you on your way to having pageant perfect paperwork.

 

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

A note from Steve:

Six weeks into the fitness challenge and Steve's waist has gone from 42"to 40". How are you doing with the goal you've set? We have eight weeks left in 2010. What do you want to accomplish before you ring in the New Year? Put a date on that goal.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®.

She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

 
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

You may absolutely share this newsletter with people you think may enjoy it. When doing so, please forward it in its entirety, including our contact and copyright information. Thanks and enjoy!
The Pageant Secrets™ Newsletter is an award winning e-zine written by Rhonda Shappert, owner and creator of  WinningThroughPageantry.com.