Digging Up Stories: Every Face Tells a Story!
Almost any presentation, even business presentations, can be enhanced by using personal stories to anchor your points. But, how do you recall and apply those personal stories? One technique is to look at photos, specifically photos of yourself and try to recall where you were at in life and/or the story behind the photo. Often […]
Be an Audience Magnet with One Simple Act
Do you want to be a people-magnet when you speak? Did you know there is one thing that you can do that will increase your trust-level, likeability, perceived confidence (and competence) and your attractiveness? That one thing is to smile–your genuine smile! Smiling can reduce the levels of stress hormones and increase the levels of […]
Create Your Killer Keynote in a Day!
“Diane pointed out several things that will help me engage my audience better, while communicating the topic more thoroughly. She offered great insight into both the delivery of the speech and the structure so that my audience hears a clear call to action.“~Bill Svoboda, owner Coed Monkey Create a Keynote Speech in a Day Workshop […]
Speech Class for Teens Book Now Available!
Do you remember taking a speech class in high school? That pit in your stomach? Sweaty palms? What if you had become a more confident speaker as a teen? Would that have made a difference in your adult life? In your career? The number one job skill cited by CEO’s again and again is communication […]
Why Do Some Speakers OWN the Stage? Tips from a Champ!
In August 2001, out of 25,000 contestants from 14 countries, Darren LaCroix (above in blue shirt) was crowned the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking. Last Thursday, Darren came to Minnesota and presented “Own the Stage Coaching” and I furiously took brief notes to share them with you (OK, I really took them for myself). Let’s […]
How to Be a More Confident Speaker in 10 Seconds
You know your message. You know your audience. You’ve practiced. Now, it’s show-time! How can you bolster your self-confidence in the few seconds before you speak? Even as you are walking up to deliver your opening lines? I believe that confidence level can be affected by changing how you act, how you feel and what […]
Grab Your Audience! 3 P’s of Speech Introductions
Do you want to hook your audience right at the start of your speech? Do you want to have them leaning forward with interest? Do you want to have an approach to introductions that you can apply to many speeches? Today you will learn an effective, time-tested pattern for speech introductions that will grab your […]
Opening and Closing your Speech with Jokes
Wouldn’t you love to get your audience laughing at the start of your speech or leave them laughing at the end? Jokes can do the job, but use them with caution! If you are using someone else’s material, you need to give credit. The joke needs to be relevant to your presentation (I hate it […]
Stories: Opening and Closing Your Speech with a Story
Stories are my personal favorite way to open a speech. Stories touch our emotions and linger in our mind. Stories are a powerful way to captivate and connect. Stories captivate us because we think in stories. We can’t help it! “Stories fill our lives in the way that water fills the lives of fish.”~Steve Denning […]
How to Use Quotes and Poems to Open and Close Your Speech
The audience gazed in anticipation as I stood before them holding a large black cloth draped over my arm. Then I threw the black cloth over my head. After a brief pause, I quoted the opening lines of an Emily Dickinson poem: “I’m nobody. Who are you? Are you nobody, too?” I then paused, and […]