Dana Bristol-Smith

Free

Business Communication Expert

Dana Bristol-Smith

Dana Bristol-Smith Quick Facts

Main Areas
- Helping people get past the fear of public speaking and present themselves in a more powerful way!
Best Sellers
Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking
Career Focus
Founder of Speak for Success, Trainer, Speaker, Author
Affiliation
American Society of Training and Development, Society of Human Resource Management

In 1993, I gave my first presentation to a large audience, and was terrified. I learned how to give presentations on-the-job by making many mistakes along the way. It was difficult and humbling and became part of my regular responsibilities. After giving presentations to more than 100,000 students and teachers in three years, learning what worked and what did not—I made the transition to working with corporations.

Working with Fortune 500 companies as an account manager and trainer for a national training company, I was able to see first-hand the huge need and market for communications training, particularly in presentation skills and business writing, as part of sales, management, and leadership development.

I started Speak for Success in 2001 because I saw a critical need among business professionals to communicate effectively and professionally, both verbally and in writing.

Public speaking is many professionals' #1 fear and today, more people are being required, as part of their roles, to give formal and informal presentations. About 90% of the professionals who come through our programs find public speaking uncomfortable—and often, one of their greatest fears—leaving only about 10% who actually enjoy it.

Learning how to give effective business presentations is a very important skill for people who want to advance in their careers. It acts as a differentiator, separating those with similar expertise, experience, and education from those who aren't as willing to stand out be seen. And, developing these skills is particularly important for professional women who want to move up the career ladder.

For more information please visit Speak for Success online.

Warm Regards,

Dana Bristol-Smith

Free Articles & Book Excerpts

Free Audio & Video Samples

Dana Bristol-Smith Books

Articles by this expert

SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert.

6 total
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Article

In a recent day home feeling under the weather, I got a chance to catch up with daytime TV. I was watching the Tyra Banks show and the topic was What do other people think of us? They had chosen a group of women, who for various reasons weren’t getting the kind of results they wanted in ...

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Article

Even trainers need to watch their speech. It’s so easy to pick up bad speech habits and unfortunately, we can develop them just like everyone else. There is a new bad speech habit that many professional speakers and trainers are now developing. It’s the use of what I believe is a new ...

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Article

In reviewing my goals for last year, I’ve realized that I have only met about 50% of them. Looking at it by the numbers it sounds terrible! I don’t like to do anything half way. Back in school, 50% would have been an “F”, which I’ve never gotten before, and I ...

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Article

I’ve been thinking about how we create barriers to understanding because of our language patterns and habits. Lately, I’ve worked with scientists and engineers from around the world. My workshops have had participants from China, Columbia, France, India, Sweden, United Kingdom, Ukraine and, of ...

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Article

During the year we've seen some great examples from celebrities of presentatio Do's and Don'ts. On the Do -side we've seen how an actor, former body builder, named A old, can morph into a Governor through demonstrating both charisma and confidence. We've also seen some really terrible ...

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Article

Tomorrow’s the day and you’re dreading it. You’re scheduled to give a presentation to the senior management team about the new program you’re proposing. You’re excited and enthusiastic about the program but nervous and anxious about the presentation. You don’t know how you’ll manage to sleep ...

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Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Dana Bristol-Smith

Improving your presentation skills is not an activity

that can happen by reading books or sitting on your butt

watching someone else giving a presentation!

It is only learned from on-your-feet practice.

I create safe environments where people can be themselves

and have success presenting on their own feet!

Dana Bristol-Smith

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Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered,

you will never grow.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Contacting Dana Bristol-Smith

Please visit Speak for Success to learn more!

You can email me at: dana@speakforsuccess.net

How to get started

Please visit Speak for Success online to learn more!

I'd love to stay in touch with you - Please visit my Blog!

Or, sign up for my monthly Ezine!

Warmly,

Dana

Other highlights

We offer Presentation Skills programs for companies and individuals.

Our most popular programs for companies are:

Our most popular program for individuals is: