There are so many people with so many great messages but the moment they open their mouth to speak, the sound that emanates from their lips is anything but captivating. All too often, we are so preoccupied with the message and subsequent delivery, that we never take into account the vehicle which transports our words.

Just how good do you sound? Have you ever heard yourself on some type of recording equipment – maybe voicemail, an answering machine, or a camcorder? If you...

"To fail to plan is to plan to fail" The truth of this maxim is undeniable; and failing to plan a presentation has two inevitable consequences:

We deliver one of the biggest causes of audience disinterest - the "one size fits all" presentation that we regularly see demonstrated by the over-confident "I am great on my feet!" speaker!

Also, with no plan, or route map, we have nothing to navigate by. We feel uncertain, not in control, thus...

Presentation Mastery:Just like Hip Hop Abs, Musicians, and Me?

There I am, working on my new years resolution, my health, working out to the Hip Hop Abs DVD, and I found myself frustrated. I just can’t keep up even on the basic level. The routine seems so simple. Why do I keep making mistakes? Well duh, it is new to me! My body is just not conditioned to do these simple moves in these simple ways in a certain order. All of the people on the DVD have been...

Much of a Declamation's success rides on the showmanship quality you add.  Appearing confident is one factor of performance (see this article for more information: ).  The other factor is related to energy.  You could have flawless diction and make excellent eye contact, but if you look half asleep your audience will begin to yawn.  Declamation can be a hard event to keep the energy high because it is non-acting and often politically driven.  Speeches are...

Communication skills training, presentation skills courses and speaking training for public speakersare waiting for you on the internet.

• Do you have a fear of public speaking?
• Can you prepare a speech?
• Do you want to improve your communication skills?
• Are presentation skills training and communication training options for me?

The fear of speaking in public is one of the most common of human conditions.  In most people public speaking...

Did you know that the number one fear in the U.S. is public speaking? Number two is death.

For some reason people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of death. One of the key problems people have is that they haven't practiced enough of speaking in front of an audience.

In this article I will give you 3 tips for practicing public speaking.

Practice in Front of a Mirror
Practicing in front of a mirror is a great way to get better at speaking in public....

Whether you are making a speech on your wedding day or for something within your line of work, you always want to do the very best you can. You want your speech to be successful. Everyone feels a little bit of pressure in these circumstances; you are, after all going to "stand up and be counted". You are going to be in the spot-light. People are going to be watching you and listening to you as you make your speech.

It is important therefore to be comfortable in more ways...

When there’s a storm, the grass bends over and lives to see another day. The oak tree that stands upright and unyielding will eventually be uprooted.

The same goes for public speaking. Don’t antagonize your audience – they’re not there to be offended. And if you do offend them, then you’ve just lost any chance you ever had of persuading them of your point of view.

In a sense, it’s very much like ju-jitsu or judo. Instead of rushing...

Getting the trust of an audience is one of the first mechanisms in public speaking that need to be built.  If the audience doesn’t trust you, they won’t listen to anything you’re saying; they also won’t buy anything you have to sell.  So how do you build trust?

It’s really pretty simple.  The first thing you need to convey is that you’re a likable person.  You’re warm and friendly, you smile a lot, and you look them in...

One of the most pervasive principles in the construction of humorous situations is the Rule of Three. You will see it used over and over because it is simple. It is powerful and it works (see I just used it there in a non-funny situation). Most of the time in humor the Rule of Three is used in the following fashion: The first comment names the topic, the second sets a pattern, and the third unexpectedly switches the pattern which is funny. Here's a few examples from brochures...