Priscilla Morris

'TOWIE' - Is it?

2012-02-01T08:10:00.003Z

I can't say I am a fan of the TV show 'The only way is Essex' - in fact, I've never watched it but it was indirectly thrown into the news headlines last week when it was announced that an Essex junior school was giving its children elocution lessons. Why, you may ask? Well, they had identified that because of the way the children were forming the words when they spoke they were spelling them incorrectly when they wrote them down. So, instead of 'wall' they would write 'waw' and 'shut up' was being perceived as one word 'sherp' The media has had a lot of fun with the idea of making them all the 'posh' but of course that has not happened at all.

This experiment has already been in place for some time and by teaching the children to complete words and be aware of the correct sounds when speaking them there has been a considerable improvement in the spelling abilities of the pupils. So, there's a lesson for us all. We should try to set a good example to young people by taking care with our speech. Accents help to make us individual but they shouldn't be an excuse to massacre our language and we should always consider the way we sound to others. Remember that you are influencing every individual subconsciously with every word, so make the result positive.

Yesterday I was taking a Voice Protection and Projection workshop for 15 swimming teachers at Nottingham and they were all highly aware of their voices because of the problems they had. They needed to understand the physical process and how to look after the mechanism so that it will allow them to keep earning in the years ahead. If you don't use your voice all the time it is easy to take it for granted but remember how important it can be in introducing you and your business. Give it a little thought and it can pay you back handsomely.

Trying to keep warm: Chamber of Commerce Expo

January was pretty busy with 8 speaking engagements including CIPD Leicester and the British University Deputy Finance Director's conference in London. I was also interviewed twice on BBC Radio Leicester and ran a workshop on voice protection at Nottingham for the Amateur Swimming Association. February looks no less frantic with eight workshops and four speaking engagements.

So it's your last chance to join me for a workshop on 28 February until late 2012. If you would like to know how to influence and persuade others come along to the Premier Inn Fosse Park, Braunston Lane East, Leicester from 9:30am to 12:30pm on the 28th February for "Voice Matters in Business' only £40 - what a bargain! See testimonials for the course here.

I think that's all for now. Don't forget to link with me on Linkedin, follow me on Twitter @Voiceexpert and 'like' me on my Facebook page. I had a smart phone for Christmas so you can't escape!

Thanks for your continued interest and remember:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:

Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/

Email: info@loudandclearuk.com

Phone: 0800 083 4082

Mobile: 07779519388

Twitter: @VoiceExpert

He's Behind You!

2011-12-31T12:10:00.000Z

"Oh no he isn't!" - - - "Oh yes he is!" - - -

I'll stop it before this gets silly. I hope you had as good a Christmas as I did. We had a very traditional family affair with lots of food, lots of drink and lots of company. For me, Christmas also means theatre. As a child I was taken to pantomimes and as an adult I appeared in six. Three as principal girl two as comedienne and one as the fairy godmother! This year I had the pleasure of seeing three of my ex students appearing in professional shows. On 14th December Stewart and I went to Norfolk to see the Thursford Christmas Spectacular where Hannah Ellingworth and Zac Morris were part of the huge company.

Zac has recently graduated from the Guildford School of Acting and while still at the Hinckley Speech and Drama Studio at age 11 he played Colin in the musical, 'The Secret Garden', in the West End for the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Thursford show was magical and we have already booked for next year. Then on the 22nd I travelled down to London with my daughter Debbie to see Lauren Samuels playing Scaramouche in 'We Will Rock You' at the Dominion Theatre.
I've always loved Queen's music and it was great to watch Lauren's delightfully comic performance. Afterwards we were able to have a meal with her and have a good chat before she returned for the evening show.

If any of you would like tickets for 'Alice's Adventures', which I am directing at Hinckley's Concordia Theatre from 9th to 11th February, just get in touch by email or phone and I'll sort them out for you.

I eased my foot of the accelerator in December but there was still plenty going on at loud & Clear. My final two half-day courses of 2011 took place at Solihull and Leicester. I flew to Belfast to speak at the regional meeting of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply and took two training sessions for a government employee at Birmingham who needed accent reduction. The New Year already looks busy but I would really appreciate your help in passing on information about the Dynamic Speaking day at Leicester on 3rd February. Please tell your contacts to look here for details. This is likely to be the only course I have time to offer in presenting during 2012.

January is going to be the final run-up to the 'Alice's Adventures' production, with rehearsals every Saturday and Sunday, so not much resting time on offer but the end result will be worth it.

Here's to continued success for all your business activities and do follow me on twitter. You might like to 'Link-in' with me here.

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:

Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/

Email: info@loudandclearuk.com

Phone: 01455 230317

Mobile: 07779519388

Twitter: @VoiceExpert

Haitch or Aitch?

2011-11-30T10:52:00.000Z

Hello everyone,

I think I may cause some heated debate with this month's subject. Dictionaries give 'Aitch' as the standard pronunciation for the letter H but 'Haitch' is increasingly being used all across the country. Polls have shown that this is particularly seen in the younger generation. The British Library wants to get a clearer idea of how spoken English is changing by recording lots of people reading the opening paragraph of the Mr Men book, Mr Tickle.

Language is always developing. In 1928 the BBC's pronunciation guide said that 'pristine' rhymed with 'wine'; 'combat' was 'cumbat' and 'finance' was spoken as 'finn-ance'

Why some words change is a bit of a mystery. Some changes have come from the influence of American T.V. but why 'garage' had changed to 'garridge' is not easy to explain.

The eighth letter of the alphabet causes 'aitch anxiety' in many connoisseurs of the English Language. In the 19th century we pronounced hospital and hotel without the H - now we sound it but Americans still drop H in 'herb' because they have less class anxiety attached to pronunciation.

Language changes continually, with each generation talking slightly differently from the one before. Children learn from their parents initially, then they are influenced by children at school but the link between class, voice and status is not what it was.

We still make assumptions based on what we hear but some people are more tolerant of non-standard speech.

So what's the answer - Haitch or Aitch? Well the latter is still the norm. Does anyone seriously refer to the NHS as the 'En-Haitch-Ess'! Will we still say the same in 20 years time? Your guess is as good as mine!

I'll leave you with a quote given to the BBC by Sandy Fox of Derby:

"If haitch becomes accepted I am happy to change my view but I will never change my feelings about sloppy or lazy pronunciation. While language does develop and evolve, some uses are simply incorrect and probably always will be. In speaking, as in writing, clarity is all."

I couldn't have put it better myself.

On the 'Loud & Clear front' it has been another very busy month although I was in Plymouth adjudicating for 6 days. I also adjudicated in Colne, Lancs. for a day and examined in Cambridge for 2 days.

On the workshop front there was a 'Dynamic Speaking' day in Leicester, a 'Voice Matters in Business' half day, two 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' half days in Solihull and Kettering and a second day of bespoke training for Cemex, Rugby.

If you're interested in what's coming up see here You may be just in time for 'Voice Matters in Business' in Solihull on 2 December and 'Being Loud & Clear' in Leicester on 6 December. Each of these courses costs only £40. This is probably the last 'Being Loud & Clear' course until autumn 2012 - just 4 places left! (book on both for only £75)

Well, we're on the run up to Christmas now and I would like to thank you all for your tremendous support over the last 12 months and for giving me one of my most successful years to date!

Have a wonderful festive season and enjoy your work-free break! Don't forget to follow my tweets - @VoiceExpert

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:

Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/

Email: info@loudandclearuk.com

Phone: 01455 230317

Mobile: 07779519388

Twitter: @VoiceExpert

Priscilla goes though the Looking Glass!

2011-10-31T11:01:00.002Z

Hello everyone,

As many of you know I began my working life as a speech & drama teacher and over the last 40 years I've done more than 40 theatrical productions with adults and youngsters. It occurred to me that planning these events is very much like running a business - there are so many balls you have to keep in the air at once.

Since September I've been rehearsing 'Alice's Adventures' on Saturdays and Sundays with 80 youngsters aged 7 to 19. Here are some of the processes that the production involves:

March - a meeting for all interested parties
April - Auditions taking 6 hours
Casting and duplication of individual scripts
Rehearsal schedule to performance dates on 9 to 11 February 2012
Listing the props and getting help (4 willing parents) - flamingos!!!
Listing costumes (105) and enlisting helpers to make, find or hire
Design/print posters and the programme
Selling advertising space
Getting raffle prizes
Selling tickets
Organising helpers for later rehearsals and dressing rooms
Booking photographer and publicity shoot
Getting onto local radio and into the press
Scenery - borrowing stage cloths and getting pieces made (mushroom, tree, royal court)
Booking musicians for the week of the show

And that's just for starters - I'm sure many more things will need doing before we get to opening night.

So, a producer/director needs to be a jack-of-all-trades and although many others will be involved, the buck will stop with yours truly.

By the way, if you'd like to come and see our stunning production from 9th to 11th February at 7.30pm plus a 2.30pm matinee on the 11th, let me know. All proceeds will be going to the Concordia Theatre in Hinckley which relies totally on charitable donations and audience revenue.

I had another busy month in October with 2 open workshops; a 'Dynamic Speaking' day in Leicester and a 'Being Loud & Clear' half day in Solihull. I also trained staff at the Co-op Banking Group, Manchester and Cemex, Rugby. Individual coaching included a trip to Ofsted, Bristol to coach a member of staff and I spoke at a Coventry Chamber of Commerce event. There were the usual networking happenings and a couple of theatre trips.

November is certainly equally busy with another 'Dynamic Speaking' day on 1 November (full) and a 'Voice Matters in Business' half day on 8 November (also full)

I'll be working for 6 days in Plymouth, 2 days in Cambridge and 1 day in Colne, Lancs. To finish off November I'll be working with the ladies in 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' at Solihull on 23 November and Kettering on 25 November. At only £35 it's the bargain of the month - if not the year! See here for more information on my courses. There are lots of free tips on my website and YouTube channel so why not take a look here

Well, that's all I have time for this month. Don't forget to follow my tweets - @VoiceExpert

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388
Twitter: @VoiceExpert

PRISCILLA & DOCTOR WHO???

2011-10-02T08:58:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,

Did you hear the news story a couple of weeks ago about poor communication amongst doctors with ESOL? (English as a second language). This is a problem that concerns us all as it is vital that we understand what doctors say to us, especially in emergency situations. I had a very interesting insight into this issue in 2010 when I had a phone call from a hospital consultant in Northants. He was Chinese by birth and had been living and working in the UK for 9 years. his vocabulary was excellent but he had been informed by others (remember WE THINK we're fine) that his patients couldn't understand him and his nursing team also had difficulty following his instructions.

There was more than one reason for this. When I met him I found that he was very quietly spoken and had learnt his English from an Australian! I'll leave you to imagine the result but the problem for him was that the vowel sounds (there are 24 in spoken English) were way out of shape. Our programme focused on the shapes followed by strengthening of his vocal system to produce a louder sound. It took 8 monthly sessions to achieve the results he needed but the most important aspect of this was that he was more confident and effective in his work communication.

What did September hold for me? I attended 10 networking events and spoke at 2 others. I exhibited at Leicester Cricket Club and Walkers Stadium and watched 4 theatrical productions. There were 6 'Alice' rehearsals and I worked with 13 private clients.

The workshop tally included:

'Being Loud & Clear' at Leicester

Two and half days bespoke for National Grid

'Voice Protection & Projection' for Notts County Council swimming coaches

Half day bespoke for RSPB, Basildon - teenage ambassadors.

Now for the blatant advert bit!

On 3rd October I'm running one of my 'Dynamic Speaking' days at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester. We're full with 8 delegates so you're too late! Only kidding because there's another one on 1 November at same venue.

Do you want to make your presentations really memorable? A workshop that will really surprise you and deliver essential skills. See feedback and booking form here

Are you one of the West Midlands followers? If so, then there's just time to book onto 'Being Loud & Clear' at the Premier Inn, Hockley Heath on 10 October - 9.30am to 12.30pm. It only costs £40. See lots of excellent feedback and booking form here

That's nearly it for this month. Many thanks for those who keep re-tweeting some of my comments. You can follow me @VoiceExpert

Download free tips on presentation and conversation here

or you can also request my free CD: 'Voice Matters' - 30 minutes of tips and advice with me in conversation with Daniel Bruce, radio presenter.

Until next time:

"Your talk may be cheap but your speech should be priceless"

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388
Twitter: @VoiceExpert

ARE YOU RESTING COMFORTABLY......?

2011-09-07T18:01:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I don't know about you but I really need a decent break from work each year to recharge my batteries. As I mentioned last month, Stewart and I celebrated our Ruby wedding anniversary in August and we did it in a bit of style on a Mediterranean cruise. The weather was absolutely fantastic and the ports all delightful. We also had really good company amongst our fellow passengers on quite a small ship so all in all a really terrific holiday. When we came back we had a get-together for about 20 close friends and family in our garden on one of the few really sunny days in August.

As I write this I am gazing out on my garden. The flowers are still lovely but it's pouring with rain. Oh well, that's what you get for living on an island so I'm told.

There was very little work done in August, I'm glad to day! I just saw 7 private clients for a session and attended 5 networking events (in 4 days, that's not too bad!)

I managed to get over to Stratford to see an unusual Jacobean comedy- 'The City Madam' by Phillip Massinger - very interesting. The last few days of August and 1st week in September have been spent preparing for the 7 workshops I'm delivering this month which are a mixture of open and bespoke.

You can follow my lively programme on Twitter

The final achievement of August was the wonderful Betty Yager Summer School at Bishop Grossteste College, Lincoln.

I've been tutoring this for the past nine years and this time my daughter, Debbie and musical theatre teacher, Sarah, came with me. We had an exhausting but rewarding time working with 17 youngsters aged between 7 and 16. In five and a half days they went from strangers to a confident theatre company presenting a 90 minute show entitled 'A Kaleidoscope of Colours' - brilliant!

So what next? My 'Being loud & Clear' workshop on 12 September is full. There will be another one in Leicester later this year - possibly end of October or November - date will be released soon so keep an eye on the website. But there is still an opportunity at the Solihull course. Still booking:

'Being Vocal in a Man's World' - Leicester 20 September (ladies only!) - £35
'Being Loud & Clear' - Solihull 10 October - £40

Does presenting fill you with fear? - DON'T DESPAIR!!!

Book for 'Dynamic Speaking' - Leicester. A full day course for only 8 delegates at £210 fully inclusive of lunch etc plus a DVD of your presentation. A safe & supportive way to learn essential skills. There are 2 choices of date:

3 October - 3 places available
1 November - 3 places available

Check here to see testimonials.

or call free on: 0800 083 4082

As always, you can keep up with all available workshops on my website here

Time to sign off and get back to work. So, until next time.....

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388
Twitter: @VoiceExpert

Worth waiting for..........!

2011-07-30T16:25:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone,

In August Stewart & I will be celebrating 40 years together. How on earth did we get to our Ruby anniversary? It’s quite an achievement, I think you’ll all agree and I’ve been thinking about how we began.

We met at Music & Drama College in London where I was an acting student and Stewart was studying to be a musician.

Our first house cost £7200 (things have definitely changed there!) I seem to remember we had a bed, fridge and a washing machine as presents. In our lounge there was a flat-pack bookcase, a circular rug on the tiled floor and one armchair. The other furniture came along as we could afford it, and we really appreciated every piece.

Am I being old fashioned in believing that this is better than borrowing up front to get everything immediately?

Now for something completely different. Last week we went to see the last Harry Potter film. I’ve read all the books and seen all the films and this final installment was certainly worth waiting for. Great performances and effects made this a cracking finale and of course I thoroughly enjoyed the dramatic climax! The 3D wasn’t much to write home about but you can’t have everything.

My third and last ‘worth waiting for’ moment came last year when our wonderful granddaughter was born. I had to wait a full 20 years longer than my mother did and again this seems to be a shift in behaviour from one generation to the next. Never mind, as we are all getting younger (so they say) I am looking forward to seeing Evie grow up and perhaps have a brother or sister – who knows!

Now for business matters. I am very pleased to say that the 12 September ‘Being Loud & Clear’ at Leicester is now on waiting list only and it’s sister course on 8 November is also heavily booked. Ladies….you still have time to learn how men tick in communication terms as there are places on my ‘Being Vocal in a Man’s World’ on 20 September.

All of my three half-day courses are also available between September and December in Solihull, Lincoln & Farnborough, Hants. Please pass this on to any business contacts you have in those areas. Your help will be much appreciated.

Thanks for the many responses to ‘Priscilla’s Perfect Poem’. I seem to have amused many of you and it brought in some business too!

I started my annual business sabbatical on 25 July so I was only working for 3 weeks but still managed to fit in 10 networking events, 6 speaking engagements, a day examining for LAMDA in Leeds, a night at the Little Theatre, Leicester to see ‘Brassed Off’, the christening of my great niece in Congleton, a family get-together with my cousin from Australia, ‘Cardenio’ at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre’ and lots of new and regular clients.

I always take most of August off from actual business coaching but I’ll still be marketing and keeping contacts up of course.

Have a wonderful summer and remember patience is a virtue in business as well as other areas of life. Success is always worth waiting for.

With best wishes as always,

Priscilla

Courses cost only £35 or £40 for a half-day including refreshments and a great chance to network AND YOU WILL LEARN VITAL NEW SKILLS. Courses are currently available at Solihull, Leicester, Lincoln & Farnborough, Hants. for details click HERE

or call NOW on 0800 083 4082

And don't forget:

TALK may be CHEAP

but your SPEECH should be PRICELESS!

THE CULT OF CELEBRITY

2011-07-04T07:59:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you're enjoying the sun (when it's out!). It's amazing to me that every time you pick up a magazine or newspaper you are confronted by the latest escapades of some 'celebrity'. Am I the only person who frequently finds myself thinking....."who"? Well, you can't get away from the fact that this is free publicity and we can all do with some of that!

When you think of Virgin do you think of it's various branches or of it's head, Richard Branson? And what about Lord Sugar? - do you even know what makes up his business empire? He 'IS' his brand!

In the business world, if you can be perceived as an 'expert' in your field you can push your head above the crowds. So how does this happen? I have been doing what I do for a long time and 'longevity' is certainly useful. Words in print are really important so you should consider writing articles for professional magazines connected with your business or comment on articles in relevant publications (in July I have a piece in Readers Digest which is a comment on an article I mentioned last month - I got paid for it too!)

Social media is, of course, vital in building your professional profile. A blog might be appropriate for you and tweeting needn't take too much time if planned in advance. Linked-in seems to be the latest thing to focus on and I know that many people wonder whether it's all worth the bother. Well, I'm no expert but I DO know that most people now search on-line first when looking for services. If they see a busy professional with a recently updated website, lots of connections and testimonials which show real benefit they are almost certain to contact you. You begin to suggest expertise and stand out in your market sector. Celebrity beckons, so try a few new things and see!

I have got work directly from using social media and I would especially recommend S.E.O. with a PROVEN web company which has a real track record in achieving results. I'll recommend mine if you want a no obligation chat about it.

So, what has June presented as challenges for me? Well, I attended 20 networking events. Good grief - how did I manage that! We had a highly successful 'Dynamic Speaking' day course on 13 June (N.B. next ones are 3 October and 1 November - details HERE), and I took a bespoke workshop for Rainbows Children's Hospice fundraisers on 21 June.

I spoke at 4 events:

The Business Club, Lincoln
Coventry Chamber of Commerce (in a corset shop!)
4 Networking, Rugby
Business Over Breakfast (BoB Clubs) at Bulkington, Warks.

I had 2 highly entertaining visits to the theatre, facilitated 3 days of examining for my Drama School and finally, welcomed 9 new private business clients.

We now have a FREEPHONE number for Loud & Clear enquiries so you have nothing to lose in giving us a call on 0800 083 4082.

My Autumn courses are proving popular so don't lose out on training that GUARANTEES to improve your communication skills.

Courses cost only £35 or £40 for a half-day including refreshments and a great chance to network AND YOU WILL LEARN VITAL NEW SKILLS. Courses are currently available at Solihull & Leicester. for details click HERE

or call NOW on 0800 083 4082

And don't forget:

TALK may be CHEAP

but your SPEECH should be PRICELESS!

Have a great month,

Kindest regards,

Priscilla

VOICE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

2011-06-06T10:59:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,

It's been an interesting month during which, wherever I turned, there seemed to be a focus on voice.

It started with the May edition of Readers Digest which contained an article 'Your Voice'. It was all about what happens to the voice as we age. this is such a 'Cinderella' subject and I was delighted to see the really informative content from luminaries Dr John Rubin (top ENT consultant and surgeon) and Dr Ruth Epstein (consultant speech and language therapist). In the verbal battle of the sexes the following may interest you:

MEN'S VOICES
Will decline from their 30's due to thinning and drying of the vocal cords. That's why elderly men can sound high-pitched and raspy.

WOMEN'S VOICES
Deepen slightly after the menopause due to a lack of oestrogen, then get higher as they age further. The average pitch range has deepened slightly in the last 30 years, perhaps reflecting women's more authoritative roles at work.

Here are some tips for keeping a youthful voice:

Sing in the shower! Steam hydrates the vocal cords.
Don't shout or whisper. Both of these put stress on the cords.
Exercise your body. Lung function is vital for the vocal muscles.
Exercise your mind. Keep the neurological messaging between the brain and the voice box lively.
Stay socially active. Speak to people!

USE IT OR LOSE IT!

As well as this article there was a piece on 'Presenting' on Radio 4's 'Womens Hour' featuring two ex-Apprentice competitors and also a discussion on what voices everyone liked on 'Mid-Week' (Radio 4). I often ask audiences when I'm speaking about the voice to think about their favourite voices and WHY they like them. You can then make decisions about how YOU want to sound. Remember, your voice is very flexible and you can stretch it in many ways to achieve your ideal communication tool.

Here's a brief run-down of what I've been up to during May:

Attended 9 networking events
Went to 4 theatre productions
Attended Voice Care Network course in London
Coached 10 business clients
Spent a week judging the Derby Speech & Drama Festival
Took my 'Voice Matters' course in Solihull
Took my 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' course in Leicester
Trained 20 swimming coaches in voice protection for Notts. County Council
See sample video of Voice Protection in Action HERE
Trained 25 ladies at the Soroptimists East Midlands Regional meeting.
Spoke at the NRG business lunch in Coventry.
Travelled for my birthday on the Settle - Carlile railway!

You probably know about my new half-day courses at bargain prices which are now booking for Autumn. Find out how your voice can influence others by clicking HERE for Leicester or Solihull.

CALL NOW on 01455 230317

AND FINALLY.....
I recently found a wonderful quote from our past Prime Minister, Gladstone:

'Time and money spent improving the voice pay a larger interest than any other investment'

Well you can't get a higher endorsement than that! See you next month.

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388
Twitter: @VoiceExpert

A Right Royal Knees Up!

2011-05-02T10:12:00.000+01:00

Hello Everyone,

I'm writing this month's epistle at the end of a great day spent with family & friends in front of the TV sharing a bit of bubbly. We British know how to do pageantry don't we!

I have always loved our history (I took A-level a long time ago!). Wherever we go, I'm the one who is touring the castle or hunting for the priest hole in the grand house. I love the stories of the people who lived there and the way those great names from our past have made us what we are as a nation. Some of them were good, some bad and some pretty indifferent but they are all fascinating to me. I have been particularly interested in the voices of the past and the way they've affected us. We know that Henry V and Elizabeth 1 actually rallied the troops with emotive speeches on the battlefield. In the last century two powerful speakers (Churchill and Hitler) were responsible for motivating their respective nations with the spoken word. We still remember the exact words of some of Churchill's great speeches 70 years on and that is totally due to his unique way of delivering them.

As a voice coach I am in the privileged position of being able to help people find their own unique voice. Sometimes it had become hidden or changed by lack of focus but we can all affect people positively with a little knowledge and my word, how powerful that can be! Think about the people in your life who have influenced you. Did they do it with their voice and body language? One of the reasons I did so well in history is that I had a teacher who was enthusiastic and engaging. It was as if he took on the personalities of the characters he talked about and that produced magic in our communication.

So what else have I been up to during April? Well I took the last week off to recharge the batteries but I attended 11 networking events, worked with 12 individual business clients and saw 4 theatrical performances. I also attended an Equity meeting in Coventry, spoke at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply meeting in Thetford, Norfolk and auditioned nearly 100 youngsters for a production of 'Alice' which begins rehearsing in September - PHEW!

Now for an EXCITING bit of news. Most of you will know that I have been running highly successful workshops for business since 2008 in the East & West Midlands. Well IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE!

I've looked at the economic climate and re-thought the format. So the 'Voice Matters' day course becomes 'Being Loud & Clear' + 'Voice Matters in Business' These two half-day courses cost only £40 each (or £75 if you book for both) - SAME CONTENT - LOWER PRICE.

The ladies only 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' is still available at only £35.

Courses details can be found here (just tab down to view the different ones)

All courses will deliver SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE which GUARANTEE to make you a better communicator.

I hope to have the pleasure of working with you soon and if you have already worked with me please pass this on.

Don't forget to view here for my latest training video on useful advice for your elevator pitch.

Why not follow me on Twitter @VoiceExpert
Or connect with me on Linkedin

The sun is shining, summer is coming and we should all look on the bright side!

P.S. - Free on 9 May? Just 1 place left on my full day course at Solihull. Only £120 including a lovely lunch and all refreshments. Individual attention in a small group.

So, remember to.....

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388
Twitter: @VoiceExpert

Laughter is the best medicine

2011-03-31T17:03:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone,

It's Spring and doesn't it feel good! A bit of sun and longer days lift the winter gloom.

I was at a networking meeting last month and someone said that we're talking ourselves deeper into recession by saying how terrible everything is. He could be right. It is certainly true that when you are self-employed you only have yourself to blame if you are feeling the pinch.I'm sure that a positive attitude is important and I'm fortunate that I've always had that but I also believe that you need to have a bit of fun in life. 'All work and no play' etc. is definately true. So what have you done recently that has given you a laugh? Did you know you burn extra calories when you laugh and you release the same endorphins as when you have sex! I've never been to a 'laughter' seminar but I've been told they are well worth the money as you get a boost which lasts for days.

If you've worked with me 1-2-1 or on a course you'll know that laughter is an important element of working with your voice. Having a smile on your face warms your tone and makes you sound friendly - remember that when you answer the phone. There should be a place for laughter in the workplace and I hope you get some in yours.

I suppose a child's uninhibited laughter is what we love most. A couple of weeks ago my 15 month old granddaughter had her first profiterole - the beam of pure joy on her face will live in my memory....

So what news on the Loud & Clear front? It's been a very busy month with adjudicating engagements at festivals in Chester, Glasgow, Lytham-St-Annes and Newcastle-under-Lyme which involved working three weekends. I've also examined in High Wycombe, run another successful 'Dynamic Speaking' course at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester and spoken at 4 events: the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Supply (CIPS) at Derby, the W.I., Nuneaton, Business Networking South Leics. and the launch of a BoB club in Oadby. I attended my first Equity meeting in ages and 3 business lunches in Leicester, Solihull & Henley-in-Arden. Last week I exhibited at an Erewash Partnership event at Ilkeston which was very well attended and amongst new private clients I am pleased to be working with Precious Wilson (a soul singer well known in the 1970's and 80's).

I'm glad to say that my voice courses are really proving popular. The ladies course 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' on 12 May is now full but don't despair if you were going to book - there will be another one in September.

'Dynamic Speaking' on 13 June has 1 place left or you can still book for 3 October.

'Voice Matters' has a few spaces on 9 May in Solihull and 12 September in Leicester - still only £160 fully inclusive. To read what past delegates say about it click here

I've a new video for you this month which you can view above which gives a few tips on making your elevator pitch count. N.B. many thanks to Martin Neeves of Martin Neeves Photography Ltd for filming and editing. I also had an article published in the business section of the Leicester Mercury last Tuesday entitled 'My Crazy Week!' and have been asked to provide an 'expert opinion' to go with an article on group exercise instructors and how they should control their breathing etc. It should be in the May/June edition of Fitpro Network magazine.

I'm looking forward to my first weekend for a month. Here's hoping for good weather and a few laughs!

So, see you next month and remember to.....

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388
Twitter: @VoiceExpert

Vocal Impact

2011-03-01T09:32:00.000Z

Hello everyone,

I'd like to share 3 events with you this month where voices really made an impact on me.

Those of you who have been following my tweets will know that I spent the first two weeks of February on a cruise ship (lucky me!). If you have ever tried this you will be aware that the first unknown quantity is who will be on your table at dinner?

On the first night we reached our table of 10 and found a couple of New Yorkers, 2 from Arizona, a welsh couple and 2 fellow Midlanders. We all hit it off from the 'word go' and 2 hours every evening were spent reflecting on the day's events and putting the world to rights. We even got on to politics and religion and real passion was shown. We conversed, we discussed and we reflected on the use of the English language across 'the pond'. The greatest amusement from a challenge to the yanks to speak that Welsh railway station with 56 letters (let's call it by it's short name 'Llanfair PG'). We made real new friends and communication has continued via email since we got home. It is rare now that we give enough time to really talk in-depth with family and friends. How often do you sit without the TV or radio on and really exchange ideas? Why not give it a try?

On Saturday 19 February I attended the Society of Teachers of Speech & Drama's AGM in London. One of the highlights of the day was a presentation by our president, Gervaise Phinn. If you are a reader you will have come across his personal accounts of life as a school inspector in the Yorkshire dales. On this occasion he delivered an 'off the cuff' performance which related his experiences with WORDS. He held us for an hour with his hilarious and sometimes poignant tales of what children say. He is touring his one-man-show from late March to late June - catch it if you can.

On the 26th I was back in London to see ex-student Lauren Samuels (3rd in 'Over the Rainbow') in her latest show. Until last month she was playing 'Sandy' in the West End hit musical 'Grease' at the Piccadilly Theatre. Now she is at the Tabard, Chiswick in 'The Last 5 years'. The show is a two-hander relating a doomed love affair and it is all in song. I had heard how it has become a cult show in the musical theatre world because of the emotional range required to perform the rapture and despair in the songs. Lauren and her co-star Christopher Pym were both superb and there couldn't have been a better example of acting through song. So here was an example of the power of the sung word and the subject for this month's blog was found!

Do you use your words enough to communicate with friends, family & colleagues? It is easy to hide behind our technology and hardly use our voices at all. I think that oral communication is one of the most vital human abilities so we all need to use it or we might eventually lose it!

What else has happened in February? I went to a Women's Business Club lunch at Solihull and spoke at The Worcester Business Club's breakfast meeting. I also saw two very good amateur shows at the local Concordia Theatre.. The play 'Skylight' by David Hare and the musical 'Return to the forbidden planet' - great fun!

I've just begun booking for some new open courses. On 9 May my 'Voice Matters' course will be at Hogarth's Hotel, Solihull and on 12 September at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester.

On 12 May I am running my 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' - LADIES ONLY! - at the Premier Inn Hotel, Braunstone Lane, Leicester - only £35.

My 'Dynamic Speaking' advanced presentation skills day course on 13 June is already full so I have booked a date at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester for 3 October.

All the details are on my website where you will find dozens of previous delegates' testimonials. Don't forget there are short training videos and voice tips to download from my website. You can also read a piece about me in the FSB's February/march national magazine..

Thanks for your continued interest and remember:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

I hate my voice!

2011-01-30T20:32:00.000Z

Hi y'all (a clue to where I am!)

Went to see 'The King's Speech' earlier this month. Brilliant film and I hope Colin gets his Oscar. Anyway, it made me think of the most common response I get when someone hears that I'm a voice coach. It's amazing how many of them say 'oh I hate my voice!'

Now why do you think we feel like that? Well it could have something to do with an accent you've acquired that you don't quite like. (Recently I worked with a lady who hated her Liverpool accent, which was a puzzle to her as she had never lived there and neither had her family). We also have a very strange perception of what makes a nice voice. We hear our own voice resonated in the head where it can sound quite rich and full. The problem is that other people hear it as it carries through the air which can be very different. Therefore the voice on your ansaphone is speaking the 'truth' - that is how other people perceive you. It is perfectly possible to change the way you sound by thinking about speaking clearly and taking a little bit more time so that words don't become rushed. To make yourself heard, if you have a quiet voice, just remember to open your mouth a little bit more to let out the sound and my most frequent request is to BREATHE PROPERLY!

None of these things are very difficult to do but unfortunately your speech habits are quite difficult to break and you will require a bit of determination. It can be worth it as people notice subtle changes and appreciate your efforts to communicate more effectively. Try it and see.

Back to 'The King's Speech'. The King saw his stammer as an insurmountable obstacle in his role as monarch but with help, he was able to control it so that it wasn't controlling him. I suppose that's what I mainly help people to do - be in control.

So, briefly, to my month which was busy if you've been following my tweets you'll know I've had day workshops and lots of business clients. Now I'm having a short break but gearing up for my next 'Dynamic Speaking' day on 4 March - just 2 places left so if you want to improve your presentation skills with a very interactive session take a look at the website here

I'll be back soon but until then:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

POSITIVE VIBES FOR 2011!

2011-01-02T19:20:00.000Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE,

I'm sorry you were blogless in December but those of you who were following my daily tweets will know how busy I was. Did I work hard?....Yes! Was it worth the jet-lag?....Absolutely! Did I enjoy myself?....You Bet!

Some of you will know this was my 7th month-long trip to Hong Kong since 1998 and I must admit that I love the place. Let me try and sum it up for you in a few words.

Hong Kong is.....
Vibrant Noisy Fast Cultural Go-ahead Commercial

but it can also be.....
Beautiful Peaceful Restful Surprising and Ever-changing

It all depends on whether you are hurtling along on the underground (MTR), indulging in the local hobby of shopping with 10,000 others or walking around a totally unspoilt beach or hillside by yourself.

So, I've given you a feeling for the place, now what was I doing there?

I was one of 20 judges mainly from the UK (but also from Australia, South Africa, USA, Ireland and France) working throughout Hong Kong and the New Territories judging 4 to 20 year olds on Public Speaking, Verse & Prose Speaking, acting and related communication subjects. The competition had more than 200,000 entries - this is an 8% growth on 2009 and the demand for good English speaking is huge. English is a truly international language and they see it as a passport to success. How interesting that in the UK many people don't think about how they are using it at all!

Anyway, apart from the judging I had another interesting experience this time. When I was there in 2009 I was delighted to have an invitation to meet one of the trade delegation at the British Consulate. She had been kind enough to contact some companies who she thought might be interested in my work during 2010 and this resulted in my taking a taster voice workshop at Standard Chartered Bank. the group included the heads of HR, training and talent with members of their teams. The response was very positive and I am in on-going communications with regard to taking it further so watch this space...

I have called this blog 'Positive Vibes' because I really believe we make our own luck and success. OK, I know we are in a recession and doom and gloom are coming at us from all sides but that just means you have to believe in yourself even more. You don't always succeed as I have learnt myself having got to the the last hurdle for a contract with several major players only to have the plug pulled out at the last second (sorry about the mixed metaphors!) Perseverance will pay off in the end. I now have on-going training work with National Grid but this took over a year to come to fruition so keep at it and BE POSITIVE.

I am looking forward to a trip to the cinema to see 'The King's Speech' which opens on 7 January. the film stars Colin Frith and Helena Bonham Carter and is based on Lionel Logue's diaries - an Australian Speech Therapist who helped the king control his stammer during the 1930's and 40's. Trailers have mentioned that he used diaphragmatic breathing (which those of you who have attended my 'Voice Matters' course will have perfected.....I hope!) and I have also used it to help stammerers so it should be fascinating.

Have you been following my ex-student, Graeme Hawley's, doings in Coronation Street as John Stape? It became almost Greek Tradgedy while I was away but I caught up with it before Christmas. Goodness knows what will happen to him in 2011.

Well I'm writing this as I recover from my granddaughter's first birthday party yesterday. Now I mustn't eat for a few weeks. New Year resolution......to go to the gym more often.

My diary is pretty healthy this month with most individual slots filled and 3 workshops:
4 January for swimming coaches in Norwich
12 January for a company in Loughborough
17 January one of my 'Vocie Matters' open day courses in Solihull (NB 1 PLACE LEFT - £160)

So I hope to see some of you soon and I wish you all a very successful and prosperous 2011 and don't forget to.....

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

Theatrical Magic!

2010-11-04T15:27:00.000Z

Hello everyone,

I hope you will forgive me for indulging in a lifelong obsession in this month's blog. Ever since I was old enough to take part in the annual nativity play I have either been on stage, back stage (directing) or sitting in the audience enjoying the latest musical or play. There is something absolutely magical about that moment when the lights go down and you are transported to another place and time. I was lucky in having a theatre-mad English teacher at senior school and he took us to the theatre frequently.
I was privileged to see many of our great classical actors when they were just starting out at the RSC. I also saw Helen Mirran as an 18 year old Cleopatra with the National Youth Theatre and followed her onto the West End stage in the same company 2 years later.

As you know I have been fortunate to coach several well-known names over the last 30 years. You can now see Graeme Hawley in Coronation Street and Carole Machin fronting the national Lottery or in the recent 'Secret Tourist' on BBC1. Those of you who followed 'Over The Rainbow' earlier in the year will have seen Lauren Samuels come 3rd. I had taught her for 11 years before she went to Guildford for a Musical Theatre degree. Coming 3rd in Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's show had been a brilliant springboard for Lauren and since late July she has been playing 'Sandy' in 'Grease' at the Piccadilly Theatre in London's West End.

On 22 October 155 of us set off in three coaches to go and see Lauren perform. There was free time before we arrived at the stage door where Lauren had very kindly agreed to pose for photographs and sign autographs. Then I had the pleasure of visiting her dressing room and seeing where she chills out and prepares for the performance.

We spread out all over the stalls as the 50's music came over the speakers and the lights went down. What a brilliant show! I watched the youngster's faces as they enjoyed the vibrant colours, energetic dancing and famous songs - they were beaming with enjoyment. Everyone agreed that Lauren was fantastic and it will be wonderful to follow her career which I'm sure will go from strength to strength.

I've just had an article published in 'Word Matters', the journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech & Drama, which was based on a recorded interview I did with Lauren earlier in the year. You can see a filmed testimonial she did for me here

I did do some work as well in October! The opening of the month was very busy. I adjudicated a festival in Fleetwood on the 2nd, spoke at the Leicestershire Chamber's Ladies Lunch on the 4th and spoke again on the 5th at Loughborough University innovation Centre before taking a 2 hour seminar for 40 delegates. Other speaking engagements were for The Womens' Business Club at Solihull and Loughborough 4 networking. There was another 'Voice Matters' day course at the Leicester Marriott hotel on 8 October and here is some of the feedback:

Very useful course with lots of participation but not in an intimidating way - Karen Ballock
Excellent presentation - plenty of opportunity to engage and take part - Peter Wilcox
I really enjoyed today's course. i am looking forward to applying these things in my life and work - Judith Povall
Very effective exercises & tips for thinking about how/why you speak at any given time.

I did my bit for 'Children in Need' when I joined the Lord Mayor on the judging panel of 'Leicester's Little Lovelies' on the 21 October and had an information stand for the Parkinsons Society of Coventry on the 28th. The end of the month was take up with 2 Voice Protection workshops in London - one at the famous Crystal Palace sports stadium and one in Ealing. In total I trained 50 swimming coaches on the 2 courses.

As I write I only have 10 days to go before I leave for Hong Kong. I shall be one of the international judges at the Hong Kong Speech festival for 4 and 1/2 weeks. This is my 7th visit so it's really like visiting my second home.

I've just got time for my new womens' course 'Being Vocal in a Man's World' on 5 November (currently 22 ladies are champing at the bit!) and 'Dynamic Speaking' on 8 November which is full. I'm also taking a bespoke seminar for National Grid, speaking for the chartered Institute of Personnel Supply at Northampton and for a joint Melton Town Council/FSB event.

So let's all look forward to 2011. Courses now booking are:
17 January - 'Voice Matters', Solihull
4 March - 'Dynamic Speaking', Leicester
15 April - 'Voice Matters', Leicester
13 May - 'Being Vocal in a Man's World', Leicester

all details are on the website.

There is also a new video for you to view here. I hope you find the tips on breathing useful. This was filmed recently at the Crystal Palace Stadium.

Well, I'll be writing my next blog from Hong Kong and giving you a flavour of life over there. Until then......

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

All In The Preparation

2010-10-05T08:05:00.008+01:00

Part of my seminar at Walkers Stadium 30 September

My stand at Walkers Stadium Event 30 September

Hello everyone,

After an August of rest (mostly), I hit the ground running in September. When thinking about a subject for this blog I realised I had been doing a lot of forward planning for things that were coming up. Some events are business and some are social but they need an equal amount of focus I think.

As you know, I do quite a lot of exhibiting and speaking and it's amazing how much time it takes to ascertain numbers, decide what materials you want and then design and print everything. Nowadays most businesses seem to have an in-built design and print shop but you still aim to produce something that looks professional.

In around six weeks I'll be off to Hong Kong again - this time for 4 and 1/2 weeks. (for those of you who don't know what I get up to out there, I'll be one of the judges at the National English Speech Festival). Ladies will sympathise with me when I say that fitting clothes for that amount of time (and business ones at that!) into cases you can manage is no small feat! There is also the small matter of reading all the materials from the festival office and familiarising yourself with the set pieces to be spoken.

On a lighter note, Stewart and I have a holiday arranged in the New Year and for the first time in a while we'll be off to the USA. so it's VISA time......thankfully they've decided I'm not an undesirable alien so I've managed to get one.

On 17 September I ran one of my open 'Dynamic Speaking' courses at the Marriott and part of the delegate's preparation was to be ready to present a 6 to 8 minute long speech with visual aids, if required, in front of the camera. This is quite a scary situation but with the confidence that comes from good preparation you can take some of the fear away.

So where did good preparation come in useful for my September diary? Well, I began on the 1st with a half-day workshop for a teachers' INSET day in Peterborough. I had an exhibition stand at a Network Midlands event in Leicester on the 3rd, one at Erewash Partnership lunch in Notts. on the 7th and I held a seminar and exhibited at the Leicester Business Event at the Walkers Stadium on the 30th.

I had other speaking engagements during the month:

Integra (Leicester Chamber of Commerce)

BoB Clubs, Nuneaton Branch (launch meeting)

4Net, Braunston (Nr. Burton-on-Trent)

Business Networking, South Leicestershire

4Net, Derby

4Net, Olney (Bucks)

Let's Go Local Ladies Event at Champney's Springs

Training-wise I ran the 'Dynamic Speaking' course on the 17th; a 'Voice Matters' day (also at the Marriott Hotel) on the 27th and a voice protection CPD course for the ASA in Derbyshire.

There was also a day in London at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art for all examiners to share new info and be standardised in mock exam scenarios.

Those of you who read last month's blog will know that the play I had been rehearsing through the summer, 'Dick Barton - Special Agent', opened early in September. I'm pleased to say it was a great success with audiences of around 1,000 in total. So, once again, meticulous preparation paid dividends, with all the technical support enhancing the actors' performances.

So what am I preparing for this coming month? Work for the ASA again, Fleetwood Festival, The Parkinsons Society, Coventry, judging a talent contest and several more speaking engagements.

If you would like to follow my tweets you will find me here - VoiceExpert - and become a follower.

Here is a little feedback from my open September day courses:

Joan Edwards, Business for Breakfast 27 September 2010
This is a very enjoyable and helpful course. I would recommend it for anyone in business.

Richard Gant, The FD Centre Ltd. 27 September 2010
Excellent content and expertly presented, fun and practical.

Gary Metcalf, Gemini Wealth Management 27 September 2010
You take your voice for granted. It is an extremely powerful tool to use and anyone in business should attend this one day course.

If you would like to give it a try, the last 'Voice Matters' day this year is on Friday 8 October - cost £160 including lunch and all refreshments

ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT

Next year we are booking:

17 January - Solihull. Just a deposit secures your place (maximum of 12 delegates)

The final 'Dynamic Speaking' day of 2010 is on 8 November but this is already full.

Please register your interest for 2011 (early March) on our contacts page. The cost will remain at £210 and we only take a maximum of 8 delegates on this intensive, fun & practical advanced presentation skills course.

AND FINALLY - ONE FOR THE LADIES!!!
Have you ever wanted to know what makes men tick in the communication stakes?
Learn how to make them listen
Get that message across

Fascinating, fun and useful for business and other things......

Date: 5 November

Place: Premier Inn Hotel, Braunstone, Leicester

Time: 9:30am to 12:30pm

Cost: £35

Maximum 25 places and already half-full.

To book contact us by email or phone or use this link

Well, That's it for another month. Whatever you are preparing for, I hope you find the route smooth and the result worth the effort. Until next time:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

MOVE IT!

2010-08-31T21:07:00.002+01:00

Hello everyone,

What happened to the Summer then? The weather wasn't up to much and, as always, it went very fast. As I mentioned last month, my intention was to have a month off with just two days for business clients and I did quite well.....

Stewart & I had a few days at a friend's flat in Devon and my daughter Debbie and I enjoyed spending my birthday vouchers at Ragdale Hall Spa. I also caught up with several female friends and had some girly days out. One of my favourite pastimes is reading and I came upon a fascinating article about body movement which I thought I'd share with you.

Movement Pattern Analysis (MPA) was developed in Britain in the 1940's and expanded as a management consultancy tool in the 1950's. It profiles a person's integrated movement sequences to get from one position to the next. So it is nothing to do with obvious body language traits such as folded arms, crossed legs etc., but a person's intrinsic patterns of movement - like individual DNA. By studying film taken at interviews, leading European companies are now analysing staff and choosing the best person for the job based on MPA. Experts can see how a person acts and reacts during decision making. Traits such as dynamism, impulsiveness, deliberation and hesitation can be identified.

There are three phases to decision making in this methodology:
a)   'Attention' - requiring investigating and assessing.
b)   'intention' - weighing up the pros and cons and finding a possible direction to take
c)   'Commitment' - how you finally act.

It is interesting that we cannot 'fake' our movement patterns so what you see is what you get! Understanding how your body and other people's bodies react can help improve communication. we know that humans transmit a lot of non-verbal information and MPA is a very useful tool to add to the kit.

The way we show our character type includes effort, speed, direction and whether we use a limited range of movement or lots. I shall definitely be researching this and adding it to my course materials. With many large companies in Britain and the the US already using it for strengthening teams, job recruitment and personal development it looks as if we may be seeing more MPA in the future.

I did five speaking engagements in August. the most interesting was for a Barclays Management meeting in Leicester. I believe they found it quite thought provoking.

My courses are proving popular as usual and her is what I have available:
17 September 'Dynamic Speaking', Leicester - FULL
27 September 'Vocie Matters', Leicester - FULL
8 October 'Voice Matters', Leicester Marriott Hotel - £160
9 November 'Dynamic Speaking', Leicester Marriott Hotel - £210 (4 places remaining)
17 January 'Voice Matters', Solihull - £160 (12 places)

* HOT OFF THE PRESS*
for LADIES only - half day 1st November, Leicester
'How to be vocal in a man's world!'

£35

Have fun and learn some surprising facts!

Apart from Loud & Clear business i have been spending lots of time over the summer directing and producing 'Dick Barton - Special Agent' by Phil Willmott. This hilarious spoof affectionately takes the mickey out of the famous post-war radio serial. If you are near the Concordia Theatre, Hinckley between 7th and 11th September come along or call 01455 230317 to reserve your seats.

i was delighted to find a few days ago that I was number 2 when you search Google for 'voice coach'. This had brought some interesting enquiries from major companies in the Far East - I'll keep you posted.

Finally, the moment you've been waiting for (possibly!). I am not going to give you tips in writing anymore but in person! Here is my first offering and please let me have your feedback.

It's short and sweet and if you are following my Tweets there will be more soon. Better still, why not log onto my Youtube Channel and click the 'Subscribe' button. And remember:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

New Beginnings

2010-08-05T11:01:00.002+01:00

Lauren Sameuls in her new dressing room
at the Piccadilly Theatre, London with her 'Sandy'
wig for her debut in Grease on 24 July.

Evie's Christening

Me running a seminar at The Leicester Business Club.

Hello everyone,

I hope you are enjoying the summer and any holidays you can fit in.

When I was thinking of a title for this month's epistle I suddenly realised that there had been a number of new things which had happened to me and those around me in the past 4 weeks.

1st - Yesterday I met a businessman at Northampton who had started his own company just 2 days before offering care in the home. This was a big step for him as he had been employed for over 25 years.

2nd - On 26 July my ex-student Lauren Samuels took several important steps on her first night as Sandy in the musical Grease in the West End. Stewart and I were there with our daughter, Debbie, and Lauren was terrific. Hopefully this will be the first of many opening nights in a glittering theatrical career.

3rd - The same week, on 28 July, another ex-student began a new TV series. Carol Machin is a presenter on 'The Secret Tourist' on BBC1 at 9:00am. She seems to be traveling to exotic parts for this - lucky her!

4th - My granddaughter Evie was Christened on 1 August. It was a wonderful occasion with family and friends gathered from around the UK to welcome her on her journey through life. You can see pictures and a video of the happenings here.

5th - I began voice coaching sessions with several new clients in July including a dentist, an engineer, a director of 4 Networking and the MD of a management consultancy firm. I also joined two networking organisations - The Womens Business Clubs and Business Over Breakfast (BOB Clubs).

We all need new ideas and stimuli to keep ourselves fresh and challenges to keep the brain lively. Every 'new beginning' we have in social life or business requires focus and determination to carry it through. Without my decision 7 years ago to try something completely new Loud & Clear voice coaching would never have happened and it has sometimes been hard to keep motivated. Has it been worth it? Absolutely! I've met some wonderful people and hopefully helped them to move their business forward and for some it really was a 'new beginning'. If you have a burning desire to try something new, do it. Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So what else have I been up to in July? I examined in Worcester and Cheshunt and took a Voice Protection and Projection workshop for the ASA at Stoke-on-Trent. I spoke at five events courtesy of invitations from 4 Networking (Lichfield & Mansfield), Avril Marshall for the Utility Warehouse (Coventry), EMEW (Lutterworth) and TWBC (Loughborough) - both womens' organisations.

In addition I attended 6 other networking events and was invited together with Stewart to a delicious free buffet at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester as a thank you for using their facilities for my workshops.

We had a good laugh at the Little Theatre, Leicester at the start of the month watching 'Charlie's Aunt' and I finished the month with a residential drama course in Lincoln for fifteen 11 to 16 yr olds. For some of them it was their first time on stage so there were yet more 'new beginnings'.

Rehearsals for 'Dick Barton, Special Agent' are gathering pace. Posters and photos are appearing in public places and tickets (hopefully) selling well. For anyone interested in the Hinckley area, the performance dates are 7th to 11th September at the Concordia Theatre, Stockwell head at 7:30pm. you can order tickets from me!

If all goes to plan I will be filming some short video tips for you to view on my website during August but I also hope to have some 'non-working' days to recharge the batteries.

My open workshops in September and October have a few spaces left and if you are interested take a look here for details. These will probably be the last until May/June 2011 due to foreign travel (both works and holidays) in between.

Well that's plenty for now. You can keep up with my activities by following me on Twitter here. If you can't be bothered with that I'll keep you in touch next month.

Till then:

               Speak wisely

                           Speak well

      Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com/
Email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317
Mobile: 07779519388

THE TIME MACHINE

2010-07-05T08:25:00.000+01:00

Hello everyone,

I am about to admit to something I might regret......I am a 'Doctor Who' fan! Therefore I was glued to the series finale on BBC1 two weeks ago. There was drama galore and some amazing shifts of plot driven by a timescale that took in the birth of the universe and the distant future. The ability to manipulate time is something I think we would all really love, but the reality is that we are generally very bad at managing our work/life balance. Now, I am no expert on this but I do realise when it's not working and I think I have been focusing too much on the work side of things for some time now. If you follow me on Twitter you will know that it is not unusual for me to work 7 days a week.

So how do we get off the treadmill? When you work from home it is all too easy to switch the computer on and be reading your emails before you've even had a cup of coffee! (I'm afraid we do that far too often). Well, this weekend I was pleasantly 'forced' to avoid the PC as granddaughter duties prevailed with Evie being under our charge most of the day whilst Debbie was teaching over 100 students at our drama school. Taking her for a proud walk in the pushchair into the town centre was such a refreshing break and after she went home we settled down to Wimbledon and a Pimms!

It was still sunny on Sunday morning so I took the opportunity to go on a 3 hour walk taking in Bosworth Battlefield, Shenton Railway, Sutton Cheney wharf (and a coffee break) and the Ashby canal. Then after lunch it was Wimbledon Mens' final!

We owe it to ourselves to take time off and re-charge our batteries. When you run your own business it is tempting to chase every lead and use every hour in the day but what is the point if you are too tired then to spend time with your family and friends? I intend taking most of August off for just this reason and suggest that all you workaholics out there consider what you really want to spend your time on while you still have the choice!

TIP OF THE MONTH

I've got something different for you this time. You can actually hear me here, courtesy of a podcast I recorded for Business With Attitude at Positive Ground's studio in conversation with the well known speaker, Peter Roper. The subject we focused on was the impact of the voice in business and I hope you find it interesting and useful (I am the last speaker on the podcast).

EXCITING NEWS!

After a couple of meetings and a taster seminar in April I am beginning a programme of training with managers at the National Grid in July.

My ex-student, Lauren Samuels (from 'Over the Rainbow' BBC1), is to play 'Sandy' in 'Grease' at the Piccadilly Theatre, London, from July 26th. We had a 'welcome home' party for her on 4 June and you can see a picture of her with the actual 'Dorothy' shoes (covered in Swarovski crystals) above.

What happened in June?

I attended 10 business breakfast meetings and 2 ladies' lunches. As a result of one of these I joined The Women in Business Club at Solihull. I also attended The Business Club evening event at the Tigers Rugby Club, Leicester, where I got a lot of interest for funded training (via Train to Gain and Business Link) which should result in several new clients.

I also ran a two and half hour practical workshop for 25 clients of Vanilla Recruitment, Market Harborough; took a CPD Voice Protection workshop for the ASA at Stowmarket, Suffolk; examined for LAMDA in Berkhampstead, Herts; and had another of my open 'Voice Matters' workshops at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester.

I enjoyed 3 theatrical outings to 'Witness for the Prosecution' at the Belgrade, Coventry, 'Fawlty Towers' at the Concordia,Hinckley, and 'Guys & Dolls' at Kilworth House Theatre, North Kilworth - all were excellent.

Well I think that's it for another month.

My final 'Voice Matters' and 'Dynamic Speaking' open courses of 2010 are currently booking - details on the website.

So, here's a final reminder to enjoy the good weather while it lasts and remember that all work and no play makes Jack (and Jill) a dull boy (or girl!)

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear

Te: 01455 230317

e: info@loudandclearuk.com

web: www.loudandclearuk.com

Celebrations & Commiserations!

2010-06-02T06:02:00.012+01:00

Hi Everyone,

What a month! There have been extreme highs and lows which I will now tell you all about.

The first week of May found us on holiday to celebrate my very special event - my 60th birthday (well there's no point in hiding it - you can probably work it out anyway!). Luckily we were in between volcanic ash and BA strikes so we arrived in Venice for a 3 night stay safely. The weather was pretty mixed but it's such a beautiful place,even in the rain. On the great day (May 5th) Stewart and I were taken to the railway station to board the Orient Express! I'm an old romantic I'm afraid and with my love of all things theatrical it has been on my 'MUST DO' list for a long time. Did it live up to expectations? - ABSOLUTELY.

There was champagne to greet us as we sat down in our private compartment; the beautiful art deco marquetry and glass panels in the restaurant cards; the glamour of the bar car complete with pianist and everyone dressed up for the occasion; the delicious food for dinner and lunch the next day; breakfast served in our compartment by our charming Australian steward and the interesting passing scenery. I don't think I got a lot of sleep although the beds were surprisingly comfortable but that was a small price to pay for the experience.

At 3:00pm the next day we pulled into Prague and spent 3 more days there before coming home. So that was the celebration of this month's title.

The commiseration came when the lovely Lauren Samuels made it to the final of 'Over The Rainbow' on BBC1 but didn't get 'Dorothy'. Yes, it was a little sad but we weren't totally surprised as the writing was on the wall several weeks before - the audience favoured the younger girls, which was understandable. Thank you for the huge support you gave her - I now that many of you thought she was terrific and your emails were great. I can tell you that she has been inundated with offers but her agent is sitting on them to choose the best way forward and we're not forgetting that Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber REALLY liked her. Of course, the high profile nature of my connection with Lauren meant I had some great opportunities for free promotion of Loud & Clear and my Drama School. You may have heard or seen some of the following:

May 3rd - Ed Stagg's Radio Leicester show
All through May - Mentions in the Hinckley Times & Leicester Mercury newspapers.
May 21st - BBC1 East & West Midlands regional news bulletins.
May 23rd - BBC1 East Midlands News.

I also did an interview for the Sunday Express but they didn't use it!. So all in all a pretty successful month on the business and personal front. I was delighted to be asked back by Leicester Aids Support Services to deliver a 2 hour workshop on using the voice on the phones and when counselling.

I also managed to fit in three 4Networking breakfasts, 3 women's business lunches and an Expo run by the Loughborough Chamber of commerce which has resulted in several applications for funded training with me. There were also three days of examining in Norfolk and a full day Performance Workshop for LAMDA in Birmingham for teachers who came from as far afield as Dublin. I thoroughly enjoyed a day course on accents delivered in London by the Voice Care Network where there was information on training actors to find specific accents and helping people soften accents for business (something which I do on a regular basis).

I had three visits to the theatre in May - 'Crazy for You' at the Concordia, Hinckley - 'Morecambe' at the Belgrade, Coventry and 'Barefoot in the Park' at the Little, Leicester - all were excellent.

I mentioned last month that I was going to direct again after a gap of 4 years. Well, I have cast 'Dick Barton - Special Agent' by Phil Willmott and I think we're going to have great fun during the summer at rehearsals. Show dates at the Concordia Theatre, Hinckley Will be 7th to 11th September and if any of you would like to come along I'll tell you how to get the tickets next month.

Just a reminder of the free grant of £500 to train with us. All regions of Business Link/Train to Gain have a version of the East Midlands 'Leaders First' and the West Midlands 'Director Development' programmes where a business with between 5 and 249 employees can access funding of up to £1,500 with the first £500 FREE! but East Midlands have recently relaxed the employee condition for micro businesses. This means that a partnership with just 1 employee, an LLP partnership of just the 2 partners and any Ltd liability company (e.g. just the MD + the Company Secretary) are eligible. There is only a small proportion of the funding available for these businesses so first come, first served! Please call Stewart on 01455 230317 ASAP if interested.

Feedback from my 'Voice Matters' day course at Solihull on 24 May was excellent as always. Would you like to give this great training day a go? There is one more available before the Autumn - 18 June at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester. There are just a few places left (I only take 12) so give us a call for special offers!

Thanks for your continued support. I really do appreciate your comments so do remember I'm on Facebook, Linked-in, 4 Networking, Best of Hinckley, Twitter and, of course, www.loudandclearuk.com.

Tip of the month:

Do you want to stand out from the crowd when networking?

Put effort into your presentation - practice it, vary it, add stories, drip feed extra detail on what you do week by week. Make sure everyone can hear you by breathing properly and opening your mouth - simple really!

Until next month:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact:
Tel: 01455 230317
email: info@loudandclearuk.com
web: www.loudandclearuk.com

DOES IMAGE REALLY MATTER

2010-05-01T20:58:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone,

What an interesting few weeks it's been. I watched the first election debate with care - not to hear the arguments but to see who came over the best. How fascinating to see, the next day, that Nick Clegg had come out on top. Of course he did! He was friendly; the body language was open; his face reflected involvement in what he was saying and he talked directly to the camera which meant everyone felt he was talking to them personally.

It was therefore interesting to hear the views of an American commentator who couldn't see the debate on screen but heard it instead on the radio. What a different response: Gordon Brown appeared dour; David Cameron was smarmy and lacked sincerity and Nick Clegg sounded young and without substance.

There is an interesting historical link too. If you go back a few decades Nixon and Kennedy held a radio debate which Nixon won decisively, but when they went in front of the cameras, Kennedy dealt him a knockout blow.

So, to answer my own question, yes, image is hugely important. If you can influence your 'audience' appropriately you will had a big advantage over you competitors.

Now on to lighter topics - Saturday and Sunday nights during April have been spent glued to BBC's 'Over the Rainbow'. I'm delighted to say, as I write on 30 April, that my student, Lauren Samuels, is still in the running to be Dorothy. I was interviewed by BBC Radio Leicester today and you can hear me on bank holiday Monday during Ed Stagg's tea-time show (4.00 to 7.00pm). This will be my second appearance on local media within three weeks ad east Midlands BBC news sent a reporter and camera crew to interview Sue (Lauren's mum) her brother and me on the 9 April.

After my return from examining in Malta on Good Friday I had a welcome rest over Easter then it was straight into some more speaking engagements. This is where I got to in April:
8 April - Corby 4Networking
13 April - Cosby Business Clubs
20 April - The Institute of Directors Breakfast, Nottingham
22 April - The Leadership Lunch, Sutton Coldfield
28 April - Portfolio Ladies Lunch, Stratford
30 April - Oakham 4Networking

I also had the pleasure of delivering a taster seminar on voice for managers at the National Grid headquarters, Warwick. Then it was down to Bristol for a Voice Protection & Projection workshop booked by the ASA. My open presentation skills day, 'Dynamic Speaking' took place again at the Marriott, Leicester with 7 enthusiastic delegates. I was also given a repeat booking by the Spice organisation in Birmingham and had lots of fun with 14 delegates at the Arden Hotel, near Birmingham airport.

Our good friend Sheila came down from Staffs. for a day's visit and as it was lovely weather we introduced her to Bradgate Park and then had tea at Kilworth House Hotel. There is nothing nicer than a Victorian conservatory with the sun shining down. Best of all was a girly shopping day with my daughter Deb while granddad Stewart minded the baby. Sorry chaps, but you will never understand how much pleasure we get from wandering round fashion outlets.

may looks pretty exciting fro several reasons so just watch this space!

Current open workshops booking:
24 May - Solihull
18 June - Leicester
Details here

***STOP PRESS***

We have just got news of a funding stream for partnerships or SME's with 3 or 4 employees and for limited companies with just 2 employees. This is through the 'Leaders First' grant scheme in the East Midlands. Contact Stewart to see if we can get you £500 of free training with us.

THERE IS ONLY A SMALL POT SO DON'T HANG ABOUT!

Remember you can follow me on Twitter, Facebook or Linked-in.

I look forward to talking to you soon.

Speak wisely
Speak well
Speak Loud & Clear!

And VOTE LAUREN FOR DOROTHY!

She COULD be Dorothy

2010-04-03T12:16:00.011+01:00

Me & the delighted winner at the Mrs Sunderland Festival

Lauren Samuels

Happy Easter everyone,

I am writing this on Good Friday at Malta airport on my way home after 4 days examining. it is 20° and clear blue skies but I'm heading back to something cooler!

Well, it has been a very busy, but also exciting month as you will see and I think I will have to start by saying "SHE COULD BE DOROTHY!!!"

Now, if you haven't been watching BBC1 on Saturday nights you won't have a clue what I mean so I had better explain.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has another hunt for a leading lady - this time it's for Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz' and I'm delighted to tell you that one of my former students has got through to the last 10 from over 9,000 applicants. She was with me for 11 years before going to the Guildford School of Acting to do a degree in Musical Theatre on a full scholarship in 2006.

She graduated last year and I had the pleasure of seeing her play Wendy in 'Peter Pan' at the Curve, Leicester over Christmas. Her name is Lauren Samuels so keep an eye on her - we're sure she'll go far and stands a great chance of winning if you all vote for her too!

Out of the 31 days in March I had specific business events on 22 days and on 5 more I was working with some of my private clients so you will not need to be a mathematical genius to see that I only had 2 days off! This is how the diary went...

Monday 1st - Speaking at 'The Business Club' Leicester for an event with about 40 members attending.
Thursday 4th - Exhibiting at the 'Women in Business' event at Pride park Stadium, Derby. Speakers included the founder of Green & Blacks chocolate and Rosemary Conley (of fitness and diet fame)
Saturday 6th - Judging at the Bromley festival.
Monday 8th - Full day bespoke workshop for 12 commissioners at Coventry City Council on using the voice in business and more effective presentation skills.
Tuesday 9th - Judging at the Chipping Norton festival.
Thursday 11th - Full day open workshop at Solihull for 'Dynamic Speaking' with filmed presentations.
Saturday & Sunday 13th & 14th - Judging at the Woodley Festival, Berks.
Monday 15th to Friday 19th - examining at Stamford, lincs.
Saturday 20th - Judging at Bromley festival.
Tuesday 23rd - Full day 'Voice Matters' workshop at the Leicester Marriott.
Wednesday 24th - Speaking at the Institute of Will Writers AGM & Conference at the Belfry Hotel, Sutton Coldfield. The after lunch 'light relief' slot!
Thursday 25th - Meetings with 2 major Leicestershire companies who are interested in bespoke workshops for their staff. Hopefully you will hear more about this in the months to come.
Friday 26th - Speaking at a ladies lunch at the Grosvenor Casino, B'ham on 'How to be vocal in a man's world'! Good fun.
Saturday 27th - Back to Bromley again.
Sunday 28th - Flying from heathrow to Malta for LAMDA. O.K. I accept that a 'gig' in Malta is not too bad and I have enjoyed some lovely walks in the late afternoon along the promenade at Sliema where I was based. As I could not get back on the 1st when I finished I had most of a day to unwind and try out the roof-top sun deck with infinity pool so I'm not complaining. Just a bonus and I'm looking forward to a few days off over Easter. let's hope the weather is good enough to get out in the fresh air.

My little granddaughter, Evie (who arrived on 1st January), had now grown from a birth weight of 5lb 10 onz to 9lbs and I can't wait to see her again. I was told by so many people that being a grandmother would change my life and it has - after Easter I have put a line through quite a few days in my diary when work will take a back seat. For a workaholic like me that is a big step!

I have, however, got a couple of projects in mind over the summer. Printing a book of voice tips, doing a number of video clips on aspects of voice training for my website (via Utube) and directing a play at the local theatre! It's a while since I've done one so I'm looking forward to getting back into theatrical mode. I'll tell you more about it later in the year.

Well, I think that's quite enough for now. To go back to my opening story - you can find out more about Lauren on the BBC website here where she has been kind enough to credit her work with me at my drama school. I'll be crossing my fingers on Saturday night.

Thank you for your interest once more and don't forget, if you've worked with me please let others know the benefits and if you could post a short testimonial on any of these it would me much appreciated:
Linkedin
Freeindex
4Networking (if you are a member)

And remember:

Speak wisely

Speak well

Speak Loud & Clear

Priscilla Morris
T: 01455 230317
W: www.loudandclearuk.com
E: info@loudandclearuk.com

Students are doing it for themselves! (Annie Lennox)

2010-03-04T05:43:00.024Z

Presentation of cheque for £7000 to the Concordia Theatre from proceeds of
HSDS Has Talent
Left to right Priscilla, Jeremy Hold (Chairman of Concordia Association) Sara Bright (Musical Theatre teacher) and (kneeling) Debbie Cunningham (Speech & Drama teacher)

Hello again,

There were a couple of things I was particularly proud of in February. The first was a get together of the 'Alice Hawkins' project which had been coordinated by LeicstHERday. This fascinating project had been taking place over the last 18 months and celebrates the life of the suffragette Alice Hawkins who was Leicester born and bred and played an important role in the 'votes for women' campaign. In her memory it was decided to make an audio and video record of the lives of around 150 women in Leicestershire and I was pleased to be one of them. My (pretty ordinary) recording is now residing with all the others in the Wigston records office for others to hear in years to come. Some of the videos we saw at the lunch on 5 February were inspiring - fascinating insights into life in Leicestershire over the last century.

My second 'special moment' of the month was standing on stage at the end of 'HSDS Has Talent' with 170 youngsters behind me to announce that we had raised £7000 for the Concordia Theatre, Hinckley. We sold 900 tickets for the 3 shows and I think everyone, cast and audience, had a great time so it was well worth the 3 VERY late nights pre show setting up all the technical requirements. Visit the HSDS website here.

I began the month with back to back speaking engagements. On 2 February it was a talk on my work abroad in Sri Lanka, Bermuda, Texas and Hong Kong before 60 ladies at the Phoenix Club, Burbage. On 3 February I was exhibiting and speaking on 'using your voice as a marketing tool' at a mixed 'Mind Your Own Business' event in Hinckley and on the 4th it was 'How to make an impact' at 4 Networking, Coventry. I also spoke for Business Networking South West Leics. and Vanilla Recruitment at Market Harborough (a lunch time event for 35 of their business clients)

Workshops were also again at the forefront with another of my highly successful @Voice matters' days on 26 February - this time at Solihull. You can see numerous testimonials for these here. I took a bespoke workshop for Leicestershire Education Business Company which everyone found really useful. There were 2 Amateur Swimming Association CPD workshops which I have run as their Voice Consultant for over 12 years on Voice Protection & Projection. One in Tavistock and the other in Crawley. No one can say I don't get about a lot!

So, was there time for anything else? - oh yes! I attended 9 breakfast and lunch networking events, adjudicated the Mrs Sunderland Festival at Huddersfield for 2 days and attended a good friend's 80th birthday celebration. I also started Tweeting with more regularity during February. So if you really have nothing better to do you can follow me at......

March looks incredibly busy once again with 1 week in Stamford and 1 week in Malta (yes, it is for work!)

My tip this month is based on something I heard on the Tonight programme (Radio 4) a few weeks ago:

Tip of the month
A scientific survey recently proved that the voice we like most is middle-of-the-road (i.e. no strong accent), clear and friendly. So put a smile on your face and work positively to be clear in your speech.

The open courses have proved so popular in the last 18 months that you can now book up to June 2010:

11 March - Solihull 'Dynamic Speaking' (advanced presentation skills)
Last 2 places at £170 (special offer)

23 March - Leicester 'Voice Matters'
3 places remaining at discount £140

26 April - Leicester 'Dynamic Speaking'
£210 - deposit £100

24 May - Solihull 'Voice Matters'
£160 - deposit £80

18 June - Leicester 'Voice Matters'
£160 - deposit £80

You can pay by BACS:
a/n: 01603698
sort code: 72-00-00

All details on website here

That's it for this month and don't forget:

Speak wisely, speak well, speak
Loud & Clear! ljflakjlhsd

T: 01455 230317
w: www.loudandclearuk.com

2010-02-03T07:13:00.017Z

Lauren Samuels as Wendy in Peter Pan
at the Curve Theatre, Leicester

Hello again everyone,

Thank you so much for all your congratulations on the birth of our first granddaughter, Evelyn Ruby on 1st January. I suppose the other exciting talking point of the month was the snow! It did cause some disruption where I live in Hinckley, but there was a main road nearby so it was relatively easy to get about. Unfortunately, as a number of my clients have to travel quite a distance my timetable was somewhat disrupted on several days but everything got back to normal when the thaw set in.

Apart from visiting Evie whenever possible I have been very busy this month with preparations for a major production at the Concordia Theatre in Hinckley. The students of Hinckley Speech & Drama Studio (well - around 170 of them) are presenting 'HSDS Has Talent' from 11th to 13th February in aid of the Theatre's development fund. We have borrowed the idea from the T.V. show 'Britain's Got Talent' and have put together a variety show with everything from Victoria Wood sketches to scenes from 'Pygmalion', 'Peter Pan', 'Mamma Mia' and 'Summer Holiday'. The youngsters are aged between 5 and 18 and it should be a great show. There's nothing like the energy of youngsters on stage! Although they have all been rehearsing in their own classes, the organisation of the show as a whole has fallen on me (especially as my daughter, Debbie, has other things to occupy her!). I have been co-ordinating lighting schedules, sound schedules, music soundtracks, dressing room helpers, stage props and scenery etc. It's fairly time consuming but as we hope to raise in excess of £6000 for the Concordia Theatre it will be worth it. Do have a look at one of the best amateur theatres in the country here.

I had the pleasure of seeing an ex-student of mine, Lauren Samuels, in her first professional role as Wendy in 'Peter Pan' at The Curve, Leicester recently. She received excellent reviews and I was suitably proud. I was also highly delighted to be approached by a reporter from the Sunday Times to give my opinion on the communication skills of teenagers in interviews. This appears to have happened because I am very high on Google for voice coaching and I was consulted as an expert on the voice and it's use - very gratifying.

I managed to get one workshop in before the snow hit. On 4 January I was in Cheshire delivering a half day course on using the voice in the classroom for an inset teachers day. I worked with 18 junior school teachers on voice projection and vocal effectiveness. This work is very important to enable teachers to keep working safely and I endorse all the marvellous work done by The Voice Care Network U.K. for whom I am an accredited tutor.

Later in the month I took a seminar for Birmingham City Council at their NQT conference at the Botanical Gardens (a lovely venue). There was a sense of fun at the Spice event I lead with my 'Something to Shout About' workshop on 17 January with around 20 adults taking part in the practical session. The next day I enjoyed speaking at the ladies luncheon club at Botcheston, leics., where I presented 'The Changing Shape of Fashion' to around 70 members. Another of my open workshops took place on 26 January. This time it was 'Dynamic Speaking' with filmed presentations and a great group of speakers who gave the following feedback:

"Good sized group & group dynamics. Great interaction & feedback"
"Five out of five because venue, group size, positivity & tutor were great. Priscilla is very knowledgeable and easy to work with"
"Priscilla lives what she teaches"
"A very practical day with many different exercises"
"Lots of good information which I need to start to put into practice"

I managed to find time to attend 10 different networking clubs during the month all over Leicestershire and Warwickshire to promote my 2010 open workshops. These are the ones I am booking at the moment:

26 February - Solihull 'Voice Matters' £160
11 March - Solihull 'Dynamic Speaking' £210
23 March - Leicester 'Voice Matters' £160

As you know, my client base is very varied and I have been delighted to start work with a blind businessman this month. Lee Greatbatch of BizAbilityUK Ltd is a great advert for determination and positivity (just try Googling his name and you'll see what I mean!) - oh yes and Raffles (his guide dog) is quite a character!

I will sign off now before I fall asleep with the pen in my hand! February looks pretty busy so onwards and upwards.....

Tip of the month - take a deep breath to settle nerves and project the voice forward without strain. People will take notice. A little effort produces results. See you in March - until then:

Speak wisely
Speak well
Speak Loud & Clear!

STOP PRESS - If you've worked with me and would like to give me a testimonial you stand a chance of winning a daily prize up until 14 February so if you fancy your chances click here and then click on 'add a testimonial' on the right of the page.

Web: www.loudandclearuk.com
Phone: 01455 230317

It's a girl!

2010-01-03T12:20:00.009Z

Happy New Year everyone. It certainly has been for Stewart & I. We became grandparents for the first time on 1st January at 8.00pm when our daughter, Debbie, produced Evelyn Ruby weighing in at 5lb 14ozs. what a surprise! She wasn't due until 9 January and we'd all been together on New Year's Eve for a little supper with friends. I have been told by many people that this event will change my life and I'm quite prepared for that to happen. If you've been reading this blog over the last two years you'll know that I'm a bit of a workaholic and it's not unusual for me to do seven days a week. So now I'm going to have to find time for my granddaughter - and I will! My New Year's resolution is to block out days in my diary when I won't work. Unfortunately I have just had a look at January and I've already got work on 25 days but the intention is there!

When I wrote my last blog, if you remember, I was working at the festival in Hong Kong. On the 5th December I had the chance of a lifetime when I saw the opening ceremony of the East Asian Games. It was the first major event held on water rather than in a stadium and this meant that around 300,000 people watched it for free on both sides of Victoria Harbour which culminated in a 15 minute fireworks display - and the Chinese really know how to do fireworks!

After a very busy final two weeks I returned to the U.K. on 18th December and rushed into Christmas preparations. Work was put on the back burner until today but now it's all hands to the plough and off we go. So what do I have in store for 2010?

Well, there's a landmark birthday to celebrate in May and I have 2 very different shows to direct at the Concordia Theatre this year.

Firstly, 'HSDS Has Talent' from February 11th to 13th with over 150 youngsters from my Drama School performing extracts from musicals and comedy sketches from Victoria Wood, Monty Python, Roald Dahl etc. Secondly, 'Dick Barton, Special Agent', in September - a hilarious play which pokes gentle fun at the famous radio series. This show will be produced by the New Theatre Players adult company at the Concordia.

I'm also going to be examining in Malta and possibly returning to Hong Kong. later in the year.

I already have several of my ' Voice Protection' workshops booked for the Amateur Swimming Association in Manchester Devon, Windsor, Bristol and Stoke-on-Trent. There are also bespoke business workshops for Coventry City Council and a taster session for the National Grid this Spring and my open workshops, continue on 26 January with 'Dynamic Speaking' (fully booked).

As I've been out of the business loop since early November my February 'Voice Matters' days do have spaces so now is your chance to sample the unique style and fascinating content of a training day with yours truly. For only £160 inclusive of lovely grub you can book onto Leicester (3 February) or Solihull )26 February). I guarantee you will leave with skills you can use instantly to grow your business. Just look at my testimonials for proof!

Well, that's the lot. I'm off to visit my beautiful granddaughter this afternoon. Then it's up at the crack of dawn to be in Cheshire by 9.00am for a teacher's voice workshop - the working year has begun!

Here's to a highly successful 2010 for one and all and I'll leave you with this thought:
SUCCESS COMES IN CANS, NOT CAN'TS!

Speak wisely
Speak well
Speak Loud & Clear!

Web: http://www.loudandclearuk.com/default.aspx
Phone: 01455 230317

Everyone

2009-12-04T02:52:00.021Z

That's hello in Cantonese from your intrepid Far East explorer! Here I am, back in Hong Kong, for another 5 weeks of work and fun.

I first came out in 1997 just before the handover and this is my 6th visit. I am one of the English adjudicators at the Hong Kong Schools Speech Festival. This amazing competition (which also has a music section in February & March) has nearly 200,000 entries each year from schools and individuals who want to improve their English.

The full-time staff process the entries throughout the year and arrange a separate timetable of judging for each adjudicator. There are 19 of us this year: 4 who live in Hong Kong, 2 from Australia, 2 from America, 2 from France (but British by birth), 1 from Ireland and 8 from the UK. We are all based at a hotel on the island but each day we travel to our venue.

At this moment I am having a coffee and a gooey cake in Starbucks at Kwai Fong Metroplaza. I am in the New Territories between Hong Kong and China and I am the only Western face around. I have been judging a couple of poetry speaking classes this morning and I have 2 more this afternoon. Then it will be back over Victoria Harbour on the iconic Star Ferry to a Mahler concert at the Cultural Centre. Stewart joined me last week and I think he has planned a walk somewhere interesting today. Hong Kong is not just a city - it also has 1000's of acres of country parks and excellently marked walks.

We do work pretty hard, 6 days out of 7, sometimes with 3 x 3-hour sessions a day but the surroundings are fascinating and there's always something interesting to see and do. Just now I am sitting on an outside balcony overlooking the street in the centre of Kwai Fong town. The shopping centre behind me has 6 floors of shops and cafes. Ahead I can see 8 buses moving in every possible direction. there are eight 30 storey blocks of apartments over the road and in the distance, up a forested hill, another 20 in a row on the slopes (see photo). People are rushing everywhere and the tannoy system is playing 'Frosty the Snowman' and 'Rockin' around the Christmas Tree'!

On Saturday the opening ceremony of the East Asian Games is taking place on Victoria Harbour and they are expecting several hundred thousand people to line both sides. We saw part of the rehearsals last night - amazing line up of boats all covered in coloured lights - 20 with Christmas lights - 20 with silver lights and moving seagull statues and another 20 authentic Chinese Junks, each with their 3 sails covered in red lights. Of course there are the dancers, drummers and lazer lights too. At 9.30pm on Saturday night off go the fireworks - we'll be there!!!

It really feels like home from home now when I get to Hong Kong as I know most of the adjudicators personally and it is a lovely lead up to Christmas with a rather old fashioned feel. Oh how I wish that in England we could put up beautiful trees and lavish ornaments within touching distance and find them still there the next day! Nothing is stolen or vandalised here so that everyone can enjoy the amazing displays in every shopping centre, mall and hotel.

Ladies - this is a shopping heaven! From wall to wall designer shops to cheap sample outlets and huge markets - Hong Kong has it all. Unfortunately the baggage allowance puts a stop to lavish spending but looking is fun!

I didn't come out here until the middle of November so before that I had time to run two more of my 'Voice Matters' days at Leicester & Solihull. They were again full with attendees from as far away as Liverpool so the word is spreading! If you haven't tried one of my sessions yet I am now booking for Leicester on 3rd February and Solihull on 26th February. Details are on the website here or just drop me an email to book your place.

*STOP PRESS* If you have already worked with me or attended a 'Voice Matters' day and want to develop your presentation skills with a filmed session look at your diary. Due to a cancellation I have 1 place available on my 'Dynamic Speaking' day at the Leicester Marriott on 26th January. Look here for details of what is covered on the day and testimonials showing what people have gained from taking part. I promise you won't be disappointed. So, first come first served!

It just remains for me to wish you all a fantastic Christmas and a rewarding new Year. I look forward to chatting to you again in 2010. In the meantime:

Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:

www.loudandclearuk.com

info@loudandclearuk.com

Tel: 01455 230317

Letting My Hair Down!

2009-11-04T13:57:00.015Z

Y4U

Myself and Clare Abell
at the Switched-on Awards

Hello again everyone,

Some of you have pointed out to me from time to time that I am a bit of a workaholic and should take it easier. Well, I'm pleased to tell you that I took your advice and let my hair down not just once in October but twice within 3 days!

On the 1st of the month, with my husband Stewart and three business friends in tow, I put on my glad rags and headed for the New Bingley Hall in Birmingham. I had been nominated for an award at the Switched-on-biz/Business Link event for 'Women in Business with B**ls'! (no tittering at the back please). so I downed my champagne and ate my dinner with the 400 others present and clapped all the category winners before mine came up. Needless to say I didn't win - I couldn't really compete with the lovely lady who won (she has a transport company with a turnover of £80 million!) However, it was great fun and a good time was had by all.

Two days later I was at a film premiere! O.K. not in Leicester Square but just as important for the 8 youngsters taking part. I will put you in the picture (if you'll excuse the pun). Several months ago I was approached by a local charity, Y4U who work in schools, to provide actors for a short film which is to be shown to young teenagers on the subject of sexual pressure and how to deal with it. I provided 8 teenagers who rehearsed the original script for several weeks before filming it on location locally and we were all invited, with family and friends, to view the finished product at a local hall in Hinckley. we dressed up, had fizzy plonk (non-alcoholic!) and tucked into a pizza supper. What a great night - I was so proud of them and also of the fact that the film will be used as a teaching tool, with a facilitator from the charity, in all the Leicestershire upper Schools.

So October started with a bang and I continued to be over-fed when I attended the 3 day British and International Federation of Festivals Conference in Durham. Lots of sitting and listening to interesting speakers and being entertained but not great for the waistline! I have been fortunate in being an international adjudicator, under the umbrella of BIFF, for the last 18 years and I shall be heading for Hong Kong on 13 November for 5 weeks as a judge at the National Speech Festival - but more of that next month....

On the 8th I ran another of my 'Dynamic Speaking' open workshops at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester. I had 4 ladies and 4 gentlemen this time and we all had a great time. My next course for this subject is on 26 january 2010 and I'm delighted to say that it is already full.

I was meant to be in two places at once in the middle of the month which caused some difficulties! Due to a misunderstanding one of my clients thought that they had booked me to take two voice protection and projection workshops but I didn't know and had arranged my drama school's annual Open Day on the same date. Both went ahead, I'm pleased to say but for the first time ever I missed the Open Day. Never mind, everyone seemed to enjoy it anyway so perhaps I am more dispensible than I thought!

I attended 13 different networking organisations during October (some of them several times) which I think must break my previous record. I also spoke for the Institute of Directors, leicester; 4 Networking at Daventry; Futures Networking at Coventry and the Federation of Small Businesses in Nuneaton.

One of my most enjoyable mornings this month was spent at a local high school where I was a business volunteer at an Enterprise Day run by Leicester Education Business Company. I found myself on a 'Dragon's Den' panel, assessing the games that different year groups had invented and vetting them as a viable business product. It was great fun and some of the ideas were excellent.

I also managed to fit in a one-day exhibition at Stratford and a day's examining for LAMDA in Bedford.

I don't often mention the work I do with my 1-2-1 clients in my blog but I do have a very interesting and varied selection of business people coming through the door. I was delighted to see Brad Burton and Tim Johnson, managing director and director of finance respectively of 4 Networking for a session. I don't get to see them too often as they live in Somerset but I was especially pleased to see Brad's new video at and to see my article 'Speak your Way to Success' in print in the '4 Community' magazine.

I was pleased to welcome professional magician, Steve Short, for a chat. Wwe are hoping to develop a pretty unique workshop involving presentation skills and magic - watch this space!

I was also delighted to be able to help an individual with a pretty unique problem. He has only one functioning lung and half his diaphragm is collapsed so that acheiving power in the voice is tricky. We managed to put some techniques in place which made a real difference and I am looking forward to working with him again early in 2010.

Well, I think that's quite enough for this month. I'm not quite sure whether December's blog will appear as usual because I will be on the opther side of the world but I'll be back as soon as I can.

Time for a tip before I go. If you have to read anything aloud try these techniques: -

Take your time
Use the punctuation marks for sense pauses
Make frequent eye contact
Make sure the text is at the right height for easy communication
Remember that practice makes perfect

Oh - almost forgot. My two 'Voice Matters' sessions in November are full so I'm booking forward to:
2 February - Marriott Hotel, Leicester
26 February - Hogarth's Hotel, Solihull
£80 deposit by BACS secures your place - I hope to have the pleasure of your company.

Speak Wisely
Speak Well
Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact me on 01455 230317
Web: www.loudandclearuk.com

Musical Memories

2009-10-05T07:36:00.019+01:00

RM Adjusting Ltd workshop

Hello again everyone, Just a little late this month due to pressure of work and social happenings as you shall see. I had three musical experiences this month and they were all quite different. Firstly I went along to the Kilworth House Theatre (Leics.) for 'The Opera Show'. If you live anywhere near junction 20 of the M1 do go along and have a look at this terrific open-air theatre built in the gardens of a private hotel. This is its 3rd year and obviously the season only extends from June to September but there is a huge variety on offer. The show was something really unique. There were four principal singers six dancers, a string quartet, a virtuoso guitarist and backing orchestra and the show consisted of 3 acts of operatic extracts set in different times: The Baroque (fabulous costumes), The 1940's in Spain and finally the Electronic age. it was so well presented and great entertainment, even for those who were not opera buffs. Musical evening number two was the musical 'Dreamboats and Petticoats' at the Belgrade, Theatre, Coventry. This was a simple (but very funny) script set around 40 hits from the late 50's and early 60's. The company did all the singing and dancing and played the instruments - terrific energy! I had noticed the show because a fellow student, David Cardy, in my year at the Guildhall was featured in the show but unfortunately he is still on in the West End and I could only get to see the tour. I recommend it though if you can remember that era.

O.K. now I am REALLY going to give away my age......I was one of Cliff Richard's original fans folks so I just had to go and see the 'Cliff & Shadows Reunion tour' last week at the Nottingham Arena. All I can say is they can still do it - great musically, fun and nostalgia focused only on the music they played together (plus the Shadow's solo hits). No dancers or fancy extras, just 2 ½ hours of great music. I hope I still have the energy to dance around stage like that when I'm 69!

Well, I was quite glad of those relaxing evenings as September was pretty frantic on the work front. I had 4 speaking engagements, an exhibition and 8 workshops in the diary. The exhibition was organised by Network Midlands at Crick. The speaking engagements were for 4 Networking at Northampton and Rugby (N.B. do have a look at their website, this is a pretty dynamic organisation); 'Mind Your Own Business' event organised by the LeicestHERday charity, for women wanting to start their own business and 'Supporting Women in Business' (SWIB) at Stratford. I took a 3 hour 'Voice Protection & Projection' CPD session for Liverpool City Council followed two days later by 2 more for Manchester City Council. (These were for swimming coaches working for the councils in schools and leisure facilities). The following week I was back up in Manchester for a 1/2 day bespoke workshop for RM Adjusting Ltd. I was asked to do this after Neil Robbie (the MD) heard me speak at an event in Birmingham earlier in the year. An evening seminar for 25 examiners for BTDA (the British Theatre Dance Association) took place at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester, on using the voice in the examination room and the next day I was taking a seminar for Leicester Aids Support Services at their headquarters. I worked with some of their volunteers on how to use the voice effectively on the phone. Last, but no means least, I had two more of my 'Voice Matters' full day business workshops at Solihull and Leicester. They were the 8^th and 9^th sessions since I began them in September 2008 and I'm delighted to say they were both full with 12 people on each. Here is some of the feedback: 'Fantastic presentation. Very informative and easy to take in.'
'An excellent introduction to using your voice to its full potential' '
I found this course very useful and think it will help my communication and public speaking no end!'
'I'm reborn! You've opened the gate and pointed me in the right direction'.
'Fabulous, charismatic and knowledgeable' 'Excellent, informative and fun'

I think I can finally state that voice Coaching is not a tenuous area of training but something that really does show results. Look at my testimonial page for proof!

Apart from filling the remaining days with my Private clients I also managed to attend a 'Switched-on-Biz' lunch at Solihull, the IOD lunch at Nottingham, the Soroptimist' lunch at Leicester and various breakfast meetings - for me, this is the best way to remind people that I am still alive and kicking and waiting to give them some help with those all-important communication skills. I mustn't forget to mention that I also did a little performing this month at an 'Older Voice' day in Hinckley. This was a day of events for the over 50's and I presented a recital called 'The Prime of Life' - a lighthearted look at getting older - with my colleague and friend, Ann Shires.

Well, October has begun at the run once again. I am marketing my next 2 'Voice Matters' workshops - 3 November at Hogarth's Hotel, Solihull and 5 November at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester. I have a few places available so do take a look here and join us for a really effective day of training at only £140 inclusive. I hope I have the pleasure of working with you. And don't forget:

SPEAK WISELY

SPEAK WELL
SPEAK

LOUD & CLEAR!

Contact me:
Priscilla Morris
01455 230317
www.loudandclearuk.com

2009-09-01T17:29:00.016+01:00

Hello again everyone, I hope you've enjoyed your summer (such as it was!). I managed to get a bit of sun abroad as I'll tell you later but first I want to talk about a fascinating radio programme I heard a couple of weeks ago.

The series is presented by Stephen Fry and it explores the use of the English language through history. This episode was entitled 'Speaking it Proper' and concerned the thorny issues of pronunciation, grammer and accent! The variable use of our own language causes great debate and is fraught with problems. The way we speak is a matter of taste, tradition, fashion, class, geography etc. and it is continually changing. George Bernard Shaw said "It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making another Englishman hate and despise him" Do we really care that much about how people sound? Well, yes, according to a survey carried out amongst business people recently. Questions were asked relating to individual responses to accents throughout the U.K. The results may surprise you.

Some accents indicate dishonesty i.e. scouse
Some accents suggest dullness i.e. Birmingham
Some suggest financial probity - home counties (R.P.)
Northerners believed they were looked down upon because of their accents
Both Northerners and Southern R.P. was more indicative of success.

The BBC used to only use presenters with clipped vowels but now accents can be heard. However, these are never very broad but quite well centred with the focus on good enunciation i.e. starting and ending words properly. Obviously acents have their place - a broad Glaswegian telling a joke may add to the humour but in the business world this would be a problem because the best English pronunciation is the type that can be understood by everyone. I have, in the past, completely eradicated a Geordie accent for a senior manager. For him it was the right decision as it led to promotion but generally it is intelligability that really matters and that comes from undeerstanding what you're playing with and knowing how to make the necesssary small changes. suprisingly our accent is actually fixed by what surrounds us at the age of approx. 17 - 19, not our childhood but you can learn to change. Impresionists use strong visual images and body positions to help them create the right voices and amazingly they way we speak and our physicality are strongly linked. When voice coaches train actors on accents (as I sometimes do) the physical positioning of the facial muscles is an essential element in understanding hoe the sounds change and sometimes movement of the whole body can also trigger a correct change. What do we require in business today? Well, people should be clear, fluent and lucid. English is the international business language and companies require therir oral communication to be effective. This has lifted Voice Coaching to a much higher level of importance in the corporate world and many large comapanies now employ people like myself. How your voice impacts on others is important knowledge. We have an unconcious response to vocal sound which produces an emotional judgement as to whether we like someone or not. When you come down to it, your energy, pitch, volume, intonation and hoarseness wil be more important in the long run than your accent but you do need to be aware of your vocal effect on others. Ideally you should speak at between 150 and 180 words per minute and we genereally perfer a lower male pitch (sorry ladies!) Ihope that you found this as interesting as I did. Much of it I am engaged in on a daily basis but it was very nice to have things re-inforced by recognised experts in the field.

I mentioned that I had got some sun this month. That was because we gave up on our dreadful weather and booked a late week at Lake Garda in italy. What a fabulous place! The sun shone, the water was welcoming and all the resorts we visited were absolutely delightful. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to chill out and refresh. I deliberately gave myseld a break from private clients in August but I did do a taster seminar on voice for a Pertemps regional conference in Birmingham, a repeat session on Voice Protection and strengthening for the Parkinsons Society in Coventry and I had a meeting with the head of HR at Lafarge with a view to possible in-ouse workshops on voice.

As I finish this I shall be off on the road to Liverpool for an overnight stop before delivering a Voice Protection workshop for Liverpool City Council's swimming coaches. I'm delighted to say that my 'Voice Matters' courses on 17th and 21st September and my 'Dynamic Speaking' on 8th October are now all full and I am booking forward to 3rd and 5th November and 26 January 2010. Details, as usual, can be found here. Well, I think I must sign off now and pack my overnight bag. Until next month:

SPEAK WISELY
SPEAK WELL
SPEAK LOUD & CLEAR!

Contact me:
Priscilla Morris
01455 230317
www.loudandclearuk.com

'Youth has it's voice'

2009-08-05T06:27:00.017+01:00

Lincoln
summer school

Circus day at HSDS summer school

'Youth has it's voice'

As I write, my drama school's summer activity week is in full swing with sessions on mask, magic, stage fighting, bollywood dance, circus skills, putting on a play and a trip to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. About 40 youngsters aged 5 to 15 are taking part and thoroughly enjoying themselves whilst learning.

Last week I had the pleasure of working with 15 fantastic young people at a residential theatre school in Lincoln. We hear so much about people getting into trouble, but my experience is very different. I thought you might like to know what they achieved in the week....

Seven years ago I was invited to be a tutor for the Betty Yager Summer School at Bishop Grosstette College, Lincoln with my colleague from Manchester, Marie Dixon. We wrote a production, putting together words and music on a theme and they liked us, so we've been back every summer! This year, our theme was ' A Theatrical Life' and we met the youngsters aged 11 to 17 on Monday when they had drama workshops before auditioning with a prepared acting piece or poem and a song. We then cast according to their strengths and began rehearsing on the Tuesday morning. On Saturday night they performed two 40 minute halves with full lighting and costume in a modern theatre in front of an audience of family and friends plus the Mayor and Mayoress of Lincoln.

During the week they had learnt all the words and moves for five song and dance numbers (including 'Anything Goes', 'Brush up your Shakespeare' and 'Fame'). Group items included 'Gus the Theatre Cat', a short Victorian melodrama, Nell Quinn, 'St. George and the Dragon', 'Send in the Clowns' and 'Don't put your daughter on the stage' by Noel Coward. They worked together like an established company although they had never met before the Monday. They hardly ever had to be reminded to pay attention and most of the time retired to their rooms when asked! (well, boys will be boys and teenagers will be frisky!). It was a great experience and they were a pleasure to work with so you won't find me complaining about young people.

By the way, the lady who masterminded the week gives up a week of her holiday each year to do it and manages to persuade companies like W.H. Smith to give her sponsorship so that the children only pay around £230 for full board and all the excellent facilities. If you know a keen youngster aged 11 to 18 who might like to attend next year from July 26th to 31st, please email Jane Holmes at bjholmes@talktalk.net.

On the business front I did several days of examining during July in Solihull, Stamford, Northampton and Borehamwood. I also spoke at three business meetings: 'Connecting Women' in Tamworth, The Chartered Institute of Management in Nottingham, and The Hinckley Business Association. I also enjoyed volunteering for the Leicester Education Business Company as a business mentor at English Martyrs School, Leicester where they were staging a fashion show of their own recycled clothes made from paper and recycled fabric.

Two outside entertainments were attempted - early in the month we went to see 'Crazy for you' at the Kilworth House Hotel Theatre - another excellent production from this inspired venue. Then it was Beaumanor Hall for a classical concert (in which my husband was performing as principal trumpet) and a grand firework display in aid of the British Legion. We started off all right but as the Hurricane passed over heads the heavens opened and a sizeable part of the concert took place through a sea of umbrellas, pac-a-macs and slightly soggy quiche slices! Hundreds of very wet Britains waving flags and singing Rule Britannia in a slightly hysterical fashion must have been a sight to behold!

I intend to have a break for the latter part of August to re-charge my batteries as I've had a bug which gave me a very sore throat and a poorly voice twice in the last month which is probably a signal to relax and get some fresh air (if it ever stops raining!)

Some really good news on the 'Voice Matters' courses - 17 September at Leicester is full (with 3 on the reserve list) and 21 September is filling up with just a few places still available. My 'Dynamic Speaking' advanced presentation skills course on 8 October is also full. So, for the next 'Voice Matters' in Leicester we are now taking bookings for 5 November. As always, details can be found here: Voice Matters

Well, enjoy what's left of the summer and let's keep hoping..... As always:

Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Priscilla Morris 01455 230317
www.loudandclearuk.com

The Power of Performance

2009-07-01T09:37:00.017+01:00

Hello again everyone,

The death of Michael Jackson made me think about how much we are uplifted by great performers and how much performance has meant in my life to date. I was always a Drama Queen (I can hear some of you saying WE KNOW!). As a small child I remember loving the dressing-up-box and putting on little shows in the garden for my friends. Then there was dancing for the Cadbury factory fete as part of my junior school Irish Dancing team - complete with beautifully embroidered green and gold dress and cape. The first 'proper' play I remember appearing in was Aesops fable 'The Belly and the Members' where I played The Belly with a biscuit tin stuffed up my costume! Soon I graduated to musical theatre in 'Salad Days' and then Shakespeare as Hero in 'Much Ado About Nothing' which began a life-long love of the Bard (with a published book in 1977). By my mid-teens I knew that theatre was for me and at 19 I found myself performing in the West End with the National Youth Theatre and then gaining a coveted place at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London for professional training. Throughout my adult life I have had the pleasure of performing on stage numerous times in recitals, concerts one-woman shows and have acted or directed over 40 plays, musicals and pantomimes. As a fully paid up member of Equity I continue to keep a strong focus on all things theatrical and whenever I get a free night I'll be having a 'busman's holiday' and taking my seat in the auditoriam. So what has being a performer taught me that I can apply to my business life? Well, that people work best when they work with passion and commitment; that if we work as a team we can acheive more by sharing the load; that good oral communication ensures a clear message and therefore faster results. I suppose that is what I try to convey in my 1-2-1 sessions and workshops. Everyone has a bit of a performer in them. Even someone who is basically shy can find a little spark which will affect another human being. Sometimes we just have to allow our feelings out because people buy people, rather than a business. If you think your spark is still lying hidden - you know where I am!

What have I been up to in June? Examining took me to Sheffield for three days and also to Leamington, Nottingham and Bedford. I did some breakfast meetings for 4Networking at Derby and Birmingham, a lunch event at Leicester organised by Network Midlands and The business Club and an evening event supporting 'Women in Business'at Stratford. Early in the month I did a short 'Something to Shout About' session for a womens' network in Burton-on-Trent and later an interactive seminar in Birmingham for the Lyness group network. As a direct result of this I will be taking a 1/2 day 'Voice Matters' course for a company in Manchester during July. I was delighted to be involved in LeicestHERday on 12 June. It was an inspirational day held at the Walkers Football Stadium which had excellent conference facilities. I was taking one of the table workshops in the afternoon for the education and training section and thoroughly enjoyed the day. I was an exhibitor at a business to business event at the new Bingley Hall, Birmingham organised by Switched-on-Biz At the same event I had the pleasure of being one of the 5 key-note speakers. My presentation included the story of my business success over the last 37 years and a recital entitled 'It's a Dog's Life' in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind which Angela Agnew, of 'Switched-on-Biz' supports. I also had some related news which was quite a surprise - I have got to the final in the awards for 'Women in Business with B***s!' Don't laugh please. I shall be donning my posh frock and heading for the New bingley Hall on October 1st so wish me luck. Stewart and I attended an EMITA event about working in Hong Kong and China. As some of you know I judge at the speech festival every two years on Hong Kong island and I believe my voice coaching could be very popular in the business community. We are pursuing several avenues and will let you know the result. If you have any business contacts in Hong Kong who you feel might be intersted in talking to us in November/December please ask them to get in touch. I held my latest 'Voice Matters' open workshop at the Marriott hotel, Leicester on 16 June with another set of mixed business delegates. Again, there was excellent feedback and I'm now booking workshops numbers 8 & 9 for 17 September, Leicester and 21 September, Solihull It wasn't all work though.

I went to see an excellent youth production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's early musical 'The Likes of Us' about the founding of Dr Barnados. Although it was really only songs linked by narrative, the production by the Concordia Youth Theatre was really terrific - what talent and condidence they showed. I also really enjoyed 'The War of the Worlds' musical extravaganza at the National Indoor Arena. I went with an old school friend (that is length of friendship - not age!) and it was a trip back to my youth. You can't beat the vocal tones of Richard Burton!

Finally, back to the performing arts. I've been fortunate to help five students gain places at major training establishments for acting and musical theatre. They have 2 places at Guildford Conservatoire, 1 at Arts Educational and 2 at Mountview, london with several gaining full scholarships - my work is sometimes very rewarding. So, do you have any 'performing' stories to share with me? Have you ever 'trod the boards' or taken on a persona in the cause of art or business?

Tip of the month:
Every time you stand up in front of an audience, whether small or large, you should think as a performer. Use energy, clarity and emotion to put across your message. try it and notice the difference. Until next month:

Speak Wisely

Speak Well

Speak LOUD & CLEAR!

www.loudandclearuk.com

01455 230317

All Work & No Play!

2009-06-05T11:08:00.023+01:00

Work

Play

All work and no play.........

I make no excuse for the fact that I spent the latter half of May on a cruise in the Mediterranean! You do need to re-charge the batteries from time to time so Stewart and I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring places we have been before and some we haven't. I know that the weather really improved in the UK while we were away but we were especially lucky, as this was the beginning of the season. Every one of our 7 ports was bathed in sunshine and temperatures which began at 26 in Cadiz and reached 31 by the time we got to Venice, Dubrovnik and Corfu. Even Gibraltar managed a sunny smile although it was a Sunday and therefore Marks & Spencers was shut - so no tax free shopping there! The only problem for any of you who've tried cruising is, of course, the food - that is the quantity of it! We tried to be good and did as many ballroom dancing classes as possible but the waist bands are definately tighter than when we went.

As a performer, I always look forward to the entertainment and we really had a treat this time with the best musical theatre company I have seen on a ship. 'The Headliners' were a hugely talented bunch with 5 lead singers and terrific dancers. They managed to do everything from Abba and Queen to Cole Porter with amazing energy and style. I was accepted as a guest speaker for P&O in 2006 but due to a number of circumstances I've never actually done any work. Hopefully I will be 'treading the ship boards' myself before too long.

Of course, I did do some work before I got on board. During the first 2 weeks of May I spoke at a 4Networking meeting on my exotic working travels; gave an inspirational talk on my success for an event organised by Women Aloud in Coventry; attended a lunchtime networking event in Birmingham run by Switched-on-Biz and exhibited at a 'Network Midlands' happening in Leicester.

I was delighted to work with a new business client from Cornwall who is returning for another session in June and I went down to London to meet a new contact with a view to collaborative voice work in the future. I was invited by LAMDA to run a course at their headquarters on the new Performance Examinations syllabus. I thoroughly enjoyed working with 20 enthusiastic teachers from all over the UK.

On the 13th I ran my first 'Dynamic Speaking' course at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester. I was delighted that the 6 business men who attended felt they had gained a great deal. The development achieved by some in their filmed presentations was particularly gratifying. You can see some comments on my testimonial page. The next session for advanced speaking will be in October.

I have a 'Voice Matters' course on June 16th - again in Leicester and there's only one place left as I write. I am now planning September courses for Leicester and Solihull. Details of these highly practical days click here

I fitted in 1 days examining too and finally celebrated my birthday with my dear adjudicating friend, Sheila Howells, and her daughter Pippa, over from Canada. We had a delightful lunch at the Potter's Club in Stoke-on-Trent.

Well I hope you are all enjoying getting out and about now that summer is almost here. Remember that all important work/life balance and have a bit of fun!

Tip of the month:

If you scream yourself hoarse at your favourite sporting venue, swig down the water to help your vocal cords recover. N.B. that DOESN'T include beer!!!

Don't forget -

Speak Wisely

Speak Well

Speak LOUD & CLEAR!

www.loudandclearuk.com

01455 230317

It's never too early......

2009-05-02T10:19:00.019+01:00

I've just finished watching the final of 'The Speaker' on BBC 2. It was interesting that all 3 finalists had precise speech & confidence - essential requirements for a good communicator.

Last week I read an article in a major national newspaper entitled 'Millions of youngsters don't know how to talk'. It was bewailing the fact that Britain's teenagers are not being given sufficient focus on the spoken word in their education. As a result they don't know how to use appropriate forms of speech for formal and informal situations. This also results in an inability to listen properly or conduct a productive dialogue.

It has now been identified that the ability to express yourself properly, to get your syntax right and to adapt the right mood of speech for specific circumstances is a key to professional and even personal success. I have worked with youngsters for over 35 years and when they are given the right ammunition they can win any battle (metaphorically speaking). I think it may be time to have a debate on how we can get our youngsters out from behind their computers and into conversations, discussions and debates. If we don't, the next generation of businessmen and women in the U.K. will be at a distinct disadvantage in the global marketplace where oral communication skills are valued much more highly.

O.K.......that's my soap-box bit over!

Well, it's been another busy and interesting month. I began on the 1st of April with two Voice Protection workshops for an ASA (Amateur Swimming Association) Training Day in Chester then I spent a weekend adjudicating at the Bristol Festival. In Easter week I spoke at 4 Networking meetings in Sutton Coldfield & Leamington Spa and for Business Networking Clubs in Broughton Astley. Then it was relaxation time with two theatrical occasions - firstly a 6 hour marathon of parts 1 & 2 of 'His Dark Materials' by Phillip Pullman at the Birmingham Rep. This had received mixed reviews but Stewart & I thoroughly enjoyed it. Next it was off to the Belgrade, Coventry for Northern Broadsides production of 'Othello' starring Lennie Henry. Well, what a surprise, he can act and act Shakespeare too! This was a very fast-paced production which sometimes resulted in a lack of clarity I felt but it was also exciting and vibrant, which reminds me, I must let Barrie Rutter know I went - a long time ago he was a young director when I was in the National Youth Theatre and we had a long chat last year when he was speaking at a conference I attended.

Having got my theatre fix Stewart and I set off for a few days break in Lynmouth, Devon. Weather was mixed but we did lots of walking and cleared the passages (so to speak!). On the way back I killed two birds (not literally) by calling in at 4 networking headquarters in Taunton and working with two of the directors, Tamsen Grieg and Tim Johnson.

The weekend of 18th/19th was spent on a LAMDA training day for their new syllabus and an introduction to GODA (the Guild of Drama Adjudicators) in Worcester. I have been recommended to join their ranks by a past member and I am considering whether I have time to add this to my busy diary. I must admit that getting paid to spend your evenings watching and judging lots of plays does appeal!

I had 2 speaking engagements on the 21st April. The first was for 4 Networking again and then for the Federation of Small Businesses in Lutterworth. This was a busy week for workshops as I delivered an open 'Voice Matters' session in Solihull on the Wednesday. This was attended by 12 delegates and the feedback was terrific. On the Friday it was a bespoke full day for 8 trainers from STEPS at Birmingham City Council. Both days were highly successful and I continue to book my open sessions ahead. My second stage workshop 'Dynamic Speaking' has it's first outing on May 13th and I'll tell you about it next month.

The last week of the month was spent in Manchester examining for LAMDA but over the weekend I had some fun. First there was an excuse to put on the glad rags for the Mayor's St. George's Day Ball in Hinckley in aid of local charities. I was asked to contribute to the entertainment so found a funny poem about St. George & the Dragon which I delivered in a northern accent. I don't think I offended anyone! Then it was off to the theatre again - twice in one day! First it was to see 'The Royal Baccarat Scandal' at the Little Theatre, Leicester where 2 of my adult performing arts students were appearing (and very good they were too!) and then up the motorway to the Pomegranite Theatre, Chesterfield to see the last night of a professional tour of 'The Birthday Suite' in which one of my ex-students, Rebecca Noon, was playing a leading role. It is so gratifying to see someone making a living as an actor - not an easy task nowadays. She's off to London now to wait for the phone to ring.

A recent poll by an international development organisation asked businesses to list what they thought made a successful leader. Attributes included 'empowering', 'visionary', 'inspirational' and 'decisive' but these were all beaten to the top slot by 'communication skills'. The survey's findings suggested that whilst a leader's role was to inspire, their job was to communicate these values to others inside and outside their organisation.

It amazes me that so few business people realise what an important tool their voice can be in persuading and motivating. I shall continue my one-woman quest to train the world!"

tip of the month - only say what you mean & mean what you say!

A limerick (written by me...)
There was a great tutor of voice
Whose client made only a noise.
After twisters for tongue,
Breathing out on a hum
He has bought her a brand new
Rolls Royce!

We live in hope.....

Have a great month and don't forget:

Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:
tel: 01455 230317
web: www.loudandclearuk.com

2009-04-02T06:00:00.026+01:00

Goodbye Cassie.......

Some sad news to start this month. We had to have our lovely British tabby cat put to sleep aged 20. She was living a really happy life up to the end but we'll miss her.

For me it's been all work and no play! I took a look at my diary for March and I had only 1 day without working which is rather too much even for me. Thank goodness Easter is coming up and I intend having a few days off.

March is always a busy month for festivals and I have judged the speech & drama sections of three this year. I thought I might tell you about what this entails. I am one of about 50 national adjudicators in Speech & Drama. To become one you have to have extensive experience in all areas of oral communication and nowadays you train over about 18 months. When I began in 1991 you were invited to join the British Federation of Festivals and I have been fortunate to work in some interesting places. Festivals book you individually and I was the first British adjudicator in Bermuda. I have worked in Sri Lanka three times and their festivals can involve 6 weeks of travel all over the country. I go to Hong Kong every 2 years for their national festival which lasts for 5 weeks. There are numerous festivals in Britain and Ireland and during March I worked in Harrogate, Chester & Doncaster. Each festival offers a unique programme of performances and these are some of the areas I have judged this month:

1 Act Plays
Musical Theatre Scenes
Duologue Acting
Humerous Verse
Sonnets
Solo Mime
Shakespeare
Group Improvisation
Public Speaking
Television Newscasting
Prose Speaking

You can judge classes aged under 6 to open adult classes and they will be mixed up during the day. Each entrant is given an individual written report and mark. At the end of each class it is my job to entertain and inform the competitors & their audience to help them improve their skills for next year. So there you have it - a whistle-stop tour of an adjudicator's job.

I also examined in Southwold, Milton Keynes, Worcester and Cambridge for LAMDA which involved quite a lot of staying in hotels and earting too much!

My 4th 'Voice Matters!' took place at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester on 11 march and once again feedback was great. Just this morning one of the delegates told me the timing was excellent as he has been asked to appear on BBC Radio Leicester on Sunday - as an extra bonus he picked up 2 clients at the workshop so it paid for itself! I am encouraged to keep at it and therefore I have 2 more organised for 22 April, Hogarth's Hotel, Solihull and 16 June, Marriott Hotel.

Several businesses have been able to access the funding on offer from East Midlands Train to Gain to work with me. As you know I have been an approved training supplier with East Midlands Business Link for some time now but I'm delighted to tell you that I have also completed the assessment process for the West Midlands so businesses in Warks, Worcs, Birmingham etc. can now apply for funding to work with me in total confidence.

So what else did I get up to in March? I took a full day session on 'Voice Play' with 10 enthusiastic ladies at Ilkeston. This was run by the Erewash Partnership in collaboration with the East Midlands Development Authority and I am hoping to do further events for them in the near future. I also took my 'Voice Protection & Projection' workshop to Nottingham for the Amateur Swimming Association and was delighted when one attendant wrote on the evaluation form that "it was the best CPD course I have ever done". My interractive session on 'Marketing with your voice' was delivered to the Women in Management group, Leicester and I provided an inspirational talk on my business success for LeicstHERday at Wigston to around 40 ladies and 3 gentlemen! This was a half day session for people thinking about starting their own businesss and I am also hoping to provide a seminar for their annual conference in June.

Well I think that's quite enough for now except for:

Tip of the month
Just opening your mouth a little more than usual will really improve your clarity. Simple, but it works!

Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:
tel: 01455 230317
web: www.loudandclearuk.com

2009-03-02T06:59:00.018Z

DO YOU SUFFER FROM GLOSSOPHOBIA?

"What on Earth is that?" you may ask. Well, it's up there with divorce and death as being one of the moist stressful events in our lives.......

Glossophobia is the fear of PUBLIC SPEAKING!

I have met many executives for whom, this is a major headache but it needn't be an insoluable problem. Knowledge is power and if you understand how to use your voice to make your presentation memorable you will gain confidence and find it easier to control your nerves. So here are a few tips.....

Let your breath support your voice and control nerves
Open your mouth and let the sound out
Take your time - use pauses for structure
Prepare fully and PRACTICE

And if you're still worried come and see me. If you only ever do a one minute networking business introduction you still need to understand how you can impact on people and make yourself memorable. If you regularly train others or speak to groups this becomes essential knowledge but amazingly many people still get up in front of an audience without understanding how to use the voice persuasively. Don't be one of them!

Well, the snow certainly made a mess of plans in early February. I was lucky that my 'Voice Matters!' workshop on the 4th at Leicester occurred between two snow 'events' and we all managed to get there. One of the delegates was the C.E.O. of Rainbows children's charity in Leicester and I am delighted to say that we will now be continuing training to make him a confident ambassador for the charity.

I attended 11 networking events during the month to make contacts and 'spread the word'. This is an essential element of my business and enable me to generate new clients for 1-2-1 sessions and my open workshops. The result is that as I write this my next 'Voice Matters!' on 11 March at Leicester and 22 April at Solihull and the 'Dynamic Speaking' course on 13 May at Leicester are filling quickly.

I mentioned last month that I had become an approved supplier with Business Link and Train to Gain. This month we learned that funding is available in the East Midlands for businesses with only 2 partners which has really opened up the number of people we can help. We currently have a dozen businesses going through the process to receive free training and it all looks very hopeful. Do look at your own Business Link funding streams as there is plenty of funding available.

On 11 February I spent a great day training the managing director and senior managers of the Leicester Primary Care Trust (NHS) and I am hoping to continue the training later this year.

I enjoyed exhibiting at business events in Derby and Daventry during the month (although the feet complained a bit!). You always meet such a diverse group of people at open exhibitions and very often the first question is 'who do you work with?' - the answer, of course, is anybody.

I delivered another Voice Protection & Projection workshop for the ASA, this time in Colwyn Bay. I thoroughly enjoyed a women's inspirational session in Solihull run by Switched-On-Biz and completed my first morning of volunteering as a business helper for the Leicester Enterprise Business Company. This was such an interesting morning at Ratcliffe College where 14 & 15 year olds were given the task of designing, costing and marketing an ethical holiday village. They came up with some great ideas and I thoroughly enjoyed being involved. Well, the month wasn't all work but the 'play' turned out to be very focussed on ballroom dancing. We had an energetic evening at a Valentines Ball where the theme of hearts and roses resulted in some lovely dresses and interesting bow ties! Then I found myself at the NEC watching the last night of the Strictly Come Dancing tour. It was made memorable by the hilarious comments of Julian Clary - I would certainly recommend him if you get the chance to watch his one-man show. So, I'm girding my loins for a very busy March with 3 festivals to adjudicate, 7 days of examining, an evening speaking slot for Women in Management, 2 full day 'Voice Matters!' workshops and a half day Voice Protection session in Nottingham. Keep positive and make sure you continue to market your business wherever you can. The money is out there so look for the freebies and generate interest for yourself. I have individual clients coming from Worcester, London and Hampshire next week as well as East and West Midlands. If I can do it, so can you!

Good Luck!

And don't forget:

SPEAK WISELY
SPEAK WELL
SPEAK LOUD AND CLEAR!

Contact me:
Priscilla Morris
01455 230317
www.loudandclearuk.com

2009-02-02T06:31:00.020Z

Outake from promotional DVD taken at a 'Voice Matters!' workshop

'SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT'

Hi Everyone,

This is the name of my latest short seminar which I have already delivered at several business meetings. Basically I'm saying that if you have a good business TELL PEOPLE! You can do this in many ways but at the moment using your VOICE AS A FREE MARKETING TOOL is the best bargain you'll get. This could not be more pertinent than for those recently unemployed and thinking about a fresh start as a business entrepreneur. BBC Breakfast recently featured how your chances of getting a job were affected by the way you talk. So, if you know anyone in this situation tell them that Loud & Clear is here to help. I've been out and about letting people know I exist and what I can offer in personal skills development. At the Probis club in Leicester I gave a 30 minute talk on my successful travels as an examiner and adjudicator. 'Something to shout about' was delivered at Solihull for a women's event arranged by Switched-on-Biz (www.switched-on.biz) and again at Long Eaton, Notts. for a women's Inspiration Day with 80 business ladies present. That day was organised by the Erewash Partnership and the East Midlands Development Agency. I am delighted to tell you that I have successfully gone through the accreditation process for becoming an approved trainer with the East Midlands Development Agency which means I am now on their register for any businesses that are seeking training through the brokerage service. It also means that businesses with 5 to 249 employees can approach Business Link for my services and apply for funding for training. I've already received some interest and hope this will really boost my profile in the Est Midlands. I have also been asked to provide more seminars for EMDA at events in March.

At last I have got around to gaining my Equity card! Although I trained as an actress nearly 40 years ago I never applied but last year my professional speaking resulted in sufficient contracts to qualify and the membership card arrived last week. So, if anyone still needed proof that I am an inspirational speaker they now have it! N.B. Some spaces are still available in my diary this year for conferences, ladies luncheons, after dinner entertainment etc. so why not give me a try?

I delivered the first of this year's 'Voice Protection & Projection' workshops for the Amateur Swimming Association' in Preston with 20 swimming teachers and coaches attending. These workshops are CPD accredited training and gain credits for the participants. I already have another booked in Conway and 2 workshops for a swimming conference in Cheshire this Spring.

I had an article published in the Leicester Chamber of Commerce News in January entitled 'Be Vocal to Achieve Success' which I hope will give readers a pep talk to start the New Year. I very much enjoyed the launch meeting for LeicestHERday at the National Space Centre. The main event will take place in June and I am hoping to be directly involved in some way. This has become a major event in Leicester with input from Patricia Hewitt and the first female Asian lord Mayor in the country, Manjula Sood. As you know I work with all kinds of business people 1-2-1 at my Hinckley base and I am now attracting interest from all over the UK. During January I began work with the owner of an IT company in Hampshire and Brad Burton, the charismatic founder of 4Networking (www.4networking.biz)who hails from Somerset. My next 'Voice Matters!' workshop took place on 4 February and I'm delighted to tell you that it was full.(see some samples of feedback below)

Currently you can book for the following workshops on line at www.loudandclearauk.com
11th March, Marriott Hotel, Leicester - 'Voice Matters!'
22 April, Corus Hotel, Solihull - 'Voice Matters!'
13th May, Marriott Hotel, Leicester - 'Dynamic Speaking' with filmed presentations before & after.

Tip of the month: SMILE !!

You'll make the right impression & you'll cheer people up - it works even if you're on the phone!

And don't forget:

Speak Wisely
Speak Well

Speak Loud & Clear!

Web: www.loudandclearuk.com
email: info@loudandclearuk.com
Tel/fax: 01455 230317

Feedback hot off the press:

"I found the course enjoyable & interesting. There are a lot of things we take for granted with our voice that, with practice we can improve."

"An enjoyable day. I learnt a lot about inflection, delivery & projection. Thank you"

"A valuable tool that I have not given enough thought to previously"

"I would recommend voice training to anybody. Making positive use of your voice is a vital marketing tool when looking to promote your business"

"A great day. Has given me a better understanding of the power of the voice and is a step towards the on-going development of my communication skills"

"For people new to, or those who wish to improve basic speaking skills, a great workshop"

2009-01-01T14:56:00.020Z

Happy 2009 everyone,

I think it must be my age but last year seemed to go extremely fast! Thank you so much to those of you who responded to our 'pep talk' in the December blog. It seems we hit on just the right note for some of you and I hope encouraged the spirit of optimism we intended. Remember 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going'!

I have not really been taking my own medicine during December as I have given myself a month off work for a much needed holiday and the Christmas celebrations. Before we left on December 5th I fitted in a trip to London to meet my Voice Care Network colleague, Phil Bliss, who is very active in voice coaching in the capital and Norway. I am looking forward to some collaborations in the future.

December saw my first attendance at a meeting of the Institute of Directors. This was part social, part business and held at T.M. Lewin's shirt company in the new Highcross Centre, Leicester. Over a glass of wine and nibbles I renewed old business acquaintances and made some interesting new ones. I am looking forward to attending many events next year.

My next theatre visit was to see '84 Charing Cross Road' at the Concordia Theatre, Hinckley. This play explores the real life relationship between an American authoress and an antiquarian bookseller in London between the late 40's and the 1970's. The leading performances were excellent and I would recommend the play (and film) to any of you who have not seen it. I got my own Christmas performances off to a start with some readings at a Ladies Luncheon Club in Hinckley.

Then it was off to a fortnight in the sun..... which is where the interesting photo this month comes in! These two fellows are Mona Monkeys. They live on the island of Grenada where they have become opportunists....as you shall hear.

We were on a mini-bus tour up in to the interior of the island which is lush rainforest when our driver stopped off at a roadside stall to buy some bananas. Were they his lunch we wondered? Well, no, they were for something much more specific! When we arrived at the national park our driver suggested we follow him and as he approached a grove of trees out popped these two monkeys who happily took the bananas from his hands. There were several other buses there but none had a 'close encounter' like us. The monkeys had learnt that this particular driver would arrive most days at a set time and would feed them if they posed for the cameras - so they happily sat and let us get quite close for a minute or two then they disappeared back into the rainforest. They were prepared to fraternise with the enemy (i.e. humans) for a worthwhile reward but they remained independent and wild and chose whether to appear and 'perform' or not. So, let us use that as this month's business tip. Look for new opportunities and possibilities. Don't wait for things to land in your lap. Be prepared to go out and try something new. Throw caution to the wind and put yourself on the line. Let people know you are there and what you can offer. Get NETWORKING at every opportunity whether you are an early riser (breakfast) or a mid-day person (lunch) or you prefer early evening after work. There are lots of opportunities and people can't do business with you if they don't know you are there. I have personally found BNC (www.businessnetworkingclubs.co.uk) particularly helpful but I know that BNI (www.bni.co.uk) and 'The Business Club' (www.the-businessclub.org) are also highly thought of by members. Business women may like to look at WiM (www.managers.org.uk) of which I am a member or WiBN (www.wibn.co.uk) which has many branches in the Midlands and beyond. All of these organisations will make you very welcome and help you to increase your business contacts - GOOD LUCK!

On the day I got back from the Caribbean I was performing again (I'm a glutten for punishment!). I presented an evening of Festive Readings with 3 acting friends in the bar at the Concordia Theatre. £150 was raised for the development fund and the mulled wine and mince pies were devoured with glee. Remember that I am available for speaking and perfoming (my one-woman show) anywhere so give me a call.

I told you last month that I would give you further information about my new Team Building course. It occurred to me that my professional training as an actress was something that I should use more in my business work so I intend to create an interesting day by using scenarios and texts from Shakespeare and other playwrights to build team awareness and leadership. No performance skills will be needed but there will be challenging problems to solve and a great deal of fun as delegates use techniques created by Shakespeare for his actors over 400 years ago to produce modern story lines and perform their devised pieces under the guidance of their leader/director. I am very excited by the prospect this new course offers and hope to have the opportunity to try it out very soon.

So, what does 2009 have in store for me? Well, I am very optimistic with workshops for the Leicester NHS, Birmingham City Council, the ASA in Preston and Conway already in the diary together with a seminar for the Erewash Partnership's women's event in Long Eaton and speaking engagements at Probus (Leicester), Switched-on-Biz at Solihull and Women in Management (Leicester). Then I have my 'Voice Matters!' public booking workshops on February 4th (still I place left!) and March 11th (note change of date). These are at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester (adjacent to junction 21 of the M1) and details can be found on my website: www.loudandclearuk.com/Voice-Workshops.aspx. I am also looking at delivering my first public workshop in Warwickshire - would you be interested?

Next will be my first 'Dynamic Speaking' 2 day course. Provisional dates are May 13th & 14th. This will include filming before and after and will only be available for 8 delegates (ideally they will have attended a 'Voice Matters' session and have the basic vocal knowledge). Again, please let us know ASAP if you are interested. So, let's get out there and do some business!

All the best. See you in February and remember: Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:

www.loudandclearuk.com

info@loudandclearuk.com

2008-12-02T09:20:00.015Z

Hello again everyone

Did you know that it is illegal to:

Eat mincemeat on Christmas Day
Wound a fairy
Die in Parliament
Shoot a Welshman with a bow and arrow in Chester and a Scotsman with the same weapon in York except on a Sunday

I am assured by a fellow networking colleague (a solicitor) that these laws are still on the statute books!

By the way, if you're in America it is illegal to throw a moose out of an aeroplane!

This has absolutely nothing to do with Voice coaching but it made me smile and I hope it does the same for you.

I am beginning to get into the Christmas spirit after completing the 12 week Autumn term with my Performing Arts students at the end of November. Although my voice work with young actors and speakers is very similar to the work I do with business people it obviously has a different aim. I think this is one of my strengths, in that I can help my business clients access the performing element of their personalities which will enable them to be memorable in this competitive world.

I've had another varied month which began with a stand at the Access 2 Business Expo in Nottingham. I made a number of very interesting contacts including some large training organisations who could see the benefit of my speaking or taking seminars for them in 2009. I was also pleased to make contact with a call-centre based in Leicestershire. There is a serious need for voice training in these businesses as it can make a big difference to the effectiveness of calls and the take-up rate of offers plus it can guarantee less absenteeism due to vocal damage. The TUC flagged this up as a potential problem in a paper published in December 2006 entitled "Work Hoarse" but it is still given little consideration.

I was delighted to join 18 other voice tutors and therapists at a training day on articulation run by the Voice Care Network (for whom I am a National Trustee) in Leicester. Although I thought I knew my sound formations backwards, I still learnt some excellent new techniques and strategies to help individuals with strong accents to be more easily understood. There are increasing numbers of foreign nationals running SME's in the U.K. Over the last year I have worked with people from Russia, Poland, the Caribbean and Pakistan who felt that their pronunciation was creating a barrier between them and their potential clients. A marked improvement can be achieved in a very short time once sound structure and placement is understood.

My second 'Voice Matters' workshop took place on November 12th. It was another great success. Here are some of the comments:

Excellent! A good balance of input and activity.
Will recommend you to other business colleagues. Excellent presentation & seminar.
Very useful & practical learning delivered with passion.
This course was extremely useful. It answered all my questions and taught me information about my voice I had not known before.
This was a very interesting course. Priscilla showed me how basic changes to the way I speak can make a huge difference. Thank you very much.
Today has been an enjoyable training session. It has surprised me to find how much of a tool the voice actually is.
This is a skill that is very important and not stressed in training enough.

So, I've started marketing my next workshops on 4 February and 18 march 2009 and at the time of writing I only have 2 spaces for February which is very encouraging. I am also offering the first of my 2 day 'Dynamic Speaking' courses in May. This will be specifically for those with a need to present their businesses in front of groups and will include a filmed record of 'before and after' presentations. Ideally, delegates will already have attended my introductory 'Voice Matters' workshop so that we can get straight to the nitty gritty! I am very excited about this new challenge and have already had forward bookings. Also in the pipeline is a Team Building/leadership course to be delivered in-house entitled 'Take Your Cue for Business'. I'll tell you more about this next month.

I didn't have a great deal of time for socialising in November but I did get to celebrate my dear friend, David Shire's, 70th birthday at the Tigers Rugby Club headquarters in Leicester. What better birthday present could ex tigers chairman and son-in-law Peter Tom give him that the surprise arrival of his daughter Helen & grandsons from Australia! David's wife, my best friend Ann, has been Assistant Principal; of my drama school for more years than I care to remember and it was a wonderful occasion for everyone.

I only managed one trip to the theatre this month but what a fantastic production it was. 'Anything Goes' the Cole Porter classic was on offer at my local theatre. if you live in the Midlands take a look at this wonderful example of amateur theatre which had recently raised £400,000 for a disabled lift extension by voluntary donations. www.concordiatheatre.co.uk One of the best amateur theatres in the U.K!

I recently returned from 2 days examining in Stamford, Lincs. and the week before spent 4 days adjudicating at Southend-on-Sea. Not, perhaps, an ideal spot in an English winter but cold and bright until the morning of my return when it snowed causing an accident on the M25 which shut west bound and I got a flat tyre and waited 1 1/2 hours for the rescue service to change it! Oh the pleasures of travelling to work!

I greatly enjoyed the business event organised jointly by The Best Of Hinckley (www.thebestof.co.uk/local/hinckley) SJP c/o Dusty Durham www.sjpp.co.uk and the Hinckley Town Partnership. Around 80 businesses got together to exchange details and enjoy a drink and nibble at the Marston Stadium, Hinckley.

Finally, I made a return visit to the Parkinson's Society, Coventry where I previously delivered a session last April on 'How to look after your Voice' and offered a seasonal recital of Christmas readings with my friend Ann Shires. It went down extremely well and they have invited me to repeat my voice session next summer because the techniques I taught are proving very beneficial to members.

I intend to have a quieter time in the lead up to Christmas but there is quite a lot of preparation to do for 2009. I am in the final stages of organising in-house workshops for the Leicester NHS Trust and Birmingham City Council. I am looking forward to strategic partnerships with several prominent training providers and working 1-2-1 with the director of a national networking group.

Rather than give you a training tip this month, let me leave you with these seasonal words about the voice:

"Everything was quiet; everywhere there was the faint crackling silence of the winter night. We started singing, and we were all moved by the words and the sudden trueness of our voices.
Pure, very clear, and breathless we sang"

from Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee

Have a wonderful Christmas and here's hoping for a prosperous and peaceful New Year.

Loud & Clear Voice Coaching

www.loudandclearuk.com

01455 230317

Name Dropping

2008-11-05T07:18:00.017Z

Hi everyone,

I spent a breakfast-time at the National Space Centre in mid October - I was not mugging up on my knowledge of the planets but attending a Chamber of Commerce event at which Lord Young was the keynote speaker. I asked a question about funding for small business training which he wasn’t able to answer and after the formal part of the event I was chatting to another business owner and turned around to find Lord Young standing at my elbow and asking me to ring his parliamentary office to get more advice.

Recently I made the re-acquaintance of Barrie Rutter, the well known actor and director of Northern Broadsides. He was a very new young director when he led the National Youth Theatre company in 1969 in productions of “Zigger Zagger” and “Fuzz”. I was one of the privileged youngsters to get through 3 rounds of auditions to perform at the Jeanetta Cochrane Theatre in the Strand. It was an amazing experience I shall always remember. My only regret was that it was 4 years too late to work with Helen Mirren! I thought you might like to see a photo taken of me at the dress rehearsal of “Fuzz” by Peter Terson – was that me!!!

Graeme Hawley (alias John Snape) continues to make headlines in Coronation Street. I’m afraid it will only end in tears! If you like the makeover show ‘How to look good naked’ you will have seen another of my past students, Carol Machin, who is one of Gok’s assistants. It is very satisfying to see them both doing so well.

Stewart and I were delighted to attend the wedding of another ex-student, Daniel Bruce and his lovely bride, Andrea. Daniel has made his living with his voice as a radio presenter. He got his first professional job at 18 because his voice was so rich and mature and he sounded much older. He became news editor of 5 stations in the CN group (Midlands) before being head-hunted by an American company who sent him out to Uganda to train the local journalists in interview skills. Now he and Andrea are to work in Kenya with the same brief. Earlier this year Daniel contributed to my ‘Voice Matt

ers’ C.D. which gives 30 minutes of vocal tips on development and protection for all those who use their voices for a living or those who are interested in knowing more about this fascinating instrument. You can obtain your own copy for only £5 + postage. Register your details at www.loudandclearuk.com/ContactMe.aspx

I have been busy exhibiting again this month. It is very important for me to get out there and spread the word about the importance of understanding the voice and what it can do for you in the competitive business market place. I took stands at Access 2 Business in Leicester City Centre, Business Networking Clubs at Loughborough and Network Midlands at Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville. I also took 2 introductory workshops for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. The day was organized by Mel Ashworth of First Class Training and the 20 delegates who worked with me all seemed to enjoy the experience and I have had several positive enquiries which I hope will lead to in-house workshops next year.

I’ve enjoyed 4 visits to the theatre this month. The Belgrade, Coventry has re-opened after a face lift and I saw 2 very good ‘national tour’ productions of ‘Absurd person Singular’ (Alan Ayckbourn) and ‘And then there were None’ (Agatha Christie). At the Birmingham Rep. I saw Peter Nichols’ slightly naughty tale of wartime troop entertainers ‘Privates on Parade’. The highly talented company of actor/singer/musicians found all the comedy and poignancy in the clever script. Finally, I really enjoyed ‘An evening with Brian Rix' in which he took us through his beginnings with Donald Wolfit’s company to the 25+ years of Whitehall Farces and, since the 1980’s, his work promoting MENCAP. He had lost none of his comedy timing despite being 84!

I examined for LAMDA in Derby this month – a day of acting and musical theatre and I was very impressed by a tour of Central Vision Studios, Coventry. www.centralvision.tv If you are looking for a sound recording or a short film the technical facilities at this small studio are quite outstanding They were funded by Sony to a figure in excess of £2million and the expertise on offer is clearly evident in the samples of work I saw.

There’s just over a week to go before my next open workshop ‘Voice Matters’ at the Marriott Hotel, Leicester. I'm delighted to say that again this session is sold out and I already have a list of interested businesses for the next one on 4 February 2009. If you are interested you can obtain a booking form by clicking the link on this page: www.loudandclearuk.com/Voice-Workshops.aspx You can also see what others have said about me and the benefits obtained from working with me here: http://www.loudandclearuk.com/Testimonials.aspx

That’s the news for now – apart from…..

Tip of the month

Do you want to market your business for free? Then learn to use your voice as a marketing tool. It will give you impact in those initial meetings, help convert interest into sales and make you memorable. Your voice can give you the edge – learn how to use it well!

Until December!

Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:

www.loudandclearuk.com

info@loudandclearuk.com

Tel: 01455 230317

Voice Matter Workshops now booking

2008-10-01T16:55:00.012+01:00

Hello everyone,

Well it doesn’t seem five minutes since I was writing to you in September – where does the time go?

I have been kept very busy (as always) during the last month but there has been time for a bit of fun too. We had to clear the attic so that new insulation could be installed and it’s amazing what you find! One special discovery was a Beatles lampshade from the mid 60’s which turned out to be a good earner – we put it on EBay and sold it to an American for £360!!! Some other finds then went along to a local car boot sale where we netted another £170 and spent some of the joint proceeds on a new fridge-freezer (our old one ate electricity so we have done a little bit to improve our carbon footprint!). We also fitted in a trip to see our son in Norwich. He owns a delightful Victorian house but needs the occasional help with maintenance so dad came to the rescue and rebuilt a dying window frame. I did my bit sanding down some of the wooden staircase which was then given a coat of varnish to spruce it up. I also had time for a walk in the centre of the city along the river. It really is lovely and is still being brought back to life with new flats and eateries. It’s well worth a visit if you’re in that area.

We had lunch at the Potters Club again in Stoke-on-Trent, courtesy of my dear adjudicating friend Sheila Howells. It was lovely to catch up on news and as we were the only people in the restaurant at lunchtime we really had personal service.

I’ve had 2 theatrical visits this month, both to the local Concordia Theatre in Hinckley. First was the hilarious farce “It Runs in the Family” by Ray Cooney and last I night I enjoyed “Jekyll and Hyde” the musical. The songs were not memorable but the cast and direction were superb so it was well worth the time.

I told you last month that I had quite a lot of speaking to do in September and it was all very enjoyable. I started off at Access 2 Business (http://www.access2buiness.co.uk/ ) in Leicester where I showed my promotional DVD to 20 business men and women. Then I had the pleasure of speaking to the Leicestershire branch of the Soroptimists about myself and how I have developed my business over the past 36 years. A light but delicious lunch was served and I met some fascinating philanthropic ladies. The following day I found myself in north Nottinghamshire speaking to a small but very interested group of ladies at their branch of the Women’s Networking Company. I have since begun work with one of the attendees and another has booked onto my next workshop so the terrible journey (2 accidents on the motorway and torrential rain!) was worthwhile in the end.

Towards the end of the month I packed up 30 of my period costume dolls and set off to speak for an hour to the Stratford Ladies Luncheon Club at the Falcon Hotel. I didn’t realise that their would be 110 of them! Despite the fact that the room we were in didn’t have room for a separate table, and part of the audience was behind me and juggling the microphone was impossible, they enjoyed it very much and I hope to offer them something else in the future. I just had time to draw breath before presenting the same talk on “The Changing Shape of Fashion” (a light-heated look at what amazing things women have done in the name of fashion) to the Avon Group of the W.I. at Swinfield. There were about 50 here and we enjoyed a lovely buffet at the end of the evening to complete a very busy day.

In the middle of the month I was privileged to be asked to adjudicate the Speech & Drama entries in the West Midlands Championship of the British and International Federation of Festivals at Pershore, Worcs. Together with my colleague, Rosemary Graham, I sat on a panel with music and dance judges to decide the best of the best in a concert of winners from throughout the Midlands.

There was a trip to London for an examiners’ meeting at LAMDA and then quickly back up the motorway to take part in a charity concert. I performed four pieces on the theme of ‘Favourite Characters’ with members of The Stanley Opera singing classics and songs from the shows. Proceeds went to the Air Ambulance and the Concordia disable lift fund. As I rarely get a chance to perform these days I really enjoyed the evening.

Surprisingly I found myself on Radio Leicester for the second time in a month last Sunday. I was asked by presenter, Karl Cooper, who had heard me on Monica Winfield’s show previously. Originally we were going to talk about improving the confidence of women when they’ve been at home for several years bringing up their children. However, he managed to get my famous ex-student, Graeme Hawley (John Stape from Coronation ~Street) on the phone to talk about his interesting forthcoming story-line so it ended up being a 3-way chat.

I’ve been networking busily as usual this month at my weekly business Networking Club at Broughton Astley (www.businessnetworkingclubs.co.uk ) and I attended the 1^st anniversary meeting of the Federation of Small Businesses at the Greyhound Inn, Lutterworth (the food is fantastic!). Finally I went to a Switched-on-Biz event in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham which had a very interesting mix of businesses and some tempting canapés. The only trouble with all this nibbling while you work is that it shows ion the waistline!

Well, if you’ve been reading my blog for the last couple of months you’ll know that it was the big day on 24 September when I had my first open Voice Workshop at the Marriot Hotel, Leicester. I’m delighted to say tell you that it was a great success. I filled all 12 places and we had a fun-filled, practical day which everyone found worthwhile. Here are some of the feedback comments:

“A very enjoyable course, really nicely presented”

Will definitely help with any public speaking I may have”

Mark Scarrett, Stugess Hutchinson Accountants

“A very useful with plenty of tips that I can use as an advocate in court - voice projection and control of my voice will also assist with confidence when speaking to large groups”

Gemma Cole, Mander Cruickshank Solicitors

“So much useful information. Just the breathing exercise made it worthwhile. The difference it made in my voice volume was amazing”

Jaqui Crooks

“Walking through the basic steps allows and offers a grounded understanding that anyone can apply to their own industry. It’s a fantastic start for me”

Paul Lees, Legends International

“Very interactive, easy to understand with highly effective communication methods”

“I really enjoyed the day, a great balance of learning and practising”

Theresa Thornton, Clearskies Consultancy

So, if you want to really understand your voice and how it can help you grow your business contact Priscilla now to book your place on 12 November.

Tip of the month:

Only 70% of your message is found in words. The other 93% is a combination of body language and voice. It pays to have the knowledge which will make the difference.

I hope you all have a productive and unstressful month.

See you in November!

And don’t forget

Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:

www.loudandclearuk.com

info@loudandclearuk.com

Tel: 01455 230317

2008-09-01T16:52:00.011+01:00

Priscilla being interviewed for Hong Kong TV

Hello again everyone,

Unfortunately autumn is upon us and we seem to have missed out on any summer! Oh well – onwards and upwards to some exciting news.

Several years ago I had the pleasure of seeing one of my performing arts students move on to professional training after studying with me for 12 years. Eleanor (Ellie) Clarke has just made her debut at the

Edinburgh Fringe with ‘Live Theatre’ from Newcastle-upon-Tyne in “Motherland”. The play was devised by the cast of 4 women after interviewing mothers, wives and sisters of soldiers currently serving in Iraq and Afgha

nistan. Last week I heard that they had been nominated for the prestigious

‘Stage Newspaper’ award for Best Ensemble and 2 days ago they won it! This is a tremendous accolade for these 4 young actresses and they are hoping to take it into London for a season. If you want to know more about it look at http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/motherland-rev.htm

August is, in theory, a month off from business and drama school work so that I can sort out a few things around the house and garden and prepare for September onwards. However, it never quite works out like that! I administered a week’s summer school at HSDS although most of the teaching was done by outside tutors; attended a conference in Liverpool where I ended up taking an impromptu workshop when a tutor failed to arrive and spent 5 days at a college in Lincoln working with 13 teenagers and producing a devised show “As Time Goes By” with my friend and colleague Marie Dixon from Cheshire.

I enjoyed a long chat about my Voice Coaching work on Monica Winfield’s Sunday Arts programme on Radio Leicester early in the month and spent a great night at the theatre watching David Tennant and Patrick Stewart in a tremendous production of “Hamlet” at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. If you haven’t already got tickets you're too late as a lot of “Doctor Who” fans got there before you!

Despite the weather I also managed a couple of outside adventures. I recently won a raffle which gave me a ride around Bruntingthorpe Airfield (where they produce ‘Top Gear’) in an Ariel Atom at the “On-Your-Marks” event. I had no idea what this car was before I arrived but the men in my party were very impressed and the professional driver certainly knew how to put it through it’s paces – the G-Force was amazing! It was such a shame that it was blowing a gale and raining on and off all morning, but it was an experience I won’t forget in a hurry. For the second outside event the weather was perfect. The family went gliding on vouchers bought as Christmas gifts in 2007. It was the second time for me but the first try for my husband, daughter and son in law. Everyone had a great time but I was in the dog house as I stayed up longer than anyone else for 45 minutes. I couldn’t help it that my pilot was good at finding the thermals!

My re-vamped website is now up and running. Have a look at www.loudandclearuk.com and let me know what you think. There are still a few things to be tweaked but I’m pleased with the overall effect and especially that at last you can hear me speaking.

The open workshops I told you about last month have proved to be quite popular which is a relief in this time of the credit crunch. I believe that business people can see the obvious benefits of increasing your personal skills to give you the edge in an increasingly competitive market place. I can guarantee that attendees will leave at the end of the day’s training with practical skills which they can use immediately. I only have a couple of places left for 24 September and 12 November could possibly be over subscribed if initial interest is anything to go by.

Well, I may have had a little breather in August but its straight back into the fray in September with 6 speaking engagements all over the Midlands. Thank you so much to those who have taken the time to say they have enjoyed reading the blog. Stay with it and I’ll hope to keep you interested.

You might like to know that I am now listed on ‘The Best of Hinckley’ and any feedback on the site would be gratefully received. If you have worked with me and would like to give me a testimonial here is the link:

http://www.thebestof.co.uk/hinckley/business%20coach/1/the_best_of.aspx

Tip of the month

To be a good communicator you first have to be a good listener. (Think about that one)

All the best. See you in October and remember:Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:

www.loudandclearuk.com

info@loudandclearuk.com

Tel: 01455 230317

2008-08-03T15:15:00.026+01:00

Hi Everyone

I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing summer whether you’re on holiday or having to work!

Why is it that you can spend all summer scouring the T.V. paper for something worth watching and then a vital piece of viewing appears while you are on holiday! I’m afraid I have to admit to enjoying the odd episode of Coronation Street and last year was particularly exciting as an ex-student of mine, Graeme Hawley, played a major character. He managed to figure in the Christmas Day story when h was ‘floored’ by Kevin’s punch in the middle of the street for having an affair with his 16 year old daughter. Graeme was kind enough to give me a filmed testimonial on my recently completed promotional DVD and he gave me a hint that he might be back on the ‘Street’ and lo and behold he is! Unfortunately he reappeared on the day we left for a week in Jersey so I haven’t managed to catch up with his story yet but I’m working on it. The week in Jersey was absolutely great. The weather couldn’t have been better and we loved the varied beaches and coves. Every one seemed to have it’s own beach café with delicious seafood freshly cooked – not to forget Jersey ice-cream!

As I mentioned in last month’s blog, July has not been as busy as June although the first two weeks were still pretty frantic. I started by flying over to Dublin to take a workshop on devised performance and acting for a new LAMDA centre at the Gaiety School of Acting. I flew back at 10.00pm and had to be in Stalybridge in Cheshire the next day for 9.30am! When I finished there it was straight to Sheffield for another day of examining so I was glad of a day off when I came back. Other examining contracts took me to Derbyshire, back up to Sale in Manchester and finally to Reading on the 18th. I had two speaking engagements in the first half of the month. The first was for a new networking event organised by Business networking Clubs at Blaby where I spoke on how your voice can make an impact in business and the second was for the Hinckley chapter of the Rotary Club. As this was an after dinner speech I chose to reminisce on my travels in Bermuda, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong as an adjudicator. I really enjoyed going through my photos an diaries of the trips to put the content together. Most of my voice workshops take place ‘in-house’ on company premises but I have had so many requests from individuals and smaller businesses to attend these that I have decided to deliver some open sessions to accommodate this. I have taken the plunge and booked a room at the Marriott Hotel, junction 21 of the M1, for my first open voice workshops this autumn. The will take place on 24 September and 15 November from 1.00am to 4.00pm and will be a very practical exploration of everything to do with using the voice for business. It is amazing that we use our voices every day and yet the majority of us know nothing about it at all! If you live in the Midlands and are a little intrigued by the prospect of a ‘Voice’ workshop, here are a few more details:

Voice Matters
Would you survive in the 'Dragons' Den'?

Interested in becoming more dynamic in sales or management?
• Learn how the voice works
• How it impacts on new client meetings

• How to deliver a powerful sales message
• How to be a dynamic speaker
• How to modulate your words

• 'Sell yourself' to grow your business
• Protect you voice from damage
• Learn how to improve your telephone manner
• and much more.

Cost effective training that is GUARANTEED to make a difference to your business. A special introductory price to include lunch, refreshments and parking. Give me a call or contact me through my website.

STOP PRESS, STOP PRESS
I was interviewed by Monica Winfield at the BBC Radio Leicester studios on August 2nd and you will be able to hear me on her programme Sunday August 10th between 1.00pm and 3.00pm.

Vocal tip of the month
A sales message becomes stale because the person speaking forgets to think about the meaning of the words. If you really apply ‘positive thinking’ to your words you will make your voice move more naturally and with more modulation to hold the interest of the listener. Sincerity will get you noticed.

See you in August!
And don’t forget Speak Wisely, Speak well, Speak Loud & Clear!

Contact Priscilla:
www.loudandclearuk.com
info@loudandclearuk.com
Tel: 01455 230317