Impromptu Speaking Book only $0.99 through 2/21/23

“Not only will this book help people improve their public speaking, readers will also improve their personal communications. I particularly liked the chapters on handling difficult situations. Diane offers terrific tips to deal with real-world examples. This book is a must-read for anyone who talks to people — which is everyone!”–Dan Janal “This book provides […]

Master Impromptu Speaking Infographic

Master Impromptu Speaking  (points on the infographic–click here for the infographic ) Buy Time Sometimes, you need just a little more time:  time to grasp a concept, time to formulate your thoughts, time to clarify the question, time to breathe.  • Pause for a breath  • Repeat or rephrase the question  • Clarify the question  […]

Free Online Course on Impromptu Speaking for Business

Would you like to speak off the top of your head without sounding like you’ve lost your mind? Have you ever tripped over your tongue or rambled on without making a point during a meeting? Have you ever been gripped by fear when someone asks you a question and your mind goes blank? Yes? It’s […]

5 Reasons Why Professional Speakers Should Join a Toastmasters Club

As a professional speaker, I value my membership in Toastmasters, a world-wide organization dedicated to empowering individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Toastmasters can help you build confidence in front of a low-risk, supportive audience and provides several benefits for you as a professional speaker. Participation in Toastmasters gives you opportunities to: Try out new […]

Answer Questions with Executive Presence: The P.R.E.P. Method

When asked a question at work or in an interview, do you ramble or get tongue-tied? Wouldn’t you rather be clear and confident, and have an executive presence? Try the simple, 4-step P.R.E.P. Method that I describe in the video below (2 min):  

10 Ways to Fast Track Confidence in Public Speaking (in an Hour or Less)

Learning to speak with confidence takes lots of practice, but sometimes you need a short-term confidence boost. If you have an hour, you might think your time is best spent practicing your presentation multiple times, but, no. I have found that simply practicing repetitively can heighten anxiety (note: I am NOT anti-practice. See my article […]

Free Kindle Book (until 8/16/2018): Speech Zero to Hero

Free Kindle Book Until August 16! Get your free Kindle Version of my Speech Zero to Hero Workbook by August 16. In about an hour from the time you open this book, you can be ready to give a presentation that will wow your audience. In this short workbook, you will learn a 7-step process […]

Speech Zero to Hero–Step 7: Focused Practice

Time limit: 5 minutes Ideally, you would have time to practice your presentation both in parts and as a whole a few times, but if you are truly in a hurry, you will need to focus your practice on the 2 parts that will make a first impression and leave a lasting impact: your opening and […]

Speech Zero to Hero: Speech Delivery Tips

1. Don’t read. Don’t read your notes. Don’t read your slides. Follow the rule “Talk to People Not to Paper.” If you speak from an outline or brief keyword notes (in a large font), pause, stop speaking, mentally grab the next point, look up at the audience and then speak. When you read, you lose […]

Speech Zero to Hero–Step 6: Speech Notes

Time limit: 5 minutes If you are running out of time, you can simply take your notes from steps 4 and 5 and use them as your speech notes.  However, I suggest that you condense your notes onto one page Make sure to write or type your notes so that you can easily read them at […]