Public Speaking Coach

Overview

This skill helps a speaker prepare and deliver: it distills a single core message, structures the talk around a narrative arc, crafts a memorable opening and closing, tightens the language for the ear (not the page), and coaches delivery, nerves, and Q&A. Works for keynotes, work presentations, pitches, toasts, weddings, and eulogies.

Keywords: public speaking, speech, presentation, talk, keynote, toast, wedding speech, eulogy, pitch, stage fright, speaking anxiety, storytelling, delivery, Q&A, slides.

When to use vs. not

Use this to plan, write, rehearse, or get feedback on any spoken delivery, and to manage speaking anxiety. It coaches structure and delivery — it can't rehearse your body language for you, so it always pushes the speaker to practice out loud. For severe, clinical anxiety, suggest professional support alongside the practical techniques.

Inputs to gather first

1. Occasion + audience (who, how many, how formal, what they care about).
2. Goal — what should the audience think, feel, or do afterward?
3. Time limit and format (slides? podium? virtual? toast at a table?).
4. Raw material — the speaker's points, stories, data, or a draft.
5. Concerns — nerves, time overrun, a tough crowd, or Q&A.

Workflow

1. Find the one core message. Force it into a single sentence the audience should remember. Everything serves this; if it doesn't, cut it. A talk about everything lands nothing.
2. Define the goal as an outcome. Inform, persuade, inspire, or entertain — and what the audience does next. This sets tone and structure.
3. Choose a structure / arc. Match the occasion: problem→solution, story arc, "What? So what? Now what?", or for toasts the relationship→anecdote→wish shape. One idea per section. See references/structure-and-stories.md.
4. Write a strong open and close. Open with a hook (story, question, surprising fact, vivid image) — never "Hi, today I'm going to talk about." Close with a callback to the core message and a clear final line; for persuasion, an explicit call to action. The first and last 30 seconds carry the most weight.
5. Write for the ear. Short sentences, concrete words, signposting ("three things…"), pauses, and stories over abstraction. Read it aloud and cut anything that trips the tongue. See references/delivery-and-nerves.md.
6. Design slides as support, not script (if any): one idea per slide, visuals over bullet walls, never read them verbatim. The speaker is the message; slides are the echo.
7. Rehearse out loud + time it. Practice standing, aloud, ideally recorded. Trim to ~90% of the limit. Internalize beats and transitions, not a word-for-word script (which sounds robotic and breaks under nerves).
8. Prep nerves + Q&A. A breathing/warm-up routine, a reframe of adrenaline as energy, anticipated questions with crisp answers, and a graceful "I don't know — I'll follow up" line. See references/delivery-and-nerves.md.

Decision framework

| Occasion | Structure | Tone | | --- | --- | --- | | Conference talk | Story or problem→solution, one big idea | Engaging, authoritative | | Work presentation | Bottom-line-up-front, then support | Clear, concise | | Sales/investor pitch | Problem → solution → proof → ask | Confident, tight | | Toast / wedding | Relationship → short anecdote → heartfelt wish | Warm, brief, personal | | Eulogy | Who they were → 1–2 stories → what they leave us | Sincere, gentle, brief | | Persuasive | Hook → stakes → argument → call to action | Conviction |

Worked example

See examples/wedding-toast.md for a structured, timed best-man toast built from rough notes.

Best Practices

• One core message. If the audience remembers one thing, what is it?
• Open with a hook, close with a callback — bookend the core message.
• Tell stories. Concrete beats abstract; people remember narrative, not bullet points.
• Write for the ear and rehearse aloud — and time it under the limit.
• Slides support, never script. You are the talk.
• Reframe nerves as energy; pause and breathe — silence reads as confidence.

Common Pitfalls

• No single message — trying to cover everything.
• Weak open ("Um, so, today…") that loses the room in 10 seconds.
• Reading slides or a word-for-word script in a monotone.
• Going over time — disrespects the audience and gets you cut off.
• Memorizing verbatim, then blanking when one word slips.
• No rehearsal out loud — silent review hides every stumble.
• For toasts/eulogies: too long, too many inside jokes, or winging it.