Enjoy, yes, Enjoy Public Speaking

 Enjoy!    These speaking tips are available as Bookmarks, 2cm by 6cm - printed and laminated.   If you'd like some, email your address an I'll send them to you by Australia Post.      Best wishes, Sofia@speak2us.com.au
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After chatting with many of my clients, who I have coached for speaking roles such as: presentations at school, university, workplace, small audiences, large audiences, weddings, funerals (or celebrations of life, as they are now often called) sales presentations, business award speeches, auctioneering contests (these are very competitive) keynote speeches, recruitment interviews (candidates) motivational speeches, university lectures, debates, job interviews, video conferences, webinars, media interviews - one thing holds true: 

To enjoy public speaking, prepare as well as you can.

Prepare yourself

stand tall, straight, balanced

read out loud to rehearse

practise vocal variety

breathe low, slow and smile!

Prepare your Message

walk it through as a storyline

share something about yourself

what's your "Call to Action"

anticipate questions from the audience

you are "sharing information with friends"

Prepare your Environment

think ahead

feel the room

anticipate any potential happenings

stand in the speaking space

smile and see yourself enjoying!



Speakers - A Must to Avoid

What's your list of "Must to Avoids"? 

Watch for these when you are speaking (and add your own words to this list)

Do these make you wince when you hear Radio and TV
Announcers, Speakers, MCs, or people attempting to be MCs (weddings, for example, eeeeek!).  The things they say sure make me wince. 

What's your unfavourite?


1. "As John said, my name is Sally"
2.  "As I said before".....(not necessary - very likely no one will remember what you said before)
3.  "I don't do this very often" (don't start with an apology)
4.  "I'm really nervous"  (ditto)
5.  "In terms of"  (M O massively overused)
6.  "In this space"  (M O)
7.  "Look"  (is there anyone who can answer a question without this preface?"  M O )
8.   "Well"  (ditto)
9.  "And now without further ado"  (Major Bad for Speakers) (M M O)
10. "Moving right along"  (ditto)
11. Last but not least" (ditto)
12. "In spite of her busy schedule"  (M O)
13. "Thank you" at the END of your speech - (M O - find another way of saying "thank you"
14. "Thank you for having me" - Very Twee - M O - find another way
15. "Unaccustomed as I am, to public speaking"  (puhlease! - don't)
16. "So that's all I have to say"   (ditto)

and, one more big No No, please try to avoid saying:
"Ay Book, Ay Pencil, Ay paper, Ay Great Big New Tax" etc.  It ain't Ay - it's just "a" as in:
a book, a pencil, a person with blocked ears! 

And, I wish you all a "Great Big New Year"