Yoodli –  Your AI-Powered Public Speaking Coach

While I may sound old-school, but when it comes to improving our public speaking and literally any form of communication, there’s really nothing like doing it face to face. For me, as those who know me know, I credit the Toastmasters program and those weekly in-person meetings for truly helping to make a difference. Meetings over Zoom has also been helpful for when those face-to-face meetings were not possible. But with technology having come along way, there’s a new kid on the block that can help add value to all of the above. It’s called Yoodli: Your AI Public Speaking Coach. And in a recent podcast episode, I was able to sit down and speak with Yoodli co-founder Varun Puri.

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Repetition Can Be A Good Thing 

“Your call is important. Please stay on the line and someone will be with you shortly.” After hearing that for the 27th time, it starts to become annoying, doesn’t it? NO, it simply drives you crazy. It even happens when you’re on a virtual chat. If you’re like me, you probably dream hearing it in your sleep. It might even become your worst nightmare.

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Virtual Interview Mistakes to Avoid He Learned Interviewing Zoom’s Head Recruiter – John Bowe

I recently had an opportunity to interview John Bowe whom I recently met through the 2020 Toastmasters International Virtual Convention. A few weeks ago, my co-host Ryan Levesque and I interviewed John for the Toastmasters Podcast. Subsequently I came across and article he had written for CNBC that resonated with me, so I thought, why not chat with John again about this relevant topic for my ToastCaster Podcast.

You can find both the narrative and the podcast below:

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Mastering your virtual meeting presence

Top 3 pro tips for upping your game  

Wearing a headset can reduce background noise and feedback

The right stage presence can make or break any performance regardless of whatever words may be coming out of your mouth.  But as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world into lockdown moving our world on-line, many new “off-stage” rules apply, particularly in the widely accepted world of Zoom or maybe Microsoft Teams and the latest Google Meet.

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How to avoid an onstage meltdown – Hollywood Style

Four tips to ensuring your speech or presentation doesn’t end in disaster

Stuff happens. But when it does, especially to a high-profile individual at a major event, you can bet the whole world will know about it seconds after it happens.

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Presentation Too Long? Build it Like LEGO – Toastcaster 95

FreddiD.jpgIt seems it’s always easier to make speeches and presentation longer but to actually get them to be just the right length takes more than just podcast.

In this podcast, Greg speaks with Freddi Dogterom DTM, AS from Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada who offers up some serious lessons on crafting your speech or presentation. She also shares insights and practical takeaways on the perils, pain and passion of editing, in particular when timing is of the essence – one way, building your speech like LEGO.

Freddi is a Distinguished Toastmaster, Accredited Speaker (AS) and professional speaker for more than 20 years delivering keynotes, workshops, professional development and train the trainer sessions. She also has over 30 years experience helping people build their lives, careers and retirement futures.

Keep your “ahs” for your doctor or dentist

EDMONTON, AB, March 6, 2016/ Troy Media/ – Have you ever found yourself in a meeting, presenting to a client or been on the phone when all of a sudden you’re lost for words or not sure what to say?

We fear silence as being unnatural. Our natural tendency is to avoid dead air or empty space at all costs, so we fill it with crutch words, like “ah”, “um” and “err”. We’ll sometimes repeat words like “Iike-Iike-like”, and “and-and-and’ as we nervously grasp for the next thing to say. Sound familiar?

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Toastcaster 51 – A Toast and an Educational

I was asked to give a Toast (Special Occasions Speech Manual Project #1) and decided I would combine the honouring of our Sergeant at Arms along with a mini educational for the benefit of new member and guests so not only can they see how a Toast works, they get to know a little about what a Sergeant at Arms does and what they could get from taking on that role. Cheers! (03:32)

Focus on the message, not the medium, when public speaking

Got butterflies? Then focus on the information you want to convey rather than on yourself

Greg-Gazin-digitallyspeakinEDMONTON, AB, Aug 27, 2013/ Troy Media/ – Speaking to employees, vendors, customers or even the general public is not easy. In fact, public speaking can cause havoc to our systems.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld once said. “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two . . . this means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

Scary, isn’t it? When speaking publicly, we lack confidence; we feel our stomachs churning, chests thumping and hearts fluttering like it’s the end of the world.

Although there are many remedies for curing the butterfly jitters, one stands out above the rest: “Focus on the message and not the medium”.

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A single sales pitch does not a business make

golfWould you use one single club to play a game of golf?

EDMONTON, AB, Aug 3, 2013/ Troy Media/ – Do you use only one club to play golf? When leaving the house to head out to the course, do you wear the same coat whether it’s hot, cold, raining or sunny outside?

Probably not, so why is it that, despite no two people being alike, many businesses only seem to have one single sales pitch?

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