Sections:Once you have outlined your speech, presentation, or video, you will need to practice to ensure a professional presentation.Most speakers will run through their speech from the beginning until they hit a snag. Then regardless of where they were, they …

Practice in Sections and Practice with Distractions. Read more »

When giving a presentation or teaching a class (virtual or in-person) start out with a clear idea of the time allowed. Start with a draft of the material you plan to cover. Create bullet points for the key ideas.Decide what material …

Timing Your Presentation or Online Class. Read more »

Speeches and presentations are heard, not read, and listeners only have the speaker’s words to guide them. It is up to the speakers to lead listeners through the material. The more organized the material, the greater the chance listeners will …

To Keep Your Listeners Engaged, Organize Your Presentation/Speech. Read more »

*Start Strong:Regardless of your skill level, avoid starting a presentation or speech with an apology. Don’t begin by telling colleagues that you’ve never done this before. Hold back from asking for their understanding if you make mistakes or stumble. Prepare a strong …

Start Strong, No Excuses, and Delay the Post-Mortem. Read more »

When undertaking a presentation, we plan for success. We should also be thinking about and preparing for things that could go wrong. Before you host a virtual workshop, teach an online class, make a video, give a presentation or live-stream, …

Prepare for Things To Go Wrong. Read more »

Business speaking requires a level of professionalism. When a speaker introduces a weak speech pattern, it can hurt their credibility and undermine their message. The three key patterns to avoid are: Hedges: sort of, kind of, pretty much, maybe. These words …

3 Speaking Habits That Lessen Your Credibility. Read more »

Effective speakers and presenters build ‘signposts’ into their speech. They guide their listeners through the information by using words that make it clear what lies ahead, and then as they progress, alerting them to where they are along the way.  …

Build Signposts Into Presentations. Read more »

Most business speakers know the importance of story-telling when giving presentations. We know stories help our colleagues or customers stay focused and pay attention. We also know stories make information easier to remember.  Yet, many times, presenters do not know …

Finding the Who in Your Presentations. Read more »

Occasionally, business speakers need to give a presentation that will require a lot of time. When faced with an hour-long presentation, they worry about how they will keep their colleagues’ attention.  This is the time to consider building in rest stops; …

Why You Should Build Breaks Into Long Presentations. Read more »