Public Speaking Coaching: Frequently Asked Questions

About 10% of the training I provide is group courses. Group training is an efficient way to give an introduction to public speaking to several/many people at the same time; one-to-one coaching gives far more benefit to the individual client.

If you would like to discuss a group course for members of your organisation, please contact me.

One-to-one coaching is flexible. The time and place are arranged to suit you and you need book only one session at a time. A standard session lasts an hour and a half. If you're up against a deadline and want to book a double session, we'll do 90 minutes, then have a break, then do another 90 minutes.

It's hands-on, practical training. The theories are good but you learn them best by putting them into practice.

Typically, the session starts with a brief discussion of your experience of public speaking and your specific objectives for the coaching. You then stand up and present a short piece you've prepared and I give you constructive, detailed feedback. We work on all the techniques of public speaking, concentrating on the ones you find most difficult.

If you'd like to, we can also look at how to compose your talk for maximum impact and we can look at ways of boosting your confidence.

For details of course content and how I work, please see the public speaking coaching page.

I'm based in Manchester (UK) but I work in other places too.

For one-to-one coaching, my fees are £75 per 90-minute session, which includes my travel time and expenses within a reasonable distance (broadly, within the M60 Manchester ring road).

For group training, it depends. Please contact me and we'll discuss your requirements.

At your workplace (or home), if you have a suitable quiet space available. Otherwise, we hire a room somewhere that's convenient to you. I have to pass on the room-hire cost to you but it really doesn't have to be much. During the day, many places can be hired for a couple of hours for £10 or less.

All we need is enough space for you to be able to move around naturally as you speak. It's also useful if we can't be overheard by anyone in adjacent rooms.

I'm happy to travel any distance. If you're far outside Manchester, I'll have to charge you for time and expenses but, for a group course or - even better - if several people can have one-to-one coaching on the same day, you'll still get excellent value even if you're a long way away.

Of course, everyone is different, but the average is two 90-minute sessions. Those who are particularly nervous about public speaking sometimes take three sessions to feel safe in the spotlight but it's very rare for anyone to need more.

Usually, people learn a great deal in the first session and then want a second session to consolidate what they've learnt and to polish their skills.

Those who are inexperienced at public speaking but not especially nervous tend to master it most quickly. Over the years, I've had a huge number of clients in this category who have transformed from bumbling ducklings to graceful swans in one session.

Yes. I'm aware a lot of people would rather nobody knew they were having public speaking coaching. If I come to your office, I'll simply say I've got a meeting with you. If we're working on a presentation or speech with confidential content, you can rely on my discretion in that area too.

Yes. If you want help putting together the content of your talk and honing the language for maximum impact, I can certainly help you with that.

Yes - this is actually one of my specialities. I spent many years teaching English as a foreign language, both abroad and in Britain, and I'm very familiar with the issues involved. I teach public speaking to people from all over the world, some of whom find English quite difficult.

Almost certainly. First of all, I believe that if you really nail the practical side of public speaking, the techniques of effective delivery, you will feel better.

Beyond that, I can explore with you the possible reasons for your fear, with a view to helping you heal it at source. If you have serious issues, the mind-over-matter, pull-yourself-together-and-just-do-it approach can sometimes do more harm than good. I spent four years studying transactional analysis psychotherapy, which has given me insight into the pernicious hold past experiences can have on us. I lay no claim to being a psychotherapist but I have found with many clients that a few probing questions have helped them to understand what is going on for them. Seeing the issue for what it really is can often be enough to dissolve it.

My background is in teaching adults, in a variety of contexts. As well as the public speaking coaching, I've spent most of the past 20 years teaching languages, communication skills and self-actualisation to a wide range of people.

If you want more detail, please see the About page.

Face-to-face coaching is the quickest and most effective way to learn public speaking skills. However, a book or ebook that clearly explains the techniques and gives useful advice is the next best thing.

My ebook tells you everything you need to know to become a strong, confident public speaker, from overcoming nerves through mastering the skills, to handling any problems that may arise on the day. Of course, I couldn't personalise it to you, as I can with one-to-one training, but it's all in there.

If a coaching session seems like a big investment to you, try the ebook first. It may well be all you need. When you've read it and worked on the skills, if you still feel you'd like a coaching session, at least you'll know if you like my style and if my methods work for you (even if you do want a bit more, personalised support). At £5.50, the ebook is a bargain. And it comes with a money-back guarantee. Click through to the public speaking ebook page and download it now - you've got nothing to lose and peace of mind, satisfaction and success to gain.