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***Public Speaking is a Great Form of Free Advertising- ***If You Absolutely, Positively Cannot Face an Audience, Try This Exercise - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWithout a doubt, most people experience some type of nervousness in delivering a speech or presentation. It is normal; it is natural; and, in truth, it is beneficial. There are others, however, who are filled with such fear and dread at just the thought of public speaking, that panic ensues. ...
Views: 3033 - ***If You Are Expecting Perfection in Public Speaking, You Will Lose the Battle - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIf you are an A-type personality, public speaking can be most frustrating for you because of your need to make your delivery perfect. One of the definitions of perfection is to be entirely without fault. Have you ever seen a theater performance or listened to a concert that was entirely ...
Views: 3162 - ***If You Are Seeking Perfection, You Just Failed Public Speaking 101! - by Submitted on Apr 15, 2013 from Nancy DanielsWhat do you think constitutes perfection in public speaking? Is it saying every word perfectly without a mistake? Is it never losing your train of thought or emphasizing a particular word in a particular sentence or smiling at the right moment? There is no such thing as perfection in ...
Views: 1705 - ***If You Are Soft-Spoken, We Can't Hear You! - by Submitted on May 28, 2013 from Nancy DanielsYou know others ask you to repeat yourself (a lot) and you know that you lose control of the conversation when people talk over you. You know you have great ideas but those ideas are not being heard because you are often interrupted. You know you are frustrated when you hear, “What did you ...
Views: 1926 - ***If You Clip Your Words, Your Message Can Get Lost - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2010 from Nancy DanielsRecently I was talking on my cell phone to a woman from my credit card company and I was continually asking her to repeat herself. When our business was completed, I told her that because of the way she clipped her words, I had missed much of what she was saying. Admittedly, had I been facing ...
Views: 5372 - ***If You Don't Believe in Yourself, Why Should Your Audience? - by Submitted on Dec 12, 2011 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most important skills you need in public speaking is the ability to believe in yourself; otherwise, why should your audience? Many people approach the lectern or the head of the boardroom table, thinking they are going to fail. If that is your approach, then your chances of success ...
Views: 2444 - ***If You Don't Know Your Material Well, You Are Selling Your Audience Short! - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2010 from Nancy DanielsOne of the secrets of good public speaking is to know your material very, very well. You may not think it a secret but you would be surprised how many people approach the lectern, the stage, or the boardroom table and do not know their script. And, the only way that can happen is if you ...
Views: 2594 - ***If You Expect to Hear What You Are Saying, They Must Be Able to 'Hear' You Saying It! - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2010 from Nancy DanielsNothing is more frustrating than not hearing the person who is speaking. The problem for the soft-spoken, however, is that they do no recognize this problem for what it is. If you are soft-spoken, the reason you are being interrupted or talked over is because others tire of straining to hear ...
Views: 2315 - ***If You Hail from New Jersey or New York, How's Your Diction? - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2011 from Nancy DanielsYou know what this article is not about? Nasality. I know, New Yorkers, you have heard it over and over again. Have you ever considered how fast you talk, however? While there is much to be said about diminishing, lessening or even eliminating nasality, one of the greatest problems for ...
Views: 2922 - ***If You Plan A Career in Public Speaking, Start With the 'Freebies' - by Submitted on Dec 29, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIn order to establish yourself in the business of public speaking, you should begin contacting local clubs and organizations in your area as soon as possible. It is important to understand that the majority of those engagements will not be paid. In fact, at this stage, I would doubt that any ...
Views: 2481 - ***If You Plan on a Career in Public Speaking, Take Notes on Your Audience - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen given the opportunity to speak, most people are so concerned with their material and delivery, that little, if any, consideration is given to their audience. After finishing your speech or presentation, take notes on your audience and how receptive they were as well as your specific topic. ...
Views: 2950 - ***If You're Serious About Public Speaking, You Should Be Serious About Voice Training - by Submitted on May 21, 2012 from Nancy DanielsI am ever amazed at the number of people in public speaking who never give any consideration to their speaking voice. Concerned about their physical image, their content, and their delivery skills, they have yet to realize that the vehicle for transmitting their message is the voice. And, it ...
Views: 3819 - ***If Your Nervousness Is in Control in Public Speaking, You Will Lose the Battle - by Submitted on Nov 24, 2010 from Nancy DanielsOf all the articles written on public speaking, the most frequent subject deals with nervousness and how to get rid of it. And while you may find that you are able to eliminate those nervous jitters after the first 5 minutes of your presentation, the problem is that your audience judges you the ...
Views: 3001 - ***If Your Voice Is a Monotone, Think Energy - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2013 from Nancy DanielsRecently I was working with one of my clients, describing how to add more color to her voice. Color is the emotion, the life, the animation one expresses in speaking. Her response to me was, “You want me to speak with more energy.” While I certainly want speakers to have an energetic ...
Views: 2229 - ***If Your Voice Is the Vehicle for Your Words, Are You Driving a Cadillac or a Jalopy? - by Submitted on Nov 23, 2010 from Nancy DanielsNo matter how great your message or how powerful your delivery, have you ever considered the vehicle or instrument that is transporting your words? What does the sound of your speaking voice say about you? If you are over 21 and sound like a teen or preteen, do you know that you image you ...
Views: 3073 - ***Is a Voice Improvement Workshop Something You Should Consider? - by Submitted on Sep 24, 2013 from Nancy DanielsToday there are numerous ways you can improve the sound of your speaking voice. There are books, CDs, DVDs, webinars, private sessions, group sessions and even Skype. I find that one of the most effective means of discovering your ‘real’ voice is the 2-day workshop. While voice training ...
Views: 1760 - ***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: 3847 - ***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: 1763 - ***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: 3092 - ***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: 2603 - ***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: 3599 - ***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: 2968 - ***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: 2176 - ***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: 7854 - ***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: 4151 - ***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: 3480 - ***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: 2044 - ***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: 2094 - ***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: 1719 - ***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: 2098 - ***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: 5100 - ***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: 3459 - ***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: 1763 - ***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: 3671 - ***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: 2554 - ***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: 2961 - ***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: 2151 - ***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: 2347 - ***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: 5286 - ***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: 1987 - ***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: 5409 - ***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: 1639 - ***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: 2903 - ***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: 2123 - ***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: 2506 - ***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: 2189 - ***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: 4870 - ***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: 3556 - ***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: 2786 - ***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 ...
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