How do you know how many points to include in your speech? How can you avoid overloading your audience? Find out the answer in this video.
Social media makes it very easy to share messages, but it is often done without a great deal of thought. In this video you will find out the importance of planning and preparing for your next social media video.
On August 26, 2024 I was thrilled to be a guest on Access Communications "Talk of the Town" with Lisa Peters. In this clip we discuss how to drive conversations in positive directions! Listen to find out three simple tips on how to do exactly that!
People sometimes think that public speaking is a fate worse than death. But, what is at the root of the fear of public speaking? The answer may surprise you. Find out more in this video.
Speech Contests are an excellent way to improve your public speaking skills! The time spent working with a coach and competing in contests are invaluable in growing your skills and your confidence. They are like a "mini speech boot camp." Find out more in this video!
The most basic speech structure is: opening, body and closing. If you think about the opening and the closing, which do you think you would start with first? The answer might surprise you. Find out more in this video!
Preparation is key when it comes to putting together a quality speech or presentation. However, it can feel daunting. “How much time do I spend on this?” At times, it may feel like it is always there in the back of your mind, yet you never really get around to it. During my competition journey from 2021 to 2024 I came up with a specific strategy that helped set me up for success during the preparation stage and kept my speech from weighing on me in my mind. Find out how in this tip.
Where can you find speech topics? Does it need to be an extraordinary event in your life or a significant accomplishment? Or can meaningful messages be drawn for every day life? Find out more in this clip!
When was the last time you heard someone speak but noticed that the emotions on their face didn’t match their words? What impression did that leave you with? When sharing a story or a presentation that elicits emotion it is important that words and emotions match. Find out more in this video!
Impromptu speaking, believe it or not, is a skill. How can you drive those "in the hall" conversations in a positive direction? You can do it with two simple words. Find out more in this video.
Acronyms are a great way to anchor your speech or presentation. But why, exactly? Find out in this speaking tip!
One of the first questions a speaker might ask themselves is, "What do I talk about?" Believe it or not, some of the most meaningful messages can come from the simplest of stories. Find out more in this video!
How do you make sure that your speech flows from beginning to end? Find out in this video!
How can you connect with your audience immediately without saying a word?
This is a second tip on how to internalize your speech - but this one has a fun twist!
This is a practice run-through of my speech for the District 42 Humorous Speech Contest in the Fall of 2022. I recorded this on my iPad at home.
This is my Toastmasters Pathways project speech titled, “From There to Here.”
This is the the recording of my speech, “Two Words” at the District 42 Toastmasters International Speech Contest. The contestants were not provided copies of the recordings of their contest speeches. As the contest was pre-recorded (prior to the District Conference) I was able to record my speech on my iPad when it was played at the Conference. For best results, please turn up the volume.
This is a recorded practice of my 2023 Toastmasters International Speech Contest speech titled, “Two Words.” It was recorded on my iPad and you can see the grey “foot” of the iPad stand at the bottom of the screen. The iPad was sitting on top of several packages of paper (that is the white surface underneath the iPad).
As a speaker you want to speak from your heart (not your head). How do you move your speech from it being memorized (in your head) to internalized (in the heart)? Here is one tip I learned that has helped me.
In early 2024 I had been invited to speak to the “Downtowners” Toastmasters Club in Regina on the topic of Networking. I was immediately inspired by the topic and did this custom speech just for their Club.
This is my Toastmasters speech for the 2022 International Speech Contest titled, “Where Do You Live?” That year I competed in District 123 (Ontario, Canada) and placed third. That was the first time I had placed in the top three at the District level and I was thrilled!
While speeches are about the spoken word, there is another element that is worth considering and that is the "all important pause." What value does a pause add and how long should you pause after asking the audience a question? Discover more in this video!
To engage your audience and be relatable, as a speaker, you want to appear similar and not special. This can be done very easily. Reach out to me today and I will show you how!
As a speaker you have about 7 seconds to gain your audience's attention and about another 25 seconds to keep it. In today's video I demonstrate one way to create curiosity in the minds of the audience. Contact me if you'd like to work together on creating curiosity in the minds of your listeners for your next presentation.
As you think about stories from your life that you can share with your audience who are some of your heroes? A hero can be a person, place or thing that provided you with wisdom and insight that helped you solve a problem or take that next step forward. Who are they in your life and how did they impact you?
Stories are the best way to illustrate the point you wish to make with your audience. Which stories are the best and which stories should you avoid? Find out more in this week's episode!
Digging for the gold in your speech is one of the most important lessons a speaker can learn. It took me a year to learn it. Find out more about how to dig for the gold in your next presentation.
What exactly is coaching? How would you define it? My answer may surprise you. Watch this week's video to find out.
One of the ways in which a speaker can breathe life (CPR - crafting, preparing, revising) into their speech is through the use of dialogue. Find out more in this video!
CPR is a technique used to literally breathe life into a person who is suffering a cardiac event, but did you know that you can also breathe life into your speeches using CPR? Find out more in this week's video!
Humor is an interesting part of speaking and, for me, resulted in the worst speech I ever gave! Really, it was the worse ever! Listen to this week's video for more about my experience and what I learned about incorporating humor into a speech or presentation!
While every speech is a sale of some type, motivation is a key part of making "the sale." To take it even deeper, people are motivated by their needs. How can you as a speaker address the potential needs of your audience so that they are motivated to "buy" what you are selling?
As a speaker you are in sales. Yes, you really are. When you speak you are trying to sell the idea on something whether it be an idea or a course of action. This means the audience needs to be motivated. How do you motivate them? In this segment (Part 1 of 2) you will discover how the audience can be motivated either by what they can attain or what they can hope to avoid.
How do you engage the audience's attention right away? Conflict is the hook. Listen to today's video to learn more about the use of conflict in a speech or story.
Have you heard of verbal pauses? Trust me, you have heard them. What are they and how can you, as a speaker, overcome them?