================================================= Simply Speaking...Selling Yourself & Your Ideas E-Zine Volume 2, No 4, April, 1999 Copyright, 1999 ================================================= Published by Lenny Laskowski, International Professional Speaker President of LJL Seminars (tm) 106 Schoolhouse Road Newington, CT. 06111-4002 United States Of America (860) 666-4855 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 Web page: http://www.ljlseminars.com mailto:President@LJLSeminars.com ------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue: 1. Overcoming Speaking Anxiety 2. Lenny's new program - How to Grow Your Business Using the Internet" 3. Seminars, Workshops, Consultation services 4. Lenny's keynote speeches 5. Lenny's books, videotapes, audiotapes & booklets 6. How to request more information about Lenny's services 7. How to Subscribe / Unsubscribe -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * FREE Monthly Speaking Tips - April, 1999 * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Recently I have been receiving many requests (E-mail & phone calls) asking how to deal with speaking anxiety. This has been a very hot topic. In fact, I just presented a short program last night by the same title, "How To Overcome Speaking Anxiety in Meetings & Presentations". I have provided you below the article I wrote in 1996 which I know you will find helpful. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overcoming Speaking Anxiety in Meetings & Presentations by Lenny Laskowski © 1996 LJL Seminars http://www.ljlseminars.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Do your knees feel like Gumby's when you have to get up and speak in front of a group? Do you feel like the next words out of your mouth are going to be the dumbest words ever uttered by a human? If you said yes to either of the questions above, be advised, you have a full-blown case of stage fright, says Lenny Laskowski, a professional speaker and President of LJL Seminars. According to the book of lists, the fear of speaking in public is the #1 fear of all fears. The fear of dying is #7! Over 41% of people have some fear or anxiety dealing with speaking in front of groups. People who have this fear can experience all kinds of symptoms: Sweaty palms, accelerated heart rate, memory loss and even difficulty in breathing. Some of the world's most famous presenters have freely admitted to nervousness and stage fright. Mark Twain said it best, "There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars". Everyone, even experienced speakers, has some anxiety when speaking in front of a group of people. This is perfectly normal. The best way to deal with this anxiety is to first acknowledge that this fear is perfectly normal and you are not alone. To reduce your fear, you need to make sure you properly and thoroughly prepare yourself before you speak. Proper preparation and rehearsal can help to reduce this fear by about 75%. Proper breathing techniques can further reduce this fear by another 15%. Your mental state accounts for the remaining 10%. Below are just a few suggestions you should use to overcome your speaking anxiety. The first and most important of all is preparation. I like to think of it as the 9 P's: •Prior Proper Preparation •Prevents Poor Performance •of the •Person Putting on the Presentation. Nothing will relax you more than to know your are properly prepared. Below are 10 steps you can take to reduce your speech anxiety. 1.Know the room - become familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early and walk around the room including the speaking area. Stand at the lectern, speak into the microphone. Walk around where the audience will be seated. Walk from where you will be seated to the place where you will be speaking. 2.Know the Audience - If possible, greet some of the audience as they arrive and chat with them. It is easier to speak to a group of friends than to a group of strangers. 3.Know Your Material - If you are not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your nervousness will increase. Practice your speech or presentation and revise it until you can present it with ease. 4.Learn How to Relax - You can ease tension by doing exercises. Sit comfortable with your back straight. Breathe in slowly, hold your breath for 4 to 5 seconds, then slowly exhale. To relax your facial muscles, open your mouth and eyes wide, then close them tightly. 5.Visualize Yourself Speaking - Imagine yourself walking confidently to the lectern as the audience applauds. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and assured. When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful. 6.Realize People Want You To Succeed - All audiences want speakers to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They want you to succeed - not fail. 7.Don't apologize For Being Nervous - Most of the time your nervousness does not show at all. If you don't say anything about it, nobody will notice. If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have with your speech, you'll only be calling attention to it. Had you remained silent, your listeners may not have noticed at all. 8.Concentrate on Your Message - not the audience - Your nervous feelings will dissipate if you focus your attention away from your anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience, not yourself. 9.Turn Nervousness into Positive Energy - the same nervous energy that causes stage fright can be an asset to you. Harness it, and transform it into vitality and enthusiasm. 10.Gain Experience - Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. Most beginning speakers find their anxieties decrease after each speech they give. If the fear of public speaking causes you to prepare more, then the fear of speaking serves as it's own best antidote. Remember, "He who fails to prepare is preparing for failure - so Prepare, Prepare, Prepare" For more specific techniques on handling nervousness, order Lenny's booklet, "Techniques to Handle Nervousness" or our 60 minute audiotape, "Overcoming Speaking Anxiety" from one of Lenny's "live" seminars. This guide will provide you with both physical and mental techniques you can use immediately to help you reduce your anxiety. You can order either one of these products through our convenient on-line catalog . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lenny Laskowski is an international professional speaker and the author of the book, No Sweat Presentations - The Painless Way to Successful Speaking and several other publications. Lenny's products can be purchased "on-line" from this website at: http://www.ljlseminars.com/catalog.htm. Lenny is also available for hire to speak to your organization, college or association. Lenny also provides in-house seminars and workshops. Why not contact Lenny today for your next function or event. Your can reach Lenny at 1-800-606-4855 or E-mail him at: Sales@LJLSeminars.com. You can also write to us at: 106 Schoolhouse Road, Newington, CT. 06111-4002, USA. Until next month... ==================================================== 2. " How To Grow Your Business Using the Internet" - an exciting new program is now available. ==================================================== Lenny's website routinely receives over 35,000 visitors EVERY month and the number continue to grow! In fact during the last few months, Lenny's website has been receiving up to 3400 visitors in ONE DAY and has already received over 18,000 visitors in the last 10 days! Lenny has sold his speaking products in over 73 countries and now has over 17,000 subscribers to this Simply Speaking E-Zine as a direct result of his Website! Lenny's internet articles are published regularly in over 100 newsletters or magazines every year. His website has visitors from over 85 countries around the world! Do you have a website? Are your thinking about developing a website? Would you like to know Lenny's secrets? Would you like to know Lenny's Secrets. Lenny has developed a BRAND NEW exciting program entitled, "How To Grow Your Business Using the Internet". This exciting program will provide you all the inside secrets to Web Page Design so people CAN find you, How to rank high in the search engines, How to effectively use newsgroups and E-mail marketing and much more. Want Lenny to deliver his powerful 90 minute keynote by this same title? Would you like to spend a FULL DAY with Lenny and learn all his secrets? Maybe you would like a 2 hour private telephone consultation with Lenny. You can. Just call 1-800-606-4855 or E-mail us at Sales@LJLSeminars.com and ask about this exciting program. This might be just the perfect program for 1999 to launch you or your organization into the 21st century. Why not call today and schedule Lenny for your next meeting. Can't wait and need to know some of Lenny's top secrets now! Lenny has written a powerful new book entitled , "How To Grow Your Business Using the Internet" which describes in detail what Lenny has spent the last 3 years learning about the Internet. This book retails for $ 49.95 and if ordered in response to this E-zine can be yours for only $ 39.95!!! You can even order this exciting new book directly from Lenny's website. Just send along a corresponding e-mail and mention this e-zine to purchase this book at this special rate. VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDS WELCOME!!! Why not order today! ==================================================== 3. Seminars, Workshops, Consultation Services ==================================================== 4. Lenny's keynote speeches =================================================== 5. Lenny's books, videotapes, audiotapes & booklets =================================================== 6. Where to get more information Lenny's services. Feel free to request information about Lenny's seminars, workshops and keynotes. If you would like a formal proposal, please E-mail your request to: Sales@LJLSeminars.com or mail to the address below: Lenny Laskowski, International Professional Speaker President of LJL Seminars (tm) 106 Schoolhouse Road Newington, CT. 06111-4002 United States of America (860) 666-4855 or Toll Free 1-800-606-4855 ===================================================== ******* You can earn 10% commissions ******************** ===================================================== You can also earn 10% commissions on any leads you send my way. Provide me the name, address & telephone number of those you know who might be able to use my services, make the initial call with them and tell them I will be contacting them and send me an E-mail that you have done so. When I contact them and if we result in doing business with them I will mail you a check for 10% of the total contract just for referring us! ============================================================= 7. How to Subscribe to This E-zine: Send an e-mail to majordomo@ljlseminars.com and in the BODY of the message type: subscribe simply To unsubscribe to our newsletter by e-mail: Send an e-mail to majordomo@ljlseminars.com and in the BODY of the message type: unsubscribe simply =========================================================== ********************************************************************** FREE Monthly Speaking Tips ==> ============================================================ Feel free to distribute these FREE tips to EVERYONE you know. You may also publish these tips in any of your company's newsletters or publications FREE if you include the above address below and credit me as the author. Also, send me two(2) copies of the actual publication to the address below: As new monthly tips are developed they will be e-mailed separately. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks again for visiting my website and remember to keep returning EACH month for new tips. Also, let me know if you would like to see any other speaking tips and remember to pass these tips along to EVERYONE you know! Until next month! - Lenny Laskowski :-)