New! Get the 'Step Up Your Speaking' newsletter

I'm launching a new monthly newsletter, Step Up Your Speaking. Every month, you'll get a free, dense-packed issue focused on one aspect of public speaking, so you can have all of The Eloquent Woman's tips on that topic in one convenient place. 

I hope the newsletter format will serve as a kind of ready-reference for you--your own personal file of solutions for these and other public speaking challenges:

• Speaking up in meetings
• Preparing for a big speech
• What to wear when you speak or present
• Eye contact and engaging your audience
• Becoming a dynamic speaker
• Getting speaking engagements--and evaluating offers
• Handling the new Twitter backchannel
• Using language to make your speech sing
• Strong starts and finishes
• Graceful ways with Q&A
• Your first speech

And much more!  I welcome your suggestions for topics you'd like to see handled in-depth in the newsletter, and hope you will forward this information to your colleagues and friends.  Using the Step Up Your Speaking monthly newsletter, you can focus on a new topic each month and improve your speaking skills over the course of several months or more.  Please leave a comment with what you'd like to see in the newsletter.

Go to the link below to sign up for this free newsletter:

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

The Eloquent Woman on Facebook has more than 1,800 fans. Are you among them? Fans of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook see additional content and get to weigh in on issues I'm thinking about covering on the blog in advance. Often, those reader comments and questions become the basis for posts on this blog.  You can also post photos, videos or presentations you want to share, ask questions, and start discussion topics on public speaking. Join the group and the conversation.

January's top tips for public speaking

January's most-read posts from The Eloquent Woman focused on improvements and inspiration to get your new year off to a great speaking start.  Check out these popular tips, news items and advice for public speakers:

1. What's your vocal image?, a three-post-series by vocal coach Kate Peters, snagged top honors this month. She discusses vocal image in post 1, 3 steps for determining yours in post 2, and finally, how to improve your cadence, volume and clarity.
2. What do you do when you stutter and lose your train of thought?  That's what a fan of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook asked, and this post offers ideas and suggestions for this two-part challenge.
3. Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State, came in as the third most popular item on the blog this month for her advice to women: "Learn to interrupt."
4. Why do speakers need a strong, fast start?  To get and hold their audience's attention, lest it slip away. This post explains why you have less time than ever to get started, and how to do it.
5. Do women speakers apologize too much?  This post started great comments and conversation on the blog and on The Eloquent Woman on Facebook. Add your thoughts to the comments!
6. Do you use notes--or not?  Readers chimed in on their preferences for written speeches, notes or nothing at all, and I asked some speechwriters to share their views.   
7. New pages on the blog also proved popular.  This post helps you find the information I've added, including what got this blog started, my training services, what readers and trainees are saying and our speaker resources store.
8. If public speaking lies "outside your box," it may be a good skil to learn as you age.  This post looks at what training in new skills can do to help the aging brain.
9. Assess yourself as a speaker, and the better understanding you gain will help you make the process easier. This post guides you toward discovering your "speaker self."
10. Miep Gies died at age 100, and this post on Anne Frank's protector--who only began public speaking late in life--looks at the inspiration she offers women in sharing their own stories.

Two more notes as January draws to a close:

• The Eloquent Woman on Facebook has more than 1,800 fans. Are you among them?  Fans of The Eloquent Woman on Facebook see additional content and get to weigh in on issues I'm thinking about covering on the blog in advance. You can also post photos, videos or presentations you want to share, ask questions, and start discussion topics on public speaking.  Join the group and the conversation.
• New! Step Up Your Speaking newsletter:  I'm launching a new newsletter, Step Up Your Speaking.  Every month, you'll get a dense-packed issue focused on one aspect of public speaking, so you can have all our tips on that topic in one convenient place.  Go to the link below to sign up:

Sign up for our Email Newsletter