One of the absolute fastest and easiest ways to reduce your public speaking fear is to start introducing stories and examples into your formal presentations or PowerPoint deliveries. So when participants first come through our public speaking classes or our training classes, we introduce this technique and, a lot of times, a lot of folks will sort of resist it. They'll say things like "my presentations are a lot more fact focused/data driven/number oriented, I don't think people will re...

We often talk on the podcast about how to improve your presentation skills or how to reduce nervousness so that you feel more confident or poised when you stand up to speak. But one of the things that we haven't covered a lot, or at least in a while, is why you should improve your presentation skills. The time and money you spend on improving your presentation skills has the highest return on investment compared to basically anything else you can do. For instance, let's say you go...

There's something really special about group presentations. Group presentations are way, way more different than a normal presentation than most people believe. In fact, I've spent years and years (really the better part of a decade) studying everything that I could about presentation skills and how to deliver powerful speeches and then years later, that study kinda led me to becoming a presentation coach. I felt confident in my ability as a presentation coach and had proven success tra...

On today's episode we're gonna talk about designing training and development programs for employees in 2025, and it's interesting. Even several years after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, it really left a lasting mark on the way we kind of do things. It significantly altered the way people communicate, the way that we interact, and while some of the most extreme changes were more temporary, many have caused long term shifts in how we still do business. One of the absolute b...

A couple of years ago, I was teaching a public speaking workshop in Detroit and three of the people in that class happened to be job placement coaches. Throughout the course, I noticed a couple of really interesting things as the class went on. First the three of these folks that all did the same thing kept mentioning over and over again how the lessons I was covering in the public speaking class were similar to the lessons that they were teaching, one-on-one, to the people in their job...

Today I'm going to show you use the way that you speak to become a better leader because if you want to strengthen your presence and really motivate your team to a higher performance. One of the fastest ways to do that is to be able to deliver inspiring speeches that energize, engage, and really align with your team. So in this session I'm going to teach you how to turn your standard business update into an inspirational speech that leaves a more lasting impact. Even though ...

Today I'll give you 7 compelling reason why you should focus more on improving your presentation skills. And, I know that I'm preaching to the choir because you're listening to the podcast. However, most people who subscribe to Fearless presentations typically subscribe to solve a single issue. Perhaps they have a big speech coming up and they want to feel more comfortable. Then, once that person feels like they conquered that challenge, they may stop listening. I get it. There are only so ma...

On this episode, I'm going to share with you the most popular tool that we ever published on the Fearless Presentations website. And it's funny because, in the 300+ episodes of the show, I don't think I've mentioned this tool more than a couple of times -- and it's always in passing. So, I apologize for that. But with all of the new AI tools like ChatGPT and Grok, I think it's time to tell you a little about one of the best tools designing a presentation in minutes versus hours or days. It's ...

As presenters, we often focus on how we look, what visual aids we will use, and how we sound to the audience. But Sight and sound are just two of the senses. On today's episode, I'm going to show you how you can add a few simple things to your presentation to enhance the additional senses of touch, smell, and even taste. Now, obviously, if you are presenting the financial report to the board of directors, you can probably just move onto the next episode. But, if you are wanting to create a me...

Even great content can fall flat if it’s delivered poorly. One awkward phrase, one outdated cliché, or one moment of uncertainty can derail your entire presentation. That’s why knowing what to avoid in a speech is just as important as knowing what to include. You might have years of experience or the perfect PowerPoint presentation, but if you open with a weak phrase, or worse, a cringe-worthy one, you risk losing your audience’s attention before your message even begins. In this episode, w...

I taught a public speaking class in Houston last week for a great group of people. We had an absolute blast. But the class was a little smaller than normal. And it got me thinking about a topic that I covered a couple of years ago, but we haven't really delved into a lot -- public speaking coaching. If you'd listened to a few episodes, you'll know that I am a big fan of public speaking classes because classes allow participants to practice speaking in a controlled environment. They are a saf...

This week, I’m covering how to master Q&A Sessions in a speech. This is the part of the presentation that most people dread because it is spontaneous and unplanned. And, because it is spontaneous and unplanned, it can be terrifying for new presenters. So on this episode, I’m going to show you how this couple of minutes can be your secret weapon as a presenter (especially if you are trying to sell or persuade your audience.) I also give you five tips to help you master the Q&A se...

This week, I'm going to give you a very simple, step-by-step process to help you improve your public speaking skills in just one week. This process is very similar to the one we use in our public speaking classes. And itis designed to help presenters create new habits that lead to better presentations. If you follow the process, you'll only need to put in 10 to 30 minutes of work on each of five workdays. And by the end of the work week, you will have created a pretty good persuasive speech ...

A couple of weeks ago, I started a series on how to get paid to speak. In week one, we talked about different types of motivational speakers and what a professional speaker is. Then, last week, I covered a few things that you absolutely need to do in order to get clients to pay you as a speaker. This week, I'll show you how to cash in on one of the most lucrative industries on the planet. We'll cover three ways to get clients to pay you to speak. Remember what we covered in the first session ...

Last week I started a series on how to get paid to speak. And if you are a new listener to Fearless Presentations, you might be thinking, "How can I get paid to speak if I'm scared to death to stand up in front of a group?" If that is the case, just go back to some of the earlier episodes for tips on how to reduce nervousness. In this episode and the next couple, I'm going to show you how you can cash in on one of the highest-paid professions in the world. This week, I cover the five th...

Public speaking is one of (if not THE) highest-paid professions in the world. In this episode, I'll dispel the myth about what a professional speaker is. Basically, a professional speaker is just a person whom someone has paid to give a presentation. So, elementary school teachers are professional speakers. So are trial attorneys. So are salespeople, Realtors, and combat officers who give mission briefings. Each of these types of presenters delivers information in presentations or briefings...

This week, I explain the difference between the different formats of public speaking training in 2025. Communication has changed a lot in the last decade, and you now have every piece of information ever printed in the world at your fingertips. AI can now write speeches for you. With all this technology and information available, what is the absolute best way in 2025 to reduce public speaking fear? Is there an easier way to conquer this fear now than in the past? Well, maybe. You can listen...

In his episode, we're going to talk about filler words and how to reduce the negative fillers that can be annoying. Fillers come in a few different formats. Some are just sounds. These fillers are the ones that, when we do them, we tend to get more nervous because we think the audience is judging us. These are the ers, the uhms, the youknows, etc. How to stop saying Um is one of the most common public speaking concerns. Um is a filler word. And filler words are a natural part of ever...

On this episode, I cover seven easy ways for ESL presenters (presenters who present in English but English is their second language) to reduce nervousness. If English is your first language, don't worry, because most of the tips will help you as well. In fact, the first four of the seven tips are things that anyone can use to reduce public speaking fear. The remaining three tips are ones that are specific to ESL presenters (or presenters who are delivering presentations to international audie...

In his episode, I'm getting back to our roots -- so to speak. The topic is How to Overcome Stage Fright. In the past, we've covered different forms of this performance anxiety, like Imposter Syndrome, and I've covered how to reduce public speaking fear on a number of episodes. Stage fright is slightly different, though. It can come from public speaking fear or other types of stage performances like singing, playing music, acting, or performing in sporting events. While doing the resea...