The Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business RoundTable presented an educational session titled “Public Speaking Secrets Revealed” on Thursday, Nov. 21 at the Lake Wellington Professional Centre.
AmondaRose Igoe, an award-winning speaking expert and best-selling author, was the guest speaker at the workshop. She specializes in coaching and training people to improve their public speaking skills in order for them to attract new clients, create more income and grow their business.
Igoe began her presentation by sharing her personal history and explaining why she had become quiet as a child and later turned into an adult who could not speak without giggling nervously. She spoke about a point in her life where she came to the decision to “rise to the occasion” and learn to speak properly and professionally. Igoe said that at that point, she realized something: “People cannot be successful if they can’t communicate their ideas.”
Igoe’s personal journey to improve her communication skills turned into a desire to help others. Today, her vision is to help millions of people.
The presentation covered seven areas that the attendees could use to immediately improve their public speaking skills: using notes with bullet points as opposed to “winging it” or reading a speech; opening the presentation with a bang and connecting with the audience; being a problem solver by relating and connecting to the audience; being “real” and sharing one’s own true stories of turning breakdowns into breakthroughs; understanding body language since it is 55 percent of communication; praising, thanking and repeating during a presentation; and converting from “head to heart,” since most people do business with those they trust. Igoe’s presentation was interactive and well received.
The presentation marked the end of the 2013 Small Business RoundTable series, organized by co-chairs Blanca Greenstein and Monica Kallas and committee members Cindy Beckles, Eric Light, Tina Segal and Nicole Grassi. For more information, call Michela Perillo-Green at (561) 792-6525, e-mail info@wellingtonchamber.com or visit www.wellingtonchamber.com.
ABOVE: Public speaking expert AmondaRose Igoe leads the workshop.
