How to Choose a Public Speaking Coach – 12 Winning Tips

How do you choose a public speaking coach?  When selecting the best public speaking coach or presentation trainer, you want to work with a genuine expert.  

Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball

Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London.  Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page. 

Why Choose a Public Speaking Coach for Career Success

Public speaking is a skill that will set you apart in business. Whether you’re delivering a keynote at a conference, presenting to potential clients, or rallying your team, you need to speak with confidence and clarity. For most professionals, however, public speaking doesn’t come naturally. This is where a public speaking coach can make all the difference.

Choosing the right coach is key to your success, but with so many options available, how do you find the perfect fit? Here’s a guide tailored to businesses on how to choose the right public speaking coach.

To sort the genuine from the quacks, we’ve first identified five regularly-quoted pieces of advice that are complete bunkum. If your prospective public speaking coach, trainer or advisor talks about any of these things, we recommend you start looking elsewhere.

How to choose a presentation skills training course

1. Choose the Best Public Speaking Coach – The Acting Myth

This coach will teach you everything they learned at stage school.  You’ll learn how to control your voice and a prescribed set of gestures to bolt onto every talk you give. Unfortunately this coach underestimates an audience’s ability to sniff out inauthentic behaviour. Focusing only on voice and gestures is as superficial as putting a coat of fresh paint over a cracked wall.  A great actor cannot rescue an awful movie script.

To create a great presentation you need great content.  And that means working on your messages, your structure and the words you use before thinking about delivery. We agree with the presentation experts who point out that 80% of the value of a great communication is in the content.  Great communication coaches will help you polish both your content and your delivery.

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2. Choose a Public Speaking Coach – The Mehrabian Myth

This coach will say something like “How well you communicate depends 55% on how you look, 38% on how you sound and 7% on the words you use.” These statistics are based on a misinterpretation of the 1970’s work of Albert Mehrabian, a Stamford academic.

If these statistics were true, you would be able to watch foreign language films without subtitles. (Mehrabian’s results were more about how sincere a speaker appears.) Google ‘Mehrabian Myth’ for more on this. If you hear 55/38/7 from a public speaking coach, run a mile.

3. How to Choose the Best Public Speaking Coach – Overcoming Nerves Myth

This coach will tell you that breathing exercises and visualisations – such as ‘imagine the audience naked’ – will calm your fear of public speaking. However, they are trying to treat the symptom rather than the underlying anxiety. Imagine an audience naked if you want – just don’t tell your friends about it!

Instead, focus on three things:

1. Understand your audience and what they want from your talk
2. Use powerful content and give yourself a teaching mindset – so you help people understand.
3. Practice extensively – this will calm you.

Nerves can be very personal.  Over the 15+ years that we have been coaching speakers, we have found at least a dozen ways of helping individuals feel confident when speaking or presenting in public.

Contact us now for the best public speaking coaching

4. Choosing a Public Speaking Coach – Learning Styles Myth

This coach will advise you that different people learn through different styles of communication.  He or she will tell you that people interpret better either through either auditory, visual, or kinaesthetic communications. Psychologists have, after 30 years, disproved this idea of learning styles. Ignore any ‘expert’ who suggests you adapt to different learning styles. Good communication incorporates elements of all three.

5. Choose the Best Public Speaking Coach – The PowerPoint Deck Myth

This coach will talk about your PowerPoint or Keynote slides as if the slides are your presentation. This slide-led approach is the quickest way to bore your audience and kill the life from your talk. Instead, we use the A.I.M method: start by analysing your Audience; define your Intentions clearly then develop your Messages. We help you create a great talk and only then develop powerful visual aids to help your audience.

What you need to do instead

6. Identify Your Goals

Before you start searching for a coach, it’s essential to be clear about what you want to achieve. Are you looking to improve your presentation skills for board meetings? Do you need to overcome a fear of public speaking? Or are you preparing for a specific event, like a conference or a pitch?

Understanding your goals will help you narrow down your options. For instance, some public speaking coaches specialise in working with executives on persuasive communication, while others may focus on helping beginners overcome stage fright.

At Benjamin Ball Associates, our coaches are specialists at business communications. Whether it’s business presentations, conference speeches or investor presentations, we can help you become a clear and compelling public speaker.

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7. Consider Their Experience and Expertise

Not all public speaking coaches are equal. Some have extensive backgrounds in the business world, while others might come from acting or academia. Consider what type of experience would be most beneficial for your needs.

• Business Experience: If you want to improve your communication in a corporate setting, a coach with a background in business might be ideal. They’ll understand boardroom dynamics, client relations, and industry-specific jargon.
• Specialised Expertise: Some coaches specialise in particular areas such as TED-style talks, media interviews, or motivational speaking. If your goals are in these areas, seek out a coach with a proven track record in that niche.

The team at Benjamin Ball Associates are all experienced business people with decades of experience in different business environment. Over the last 15 years we have worked with professionals from all types of business from fund management to luxury goods. Call today to discuss which coach will be best for you.

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8. Look for Testimonials and Success Stories

A credible public speaking coach should have a portfolio of testimonials and success stories from previous clients. These can give you insights into what you can expect from their coaching style and the results they deliver.

• Client Feedback: Look for testimonials from clients who have similar backgrounds or goals as you. This will give you a better idea of how the coach might help you achieve your objectives.
• Success Stories: If a coach has helped someone land a major deal, win a speaking award, or improve their confidence, these stories can be a strong indicator of their effectiveness.

We have hundreds of testimonials and case studies you can review to give you confidence that we are the right partner for your public speaking needs.

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9. Evaluate Their Coaching Style

Everyone learns differently, so it’s important to find a coach whose teaching style aligns with your learning preferences. Some coaches take a more structured, methodical approach, while others might be more flexible and adaptive.

• One-on-One vs Group Coaching: Decide whether you prefer the personal attention of one-on-one coaching or the collaborative environment of group sessions. Each has its benefits—individual coaching offers tailored feedback, while group sessions provide opportunities to practice in front of others.
• Interactive vs Instructional: Some coaches focus heavily on practical exercises and real-time feedback, while others may spend more time on theory and instruction. Consider which approach you’re more comfortable with.

At Benjamin Ball Associates we work both in-person and remotely for 1:1 and small group coaching. Speak to Louise Angus today to discuss what would work best for you.

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10. Check Their Availability and Flexibility

Your schedule is likely packed, so it’s crucial to find a coach who can accommodate your availability. We are flexible in our scheduling to make sure you get exactly the support you need. We specialise in short, intensive coaching sessions that give you maximum return on investment.

11. Consider the Cost

Public speaking coaching can be a major investment, so it’s important to consider your budget. However, this isn’t an area where you want to skimp. Think of it as an investment in your professional development.

While we are definitely not the cheapest option for public speaking coaching, many clients say they get the best return on their investment from our support.

12. Arrange a Consultation

Once you’ve narrowed down your options, arrange a consultation with your potential coach. This meeting will allow you to get a feel for their personality, approach, and whether you’ll work well together.

• Compatibility: Trust and rapport are essential in any coaching relationship. You need to feel comfortable with your coach and confident in their ability to help you achieve your goals.

The good news is that there are many other experienced expert trainers and coaches who can help you build long-lasting presenting and public speaking skills.  What is more important that anything is to find someone with plenty of experience and someone with whom you can relate.

Start your journey to world-class public speaking skills now

These tips on choosing a public speaking coach will help you start your journey to becoming a better public speaker.

The next step on your journey should be to get in touch. We’d be happy to show you how our intensive executive speaker training and coaching can transform the impact you make.

We’ll help you polish what you say, how you say it and how you feel about saying it.  You’ll end up clear, confident and compelling. Speak to Louise Angus today. Either click below or call +44 20 7018 0922.

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Why Choose Us:
Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching

We can help you present brilliantly. Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.

“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”

Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky

For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.

Some recent clients

Unlock your full potential and take your presentations to the next level.

Speak to Louise on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com to transform your speeches, pitches and presentations.

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