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 […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 5: Open, Close
Time limit: 10 minutes The opening and closing of your presentation are critical components, and the only parts I suggest memorizing. Your opening is the first impression and your closing is the final impact. By memorizing them, you will sound and feel more confident. You want to open in a way that gets the audience’s attention, […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 4: Support Points
Time limit: 15 minutes Now we have come to the meat of your presentation, supporting your points. A few common ways to support your points include: Anecdotal evidence: essentially telling a story or offering a case study—make sure they are relevant! Empirical evidence: research and statistics Logical: reasoning based on facts Demonstration: show how something works […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 3: Main Points
Time limit: 5 minutes If you are preparing to give a speech in an hour, you don’t have time to figure out a lot of main points, so keep it to 2 or 3. By limiting the number of main points to 2 or 3, not only will they be easier for the audience to […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 2: Big Picture
Time limit: 5 minutes The big picture is knowing your purpose for the presentation and your overall approach to presenting it. #1 Select ONE Specific Purpose (keeping in mind your audience) Decision 1: What is the main general purpose of your presentation? Pick one (you may include all three, but pick a MAIN one): To […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 1: The 2 “Knows”
Time limit: 5 minutes Before you plunge into creating your speech there are a couple of critical things you should know to save time and frustration later: #1 Know: The requirements These may be obvious, but these are things you don’t want to overlook! Date: Time: Location: Length of presentation: Topic: What you are expected […]
Pinch Hitting in Speaking
I was about to enter the meeting, when Jennifer walked up to me and said, “I can’t believe this, but I have to go home. My cat had a seizure and my boyfriend can’t handle it. I was supposed to give this educational presentation tonight.” Jennifer showed me her typed speech notes and extensive handouts […]
How to Be a More Confident Speaker in 10 Seconds
You know your message. You know your audience. You’ve practiced. Now, it’s show-time! How can you bolster your self-confidence in the few seconds before you speak? Even as you are walking up to deliver your opening lines? I believe that confidence level can be affected by changing how you act, how you feel and what […]
How to Write a Speech in 5 Minutes
You show up at an event and the organizer asks you to “say a few words” later in the program. That happened to me last month–in front of a few hundred people. You arrive at your Toastmaster meeting and a speaker didn’t show up, so the Toastmaster asks if you would like to take the […]