BNM Professional Consulting Services, Inc.

Looking for inspiration for your upcoming speech? One of the best ways to get motivated is by reading quotes from some incredible public speakers. Not only can this help you get excited about giving your next speech, but it may also provide the extra encouragement you need. Ready to get started? Here are eight famous quotes about public speaking that you can read for inspiration.

Quote 1: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

Quote 2: “If I went back to college again, I’d concentrate on two areas: learning to write and to speak before an audience. Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.” - Gerald R. Ford

Quote 3: “There are always three speeches, for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.” - Dale Carnegie

Quote 4: “To communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world, and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others.” - Tony Robbins

Quote 5: “If you’re not comfortable with public speaking – and nobody starts out comfortable; you have to learn how to be comfortable – practice. I cannot overstate the importance of practicing. Get some close friends or family members to help evaluate you, or somebody at work that you trust.” - Hilary Clinton.

Quote 6: “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” - Mark Twain

Quote 7: “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” - Alexander Graham Bell

Quote 8: “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” - Jim Rohn

Consider working with a Chicago speech coach to help you get ready for your upcoming public speaking engagement. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for your next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Whatever your goals and aspirations are, we’re here to help you.

Reading with your children is an excellent way to spend time with them while working on their speech and language skills. Fortunately, there are so many fantastic books out there with fun stories and colorful illustrations that we know you and your little one will love reading together. From The Very Hungry Caterpillar to My First Learn-to-Talk Book and more, here are some wonderful books to help your child improve their speech.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar follows the story of a caterpillar who is constantly searching for his next meal. Not only are the illustrations in this book delightful to look at, but they are full of bright and unique colors. While reading, ask your child to identify the colors and food on the pages, and as a fun bonus, make a snack with your child to enjoy before you begin reading.

Touch and Feel Farm Animals

Touch and Feel Farm Animals is perfect for little ones learning all about animals. Plus, they can touch and feel the different textures of the animals as you flip through the pages. Another great thing about this book is that it is full of fun facts about each animal, and your child can try to make the noise of the animals, too. We know you and your kiddos will really enjoy reading this book together.

My First Learn-to-Talk Book

This final book is perfect for your very young children who are just learning how to talk and say their first words. Reading this book will teach your child about different emotions and feelings and the words that sometimes go along with these emotions and feelings. Not only will your child learn some new words, but they may also learn how to express their feelings more openly.

If you are concerned that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development, contact a Speech-Language Pathologist in Chicago. Our caring and compassionate team will talk to you and help you decide if your little one could benefit from speech therapy.

It’s no secret that getting in front of an audience to give a speech can sometimes be quite nerve-wracking. This is especially true if you’re new to the public speaking scene, as you may still be working on your presentation skills. But what if we told you that you can actually take your fear of public speaking and use it to your advantage? Yes, really!

There are some things that you can do before and during your speech that will help you take your fear and turn it into strength during your next public speaking engagement, and this blog will give you some ideas to help you get started.

Address Your Fears Head On

There are many reasons why people are afraid of public speaking. And though it’s okay to have these fears, you shouldn’t let them hold you back from reaching your goals. That’s why we highly recommend that you face your fears head-on. Before your public speaking engagement, write down a list of the things you are afraid of, and then consider why you are afraid of them. A lot of the time, you’ll realize that your fears aren’t actually all that scary, and you may be able to calm your nerves.

Understand That Your Audience Wants You to Succeed

Another reason that people are afraid to give a public speaking engagement is because they think that their audience will judge them or want them to fail. But in reality, this isn’t the case! Your audience is there to support you, and they truly want you to succeed. So next time you step in front of your audience, take a deep breath, look at the smiling faces around you, and relax.

Believe in Yourself - You Got This!

One of the main reasons that people are afraid of speaking in front of others is because they don’t believe in themselves. Believing in yourself is key to feeling confident during public speaking engagements, which is exactly why you need to give yourself positive affirmations before your speech. Look at yourself in front of the mirror, and say 5 things that you love about yourself and how you’re going to absolutely nail your presentation. You’d be surprised at how much this can boost your confidence and reduce your stress levels.

If you want to work on getting over your fear of public speaking and gain the tools and confidence to help you do so, consider contacting a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for your next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Whatever your goals and aspirations are, we’re here to help you.

One of the best ways to help your child work on their speech and language development is to play board games with them. And with the holidays just around the corner, we thought it would be the perfect time to share some of our favorite board games with you so you can get them in time to play with your entire family this holiday season. So, with that said, let’s get the fun started! Here are some of the best board games to help your child work on their speech development.

Spot It!

This game is a whole lot of fun and can be played with multiple people. To begin, Each person has a board filled with cute objects and has to try to match their objects to the cards in the center. If someone finds an object on their card that matches the middle card, they get a point! Another thing you can do with the cards is sit and have your child identify and say the name of each object.

Candy Land

Another fun board game is Candy Land! In this game, you need to take turns choosing cards from the pile and moving your game piece to that specific colored square on the board. To work on your child’s speech therapy, have your child say aloud what color they have chosen, and consider asking them to count how many spaces they will move. Keep selecting cards and moving your pieces until one of you reaches the end!

Guess Who?

In this final board game, you and your child must try to guess the other person’s mystery character. First, you will each ask questions about the other person’s mystery character, such as “What color is their hair?” or “Are they wearing a hat?” Keep asking each other questions until you both discover the other person’s mystery character and then try playing again!

Happy Holidays from all of us at BNM Professional Consulting Services! If you’re concerned that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development, please don’t hesitate to contact a Speech-Language Pathologist in Chicago. Our compassionate team will happily answer any questions and help you decide if speech therapy is right for your little one.

The holidays are just around the corner, which can only mean one thing... it’s time to start shopping for gifts for your family and friends! And although finding gifts for people can sometimes be difficult, we have you covered when it comes to buying presents for the avid public speaker in your life. Not only will these items help your friends and family become better at public speaking, but we know that they’re going to love them as well.

Timer: Giving a speech can be nerve-wracking, and sometimes, when people get nervous, they tend to talk faster than normal. Fortunately, a timer can help prevent presenters from falling into this bad habit. While someone is practicing their speech, they can turn on the timer and ensure that their speech lasts an acceptable amount of time. If they find that they are speaking too quickly, they can restart their speech and try to deliver it more slowly.

Digital Recorder: Another excellent gift to give the public speaker in your life is a digital recorder. Most of the time, when someone is at home and practicing their speech, no one will be around to give them feedback. But this doesn’t have to be a problem, especially if the speaker has a digital recorder around. This way, they can use the digital recorder while they are practicing their speech, listen to the recording, and alter their speech based on what they heard.

Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking: The final gift that we recommend is this excellent book. We all know that watching TED Talks is such a great way to better your public speaking skills. But did you know that there is a book that shares public speaking tips from TED Talk speakers? Ted Talks: The Official Guide to Public Speaking is the perfect gift to give to your favorite public speaker, as it can help give them advice and tips on how to become a better presenter.

If you need help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Please don’t hesitate to contact us today to get started!

There are many common misconceptions and myths that we frequently hear when it comes to a child’s speech and language development. Unfortunately, these myths can make it difficult for parents to know if their child could benefit from seeing a Speech-Language Pathologist. That’s why we wanted to go through some of these myths and debunk them so that you know exactly what to look for regarding your child’s speech and language development.

MYTH 1: Children don’t need to hit certain speech milestones.

FACT 1: There are many speech and language milestones that your child should be hitting by age, and these milestones can help you decide if your little one could benefit from speech therapy. Take a look at this blog that discusses the milestones your little one should be hitting by age, and if they haven’t hit one or more of those milestones, contact us to discuss if speech therapy could help.

MYTH 2: Children will naturally grow out of speech development delays.

FACT 2: Sometimes, parents think their child will naturally grow out of their speech development delays. And though this is the case for some, many children need to go to speech therapy and get help from a Speech-Language Pathologist. A speech-language pathologist can help your child work on their speech and ensure that they progress in their speech and language development.

MYTH 3: Speech therapy cannot help with all speech disorders.

FACT 3: If your child has an articulation disorder, stutter, lisp, apraxia, or another type of speech disorder, speech therapy can benefit your little one greatly. Speech disorders are more common than you think, and speech therapy could help your child improve their speech disorder. A Speech-Language Pathologist will work to develop a personalized plan for your little one and ensure that they are on the right path to work towards overcoming their speech disorder.

If you’re concerned that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development, please don’t hesitate to contact a Speech-Language Pathologist in Chicago. Our compassionate team will happily answer any questions and help you decide if speech therapy is right for your little one.

One of the biggest fears people have is public speaking. Although, in reality, it doesn’t have to be all that scary! There are many misconceptions when it comes to the topic of public speaking, which can cause people to be afraid of getting in front of their audience. But we want you to know that with a little bit of practice and further understanding about the topic, you’ll come to realize that public speaking isn’t that scary after all.

Still not convinced? We have you covered! Here are 3 reasons why public speaking isn’t all that scary:

1. Your Audience Wants You to Succeed: A huge reason that people are scared to give a speech is because they are afraid that their audience wants them to fail. But that’s not true! Your audience wants you to succeed and is interested in listening to your speech. Being able to get in front of an audience and give a speech is truly remarkable, and just know that your audience will always be rooting for you.

2. Reduce Your Fear by Being Prepared: Another reason why people are so afraid of public speaking is because they aren’t prepared. Getting on stage in front of a crowd when you don’t feel completely confident and prepared can be difficult. So, to make sure that this doesn’t happen to you, do your research on your speech topic and practice your speech. This way, you’ll feel like you have a better understanding of what you’re talking about, and overall, you will feel less nervous.

3. You Aren’t in Any Danger: When preparing for a speech, your nerves will kick in, and your body could go into flight or fight mode. This is because you may be scared to fail or mess up, but we’re here to remind you that you aren’t in any danger! Just remember that your audience wants you to succeed and that your speech will probably take 30 minutes or less, and then you can go on with your day. You got this!

If you need help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

Some children exhibit signs early on that may indicate they are falling behind in their speech and language development. And unfortunately, many parents aren’t aware that they should look out for these signs. This is why it’s imperative that you keep an eye on your child’s language development so that you can tell when it may be time to get your child the help they need. If you think your child may be falling behind with their speech and language skills but aren’t sure what signs to look out for, we have you covered. From stuttering to not interacting with others and more - here are some signs that your child may need to see a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP):

Signs Your Child May Need to See an SLP

Although there are many signs that indicate a child may need to see a Speech-Language Pathologist, there are some signs that we see more frequently than others. If you notice your child exhibiting one or more of these signs, it may be time to talk to an SLP and see if speech therapy could benefit your child.

Your child may need to see a Speech-Language Pathologist if they…

• Have a stutter
• Don’t make any babbling or cooing sounds
• Have trouble imitating sounds
• Don’t try to interact with others
• Have a hard time following directions
• Have difficulty asking for things
• Have a hard time using gestures
• Struggle to follow simple instructions
• Cannot identify and point to different points of their body
• Don’t turn and look in the direction of sounds

How an SLP Can Help Your Little One

If your child displays any of the signs listed above, it may be time to contact a Speech-Language Pathologist in Chicago. Our compassionate team will be happy to answer any questions you may have and help you decide if speech therapy is right for your little one. If you find that speech therapy could benefit your child, we will develop a personalized plan that will work on your child’s skills and help them get back on track with their speech and language development.

Becoming a great public speaker takes time and a lot of practice. And when you’re working on your presenting skills, you can learn a lot from those who have already perfected their skills. But this raises the question, what makes someone great at public speaking? Well, there are some things that professional public speakers do that pull their audience in and leave an everlasting impression on them. And if you can learn to do some of those things during your next presentation, you, too, can become great at public speaking. From telling stories to having confidence and more - here are some things that make someone a great public speaker:

Great Public Speakers…

Tell Stories

Telling a story that relates to the speech topic is one thing that many great public speakers do. When practicing your speech, think of something from your life that relates to your speech topic, and try to incorporate that story into your presentation. Not only do stories draw your audience in and get them excited about your speech, but they also help your audience members feel more connected to you.

Have Confidence

Another thing that great public speakers do is show that they are confident while on stage (or pretend like they are confident). Before giving your presentation, take some time to do deep breathing exercises and relax. Then, look into a mirror and give yourself some positive words of affirmation. This will provide you with the confidence you need and show your audience that you’re ready to present.

Research Their Topic

Great public speakers know their speech topic in and out, and strive to become experts on that topic. So once you know what topic you’ll be presenting, start researching it immediately. Take notes on your topic, and learn practically everything about it. The more you research your topic, the more confident you will feel talking about it in front of an audience, and the more your audience will feel like you’re an expert on the subject.

Engage With Their Audience

One final thing great public speakers do is engage with their audience during their presentations. Connecting with your audience is essential, and you can strengthen that connection by engaging with them. Three easy ways to engage with your audience include:

• Ask your audience members questions.
• Tell your audience something about you.
• Let your audience ask you questions after your speech is over.

If you need help with your next speech, consider working with a Chicago speech coach. Executive speech coaching can help you prepare for that next big job interview, an upcoming presentation, or your overall communication skills as a rising leader. Contact us today to get started!

There is nothing like being outside on a warm summer day and enjoying time together as a family. Not only is partaking in activities together outside fun, but it also helps to strengthen your bond and create memories that will last a lifetime. Luckily, there are plenty of activities that allow you to enjoy some time outside while also working on your child’s speech therapy. To help you get started, we wanted to share some of our favorite summer speech therapy activities that your whole family will love. Enjoy!

Make a Chalk Story

Get some chalk, put on sunscreen, and get ready to make a story! Start by working with your child to create a cute character you can draw using chalk. Talk about what the character should look like, the characteristics you want your character to have, and of course, don’t forget to decide on a name! Once you have drawn your character, have your child use their imagination to create a short story about their new chalk friend.

Play I Spy

The classic game, I Spy, is excellent for working on your child’s speech therapy outdoors. Start by having your little one look around and find an object without telling you what that object is. Now, your child will have to use their speech to describe the object to you. For example, they may describe the color of the object, the shape of the object, or the size of the object. Your child will give you hints one at a time until you can guess what they’re thinking of.

Have a Picnic

One final way to work on your child’s speech therapy while outdoors is to have a picnic. First, have your child help you gather all the supplies you’ll need for your picnic, and put them into a basket or cooler. Now, head to your picnic spot, put your blanket down, set everything up, and get ready for some delicious food! While you’re eating, ask your child to describe the food that they’re eating as well as what’s going on around them. For example, they can identify the texture and taste of the food and the different colors, shapes, plants, and animals they see.

Are you concerned that your child is falling behind in their speech and language development? If so, please contact us to talk to an SLP in Chicago. Our team would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can help you decide if speech therapy is suitable for your child.