There will definitely be a jump in purely virtual events in the near future because of Covid-19. But there will always be an interest in live, in-person events. The question is how these events and conferences will reimagine themselves in the post-covid era. Here are some predictions. Livestreams and Broadcasts More events will offer livestreams … Read more
Microphone Tips for Presenters and Speakers It’s not natural to speak into a microphone. So using it properly will take some practice. Keep these tips in mind. It may seem inconvenient to remember all these things, but remember that your microphone is your voice. Poor use of the microphone means your voice will get lost, … Read more
One of the most frequent changes I make with my clients is to force them to slow down when they speak. Speaking slowly, a seemingly simple adjustment, almost always creates a huge change in how they sound. But they sometimes ask: “If I slow down, will I be able to say everything I need to?” … Read more
When we first start speaking in public, we have a desire to be reassured by the audience. We subconsciously look for positive reactions from the crowd to signal that we are doing a good job. But if you think about, while this is understandable (we’re nervous and anxious and looking for reassurance), it’s unrealistic. Just … Read more
In a few weeks the UK will go to the polls and elect a new Parliament. The Conservative party of Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to win decisively. The second-biggest party is the Labor party. The leader of Labor is Jeremy Corbyn, who faces off against May during the Prime Minister’s Questions. Looking at … Read more
There are three main skill levels in public speaking, identified by our inner dialogue: At the beginner level, we think “how do I look?” This is the most basic mindset, where we are most concerned with how we look to the audience and whether they are judging us or accepting us. Most people don’t get past this … Read more
This hilarious video demonstrates almost every bad quality a presenter can have: Her presentation is disorganized, rushed and confusing. She skips through the whole thing without really saying much. She relies on the slides instead of using them as a supplement to her words. She is distracted by her cell phone. She talks down to the … Read more
Public Speaking Techniques Demonstrated by Barack Obama (Before He Was President) Here is Barack Obama’s big speech from the 2004 Democratic Convention that put him on the map: Notice his relaxed body movement and purposeful hand gestures throughout. There are several key strategies that Obama uses for maximum impact on the audience. Strategic Monotone and Vocal Range … Read more
Melania vs Michelle Speech Analysis The big news story from today is that Melania Trump’s speech at the Republican Convention partly plagiarized Michelle Obama’s address from 2008. Looking at the speeches side-by-side gives us an interesting look at the women’s different speaking styles. And we can see who is the better, more charismatic speaker: Michelle Obama … Read more