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***Public Speaking is a Great Form of Free Advertising- ***Color at the Lectern Doesn't Just Refer to What You Are Wearing! - by Submitted on Sep 30, 2010 from Nancy DanielsHave you been told that you speak in a monotone when delivering a speech or presentation? You may have been surprised to hear that description about yourself because in normal conversation you are quite animated, displaying a lot of emotion. What happens at the lectern, however, is that you ...
Views: 2545 - ***Color Is What Makes for a Dynamic Delivery in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Jun 10, 2011 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most remarkable aspects of color – the life, the animation, the emotion you express in speaking – is that there is no right or wrong. Certainly your attitude can affect your color, which I discussed in my last article, but the true beauty of speaking with expression is that it is as ...
Views: 1962 - ***Conquering Your Fear at the Lectern - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2009 from Nancy DanielsIn my last article, I discussed the fact that diaphragmatic breathing is the single most important thing you can do to take control your nervousness in any form of public speaking. I refer to it as the physical component of public speaking. There are 4 other factors, however, that can help ...
Views: 1541 - ***Content Or Delivery - What Counts The Most? - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2008 from Nancy DanielsWhile some academics may argue that one’s content is more important than one’s delivery, I beg to differ. If one’s delivery is of lesser value than one’s content, why not copy the speech, pass it out, and then everyone can go home or back to work? Assuming your audience is there to hear you ...
Views: 5337 - ***Did You Know That Voice Training Will Improve Your Diction Automatically? - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhen I first started my business, I was showing my husband the 'before & after' video clips of my clients. A German-speaking Austrian, he was amazed at how much better he understood their words in the 'after' takes. What is fascinating is that I did not work with my clients on their diction - ...
Views: 4280 - ***Did You Know That Your Speaking Voice Could Be a Fantastic Tool for Your Business? - by Submitted on Oct 07, 2013 from Nancy DanielsThe first time I heard those specific words was from one of my clients many, many years ago. She had found her ‘real’ voice and told me that her she couldn’t believe what a fantastic tool her voice was for her business. Let me ask you a simple question. Would you rather listen to a ...
Views: 1549 - ***Discover How to Have a Deeper, Richer Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Apr 21, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen we think of the great speaking voices, those that come to mind are the likes of Vin Diesel, Kathleen Turner, James Earl Jones, Cher, Sean Connery, Morgan Freeman, Demi Moore, Barry White, and John Rhys-Davies. What distinguishes these particular voices from those of many other great ...
Views: 7522 - ***Discover One of the Little Known Secrets of Voice Training - by Submitted on Nov 30, 2010 from Nancy DanielsOne of the little known secrets of a good voice training course is that it will change your life for the better, both personally and professionally. Yes, your confidence will be bolstered and you will certainly sound more mature, but the improvements in your life will go far beyond your voice. ...
Views: 3048 - ***Discover Your 'Real' Voice and Listen to What Happens to Your Nasality! - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2010 from Nancy DanielsNasality, whether it is excessive as in the Brooklyn or Bronx sound, a little more gutteral like Philly talk, twangy as we hear in Texas or only slightly exaggerated as in the speech of Detroit or the Midwest, occurs when voiced sounds travel through the nose. While not all nasality is bad, too ...
Views: 4192 - ***Do Not Ignore a Persistent Sore Throat - by Submitted on Dec 10, 2013 from Nancy DanielsIf a persistent sore throat or chronic hoarseness is something you are experiencing, your 1st step is to find out the cause. If left unattended, it will likely get worse and possibly result in permanent damage to your speaking voice. What I am talking about is known as vocal abuse and it is ...
Views: 1956 - ***Do You Know the 1 Thing People Never Think to Do in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Nov 01, 2010 from Nancy DanielsIt does not seem possible that this one commonality exists among so many people in public speaking. Whether it is for the presentation or the speech, it happens quite frequently and is both visible and audible to an audience. It may only occur in the opening; although, it often continues ...
Views: 2487 - ***Do You Know the Difference Between an Anecdote and Story in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Jan 16, 2011 from Nancy DanielsGood public speaking requires the use of anecdotes throughout your presentation and, in some cases, stories. All anecdotes are stories but not all stories are anecdotes. While the anecdote is usually shorter than a story, do you know what distinguishes the two? An anecdote is a true story; ...
Views: 6307 - ***Do You Know the Difference Between the Informative and the Persuasive Presentation? - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhatever your reason for standing in front of an audience, it is important to identify your objective before you even outline your material. What is your primary goal? Are you being requested by your boss to give a report on your latest sales presentation? Are you taking a course in public ...
Views: 4006 - ***Do You Know the Difference Between the Specific Purpose and Central Idea of Your Speech or Presentation? - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWhile much talk is given about the delivery of the speech or presentation and the controlling of nervousness, often what is lacking is how to begin the creation of your material. Where do you start? Let’s assume that you have your topic. Your 1st step is to select your general purpose which is ...
Views: 9101 - ***Do You Know the Similarities Between Public Speaking and Conversation? - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2010 from Nancy DanielsA lot of acting teachers believe that public speaking and acting are very similar and I would beg to differ. What I find more credible are the similarities between public speaking and conversation. Yes, in both cases, you are addressing an audience; but, that is where the similarities end. ...
Views: 7252 - ***Do You Want a Deeper Voice, a Bigger Voice, or Both? - by Submitted on Feb 19, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThere is a commercial in which an announcer is looking for a speaker who has a big voice. What is unnerving about this commercial is that the terminology regarding the voice is wrong. As the commercial plays, you hear someone saying the lines in a progressively deeper voice. So what is the ...
Views: 6943 - ***Do Your Homework BEFORE Opening Your Mouth to Speak! - by Submitted on Jan 28, 2012 from Nancy DanielsWe tend to think that the creation of our speech or presentation and its delivery are the two most important considerations in public speaking. In truth, what you do before you even set pen to paper can have a tremendous effect on the outcome of your material. Imagine that someone has gotten ...
Views: 2752 - ***Does Your Body Language Convey Confidence, Diffidence or Indifference? - by Submitted on May 09, 2009 from Nancy DanielsWhen you are delivering a presentation, do you know that your body is speaking as well as your voice? Watch all great presenters and you will see that they use their bodies to express their feelings, their thoughts, and, most importantly, their confidence. If you walk to the podium with ...
Views: 3271 - ***Does Your Posture Speak Confidence Or the Lack of It? - by Submitted on Feb 20, 2012 from Nancy DanielsI had an interesting experience recently when I had new photos taken. One of the shots showed my shoulders drawn in – not back and straight. Whether I had liked the smile on my face or not was irrelevant, because the position of my shoulders did not speak of confidence which is something I ...
Views: 3028 - ***Does Your Voice Complete Your Profressional Image or Detract from It? - by Submitted on Jul 28, 2014 from Nancy DanielsAs a people, we are concerned about the image we project. Certainly in business we want to project a professional image. Does your speaking voice complete that image or does it detract? By the way, I’m not talking about the voice you hear in your head. I’m referring to the sound you hear on ...
Views: 1757 - ***Does Your Voice Drop Off at the End of Your Sentences? - by Submitted on Mar 14, 2011 from Nancy DanielsIf you find that your voice drops off at the end of your sentences, you are probably male. While this problem is not confined to the male sex, it is much more common among men than women. Why this happens could be for a few different reasons. 1. Fear of Interruption. You are hoping ...
Views: 6221 - ***Does Your Voice End BEFORE Your Sentence Does? - by Submitted on May 02, 2009 from Nancy DanielsThere is an interesting lesson we learned in our early elementary school years that has managed to cause more negative results than the positive results for which it was intended. In 2nd or 3rd grade, our teachers taught us to wait until we came to the end of the sentence before taking a ...
Views: 3487 - ***Don't Just Talk to Your Audience -- Captivate Them! - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2011 from Nancy DanielsThere 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 ...
Views: 1765 - ***Don't Push Your Voice - Empower It! - by Submitted on Jan 06, 2014 from Nancy DanielsOne of the difficulties people have with their speaking voice is that they have no control over it. They push hard from their throat and vocal cords to speak instead of allowing their sound to be powered by their chest cavity. And the difference between these two practices can be quite ...
Views: 1831 - ***Easy, Effective, Efficient - 5 Steps for Improving Your Presentation Skills - by Submitted on Sep 03, 2010 from Nancy DanielsPublic speaking is only as difficult as you allow it to be. Unfortunately, many people make it more difficult than it is because their fear or their nervousness is in control. If such is the case with you, then you should consider changing your approach so that you have the upper hand over your ...
Views: 3562 - ***Engaging the Audience: The Point Where Learning Begins - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2009 from John AOVFor a lecturer, an educator, or even an entire system of education, connecting with the audience is no mere nicety, but a matter of paramount importance. If the message, or learning, is to reach individuals and actually have a positive effect, its content and delivery must be designed with the ...
Views: 1285 - ***Face 10 - Figure 10 - Voice 3? - by Submitted on May 10, 2011 from Nancy DanielsYes, we are a people very concerned with the image we project. We exercise on a regular basis; we are more aware of the foods we are eating; we try to get a good night’s sleep. As women, we want to look good; and, as we age, we know it takes more work. Our clothing is of the latest fashion; ...
Views: 2199 - ***Fear of Public Speaking: Is It Justified? - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2009 from Nancy DanielsThey say that man’s greatest fear is public speaking and that his second greatest fear is dying. According to Jerry Seinfield that means, "that most people at a funeral would rather be in the coffin than give the eulogy!" To my knowledge no one has died from public speaking. Your hands may ...
Views: 2656 - ***Follow These 2 Steps to Discover Your Deeper, Richer Speaking Voice - by Submitted on Sep 07, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWe all have one – a voice that has resonance and depth. It sounds more mature but not old. It is ageless. In fact, it will continue to improve as you age. Unfortunately, 99% of the population is unaware that they have a better voice inside; and, that same percentage is unaware that their ...
Views: 3862 - ***Forget Perfection in Public Speaking - Seek Excellence! - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen it comes to public speaking, my most difficult clients are those of the A-type personality who are seeking to deliver a perfect presentation. Let me ask you this. What is perfection in public speaking? Do you have a definition for such a thing? The art of oral communication with an ...
Views: 1859 - ***Freezing, Forgetting, & Other Foibles In Public Speaking - by Submitted on Jul 16, 2008 from Nancy DanielsNo matter what your phobia in addressing an audience, there is a reason that man’s greatest fear is public speaking: we don’t want to make a fool of ourselves. And, no matter how many courses or programs you take, no matter which techniques you use to control, eliminate, or ignore your ...
Views: 1902 - ***Getting Rid of the Um's and Ah's Is Easier Than You Think - by Submitted on Nov 10, 2011 from Nancy DanielsWhile the phrase ‘you know’ has not yet replaced the verbal tics ‘um’ and ‘ah,’ it is gaining momentum both in the delivery of presentations and in normal conversation. If you are aware that you use one of more of these fillers, it really is not difficult to eliminate them if you willing to ...
Views: 2547 - ***Good Voice Training Is the Best Preventative for Vocal Abuse - by Submitted on Dec 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhat many people may not understand about vocal abuse is that changing only one aspect of your vocal delivery will stop vocal abuse in its tracks. Done. Over. Finished. It is truly amazing when you realize that, aside from abuse which may be caused by certain prescriptive medications, ...
Views: 2206 - ***Good Voice Training Means Discovering the Voice You Don’t Know You Have - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2010 from Nancy DanielsThere are various approaches to voice training that you should be aware of if you are interested in improving your vocal image. Even some coaches who are published will not teach you the basic fundamental of good voice improvement because they are working with the voice you already have. Good ...
Views: 4343 - ***How Breathlessness and Nervousness Go Hand-in-Hand in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Oct 01, 2012 from Nancy DanielsOne of the greatest problems for the novice in public speaking is nervousness which often results in lack of air. While nervousness should be one of your greatest benefits when addressing an audience, breathlessness is not. The problem with the latter is that it increases your stress which in ...
Views: 2862 - ***How Do You Exude Confidence and Composure in Public Speaking When You Are Dying a Thousand Deaths? - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2011 from Nancy DanielsYes, nervousness in public speaking may be man’s greatest fear but those nervous jitters do not mean you cannot exude confidence and composure in the process. We often wrongly believe that the secret to dynamic public speaking is to eliminate our nervousness. Nothing could be further from the ...
Views: 4176 - ***How Fast Is Too Fast in Speaking - Be It in Conversation or at the Lectern? - by Submitted on Sep 17, 2012 from Nancy DanielsSpeaking too quickly is a problem not just for those of us who hail from one of the Mid-Atlantic States, it is a problem as well for many whose 1st language is not English. One of the fastest talkers I’ve encountered in the thousands with whom I have worked was a man from Portugal. But India ...
Views: 2140 - ***How Good Are Your Storytelling Skills in Public Speaking? - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2011 from Nancy DanielsThe value of storytelling in public speaking is undeniable. Audiences love true stories especially if they are recounted with a good description. You may use them in your opening, your closing, or place them in the development of your delivery as long as they are relevant to your ...
Views: 2263 - ***How to Address an All-Female Audience - by Submitted on Dec 15, 2010 from Nancy DanielsMy first piece of advice is to relax and enjoy it. With a doubt, an all-female audience is much easier to address than an all-male audience. Women are quicker to voice their approval and to express laughter. And, it is their response to your words or your message that can boost your ...
Views: 3982 - ***How to Address an All-Male Audience - by Submitted on Dec 15, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhile it is definitely easier to speak to female audiences, you can have as much success with male audiences if you understand the differences between the two. In addition, knowing the makeup of the particular male audience you are addressing will be to your advantage. If the group to whom ...
Views: 3358 - ***How to Avoid Public Speaking Excuses - by Submitted on Nov 12, 2013 from Nancy DanielsI love to hear the excuses my clients give for why they did not do well at their last speaking engagement. Whatever the excuse, in most cases, the real reason for this problem is lack of preparation. I cannot tell you how many people tell me that they went over their material several times and ...
Views: 2331 - ***How to End Breathlessness in Public Speaking - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2009 from Nancy DanielsOne of the most common complaints I hear from my clients is that they run out of air in public speaking. And, not surprisingly, breathlessness at the lectern often goes hand in hand with nervousness. Let’s look at the picture in its entirety. Nervousness does not cause breathlessness. It ...
Views: 1906 - ***How To Make A 10-Minute Presentation When You Need 40 to Do the Job - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2008 from Nancy DanielsOne of the best courses I had in college was an English class on the 18th Century Novel. My professor assigned one book per week and would ask one question per book for which we were allowed to answer on only one typewritten, double-spaced page. The problem was that the question asked could be ...
Views: 3196 - ***How to Select a Topic for a Persuasive Presentation - by Submitted on Oct 15, 2011 from Nancy DanielsNothing is more frustrating than finding a topic for a persuasive presentation for your public speaking class or for Toastmasters, especially if you are not one to voice your opinion on subjects that could be controversial. If you are stymied for a topic, do some soul searching and make a list ...
Views: 2339 - ***How to Strengthen Your Voice - by Submitted on Feb 24, 2011 from Nancy DanielsVoice power is something many are lacking. Some people can talk all day without a problem but many of us cannot. Do you find your voice getting weaker as the day progresses? Do you sometimes lose your voice by the end of the day and you are not sick? If so, then you should consider voice ...
Views: 3865 - ***How to Succeed in Public Speaking When Outside Stress Gets in the Way - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2009 from Nancy DanielsThrough my many years of speaking, teaching and training, I have found that by concentrating on the moment you can move ‘above’ the stress that you may be experiencing at a given time and deliver a dynamic speech or presentation. Most actors, musicians, athletes and public speakers as well are ...
Views: 2811 - ***How to Tap the Full Potential of Your Speaking Voice - by Submitted on May 17, 2011 from Nancy DanielsSpeaking voices come in all shapes and sizes – literally. And, while you can attribute your vocal apparatus to genes, it is not just your genetic makeup that entirely determines the quality of your speaking voice. Your environment helps shape the sound of your voice as well. If you study ...
Views: 2585 - ***I Can't Believe He Said the D-Word! - by Submitted on Oct 24, 2011 from Nancy DanielsRecently I had the opportunity to hear an international speaker address a large group of women. The women’s ages ranged from their 20’s to their 60’s. While the speaker used the F-word once, the silence in the large ballroom was much more palpable when he then used a 4-letter word that begins ...
Views: 1716 - ***If Only One Voice Matters, What Is Yours Saying? - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2010 from Nancy DanielsWhen I was in graduate school studying music composition, my singing professor told me that the pitch of my speaking voice was too high and proceeded to show me my ‘real’ voice. Deeper in pitch, warm and resonant, my ‘real’ voice no longer exhibited whiny, young-sounding qualities. At the ...
Views: 3280 - ***If Voice Training Doesn't Cover Volume and Projection, It Isn't Voice Training - by Submitted on Apr 09, 2012 from Nancy DanielsThe other day I received an email from a young man who told me that he was getting a sore throat by speaking loudly at the clubs and wondered if my training dealt with volume. I had to smile when he said that he had read several books on voice and none of them talked about how to increase or ...
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