Hello and Welcome to the December Newsletter!
Let’s start with the most important ‘news’ in this newsletter: our final meeting of the year – our Xmas meeting – is on a Tuesday not a Monday. It’s on Tuesday 9th December at the Real Man Pizza Company. Apologies for the change but we can’t use the Clerk and Well in December as they have Christmas party bookings and it’s always difficult to find an alternative venue available on our preferred meeting dates. Normal service on Mondays at the Clerk and Well will resume in January.
If you don’t have time to read the whole newsletter, you can skip to the bottom for a short summary of the main points.
What’s happened since the last newsletter?
We had two meetings in November and welcomed new members Axel and Alefiyah who gave their ice breakers. Janet also gave us a 20 minute key note speech from the Professional Speaker manual entitled Attitude for which she was awarded Best Speaker of the evening.
What’s planned for December?
As usual we have two meetings but they are on the Monday 1st and Tuesday 9th December due to Christmas. For our Christmas meeting we’d like it to be as festive as possible so do wear your antlers and Christmas jumpers and let’s have as many festive functionaries and Christmas references as possible!
Also on Tuesday 2nd December at 7pm, we will be having a joint Xmas party for Bloomsbury Speakers’, Clerkenwell Speakers’ and St Paul’s Speakers’ members at the Toffeemaker and Blacksmith, 292-294 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PA. Thanks to Michelle for organising!
And Bloomsbury Members are also invited to the Holborn Speakers Year End Party on Friday 5th December at 6.30pm at De Santis Bar and Restaurant, 11-13 Old Street.
Tip of the Month: Top 10 Tips
Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and even beneficial, but too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here are some proven tips on how to control your butterflies and give better presentations. Whilst this may be aimed more at newer speakers there are reminders that should help all members improve:
1. Know your material. Pick a topic you are interested in. Know more about it than you include in your speech. Use humour, personal stories and conversational language – that way you won’t easily forget what to say.
2. Practice. Practice. Practice! Rehearse out loud with all equipment you plan on using. Revise as necessary. Work to control filler words; Practice, pause and breathe. Practice with a timer and allow time for the unexpected.
3. Know the audience. Greet some of the audience members as they arrive. It’s easier to speak to a group of friends than to strangers.
4. Know the room. Arrive early, walk around the speaking area and practice using any visual aids.
5. Relax. Begin by addressing the audience. It buys you time and calms your nerves. Pause, smile and count to three before saying anything. (“One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand. Pause. Begin.) Transform nervous energy into enthusiasm.
6. Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear and confident. Visualize the audience clapping – it will boost your confidence.
7. Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating, informative and entertaining. They’re rooting for you.
8. Don’t apologize for any nervousness or problem – the audience probably never noticed it.
9. Concentrate on the message – not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties and concentrate on your message and your audience.
10. Gain experience. Mainly, your speech should represent you — as an authority and as a person. Experience builds confidence, which is the key to effective speaking. At Toastmasters you can get experience you need in a safe and friendly environment.
Key facts – just the stuff you really need to know
- Dec Meetings: Monday 1st December and Tuesday 9th December at the Real Man Pizza Company opposite the Clerk and Well.
- Xmas Parties: Tuesday 2nd December at 7pm, joint Xmas party for Bloomsbury Speakers’, Clerkenwell Speakers’ and St Paul’s Speakers’ members at the Toffeemaker and Blacksmith, 292-294 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PA. And Bloomsbury Members are also invited to the Holborn Speakers Year End Party on Friday 5th December at 6.30pm at De Santis Bar and Restaurant, 11-13 Old Street.
- Welcome to new members Axel and Alefiyah
- Happy Holidays to everyone who has been part of Bloomsbury Speakers in 2014 and see you next year!
Newsletter written by Jo
