How to Get Public Speaking Experience in Any Economy

How to Get Public Speaking Experience in Any Economy

Public speaking is a skill that people can be afraid to develop, but the truth is it’s an incredibly useful and valuable skill. The problem for many would-be speakers is where to start. There are so many opportunities in public speaking, yet they all seem out of reach. 

This blog post will help you find your way into the world of public speaking with five steps that will leave you feeling confident, knowledgeable, and excited about what lies ahead! 

How to get public speaking experience in any economy

Join Toastmasters

If you want to get better public speaking skills and gain experience in a low-stress environment, consider joining Toastmasters. 

The best way to improve your speech is by practicing it with a group of people who can give constructive feedback on what you’re doing wrong. And that’s exactly what Toastmasters does for its members – they provide an opportunity for meeting new friends while getting the chance to practice giving speeches (and even potentially winning awards). You’ll also meet other budding leaders and find inspiration from their stories as well.

Toastmaster clubs are located all over the world, so no matter where you live, there will be one close by!

For help finding local groups near you, you can search on the Toastmasters website.

In a low-stress environment, consider joining Toastmasters.

"Powerful, impactful leaders know there is not a monopoly on intelligence."
Carla Harris

Ask your company or organization if they need a speaker for an upcoming event

If your company or organization is in need of a speaker, you are already ahead of the game. You may be able to do this for free (check with management), and it will give you experience, which makes other speaking opportunities more likely down the road. 

If not, there is another route that can also get you some valuable experience without costing anything: Ask friends who have an interest in public speaking if they would like to trade services one time and speak at their event instead. 

Ask your company or organization if they need a speaker for an upcoming event

Neither option costs money, but both options provide excellent practice! What about when we’re looking beyond paid gigs? How does someone get started with volunteering? 

There are plenty of opportunities to volunteer for public speaking at nonprofits. Just do a quick web search, and you’ll find dozens of organizations that could use your help. 

Speak about something you're passionate about at a local meeting, such as the neighborhood association or church group

These groups are usually looking for speakers and would be more than happy to have someone with fresh ideas. Just ask the person in charge if they need a speaker at their next meeting. It’s always nice when someone who isn’t known locally offers something new. 

Public speaking experience can also come from public service announcements on television or YouTube videos that one creates as an individual freelancer. If you’re not sure where to start, visit some of these sites: The National Speakers Association (NSA) website or googling “public speaking opportunities,” which will yield many results, including message boards and volunteer opportunities where people offer services such as facilitating workshops or hosting webinars on topics like freelance writing!

The NSA also offers a training program for speakers that covers everything from public speaking skills to marketing yourself, and they don’t charge any fees.

Some other ways you can get experience are by volunteering with your local Toastmasters Club or community theater group. Volunteer opportunities will also be posted on these organizations’ websites as well as the NSA website, where one of their programs is networking.

Regarding social media, it’s always best to start small before diving into more challenging platforms such as Twitter which has 140 character limits per post! Starting off slowly then building up confidence in what you’re doing is just fine because there are no deadlines and timelines when utilizing social media; remember, this medium isn’t about perfectionism but rather an authenticity!

Action Item

Search on the internet for speaking events.

Start teaching English to students in your country and begin with basic phrases like "hello" and "goodbye"

Start teaching English to students in your country

Offer to speak at schools, churches, libraries, or community organizations

If you have a speaking topic that’s appropriate for schools, churches, libraries, or community organizations (or just want to talk about something in your area of expertise), offer to give a presentation. Some people do this once and never again; other speakers enjoy giving talks regularly at different venues. It can be lots of fun and offers excellent practice! 

Pro Tip

Gear your content to your listeners’ knowledge, experience, and interests.

Volunteer to speak on behalf of charities that are important to you

If you want to volunteer and get public speaking experience, but don’t have the funds for classes, find a charity that is important to you. If it’s not too much trouble, offer your skills in exchange for free services they provide like homesteading or landscaping. 

You can also offer pro-bono consulting work if you’re an expert on certain things like marketing or accounting; just make sure their needs are aligned with what you do well, so both of you benefit from this arrangement. For example, “Marketing mavens” could consult some small businesses about how to attract new customers while receiving valuable public speaking practice at the same time! 

Volunteer to speak on behalf of charities that are important to you

Final Words

I’m sure you didn’t think there was a way to get more speaking experience in any economy. But, it turns out that if you want public speaking practice without shelling out money for the privilege of doing so, then these are some ways you can do just that. There may be other things too! 

Try them and see what happens-I bet they work for you as well at no cost or very low investment upfront. Remember this old saying? “A penny saved is a penny earned”? Well, when your goal is to save money by getting free public speaking experience (or anything else), “a penny not spent is still one less than before”–so don’t let those pennies stop rolling in! 

I hope you enjoyed this post. If there is anything I can help with, please let me know in the comments.

Action Item

Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points.

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Body Language Presentation

Body Language Presentation

Many people think that body language only matters when you are in person talking to someone. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. When you give a presentation, your body language can help or hurt your message depending on what it is and how you use it! 

In this blog post, we will discuss some tips for presenting, which can help improve your body language and increase the impact of your presentations. 

Body language presentation

What is body language, and why does it matter

Keep in mind that body language is an unspoken conversation. It communicates 70% of the message, whereas speech only communicates 30%. 

Body language tells us what a person really thinks about their topic, how they feel, and what kind of attitude they have toward you and your presentation. When someone’s posture or expression changes from positive to negative, it has been scientifically shown that people are more likely to conform with their opinion than when those emotions were originally neutral. 

In other words: if you make them laugh at the beginning, then tell them something serious later on – chances are they’ll still find it funny! This can be used as a powerful tool for persuasion because most people don’t want to go against public consensus, even if they disagree.

It can be used to build rapport with the audience, it can highlight certain parts of your message and shield off others, and it can help you maintain a positive mood throughout – all without having to verbally speak at all! But there are also some pitfalls that body language presenters need to watch out for: negative body language will distract from your main points; too much smiling might make people think you’re insincere or arrogant (unless this is what you want); crossing your arms may convey hostility; being animated but not moving around enough could show boredom or indifference on stage; overly enthusiastic movements may seem like desperation. 

When in doubt, tone down those gestures before giving your next presentation.

“Your body language shapes who you are.”
Amy Cuddy

How to read others' body language

“How can you interpret body language?” I ask. “There are a few things to watch for,” he says. “Eyes, hands, and gestures – they all say something different.” 

I nod in agreement as he continues: “If someone’s looking at the ground or their feet, it could mean that they’re shy or embarrassed.” He pauses before continuing with his next point: “But if someone is moving around constantly and shaking their head while talking, then chances are there might be some anger going on.”

The most common interpretation of hand movements includes crossing one’s arms to signal disagreement, shaking one’s head, or pointing while talking in order to disagree with a point being made.

Some other hands and arm gestures that can be interpreted as negative are grabbing the back of one’s neck (to show frustration) or tapping their fingers on something repeatedly when they’re bored.

An open palm is also usually considered an inviting gesture that signals openness for conversation, but it could just mean that someone is waiting for you to say something more. Flat palms facing down most likely means “no” if used quickly – but if someone is telling a story and pantomimes with their hands, it might mean “but that’s not the end of the world” or “I’m getting to something important.”

In particular, nodding one’s head while talking can be used as agreement. But many think they’re lying when in fact, they are just polite because there could also be disagreement behind what you say too.

It has been said that people unconsciously mirror each other during a conversation which means you may notice others’ gestures on your own – so keep an eye out for body language clues.

Action Item

Watch some speaking events and take note of how the speakers act and move.

Tips on how to improve your own body language in a presentation

Practice in front of the mirror. 

Stand up straight with your shoulders back and look directly at the audience without staring down anything that could distract you. – Smile, but don’t force it if you’re not feeling genuine happiness or joy for what you are saying. 

Your body language should match how you feel inside to project authenticity when presenting on stage. If necessary, use humor to lighten things up a bit, so people will remember your presenters’ personality better than how they felt about the topic being presented!

Don’t slouch or allow yourself to slump forward while talking; this can be interpreted as laziness by those watching from afar. It may seem like common sense, but good posture is key to every presentation and should be practiced before your presentation as well.

When you are presenting on stage, keep eye contact with the audience – not the screen! This is a good chance to know if they are engaged in what you’re saying or simply reading about it behind their computer screens.

Make sure that when speaking from an outline or other written script, you emphasize important points without sounding like you’re being read off of the paper. Be deliberate but natural; this will help make people feel more involved in the topic at hand and less distant by comparison to where they would have been had there been no demonstration whatsoever.

If you have slides accompanying your speech, try not to look down too much while talking. You should only be looking down at the slides for an occasional glance, not a full sentence or paragraph.

If you have trouble with public speaking in general and feel that it is having a negative impact on your work life, there are many courses available to help address this issue. Remember that being able to speak well in front of others will make you more successful both personally and professionally!

Tips on how to improve your own body language

Reasons for using body language in presentations

Pro Tip

You can study their body language and see how they use facial expressions, movement, and gestures to help them convey their ideas.

Examples of bad and good use of body language in presentations

Bad: says “I’m sorry”
Good: [smiles] 

The first example shows a speaker who is apologizing, and the second one shows someone smiling. Good body language, such as smiles, reflects enthusiasm or confidence in what they are saying. On the other hand, bad body language can lead to mistrust with your audience due to things like nervous ticks, tension-filled jawlines, etc., which distract people from listening to you speak because they’re distracted by trying not to stare at them. 

This could be seen when an individual says ‘sorry’ while gesturing apologetically with their hands – this gesture could come across as genuinely remorseful, but it also signifies weakness of character that might make some participants feel uneasy.

Should you use hand gestures or not during a presentation

There are two schools of thought on how to use hand gestures during a presentation. 

Some people feel that it is important to continually move the audience’s focus back and forth between the visual aids (e.g., PowerPoint slides) and themselves, while others believe that gesturing too much will distract listeners from what they’re saying. Which camp should you join? 

It all depends on your goal for your talk: Are you trying to entertain or inform? If informing, then limit movements; if entertaining, then don’t be shy about getting some movement in there!

Some people think it’s important to make sure the audience pays attention not only by using verbal cues but also with their body language — namely through eye contact and occasional hand gestures.

Eye contact matters as a general rule of thumb — but many speakers gesture with their hands during presentations without realizing how distracting this can be. Gestures are great for emphasizing key points visually but try not to overuse them, so they don’t become distracting.

“Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words.”
Deborah Bull

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How Anyone Can Gain Confidence in Public Speaking

How Anyone Can Gain Confidence in Public Speaking

Do you feel nervous speaking in public? You are not alone. Many people find giving a speech or presentation to be an anxiety-inducing experience. 

However, there are ways to gain confidence in public speaking, no matter how big the audience may be! If you are struggling to build your confidence in this area, try the following tips that have helped me overcome my fear of public speaking

How Anyone Can Gain Confidence in Public Speaking

Start with a personal story

I remember the first time I was on stage to speak at a conference. It was terrifying. My palms sweat, my heart raced, and all I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and hide. The worst part? Someone just asked me how many people were here! 

There’s no such thing as natural-born speakers. Sure, there are some people who naturally have a talent for speaking, but they’re few and far between – most of us need to learn how to speak in public. And when you stop and think about it, we all face the same fears: we want to be confident that what we say is going to make sense; that our points will stand up under scrutiny from an audience or panel; that our verbal skills won’t desert us at just the wrong moment.

If you’ve never given a presentation before, start your speech with an interesting personal story. It’s the best way to make people know that it’s okay for them to take their time while listening and relax because they’re not in any kind of competition. “Don’t be afraid of silence,” he says. 

“It’ll happen naturally if you give yourself enough time between points; don’t rush into the next one too soon.” Silence is a natural pause like taking a breath or raising your hand when speaking – but how many speakers do we see who are so intent on getting everything out at once? Remember: this isn’t about us as much as it is about letting our audience understand what we mean by sharing our thoughts, knowledge, and experience.

“When you have a lot of confidence and you feel like nobody can beat you, it’s game over for everyone else.”
Jason Day

Talk about your experience and what you learned from it

How did you get over your fear of public speaking? 

I had an experience where I couldn’t speak in front of a group. This made me realize how important it is to learn how to do it well because there are many opportunities for people to present themselves and their ideas, such as interviews or lectures. It was difficult at starting, but with more practice, my confidence improved tremendously.

What would be the best advice that you can give someone who has difficulty speaking in public? One way might be practicing by talking into a mirror for about fifteen minutes every night before bedtime while wearing clothes one wears on stage – this helps overcome any self-consciousness when looking yourself in the eye after all these years (or months) without witnessing your own reflection.

I also recommend finding a mentor who is skilled in public speaking and ask if they will speak with you for fifteen minutes every day to help build up confidence – this can be done on the phone, Skype, or Google Hangouts. If that person agrees, make an appointment each morning at ten o’clock (or another time of your choice) where you talk about whatever comes into mind so as not to worry too much about what’s going to happen next. The more comfortable we get, the better our talking skills become!

Action Item

Find a member of the audience that is: engaged, nodding or smiling in each section of the room.

Practice your speech in front of a mirror to get used to the sound of your voice

The sound of your voice is a large part of how confident you will feel when speaking in front of people. Practicing the speech in front of a mirror can help you get used to hearing yourself speak, which may make it easier for some shy individuals. 

This is a good way to help you get comfortable with how your voice sounds, but it doesn’t really substitute for practicing in front of people. It can also help you notice how your body language affects the way people perceive you. 

I’ll start with a disclaimer: I am not a public speaker. Now, this doesn’t mean that I can never work up the nerve to talk in front of people; it just means that when faced with an audience, my heart starts racing, and I get sweaty palms. What’s worse is if there are cameras or recording devices pointed at me because all of those lights make me feel like everyone is watching me.

Practice your speech in front of a mirror to get used to the sound of your voice

Find a friend or family member to listen and give feedback on how you sound

Do you have a friend or family member who will listen and give feedback on how you sound when speaking? This person can help provide support during your speech, as well as offer constructive criticism. Ideally, this person should be someone close to you but not too closely related – they need to know enough about the topic that they’re able to understand it in order for them to offer helpful advice. 

When practicing, try reading aloud from a script or trying out an idea without any text at all: start by just saying what’s going through your head. You’ll quickly find where things are unclear or sentences don’t flow right, and therefore adjust accordingly before presenting in front of others! With time, practice (and patience), these skills will get better, and you’ll be able to speak confidently, even if your voice cracks now or then.

Pro Tip

Deal with any negative past public speaking experiences.

Some more tips on how to overcome anxiety in public speaking

Some more tips on how to overcome anxiety in public speaking

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How to Develop a Seminar

How to Develop a Seminar

Creating a successful seminar is no easy feat, but there are some things that you can do in 60 days. Is it too late for me? No! There’s still hope, and you can make your own way with these steps. 

The following blog post will offer some tips on how to create an effective seminar in 60 days that’ll be worth its weight as gold when all is said and done! 

How to Develop a Seminar

Develop a seminar title

Develop a seminar title by selecting the most appropriate name for your course. Selecting an eye-catching, descriptive, and memorable title is key to attracting maximum enrollment numbers. Conduct market research to see what names are being used in seminars that would work well in yours (as long as it’s not too close) or select a catchy phrase from the content of your presentation with some added keywords like “How To” or “Ultimate Guide.”

For example, if your seminar is about how to develop a social media strategy for an upcoming event and you want attendees to remember the post-event marketing campaign ideas that were discussed in the presentation, then “Social Media Strategy For Successful Post Event Marketing Campaigns” would be a great title. This name also includes keywords like “social media” and “marketing campaigns.”

The best way to generate new names without being too close or near another product’s current brand identity is by using free tools online (for instance, Namebrain). Typing in your industry plus phrases such as “best titles,” “how can I come up with good names,” or “what are some catchy titles?” will lead you right to this exercise. 

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr. Seuss

Find an appropriate location for the seminar

Action Item

Write down your seminar’s purpose and then set goals for how many people you want to attend in person or to watch your live stream.

Send invitations to potential attendees

Invite people with a personal message. You may want to include information about the seminar on your invitation, such as when and where it will take place, how much space they’ll need for parking, or accessibility-related accommodations. Be sure that you have all of the potential attendees’ contact information before contacting them; this includes email addresses, phone numbers (including cell phones), mailing address(s), and any other way in which someone might be contacted by mail. 

The next step is to make sure that you’re covering all of your bases and have planned out how things will go in detail, from beginning to end – this includes when registration opens, what time there’ll be a break between sessions (if applicable), how foodservice works at breaks as well as lunch/dinner onsite or off-site (again if applicable).

Create a schedule of presentations, including topics and speakers

A seminar is a series of lectures that each typically lasts around 30 minutes. If you’ve ever been in the audience for one, you know how excruciatingly long it can feel to wait your turn between presentations. Personally, I find this time spent waiting awkward and unpleasant; when developing my own seminars or attending as an attendee, I do everything in my power to make sure we don’t have any wasted time. 

So before anything else—before choosing topics, speakers, venue—you need to plan out how much content will be covered during each session, so there are no gaps or lulls throughout the day. When deciding which people should speak at your event, keep these questions in mind: Who might want to attend? 

Who in your organization has the right skills to speak on a given topic? What are their speaking styles like—do they have an energetic or reserved delivery style, for example? 

What do I want them to say when asked how my event was? How should they position themselves and what we hope attendees will take away from our day together.

How much time is available for this speaker in each session slot (and don’t forget other speakers)? Will there be enough time allotted so that all of the content can be covered without feeling rushed at some points during the day?

What topics might make sense together for one presenter to discuss across two sessions versus splitting up into multiple presenters who only talk about one topic per session?

How much time should we allow for break-out sessions? How many people will be in each break-out session, and how are those groups determined (randomly or by expertise)?

What other attention needs do the topics have that might require a presenter to fulfill them during their presentation—does one need an agenda with visuals, another speaker needs help with handouts.

When does this speaker’s availability start, and when is it available again (for example, after lunch as part of my event).

Set up registration and payment options

The registration link on the website of your event or organization. 

Accepting payment online with a credit card, PayPal account, Google Wallet, and other services.

Pro Tip

Identifying your target audience is important in order to properly identify personas and the voice you use to present your seminar.

Create marketing materials, such as flyers and posters

Create marketing materials, such as flyers and posters. Offer a design service if you are asked to do so or if you have the time. 

Google it to see what others have done, but do not copy.

Create a banner and logos that represent the seminar well

Design a website for your event if you plan on having an online store with merchandise available during or after the event. Include information about pricing, how long before the event ordering is necessary, background about who you are as an instructor/speaker(if applicable), etc. 

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Web Presentation Tools that Work

Web Presentation Tools that Work

Presentations are a great way to communicate ideas, and web presentation tools can make it easier than ever. With these tools, you can reach new audiences, collaborate with co-workers from all over the world, and have your presentations available on any device. 

There are tons of web presentation tools out there, but which ones actually work? I’ve spent more time than I care to admit trying different options, and here’s my list. 

Web presentation tools that work

PowerPoint Online

If you’re looking for a web presentation tool that is quick and easy to use, PowerPoint Online might be the one. 

Did you know that there is a free version of Microsoft Office available? It’s especially great for students who may have one-time or infrequent needs to create presentations and can’t afford the time, money, or effort. 

Yes! They offer PowerPoint Online, which has some pretty cool features like an intuitive layout, so it doesn’t seem foreign if you’re already used to using other products from them. You also get access to more advanced tools such as animations and slide transitions at any point in your subscription when needed too!

“Creativity isn’t about the advantage or disadvantage of a specific time or culture. Creativity is something that comes internally from a human being having a genuine mistrust of rules. And that may be the constant. It’s almost like there’s some rebellion in it.”
Paula Scher

Google Slides

Google Slides is a web presentation tool. Google Slides has many features which make it perfect for presentations and meetings. You can create animations, transition from one slide to the next easily, or even add video with just some clicks of your mouse! 

Shoot videos in places you might not be able to take photos (like underwater) with Google Street View and turn them into presentations right on your computer screen! You can also import files from other programs, like PowerPoint. 

This is a great presentation tool for those who like to collaborate with others and publish their presentations online. It’s free but has features that rival premium software tools!

Action Item

Search on the internet or YouTube for the best web presentation tools.

Keynote

Keynote is a free online presentation tool for both PC and Mac users alike. It has been recently updated to offer collaboration features, such as adding images or multimedia into your presentations with ease on the well-integrated platform that it resides in – which makes using Keynote easy! 

Keynote was created by Apple Inc. but can now be downloaded from iTunes App Store for iOS devices (or via the iCloud website), available also through Microsoft Windows operating systems. With its recent upgrades, collaborating on this software just got easier than ever before: you don’t even need an account to log in anymore; all edits are automatically saved across different devices tied together by iCloud’s integration feature, and syncing will happen automatically if connected WiFi exists between them.

You can organize the content in panels by using tabs; this way, they’re easier to find when needed. The most recent release of Keynote includes collaboration features – which make it even more useful! Plus, since there’s no account required anymore (you just log in with Apple ID), collaborating becomes very easy as well: you’ll always have access to the latest versions of files, and you can see changes that others have made.

Pro Tip

Always learn the web presentation tool that you choose and familiarize it.

Prezi Basic

There’s a lot to love about Prezi, and the following are just some of its benefits:

It has an impressively intuitive interface that is perfect for novice presenters. It offers detailed tutorials on how to use it as well as other helpful resources like templates and backgrounds. And best yet? You can try out one of their many versions without paying anything!

Prezi is a graphic interface and non-linear presentation tool that offers tutorials to show you how it works. There’s also an impressive zooming feature, plus third-party resources available for free when signing up with Prezi or doing the basic version trial.

Web presentation tools that work

LinkedIn SlideShare

LinkedIn SlideShare is a free presentation-sharing software tool. If you need to get your slideshow in front of a large professional audience, then this online presentation software might be worth knowing about. There are millions of users on the website, and many are business professionals who use it for presentations like keynote speeches or sales pitches as well as personal projects such as photo albums that they want to share with friends and family members who may not live nearby; university students can post their research papers here too! 

It’s easy-to-use, so there’s help within the program itself, but if you’re looking for tutorials outside LinkedIn, Google any keywords related to what kind of project you have going (e.g., “How do I make an animated video?”). 

Zoho Show

With a free version of Zoho Office Suite, you can keep your business organized and on track without breaking the bank. You’ll have access to secure file collaboration features that let teams share documents with one another securely from within their apps or browser windows for all types of projects, including spreadsheets, presentations, videos – even photos! 

The best part? The suite is available in both desktop and mobile versions, so no matter where you are working, today’s hot project idea will be at hand when it comes time to get down to work tomorrow morning.

“The success of your presentation will be judged not by the knowledge you send but by what the listener receives.”
Lilly Walters

FlowVella

FlowVella (formerly Flowboard) is a strong presentation tool choice with company support and help. Its ease of use also makes it an excellent option for those who are just getting comfortable using the platform or need to present on the go in remote settings such as classrooms where teachers can’t always rely on their internet connection is available. 

For power users looking to incorporate multimedia content into presentations, this app may be too simple–though there is still plenty that you’re able to do without having any other third-party resources at your disposal!

Action Item

Write down the best web presentation tools that you discovered.

LibreOffice Impress

LibreOffice is the latest and greatest free office suite for Windows, Macs, IOS, or Android. Unlike many other suites that are more expensive than Libre Office- Impress has been compared favorably to these pricier alternatives by users who’ve tried them both out!

The social media aspect of this software allows you to collaborate with others on projects without using an outside service like Google Docs. You can also download it online if your computer doesn’t have enough space or want a backup copy in case anything happens to your original installation – just make sure you know how/have time for some IT skills before getting started, though! 

Pro Tip

Web presentation tools are always informative and widely used by popular speakers.

Final Words

When you’re looking for a web presentation tool, it can be hard to know where to start. You might need something with more features and flexibility than Google Slides but less expensive than Adobe Presenter. The good news is that there are plenty of free or low-cost options out there that will work well for your purposes. 

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