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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Think Your Nasal Voice Is Sexy? Think Again!

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who are so conce ed with their visual image, watching their weight, working out, donning the most recent style of clothing, and yet are totally in the dark when it comes to the sound of their speaking voice. If you are plagued with a voice that is nasal, whiny, high-pitched and thin, you are not doing justice to your visual image. People recognize you by the sound of your voice. Unfortunately, how you think you sound and how you actually sound are two different ball games.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***If Only One Voice Matters, What Is Yours Saying?

When I was in graduate school studying music composition, my singing professor told me that the pitch of my speaking voice was too high and proceeded to show me my ‘real’ voice. Deeper in pitch, warm and resonant, my ‘real’ voice no longer exhibited whiny, young-sounding qualities. At the same time, I was waiting on tables at an exquisite restaurant in Columbia, Maryland, by the name of King’s Contrivance. Upon discovering my real voice, I knew I was going to sell more food. And, it worked. I sounded more mature; I sold the higher-priced items; and, my tips went up.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Why Public Speaking Is NOT Acting

Having read Jane Andrew’s article entitled Public Speaking is Acting, I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you why the best public speakers are not acting: they are communicating. Acting requires memorization of a script that has been marked by the actor; i.e., pause here, smile ...

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

Voice Training Not Only Improves Your Voice But Your Diction As Well

One of the most fascinating things I find on television or in the movies is that everyone’s speech is clear and understandable. Whether the actors are playing hoodlums or heroes, whether the characters are from Harlem or Park Avenue, they all speak distinctly. This particular characteristic is a prerequisite for actors whether they are on stage or in front of the camera.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

*** 3 Steps to End Breathlessness in Public Speaking

A common complaint for those giving presentations or speeches is that they run out of air and can never seem to catch up on their air supply. The biggest problem with breathlessness is that your body is starved for oxygen because you are not allowing yourself the luxury of breathing. Instead, you are waiting until the last moment to take a breath; and, at that particular stage in respiration, the breath you inhale will largely be ineffective because it will only increase your stress rather than decrease it. When you are in normal conversation, do you ever wonder when to breathe?

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Is Your Fear of Public Speaking Hindering Your Advancement?

I am amazed at the number of people who confide in me that their fear of speaking at a lecte or even at the head of a boardroom table is jeopardizing their career advancement. This is so unfortunate because their fear is control of them instead of the other way around. Everyone is nervous in public speaking – or should be. Personally, I want you nervous because it makes you more alert and more focused. The secret, however, lies in harnessing that nervousness and putting it to good use.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Public Speaking Is the Art of Communicating WITH an Audience

If you are looking for the best means of delivering a speech or presentation, the first thing you need to understand is that public speaking is a form of oral communication with an audience. Too often, speakers do not recognize that this form of delivery is a 2-way street. They assume that the role of the audience is to sit and listen.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Do You Know the Difference Between the Informative and the Persuasive Presentation?

Whatever your reason for standing in front of an audience, it is important to identify your objective before you even outline your material. What is your primary goal? Are you being requested by your boss to give a report on your latest sales presentation? Are you taking a course in public speaking and it is your turn to deliver a speech? Maybe you are interested in pursuing public speaking as a career.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***To Mark Your Script or Not? That Is the Question in Public Speaking

It is interesting to note the diverse opinions when it comes to marking your speech with pauses and smiley faces and underlining particular words for emphasis. My questions to you follow. Do you want to give a speech that is akin to delivering a script as if you were acting on a stage? Or, do you want to deliver your speech as if you were having a conversation in your living room? Your answer will determine whether you should mark script or not.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

Do You Sound Like a Valley Girl When You Speak?

Ending your sentences on the upswing is what I call the Valley Girl sound. Basically, it means that your statements sound like questions. It may be cute for 16-year-olds, but it definitely does not lend credibility to a professional image. If you are ending your sentences on a pitch higher than that with which you started, you should make the change. Careers are built on ability, credibility, and sounding mature – not too old – not too young. When your inflection makes you sound like you are questioning yourself, you are not projecting a professional image. Nor do you sound credible.r

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***When to Memorize (& When Not To) in Public Speaking

I am not an advocate of memorization in public speaking except for your opening and possibly your closing. Because the opening is the most difficult part of the delivery, I recommend memorizing the first 3-4 lines. If ever there was a time when I wanted you to be flawless and smooth, it is then. It will bolster your confidence and make the rest of your delivery that much easier to control. [You may want to memorize your closing as well, but that aspect of your delivery does not conce me as much as having a very strong impact when you first begin.]

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Speaking in Living Color

They say that variety is the spice of life and the same holds true for the voice which has color, those various and vivid effects in speech which give life to the voice. Good pacing, pause, force, duration, inflection, variety of pitch and your attitude characterize a truly dynamic speaking voice. Take the statement, He likes me, and by stressing a different word each time you say it, you will have three different meanings. He likes me. (He of all the others) He likes me. (He doesn’t dislike me) He likes me. (Me from all the others)

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***When “Um’s” & “Ah’s” Are Part of Your Vocabulary -- You Know?

One of the most annoying traits in speaking is the use of verbal tics. We have all heard them at one time or another. If you are aware that your speech is plagued with these filler words, it would be a good idea to work on eliminating them because they take away from your message: your audience loses focus on what you are saying. Instead, they begin counting! Words like um and ah are the most obvious. They are common; they are annoying; and, they mar your speech.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Man's Greatest Fear Need Not Be Yours!

Have you ever questioned what you are truly afraid of in public speaking? Personally, I am glad that you are nervous; if you’re not, then something is wrong. All the greats – from professional athletes to entertainers are nervous. And, they will tell you so. It is their nervousness, however, that enhances their abilities.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Public Speaking Is More About Your Audience and Less About You

You’ve been invited or requested to speak and while your immediate reaction may be debilitating fear, at some point, you begin to focus on your material and/or your delivery. My question to you is what is goal? Are you aware that unless you know your audience, your goal cannot be fully recognized? - Too often we are so conce ed about what we are going to say and how we are going to say it that we neglect our reason for speaking.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

Do You Run Out of Air BEFORE You Run Out of Sentence?

I remember when one of my sons was in 2nd or 3rd grade and was practicing reading out loud. He would take a breath after almost every word. Teachers explain to children in that age group that they should wait to take a breath until they come to the end of the sentence. At that age, there are only 6 or 7 words in the sentence!

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Why the Soft-Spoken Voice Does Not Sell

When people ask you to repeat yourself, do you think that you have been speaking loudly enough? Do you often get interrupted when you are talking? Do you feel that no one is listening to you? If you are soft-spoken, I’m sure that I just hit a nerve. You are being talked over or interrupted ...

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Allowing Nervousness to Work for You in Public Speaking

Dry mouth, sweaty palms, heart racing, wobbly knees, jittery hands, stomach in knots, quivering lips. How many of these symptoms are typical of you before you even walk to the podium? Hopefully, at least one! Yes, I want you nervous because if you aren’t excited, agitated, stressed, or panicky in some fashion, then I am. The best at public speaking get nervous when standing on the podium and they are not alone.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

Speaking with Color - You Don't Want Too Much Or Too Little

Color refers to those various effects in speech which give life to your delivery. Another way to describe color is the emotion and the animation heard in your voice and seen in your body language and facial expression when talking. The interesting thing about color is that you don’t want too much or too little. Similar to the fairy tale, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears, you want the right amount of color when you speak to keep your audience’s attention on your words.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Stop Obsessing About Public Speaking and Just Do It!

Ah, the perfectionist and public speaking. Without a doubt, those who seek perfection when addressing an audience are chasing an elusive dream. There are no sports played perfectly, no concerts performed without a flaw and no theater productions that are delivered without a mistake. While you may believe that the game was thrilling, or the concert was sublime, or the play was excellent, none of those adjectives mean perfection.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Why You Can't Ignore Vocal Abuse

While my last article dealt with the causes and cure for vocal abuse, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the reason you must end this abuse as soon as possible. Simply put: where would you be without a voice? Whether you are suffering from discomfort, pain, or hoarseness to either ...

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Improve Your Voice; Improve Your Life

Imagine the CEO of a company sounding like Fran Drescher in her role as “The Nanny” or the bimbo voice Melanie Griffith. Hard to imagine, isn’t it? In fact, when Melanie Griffith played in the movie “Working Girl” in which she takes over for her boss, she enrolls in voice training in order to sound more mature. One of the best means of improving your life is to discover your ‘real’ or true voice because the one you are presently using is probably not it. (Isn’t it a shame that Griffith didn’t keep that more mature sound in her real life?)

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***How Breathlessness and Nervousness Go Hand-in-Hand in Public Speaking

One of the greatest problems for the novice in public speaking is nervousness which often results in lack of air. While nervousness should be one of your greatest benefits when addressing an audience, breathlessness is not. The problem with the latter is that it increases your stress which in turn increases your nervousness. Left unchecked, it can even cause panic. So how do you deal with both the vicious cycle? The answer is surprisingly simple yet most people are unaware of the solution.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Nasality Puts a Real Damper on a Sexy Speaking Voice

Whenever I hold a 2-day workshop, my clients do a ‘before & after’ video which is not only eye-opening but most definitely ear-opening as well. What is striking is the decrease in nasality no matter the background, the language or the culture of the individual. This change occurs because of a change in voice placement. Most people use 4 of their 5 resonators to produce voiced sound; and, of those 4 resonators, the 2 most heavily used are the throat (pharynx) and the voice box (larynx.) The other 2 resonators include the mouth and the nose.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***The 5 Biggest Mistakes Made in Public Speaking

I recently had the opportunity to hear a world-renowned public speaker and was surprised as well as disappointed by his delivery. While his message was excellent, his means of delivering that message would have gotten him a C- in my college public speaking class. Without a doubt, content is important in any form of public speaking; however, if your entire script is written out word-for-word in your PowerPoint presentation, why bother? It would be a better use of the audience’s time if you would Xerox it, pass it out, and then everyone can go home!

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***How Much Value Do You Place on Your Visual Presentation in Getting a Job?

Most people in business today are eager to learn and improve their business skills. They read articles; they listen to webinars; and, they attend bootcamps in the hopes of securing a better future for themselves. Your competition is fierce. Other candidates are just as hungry for the job as you are. Many may be just as talented as you in fulfilling the duties required for the position. This is when having the knowledge and necessary skills in presenting yourself professionally could be the deciding factor in who gets the job.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***The 4 Characteristics of a Good Introductory Speech

If you are a member of a business or social organization, such as the Lions, the Rotary, a chamber of commerce, BNI or another type of leads or referral group, there is the possibility that you will be responsible for introducing a speaker at one of your meetings or functions. Known as the introductory speech, there are 4 things you need to do to accomplish your goal effectively. 1. Keep it brief. While your role is important, your audience is there to hear the person you are introducing, not you. Consider yourself the conduit between your audience and the speaker.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***A Monotone Voice Does Not Sell in Public Speaking or Anywhere Else for That Matter!

Speaking in monotone is more than just a problem. It is boring. There is no other way to say it. The problem with a monotone delivery is that it puts your audience to sleep and it does so very quickly. If actors were to speak in monotone, television, movies and theaters would not be one of our greatest forms of entertainment. The other problem if you speak in a monotone is that it gives the wrong impression to your listeners. It says that you do not care because no emotion is being seen, heard, or felt. I worked with a lovely woman by the name of Dawn.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Good Diction Could Be the Deciding Factor in Who Gets the Job

Today, good diction is on the decline. We are a nation of people who mumble, speak too quickly, or are generally too lazy to make the effort to speak clearly. In addition, we are the world’s largest melting pot with millions of people whose accent may be difficult to understand. - If you expect to prosper in your professional life, you will be much more successful if you speak distinctly.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***How to Avoid Public Speaking Excuses

I love to hear the excuses my clients give for why they did not do well at their last speaking engagement. Whatever the excuse, in most cases, the real reason for this problem is lack of preparation. I cannot tell you how many people tell me that they went over their material several times and they still did not do well giving their speech or presentation. I then ask them how they practiced and they proceed to explain that they went over it in their mind on numerous occasions. Do you know the mistake in that scenario? They went over it in their mind.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***5 Common Misconceptions about Your Speaking Voice

It is fascinating to listen to others explain why they sound the way they do. I am sure that I have heard it all in my many years teaching voice improvement. What I have found, however, is that you have a better voice inside no matter how you hear yourself or how others recognize your sound. The 5 most prevalent misconceptions about the voice are:

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Get Your Elevator Speech Ready Today!

Do you know how many opportunities are missed by not striking up a conversation with someone in an elevator for example? How about when you are waiting in line at a popular restaurant? Maybe you are sitting at the airport in preparation for your flight. Perhaps you are waiting for the doors to open at a football stadium or hockey arena. You could be one of thousands of people taking the subway in New York or the El in Chicago.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***If You Plan on a Career in Public Speaking, Take Notes on Your Audience

When given the opportunity to speak, most people are so conce ed with their material and delivery, that little, if any, consideration is given to their audience. After finishing your speech or presentation, take notes on your audience and how receptive they were as well as your specific topic. Keeping this information updated in a program on your computer will do much to add to your success in public speaking.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***If You Clip Your Words, Your Message Can Get Lost

Recently I was talking to a woman on the phone and I was continually asking her to repeat herself. When our business was completed, I told her that because of the way she clipped her words, I had missed much of what she was saying. Admittedly, had I been facing her in conversation, it would have been much easier to understand her; however, on the phone where there is no visual support for speech, much of what she was saying was lost.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***If You Are Suffering from Vocal Abuse, Voice Training Is the Only Answer

I hear it on a daily basis. People complaining to me that they are constantly hoarse, have a persistent sore throat, or lose their voice by the end of the day. The one I just read about is a young man who wants to speak louder in the clubs without hurting his throat. Unfortunately, vocal abuse is a real and growing problem for people who use their voice heavily throughout the day or who are in loud environments and resort to shouting to be heard. The result is often damage to the vocal folds (cords) which may be permanent if it happens often enough.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Accents Are Not a Problem As Long As Your Speech Is Understandable

A lot of people contact me because they want to speak more clearly, more distinctly. What I explain to my clients and customers is that my goal for them is not to eliminate their accent – merely to have them be understood the 1st time they say it. I like accents. An accent or even a dialect is part of what makes you, you.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Do You Know What Color Refers to in Speaking?

Being expressive when you speak is referred to as color. Color is heard in the various and vivid effects of your vocal sound: it is also seen in your facial expression and body language. Speaking without color is called speaking in a monotone. It is also called boring. - You can have the most resonant, dynamic speaking voice, but if you lack expression then it is quite possible that you are putting your audience or your listeners to sleep!

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Acting and Public Speaking? Worlds Apart

Acting and public speaking have only two things in common: both need an audience and both involve words coming out of your mouth. That is where the similarities end however. Actors who teach public speaking often disagree with me on this point because they fail to recognize that public speaking is the art of communicating with an audience whereas acting is a means of entertaining an audience.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Why You Should Not Memorize the Body of Your Speech or Presentation

At a workshop I was holding in Toronto, one of the participants proceeded to deliver part of a rote, memorized persuasive presentation. This man, who I will call Bill, told us that he was a ‘professional’ speaker and that his presentations lasted 90 minutes. Luckily for us, he was only allowed to speak for 8-9 minutes; however, it took just 5 minutes of his memorized script for the attention of the group to begin to fade, as their eyes glazed over. What was so interesting about Bill’s delivery was that at one point, he forgot a word.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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By Nancy DanielsRecently published1 topic

***Is Your Voice Telling on You?

Having worked with the speaking voice for more than 25 years, I have heard them all. What does your voice say about you? Does it say you are weak or strong? Does it say that you are soft-spoken or too loud? Does it say that you speak in a monotone or does it exude color, life and emotion? Do you speed through your sentences at a 100 mph or dawdle at 50? If you are curious as to the image your voice projects, record yourself during a normal conversation by means of a camcorder or some other type of recording equipment. Then play it back and listen to it.

Primary topic: Public Speaking
Public Speaking
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