Note: This review contains affiliate links.
One of the most sought after improvements people seem to want in life – from what I have observed both out there and via my blog – is to improve their social skills.
The scariest and most uncomfortable part of people skills is most likely to get up on stage and speak to people.
As Jerry Seinfeld put it:
“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”
My friend Andrew Rondeau has released a product today to help people out with the public speaking skills that many of us would like to improve.
Andrew has 25 years of public speaking and hands-on management experience in various industries such as retail, manufacturing, finance and IT. His co-creator for this product is Darren LaCroix, the world champion of public speaking in 2001 (he won by out-speaking 25,000 contestants from 14 countries).
Together they have created a product called Get Applause Now!
I have been given the opportunity to review the product and I have gotten a lot out of it, both about the field of public speaking – something I know little of – and also stuff one can use for improving their communication skills overall.
What I learned
A few of the things I learned from this product are:
- How to choose the right topic for giving a really good speech. This has also been quite useful for me when choosing the next topics to blog about.
- How to structure a speech. It’s interesting to see how world champions think about delivering and structuring their content. And helpful to learn how to create a better opening for speeches or articles.
- The importance of emotional connection. How to relate to other people and that emotional connection between you, the audience and your material.
- How to use the stage. I thought this section was pretty fascinating. I had never really thought about how you use the stage affects people’s ability to take in what you are saying and how strongly your message comes across.
- Clearer communication. Exercises and questions to ask yourself to achieve more clarity regarding the planning and the content of your speeches or articles.
- How to improve your storytelling abilities and thereby your public speaking skills.
- Increased clarity into why something is funny. You get that through a breakdown - filled with examples - on how to construct funny routines and jokes.
- What the punchline of a joke really is.
Much of what I learned through this product was new. Some of it were helpful reminders. Quite a few things were insights I already knew about but that were put into a different context such as public speaking. I found several tips that can also help me to write and blog with more impact and clarity.
Here’s what you get
Get Applause Now! contains three mp3s, one eBook and 10 videos:
- How To Write And Deliver A Winning Speech – A 1.45 hour long recording with Darren and his friend Craig Valentine (who was the world champion of public speaking in 1999) where they discuss many general tips for creating a great speech.
- Make Your Presentations Come Alive – A 64-page eBook in PDF-format by Andrew Rondeau with tips, strategies and exercises to help you improve your speeches all the way from the initial idea to the speech up on stage and the feedback afterwards.
- Humor 101 – An 80 minute recording by Darren on humor, how it works and how to develop your own humor and use it in your speeches. I like how you can use much from this recording to improve how funny you are in your daily life too.
- Free to Fee - A 90 minute mp3 by Darren on how to become a public speaker and get paid for it.
- 10-week Public Speaking Coaching Course. You get access to one public speaking video for each week for 10 weeks. You get these during the weeks after your purchase.
For a taste of Darren’s skills you can have a look at this 10 minute video below (or click here if you are reading this via a RSS-reader and can’t see the embedded video).
You can also download the free 28-page eBook The Simple Steps to Deliver a Dazzling Presentation by Andrew to learn more about public speaking.
Order Get Applause Now!
I think this is very fairly priced product at 39.95 dollars. You get a lot of value for that money, a lot of tips from world champions and loads of helpful exercises to help you out with each stage of your speech. I haven’t had the chance to listen to the Free to Fee mp3 by Darren or watch the 10 coaching videos since they weren’t included in my review copy of the material. But I’m guessing they hold about the same standard as the rest of the material which makes this one value packed package.
Andrew also offers you your money back if the product didn’t live up to your expectations. You can use Get Applause Now! for a full 60 days and still claim a full refund – without any questions asked – if you are not thrilled with the improvement in your public speaking skills.
Order within three days and get 5 bonus products
If you order sometime in the next three days you get a whole bunch of extras for free. They are:
- Get on that Stage – Self Hypnosis Audio. An mp3 to help you improve your confidence and boost self-esteem.
- Body Language Magic. An eBook on how to read and also improve your own body language.
- Powerful Ways to Sharpen Your Memory. An eBook with strategies to help you sharpen your memory.
- Unleash the Creative You. An eBook on how to bring out more of the creativity that is within you.
- Subliminal NLP: Improve Public Speaking. An mp3 that combines affirmations, binaural beats and calming music to help you improve your public speaking skills.
You can order your copy of Get Applause Now! by clicking this link.
If this was actually published as a book, I would definitely pick one up. As it is, however, I tend to stay away from eBooks, as they have a terrible reputation (at least in my mind). All the free “bonuses” and the never-ending pages with too much high-lighting and text formatting makes me wonder why they’re trying so damn hard to sell me this thing (so I figure it’s probably worthless). Darren LaCroix, get this thing published on paper!
Thanks for the information, I will be checking out the class, the list you provided is a great starting point, good job.
-Tabs
I have bought eBooks for the last 6 years, on a variety of topics including NLP, marketing, and spiritual growth… The beauty for me is instant access, less clutter on my bookcase (yes I do have some books as well ) and being able to print out If I want to and make notes.
I also have a 5 year old who has taken a liking to some of my hard copy books, with his felt tip pen !!!
Personally I love it when there are lots of extra bonus products, I see this as being given lots of extra value .. perhaps it’s the Northerner in me!!
I think a combination of written material, video and audio is really good, I like to listen to information and watching and listening to someone in action is a great way to learn.
I have always bought eproducts with a money back guarantee. You do not get this from a published author or Waterstone’s Happy to report I have never had to ask for my money back..
Sarah
Greg,
Thanks for commenting.
We all learn differently don’t we?
Some of us like books, some like e-books, some audio and some video.
The Get Applause Now! course caters for 3 of those - e-books, audio and videos.
The reason I added the bonuses is that they compliment the skills of Public Speaking and many people use hypnosis to overcome their fears.
I don’t think you can say it is ‘probably worthless’ without your seeing the content.
From all the positive responses I have received from those who have purchased the course, I certainly know it is not “worthless”.
Tabs, I assume you are referring to the free report - thanks.
Andrew
Sarah,
You sound like my ideal customer!
Do you want to improve your Public Speaking skills?
)
Andrew
Sounds interesting, not so long ago there was a dutch champion debating lecturing at our school. It’s very interesting to see how you can ‘get applause’ by using little tricks.
Anyways, I’ll maybe check this out sometime
Hi Andrew, yes I do need to improve my public speaking skills. Have read your free report. very impressed.
I will let you know what I think, there is alot of material in your package.
Thanks
Sarah