A Blog Designed to Help You Become a Better Speaker

When I used to teach acting, my most "challenging" students—the ones who overacted or couldn't quite connect—got a very specific prop from me: food.

Yep. Real food.

Why? Because you can’t fake eat.

When you’ve got a mouth full of chips or a slice of pizza in your hand, you stop performing. You just say the line. And suddenly, it's real. It's grounded. It's human.

I once had a student eat his way through an entire play. And every. Single. Line. Sounded authentic. Why? Because the prop pulled the performance out of him, not the other way around.

And this technique? It works in the speaking world too.

One of the most powerful monologues I ever saw was just a man, a pocket knife, and an apple. He slowly sliced the fruit as he spoke. No theatrics. No gestures. Just... presence.

(Okay, don’t bring a knife on stage—I’m not trying to get you tackled by TSA. 😅)

But the idea stands: A personal prop—something meaningful that connects to your message—can elevate your story instantly.

👉 ...

We've all sat through those presentations. You know the ones.

Slide after slide of charts, bar graphs, and statistically significant snooze-fests.

Here’s the thing: data doesn’t move people. Emotions do.

If you're a speaker—whether on a stage, in a boardroom, or pitching to a potential client—your goal isn’t to transfer information. It’s to inspire action. And that happens when your audience feels something.

🔁 Swap Stats for Stories 🖼️ Trade Graphs for Gut Punches 🎯 Use Visuals that Move, Not Just Inform

In the short video above (taken from my course "How to Add Creativity, Humor and Audience Engagement to Your Speech"), I break down exactly how to use emotionally-charged visuals in your slides to create connection—and convert audiences from passive listeners to raving fans. I show some of my ACTUAL slides, as an FYI. (AKA - You'll want to click and watch.)

Let’s break this down:

🔹 Why Stats Often Fail: Numbers don’t stick. What sticks is the emotion behind the message. A...

As motivational speakers, our ultimate goal is not just to entertain or inform — it's to inspire action. Whether you're helping an audience navigate uncertainty, embrace change, or overcome personal obstacles, the power of your message lies in its ability to move people into action.

But how do we, as speakers, tap into the psychology of our audience to create lasting impact? The answer lies in understanding the emotional and cognitive responses that drive human behavior.

1. Appeal to Emotion, Not Just Logic

The human brain is wired to respond to emotions before logic. While facts, figures, and logical arguments are important, they don’t move people the way emotions do. Research in neuroscience tells us that people are more likely to take action based on how they feel in the moment, rather than what they think.

As a speaker, your goal should be to create an emotional connection. You want your audience to feel something — whether it's excitement, empathy, or inspiration. When you e...

I’m going to be honest—I don’t think everyone can be funny. We’ve all sat through someone trying to be funny, and it was awkward and painful, like watching a slow-motion car crash. Shoot—I’ve even been awkward and painful at times when trying out a new joke.

But there is one technique I believe anyone can do. And even if it doesn’t make you hilarious, it will at least make your storytelling dramatically more engaging—whether humor is your goal or not.

 What’s at Stake?

 This is a question actors ask themselves almost immediately when given a role. A story must have conflict in order to be a story. What a character stands to lose or gain shapes how they react—and that’s where the magic happens.

 There are different levels of stakes:

• Deep emotional stakes: Love, pride, significance, revenge. (Think: "If I don’t confess my love, I’ll die alone!")
• Medium stakes: Job security, finances, major life changes. ("If I don’t land this job, I’ll have to move back in with my parents.")
...

Because I speak for a living, I watch a lot of other speakers at the same event. The one thing many of these speakers have in common is: they're boring. Intelligent content....but so hard to pay attention to for a full hour.

When I watch these speakers, the fact they are boring is easily fixable. They seem to make the same mistakes in regards to "engagement".

Here's how you'll know if you are accidentally a snoozer on stage.

1. You have graphs and a lot of words on your slides. No-one will remember all of your stats. No-one. Slides are valuable real estate for making an emotional connection with your audience, as well as reaching your visual learners. One image or one powerful statement is way more impactful than 6 points with numbers on the same slide. One powerful piece of art - hits you emotionally. One powerful quote - hits you emotionally. Facts and data make many wonder when lunch and recess is.

2. You think your job is to educate and inform. If I ask you to name 3 presiden

   ...

https://youtu.be/DvYPAdH2_WQ?si=iHyQwhcKKgnigmu0

Slides are some of the most misused valuable real estate you own as a speaker. There's a lot to that statement. I'll do a whole other video on slides and why they should never be covered in stats or re-iterating what it is you've already said.

In the video above, I have a small segment in one of my speeches where I make fun of slides. In other words, the slide becomes my punch line.

The reason it works is it is completely unexpected for the audience. 

You will notice me looking a little too much at the remote. There was a slight delay and some issues with connectivity in the ballroom between their laptop and the remote and the screen. This is nothing unusual and you should always be prepared for anything technical to not run smoothly.

I encourage you to re-think what's possible when it comes to your slides.

I had so much fun shooting this with the fabulous, Corey, and the RVS Small Business Network Show.

You can watch the full episode here: https://rvasbn.com/featured-interviews/boost-your-business-speaking-with-humor-and-authenticity/

Below is a recap:

Welcome to another episode of The RVA Small Business Show with your host Cory Mosley. In today’s segment, we are joined by Stacy Pederson, Speaker Coach, and Funny Motivational Keynote Speaker.

Stacy is a well-known expert who helps speakers add entertainment value to their speeches.

WHEN IT COMES TO AUTHENTICITY, FOR ME, ON STAGE IS BEING COMFORTABLE ENOUGH IN FRONT OF THE AUDIENCE TO MAKE MISTAKES, TO BE MYSELF, TO SHARE MY STORY, TO NOT ACT LIKE I HAVE MY LIFE ALTOGETHER. -STACY PEDERSON

Speaking: More Than Just Words

You’ve probably attended dozens of seminars or business events. Remember that one speech or presentation that had you hooked? The odds are that it wasn’t just the content but the speaker’s delivery that made ...