The Speaking Club: Mastering the Art of Public Speaking

Stories have been with us since before language was invented to pass on history, learning, to keep order and to keep us alive, and they are as important today as they ever have been. For Speakers, and anyone who is selling…whether that's a product, an idea, a change or any solution to a problem…being able to tell stories that create an emotional connection with your audience will get you results. I've spent years studying and writing stories, and have used them extensively, as a comedian, a speaker, an entrepreneur, and a playwright. In this episode, (the first of a few I'll be doing on storytelling), I want to share why I believe stories are so critical to business and speaking success. I also give you the essential ingredients great stories must have and practical examples of these in films, adverts and copy so you can see how they work. I've also got another great freebie to give away at the end, so keep listening. What you'll learn: Why are stories a critical tool for your speaking and business success? The framework you need to follow to make sure your strategy and message are clear before you even think about adding in the stories and humour. The essential ingredients of a great story Examples of stories in action everywhere! Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. See you next time. Resources: Storytelling Template for Success Expert Secrets

In this show, Helen Saxton, tells us about how she managed to combine all her passions to create a unique business. It's a business which uses storytelling brought to life to keep audiences engaged, entertained and learning. She shares some great tips for dealing with difficult delegates, and how she uses humour to bond teams. Helen is also an award-winning pitcher, (not the baseball kind, (although I didn't ask that question, so I might be selling her short there)), and gives some insight into how she developed and delivered her barn storming business pitch. Hope you enjoy this episode and get some useful tips for your speaking journey. Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. See you next time! Resources: Find Charaderie: http://www.charaderie.co.uk / Twitter: @Charaderie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charaderie/

It's said that you are only five relationships away from making a million dollars! In episode three of The Speaking Club, I'm sharing all my secrets for creating a killer elevator pitch, so you will be ready when opportunity knocks. Alongside my speaking, coaching and performing, I write… books, plays, jokes and copy. I've written 100s of elevator and investor pitches for clients, and on this show, I share some of my secrets. I talk you through my ICE CUBE framework, and give you practical examples of each step of the pitch creation process. I also cover off how to prepare, and when to break out your pitch. What you will learn: What is an elevator pitch? What makes a great elevator pitch? The essential ingredients of a killer elevator pitch How to use the 5 whys to get to the customer pain point How to use a segue question to carry on the discussion. Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. See you next time. Resources: Go to https://www.standoutpitch.com to get Your FREE copy of Straight to the Top 'How to Create & Deliver a Killer Elevator Pitch by Sarah (plus awesome bonuses)

In my opinion, if you're a public speaker, you are also an entertainer… yes your primary purpose is likely to be to educate, inform, or inspire, but without being able to grab people's attention, to keep them interested and stimulated, whatever message you have is likely to get lost. So, it stands to reason we could probably learn a lot from professional entertainers, which leads me to this week's guest, Richard Parsons. Richard is an award winning, professional close-up magician, pick pocket and full member of the magic circle. This is an action-packed episode, not only do we delve into the life of a magician, and get the curtain pulled back on some tricks of the trade, but we get some great speaking advice. Richard talks about managing nerves, tips for engaging people, Coué's Law and the power of auto-suggestion, how he gets bookings, and lots, lots more more. Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. See you next time. Resources: Cracking Speech Mate – How to Use Humour to Make You an Amazing Speaker See Coué's law in action https://youtu.be/kTO94wJXQoc Find Richard: http://www.gloucestershiremagician.co.uk/ Twitter: @Glosmagician Instagram: @Glosmagician Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloucestershiremagician/

Welcome to the first episode of 'The Speaking Club', a podcast I've wanted to do for a long time to share some of the insights I've picked up over the years, and to share the learning from experts that will be coming on as guests, to help with all aspects of your public speaking journey. My other key aspiration with this podcast is to have some fun! Laughter has been a big part of my life, and I think there's not enough of it in business, so I'm hoping with the learning, you also get some smiles. Whether you're just starting out, have some experience with speaking in public, or you make a living speaking professionally, there's will be something here for everyone. In this first episode, I tell you a bit more about the show, my background story, and share some tools and techniques for overcoming any fears you may have around public speaking, that will also work for other areas of your life. Mindset is such an important skill to master for public speaking success. Lots of people have a general fear about speaking full stop, whilst many have a fear around a particular area, maybe adding humour, story-telling, or audience interaction, which hampers their ability to become a great speaker, rather than just an adequate one. This hit home to me recently because of a response I got to one of the questions within a survey I put out. The person wrote that they had such fear around giving presentations, that they actively avoided any chance of doing so, even if it meant missing out on promotions in the past. Having your ambitions and life limited in this way is so sad, and I hope that some of the tips I share in this episode will help anyone else feeling that way, whatever the fear is related to. So, in this episode here's what you learn: The rule for overcoming fear and increasing confidence. Where negative thoughts come from and why it's completely normal to have them. How you can manage and neutralise negative thoughts to diminish their power. How you can develop your power to control your mind for peak performance and increased focus. The secret tool for overcoming procrastination when it comes to taking important decisions. A great technique to stop your mind sabotaging you taking action towards achieving your goals and dreams. Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: leave a comment below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn. To help the show out: Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and review really help get the word out and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes. Here are a list of resources mentioned in the show*: Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway: How to Turn Your Fear and Indecision into Confidence and Action The 5 Second Rule: The Surprisingly Simple Way to Live, Love, and Speak with Courage The Confidence Gap See you next time. 🙂