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Transcript Fred Miller, NO SWEAT Public Speaking! Here are three ways to make your video better. Whether you’re doing your own videos or you’re on zoom call. Number One: SOUND! People will watch bad video, they won’t listen to bad audio. Get a microphone that’s a good one. This is a lavalier microphone.  They don’t cost all that much. Number Two: YOU! A lot of the cameras on your computers are not all that good. Some webcams can cost a lot of money. Here’s the deal. You’ve got a great web camera in your pocket or in your purse. It’s your phone; iPhone, Android. Those have wonderful cameras and there’s software that will let you use them just like I’m doing Number Three: Your BACKGROUND! I have seen some horrible backgrounds. I’ve seen backgrounds like this, completely distracting. . People are going to look at that and say, “What is it? Where’d it come from?” You don’t want background like that. And then you might have a background that’s too dark. You don’t want this. You want a very simple background. Definitely not like this! Now if you have a green screen you can do some cool things. If you’re going to talk about Elevator Speeches,  like I do, this is a great background. But I also like a simple black and white background.  That makes you, the speaker, stand out from it. Now, you don’t have to have a fancy green screen  and lighting like I do. Just make your backgrounds simple and not distracting. Do those three things for Better Video: Better SOUND, Better YOU, with a better camera, and Better BACKGROUND and I guarantee your next  presentation will be absolutely, positively, NO SWEAT! ———————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” This is the THIRD Edition and contains lots of new material!

MY BACKSTORY “Google Me!” Here is my ‘BackStory’ of how I came to use, and suggest using, the phrase: “Google Me! Picture this: You’ve sent out resumes, or, if in business for yourself, proposals for projects. You’re making follow-up calls and typically, you’re going to hear something like this: “I received your resume / proposal and it looks good! I also looked at your personal website. (Everyone should have a personal/professional website.) Wow, you have a lot of good articles, podcasts and videos. It’s impressive. However, I want to know more about you and what you do.” If you’ve been consistently building your Three Legged EXPERT Stool: Blogging, speaking, and promoting those activities, you can say, “If I were you, I’d feel the same way. Do this, please: “Google Me!” Don’t you love that verbiage? I do! What you’re saying is, “Don’t just take my word for how good I am. Check me out!  –  “Google Me!” Here’s the BACKSTORY of that phrase. My wife was an elementary teacher. She taught fourth and fifth grade and then gifted classes. Marcus was an inner-city student attending her suburban school. He came from a tough neighborhood. His father was in and out of prison and his mother held a number of menial jobs. Despite those drawbacks, Marcus was determined to be successful. He was an excellent student and better than average athlete. He also possessed a sparking personality and a smile that drew everyone in. As he changed grades, schools, and cities, he kept in touch with my wife. One day our phone rang and it was Marcus. We put it on speakerphone and my wife said, “Marcus! It’s great to hear from you. How are you doing?” There was a moment of silence and Marcus replied, “Mrs. Miller. Google Me!” I had my laptop on the table and put Marcus’s name into the search bar. Immediately, lots of pages about Marcus filled the page. They were about him being a scholar, an athlete, and a number of colleges recruiting him! WOW! It was heartwarming and thrilling it was for us to see this. Marcus got a full ride scholarship. Now he is coaching high school football. I have no doubt bigger things are in store for him. Lesson: Build your Three Legged EXPERT Stool, so if someone asks how to find out more about you, your response, with an attitude, a good attitude and can be, “Google Me!” Since you’ve read this far, Google Me! HERE. ———————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

GET IT! Transcript Fred Miller, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking! The Goal, “GOAL!” of all communication is that the audience GETS IT! This definitely applies to Elevator Speeches. Because if they don’t know who you are and exactly what you do, they’re  not going to hire you. They’re not going to refer you. CLICK Three Elevator Speech Templates! So they know exactly what you do, make that  Elevator Speech: Clear – No fancy words. Concise – Less is more, and Consistent – Every time you say it, make it’s the same thing Do that and I guarantee your  Elevator Speech will be absolutely, positively, NO SWEAT! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” This is the THIRD Edition and contains lots of new material! #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

My BACKSTORY “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Here is the ‘BackStory’ of how I came to develop Elevator Speeches for myself and others, and write the best selling book: “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Bill Prenatt, the founder of ‘EXPERTS for Entrepreneurs‘, approached me at a meeting and said, “Fred, You’re our Public Speaking, Presentation Expert. At our next event, how about giving the membership a presentation on how to develop and deliver a great Elevator Speech?” “Jeez!” I thought to myself. “I struggle with mine and it stinks! You want me to show others how to create and deliver a great Elevator Speech! Bummer!” FREE Elevator Speech Templates HERE I speak, coach, and write about public speaking and presentation skills. I should have a great Elevator Speech and be able to coach others on developing, practicing, and delivering their own. At that moment I made a decision to get serious, very serious, about my Elevator Speech, although I had no idea what my next step would be. Fortunately, while sitting in my sales class the next day, something inspired me and gave me the direction I needed for this task. We had a new student and, as was always the case, the instructor asked us to “Stand up and give the newbie our Elevator Speech.” I stumbled through mine and listened as other students gave theirs. Most were underwhelming until Roy Reichold, delivered his Elevator Speech. One phrase he used was so profound everyone grabbed a pen and wrote it down. That group of words sparked a fire in me to develop my Ultimate Elevator Speech Template. Since forming that initial one, I’ve created several more. The phrase Roy used was, “HIRE me.” Most Elevator Speeches, including mine till that time, used verbiage like: “I work with people,” or “I help companies.” Compared to “Hire me,” those are pretty wishy washy. “HIRE me,” says: I’m really good at this. I’m proud of it. I don’t do it for free! Now, if that phrase, “HIRE me” dis-qualifies people – Great! Everyone is not a prospect and we shouldn’t waste major time on minor possibilities. Right after “HIRE me” add the word “Because.” “Because,”is important to use. It is an influencer word. When younger, remember asking a parent, “Why do I have to . . .?” The response was probably: “Because I said so!” or “Because it’s the right thing to do.” At the same time, I decided to build that initial Elevator Speech Template on Two Words: Elevator: Deliver it one floor at a time. Everyone doesn’t need or want to go to the top floor. Sometimes it might be beneficial not to start on the first floor. Other times, floors can be skipped. Speech: “Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities! That’s my mantra! An Elevator Speech is a mini-presentation. Clients, prospects, and others ask me for guidance on this. Now, I have a proven formula and templates to give them. I want to give them to you, too! FREE Elevator Speech Templates HERE ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

BACKSTORY Much Better Zoom Presenter Here is the ‘BackStory’ of how I became a Much Better Zoom Presenter. In spring 2020 my wife and I were in South Africa. Covid was spreading quickly and forced us to cut our travel plans. We returned home on March 17th. The world we left was not the one we returned to! The situation bummed me out and I didn’t do much for a few weeks. Eventually, I started attending on-line zoom meetings. WOAH! While this technology gave the opportunity to virtually meet, network, and present, there were SERIOUS PROBLEMS I’ve looked up more noses than an ear, nose, and throat doctor. I’ve seen “inappropriate” items displayed on walls, shelves, and tables. I’ve been unable to understand participants because of their poor audio. I’ve seen backgrounds and lighting that don’t flatter the speaker. I’ve had a hard time, as have other attendees, concentrating on speakers and their messages because of poor internet connections, multiple distractions, and technical glitches. All the above is CLUTTER. They distract attendees and the presenter! After struggling through a number of zoom meetings, realizing the pandemic was not going away quickly, and virtual meetings were going to grow, I was compelled to come up with some fixes. And I did! First and foremost! We cannot Multitask! Multi-Tasking is a myth. We cannot do more than one thing at a time. Here is the example I give all my clients: If you watch any cable news channel you’ll notice there is often a “ticker tape” running along the bottom of the screen. If you’re reading that text as it scrolls along, you miss the audio, and often the video, of the interview or news story you were watching – correct? Confirming this is the fact that as soon as a commercial comes on, the ticker tape is gone! Advertisers would ever pay big bucks to have their messages not have an audience’s complete attention! Here’s the FIX! After initial introductions, the facilitator should mute all participants and have them turn off their video. This eliminates distractions for the presenter and attendees. It also gives the platform more band width, possibly stopping connection problems. These functions can be turned on for Q&A and Discussions. A LOT can be done Before and During Virtual Meetings to make them Great! Get this FREE Zoom Checklist and start hosting and attending much better on-line meetings! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

If You’ve Written or Ever Plan to Write a Book READ THIS ARTICLE! One of the things I stress in my coaching, speaking, and writing is the importance of STORIES! Life is all about stories. Specifically, your personal stories! Those stories support points in the body of your presentation. Your audience won’t usually remember facts and figures. They will remember STORIES! “Walking my talk,” I’m going to write a few posts about my personal stories. Experience tells me these will trigger you to find your stories to tell. This first story is how I found and hired an editor for a re-write of, “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” I had learned so much since first writing it, that it needed to be updated. Third Edition: Revised and Updated – On AMAZON! My Backstory / Finding an EDITOR For quite a while, I wrote a regular column for St. Louis Small Business Monthly. The first of each month, when the on-line version appeared, I gave it a cursory look, copied the link, and promoted myself by pasting it into my social media applications. One month, I decided to read my published article in its entirety. As I read it, I started thinking, “This is good!” Further into the column, I thought to myself, “This is really good.” At the end of the composition, I realized,“I didn’t write it this well!” CLICK for FREE Interactive Speaker’s Template At that point, I retrieved my original article, placed it next to the published one, and started to compare the two. I finished my analysis and noted that lots of little edits resulted in a huge difference in the quality of the final product. At that point, I had to find out what happened to my original article. Ron Amlen is the publisher of Small Business Monthly and I gave him a call. It went like this: “Ron, Thanks for publishing my articles. I really appreciate the exposure you give me by doing that.” I then asked, “The latest article of mine you published isn’t the one I wrote. In fact, it’s much better. What happened?” Ron replied, “I gave to our editor. I give all articles to an editor before publishing them.” In retrospect, I think I knew periodicals had editors review articles before publication. But until analyzing my original and the published one side-by-side, I had no idea how much value a professional editor could add. I had used editors previously, but mostly for correcting punctuation and spelling errors. Psychologically, this presented some problems I had a hard time dealing with. I felt somewhat like an idiot. I’m thinking to myself. Why didn’t I write it this well the first time? I went to college and even though I didn’t take any writing classes, shouldn’t I have known about some of my errors the editor fixed, like tense and punctuation?” Besides being the publisher, Ron is a friend, and I expressed my concerns to him. “Wrong, Fred!” he assured me. “Writing and editing are separate skills. You’re the big picture, idea guy. A great editor will make your work shine and convey the meaning you intended. And they’ll do it in your voice.” Then Ron told me this story. “A reporter goes to a baseball game and takes notes throughout. After reviewing and making some changes he calls it into the copy desk at the newspaper. Here, a copy editor reviews and analyzes the notes and writes the feature story. It appears under the byline of the reporter. That’s the way it is and the audience receives the best information written so they understand it.” At that point, since I wanted to rewrite one of my books, I asked Ron for the editor’s contact information and called her. The story I just related is the first thing I told her. I also said, in spite of Ron’s assurances, I felt foolish not knowing more of the specifics about writing and embarrassed for the fixes she had to make. She picked up that conversation where Ron left off with this question to me: “Fred, let’s say your car needs some engine work. Do you fix it before bringing it to the mechanic?” “Of course not,” I answered. I don’t know how to do that.” “Exactly!” was her response. The light bulb finally went on and I said, “I GET IT!” Hiring her for as my editor was absolutely one of the best decisions of my professional career! Without her help and guidance, which went far beyond punctuation and spelling, my book would not be nearly as good as I know it is. Note: For a variety of reasons, I’m not printing this amazing editor’s name and contact information. If my personal story hit a positive note with you, and you’re serious about hiring aa tremendous editor, contact me: Fred @NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com. ———————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author About the AuthorFred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, andPresentation Skills. They do this because they know:"Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities." They also know:We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com .“NO SWEAT Public Speaking ”“NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Audible offers “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” as an audio book. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about this post or other posts please contact me: Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com. Thank  you for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated!

Transcript Fred Miller, NO SWEAT Public Speaking! Let’s talk about nonverbal communication. Specifically, VOCAL CUES. VOCAL CUES are all aspects of words including silence. Let’s look at some of those. PRONUNCIATION: That’s the extent to which we articulate words clearly and distinctly. Example: It’s “Pronunciation” not “Pronounciation.” ENUNCIATION: It’s the way we say words and it’s based upon our upbringing and the part of the country we live in. It might be a Southern accent or maybe a Boston accent INFLECTION: That’s the weight or stress we place on a word to indicate its importance in a sentence. Example: “Speaking opportunities are business, career, and leadership opportunities!” CLICK for FREE Interactive Speaker’s Template SPEECH RATE: That’s how slowly or quickly we speak. Ideally, that speed rate should be varied in your presentation. PAUSING: That’s really tough! It’s being silent. I’m the speaker! Shouldn’t I be speaking? But pausing can be super, super powerful! PROJECTION: The audience must hear you to GET IT! Speak to the back of the room. A great technique to get people’s attention is to LOWER YOUR VOICE. Lower the volume. The QUALITY of your voice will get people’s attention. Command their respect and keep their attention so they GET your message. NON-WORD SOUNDS: especially when combined with great facial expressions will help convey your message. Use these VOCAL CUES in your presentations and I guarantee they’ll be absolutely, positively – NO SWEAT! ——————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, andPresentation Skills. They do this because they know:"Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities." They also know:We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Audible offers “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” as an audio book. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions about this post or other posts please contact me: Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com. Thank  you for your continued support. It is greatly appreciated!

Transcript Fred Miller, NO SWEAT Public Speaking! I’ll bet this video’s getting your attention, isn’t it? Black and white, old movie. That’s why I did it! Too many times, especially when we’re on zoom we lose the attention of the audience. We have the attention span of a gnat anyway, so it’s little things like this that will get the audience’s attention. Let’s talk about a few more. Well, you can see who I left to make this video. I’ll be right back, Joey. Practice – Practice – Practice! Getting pretty good. Uses a teleprompter, but that’s okay. Now, a background like this got your attention, didn’t it? It looks like I’m in Washington, like I’m in front of the White House. Here’s more. You can see where I am now. Wow! I’m sorry. I don’t see your name up here. But you’re young. You’ve got plenty of time. You can still make it up here. Whoa! Pretty hot here! I don’t know why I’m here. I don’t know why I’m here. I’m, I’m in the wrong place. I’m leaving now very quickly! Whoa! I’m sure glad to get out of that heat. That was rough. This is a cool background. But maybe it’s too cool. It’s moving. You’re distracted. We should be concentrating on the messenger, the person speaking. Everything else is a distraction. And we cannot multitask! I’ve got a lot more to say about backgrounds and all other elements of communication and presentations online and in person. Check my site: NoSweatPublic Speaking.com and email me: Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com with your comments. Till next time this is Fred Miller, NO SWEAT Public Speaking! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

Improve Your Presentations! Recently, I attended an event hosted by the St. Louis Speaker Series. Since 1998, the speakers have been some of the world’s most celebrated and influential personalities of our time, a virtual Who’s Who of National and global figures – heads of state, political leaders, newsmakers, innovators and cultural icons, each sharing their unique experiences and perspectives. If there is a similar venue where you live, I strongly advise attending it. Since I speak, coach, and write about networking, public speaking and presentation skills, I go to these events not only to learn from experts, but also to critically observe and listen to their presentations. The speaker that night was John Bolton, the former National Security Advisor to President Trump and United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He is known for favoring a strong U.S. foreign and defense policy and his presentation centered on that topic. A Presentation has Two Components: Content and Delivery. Let’s look at each for this speaker. For all presentations, Delivery surpasses Content, I’ll review his talk in that order. Delivery. *  What I liked: His talk opened with a statement that grabbed our attention and was timely! (This is an excellent way to open a speech!) Mr. Bolton opening statement was: “In the news this morning, a Pentagon official said the Islamic State in Afghanistan could be able to attack U.S. in six months.” (That got our attention!) He customized the talk to his St. Louis audience by saying, “A powerful international ballistic missile does not have to directly hit the St. Louis Arch to do a lot of damage.” (Customizing to your audience shows them you did more than present a canned talk.) Mr. Bolton was easy to understand and used all the elements of verbal communication. including pausing and inflection, to deliver his talk. (Too many speakers use buzz words, acronyms and techno-speak to, theoretically impress their audience. They do the opposite by making them feel stupid. No one likes that feeling.) *  Opportunity to Improve. He stood behind the lectern for the entire presentation. He would have come across better to the audience had he not used a lectern. (A lectern forms a physical and emotional barrier between the audience and the speaker.) Content: *  What I liked: Mr. Bolton’s knowledge of his topic was extensive. He used facts and statistics that reinforced the points of his message. He impressed us with the many countries and leaders, whose names I would struggle to pronounce, he mentioned. *  Opportunity to Improve. Some of his answers during the Q&A session following the presentation left many wondering about his responses, and in tune, his presentation. Specifically, Mr. Bolton seemed to be a climate change denier. One of his remarks was, “Who wants more cold in the winter?” For me, denying science, cast a cloud over his entire talk. Certainly, he is entitled to his opinion and I would not expect him to give answers to questions just to placate attendees. But after expressing that view, I’m inclined to research and get other opinions on US foreign and defense policies and see how they align to Mr. Bolton’s opinions.All speakers should be aware that when delivering remarks others might not agree with, it will likely raise more questions about the their talk. And that’s OK! We should never accept everything we see and hear as gospel fact. Bottom Line: Watch, listen, and learn from the presentations of others. Do this, and I guarantee your next presentation will be absolutely, positively – NO SWEAT! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

Changing the game for Coaches and Clients. TRANSCRIPT: Fred Miller, NO SWEAT Public Speaking! ON-DEMAND, Pre-Recorded Videos are changing the game for Coaches and Clients. YOU, the client . . . Can watch and listen to coaching lessons when, where, and on whatever device you choose. You can Stop – Rewind – Fast Forward – Play it, again. You can watch and listen at faster or slower speeds. Research shows we can comprehend quicker than most people speak. That feature can make learning very time efficient. You can set the video to read closed captions. Sometimes the audio isn’t perfect. You can choose to read the lesson when turning on the sound off. By far, the BIGGEST BENEFIT is this: The product clients receive is far better than one from a live presentation, whether in person or virtual. I’ve delivered a lot of presentations. Occasionally, I’ve left things out of talks. Other times, I realize I could have presented them better. Technical glitches occasionally interfere with live presentations. Pre-recorded videos I put out are my “Best Stuff.” They consist of multiple takes and many edits. Going forward, I can always add to, delete, and edit the my videos as needed. My “Best Stuff” can get better and better! Discussions and Q&A can be facilitated by video, audio, or text through messaging or email. And, of course, they can also be scheduled in real time. What applies to one-on-one coaching also applies to group coaching and even delivering presentations to organizations and associations. Embrace ON-DEMAND, Pre-Recorded Videos for Coaching and I guarantee you’ll learn a whole lot more in a shorter period of time with – NO SWEAT! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

That question, “WHAT topic should I speak about?” comes up often. Sometimes, it’s an easy answer: If it’s job-related, the subject matter may have already been chosen by a manager or program director. If that’s the case, have a conversation with them and, together, list bullet points you agree should be covered. Was it solicited by you, the speaker? If so, there were probably several topics the meeting planner could choose from. Hopefully, you’ve sent them “One Sheets.” A “One Sheet” is a PDF you can email with bullet points of information about you and what you speak about. There can be a “Summary One Sheet” or one for each topic. All should contain your contact information. A link to some of my “One Sheets” is HERE. Did the organizer contact you after visiting your website or seeing you give a presentation? They may have a subject in mind. They might also be unaware of additional presentations you deliver. One Sheets should be available on your website via a Landing Page that captures names and emails for future marketing. Another possibility, YOU get to pick the topic. What’s Your Passion? Passion for a topic trumps everything! I’ve seen speakers deliver less than great presentations, but because their passion for the topic was extremely high, the audience loved them and GOT IT! i.e. they understood what the speaker wanted the audience to understand. A great example of Passion is This Video where a fourteen year old testifies against lessening hours at a library in Toronto, Canada. Add knowledge and technique and you will own the audience! To take advantage of every “Speaking Opportunity,” have a Signature Presentation in your hip pocket! We never know when that opportunity will present itself. It could be a last minute cancellation by a scheduled presenter. It might be more time being allocated for speakers or one choosing to lessen their allotted time. Perhaps, the event planner decides to suddenly schedule some breakout sessions. Always being prepared to deliver a talk should be one of a speaker’s goals. To be considered for an unexpected “Speaking Opportunity,” let the program director and other decision makers know, in advance, you are ready to present should they need to have another speaker. Tell them your topics and be flexible on time for presenting them. Having slide decks on a flash drive and notes with you and conveying that to those in charge will make you the go-to person should a speaker be needed. Develop and build a Signature Presentation in Modules. Those modules can be placed into other presentations, making the next one easier to develop. Example: “The Fear of Public Speaking” is a module I use in many presentations, including: “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” – “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” – “We’re All Self-Employed!” Placing that module into other presentations is relatively easy. Also, because about seventy-five percent of the population has this fear, it’s a topic most will be interested in. Think about your topics, potential audiences, and modifications you can make in content and length. Always be ready, and, if needed, that presentation will be absolutely, positively, NO SWEAT! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” #Leadership #Questions #ExecutiveSpeakerCoaching #ElevatorSpeech #PresentationTrainer #Communication #SpeakerTraining #UltimateGuideforPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeakingAuthor #PublishedAuthor #VirtualVideoConferences #PublicSpeakingCoach #audience #UltimateGuideforPresentations #VirtualVideoEvents #PresentationTraining #Talking #ElevatorPitch #ExecutivePresentationCoaching #NOSWEATPublicSpeaking #PublicSpeaking #SalesPresentations #Speaking #KeynoteSpeaker #SelfImprovement #PublicSpeakingTraining #Management #EXPRESSElevatorSpeech #ExecutiveSpeechCoach #PresentationCoach #GuideforPublicSpeaking #VirtualVideoMeetings #LesseningtheFearofPublicSpeaking #ElevatorSpeechWorkshops #CommunicationSkills #FredMiller #VirtualVideo #GuideforPresentations #MarketingStrategy #Networking #QampA #presentationskills #LeadershipDevelopment #PresentationTrainingStLouis #PublicSpeakingClasses #ExecutivePresentationCoach #TEDTalkCoach #Success #PublicSpeakerTrainer #PublicSpeakingClassesNearMe #ProfessionalSpeaker #PresentationSkillsCoaching #StLouisSpeakerStLouisPresentationCoach #presentation

COACHNG! The 2021 Summer Olympics are scheduled to start in July in Tokyo, Japan. Each individual and every team has been coached by the best trainers in their field. It is a rare athlete who reaches this level of skill on their own. It’s also true for the top achievers in many professions. There are acting coaches, voice coaches, and personal coaches for a variety of skills. I googled “Coaching,” and found one list of thirty-one types of coaching. Why do the “Best of the Best” have a Coach? In 2019, Atul Gawande, a surgeon, gave a TED Talk on this topic. Here are some of his findings. There are numerous problems trying to make it on your own. You don’t recognize the issues that are standing in your way, or, if you do you don’t necessarily know how to fix them. And the result is that somewhere along the way, you stop improving. Great coaches are your external eyes and ears, providing a more accurate picture of your reality. They’re recognizing the fundamentals. They’re breaking your actions down and helping you build them up, again. Coaches are on to something profoundly important. It’s not just how good you are now. It’s how good you’re going to be that really matters. Watch and listen to the highlights of this talk here. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=715679342230048 Coaching, of course, also applies to improving Public Speaking and Presentation Skills. The greatest investment you can ever make is in yourself. My mantra is: “Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities!” The research shows people who take and make those “Speaking Opportunities,” grow their businesses, advance their Careers, and increase their Leadership Opportunities. Hiring a professional presentation coach can help in many ways. Here are some: The Content of your presentations. They can help: Develop great content that includes important points that support your premise, and work with you on stories that reinforce those points. Create a presentation that follows a specific structure that ensures your audience GETS IT! Edit your content. Editing your own work is akin to a doctor operating on himself – dangerous! Advise on visuals, sound effects, and other presentation enhancements. Everyone has blind spots even if we’re watching ourselves in a mirror or viewing a video of our presentation. The Delivery of your presentations. Delivery trumps Content. We’re all too close to ourselves. Your coach will see what you don’t see, good things and those needing improvement. The Fear of Public Speaking. Many have this fear, and it affects the delivery of their presentations. A coach will show you many proven ways to lessen that anxiety. You don’t want to lose it completely. That nervous energy should be channeled into your presentation. Ever sit through a presentation not delivered with energy? B-o-r-i-n-g! Continual reinforcement. Improving oneself is a process, not an event. After football coaching, the quarterback doesn’t work out once. After a voice coach gives advice to a singer, they don’t rehearse one time. Having a presentation coach who will continually help you improve is invaluable. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book, “Outliers: The Story of Success,” said,“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” The ‘Practicing’ he speaks of goes hand-in-glove with continued good, professional coaching. Hiring a great professional presentation coach is a solid investment because: They can greatly cut your learning curve. You can get better by attending classes, watching videos, and reading books. However, a coach, especially one who also speaks, is invaluable! They have “been there and done that.” They’ve made many mistakes and can dramatically lessen ones you might make. You have their undivided attention, and are not one of many in a classroom, auditorium, or on a webinar. The feedback and advice from them is specifically for you at each coaching session, and not a “one size fits all,” piece of advice. They’ll “tell it like it is.” Your coach has no agenda. You are paying them to be honest and they will be; in their praise and critique. Friends and family may not be the best at this, especially if it’s not their area of expertise. They will hold you accountable and use a structure to get your presentation skills to where you want them to be. This is often tough to do on your own. The coach can be a sounding board for new ideas for topics and delivery. The whole is greater than the sum of its’ parts when it comes to working on these components of a talk. “Let’s talk through this,” is a phrase used often in coaching. Once they’ve gained your trust, you can talk to them in confidence. This is important. I’ve had many clients tell me about their fears of facing an audience they’ve told no one else. I’ve also had ideas thrown at me they thought others would find nonsensical and could be ridiculed for even suggesting. A good coach will listen and ask questions so you hear yourself. Find yourself a great, experienced, presentation coach and I absolutely Guarantee your next presentation will be – NO SWEAT! ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, an international coach, and the author of the books, “NO SWEAT Public Speaking!” and “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!” Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills. They do this because they know: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. They also know: We perceive really great speakers to be Experts. We like to work with Experts. He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver Fantastic Presentations! with – NO SWEAT! Services: Keynote Speaker Workshop Facilitator Breakout Sessions Personal and Group Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching Topics: Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT! Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT! Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities. We are All Self-Employed! Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Podcast Channel, and connect with me on LinkedIn and Facebook. My books can be purchased on amazon.com. “NO SWEAT Public Speaking” “NO SWEAT Elevator Speech!”