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How to Be a More Entertaining Speaker (Without Telling a Single Joke)
You do not need to be funny to hold a room. Here are 5 ways to become a more entertaining speaker using surprise, specificity, and timing (no jokes required). Read more
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Relaxation Techniques for Public Speaking That Actually Help
Telling a nervous speaker to “just relax” is not helpful. But there are ways to increase your calm. Here’s 5 ways I do it. Read more
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How to Stop Stage Fright Before a Presentation
There is no way around it: stage fright feels awful. Your body gets loud. Your hands feel strange. Your voice seems less reliable than it did ten minutes ago. Then your brain joins in with helpful little thoughts like, “What if I forget everything?” Wonderful. Very useful. Thank you, brain. If that sounds familiar, you… Read more
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How to Begin a Speech When You Feel Nervous
Can you begin a speech well when your heart is thumping? Yes. You can. The trick is to stop waiting for calm. Calm is lovely, but it is not required. Some of my best speeches started with nerves buzzing through my body. That might sound strange if you are newer to speaking. Most people assume… Read more
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Informative Speech Topics That People Actually Want To Hear
There is no way around it: some informative speech topics are painfully boring. The topic might be technically fine. It might even be important. But if the audience cannot see why it matters, the speech has a hill to climb. I say this with sympathy. Choosing a topic can feel harder than writing the speech.… Read more
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How to End a Speech So People Remember What You Said
Can the ending of a speech save the whole thing? The short answer is yes. I have watched perfectly decent speeches disappear in the final thirty seconds. The speaker had a clear message, a few good stories, and enough confidence to carry the room. Then the ending arrived, and everything got soft. They said, “So… Read more