PUBLIC SPEAKING Courses

Icon to show the 2-day public speaking course called "Connect With Your Audience"

Can I build My confidence speaking in front of a crowd?

This 2-day intensive course is designed to help you transform your public speaking by developing and strengthening tangible skills that you can start to rely on.

Speaking in front of an audience, whatever the size, can be an intimidating environment. It can make us nervous and as a result, we can lose touch with our natural ability to communicate. Our thoughts can get jumbled, our voice can shake, palms get a little sweaty.

That’s all totally normal!

This training is designed to help you understand: what is happening with your communication when you speak in front of an audience; how you can start to get control of these speaking behaviours so that you are not controlled by nerves; and then, how you can enhance your communication skills so that your delivery is not only relaxed and free, but is also clear, compelling and engaging.

That is how we can begin to connect with our audience.

Person standing on stage in front of a large audience preparing for a big speech

“The Connect With Your Audience course, led by the exceptional Guy Hughes, was packed with learning and delivered immediate results… I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their ability to engage and inspire an audience.”
Gavin Foyle, Managing Director, Broadwater Technologies

“Whether you’re looking to give the biggest speech of your life or just want to communicate more confidently and clearly in every day life, Guy can help you transform your public speaking…through a combination of psychology, physiology and performing arts he creates a magic training formula.”

Pete, Senior Manager, NHS

“I wish I had attended sooner! Working with Guy has been transformational for my confidence, storytelling, and public speaking ability. I am naturally quite shy and introverted, and Guy provides the right level of challenge for development, whilst still making me feel supported… I believe the training will be instrumental in enabling me to raise capital for my business.”

Olivia Coy, CEO, Remedy

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Who Will you work with?

This course is designed and delivered by Guy Hughes, founder of The Vocal Studio Bristol. He brings a wealth of firsthand experience working as an actor at some of the leading theatre companies in the UK, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse and Edinburgh Lyceum. He has also worked with and learned from world-famous theatre directors, including most notably Declan Donellan OBE, author of The Actor and the Target, one of the most highly regarded actor training books.

Guy is also a specialist in working with the voice, having taught and delivered workshops in drama schools across the country. His training as a voice coach is based in Estill Voice Training, which he studied at the Royal Academy of Music and with Anne-Marie Speed, founder of The Voice Explained.

Guy now runs 1:1 and group training in public speaking for individuals and business across Bristol and the UK. He is an associate coach with FuseCo., a collective that provides high-end corporate coaching for founders and entrepreneurs.

If you’re interested in finding out more, book in a 10-minute chat where we can talk through what you’re looking for…

Book a Free Consultation

What to expect on the course…

Person standing on stage in front of a small audience public speaking with confidence

We will work in a small group of up to 7 participants to help build up and strengthen your communication ability, from speaking on a one-to-one level, to speaking in front of a small group, culminating in a final session on the Weston Studio stage at Bristol Old Vic, where we will work on adapting your delivery for a larger space.

These 2 days are aimed at helping you:

Keep control of your nerves

We will explore how breathing – specifically, released and slow breathing – can help you stay focused on the content, calm you nerves, and allow you to say what you want to say.

Make your ideas land

Establishing a clear and powerful style of delivery takes practice. We will use simple exercises to help you remove filler words (‘um’, ‘so’ etc.), get you structuring your thoughts, and explore how you can use intonation and space to really make your points land.

Use your body and voice

Understanding how we use our voice and body language when we’re speaking can be essential to effective communication. This is about opening yourself up to your audience through release and resonance.

Tell great stories!

We are all natural storytellers. But as with any skill, it takes practice. We will explore how you can use emotion in your storytelling to establish real connection with your content and invite your audience in.

If you still have any questions about the course, feel free to book in for a free 10 minute consultation on the booking page, otherwise you can secure your place on the course below…

“Guy’s approach is both insightful and transformative... working with him has been truly invaluable”
Dr. Ahmed Salhin, Principle Data Scientist, Sage

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Testimonials…

“I found The Vocal Studio by researching people online who could help me improve my public speaking confidence and ability.
Guy has been fantastic, unearthing and rewiring certain vocal traits I had to improve my confidence, eye contact and ability to convey messages when speaking in public.
So much so that I have recommended Guy to our Learning and Development Director to help others in my business improve the way they communicate in business.”
– Tom White, CEO, 5Values Consulting Group
“I really enjoyed the two day public speaking course at the Old Vic. Guy’s enthusiasm and energy meant everyone got direct focused attention, as well as benefiting from the strong group dynamic which develops.”
– Jeremy B, Solicitor
“I highly recommend the expert public speaking coaching provided by Guy Hughes at The Vocal Studio.
As someone who does a lot of public speaking in my role, I wanted to refine my vocal techniques to improve the clarity and sustainability of my voice. Guy's warm and engaging style immediately puts you at ease and I appreciated how carefully he listened to tailor his approach to my specific needs. His coaching focused on helpful vocal techniques but also storytelling skills that have made my presentations more engaging.
An invaluable experience for anyone looking to elevate their public speaking!”
– Jacob Diggle, Chief Impact Officer, UK Youth
“I arrived to my session with Guy full of self-doubt and uncertainty. In a short space of time Guy helped equip me with tools and perspectives to help me get out of my own way and deliver a talk in a relaxed and engaging way.”
– Peter Lown, Filmmaker, Wish Tree Films
"Guy was instrumental in improving my public speaking for work and even my wedding day speech. He helped to address my shaky breathing when presenting, my presentation structure and even refining my choice of words. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to improve their presenting skills."
– Ian Grainger, Product Manager, BT
“The Connect with Your Audience course, led by the exceptional Guy Hughes, was packed with learning and delivered immediate results. His engaging and practical teaching style involved the entire group, making the experience immersive and dynamic. Speaking on the Bristol Old Vic stage reinforced the power of presence and connection. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their ability to engage and inspire an audience.”
– Gavin Foyle, Managing Director, Broadwater Technologies
“After spending two days building up my public speaking skills with Guy, I'm so glad I signed up to do a session with the Vocal Studio.
The days were packed with practical tips and warm-up exercises and there was plenty of time to drill down into the presentation material we brought along.
Guy was super friendly and knowledgeable and I was blown away by how invested in he was in improving our presentations, no matter the topic. I'll be recommending the course to all my colleagues.”
– Joe Lewis, Investment Manager
“I wish I had attended sooner! Working with Guy has been transformational for my confidence, storytelling, and public speaking ability. I am naturally quite shy and introverted, and Guy provides the right level of challenge for development, whilst still making me feel supported. I gain so much from every session, and I believe they will be instrumental in enabling me to raise capital for my business.”
— Olivia Coy, Founder & CEO, Remedy
"I approached Guy with the honour of being the best man at my friend's wedding. Guy proved to be invaluable in boosting my confidence and arming me with the necessary tools to deliver a great performance. Thanks to his guidance, I felt fully prepared on the day, and to my pleasant surprise, the speech went better than I could have ever imagined. I wholeheartedly recommend Guy for anyone seeking assistance with public speaking, regardless of the scale of the event. My sessions with him were not only productive but also enjoyable.”
— Peter Solomon, Best Man
"I worked with Guy to prepare a talk for a large audience. Guy's acting experience gives him a great perspective from which to coach public speakers. He listened to several iterations of my material, and provided concrete, practical guidance on content and delivery. Highly recommended!"
— Kate, Senior Engineer
"Guy’s approach is both insightful and transformative. He has helped me unlock a stronger, more confident voice and his storytelling techniques have made my presentations far more compelling. Working with him has been truly invaluable!”
– Dr Ahmed Salhin, Principle Data Scientist, Sage
“I reached out to Guy as I was finding myself in high pressure speaking situations and I wanted to improve my clarity and impact. He has helped take me back to basics by organising my thought process, teaching me to breathe, and helping me land the points. I really enjoy our sessions and if you are in a similar situation or want to build your speaking confidence, I highly recommend Guy.”
– Harry, VC Investor
“Whether you’re about to give the biggest speech of your life or just want to communicate more confidently and clearly in every day life, Guy can help you transform your public speaking.
Through a combination of psychology, physiology and performing arts, he creates a magic training formula of easy to understand theory and practical techniques, all while modelling best practice himself.
I wish I’d met him years ago!”
– Pete, NHS Senior Manager

Book a Place

PUBLIC SPEAKING Courses

Can I build My confidence speaking in front of a crowd?

Who Will you work with?

What to expect on the course…

“Guy’s approach is both insightful and transformative... working with him has been truly invaluable”

Our Associations & Connections…