Influential Public Speaking for Leaders & Professionals

Ever been tempted to “wing it” when speaking? Think again. While improvisation can seem natural and authentic, it’s also a risky move that can leave you stumbling, rambling, or losing your audience entirely. In this episode, Colin explores three major reasons why speaking off-the-cuff can derail your talk—and what to do instead to feel prepared and confident. You’ll learn how to avoid common pitfalls, connect with your audience, and deliver a presentation that truly leaves an impact. Whether you’re preparing for a keynote, a pitch, or a team meeting, this episode is packed with practical advice to take your speaking skills to the next level. Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Want to learn how to grow your business and make an impact through public speaking? Go to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.speaknextweek.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ to download our free guide or to get recommendations from Colin on how you can become a memorable and influential public speaker.

In this episode, I tackle a question from a listener: How can I share serious stories while keeping my presentation positive and NOT losing the audience? So I tested out an answer: drawing from my personal experiences crafting a powerful story about navigating the American healthcare system around my own health challenges (see what I mean? SERIOUS!), I share three key strategies to create emotional balance in your talks and keep it light, engaging, and inspiring no matter the content area you are sharing: Pick Your MomentsConfident VulnerabilityTest It Out Whether you're a seasoned speaker or just starting out, this episode will help you transform serious stories into impactful presentations that leave your audience feeling inspired—not overwhelmed. ---------- Do you have a speaking opportunity coming up? Would you like to feel amazing after your next talk? Download our free guide at ⁠⁠⁠speaknextweek.com⁠⁠⁠ or speak to Colin personally to get a free recommendation on what you can do next to become a stronger public speaker.

In this episode of "Memorable Public Speaking and Storytelling," Colin shares a personal experience from a recent storytelling event where everything seemed to go wrong—yet the crowd loved it. Drawing lessons from that night, Colin reveals two powerful tips for any speaker: 1) Pay close attention to your environment—it can fuel your connection with the audience. 2) Embrace imperfection—allow yourself to make mistakes. Through a hilarious story about running with the bulls (or not), Colin shows how authenticity, even in moments of stress, can make you more relatable and memorable. Tune in to hear how to turn fear and failure into connection and engagement in your public speaking. ------------- Do you have a speaking opportunity coming up? Would you like to feel amazing after your next talk? Download our free guide at ⁠⁠speaknextweek.com⁠⁠ or speak to Colin personally to get a free recommendation on what you can do next to become a stronger public speaker.

In this episode we dive into the art of using humor effectively in your presentations. Humor can turn a dry, forgettable talk into something memorable and engaging, but it’s a tool that requires balance. Colin walks you through why humor is such a powerful connection tool, how to craft jokes and funny stories, and—most importantly—how to avoid offending your audience. We’ll cover practical tips on testing humor, steering clear of disrespectful jokes, and even a bonus tip on getting audience feedback. Tune in to learn how to make your audience laugh for all the right reasons! ------------- Do you have a speaking opportunity coming up? Would you like to feel amazing after your next talk? Download our free guide at ⁠speaknextweek.com⁠ or speak to Colin personally to get a free recommendation on what you can do next to become a stronger public speaker.

🎤 **Feeling Nervous About Networking? You're Not Alone!** At its core, networking is about making that first connection and seeing if there's a vibe, mutual interest, or curiosity. But what if you don't feel confident? What if you're in your head about it? 🤔 Here's a truth: everyone feels awkward sometimes. I've been the confident networker and the one wanting to go home. Recently I found a way to go from nervous-wallflower to networker-extraordinaire. Here's a story about an initial moment of honesty that led to a meaningful connection. ----------------- Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Check out free resources at https://speaknextweek.com or get a free recommendation from me on becoming a stronger public speaker. In less time than you think, you can transform public speaking from something you dread into something you love! 🎙️ #Networking #PublicSpeaking #Authenticity #CareerGrowth

You will never more of your audience's attention than you do in the first 30 seconds. There are all kinds of fun and creative things you can do to hook them immediately, keep them engaged, and get them to say Yes. Unfortunately, the real-life tips in this video things are NOT intuitive, NO ONE does them automatically, and they take a little bit of creativity. The great news? They WILL increase your rate of success in pitches, presentations and conversations with clients.The Golden Window concept comes from "Go Big or Go Home: 5 Ways to Create a Customer Experience That Will Close the Deal" by Diana Kander and Tucker Trotter." ------------- Do you have a speaking opportunity coming up? Would you like to feel amazing after your next talk? Download our free guide at https://www.speaknextweek.com or speak to Colin personally to get a free recommendation on what you can do next to become a stronger public speaker. FREE GUIDE: How to Make Your Next Talk Your Best Talk | 15 ways to engage your audience, enhance your message, and make lasting change. https://www.speaknextweek.com #publicspeaking #presentationskills #storytelling #courage #connection #communication #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #comedy #humor #personaldevelopment #professionaldevelopment

A true story to remind you that we’re all pretending! Key Ideas: ------------- Do you have a speaking opportunity coming up? Would you like to feel amazing after your next talk? Download our free guide at speaknextweek.com or speak to Colin personally to get a free recommendation on what you can do next to become a stronger public speaker.

Did you know that MOST people are used to NEVER being listened to. There's a reason for this: most of us never took a class or training on HOW to listen well. Well I took a 2-day listening training, and I'll sum it up for you in a few minutes (saving you a lot of time, you're welcome!)As you become a better listener, your world and your career opens up in a really remarkable ways, you learn a lot more, and you make other people feel amazing so then they listen better too! ---------------- Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Check out free resources at ⁠https://speaknextweek.com⁠ or get a free recommendation from me on becoming a stronger public speaker. In less time than you think, you can transform public speaking from something you dread into something you love! 🎙️

For me, doing stand-up comedy 10 years was a great tool to be a better communicator. And it also taught me a trick that's great for you to help boost your confidence. I call it "open mic-ing." Whether the thing that's intimidating you is public speaking, speaking up in meetings, raising your profile, or recording yourself on video to send with emails, this trick will help you get more comfortable FAST! This will help you say yes to more speaking opportunities, even when it feels scary. And speed up your progress using a trick I call "open mic-ing" as a way to practice and improve. ⁠I still use this trick to get confident at new things (like posting videos on social media), because I still struggle with perfectionism and self-doubt, and I always will. So you're not alone! And why should that stop you from reaching your goals and amplifying your voice? It shouldn't! ----------------- Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Check out free resources at ⁠https://speaknextweek.com⁠ or get a free recommendation from me on becoming a stronger public speaker. In less time than you think, you can transform public speaking from something you dread into something you love! 🎙️

Did you know that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a deep struggle with depression and suicidal tendencies throughout his life? I did not. I want to share this with you, including an amazing clip from his final speech, and share what I've learned about how our mental health challenges make us better leaders and public speakers! From the episode: "As a leader, in your life there are people who you lead, people who you serve, people who you love; those people need all parts of you. Not just your confidence but your vulnerability too. They need you to manage your own mental health so you can show up for them. And you need that too. And more importantly, you deserve that!" Article Link: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Depression and Empathy That Contributed to His Humanity MLK's final Speech: "I Have Been the Mountaintop" 3-minute video clip

I've loved movies since I was a kid, and loved recapping them others who haven't seen them yet. It's where I first learned how to be a storyteller! And how I learned 2 keys to telling good stories: know your audience and pick one scene not the whole thing! Stories engage your audience because you're being real with them and we all love stories. But stories also engage you in what you're saying because you're no longer being "business-y" or overly polished - you're just being yourself and sharing something you're passionate about!

Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Check out free resources at ⁠⁠https://speaknextweek.com⁠⁠ or get a free recommendation from me on becoming a stronger public speaker. In less time than you think, you can transform public speaking from something you dread into something you love! 🎙️ ----------------- I've been a fan of Diana Kander ever since I read All In Startup back in 2014. Her latest book is all about pitching and presenting, and she actually charts out the proven flow of a pitch that is surprising, memorable and gets you the deal. This book taps into so many thing I consult with leaders on, I had to have her on to share Diana and her book with you! ---------Notes: ~5:00 The Mug Moment! ~7:00 The Forgetting Curve “Our research revealed that within an hour the audience forgets 50% of what you said, within a week they forget 90%. If you want them to remember more than 10% (which might not even be the 10% you want them to remember) you have to spike their emotions during the presentation.” ~21:00 The importance of being a lifelong learner… “Think of something you’re awesome at, and I challenge you to go read a book on it and not 5 things you can be doing even better. That’s how we grow. As soon as you’re satisfied, you start stagnating.” ~24:00 Colin and Diana talk about our initial exploratory/sales calls, and what we’ve both learned about how most people make this pitch in the wrong order. ~26:00 mark, there's a really cool little moment where Diana clearly thinks of something she wants to say and she swallows it to keep listening!! All kinds of meta. ~28:00 Diana offers YOU the listener, unprompted, a special surprise gift! You can find Go Big Or Go Home, by Diana Kander and Tucker Trotter, ⁠on Amazon⁠ and at ⁠DianaKander.com⁠.

The first 30 seconds of your speech are the only chance you have to truly grab and maintain your audience's attention. This is based on a concept by Diana Kander and Tucker Trotter's concept "The Golden Window." Which they write about in the upcoming book Go Big Or Go Home. I'm always committed to showing you EXACTLY what to say, so I'll give you a perfect example: how we recently made an investor pitch for a trash/recycling container ENGAGING and FUNNY. ----------------- Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Check out free resources at ⁠⁠https://speaknextweek.com⁠⁠ or get a free recommendation from me on becoming a stronger public speaker. In less time than you think, you can transform public speaking from something you dread into something you love! 🎙️ -----------------

A Conversation with America's Joy Magnet, seasoned TEDx speaker and Media Appearance Coach... Shari Alyse! “I got off the stage after my second TED talk, and I beelined it for the ladies restroom. After like 30 seconds of crying, I exhaled, and I literally put my arms around myself and I said, ‘I’m so proud of you. Not only did you do it, but you can show up for any challenge in your life.’ And the learning experience for me there was find joy in the process, the creation and the actually stepping out and doing it.” - Shari Alyse ------------------- Want to feel amazing after your next talk? Check out free resources at ⁠https://speaknextweek.com⁠ or get a free recommendation from me on becoming a stronger public speaker. In less time than you think, you can transform public speaking from something you dread into something you love! 🎙️

You're about to learn one of my favorite $10.00 words/phrases: Choice Architecture. This is the overlooked key to inspiring, motivating, and influencing your people to take action. Whether it's your team, an individual, a potential client or partner, this will definitely help you like it's helped me! ------------ Do you have a speech coming up that you want to do a GREAT job with and leave a lasting impression as a result? (And you'd much prefer that to being, let's be honest, forgettable?). Take a look at our rapid-results coaching programs: Speak Next Week | Make Your Next Talk Your Best Talk (In Just One Hour) Speak Like A Leader -- become a confident & memorable public speaker (in hours not years)!

Think about the bad listeners in your life. Picturing them? **If you can't picture one, it's you ;) Now think about the good listeners in your life. They have your respect, your appreciation, your trust. They have influence! They lead through their ability to listen! Here is a fun way to be one of those influential listeners in someone else's life. There is no better feeling than when someone takes the time to truly listen to us.

I get it - public speaking is uncomfortable. But have you ever turned down speaking opportunities you know would be good for you to take? It might be because you've put that audience on a pedestal. No matter how impressive or intimidating the people in your audience are, they shouldn't be on a pedestal. They don't belong there! Here is: a funny story about a shirt that doesn't fit, and a great exercise to calm your nerves and speak more effectively.

Happy new year! Welcome to hustle month, where we refocus on getting our message out there and showing up in-person and online for our people. Is there something you want to share in a talk or post on social media but your inner critic / perfectionist / impostor is getting in your way? I was coaching a comedian turned speaker who is create his story-rich, humorous mental health keynote, when we came up with this amazing this amazing mental trick for dealing with a negative self-talk. He has so many great stories they don't all fit in his keynote, but that little voice in his head is telling him not to share the extra stories with the world via social media in case they aren't "perfect yet." I've been there! Have you? If you can you relate (or know someone who will), then try this!

When I did a training for 13 peer financial counselors (students who provide financial counseling through one-on-one sessions and workshop presentations), I sent them a pre-training survey and almost every single student shared some version of "ENGAGING the audience is my biggest public speaking challenge right now." Here's a great way to do it - use humor. It'll engage your listeners. It'll enhance your message. And it's so much easier than you think! Here is a simple trick to weave humor into your conversation and your presentations.... without sounding forced at all. Enjoy!

Lynn had 10 minutes to speak during a 3-day learning and development conference for her entire faculty at her school. It was a tiny window in order to recruit the faculty to be MAVENS who recommended students utilize her financial literacy resources. Any speaking opportunity has high stakes because being forgotten is a huge missed opportunity. So how do you stand out, be memorable, and convince your listeners so effectively that they utilize your solution AND recommend it to others? By telling a CLIENT TRANSFORMATION STORY that sells your program for you, makes an emotional connection, and sticks in their minds long after they hear it. Here is how created a story that did that in just one hour. I can't wait for you to meet the main character of her pitch: Maria! ------------------------------- Would you like to learn how to tell your own CLIENT TRANSFORMATION STORY? Our free video series will help you share your WHY and communicate your message in a fun, memorable, and impactful way -- and in a lot less time than you think! Go here to learn more: https://www.colinryanspeaks.com/sfl