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One of the most common fears is public speaking and that’s why practice is essential when you’re going to do it. This episode is all about how to establish who you are as a speaker as you put it into practice. Nate Woodbury, YouTube Producer and public speaker, is here to give us some tips of how to go about it.
Alright. In this video, we’re going to get nitty-gritty with how to practice public speaking. That’s something that I need practice with. And I know that Michelle here has some great answers. Alright, so just to start off, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind on the topic of how to practice public speaking. -So one of my little hot buttons in the National Speakers Association, especially within our chapter and new members is you can talk about speaking or you can actually speak. And so whether you’re getting paid to speak now or not speaking, practice is really an important part about establishing who you are as a speaker. And getting so good at your craft that people hire you all the time just because they know that you’re a fantastic speaker. So, practicing is so important. And it’s also good for you too, good for you to figure out what works what doesn’t, what do you like what don’t you like. And I’m a huge fan of just actually speaking. -So, I’m getting into speaking more and more. I’ve worked with speakers for years but I’m just starting to do it myself and I’m working with a speech writer to help me craft things and that’s going well. But as far as like the memorization of it or the delivery of it and practicing it, this is where I really need help. So, I’m excited to get some real tangible pointers here on how to real really practice because I know the more… The more stages, I get on the more timely speak, I’ll naturally get better through that type of practice. But what can I do off stage. -So, first and foremost, as silly as it sounds don’t be afraid to practice in your mirror. I think that seeing yourself speak the way that you… Your mannerisms, how your hand gestures work, how your face is, sometimes we think we’re smiling but we’re actually scowling. And so practicing in a mirror is really good. And if you hate that, if you cannot handle that, record yourself. Like put just put your phone up, record yourself speaking and then go back and watch it. That’ll help you with the craft of stage presence but at least it gives you the opportunity to… Opportunity to practice even just looking at yourself. But go deeper, okay?
So, practice at home but then I also recommend that you speak for humans on a regular basis. So, whether that’s just a few neighbors that you invite into your house or going into businesses and offering to speak for free or finding some free speaking engagements where you can give your full speech from start to finish. In a space where you’re still providing value but there… But you you’re feeling more comfortable than if you’re going to ask for a speaking fee. Getting practice at every single stage and level both individually for yourself and then also in front of real humans is really valuable. -Okay. So, I’ve learned a little bit about your story. We found some other episodes that you definitely ought to check out. So, you’re in debate in high school and did really well. So well, that she got a scholarship for speaking, right? Got a scholarship. So, if you actually practice in the mirror? -Absolutely. -So, okay. That’s awesome. -And one of the other things I recommend, speaking of high school debate, is in high school debate, you learn something called impromptu speaking. And in impromptu speaking, you’re given 3 topics and you have 7 minutes. So you get one minute to practice or think through I crafted a whole speech in your mind. And then you have to give 7… Give us 6 minute speech. And so, that was one of the different types of speaking events that I did back in high school and in college. And I think that was one of the best things that I ever did. Being an impromptu speaker helps you craft sentences on the fly and also helps you when circumstances don’t go your way. Memorizing a speech from start to finish is fantastic and you can get comfortable with that. But then what happens if you accidentally trip or if somebody interjects something while you’re talking. Impromptu speaking can help you with the audience interaction piece and also just becoming quicker on your feet for the things that you want to say. And so, I still do a little impromptu speeches and I’ll do random searches on dictionaries or look up some online. Pick one of them and then give a speech. Whether that’s you know in the bathroom or just walking around the house when my kids are gone because I think it’s so important to continue that practice of allowing your brain to engage and actually say the things that you want to say. Even if they’re not fantastic speeches. -Awesome. So… We’re a part of the local chapter of the National Speakers Association. Michelle is actually the president of our chapter this year. So, we commonly… What we associate in professional speaking circles. But I want to ask your opinion about Toastmasters. -Okay. -Because Toastmasters I see kind of being on the opposite end of the spectrum. Where the NSA is focused on the professional side of it, making a business out of it, getting hired and booked to speak. Whereas Toastmasters, it’s been a while since I… Since I’ve attended a group but it’s just a small group. Most of them don’t speak professionally. Sometimes it’s more of a hobby. But they’re just given like they go through exercises like that where they’re given a topic on the spot and they just have to get up there and talk for 3 minutes or talk for 5 minutes.
So, have you experienced Toastmasters? -So, I attended about 10 years ago a few times. But didn’t attend. Haven’t tend recently and they do back there. I’ve actually spoken for a group of Toastmasters and organization where I help them with some of the things that they’re working on for district or national events. And I think it’s a great organization. For people who are just getting started or people who are recognizing they want to grow a little bit in their own communication skills, Toastmasters does a lot of those impromptu speaking or preparing short small speeches or working on a story that you could maybe provide some value within your own relationships and I think that’s a great way to start. Some of what we need in professional speaking is really just in communicating one-on-one and back and forth with each other. And some of the best professional speakers bring people up on the stage and have a conversation with complete strangers and they’re entertaining, they’re engaging, they’re providing content but having that experience at a Toastmasters will prepare you for some of those audience engagement type of speaking as you become a professional speaker. -I attended for a while. I think it was like almost weekly for about 6 months. But at the time I really wasn’t… I I wasn’t doing it as a hobby. I was doing it for professional reasons but yet it was premature because I wasn’t really working on a presentation. I wasn’t trying to deliver, get hired or speak anywhere. So now is maybe a time and… The crazy thing is it’s like pennies. I think they would like charge me a monthly membership but it’s it’s it was like six bucks a month or something like that just to cover like the cost of the materials. And if that is something that you’re interested in, I remember when I was looking around for local Toastmasters group. There were dozens of them. And my recommendation would be smaller is better because you’ll get more opportunities to just… You take turns. And it doesn’t really matter who’s in the group. I think when I went… Initially I was going for also more self promoting reasons. I wanted to kind of let them know who I was. Kind of how it happened in NSA too. I do want to ask about memorization because I’ve… And I’ve got now you know, a 50-minute presentation that’s… It’s not scripted work for… Most of its scripted word for word. So how do I go about memorizing something like that? -This is really tricky. Because I have a really hard time memorizing. It’s not my nature. I don’t know if it’s something within my brain that needs to be rewired or something but memorization is really hard. And up to this point I really have been an outline speaker or I will make slides on a presentation or PowerPoint and I can click through them and go, “Oh, yeah. That’s what I was going to say next.” Because my background is more in except radius or impromptu speaking. That works for me. But for other people, it’s really good to memorize. One of the reasons why I’m an advocate of memorization, even though it’s really hard for me is you never know what the audience is going to pick up on because you said a sentence that clicked with them. And sometimes when we’re just outlined speakers, we tend to ramble a little or we don’t quite get to the point or we don’t say a sentence in a way that provides power. We kind of dance around it. They get the principal but not a statement that they can stick with them. So, memorizing even your key statements or your key bullet points will help you. And I… Over the years, have figured it out what ways to say things based off of audience interaction. There’s a story that I tell that I made a joke once just off the, off the cuff. And everybody laughed and I didn’t think anybody would laugh. And so now I tell that story with that line the exact same way and practice it that way because it does it gets a laugh. But memorization is really important. But even though when it’s hard for me, I think to myself, “Okay, if I’m giving…” Like when I gave my TEDx talk. I was like, “Here are the seven statements, I have to say word-for-word because I want those to have power and to last long after the speech.” And so, otherwise, you can go granular. And if you can memorize, I’m also a huge fan of recording yourself giving the speech. So, either use your voice memo on your phone or record it in an audio format that you can listen and download like an mp3, hear yourself saying the words in the tone inflection at the rate of speed that you want. And it becomes easier to memorize because it’s not just the word but it’s at a presentation and a way that you want it. Hopefully that’ll be helpful. -Maybe you could sing it? -Yeah. Some people do learn how to sing it. But then they have a hard time not singing when they’re on the stage. -Alright. I look down. I cheat out. I looked it at the notes. Just to touch on quickly a couple other things that I think would be helpful to share. Just some kind of like list off some of the things that we talked about other ways that you can practice speaking. -Well, some people will think that they just have to be on a stage to practice and that’s not true. I try all the months that I am light. I will either give a teleseminar, a webinar or beef up my podcasts and my own platforms. So that I’m speaking, I’m telling stories, I’m interacting with people, I’m interacting with audiences and I’m continuing to practice the craft and practice the messages. It’s also a great way to practice new content.
So, throw it out there, tell people they can listen to it for free. You can grow your email list that way too. But it’s still a great way to practice. But then also be on other people’s channels. So this is a great opportunity to practice your speaking skills, being on interviews, shows, podcasts whatever it is. Continue to work on crafting your stories and your key core messages all the time. -Well, I wonder what would happen if I just turned on Facebook live and just started giving the speech. -I have told… I have actually challenged a few of my clients to do that. Because they need the opportunity to put it out there and get feedback. So, hey, I say Facebook watch it or YouTube live it or something. -Well hopefully, that give you some good ideas of how to practice giving a speech or practice and polish your speech. Thanks Michelle. Be sure to subscribe and we’ll see you tomorrow.