What People are Saying About Darren’s Educational Tools

Hi Darren,

I just joined the Double C Toastmasters Club in Liverpool, NSW, Australia last month. One of the DTMs at the club suggested that I purchase the Speaking Secrets of the Champions, and I did. I used the ideas I learned last week for my third speech and while most of the club members congratulated me, I felt that I could have done better – no excuses – I should have prepared more – like the Tiger (Woods). However, I do believe that listening to the audio CDs make prepare my speech differently. Thanks – those CDs are marvelous.

I have audio CDs from Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Keith Harrell, etc but none of them touch on the basics of communications like those five CDs …

Darren, Once again, thanks for those CDs. Look forward to hearing from you.

From a very green and junior toastmaster,
Adrian Watts

“Darren’s DVD is a must for anyone in a leadership position. There’s lots of content including a section where Darren critiques his championship speech.

- Lucas Brunelle, Instructor, Clark University

Good day TM LaCroix,

Meeting you at the District 47 Conference in Orlando, Florida has been quite an enlightening experience for me. In addition, listening to your story on the CD that I purchased from you makes me feel as if I am now sitting in the same seat you sat in while listening to Mark Brown at the Region VII Conference. I hung onto every word you had to say in your general session that Saturday and used those lessons that evening when competing in the District 47 International Speech Competition. I think that if I had not made the risky, last minute changes to my speech as a result of my general session with you, I would not have won that Competition that night …

Regards,
Damien K T Miller
Group and Leisure Sales Manager
BRITISH COLONIAL HILTON
Number One Bay Street
Nassau, Bahamas

Hi Darren,

I owe you – BIG time!

I was one of the Toastmasters who heard you speak at the Baltimore VA Center a couple of weeks ago. At that time, I had won in our Club’s competition. After hearing you, I made major adjustments to my speech and to my delivery. The results – I took first place at the Area and Division levels! (And a little birdie who shall go nameless told me that I won by a landslide.)

I am now poring through your CDs as I prepare for the District contest. I have been told by those who saw me at the Division contest that I have what it takes to go to the top – and I’ve always been charged by huge challenges.

So, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for giving back. You’ve made a major difference in my life.

Melinda

Melinda Condray
Coaching for Success

I’ve watched the DVD a number of times now! It is in the number 1 slot in my 5 slot DVD player…

Stage Time,
Michael T. Grewe, ATM/B
http://michaelgrewe.com/mg_toastmasters.html

Darren,

Wonderful presentation today! The best part of it was that you spoke from the heart. During my commute to work, I listened to the CD on mentors. It is awesome! I could relate to everyone’s testimony. In the business world, we have lost sight of the contribution mentors make influencing individual success. Thank you for everything today! I hope the rest of your stay in Florida is profitable and enjoyable.

Warmest Regards

Darrell Pope
President Club Awesome
Club 47, District 2447

Dear Darren,

I play your CDs almost every night, and play the Mentoring CD in my car. I’ve listened to those CDs so many times, I almost think I know you personally.

One member told me he thinks I’ve been listening to your CD too much – my humorous speeches are getting that much better. “That’s the best speech you’ve given!”

I heard you were at the District Conference in Canada this weekend and gave several great talks.

Keep up the good work!

Carol L. Kormelink
D40, Loop Division Governor

Dear Darren,

I am listening to your CD, Speak Like a Champion, about your quest to win the International Speech Contest. It is awesome! The Division governor is letting me listen to your CD recording.

Struggling to be funnier,

Wilbur Bowen

I’m listening to Darren’s CD “Learn how the pros make ‘em laugh”. He’s a mastermind.

Julia J. Minerva (Humor & Improv Boot Camp Attendee)
SETR Support Team, Brookhaven IRS Campus

Until I listened to Darren’s Speak Like a Champion CD series, I thought you were either born a good speaker or there was no hope. Darren taught me that becoming an excellent public speaker is possible for anyone who is willing to commit to that goal, work hard to reach it and never turn down “stage” time.

- Karen Rankin

I liked the CD, Mentors Made the Difference, so much that I want to use it as our District’s Token of Appreciation for our Presenters and Facilitators at the District 58 Fall Conference.

William L. “Bill” May, Jr., DTM, Lieutenant Governor Education & Training

Darren,

Just a quick note to let you know I enjoyed meeting briefly in St. Louis!

I listened to your 4 CD collection (Speak Like a Champion) on the 400 mile drive home. It was so good that I could not wait to get in the car again (later that same day) to finish it. Bravo! I especially enjoyed the interview with your coach!

Pat Conway – Humorous Speech Regional Finalist Region V

Hi Darren,

I had the pleasure to hear you speak several months ago at the Ocean State Toastmasters club in Warwick. Following your presentation you recommended some of your products. I purchased your CDs and they have really made a difference in how I approach public speaking. You have definitely inspired me…

Regards,

Brian Toner
Inside Wholesaler
Fidelity Investments Institutional Services, Co., Inc.

Dear Darren,

Thank you for your great speech in Taiwan and sharing the night with us. I was very much impressed with your performance and also the story about the contest which you had gained the championship of public speech in US.

I am also very much impressed with your book. It is very understandable, but more than that, it is insightful for me. It is not easy for us to put humor into business communication, but it is deadly necessary and it works when we can use it in some ways. I do have an experience to use humor in some ways and get an understanding from the clients and in the end to get a good deal from them. But I did not have enough consciousness to the use of humor and your book really makes me think how important it is and how strongly we should be conscious of using that. It really gave me enlightenment for my business career.

Someday, I have a dream to invite you to Japan as a star speaker for the convention of our own and I have a strong feeling that I want to share the insight I have gained from you with all toastmasters in Japan.

Thank you for being there and your great speech.

Best wishes,

Tommy Oshima
Chair of Osaka convention in 2002, district 76P, Japan

Darren-

I write to offer you a word of thanks…

Last Thursday was the Area 63 humorous speech contest. My presentation was flawless, I have no doubt that I was the most technically accomplished of the speakers.

I also finished 3rd of 4, finishing only ahead of a gentleman who was almost completely unfunny and also somewhat unprepared.

You have seen the “horse” I rode…I chose to go with a speech that hued to the judging sheet of the humorous contest and offered some substance. Unfortunately, I did not get the “Rolling Thunder” type of laughter I was hoping for as almost no one laughed at the whole opening bit about the “pissy baby” and the AARP portion fell flat. Fuller storied delivered big “spike laughter”, huge laughs at a time, but not the rolling thunder needed.

So, 3 of 4…I was not happy.

I load back into the car, punch the radio and turn on the remote CD player, and what comes up is the track where you talk about bombing, and your coach says “so what?”

I repeated it a couple of times, and by the time I got home I was in a much more positive frame of mind.

So, thanks for the words of wisdom!

Now, I am going to go find a mirror and punch out my speechwriter!

Skc

Darren,

That CD I bought from you (Make ‘em Laugh) at the CT Professional Group meeting was the best material I came across on humor. Truly outstanding. I look forward to it helping me in my business presentations. Put me on your newsletter mailing list pronto.

By the way there is one other thing I liked about your CD is that… you summarizes the key points at the end of each interview.

Hard to believe you were not considered funny earlier in life.

Regards,
Juan Antonio Negroni

Hi Darren,

I want to thank you for your materials. When I met you at the regional conference in St. Louis last year, I was inspired to challenge myself. I applied your techniques from the Triangle of WOW, and regularly ask myself (and other club members) “Is your headlight out?”

We talk about the basics you discussed including using the “Pause Pedestal,” and we stress the importance of “Stage time, stage time, stage time.” Your presentations and the materials I purchased including “Speak like a Champion,” “Learn How the Pros Make ‘em Laugh,” and your book “Laugh & Get Rich” have become part of my training arsenal, and I want to thank you for your help.

Your strategies have provided me with valuable lessons that are easy to implement in every speech I give. And I was recently asked to give presentations to the Milwaukee Career College and the Network Association of Professional Salespersons, all because people have heard my “new and improved” speeches. But it’s all due to your materials. Thank you for inspiring me, making me laugh, and feeling good about “falling down, forward.” I’m making progress. And in about 10 years, I will hold the same title as you: World Champion of Public Speaking.

Kathy Shine
Club President
Southwest Toastmasters
Greendale Wisconsin

Dear Darren,

Thanks for sending me the package so promptly.

I just watched your video and listened to a few CDs and applied it at my Area International Speech Contest and won. So now I am going to compete in the Div Contest in a fortnite’s time .

I must thank you so much for your tips. I applied some of them, especially the one about making the audience laugh.

Hope to learn more as I spend time listening to the rest.

Cheers

Eric Tiong
(Singapore)

Hi Darren,

We met when you spoke in Orlando on Feb 7, 2003. I bought your speakers package. Tonight I gave my 8th speech (“Add Impact”, the one where you use props). I used a skateboard as a prop.

There was a problem with the setting. I needed to perform some basic skateboard moves, and this particular club has a square of tables with the lectern on one of the tables, such that the speaker cannot move close to the audience. If I hadn’t seen your championship speech, I couldn’t have mastered this setting.

But having seen you fall down during a speech, I started the speech with “Mr. Toastmaster, Fellow Toastmasters, Honored Guests, and immediately dropped and rolled under the table and sprung up in the middle, exclaiming “I learned that in Toastmasters; never let a lectern come between you and your audience”.

The speech was called “just for fun”, and I tried to be funny, and actually got one good-sized laugh out of the 6 person crowd. When it was time to get back on the other side of the table to hand over the lectern to the Toastmaster, I once again imitated you, remembering that you had spoken from the floor. I got on my skateboard, pushed myself backward under the table, all the while explaining while rolling that I learned this at Toastmasters — never turn your back on the audience and always keep eye contact.

The speech was really funny. If you’d given it people would have broken ribs laughing.

Thanks very much for speaking to us all on Feb 7, and thanks for the wonderful speakers package you’ve constructed. If I hadn’t bought that packet, I never could have come close to performing a humorous speech and wouldn’t have tried.

When I met you 2/7/2003 I had completed my 2nd speech. Tonight I completed my 8th. This coming Sunday I’m competing in the division table topics contest. I credit your speaker’s package for much of my progress.

Keep up the good work.

Steve Litt
Author:
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* Troubleshooting Techniques of the Successful Technologist
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