In February 2025, I attended an intensive public speaking training led by Didier Demaeght, former spokesperson of FEBIAC (The Belgian car and two-wheeler federation). The course focused on delivering impactful presentations to diverse audiences, from investors, C-level, to junior staff.
Why Public speaking matters ?
Public speaking remains a crucial skill in 2025, offering numerous benefits for personal and professional growth. It matters because it allows individuals to connect emotionally with audiences, create lasting impacts, and influence decisions.
In 2019, I had my first public speaking training in London. The training was led by Michael Sokolin, a public speaking coach who founded the School of connection.
What did I learn ?
The training emphasized on the critical role of body language in effective communication. I learned that nonverbal cues account for up to 60% of the overall message, making it essential to master posture, gestures, and facial expressions. I practiced maintaining a confident stance, using purposeful hand movements, and making consistent eye contact to build credibility and engage the audience.
A key takeaway was the importance of establishing a connection with listeners. I discovered techniques to foster trust and approachability through open body language and genuine facial expressions. I also learned to modulate my voice for greater emotional impact, enhancing the audience’s receptiveness to his message.
The course addressed the psychological aspects of public speaking, teaching how to manage stress and maintain a positive internal dialogue. I learned to reframe anxiety as excitement and embrace discomfort.
Perhaps most importantly, I mastered the F-A-P framework introduce during the training: Features, Advantages, and Proof. This structure helps me organize my thoughts and deliver clear, persuasive presentations. By focusing on the key features of any topic, explaining their advantages, and providing concrete (social) proof, I can now craft compelling arguments that resonate with any audience.
How to make (a good) presentation daily ?
If like me, you have to make frequently (daily most probably weekly) presentation to internal and external clients, I would definitely suggest you to focus on the main message you want to convey to your audience. Prior to that, you need to understand in depth the needs of your audience, its level of maturity and knowledge about the topic you will present to them.
As an online marketer, I frequently need to explain complex things like sudden drop in website traffic, sharp incease of cost per click and Google algorithm updates to my audience. While presenting, I don’t need to break down the technical details of search engines like Google or the frequent updates of Google Ads. Instead, I would focus on the (positive or negative) impact of it. that matters the most for my audience.