In this episode, Doug Staneart of Fearless Presentations walks us through a simple three-step process to persuade others. Want to learn how to write a persuasive speech? Want to make sure that you persuade your audience without raising resentment? Well, if you use the techniques that you likely learned in school, you will often fail at both of these goals. In high school, you most likely learned that to write a good persuasive presentation, you have to do research, list the pros and cons, and th...
Mar 28, 2022•31 min
This “remember stories from your life” post is part three of a three-part series about how to tell stories in your speech . In the first two posts, we talked about the value of stories. If you recall, statistics and data are forgotten quickly and lead your audience to play “Devil’s advocate.” However, stories build rapport with your audience and reduce public speaking fear. They also make the data you are delivering more memorable. Once you understand the value of inserting stories into your pre...
Mar 21, 2022•29 min
Feel nervous about speaking in public? Tell a personal story in your speech (early), and you can reduce public speaking fear dramatically. One of the first public speaking secrets that we share in our public speaking training classes is that stories are your friend. When you tell a story, you reduce presentation jitters and build rapport with your audience. Don’t believe me? Watch any professional motivational speaker on YouTube. You will find that their entire speech is composed of a series of ...
Mar 14, 2022•22 min
Great speakers know how to tell a great story. This post will give you the five key steps of storytelling that these great speakers know. This is a continuation of the post about how inserting stories into your presentations reduces public speaking fear. I mentioned a recent class member who told me that he just wasn’t a good storyteller. If you feel the same way, then these steps of storytelling can be very helpful for you. Just between you and I, though… Whether you follow these steps exactly ...
Mar 07, 2022•27 min
The Train-the-Trainer Model is very common in the business world. However, many Train-the-Trainer programs have big flaws. A good analogy of what happens during this process is the old “telephone game.” Put ten people in a room. Whisper a phrase with more than 10 words into the ear of the first person. The second person then relays the message to the third person. This process continues over and over until the phrase reaches the final person. When you compare the first message with the last mess...
Feb 14, 2022•32 min
One of the more challenging parts of any presentation is the very first part. If you are wondering how to introduce yourself before starting your presentation, you are in good company. For most of us, once we get the first few sentences out, our nervousness will diminish pretty significantly. So, this initial self-introduction is really important. If we struggle here, our nervousness will increase. In addition, the old adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is very tru...
Feb 07, 2022•30 min
For the last couple of weeks, I covered how to start a presentation and also how to design a great presentation. This week, I'm going to show you a few ways that you can end your presentation with a bang. We start with a few "show stoppers." These are things to absolutely avoid when you end your presentation. Then, we cover seven very effective ways to end a presentation. By the way, I also designed a handout for this session since there are so many options. Just follow the link below to access ...
Jan 31, 2022•23 min
Welcome back to the Fearless Presentations podcast. When most of you first started listening to this podcast, it was because you wanted to feel less nervous when you have to stand up and speak before a group. So, most people start listening to try to create a different feeling. An important thing that we often overlook, though, is that the way that we design a speech will either add to your nervousness or reduce your nervousness. For instance, if you try to write out your presentation word-for-w...
Jan 25, 2022•23 min
Looking for a few ways to start a presentation that are dynamic? We’ve all been there as a speaker. You walk out onto a stage or into the front of the room. The audience is staring at you with skepticism written all over their faces. This stoic crowd has no patience for speakers who waste their time. And their demeanor is showing that fact right now. You need the best way to start your presentation so that you win over the audience members. I’ve been there myself. Below are a few of my favorite ...
Jan 17, 2022•33 min
Are your Zoom meetings kind of… well… blah? Want to make them more fun, engaging, and interactive? Below are seven of our best tips to help you jazz up your next online meeting. Keep in mind that anytime a conversation is one-sided, it will be boring for the listener. A good conversation is a dialogue — not a monologue. On this episode, we cover 7 simple things you can do to make your Zoom meetings more engaging . For full show notes along with all the links mentioned in the episode, go to https...
Jan 10, 2022•22 min
I was shocked at the huge list of dumb exercises to improve presentation skills on the internet. When I say “dumb,” I mean don’t try those tips. They will not work. In fact, they will likely make you even more nervous. So in this episode, I’m going to dispel some of the worst exercises and give you a few really simple things that you can do to become a better public speaker. So get rid of the tongue twisters and vocal warm-ups. Stay tuned for a few way more effective ways to become a good public...
Nov 29, 2021•28 min
Want to calm down before a presentation? Even if you don’t regularly experience the fear of public speaking, just before you start a speech, it is easy to feel anxious. This initial nervous energy can cause a speaker to have a shaky voice, dry mouth, or sweaty palms just before a presentation. The good news is that this experience is very common. Most of the time, if you start your presentation well, the level of nervousness will drop very quickly. However, sometimes when people feel that stage ...
Nov 08, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 187
This episode contains my 5 top hybrid presentation tips when you are meeting in person but also have virtual attendees as well. In the last few weeks, I’ve had a number of odd things happen in my in-person meetings and training sessions. The first occurred when a big client called me the day before the meeting asking for a favor. One of the participants had gotten ill. She was wondering if I would mind allowing that single individual to participate in the training session virtually. Although I’m...
Nov 01, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 186
One of the most challenging types of impromptu speaking situations can be question and answer periods. But these situations are also places where we as speakers can really shine. We can also gain tremendous credibility with our audience. By the way, if you use the processes and techniques from this book, you will establish solid trust and rapport with our audience throughout the presentation. So, the questions you get from your audience will usually be fairly cordial and actually easy. Question ...
Oct 25, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 185
On this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This week we cover one of the most challenging public speaking skills for most people which is how to speak off the cuff on an impromptu basis and still look poised and confident. If you have ever been in one of those situations where someone puts you on the spot and panic sat in, then this session is for you. By the way, I have created a free downloadable guide for you. Just go to https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/audi...
Oct 18, 2021•19 min
In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This week we take that presentation skeleton that you created a couple of weeks ago and show you 10 ways to add impact to it. Last week, we covered 5 of the items. This week, we finish up with the final 5 impact ideas. By the way, I have created a free downloadable guide for you. Just go to https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/audio-guide After you create the basic structure of your talk to inform, you can add additional z...
Oct 11, 2021•15 min
In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This week we take that presentation skeleton that you created last week and show you 10 ways to add impact to it. If you recall last week, I mentioned that you want to only give a max of five key concepts per sitting. And for that reason as well as just for time sake, we will break this session into two parts. So we will cover a few items on this episode and the remainder next week to make the content easier to remember. By...
Sep 27, 2021•36 min
In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This is week 2 of a two-part series on how to design a talk to inform your audience. Here, I cover how to design an entire presentation. Last week, we covered how many bullet points should you create for your presentation. The answer by the way is that it depends on the type of speech. So this episode is very important if you want to understand how great presenters create great speeches. To Be More Concise, Limit Your Conte...
Sep 27, 2021•29 min
This is part seven of the presentation skills master class. In this session, we talk about how to create a Talk to Inform (a speech designed just to get information across to your audience.) This session is broken into two parts and this is part one of the two-part series. Sometimes, we just need to get information across to our audience in a poised and confident way. The Talk to Inform format is a simple way to do this. Start with a Great Title to Quickly Capture the Attention of the Audience. ...
Sep 20, 2021•25 min
In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This week, I cover how to use your movement and gestures to reduce nervousness and create a more poised and confident appearance in front of a group. By the way, I have created a free downloadable guide for you. Just go to fearlesspresentations.com/audio-guide to access it. Gestures and Movement When You Deliver Presentations The best rule of thumb for gestures and movement while public speaking is simple—move when you need...
Sep 06, 2021•21 min
In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This week, I cover how to be more persuasive when you present to audiences. I cover how to anticipate an audience's reaction based on human nature and also how to use that reaction to win people to your way of thinking. The common persuasion technique that speakers use in business is (1) offer an opinion that the speaker believes to be true. Then, (2) offer facts and data to verify the veracity of the opinion. This techniqu...
Aug 09, 2021•19 min
In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. This week, I cover how to be a great storyteller and why stories should be the backbone of any presentation. Stories do five fantastic things in a presentation that every speaker (and every audience for that matter) wants. They also help you reduce public speaking fear dramatically. By the way, I have created a free downloadable guide for you. Just go to https://www.fearlesspresentations.com/audio-guide/ to access it. Each ...
Aug 02, 2021•20 min
This is part three of our Fearless Presentations Master Class. In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. In this master class, we are going to help you reduce nervousness, increase your enthusiasm and energy, help you become a great storyteller, become more persuasive, and help you design speeches in half the time. So don't miss an episode. This week, I cover how to organize a good speech. Specifically, I give you a couple of tried and true presentation openings an...
Jul 26, 2021•22 min
The Secret to Great Presentations -- Enthusiasm and Energy! This is part two of our Fearless Presentations Master Class. In this episode, we continue our master class about presentation skills. In this master class, we are going to help you reduce nervousness, increase your enthusiasm and energy, help you become a great storyteller, become more persuasive, and help you design speeches in half the time. So don't miss an episode. This week, I cover the absolute best secret to being a fantastic pre...
Jul 19, 2021•15 min
On this episode, I'm starting a master class about presentation skills. In this master class, we are going to help you reduce nervousness, increase your enthusiasm and energy, help you become a great storyteller, become more persuasive, and help you design speeches in half the time. This week, I cover nervousness and give you a step-by-step guide to help apply the skills from the masterclass as we go. Don't miss an episode! By the way, I have created a free downloadable guide for you. Just go to...
Jul 12, 2021•27 min
You can learn a lot about history from the public speeches that shaped this great nation. Whether it is Dr. King encouraging the civil rights movement or President Kennedy inspiring the nation to reach to the moon, public speaking is an important part of the American experience. We will go in-depth from the fiery speech that started the revolution to President Reagan standing at the Berlin Wall taunting the Soviet Union. These speeches span from the birth of a new nation, through a civil war, a ...
Jul 05, 2021•28 min
Short anecdotes for speeches are a fantastic way to end a presentation with a bang. These stories can be fiction, actual incidents from history, or even just funny stories from your own personal life. When you deliver them well, though, they have a lasting impact. I often use these short anecdotes for speeches when I’m trying to teach something meaningful to the audience. So, in most instances, speakers use these anecdotes in training sessions or motivational speeches. When You Use an Anecdote i...
Jun 28, 2021•18 min
Want to eliminate the fear of public speaking? Two decades ago, we created the Fearless Presentations ® class to help people eliminate public speaking fear . After training over 20,000 class members, our instructors have discovered a few simple truths about stage fright and speech anxiety. Once you understand these secrets, you too really reduce this fear. Below are a few facts about public speaking fear that can help. What Is Public Speaking Fear? Stage fright is still one of the most prevalent...
Jun 21, 2021•20 min
Want to eliminate the fear of public speaking? Two decades ago, we created the Fearless Presentations ® class to help people eliminate public speaking fear . After training over 20,000 class members, our instructors have discovered a few simple truths about stage fright and speech anxiety. Once you understand these secrets, you too really reduce this fear. Below are a few facts about public speaking fear that can help. What Is Public Speaking Fear? Stage fright is still one of the most prevalent...
Jun 14, 2021•25 min
When people ask me how many slides should I use in my presentation, I typically reply very cautiously. Most people make a huge mistake when designing a speech or presentation. They start by designing their slideshow. Then, later, they figure out what they want to say. This technique is backward. Instead, you want to figure out what you want to say first . Then, after you have designed a great presentation, go back and figure out what visual aids you will need to better make your key points. The ...
Jun 07, 2021•27 min
