With the zillion and one ways that people communicate with each other, fear of public speaking is still the number one fear of adults.
I might not have believed this myself, had I not been there and done that. From being overwhelmed by nerves, fumbling for words, gasping for breath, and just plain dreading the experience, presenting in front of others used to be my worst nightmare. Worse than spiders.
Perhaps you can relate.
Twenty years of working in television helped to change that for me. However, there's definitely a much faster way for you. If you find yourself:
Overwhelmed with anxiety
Having difficulty staying focused
At a loss for the right words
Speaking too quickly
Unable to project
Feeling inauthentic in your delivery
Putting your audience to sleep
Putting yourself into stress
...we can help. At Coaching Works, you'll learn to:
Eliminate your fears
Build your confidence
Find your authentic voice
Speak with passion, purpose, and a plan
Engage your audience from the get-go
Articulate your words clearly, purposefully, and with meaning
Use hand-gestures, voice inflections, and body language to bring your presentation to life
Connect with you audience
Connect with yourself
If you're a:
Business Professional
Public Official
Community Leader
Sports Professional
Educator
Lawyer
Educator
Sales Professional
Executive
Business Owner
Student
Entrepreneur
…and challenged by presenting in front of others – public speaking coaching may be just what the doctor ordered.
If you already have public speaking experience, but want to take it to then next level, we'll do that as well. From developing a powerful introduction, writing your script, assembling a PowerPoint, or putting all of the pieces together, we can help.
"Bob is the da Vinci of public speaking coaches! You will come to Bob as a block of unfinished marble, and he will delicately chip away at your bad habits and flaws until he finds that masterpiece in your speaking potential. Bob wants you to succeed. Just like your physical trainer he will push you until it hurts, and you will come out a stronger person as a result. Bob's techniques helped me and my colleagues develop our strengths while overcoming our fears and weaknesses." Bart Wilbanks, Technical Account Manager, CPS Color
"I have had many years of presenting to a variety of audiences. Bob DeMers provided me with effective and actionable directions to immediately advance me to achieve all my presentation goals." Thomas P. Corrigan, Marketing and Sales Professional, Charlotte, NC
"Zen and the Art of Presenting...If you are ready to take your presenting skills to the next level, TAKE THIS COURSE! Bob brings unique insight to what makes a presentation great and it starts from within..." Greg McIntyre, Attorney
"The most difficult part about writing this recommendation is choosing Bob's top attributes. Not only does he deliver great results and does so with high integrity while being personable, but he is also obviously an expert in the subject matter. If there is any struggle or resistance from those in the class, he exhibits creative ways to help them improve. Bob's class had a significant impact in my life. His workshop not only made strides in my professional life, but helped me personally as well. After the intensive two-day class I left feeling like I could achieve anything I set my eye on. After searching for my purpose and my passion for several years, when I left this class I felt like not only had I discovered something that was inside of me all along, but I felt like it was something that was actually achievable. I recommend Bob DeMers services hands down, and hope to be able to take advantage of other programs in the future." Kelsey Richards, Director of Advertising and Info!, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
"Bob DeMers is an excellent coach and a student of human nature. Be prepared for a roller coaster experience that will make you scream in frustration but finish wanting more." Emily Valencia, Senior Manager, Global Marketing at CPS Color
"Whether public speaking is a fear, or something with which you are comfortable but would like to improve, I recommend working with Bob DeMers. Bob brings a unique set of skills and past experiences to teach and coach the finer points of speaking to an audience. In group sessions, Bob does an excellent job of coaching to each individual participant, helping them discover things that may be holding them back from being a great presenter. Bob can help you discover that public speaking is nothing more than a great conversation that starts with being yourself." Trent Scovell Director, Regional Client Relationship Manager at Merrill Lynch
"I cannot express how exceptional this seminar was. It was a transformational experience, and I've had a moderate amount of public speaking experience, but with Bob's expertise I was able to take it to a new, higher level! Bob has an honest passion about helping people reach their potential and feel encouraged in front of an audience, large or small. I would DEFINITELY recommend this seminar for ANYONE who ever holds presentations, and more importantly, I would trust ANY seminar, career coaching, or consulting from Bob DeMers. He truly is a step above, and I cannot emphasize enough how his passion for helping people is easily seen, felt, and heard in his enthusiasm for the topic. Please do yourself a favor and sign up for one of the many opportunities offered by Bob DeMers and his Coaching Works business!" Matt Daniels, Employee Benefits Consultant at Benefit Controls of the Carolinas
"Wow! I had the privilege of being with Bob for an intense 2 day public speaking course. Those of us who were a part of this personalized course walked away with a new found confidence and working knowledge about the fundamentals of public speaking. Bob is very energetic, extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his work. Bob is not only a gifted teacher but a tremendous coach and motivator. This course would be invaluable for anyone working with the public - whether in a teaching, public speaking, management or selling position. You should take advantage of Bob's talents and expertise if you want to improve your communication skills." Marcy H. Huey, Sales and Business Development Professional
"Bob's two-day workshop is much more than a collection of tips and techniques for making better speeches. For those who are receptive, it is a transformative experience. The magnitude of improvement made by everyone in my class was remarkable, regardless of their initial level of competence. For some, the boost to self-confidence was life-altering. Whether you are actively engaged in selling a product or a service, or simply need to present yourself and your ideas with authority, Bob's laser coaching will bring you a giant step closer to your goal. Even people who have belonged to a speakers club for many years would benefit greatly from this game-changing seminar. Eugenia Kaneshige,Managing Partner at Norwood Career Advisors, LLC
"I thoroughly enjoyed the one-on-one training and the wonderful positive environment for critiquing and learning new techniques. Bob DeMers has a wonderful attitude that is contagious and gave me the confidence to become a better speaker. Thank you!" Erica D. Lee, Executive Director for Ministry Development
"You definitely get and Bob delivers full value from his courses and guidance. I recently attended Bob's course. Within the first hour, I delivered a segment of my speaking topic; which was video-taped and immediately critiqued by Bob and those attending. I had the unique opportunity to present, learn, implement and grow professionally on-the-spot. Seriously, how often does that happen? As speakers' we brought a myriad of well honed speaker idiosyncrasies with us, it was fascinating and I was highly impressed while viewing Bob in action, as he meticulously guided us with high level suggestions and recommendations. Bob coached us individually and as a group in methodologies to expand interest, create the crescendo and most importantly, make the words come to life. What a truly amazing learning experience. Regardless of your profession, position or your work environment OR how you feel about speaking in front of a group of people …..I have every confidence, you will walk away from your interaction with Bob DeMers, with knowledge you can instantly apply and that is the ultimate take-away." Debra Simons, MBA, SPHR, Human Resources Leader & Business Partner
"The course was valuable, challenging and thought provoking. It put me out of my comfort zone in the best possible way while building upon my strengths. Not only do I feel like I have gained tools to help me be a better public speaker, but the individualized coaching helped me gain general confidence I didn't necessarily realize I was lacking. I would recommend this course to any professional, and am very grateful that I was able to be a part of it." Allison Waller, Director, Government Affairs, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
"Bob was a great coach and helped me bring my story into context as well as make it executable and actionable. The fear of speaking is very high and he brought it down to a level that we can all feel comfortable with. I recommend his services to anyone looking to improve their speaking skills." Jud Gee, Managing Partner, JHG Financial Advisors
"Bob is great at taking a scary subject such as public speaking, and creating an atmosphere of support and creativity that makes it both easy and fun to learn better public speaking skills (As unlikely as that sounds, it's true!). He teaches both the objective mechanics of how to plan, write and deliver the speech, and the more subjective components such as how to personalize the speech with emotions such as humor and drama so the audience actually listens to what the speaker is saying. This is a very worthwhile class for anyone who has to stand before a group of people to speak frequently. Even if you think you are good, you'll be surprised at how much better you can be!" Clay Andrews, VP Investor Relations, Charlotte Regional Partnership
"I attended Bob's recent training to gain a better perspective of my skills but also to develop and mature my abilities to present to groups for my business. I began the session nervously but soon became more at ease with the process because of Bob's ability to provide positive feedback and his determination to coerce my natural abilities to shine. The experience Bob brings to the sessions and the depth of his knowledge and personal experience truly provides a warm and professional growing environment which everyone feels and desires to obtain his objectives. Bob has provided the tools I need to go forth and flourish and it is comforting to know if I need him in the future he will provide a humble ear and a tender nudge back on the correct path. Bob is a dedicated teacher, a comprehensive professional, and positive influence on those who choose his course. I would highly recommend that anyone who must present to a group take Bob's course to develop and mature your natural abilities to become memorable for your audiences." Candice Szeliga, Social Media Consultant
"I came to know Bob through a speaking engagement for a sub-group of SHRM and was highly impressed with his delivery of information. He was able to make the presentation relevant to my professional endeavors at that time. More recently I have become a colleague of Bob's while volunteering at ProNet. Again I was able to witness the ease of his delivery and the poignant information in his presentations. Lastly, I had the pleasure of personally receiving coaching from Bob in his presentation class. He was able to gently push each of us to try new ways of delivery, to break free of fears and to gain the tools needed to make very effective presentations. His style and insistence that we could do better helped each of us trust his methods to this madness called public speaking. Because of Bob, the class was well worth the investment made" Janis White SPHR, Charlotte, NC _____________________________________________________________