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Articles from Nancy Daniels | Selfgrowth.com
- ***Is There a Difference Between the Personal Introduction and the Elevator Speech? - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhile my last two articles dealt with the elevator speech, I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the differences between the elevator speech and the personal introduction. You may think that the two are one and the same, but they are not. One of the factors that differentiate the two is ...
Views: 3766 - ***Is There Such a Thing As a Performance Voice in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsAbsolutely Not! I recently read a quip from a man on a public speaking social media website who is working with a voice coach. He said that “her normal talking voice in a one on one situation is massively different to her ‘performance’ speaking voice.” When I coach my clients, I explain ...
Views: 1656 - ***Is Your Diction a Stumbling Block to Your Success? - by Submitted on Jun 10, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhy does everyone else seem to get the promotion and not you? Is it possible that your diction is getting in the way? Speaking clearly today is now more important than ever because business has become global – from the largest corporations to those who run their own business out of their ...
Views: 2979 - ***Is Your Fear of Public Speaking Hindering Your Advancement? - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsI am amazed at the number of people who confide in me that their fear of speaking at a lectern or even at the head of a boardroom table is jeopardizing their career advancement. This is so unfortunate because their fear is control of them instead of the other way around. Everyone is nervous ...
Views: 2932 - ***Is Your Personal Introduction Something Worth Remembering? - by Submitted on Apr 03, 2008 from Nancy DanielsHave you ever been to a business meeting in which all in attendance had to stand and introduce themselves and you heard basically the same thing from each and every individual? One of the worst things we do as a people is our personal introduction. While the names and the businesses will be ...
Views: 2527 - ***Is Your Soft-Spoken Voice Holding You Back? - by Submitted on Jan 11, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen you look at your assets and liabilities in the business world, have you ever considered that your soft-spoken voice is not an asset but indeed a liability? If others cannot hear you, your message is not being received. Volume is a very tricky dynamic. A voice that is too loud is ...
Views: 3461 - ***Is your Voice Holding You Back from Landing That Coveted Job? - by Submitted on Mar 19, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWith the high level of unemployment today, landing a job with any company is highly competitive. What is the possibility that your voice is not an asset but indeed a liability? Before pursuing graduate studies, I worked for a company in the Philadelphia area in which we sold pre-arranged ...
Views: 2586 - ***Just How Good Do You Sound in Your Webinar or Teleseminar? - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsThat’s a leading question, isn’t it? With teleseminars there is definitely no visual and with webinars, there may be a picture of you, but more than likely, your listeners will be focusing on the visuals; i.e. slides, videos, or webpages as well as the sound of your speaking voice. And, the ...
Views: 2628 - ***Just How Passionate Are You in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Aug 24, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThe one characteristic that all great public speakers possess is passion – intense, driving emotion that colors their speech, their facial expression and their body language. You hear it in their words; you see it in their actions; and, you can feel it in your soul. Their passion can motivate ...
Views: 2824 - ***Keep Your Accent - Just Learn to Speak More Clearly - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2014 from Nancy DanielsWith the world becoming a huge melting pot, we are hearing accents wherever we go and whatever we listen to. This article is not about getting rid of your accent. Accents are part of what makes you, you. I would never advocate trying to eliminate it. The only problem with an accent or even ...
Views: 2022 - ***Learn to Speak Distinctly -- The Best Tip for Those Who Mumble - by Submitted on Aug 08, 2011 from Nancy DanielsMany times people are not being heard because they speak too softly. There is another group, however, who are not being heard because they are not speaking distinctly and clearly. They are known as the mumblers. If you are being asked to repeat yourself because your words are not being ...
Views: 7694 - ***Let Your Chest Do Your Talking and Your Childlike Sound Will Be Gone - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIt always amazes me when I hear someone on the phone who sounds like a teenage, pre-teen, or younger still, and am later surprised to discover a mature individual who is well over 21. If your voice sounds like that of a child, what image do you think you project, not only over the phone but in ...
Views: 4048 - ***Lose the Childlike Voice and Mannerisms and Watch What Happens to Your Career - by Submitted on Sep 25, 2012 from Nancy DanielsI am working with a woman who taught kindergarten for many years and is now in the process of changing her career. Susan would like to become a professional public speaker and consultant. Regarding her voice and presentation skills, her delivery is similar to that of a kindergarten teacher ...
Views: 3337 - ***Losing Your Voice in the Club Scene? - by Submitted on Aug 05, 2014 from Nancy DanielsDoes this sound familiar? You go to a loud club and your friends tell you that they can’t hear you even though you’ve been talking in a louder voice. Your throat feels raw and sore or perhaps you have lost your voice after an hour or two of straining to be heard. What you are experiencing ...
Views: 1669 - ***Mastering Movement While Presenting in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Apr 14, 2012 from Nancy DanielsA problem you may have in public speaking is how to move effectively and what to do with your hands. There are no absolutes in being expressive in your delivery aside from exhibiting no expression, the latter of which is boring and most certainly the fastest way to put your audience to ...
Views: 1929 - ***Move on Stage But Don't Pace! - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThere is a big difference between moving on stage and pacing; and, I am a huge advocate of the former. The latter, however, is something you must stop if you want your audience to pay attention to your words. Moving on Stage Those who move effectively treat their audience as if in ...
Views: 1990 - ***Must You Be an Expert to Get on the Public Speaking Circuit? - by Submitted on Nov 25, 2013 from Nancy DanielsThe answer really depends on your topic. There is one situation in which the answer would be, ‘no.’ Let’s say, for example, that you have survived a death-defying event and are being interviewed on TV to talk about your experience. Labeling yourself as an expert is a non-issue. However, if ...
Views: 1567 - ***Nasality Puts a Real Damper on a Sexy Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Mar 26, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhenever I hold a 2-day workshop, my clients do a ‘before & after’ video which is not only eye-opening but most definitely ear-opening as well. What is striking is the decrease in nasality no matter the background, the language or the culture of the individual. This change occurs because of a ...
Views: 2665 - ***Never Let Them 'Hear' You Sweat - by Submitted on Jan 01, 2009 from Nancy DanielsDoes your voice ‘shake, rattle and roll’ when you stand to introduce yourself or address an audience at the lectern or the boardroom table? When I started my voice improvement business back in 1989, I joined the local chamber of commerce and attended a new members’ orientation. The room was ...
Views: 2007 - ***Next Time You Give Your Personal Introduction, Why Not Stand Out From the Crowd? - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2011 from Nancy DanielsOh, how I dislike the business lunch or dinner meeting in which everyone must stand and introduce themselves. What we tend to hear, one after the other, is a name, a profession, and a place of business that becomes sing-song after the 1st introduction. Not only is it spoken in a lilt, but ...
Views: 4969 - ***One Voice Matters -- Yours! - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen it comes to improving your presentation skills, only one voice matters – yours! Have you ever considered what your speaking voice is saying about you? Have you ever listened to a recording of yourself? No, I mean listened, truly listened to how others recognize your voice. Most people ...
Views: 3362 - ***Persistent Sore Throats More Than Just a 'Pain in the Neck' - by Submitted on Dec 12, 2008 from Nancy DanielsSome people can yell or talk non-stop all day and never experience hoarseness or sore throats; others cannot. Your voice is as individual to you as are your fingerprints: no two are alike. They may be similar but not exact. In that sense, your vocal apparatus is also unique. For 60 years, ...
Views: 1673 - ***Podium Power: Finding Composure When Addressing an Audience - by Submitted on May 23, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIs it possible to be composed when your heart is racing, your knees are shaking, and your stomach is in knots? Most definitely. When you look at the great speakers like Jack Canfield, Zig Ziglar, and Mark Victor Hansen, do you think they are not nervous? They are, but all you see is ...
Views: 3509 - ***Presentation Skills: To Whom Are You Speaking? - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsSometimes we get so caught up in the idea of public speaking – be it from nervousness or excitement – that we often do not have a clear idea about those to whom we will be addressing. In truth, you cannot even begin to create your presentation until you know about your audience. And, the best ...
Views: 2444 - ***Public Speaking - Use Your Head But Speak from Your Heart - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhile you can’t go very far in public speaking if you do not know your material well – and that means inside and out – what will capture your audience is your delivery. A colorful, dynamic delivery determines whether your audience will pay attention to you or not. That is not to say that your ...
Views: 2819 - ***Public Speaking Is More About Your Audience and Less About You - by Submitted on May 05, 2011 from Nancy DanielsYou’ve been invited or requested to speak and while your immediate reaction may be debilitating fear, at some point, you begin to focus on your material and/or your delivery. My question to you is what is goal? Are you aware that unless you know your audience, your goal cannot be fully ...
Views: 2033 - ***Public Speaking Will Not Improve Your Voice But Voice Training Will Improve Your Public Speaking - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThe search for good public speaking or presentation skills is on the rise. People want to know how to improve or hone their abilities to address an audience. One thing that is often overlooked, however, is training for the speaking voice. When you hear yourself on an answering machine, ...
Views: 2206 - ***Public Speaking: How Connectives Make Your Presentation More Interesting and Easier to Follow - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2013 from Nancy DanielsImagine that you are listening to a speaker at a conference or even at the head of the boardroom table and you begin to notice that every sentence is connected with the word and. Have you ever heard this before? Nothing could be less interesting than listening to this dull, unimaginative style ...
Views: 5121 - ***Public Speaking: Should You Thank Your Audience Or Not? - by Submitted on Aug 11, 2014 from Nancy DanielsThere is much debate as to the idea of thanking your audience. Some suggest never doing it while others recommend it be done as your parting words. There are even those who prefer that you thank your audience twice, both in your introduction and in your closing. Thanking your audience in ...
Views: 1833 - ***Public Speaking: The Positive Effects of Nervousness - by Submitted on Sep 24, 2013 from Nancy DanielsIt never ceases to amaze me how many people want to get rid of their nervousness in public speaking. In truth, they should embrace that wonderful rush of adrenaline. If you’re not nervous when presenting, then I am because being overly confident is never a good thing in public speaking or any ...
Views: 5238 - ***Public Speaking: What Is the Bottom Line? - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2013 from Nancy DanielsIf you desire to be a public speaker, then you have a goal that needs to be met if you are going to be successful in your career. I am not talking about the wedding toasting, the valedictorian speech, or a travel presentation to a senior citizens group. I am talking specifically about the ...
Views: 1487 - ***Public Speaking: What Novice Speakers Never Think to Do - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2012 from Nancy DanielsIt is simple, it is basic, it is fundamental, and, it is a necessity. It is something we do every day without a 2nd thought. At the lectern, however, it is something we do not allow to happen and yet it is something we cannot do without. It is called breathing. The 1st thing your body did ...
Views: 2756 - ***Should You Warm Up Your Voice for Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Aug 13, 2012 from Nancy DanielsUnless you are scheduled to speak at 7 in the morning, I would suggest not warming up the speaking voice. Since you use your speaking voice throughout your day, my question is ‘What is there to warm up?’ The speaking voice is not like the singing voice where you will be using several octaves, ...
Views: 1987 - ***Speaking Clearly Is the Name of the Game in Business Today - by Submitted on May 05, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIn the past, you could afford to speak with a Brooklyn dialect because your business probably dealt with those who spoke the same way. Today, however, no matter where you live, business is global. What this means is that your clients and associates need to be able to understand your words. If ...
Views: 2401 - ***Speaking in Living Color - by Submitted on May 26, 2011 from Nancy DanielsThey say that variety is the spice of life and the same holds true for the voice which has color, those various and vivid effects in speech which give life to the voice. Good pacing, pause, force, duration, inflection, variety of pitch and your attitude characterize a truly dynamic speaking ...
Views: 2080 - ***Speaking In Monotone - How To Be More Expressive In Your Delivery - by Submitted on Apr 08, 2008 from Nancy DanielsThrough my many years teaching voice improvement and presentation skills, I have found some interesting correlations between personality types and the degree of expressiveness heard and seen in people. While I am about to be most ‘politically incorrect,’ those who tend to be more expressive in ...
Views: 4785 - ***Speaking in Monotone Is Not a Permanent Fixture! - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2011 from Nancy DanielsAre you plagued with a voice that is luckluster when you speak? Have others told you that you sound boring when you talk? The good news about speaking in monotone is that you can change it. As long you allow yourself to do so. That is where the difficulty lies. If you express little ...
Views: 3416 - ***Speaking Like a Valley Girl Does Not Speak Well of You - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsIf you are looking to make the best impression possible, sounding like a Valley Girl is not helping that objective. When you raise the pitch of your voice at the end of every sentence, you lose all semblance of credibility because your statements sound like questions. You may be very ...
Views: 1486 - ***Speaking Too Softly Does Not Speak Well of You - by Submitted on May 12, 2014 from Nancy DanielsRecently I held a 2-Day Voice & Presentation Skills Workshop in which one of the attendees, named Mohammad, was quite soft-spoken. He came to the seminar not just to work on his presentation skills, but more specifically to learn how to speak in a normal volume of sound. Notice I said ...
Views: 2663 - ***Stop Obsessing About Public Speaking and Just Do It! - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2012 from Nancy DanielsAh, the perfectionist and public speaking. Without a doubt, those who seek perfection when addressing an audience are chasing an elusive dream. There are no sports played perfectly, no concerts performed without a flaw and no theater productions that are delivered without a mistake. While ...
Views: 1579 - ***Stop the 'Um's and 'Ah's and Get Your Message Across - by Submitted on Jan 18, 2009 from Nancy DanielsHave you ever listened to a speaker who used so many ahs or ums that you started counting them? When that happens, you then lose the ability to concentrate on what the speaker is saying. Suffice it to say that the ums or ahs become the message. Um, ah, uh and you know are verbal tics ...
Views: 2296 - ***Stop Yelling for Your Favorite Team -- Try Projecting Your Voice Instead! - by Submitted on Dec 05, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen I hear a raspy, gravelly, hoarse voice, I know what the problem is. It is called vocal abuse; and, I also know that it will not get any better on its own unless the speaker changes how he or she produces voiced sound. Those who suffer from chronic hoarseness, a persistent sore throat or ...
Views: 2390 - ***Storytelling in Public Speaking Is a Vital Part of Your Presentation - by Submitted on Nov 28, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen you give a speech or presentation, do you include stories or anecdotes in your material? If not, you should. Anecdotes and stories are not only interesting for your audience but they also lend credibility to you as a speaker; and, one of your goals as a speaker is to establish this ...
Views: 1937 - ***Take the Test to See If Your Speaking Voice Is Plagued by Excessive Nasality - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen you think of Fran Drescher in her role as The Nanny, what thought first comes to mind? Her beauty or her nasal voice? For many people, their first thought is her whiny voice which, over time, can be quite annoying, even nerve-wracking, for her listeners. While Drescher’s infamous sound ...
Views: 4277 - ***Talk TO Your Audience, NOT AT Them - by Submitted on Feb 21, 2009 from Nancy DanielsOne of the secrets for becoming a dynamic public speaker is to make eye contact with your audience. While there are some courses on presentation skills or public speaking that teach you to stare at an object on the wall in order to eliminate your nervousness, I couldn’t disagree more. Forget ...
Views: 2445 - ***Target Your Smilers in Public Speaking -- They Will Bolster Your Confidence - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen you look into the sea of faces in your audience, have you noticed that there are some people who smile? Whatever the reason, every audience has smilers and they can be found throughout the room when you are speaking. It just happens. Whether you are presenting to 5 people or 500, there are ...
Views: 2335 - ***The 'Conversation' in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIn teaching public speaking, I find that many of my clients, as well as my students, stand at the lectern or on the podium and try to be someone or something they are not. The result is a forced delivery that does not sound natural. The best in the business – and not necessarily the most ...
Views: 2062 - ***The 2 Best Audiences for Public Speaking - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhat I have found with the various groups I have addressed through the years, whether it is a business versus an organization or a club, is that the there are two groups of people who are very good at listening. Their job or the purpose of their organization almost guarantees that they have ...
Views: 2055 - ***The 3 Step Approach for a Deeper Speaking Voice - by Submitted on May 06, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile there are various methods and suggestions as to how to make your voice deeper in pitch, the difference between those approaches and the one that is correct lies in the word make. As soon as you make your voice do something it shouldn’t, you are forcing it. When you force your voice into ...
Views: 3320 - ***The 3 Step Approach for a Deeper Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile there are various methods and suggestions as to how to make your voice deeper in pitch, the difference between those approaches and the one that is correct lies in the word make. As soon as you make your voice do something it shouldn’t, you are forcing it. When you force your voice into ...
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