Exercises to Improve Presentation Skills | Become a Better Public Speaker
I was shocked at the huge list of dumb exercises to improve presentation skills on the internet. When I say "dumb," I mean don't try those tips. They will not work. In fact, they will likely make you even more nervous. So in this episode, I'm going to dispel some of...
How to Get Over the Fear of Public Speaking
Are you a nervous public speaker? A majority of the population has some type of fear of public speaking. Ironically, a great deal of this nervousness or anxiety comes from well-meaning friends or coworkers who are just trying to help. When we see a friend struggling,...
Make Your Presentation Audience Focused
Face it. Most people hate meetings. They don’t want to sit through boring presentations, either. The best way to get your audience to listen and care about what you're saying is to focus on them. You have to make your presentation “Audience Focused.” Focus on what the...
How to Find Great Public Speaking Venues to Practice Your Presentations
I often get a common question after people attend our 2-day presentation class. “Now that I feel more confident, where do I go to practice to continue to get better as a speaker?” "How can I continue to grow as a great speaker?" The best way to continue to grow is...
How to Find Public Speaking Gigs and Get Paid to Speak with Grant Baldwin
I recently interviewed Grant Baldwin of The Speakers Lab about how to find public speaking gigs and get paid to speak. The interview was fascinating. Grant gives five simple steps for booking public speaking gigs and getting paid to speak. He also talks a lot about...
5 Strategies for Creating TED Talks to Make Your TED Talk Go Viral
Congratulations! You’ve been invited to give a TED talk. This non-profit talk series is the gold standard of speeches, so you should be honored to be on the event’s roster. Not to mention, how great it will look on your resume and website. You’ve undoubtedly been...
One of the Greatest Speeches in American History
What better way to honor and celebrate the holiday than by critiquing one of the greatest, well-known speeches. Before we begin analyzing The Gettsyburg Address, let's dive into the history and math to put it into context. David Wills invited Abraham Lincoln to give...
The Causes of the Fear of Public Speaking and How to Overcome Them
You’re an expert in your field and you know what you’re talking about. After all, you’ve worked in your field for years. You’ve done your research and received critical acclaim, and possibly even some awards. But when you’re asked to speak in front of a crowd, which...
Presentation Skills Checklist
This presentation skills checklist can make designing and delivering a presentation easier and less risky. When folks go through our presentation skills classes, they are often surprised at how simple public speaking really is. That is if you have a great structure...