My Search for the Best Public Speaking Books and Courses
Hey, Ryan here.
If you’re looking for the best public speaking books and resources around to improve your presentation skills and result in more confident public speaking, then I’m glad you found this website, and I highly suggest you keep reading.
Because this is my uncensored public speaking story. The highs, the lows, what didn’t work, and finally the one resource that helped me more than anything else to realize my goal of becoming an effective and confident speaker.
Until a couple years ago, I had no idea that my lack of public speaking skill was holding back my career. Then one day it hit me, when my boss called me into his office and offered me the lead position on an important account… that is, if I could do the initial presentation for their senior management! I was instantly terrified at the thought of talking to this group. My heart jumped into my throat, my palms started to sweat, and all kinds of thoughts raced through my head (what do I say? what if I go blank up there? what if they see how nervous I am and start laughing, etc, etc)—and then I suddenly connected the dots, recalling all the other occasions I had avoided spotlight opportunities, simply because of the possibility that I would have to stand up in front of a group of people and say something!
It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was convinced that I will never become successful in my career if I didn’t find a way to beat this fear of public speaking. I decided I needed a practical guide to learn how to deliver an effective business presentation and give a speech well. And I needed it as soon as possible.
So, for a year I started reading every public speaking book I could find. Some of them helped a little, but a lot just didn’t at all. I joined a Toastmasters group. That was somewhat helpful, to be sure, mostly because it was a supportive environment to practice getting up in front of people. But by itself, it didn’t really provide the professional level training necessary to get the quality results I wanted. In addition to the books, I downloaded all kinds of public speaking courses and ebooks from the Internet, and had to sift through a lot of fluff (making a considerable dent on my wallet).
Finally, I stumbled across one public speaking course that turned out to be the biggest single help I have found. It’s a very comprehensive program, created by the world champion (literally) of public speaking, and the quality of the training really showed it. I couldn’t believe what a difference this course made for me. It takes you by the hand, and leads you step by step to becoming a more effective and confident speaker.
Click here to see the “Get Applause Now” course I’m talking about
The only drawback was that some of the coaching videos were released over a period of several weeks—and I was antsy to see them all right away. But in the end this actually turned out to be better for me, because it allowed me the necessary time to really absorb what each one offered and to put it into practice. Plus, there was plenty of other material I got right at the beginning that kept me busy.
Within a couple months, I knew how to speak with confidence, and I was leading important meetings with ease. Not long after that, I was finally promoted into the position I had my sights set on for nearly a year and a half. Of course, constant practice was an essential ingredient in improving my speaking ability. But armed with the right skills, it suddenly became much easier (and far less intimidating) to do it.
So, if you’re looking for an excellent program to help you overcome speaking anxiety and really sharpen your presentation skills, then I recommend you check out the “get applause now” program. It certainly worked for me.
Make sure also to check out my posts below for some good speaking tips, and a couple other public speaking books (each with a short book review) which I believe stand out from the crowd.
I hope you have found this information useful. Remember, whichever way you go, the main thing is to stay committed and focused on your goal of becoming a better speaker. I assure you the effort will be repaid many times over.
Thanks for reading,
Ryan
The first book is called The Confident Speaker, by Harrison Monarth and Larina Kase, and is one of the most popular public speaking books of its kind to come out in the last few years. The authors clearly know the territory around speech anxiety and what it takes to break through it. In particular, the second chapter exposes a number of speaking “myths” (I know I certainly believed in a few of them) which play a key role in either reinforcing or dissolving your anxiety about speaking. The latter part of the book then focuses on specific strategies and tools you can use to overcome public speaking fears and really connect with your audience. It also covers how to handle impromptu speaking and spontaneous social interactions with confidence. This book does not go into the kind of detail that a seasoned speaker might be interested in. Rather it is intended as a guide for less experienced presenters to overcome fear and build confidence in speaking situations. And it does a very good job at it.
The second book I want to suggest was originally published decades ago, but is as relevant today as it ever was. The author, Dale Carnegie, was a world renowned public speaking coach and leadership expert, and his classic Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking captures the essence of his vast wisdom in a concise, easy read. Every chapter of this one is real gold, both for the beginning and the advanced speaker. Particularly valuable are his techniques for bringing more vitality to your presentations, as well as his insights on persuasive speaking and how to make your listeners take action. Highly recommended.