They say that people have a greater fear of speaking in public than they do of death.
And while this is not actually true – the research results are used with a large degree of poetic licence – for many, speaking in public still feels edgy and risky.
If people feel worry about speaking in public, how do we change that? By creating a space where people can practice speaking, learn some skills on how to develop their voice and be supported in the process.
Recently, I have delivered a short version of my one-day speaking workshop to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber Members. We call it “Speaking without Freaking” which definitely
says what it does on the tin.
During the session, we look at a simple speech framework and then several members get the chance to write a short speech and deliver it to the room, with overall feedback and coaching provided.
The two sessions we have delivered so far have both been sold out, and a few of the participants who spoke during the sessions went on to create clients from that room. Not a bad return on using your voice and developing your speaking skills.
As we start to use more AI there is a need to have more personality, trust and connection in our marketing. Developing your speaking skills is a great way to do this, because AI can do a lot of
things, but it can’t be you.
I’m really looking forward to running more sessions next year, with focus on more advanced speaking practice.