Top tips and no £££ kit coming up.

🌟Look – just as you like.

I like hair conditioned, bit of makeup, nice top, earrings. You do you.

🌟Light – have the light source behind your phone (not to your side or above you) for the most flattering professional result.

The window’s fine.

Dazzling sun can cause squinting.

🌟Height – hold it with the lens at eye level or just a little above, and never below your eye level.

This helps prevent eye bags, double chins and jowls …

Too high though and you’ll look childlike and neckless.

🌟Sight – look at or ‘through’ the lens, and not at your own picture.

Makes you connect directly with your audience.

An interesting gaze over there can work, too.

🌟Find your best space – Spin around and take loads and compare the results.

You’ll find one angle is the 🌟. Remember it and use again.

🌟Expression – I like smile!

Practise different expressions til you know which gives the look you like.

🌟Arms – Beware the squished shoulder and big-arm selfie look.

Hold it as far away as you can, while keeping shoulders looking natural.

🌟Polish – learn to edit on your phone.

Crop, frame, remove the toilet sign, lose the spot – all perfectly allowable!

Snapseed, a handy little phone ap, has a Portrait button which really makes a difference.

🌟Opportunity – anywhere.

Cafes, countryside, posh venues, sightseeing – grab those opportunities wherever you go and you’ll have a great little gallery for your posts, banners and blogs.

🌟Have fun.

Philippa

🌟Start now.

Putting it off will make it feel worse. And the more time you devote to thinking & planning, writing and rehearsing it the more confident you’ll feel.

🌟Think ‘audience’.

Where are they now, where do they need to be, what’s their problem and what do you have to offer that will help them resolve their problem?

Shifting the spotlight off you and how you feel and shining it where it needs to be – on the people you’re going to help – will focus and calm your thinking.

🌟Know what you want your presentation to cause.

Whether you’re delivering training, a motivational speech, a pitch, an interview presentation etc doesn’t matter.

You want something to be different at the end.

They’ve learned to DO something new.

They’re inspired to do something.

They’re sparked into giving you the role. Or the contract.

Stating what you’re setting out to achieve and what difference it will make to your audience helps you get clear about what you’re doing.

👏All the best!

Philippa

Yesterday, I recommended a personal skills and achievements audit to help build your confidence.

🌠Now consider this – chances are, in any given group, you’re going to be the expert on something.

Because you’ve been there, done that, screwed up, learned, made it through – and can give them a helping hand up.

What’s your area of expertise?

It’s a unique combination that’s part of your brand.

That thing they need, where you can help.

What’s your Unique Selling Point?

Once you’ve identified that, things start looking clearer, and you’ll start feeling better about getting up to speak.

Another tip soon.

Philippa x

Confident Public Speaking skills for leadership, training and business

So many hesitate to step through those opening doors of opportunity, because of public speaking nerves! Sound familiar?

New leadership role, new job, new business, big presentation or pitch looming … and new public speaking duties causing sleepless nights and a bit of the old impostor syndrome?

If that’s you and your nerves are holding you back, here’s a thought process to follow.

Tip 1: 🌠Take a good (and I mean GOOD) look at yourself.

Your CV, your LinkedIn profile, every qualification, experience and skill you bring to the stage.

Everything you’ve ever achieved, been proud of, been thanked for.
That’s the bedrock you stand on, like a lighthouse standing on firm ground amid the swirling.

Review that in your mind every time the old ‘who do you think you are??’ self sabotaging voice kicks in.

Another tip tomorrow.

Philippa x 

Confident Public Speaking skills for leadership, training and business

Thinking about networking and the unexpected, about opportunities and opening doors, and the importance of just … taking them. Saying yes.

A few months back my partner and I co hosted a Christmas party and quiz for Sussex Playwrights.

One of the guests enjoyed it so much he offered us the chance to deliver a four week acting course for the New Venture Theatre in Brighton and a one day acting workshop for sixth formers at Reigate College.

We’ve just finished them – if we hadn’t done the event we’d never have had this amazing new opportunity.

The theatre’s name couldn’t be more appropriate 😁

Networking is so important – we’ve had work from all the networking groups we belong to, in person and online.

What networking groups do you belong to and recommend?

If it’s on your to do list – time to get out there and join the conversation?

Philippa x