Cedar Valley Speechmasters

Communication tip #18.

Communication tip #17. Setting up lunches or coffees with strangers can improve your social skills and expose you to new perspectives. Learn about Toastmaster Nick Bendel's goal to have lunch with 500 strangers and how it has changed him. https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2024/apr/500-lunches

We are hybrid; this Thursday, May 2 join us at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College Street, Cedar Falls across from UNI or message us for the link!

We are hybrid; this Thursday, April 25 join us at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College Street, Cedar Falls across from UNI or message us for the link!

Communication tip #16. How to reduce public speaking nerves.

Do you get nervous before giving a speech? Your heart pounds? Your stomach turns to knots? Here are some simple tips for untying those knots.
https://bit.ly/49qvF4l

Communication tip #15.

We are hybrid; join us at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College Street, Cedar Falls across from UNI or message us for the link!

Communication tip #13.👇

Communication tip #12. Hand gestures can add energy and interest to your speech if used appropriately, even on Zoom. Here Ashley shows good use of hand gestures when using a meeting word of the day, wanderlust, in a sentence.

2/29/24 Ashley displays good hand gestures Ashley shows how hand gestures can be done well on Zoom while using the word of the day, "wanderlust."

The theme this week will be spring break. This means the word of the day and impromptu speaking questions will be related to spring break. We are hybrid; join us in person at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College Street, Cedar Falls, or online. DM us for the Zoom link or parking directions.

Welcome to Joe Schulz, who is new to our club but decided to return to Toastmasters after missing the benefits from being a member.

Cedar Valley Speechmasters The Cedar Valley Speechmasters club is a chapter of Toastmasters International.

Communication tip #11. How to improve your impromptu speaking.

The theme this week will be summer's almost here! We are hybrid; join us in person at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College Street, or online. DM us for the Zoom link.

To kick off our meeting last week, Masa Noborikawa gave a thoughtful and inspiring thought of the day about bucket lists and living a meaningful life. "Why not make your story worth living." Watch the video below!

Masa bucket list thought of the day At the February 22, 2024 meeting, Masa provides an inspiring thought of the day for the meeting theme of "Bucket List."

Communication tip #10. Handouts should be given out before or after a presentation to avoid wasting time and distraction.

Our four-week public speaking course wrapped up last week so as of this Thursday we are back to our regular meetings! No registration required; guests are welcome to visit. The theme this week will be bucket list items. Join us in person at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College Street, or online. DM us for the Zoom link.

Communication tip #9. In today's meeting we tried the AI app Yoodli for the first time to analyze a member's speech. We think that it is a really useful tool for practicing speeches in private since it gives instant, quantifiable feedback. However, to overcome public speaking nerves many people will still need regular speaking practice in front of humans (such as in regular Toastmasters meetings), since a lot of public speaking fear is generated by anxiety about how the people we are speaking to perceive us. Also, kind, constructive feedback delivered by a human, such as the evaluations we receive at meetings, will remain another important factor in boosting confidence and learning from our speeches.

What Is an AI Speech Coach? An AI public speaking coach, such as Yoodli, is a personalized platform that provides you judgment-free data. Here’s how it works.

Communication tip #8. Do you want to know how you can structure your daily routine to prevent burnout? Toastmaster magazine has helpful productivity and lifestyle articles in addition to communication content. In this article, health and performance coach Olya Amelina explains how to implement the tasks that structure your day.
https://lnkd.in/gwwH3B-c

Communication tip #7. Using unique and memorable language can add power to your speech. Here's an example of a descriptive yet under-used word. 👇

🌟 Word of the Day: Effervescent 🌟

Infuse your day with bubbly energy!

How might Toastmasters incorporate the word of the day into a sentence? The club members exuded true effervescence, making the energy and positivity at the club meeting truly memorable.✨

Drop a comment below on how you would use the word of the day.

We are excited that this Thursday's meeting will be the first session of our four-week public speaking course! There will be an educational presentation about overcoming public speaking fears, Table Topics (impromptu speaking), and an opportunity for course participants to ask questions and learn more about preparing for an icebreaker speech. If you would like to take the course, please register no later than this Tuesday, January 23rd. To register contact us at: https://cedarvalleyspeechmasters.toastmastersclubs.org/

As part of today's Table Topics session, where we practice our impromptu speaking skills, Ashley explains why the Waterloo Black Hawks team mascot is her favorite mascot.

Joe did a great job of creating questions related to the meeting theme of penguins (for example, he noted that many sports teams use penguins as their mascot, resulting in the question "What is your favorite mascot and why?").

1/18/24 Ashley Bonner Table Topics response Ashley's response to "What is your favorite sports mascot and why?"

Each of our regular meetings has a theme; aspects of the meeting like impromptu questions and the word of the day relate to theme. This week's theme is penguins! Message us for the link or join us in person at the ThreeHouse across from UNI, 2422 College Street.

Communication Tip #6. One of the best ways you can make a strong impression when giving a talk is staying within time!

Pro tip: Elevate your next speech or presentation by timing yourself. It's the key to a confident and polished delivery! ⏱️🔥

Communication tip #5. If you are giving a speech, your audience is more likely to listen to you if you make good eye contact with them. While it's ok to occasionally look at your notes, regularly looking at your audience establishes rapport.

If you are speaking in person, try looking at one person for 3 to 5 seconds, then another person for 3 to 5 seconds and so on. This will help you slow down your speech and sound more natural than if you steadily scan the room.

If you are giving an online presentation, looking directly at your computer camera (usually where the little light is!) will make it appear like you are looking at your audience.

Improve your public speaking skills and learn how to prepare for your next speech or interview! We are taking registrations for our upcoming four-week public speaking course that starts on Thursday, January 25th. Please DM us or email us at [email protected] with any questions.

Cedar Valley Speechmasters The Cedar Valley Speechmasters club is a chapter of Toastmasters International.

Join us this week for our meeting theme of "Evolve." We are hybrid; we meet in person at the ThreeHouse, 2422 College St, or join by Zoom. Reach out to us for the link!

Communication tip #4 of 30. Do you want to learn how to deliver a thoughtful and effective toast? For starters, keep it short — 30 seconds to a minute is fine. This article shares quotes and other ideas for giving a good toast for the holidays or other occasions.
https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2023/dec/a-season-to-toast