This is a summary of the book titled “Better Business Speech” written by Paul Geiger and published by Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group Inc in 2017. This book comes from a voice coach and public speaking expert who provides confidence boosting tutorials about speech preparation, including vocalization exercises and breathing exercises. His techniques, tips and shortcuts apply widely to various public speaking scenarios but are all the more pertinent to the workplace. He suggests keeping the message short, control breathing, prepare and connect to audience, present one’s ideas better by drawing attention to what drives results, avoiding presentation traps and challenges, balancing focus and slow down and ultimately gaining trust. One could even listen to one’s voice to fix what might sound jarring or offbeat. Our breath is what pours power into our presentation.

Great public speaking requires controlled breathing and a concise message. Being authentic and physically and mentally ready to contribute are crucial for delivering a confident and poised speech. Two techniques to achieve this include preparing and connecting in meetings, maintaining eye contact, and creating a memorable slogan.

Before speaking, prepare yourself by composing comments, taking deep breaths, and standing tall. Make concise, vivid statements to command attention and avoid off-topic points. Channel the energy of attention, maintaining eye contact 80% of the time while listening and 50% during speaking.

Speak slowly and deliberately to demonstrate confidence and steadfastness. Create a memorable slogan that succinctly summarizes your main point, allowing you to connect with your audience. Create your slogan by brainstorming, interviewing yourself, and being bold and brief. By following these techniques, you can deliver a speech with confidence, poise, and composure.

To avoid presentation traps and challenges, focus, practice, slow down, and keep it short. Limit your presentation to three main points and rely on your slogan for clarity. Avoid speeding up and keep it concise to connect with your audience. Master your presentation by rehearsing, thinking on your feet, and polishing slogans. Stay focused by speaking with deliberation, being authentic, and rehearsing out loud.

Build trust during sales calls by discovering common interests, watching body language, and maintaining a warm expression. Focus on responses, avoid overly enthusiastic or fake responses, and be yourself. Trustworthiness is essential for making a sale, and building trust during sales meetings can be achieved through research, personalized responses, and careful body language. Remember to commit to your words and not play it safe.

To improve sales results, learn and recognize the steps of a proper sales presentation. The persuasion process should include liveliness, precision, security, assuredness, progression, and influence. Listen to your voice and address any discomfort. Rapid speakers may mistakenly link fast speech to intelligence or excitement, but this can lead to negative feedback. Fast speech can be patronizing, domineering, or lacking control. Factors contributing to hurried speech include discomfort, lack of breath control, and poor body language. Adequate oxygen levels help manage the pace of your speech. Good body language is essential for a full-body experience. Other challenging issues may hamper public speaking, such as a thin, soft, or faint voice, nasal or brash tones, stuttering, or confusion or insecurity. Addressing these issues can help you create a more persuasive presentation and increase sales results.

To improve vocal skills, speakers can practice mindfulness and deliberate speech through daily conversations, deep breathing exercises, diaphragm use, and vowel combinations. Vocalization exercises can relax the lower face, slow speech, and regulate breathing. Exercises can also help cure extreme nasal tones, improve tonal qualities, and help with speech preparation. Additionally, practicing and preparing presentations can help overcome vocal problems such as rapid speech, spiking tones, and uneven delivery.

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