Art of Oratory Archives - Speakipedia https://speakipedia.com/category/art-of-oratory/ The Presentation & Storytelling Encyclopedia by Dave Bricker Wed, 18 Sep 2024 10:25:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://speakipedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cropped-puzzle-globe-60x60.jpg Art of Oratory Archives - Speakipedia https://speakipedia.com/category/art-of-oratory/ 32 32 How to Negotiate with a Speaker https://speakipedia.com/negotiate-with-a-speaker/ Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:00:23 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4778   Professional keynote speakers are an investment. I’m not saying they’re not a good investment—they are—but it’s true … speakers aren’t cheap. How do you negotiate with a speaker? What if you find just the right speaker for your conference … More ☛

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]]> Speech Annotator (Demo) https://speakipedia.com/speech-annotator-free/ Sun, 28 Jul 2024 10:49:02 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=615413 Load a demo and view the generated results. By Dave Bricker Great words fail without great delivery, yet so many speechwriters deliver a manuscript and leave the performance up to the (often-inexperienced) speaker. Paste your speech into the box below … More ☛

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]]> Autism and Speaking https://speakipedia.com/autism-and-speaking/ Mon, 13 May 2024 16:22:21 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=8530 I was already in my fifties when a PhD Psychologist friend confirmed that I was “slightly autistic.” That diagnosis—informal as it was—helped me understand a number of things about myself: Why I had so much trouble relating to other kids … More ☛

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]]> Storytelling Mistakes: If I Can Do It, You Can Do It https://speakipedia.com/storytelling-mistakes-if-i-can-do-it-you-can-do-it/ Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:38:27 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=8034 We’ve all heard that speaker, the one with a particular type of poor me story that can actually be dangerous. I had a wonderful career doing what I loved and making lots of money. I lived in a beautiful house … More ☛

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]]> Journey Across the Stage https://speakipedia.com/journey-across-the-stage/ Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:50:15 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=7960 When traveling through time, journey across the stage. Primitive men drew on cave walls with a burnt stick. Today, we create with a keyboard and a mouse. What tools will we express ourselves with a hundred years from now? Or … More ☛

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]]> Speaking is the Art of Fourth-Wall Theater. https://speakipedia.com/speaking-is-the-art-of-fourth-wall-theater/ Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:31:54 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=7948 Imagine a stage where there’s a wall behind the actors and one more wall on each side of the stage. The fourth wall is invisible. That’s the one the audience observes the actors through. When an actor looks at the … More ☛

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]]> Every Sailor Runs Aground Sooner or Later https://speakipedia.com/every-sailor-runs-aground/ Tue, 12 Mar 2024 13:02:44 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4774   Every sailor runs aground sooner or later! How do you know if a speaker really brings the experience they claim to? I was sailing along through clear turquoise water over a pure white sand bottom. A jagged line of … More ☛

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]]> Win the Debate: Reframe the Position https://speakipedia.com/win-the-debate-reframe-the-position/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:07:08 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=7548 When you’re asked to argue in favor of a position, your opponent may counter with the absolutist position: Let’s say the debate topic is whether or not ANY and ALL subjects should be allowable in high school debate competitions. Your … More ☛

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]]> Win the Debate: Prepare Your Opening Statement https://speakipedia.com/win-the-debate-prepare-your-opening-statement/ Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:03:11 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=7542 A debate team researched their position well and amassed a stockpile of arguments that were certain to throw their opponents out of the ring by the time they finished their opening statement. And then they undid themselves:  I won’t even … More ☛

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]]> Win the Debate: Don’t Insult Your Opponent https://speakipedia.com/debate-respect-your-opponent/ Sun, 03 Mar 2024 23:55:52 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=7529 Whether you’re debating alone or on a team, the way you treat your opponents will affect your credibility. When asserting the superiority of your arguments, it can be tempting to denigrate the other team: My opponents are clearly ignorant of  … More ☛

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]]> The Best Speakers Tell Stories About You! https://speakipedia.com/the-best-speakers-tell-stories-about-you/ Tue, 13 Feb 2024 14:02:41 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4788 The best speakers tell stories about YOU! A speaker walked onto the platform wearing a rugged jacket and hiking boots. He set an ice axe down on a small table, pulled off his snow goggles, and began to recount his … More ☛

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]]> Speech Annotator https://speakipedia.com/speech-annotator/ Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:22:49 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=6980 You need to be logged in to view this content. Please Log In. Not a Member? Join Us

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]]> Amplify Your Audience https://speakipedia.com/amplify-your-audience/ Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:52:17 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=6893 Audience members sometimes respond timidly when you ask them questions. They may be nervous about speaking up in public, especially in front of their peers. Instead of simply repeating what they say, amplify what they say. Speaker: “What are some … More ☛

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]]> Speaking Tip: Don’t Overfeed Your Audience https://speakipedia.com/too-much-content/ Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:25:33 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=6399 We all love dessert! If you dine at Seasons 52, you’ll be presented with a selection of tiny sweets at the end of your meal—chocolate mousse, key lime pie, carrot cake, and a host of other delectable options to enjoy … More ☛

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]]> Speak Under the Influence: Find Your Mentors https://speakipedia.com/find-your-mentors/ Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:08:53 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=6394 Though I rarely perform professionally, I play guitar every day. It’s my healthy drug and I’ve been addicted to it for over forty years. If you play music or ever wanted to learn how it’s probably because you heard someone … More ☛

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]]> Famous Speeches: Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” https://speakipedia.com/abraham-lincoln-gettysburg-address/ Mon, 22 Jan 2024 15:15:38 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=6349 Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg address has been recorded by numerous orators over the years, including Orson Welles, but few of these works suggest that the speakers did anything more than read with conviction. How do you reconstruct a speech that … More ☛

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]]> Famous Speeches: Winston S. Churchill “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” https://speakipedia.com/churchill-we-shall-fight-on-the-beaches/ Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:39:11 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=6134 (308 words) “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” is a small portion of a longer speech delivered by Winston Churchill to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom on June 4, 1940 during the Second Word … More ☛

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]]> Recover Your Audience After an Exercise https://speakipedia.com/recover-your-audiences-focus/ Sat, 20 Jan 2024 10:24:44 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5801 How do we get our audiences to return their focus to the presenter when we’ve sent them off to engage in a game or exercise? Interactivity is a hallmark of effective training. We can explain our strategies and success principles, … More ☛

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]]> Love Means Never Having to Say You’re Sorry https://speakipedia.com/love-means-never-having-to-say-youre-sorry/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 22:30:04 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5776 “I’m sorry, but I had only an hour to put this speech together.” “I’m sorry … I need to look at my notes.” “I’m sorry to get started late; the traffic was horrible.” “I’m sorry, but my slide remote isn’t … More ☛

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]]> What Should I Do with My Hands When I Speak? https://speakipedia.com/what-should-i-do-with-my-hands-when-i-speak/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 21:31:44 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5589 What should I do with my hands when I speak? The first way to answer this is to consider what you shouldn’t do with your hands. Sometimes nervous energy “bleeds” into our hands and we don’t even know it. We … More ☛

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]]> Technical Issues? Keep the Room Engaged! https://speakipedia.com/technical-issues-keep-the-room-engaged/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 21:22:19 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5584 My client wanted to broadcast my presentation to a satellite office and to some of their team members who were working at home. In the room were about a hundred employees from a marketing and PR firm who were attending … More ☛

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]]> Stand Up! You Don’t Need Those Crutches and Filler Words https://speakipedia.com/crutches-and-filler-words/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 21:05:51 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5555 “Crutch words” and “filler words” are empty stuffing that gets inserted into speech when we can’t think of what to say. Obvious examples are “like,” “well,” and “you know.” This whole thing is like, you know, some sort of bad … More ☛

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]]> Speaking Tip: Don’t Leave the Stage Until the Clapping Stops https://speakipedia.com/speaking-tip-dont-leave-the-stage-until-the-clapping-stops/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 19:01:53 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5508 Don’t Leave the Stage Until the Clapping Stops. I’ve done it. Most experienced professionals have done it. (sounds of applause) Thanks but I don’t need all that attention. I just gave my talk. That’s what I do. Really … you’re … More ☛

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]]> Dialogue or Die a Log! https://speakipedia.com/dialogue-or-die-a-log/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 16:40:49 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5425 Dialogue… So many speakers miss this fantastic opportunity to engage the audience. When it’s time for dialogue, they narrate it. My wife walked in and she asked if I’d pick up some groceries on the way home from work. I … More ☛

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]]> Bold Speaking is Not Arrogant https://speakipedia.com/bold-speaking-is-not-arrogant/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 16:18:27 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5420 If you’re the least bit human, you’ve probably battled imposter syndrome at one time or another. Who am I to be up on a stage giving advice to a room full of people I’ve never met? In speechwriting, this healthy … More ☛

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]]> TMA Stands for Too Many Acronyms! https://speakipedia.com/tma-stands-for-too-many-acronyms/ Fri, 19 Jan 2024 00:28:05 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=5394 One highly-effective way to confuse your audience is to use too many acronyms, especially acronyms they might not know. Skip explaining what they stand for to inspire even more blank stares.   OMG! I’m LMAO … ROFL … So I … More ☛

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]]> Murphy Was an Optimist! Prepare for Disaster https://speakipedia.com/prepare-for-disaster/ Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:24:25 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3795 My friend Kelly Swanson fell off the stage! She picked herself up, looked at the audience, and said, “I will now take questions from the floor!” Standing ovation! Why is it that we waste so much energy hoping and praying … More ☛

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]]> The Speaker’s Real Job https://speakipedia.com/speakers-real-job/ Tue, 16 Jan 2024 11:30:18 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4790   What is the speaker’s real job? We’ve seen it too many times: A dynamic, charismatic speaker gets the audience on their feet, makes them dance, gets them to shout, “Oh Yeah!”—and works the room like a Baptist preacher in … More ☛

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]]> Virtual Speaking: Speak to the Imaginary Room https://speakipedia.com/virtual-speaking-speak-to-the-imaginary-room/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:51:46 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4833 You’ve probably been advised to look at the camera when you speak on screen, and in general, that’s good advice. But consider another approach. If you were sitting in a live audience, would the speaker look you in the eyes … More ☛

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]]> Monologues for Speakers https://speakipedia.com/monologues-for-speakers/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:39:32 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4798 Actors are encouraged to have monologues in their back pockets, rehearsed, and ready to go for auditions. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But if you mouth it, as many … More ☛

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]]> Impromptu Speaking https://speakipedia.com/impromptu-speaking/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:28:01 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4793 It’s interesting that speaking “off the cuff” is such a terrifying proposition for so many people. If you and I were having a conversation, neither one of us would have any idea what was going to come out of our … More ☛

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]]> How to Win Speaking Contests https://speakipedia.com/how-to-win-speaking-contests/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:14:05 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4772 Especially if you’re in Toastmasters, you may wish to challenge yourself to compete in a speaking contest. Here are a few tips for winners. Read the ballot. The judges will score you based on a variety of factors. Why guess … More ☛

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]]> Green Screen Basics https://speakipedia.com/green-screen-basics/ Wed, 10 Jan 2024 16:30:51 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4738 If you’re viewing this content in video format instead of reading it, you’re watching the magic of the green screen. The concept is simple: Film yourself speaking in front of a green screen. Some are fabric. Some are painted on … More ☛

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]]> Your Accent is Charming! https://speakipedia.com/your-accent-is-charming/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 23:11:38 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4519 Where I live here in Miami, everyone’s from somewhere else. I meet so many people who are afraid to speak because I have dees accent and I no speak zee English so good The truth: We understand you much better … More ☛

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]]> Why Memorize Your Speech? Try The Suspension Bridge Method https://speakipedia.com/why-memorize-your-speech-try-the-suspension-bridge-method/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 23:01:17 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4505 I spent 40 hours trying to memorize a five-minute speech once. And then I skipped an important line! Memorizing a speech is difficult and time-consuming… And the number one cause of memory lapses is worrying about memory lapses! The solution … More ☛

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]]> What to Do with Your Hands When You Speak https://speakipedia.com/what-to-do-with-your-hands-when-you-speak/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:59:27 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4500 What should we do with our hands when we speak? If you’re one of those people who talk with your hands, just be yourself. Some speakers like to bring their hands to rest in a position of offering, with palms … More ☛

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]]> What if? Danger and Opportunity https://speakipedia.com/what-if-danger-and-opportunity/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:56:41 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4395 What if you forget your lines on stage? What if there’s a power failure in the middle of your speech? Or a fire drill? What if? What if? What if? We waste so much energy inventing and avoiding the most … More ☛

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]]> Voices and Accents https://speakipedia.com/voices-and-accents/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:48:41 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4380 If you want to discover what the human voice is capable of, listen to Humphrey Bower narrate the audiobook version of Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. In that book, Mr. Bower emulates the voices of men AND women from India, … More ☛

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]]> Turn Nervous into Service https://speakipedia.com/turn-nervous-into-service/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:42:33 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4365 Speaking nerves are normal and natural, but think about it: Most fears are rooted in things that might happen to US. We worry we’ll forget a line. We worry the audience won’t like us. We worry we’ll say something embarrassing. … More ☛

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]]> There Are No “Levels” https://speakipedia.com/there-are-no-levels/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:39:41 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4360 Are you stuck? How will you ever get to the next level? The concept of levels is a direct assault on our self-esteem. It’s like being rich. Is there a specific amount of currency that distinguishes the rich from the … More ☛

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]]> The Power Pause! https://speakipedia.com/the-power-pause/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:33:06 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4347 If you asked me a question—a deep or complex question—and I shot back a quick answer, you might conclude that I didn’t care enough to think about what you wanted to know. On the other hand, if I paused and … More ☛

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]]> The One-Sided Phone Call https://speakipedia.com/the-one-sided-phone-call/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:29:58 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4342 Sometimes you can get a lot of mileage on stage when you leave half the conversation to the audience’s imagination. [ring] Hello … Oh, hi honey. I can’t really talk right now. I’m in the middle of giving a pres…” … More ☛

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]]> The Imaginary Law of Perfection https://speakipedia.com/the-imaginary-law-of-perfection/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:27:11 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4337 You imagine that you have to get through your speech without forgetting a word. You imagine that you’ll bomb if the technology fails. You imagine that you can’t use notes. You imagine that being on stage holds you to the … More ☛

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]]> The Fifth Wall https://speakipedia.com/the-fifth-wall/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:21:48 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4326 My last video talked about the fourth wall—an acting term that refers to the invisible “fourth wall” between the audience and the stage. But what about the “fifth wall?” Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it. I made it … More ☛

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]]> Teleprompters https://speakipedia.com/teleprompters/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 22:04:13 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4297 All these speaking tips—hundreds of videos. Every one of them is scripted and displayed on a teleprompter app. I don’t do that on stage, but I can load the scripts for dozens of videos into my teleprompter, record them in … More ☛

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]]> Storytelling Mistakes: “You Guys” and “You All” https://speakipedia.com/storytelling-mistakes-you-guys-and-you-all/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 21:54:39 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4261 How many of you have heard speakers address the audience as a group? Is it okay to do that? What do you guys think? There are a few problems here: If I ask “How many of you,” I’m asking a … More ☛

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]]> Speaking with Notes https://speakipedia.com/speaking-with-notes/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:20:42 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4107 Ideally, we can deliver our presentations without notes but there’s no law against it. The gods of public speaking are not going to consign you to the bad place for eternity if you bring a few index cards onto the … More ☛

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]]> Speaking Rockstar or Roadie? https://speakipedia.com/speaking-rockstar-or-roadie/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:13:15 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4100 “I loved your speech!” “Great message!” “You had me captivated all the way to the end!” “And then you ruined it!” That’s what a friend in the audience told me. What did I do to wreck my presentation? Knowing there … More ☛

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]]> Speaking: Speak With Your Face https://speakipedia.com/speaking-speak-with-your-face/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:42:05 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4087 Speaking involves so much more than your voice. Hand gestures, body language, stage positioning, and facial expressions all play an important role in making a speech engaging. Let’s talk about that last one. Here’s an example: My sister called and … More ☛

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]]> Pump Up Your Presentation with Sound Effects https://speakipedia.com/sound-effects/ Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:32:49 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=4084 Sound Effects The human voice is an amazingly versatile instrument. It can not only speak, it can sing, and imitate a variety of sounds. Here’s an excerpt from a story I’ve shared many times. As I made that quick turn … More ☛

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]]> Sing! https://speakipedia.com/sing/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 23:00:43 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3919 Sing! Sing! Sing! Yes, you. You don’t have to sing well. You don’t have to sing in front of your audiences. But sing! Singing will open up the full capability of your vocal cords. Singing will teach you to resonate … More ☛

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]]> Running Overtime is a Rookie Mistake https://speakipedia.com/running-overtime-is-a-rookie-mistake/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 22:31:19 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3909 No big deal if you run over, right? That’s just more value the audience will get for the same fee. Wrong. Think again. Running overtime is a big rookie mistake. Let’s say the conference you’re speaking at hired a $100,000 … More ☛

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]]> Rehearse the Short Speech You Never Want to Give https://speakipedia.com/rehearse-the-short-speech-you-never-want-to-give/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:57:39 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3898 Imagine this happening to you: You’re up on stage in front of a room full of people. You’re focused and you’re determined to deliver transformation. Everyone will be more productive, less-stressed, and farther down the path to prosperity because of … More ☛

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]]> Public Speaking Dymamics: Vary Your Tempo https://speakipedia.com/public-speaking-dymamics-vary-your-tempo/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:48:33 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3892 Tempo is speed, and it’s an important element of dynamic speaking. On a basic level, be aware of whether you’re speaking too fast, especially if you have non-native English speakers in your audience. We speed up our speaking when we … More ☛

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]]> Public Speaking Dymamics: Vary Your Emotional Intensity https://speakipedia.com/public-speaking-dymamics-vary-your-emotional-intensity/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:34:06 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3886 Dynamics—change—is the hallmark of an engaging speech. One variable that’s often overlooked is emotional intensity. Changes in intensity offer a powerful way to cue your audience to whether you’re playing a role in a story or narrating. A lesser speaker … More ☛

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]]> Public Speaking Dymamics: Vary Your Volume https://speakipedia.com/public-speaking-dymamics-vary-your-volume/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:27:39 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3881 So many speakers use their FM radio DJ voice … all the time. This is not dynamic speaking. Remember: “Dynamic” means “changing.” Think about how noisy little kids are on the playground. It’s astonishing how much sound comes out of those … More ☛

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]]> Public Speaking: Dialogue or Die a Log https://speakipedia.com/public-speaking-dialogue-or-die-a-log/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 21:02:20 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3876 So many speakers miss out on a huge opportunity to engage audiences when they narrate dialogue in past tense. He said. She said. It sounds kind of like this: A friend suggested I create a series of videos about public … More ☛

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]]> Public Speaking: Words and Gestures https://speakipedia.com/public-speaking-words-and-gestures/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 20:41:12 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3870 The relationships between gestures and spoken words are an important part of effective public speaking. Gestures can come before the spoken words, during the words, or after them. Hand gestures can add emphasis to things you say, as you say … More ☛

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]]> Public Speaking: Vary Your Pitch https://speakipedia.com/public-speaking-vary-your-pitch/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 19:13:49 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3864 Dynamics means “change,” and yet so many speakers think “dynamic speaking” means being loud and emphatic. Being a dynamic speaker means you change your volume, speed, emotional intensity, and other factors. And “Pitch” is one of those important dynamic variables. … More ☛

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]]> Psalms and Speakers https://speakipedia.com/psalms-and-pspeakers/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 18:53:09 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3859 Winston S. Churchill gave thousands of speeches, and though he had a memory like an elephant’s, he read every one of them from a script. To deliver these speeches in a compelling way, he wrote them out in a style … More ☛

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]]> Practice Big and Then Tone it Down https://speakipedia.com/practice-big-and-then-tone-it-down/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 18:23:50 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3853 Speaking is theater but many speakers are afraid they’ll look “theatrical” or “over-the-top.” They hold themselves back and stay in the dynamic “safe zone.” And it’s true that we’re likely to deliver a bigger performance on a keynote stage than … More ☛

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]]> Pause After Telling a Joke https://speakipedia.com/pause-after-telling-a-joke/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:45:29 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3847 I coached a speaker who had entered a humorous speech contest. Her trial run in front of a supportive audience at her Toastmasters club didn’t go very well. Air travel has gotten so difficult. They shred your luggage and send … More ☛

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]]> Pause After Asking a Question https://speakipedia.com/pause-after-asking-a-question/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:28:07 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3842 Did you ever wish you could make yourself invisible? Did you ever wish you could just fly away? Did you ever wonder why speakers ask so many rhetorical questions? Opening a speech with questions is a powerful way to engage … More ☛

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]]> Open Your Speech With a Story https://speakipedia.com/open-your-speech-with-a-story/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:25:34 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3837 I said goodbye to my traveling companion, rowed back to my anchored sailboat, sat in the cockpit, and looked around the harbor. What am I doing here? I’m twenty-four years old, single, unemployed, and alone in a foreign country on … More ☛

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]]> Open Your Speech with a Startling Statistic https://speakipedia.com/open-your-speech-with-a-startling-statistic/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:14:02 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3832 One in five Americans reads below a fifth grade level! The average person spends two years of their life on the phone! 87.3% of all statistics are made up on the spot! A startling statistic (or two or three) will … More ☛

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]]> Open a Speech with Questions https://speakipedia.com/open-a-speech-with-questions/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:07:08 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3826 One simple way to open a speech is with questions—usually three. How will you captivate your audience at the beginning of your next speech? How will you show them you have a message they care about? How will you assure … More ☛

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]]> Nervous? Don’t Picture the Audience Naked! https://speakipedia.com/nervous-dont-picture-the-audience-naked/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:34:30 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3821 Who came up with that piece of advice? Unless you’re speaking at a super-model convention, don’t picture the audience naked. It’ll do nothing to calm your nerves and it could be a distraction you don’t need. And think about how … More ☛

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]]> Need Their Attention? Train Your Audience https://speakipedia.com/need-their-attention-train-your-audience/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 16:26:32 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3801 I watched a speaker disperse the audience into discussion groups of four people … And then struggle to get them to stop talking and return their focus to the stage. The exercise was a success—the audience got caught up in … More ☛

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]]> Manage an Unruly Audience https://speakipedia.com/manage-an-unruly-audience/ Fri, 05 Jan 2024 14:27:47 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3662 Hopefully, you’ll never face a hostile or unruly audience but it’s worth thinking about how you’d handle one. If members of the audience are obstructive and rude to the point where you can’t continue speaking, don’t give them the pleasure … More ☛

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]]> Let Your Audience in on Your Unspoken Thoughts https://speakipedia.com/let-your-audience-in-on-your-unspoken-thoughts/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 21:06:15 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3658 Sometimes we say one thing when we want to say another. Maybe you need to reject someone but you want to let them down easy. It goes something like this: Oh thank you Beth. That’s such a kind invitation! (hand … More ☛

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]]> Interview Prep https://speakipedia.com/interview-prep/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 20:58:14 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3651 I’ve appeared as a guest on many podcasts. My hosts are almost always astonished when I refer them to the media hosts page on my website. There, they find my bio, my intro, my logo, headshots, and a list of … More ☛

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]]> In Public Speaking, Being Theatrical is Authentic! https://speakipedia.com/in-public-speaking-being-theatrical-is-authentic/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 20:55:36 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3648 So many speakers—even professional ones—are afraid to be “theatrical.” They worry that will be inauthentic or phony. A speaker I worked with told a story about a great injustice: A military leader was wrongly court-martialed and forced to retire in … More ☛

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]]> I, We, and You https://speakipedia.com/i-we-and-you/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 20:50:36 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3620 We talked about the I-infection—about people who talk incessantly about themselves. I did this and I did that. That gets old fast. Audiences want to know what’s in it for them. So how do we use “I,” “we,” and “you” … More ☛

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]]> How to Structure a Speech Part 3: Create the Opening https://speakipedia.com/how-to-structure-a-speech-part-3/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:24:18 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3612 In part 1 we defined the transformation. By knowing how we want our audience to think, feel, or act differently after they’ve seen our presentation, we can tailor our content to helping them achieve those goals. In part 2, we … More ☛

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]]> How to Structure a Speech Part 2: Map Out the Journey https://speakipedia.com/how-to-structure-a-speech-part-2/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:19:00 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3601 Once you have the transformation defined, map out the steps to get there. Let’s say the transformation is that we want our listeners to appreciate the peanut butter and jelly sandwich as a nutritious and healthy meal, and not as … More ☛

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]]> How to Structure a Speech Part 1: Start with the Transformation https://speakipedia.com/how-to-structure-a-speech-part-1/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:07:34 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3594 Lecturers deliver information; speakers deliver transformation. You may talk about finance, artificial intelligence, or real estate—and that information may be valuable—but if you just want to share data, a printed article is faster to consume and your audience can take … More ☛

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]]> How to Get Over Your Fear of Public Speaking https://speakipedia.com/how-to-get-over-your-fear-of-public-speaking/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 19:03:19 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3587 Glossophobia—the fear of public speaking—is #8 on the list of common phobias—not #1 as is commonly thought—but it’s still a big concern for many people. How can we get over our natural fear of public speaking? Recognize that fear of … More ☛

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]]> How to Evaluate a Speech https://speakipedia.com/how-to-evaluate-a-speech/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:49:10 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3583 If you want to become a great musician listen to great music. If you want to become a great speaker listen to great speeches. So what makes up a great speech? Here are a few things to look for: One: … More ☛

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]]> How Long Can You Pause? https://speakipedia.com/how-long-can-you-pause/ Thu, 04 Jan 2024 18:15:55 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3546 One of the most difficult skills in speaking… [pause] Is becoming comfortable and confident with long paues. Speakers and musicians are afraid that if they pause for too long, the time will break and the audience will disengage. That’s true … More ☛

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]]> Engage and Educate with Interactivity https://speakipedia.com/engage-and-educate-with-interactivity/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:20:56 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3445 Over the years I’ve spent speaking, I’ve developed special ways to explain a variety of concepts. I’ve written books, created beautiful slides, and shared a number of workshops. But as clearly as I’ve mapped out my messages, I’ve discovered only … More ☛

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]]> Dynamics Means “Change” https://speakipedia.com/dynamics-means-change/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:14:18 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3441 So many speakers think a “dynamic” speaker should use their FM radio rock and roll DJ voice all the time. [DJ voice] They never speed up. They never slow down. Their pitch never goes up. Their pitch never goes down. … More ☛

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]]> Don’t Eat the Microphone! https://speakipedia.com/dont-eat-the-microphone/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 20:47:32 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3418 Microphones are designed to be placed a certain distance from your mouth. If you eat the microphone—if you put it on your kips like an ice cream cone—it’s likely to pick up breathing sounds and sibilance—the percussive pops, clicks, and … More ☛

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]]> Don’t Read Too Much into Faces https://speakipedia.com/dont-read-too-much-into-faces/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 19:30:44 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3415 A colleague was speaking and that lady in the front row was making him nervous. He was sure she wanted to kill him, and he had no idea why. After the performance, when he was posing for selfies and signing … More ☛

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]]> Don’t Dis Anyone On Stage https://speakipedia.com/dont-dis-anyone-on-stage/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 19:26:57 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3413 Blame-free problem-solving is a good practice for speakers. One of my clients was ready to speak but the AV person never set up the equipment. His slides weren’t going to be part of his presentation, and this was going to … More ☛

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]]> How Do I Know How Long My Speech Will Be? https://speakipedia.com/how-do-i-know-how-long-my-speech-will-be/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 23:25:59 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3478 Often—usually—we’re asked to speak for a certain number of minutes. If we have ten minutes to speak, how can we avoid writing a 30-minute talk that has to be edited down? How can we steer clear of having to rush … More ☛

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]]> Care for Your Voice https://speakipedia.com/care-for-your-voice/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:15:54 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3380 If you’re a speaker, you’re a voice athlete. Taking good care of our voices is just sensible. How do we do that? First, understand there are two pipes in your throat: The esophagus leads to your stomach and your trachea … More ☛

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]]> Can I Swear on Stage? https://speakipedia.com/can-i-swear-on-stage/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 18:00:14 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3377 Some speakers get away with it, but think about it like this: You never know who’s in the audience. If your f-bomb offends one person in the room, they could be the one person who complains or who has the … More ☛

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]]> Hiding Behind the Microphone (Beware the Mic Drop) https://speakipedia.com/hiding-behind-the-microphone/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 22:46:59 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3466 I watched a wedding guest who’d been asked to deliver a toast. As he spoke, the microphone drifted slowly down toward his stomach. If you’re uncomfortable speaking, and especially if amplifying your voice also amplifies your nerves, watch out for … More ☛

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]]> Break Up Your Speech with Dynamic Ramps https://speakipedia.com/break-up-your-speech-with-dynamic-ramps/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 17:29:46 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3374 What is a “dynamic ramp?” In your speech, perhaps you share a story from many years ago and then you jump to a recent story, and then you add a conclusion at the end. That’s three distinct sections. How will … More ☛

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]]> Find the Music in the Words https://speakipedia.com/find-the-music-in-the-words/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:52:28 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3456 Writing an eloquent speech is 98% of the work. Delivering that speech in an engaging way is the other 98%. Some speakers take years to discover this. They talk about being afraid or angry but they don’t speed up or … More ☛

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]]> Find the Funny in the Room https://speakipedia.com/find-the-funny-in-the-room/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:47:04 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3453 A super way to surprise your audience is to “find the funny in the room” and use it to your advantage. Years ago, I competed in a humorous speech contest. My talk was about “my speaking journey” and how a … More ☛

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]]> Everyone Hates Their Own Voice. Get over it! https://speakipedia.com/everyone-hates-their-own-voice/ Wed, 03 Jan 2024 21:40:15 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3447 It happens to all of us. We hear the recording and we immediately think: Oh my God! Do I really sound like that? The voice that you hear and feel resonating in your chest and sinuses is not the same … More ☛

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]]> ​​Be BIG! Your Audience Has Forgotten How! https://speakipedia.com/be-big-your-audience-has-forotten-how/ Tue, 02 Jan 2024 22:53:52 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3356 For the most part, your audience has forgotten how to SHOUT unless they’ve lost their temper. They’re afraid to SING the way they did when they were kids. They rarely slow down or speed up or raise their pitch. Many … More ☛

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]]> Anyone Can Master Public Speaking https://speakipedia.com/anyone-can-master-public-speaking/ Tue, 02 Jan 2024 22:50:35 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=3352   If you’re one of those shy people who has difficulty imagining themselves up on a stage feeling comfortable in front of an audience, you’re not alone. But consider that the majority of professional speakers are introverts. A disproportionate number … More ☛

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]]> PowerPoint Mistakes: Bullet Points! https://speakipedia.com/powerpoint-bullet-points/ Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:01:02 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4728 How deadly are your bullet points? There are seven elements that every speaker must consider when crafting a presentation: ✅ Timing ✅ Volume ✅ Pauses ✅ Presence ✅ Facial Expressions ✅ Body Language ✅ And Dynamics Let’s talk about timing … More ☛

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]]> Intromatic (Demo) https://speakipedia.com/intromatic/ Sun, 31 Dec 2023 14:15:56 +0000 https://speakipedia.com/?page_id=177 Load a demo and view the AI-generated results. Speaker Introduction Wizard by Dave Bricker A strong, interesting, and concise introduction sets the stage for your performance. It builds energy and primes your audience to focus on the problem you address, … More ☛

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]]> Never Play the Victim Card https://speakipedia.com/poor-me-stories/ https://speakipedia.com/poor-me-stories/#comments Tue, 25 Jul 2023 13:00:05 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4520 Keep your poor me stories off the stage. My friend Tony showed me a video of a speaker who told the story of her escape from alcohol and depression and her long, hard road to personal and professional success. “It’s … More ☛

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]]> https://speakipedia.com/poor-me-stories/feed/ 2 An Interview with Voice Artist Humphrey Bower https://speakipedia.com/humphrey-bower-interview/ Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:00:44 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4532 Find Your Voice … And Someone Else’s! Do you enjoy a good audiobook as much as I do? Australian actor Humphrey Bower voices hundreds of characters—men and women with accents from around the world. I’ve listened to over 350 hours … More ☛

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]]> What is “Dynamic Speaking?” https://speakipedia.com/dynamic-speaking/ Tue, 16 May 2023 14:01:54 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4421 We often hear about “dynamic speaking,” but what does that mean? The dictionary defines “dynamics” as “the forces or properties which stimulate growth, development, or change within a system or process.” Essentially, “dynamics” means “change,” and if you want your … More ☛

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]]> No Response? Leave ’em Satisfied … and Hungry! https://speakipedia.com/dessert-satisfied-hungry/ Tue, 24 Jan 2023 15:00:48 +0000 https://storysailing.com/?p=4056 We all love dessert! If you dine at Seasons 52, you’ll be presented with a selection of tiny sweets at the end of your meal—chocolate mousse, key lime pie, carrot cake, and a host of other delectable options to enjoy … More ☛

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