Presentation Planning & Public Speaking Skills

Is becoming a paid keynote speaker calling out to you? Have you wondered what it takes to command the stage at prestigious events? People often ask me what the “shortcut” is to a lucrative keynote speaking career. I wish I could tell you there is an easy hack. (Sorry, there isn’t.) The truth is, becoming a sought-after keynote speaker takes consistent, strategic effort. There’s no one-size-fits-all recipe to landing on big stages to deliver a keynote presentation. The key thing to understand is that becoming a keynote presenter is something you need to do your own way. Following your own path. Someone else’s templated path (no matter how appealing) will never get you there. As a public speaking coach and

The terms “keynote,” “panel” and “guest speaker” are used interchangeably, as if they all mean the same thing. Not so! In fact, they are all quite different from one another. What is a keynote speaker? A keynote speaker is the most coveted spot in public speaking spaces. When a speaker is invited to keynote, they have arrived at the top tier for professional speakers. A keynoter is recognized for their experience and thought leadership. Event organizers choose a speaker to be the opening keynote or the closing keynote because of their caché—their ability to draw in and engage an audience. Writing a keynote speech is a big responsibility—and a privilege. Conference organizers require keynote speakers to not only be motivational

Someone has just asked you how much you charge to give a keynote speech. What should you answer? It depends. I’m a public speaking coach who specializes in keynote coaching. That gives me an insider’s view of keynote speaking costs and fees in different contexts: If you’re a public speaker, then it’s in your interest to know what the “going rate” is for a keynote speaking engagement. You don’t want to set your speaking fee too low and undervalue yourself. And you don’t want to leave money on the table. But you also want to make sure that the fee you quote when someone asks “what’s your keynote speaking rate” is realistic, within the range of what the event organizers

Most people dislike public speaking. In fact, the stats say 73% of people fear delivering presentations or talks. If you are one of the 73%, you don’t have to be. There is an abundance of standout books on public speaking which can help you manage your presentation nerves and deliver presentations you are proud to share with your audience.  Not all public speaking advice is equal. Some of it isn’t even practical. Reading books about public speaking is one thing, but the real benefit comes in the doing. Most books, videos, and even public speaking coaches can point out the problems—but few will give you insight into how you can actually improve. Here are 7 public speaking books that are actually worth

“Is it possible to become a charismatic speaker if you weren’t born with the talent?” Someone asked me that question at one of the first workshops I delivered as a public speaking coach. And it took the young engineering student all the courage he could muster to ask it.  I wasn’t much help. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure of the answer myself.   I had wrestled with whether I believed being a charismatic person was an attribute of a select group of lucky people or a learned skill that anyone could acquire. Being an introvert myself, I was leaning towards thinking charisma was a natural born trait but I wasn’t sure … probably because the engineering student prefaced his

One question I’m often asked as an executive public speaking coach is how to stop the habit of using filler words while delivering presentations or talking with colleagues. The people asking me how to stop saying um are usually people who have taken Toastmasters’ rule about errant ums and ahs to heart. My response? When we communicate in everyday conversation, it’s natural to use a few vocal fillers like these. It’s weird (and unnatural) to not use a few, occasionally. However, overusing vocal fillers can be a distraction and will bruise your credibility. Why Do We Use Vocal Fillers? Vocal fillers, or vocal disfluencies, are a break in fluid conversation. You might find yourself using filler words for a number of reasons: Your

Executives place a premium on time. Understanding this is the secret to successful presentations to the c-suite. Now, not all senior executives manage their time the same way, of course. Some tightly schedule their time with no space open for flexibility. Other executives are more flexible, with allowances especially for brilliant, well-delivered solutions to their most challenging problems. But if you’ve been asked to present to senior management, just know that the expected presentation style and format is likely to be quite different than what you’re used to. I’ve put together this guide to help you know what to expect, but feel free to reach out for a one-on-one presentation strategy session if you think you’d benefit from personal attention.

Would you be surprised to hear that practicing a presentation is as important as the words you actually share? And that you should spend as much time rehearsing your speech as you did creating your presentation? The presenters you admire—the ones that seem so at ease with their effortless delivery—appear polished because of the amount of time they invest in practicing their presentation skills. Their natural delivery might lull you into thinking they’ve spent little time practicing. But nothing could be further from the truth. I’m a professional keynote coach, and I’ve guided over 1000 clients in the process of writing, practicing, and delivering presentations and keynote addresses. Here are the tips and advice I give my clients on how

Just like dating or applying for a job, the start of a business presentation is an opportunity to make a good first impression, to warm up your audience and pique their interest to hear more of what you have to say. If you fail to make a good first impression in the introduction, you’ll have a hard time getting your audience’s attention back again. Weak introductions are the death knell of presentations. Audiences have a low tolerance for being bored by rambling thoughts and resume-reciting musings. If your introduction isn’t compelling, your audience will quickly bury their heads and minds into their cellphones. You’ll have a hard time getting their attention back again, which is a real problem if you’re

Have you ever attended a presentation or speech and didn’t know when it was over? Maybe you were even unsure if it was time to clap or get up and leave? Your audience not knowing when a presentation has finished is a clear sign that you need to work on your conclusion. If you ending isn’t clear the closing statements sputter. Don’t let your words fizzle out. People attend your presentation or speech to learn from you. Your passion for what you’ll be sharing started long ago. Keep that passion clear from your personal introduction right through your conclusion if you want the impact of your words to continue well past the time you step off the stage. It’s crucial