Five Steps to Fearless

Public Speaking

Inspiring Speaking from the heart

From freeze to flow
Pauses

PassionateSpotlight
Effective public speaking
Quotes Keynote speech
Appreciation
Eloquence
STEP UP AND SHINE
Preparation
Rapport

Body Language Inspiring

Integrity Spotlight Wordcraft Pitch Positivity Tone of Voice
Charismatic Conviction Applause Vocalise Exciting

Credibility Story Gestures

Imagery Breathing
Communication

Listening Captivating speaker

Pronunciation Delivery Creative
Gentle persuasion
Eye contact Breathing Declamation

Conviction
Excellence
Timing
Language Connection contact

By Aly Harrold
© Copyright Aly Harrold 2015 1
 Five Steps to Fearless Public Speaking

YAY! Well done you! Finally, you decided to do something about all that fear and
apprehension that holds you back from fully and truly communicating effectively. This is a
BIG and positive step, time to let go of all the stuff that immobilizes you and prevents you
from Stepping Up To Shine and moving forward towards your public speaking goals.

My Name is Aly Harrold I’m a public speaking coach and it’s my passion to help business
women to conquer their fears so they can step on stage and share their message with
confidence, conviction and charisma.

After just under a decade on the speaking circuit, I have seen the impact on audiences time
and time again when a speaker delivers their message with clarity, integrity and heart. It’s
spellbinding.

I help women in business release their limiting fears around public speaking, give them
the know-how to be a magnetic presence on stage, so that they can naturally create more
business, raise their visibility and joyfully say YES to speaking opportunities.

Welcome to my eBook: Five Steps to Fearless Public Speaking.

I am really excited to share here with you five tools to help you move past your nerves and
embrace the potential you have to become an inspiring and fearless speaker. These steps
will help you overcome some of the issues people face on their journey to becoming an
amazing creative and charismatic communicator.

Take comfort in knowing this, you are not alone in your fear and nervousness.

For so many people public speaking causes anxiety at the very least and often
incapacitating fear.

• It can be such a paralyzing fear that it may prevent you from presenting your
business to potential clients or investors.
• You may worry that you could be asked to give a talk or speech and you feel ill
equipped to do this, but deep inside you know how empowering it will be and how
many doors it will open for you.
• You may know that raising your visibility is crucial to more success but you talk
yourself out of doing this because you don’t know where or how to start.

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So, wherever you find yourself on your public speaking journey, you can start to let go
of any apprehension or fear now because it is my intention to help you become the
speaker you desire to be. (You can find details of my full coaching programme here).

How public speaking has helped me

An opportunity arose for my previous company to sponsor some awards at an
international film festival. I was delighted when I was asked to present one of the awards
but I had not realized the awards would be held in a cinema, with red carpet and filmed
too. I agreed to present the award and then the organizers asked me to give a speech
too. Imagine the pressure!

Knowing everything I said would be recorded on film forever, for the world to see. That
was when I told myself, “You have not been learning the art of public speaking to shy
away when an offer comes your way to step up!” So, I gathered all my skills together,
writing my script, rehearsing it, refining it and then I did the inner work required to move
myself into the space of knowing I could do this and do it well.

I am very proud of the result and the many compliments my speech encouraged. I stood
shoulder to shoulder with some inspirational speakers and performers on the night. (I
work with a lot of clients these days in my speaker programme helping them address
similar issues, so if this resonates with you get in touch and lets have a discovery call).

On a more personal note, I am eternally grateful for having mastered this skill, and
never more grateful than when I was asked to give the eulogy at a very dear relative’s
funeral.

I can remember feeling very emotional, my knees were knocking, my palms were
sweating, my breathing was shallow and I could feel my heart beating loud and fast
inside my chest. I felt sick with nerves and yet I wanted to be able to truly convey the
essence of this wonderful person and what they meant to me. I wanted to acknowledge
my grief and sadness without it preventing me from expressing to those present who this
person had been and the details of their life achievements. This was not a time for trivial
words or to pass up the opportunity to share on a deep level. This was the moment I
realized all my experience and training in public speaking was so totally invaluable.

Being able to speak without my emotions immobilizing my efforts was indeed a gift.
Imagine how enormous a task giving a eulogy may be if you have a memory numbing,
tongue paralyzing, and throat choking fear of speaking in public.

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How public speaking can help you
Being able to speak in front of an audience no matter how large or small will enrich your
life on so many levels. These benefits are not just in business but on personal levels
too. Sometime soon you will look back over events in your life and say “Wow! I am so
glad I addressed those fears and stepped into my own power as a speaker. Just look at
what has happened on this journey since I embraced my fears!” So, I ask you to hold
that vision, even if at this moment in time you cannot see it or feel it.

Before we begin
I need you to understand something, it is important to know and really appreciate
that no one knows everything there is to know about public speaking, no matter how
experienced they may be. We are all evolving and constantly growing, so staying
abreast of new trends and ideas is important to your growth as a speaker, as is
constant practice. (One thing you will learn from me be it just from this eBook or if
you decide that you need to do further work with me, I believe in practice. By this I
mean, knowing your subject and how you want to deliver it really well. Never pass
up on the opportunity to practice your skills as a speaker and to put the groundwork
of preparation and practice in before you give a talk or speech. The rewards are
immeasurable).

Public speaking is an art

Yes there are “natural speakers,” those, for whom the skill seems second nature, but
there are also many incredible speakers for whom the skill took a little time to learn and
like an artist they crafted this skill into a kind of art form. To listen to this kind of speaker
it would appear they make it look and sound superbly effortless. This apparently
effortless way of speaking and presenting will have been learnt over time. Effort and
attention will have been focused on certain areas to increase ability and skill. They will
have worked hard to accentuate their positive natural attributes and eliminate anything
they may have been doing which did not help their efforts and the overall outcome they
desired.

All of the various components and techniques that come together in order to deliver a
wonderful speech can be learnt. However, if nerves are not addressed it can prevent
you from taking the first step to make yourself visible and willing to Step Up and Shine.

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Nerves help you
I want to let you into a little secret.

Your nerves are a good thing!

You need nerves to get the adrenaline flowing, to transport oxygen to the brain.

• Nerves give you, as a speaker, a battery that you can use as energy to perform.
• Nerves can be used positively to drive your passion, to give you an “edge”.
• It is only when nerves are not under control that they can cause a problem for
you and if allowed to run riot, they will run the show and result in your efforts
becoming a crumbling mess.
• This is about thinking of your nerves in a different way.
• Acknowledge them for what they are, it’s your body/brains way of telling you, you
are in danger and you should run.
• Instead, if you resist squashing the feelings down and just acknowledge, “I am
feeling nervous but it’s OK”.

You can then start using those nerves as fuel to drive the engine – Your Message.

It’s about using your nerves in such a way you remain your authentic self, speaking from
your heart with integrity and honesty.

So if you are one of those people for whom nerves are an issue, have faith, help is at
hand and by using just a couple of these tips you can begin to feel you are safe and
confident. These five tips will help you to become a fearless and confident speaker.

Some of these you may have come across before but please don’t disregard them, you
can learn something all of the time. Apply as many of these tips as you can, they have
worked for me and many of the people I work with who want to raise their visibility and on
their path to enjoying a wonderful, fun and lucrative public speaking career.

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 “Working with Aly has taken away my worries! Aly did not
disappoint. She helped me with so many valuable techniques and
tools, and I found myself able to put these into practice immediately
with excellent results.

These days, I still get nerves, but I now know how to prepare
myself sufficiently for a presentation and I am able to deliver with a
confidence which I totally lacked before.”
Catherine Overton

(To find out how I can tailor a bespoke programme just for you to address nerves
and other aspects of your public speaking see my programme You The Brilliant
Charismatic Speaker.)

Step One - It’s All In The Mind

How you think is crucial to how you perform as a speaker.

If you have a constant stream of negative thoughts going through your mind, the
voice of the inner critic telling you - “You can’t do this, you’re not up to it, you will
make a fool of yourself... etc.” you may start to believe these false ideas.

These are just thoughts and you can change a thought.

What you think becomes your reality,

YOU truly are that powerful!

So, STOP! Start right now to affirm more positive thoughts.

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Affirmations
Write out a few affirmations for yourself and place them where you will see them every
day. Stick some on your mirror, the fridge door, on a screensaver, anywhere you will
see them often. Say them out loud and with conviction.

• I AM a confident and charismatic Speaker

• I recall everything I need and want to say effortlessly
• I speak with confidence and integrity
• I AM inspired, capable and confident
• I LOVE to speak in public

Visualizations
Run a little visualization every day, before you get out of bed, or before you go to
sleep. SEE yourself walking confidently up to the stage. SEE yourself, speaking and
the audience smiling back at you, applauding, nodding in agreement... FEEL the
rapport you are building. SEE yourself at the end of your speech, FEELING very
proud of having delivered your message and delivered it well. This will become YOUR
REALITY. Remember, YOUR MIND is a very powerful tool, make it work for you not
against you. What you think you can become.

The great inspirational man Mahatma Gandhi sums this up a lot better than I do:

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on

saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I
may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I
have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do
it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
Mahatma Gandhi

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 Step Two - Breathe!

Taking long deep breaths calms the nervous system. It is impossible to feel anxious if
you slow your breathing down.

Spending a few minutes a couple of times a day doing conscious slow diaphragmatic
breathing will calm your nervous system.

Doing this type of breathing before speaking will work wonders for clearing the mind
and helping you to feel calm.

This type of breathing has many benefits, which include:

• Providing oxygen to your brain, so helping you think more clearly.

• Slowing the heart rate down and calming the physical body.
• Making you more aware of your body, how you are standing, whether you
need to straighten up and feel taller, stronger and more present.
• Helping you to create more volume within your voice, so that you are less
likely to lose the end of words or sentences because you are running out of
breath.
• Helping you to still your mind and stop the monkey chatter, so that you can
gain more focus.

Step Three - Water, Water and More Water!

Your body weight is 60 percent water. It is your body’s principal chemical component.
Every system in your body relies on water, from carrying nutrients to your cells, to
flushing away toxins and keeping the tissues in your ear nose and throat moist. You
can see why it is important to stay hydrated. Even being mildly dehydrated may
cause a lack of energy and feelings of tiredness.

Stay hydrated
Being dehydrated is not good news for anyone and least of all for you when you want
to give a speech or presentation.

Good hydration is not only beneficial for the voice and keeps the vocal chords moist,
good hydration also helps brain function.

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Staying hydrated will help you to avoid getting a dry mouth, croaky voice or cough and
will aid your thinking processes, avoiding feelings of confusion.

Try to drink at least one and a half litres of fresh water daily.

Drinking water before speaking is a good thing and if the occasion lends itself to it,
have a glass nearby during your speech. Taking a sip at an appropriate time will give
you time to think and give the audience a small pause to reflect on points you are
making.

• Avoid drinking too many caffeine based drinks before speaking as caffeine may
raise stress levels, increasing heart rate and feelings of anxiety.

• Avoid any of the relaxing herbal teas like chamomile as you need to be
alert and wide awake when you speak, and never be tempted to take some
‘Dutch Courage’ with an alcoholic drink to calm your nerves, this can be a
recipe for disaster.

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 Step Four - The Powerful Stance and
Your Body Language

Whatever is going on for you at any given time, your body language will be giving
away non-verbal clues to those around you. Just by looking at someone and listening
to them speak you can ‘feel’ how confident and sincere they are or indeed are not.

You can ‘feel’ as they speak to what depth they actually believe in their own words. All
of us, whether we are aware or not, constantly give away information.

If you are clasping/wringing your hands whilst you speak it gives away the fact you are
nervous and uncomfortable. In turn this will transfer to the audience and they will feel
uncomfortable for you too.

Make sure that what you are saying verbally is reinforced by how you hold yourself
and that any gestures you make affirm what you are saying and are not distracting or
incongruent to your message.

Make eye contact with your audience

If you are looking upwards when speaking, over and above everyone’s head, as
opposed to making gentle eye contact with your audience, you give away the fact that
you are trying hard to remember what you want to say.

This does not build confidence for your audience when they see you struggling to
retrieve the information about which you profess to be the expert.

If you are new to public speaking the use of gestures and body language is an area
you may want to get some help with, or at least become aware of. However being
aware of how you look and stand can get you started on the right foot.

Practice makes perfect

Practicing your speech/talk in the mirror and just observing what works and what
does not will help you. Any gestures you use in a speech should be natural to you,
but most importantly, they need to be relevant and add to the overall content of your
speech and style not create distractions form your message.

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Your body follows your brain
There is now a large amount of scientific evidence to prove that when a body
physically demonstrates confidence the mind takes on the message.

Powerful stances create hormone activity in the brain encouraging feelings of

confidence.

So a simple thing to do before you step out to speak is to trick your brain into
producing those confidence boosting chemicals.

A simple way to do this is play around with a pose of a Power Ranger/ Superman or
Superwoman.

Hold the pose for a few minutes (make sure no one is watching you…especially if
they booked you to speak!) And remember to remove the red cape before you step
up to the podium...)

Step Five - Practice! Practice! Practice!

I mentioned earlier what a fan I am of putting in the groundwork if you want to be

really successful with your speaking.

There is an old saying, my Mum used to say it to me when I was a little girl -
“Practice makes perfect!”

Preparation is key
Being a perfect speaker could also mean being a boring speaker, but here in this
instance you need to have prepared well in advance.

It goes without saying that knowing your subject, rehearsing and practicing your
speech and establishing the outcome you desire are all very important.

Running through your speech or presentation many times is vital, as when you do
it for real it will usually take longer than if you are just reading something aloud or
timing it for the first time.

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The more you run through your speech and get to know it, the less you will rely on
notes and you will be in a position to bring more energy to the delivery and more of your
personality.

Confidence
Being confident will come with knowing your subject.

You can then concentrate on staying centered and enjoying the experience. (And truly
this can be the case, don’t feel discouraged if enjoying the experience does not come
quickly, it will come in time the more proficient you become and the more you learn to
relax with your speaking).

Most importantly you must feel passionate and enthusiastic about your subject in order to
bring some energy and vitality to your speech and convey that energy and enthusiasm to
your audience. Enthusiasm is infectious, as they say, pass it on!

“Aly is authentic and professional and her caring nurturing approach

with coaching for speaking has enable me to get back out there and
know I can do it. The freedom this has given me is fantastic!”

Sara Lyndley

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 Bonus Tips

What is your objective in giving this speech?

You should decide what result you are aiming for; is your speech meant to entertain, persuade,
inform, or do you have some other objective?

Timing
Is timing important?

For example if you have been asked to speak for thirty minutes you need to be certain you can
meet this target and finish on time, having covered all the points you wanted to raise.

Perhaps the last thought I would like to leave you with is to bring an attitude of joyousness and
fun to your speaking, because if you look and sound like you are enjoying yourself, so will your
audience.

In the words of Oprah Winfrey:

“Being able to communicate with people is power!”

And in the words of Aly Harrold:

“You are amazing! Step up and Shine and share
your dazzling brightness with the world!”

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 What next?
So, by now you may have realised you need more support and some encouragement in certain
areas. You want move on from being just one of the many speakers out there trying hard to deliver
their message but somehow missing the mark, to one who speaks from the heart with authenticity.
A speaker who is confident standing in your own power. You realise that being an inspiring speaker
will enable you to embrace all the opportunities that will come your way. Let’s discover how I can
help you on your path to success. Here’s how you can do that:

Book a FREE half hour Skype consultation with me so that we can identify what you need and
whether you feel I am the person to help you, please email me so that we can explore the most
suitable way for us to work together: aly@alyharrold.co.uk

And to find out more about my programmes, videos and tips please visit: www.alyharrold.co.uk

Wishing you lots of luck and fun on your public speaking journey. Remember you never stop
learning and it can be fun and exciting once you know how!

Many Blessings to you

Aly

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 About Aly Harrold
Aly Harrold is an entrepreneur, public speaking coach,
lover of raw chocolate and singer (although these days
it’s just in the shower and the odd occasion when she
can’t resist picking up her ukulele and singing a few
James Taylor songs).

Her mission is to support as many women as possible

to move past their fears of public speaking so they can
shine their light on the world and change it for the better.

As a member of The Association of Speakers Clubs, Aly’s

achievements include:

• 2012 Kent Speaker of the Year

• 2014 Speaker of the Year
• 2014 South East Speaker of the Year
• 2014 3rd place, National Speaker of the Year

She currently stands as Vice-President of the West Kent Speakers Club and is the soon-to-be
President for 2015. (2014 was a watershed year for the club – it was the first time in the club’s 43-
year history that it had both a female VP and a female president at the same time!)

When not empowering women through speaking, Aly hangs out in the Kent countryside near her
home with her partner, Dan, and her black labrador rescue dog Franny.

If you’re in that part of the world, and come across a woman in the woods talking to the trees
making lovely big gestures… it might be Aly. She finds rehearsing a new speech in the woods
inspirational and therapeutic, so if you see her, say hello!

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Copyright © Aly Harrold 2015
www.alyharrold.co.uk

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