"I Can't Believe I Said That..."

Command the Room: Build Confidence & Speak with Structure | Join our FREE Speaking Webinar Tuesday, September 2 6pm CT/ 7pm ET

We’ve all been there—walking away from a meeting, presentation, or conversation thinking, “I can't believe I said that." or "I could’ve said that better.” Those moments leave us cringing!

Most people don’t struggle with what to say—they struggle with how to say it. The difference between being heard and being remembered comes down to one skill: structured communication.

Why Speaking Matters More Than Ever

Whether you’re leading a team, pitching an idea, building a business, or simply trying to inspire change, your voice is your most powerful tool. A strong message can:

• Open doors to new opportunities

• Build credibility and influence

• Create impact that lasts beyond the moment

The truth? Great speaking isn’t just about confidence. It’s about clarity, connection, and delivery.

My Own Lesson the Hard Way

Early in my career as a professional speaker, I walked into a moment I thought I was ready for. My presentation was perfectly prepared—or so I thought. I was introduced… and suddenly, I blanked. I didn’t know how to start, I didn’t know how to end, and what came out in between was a ramble—unorganized, hard to follow, and painful to watch back.

That moment could’ve crushed me. Instead, it became a turning point. I made a decision: I was going to study the art of communication.

I learned that powerful speaking isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being prepared, intentional, and authentic.

And when I leaned into those skills, everything shifted. Opportunities grew. Doors opened. And my voice stopped being just a way to deliver information—it became a way to transform and audience.

The Power of Three

One of the simplest ways to improve your speaking immediately is to use what I call the Power of 3.

• Clarity: Focus your message into three key points people can actually remember.

• Rhythm: Speaking in threes creates a natural flow that engages your audience.

• Retention: Your listeners will leave not just inspired, but able to repeat what they learned and called to act.

It’s a game-changer—whether you’re on stage, in a meeting, or in a conversation.

Ready to Speak Like a Pro?

That’s why I created the Speak Like a Pro Academy™. It’s designed for leaders, professionals, and visionaries who want to transform the way they show up every time they speak.

Inside the Academy, you’ll learn how to:

• Structure your message for maximum impact

• Deliver with confidence and presence

• Inspire action with every word you speak

Because your message deserves to be heard—and remembered.

👉🏾 Enrollment is opening, Thursday September 4th! Join the waitlist today and be the first to get access to tools, coaching, and strategies to help you Speak Like a Pro.

Join the Waitlist Here ➝ https://www.speaklikeaproacademy.com/slap-wait-list

👉🏾 On Tuesday, September 2 at 6 PM CT, I’m hosting a FREE live webinar: Mastering High-Impact Communication: Speaking with Structure.

It’s your chance to experience the tools, strategies, and energy of the Academy before doors open.

📌 Save your seat for the webinar AND join the Academy waitlist today.

Reserve Your Spot ➝ https://www.speaklikeaproacademy.com/webinar

💡 Pro Tip: Before your next meeting, presentation, or pitch, write down the three things you want people to walk away with. Then practice saying them out loud with actional strategies until they flow naturally. You’ll be surprised at the confidence it gives you.

See you in class!

Marke Z. Freeman

Executive Coach - Speak Like A Pro Academy

Hook Hearts, Not Just Minds: How to Speak So Your Message Truly Lands

by Marke Z. Freeman

Command the Room: Build Bold Confidence & Speak with Structure | Join our FREE Speaking Webinar, Sunday August 24 6pm CT/ 7pm ET

Have you ever listened to a speaker who seemed prepared, intelligent, and polished—but a few minutes in, you caught yourself zoning out? Their words were clear, but they didn’t land.

Now think of the opposite—Have you ever listened to a speaker you couldn’t take your eyes off? They were captivating, thought-provoking, and left you wanting more. You didn’t just hear their words—you felt them. You were moved to think differently, act differently, be different.

That’s the difference between someone who just shares information… and someone who sparks a transformation.

And here’s the truth:You can be brilliant and still bomb the mic.

If you want to speak like a pro—whether on stage, in a meeting, on video, or at a networking event—you need to master three things.

1. Transformation Over Just Information

Most speakers try to “pack in as much value as possible” by cramming their talk with facts, stats, and bullet points. Here’s the problem: information informs, but transformation inspires action.

Transformation happens when you:

• Speak directly to the problems, desires, and questions your audience already has or experiences they are currently having.

• Provide applicable strategies they can use immediately to directly impact their circumstances.

When you speak for transformation, your audience doesn’t just understand your point—they leave equipped to do something with it. That’s how you create moments that stick long after you’ve left the stage.

2. The 3 Forms of Delivery (and Why Emotional Delivery Wins)

There are three main layers to your delivery:

1. Verbal – The words you choose and how you structure them.

2. Physical – Your body language, gestures, and presence in the space.

3. Emotional – The energy and feeling behind your words, and the emotions you provoke from your audience.

While all three matter, emotional delivery is what hooks the heart.

• Your voice tone should rise and fall with the story you’re telling.

• Your pauses should let emotions breathe.

• Your facial expressions should reflect what you want your audience to feel.

• Most importantly, design your delivery to spark an emotional reaction—laughter, inspiration, determination, hope—that drives people to act.

Emotion turns a sentence into a scene—and that’s when you stop lecturing and start leading.

3. Vulnerability: Don’t Just Share Your Wins

Your achievements might impress people—but your hardships are what connect you to them. When you share the real story behind your success—the doubts, failures, and messy moments—your audience sees themselves in you.

Authenticity builds trust. And trust is the bridge between your message and their action.

Vulnerability says: “I’ve been where you are. And here’s how I moved forward.”

Where to Go From Here

If you want to become the kind of speaker who inspires action, commands attention, and connects on a deep level—this is exactly what we teach inside the Speak Like a Pro (SLAP) Academy.

And you don’t have to wait until our course opens to start learning.

Join me for a FREE live webinar:

Command the Room: Build Bold Confidence & Speak with Structure

🗓 Sunday, August 24

🕕 6 PM CT/ 7 PM ET

📍 Live on Zoom

👉 Save Your Spot Here - https://www.speaklikeaproacademy.com/webinar

In this 50-minute masterclass, you’ll discover:

• The exact strategies to instantly improve your speaking delivery

• How to structure your message so it moves people to action

• The emotional tools that turn an ordinary talk into an unforgettable experience

Clarity. Confidence. Connection. Let’s go.

The 3 Biggest Mistakes Smart Professionals Make When Speaking in Public

By Marke Z. Freeman

Mastering High-Impact Communication: Speak with Power, Presence & Purpose | Join our FREE Speaking Webinar Tuesday., July 15th!

Ever had a Homer Simpson cringy moment when speaking?

Have you ever lost track of your thoughts, struggled landing your points or been speaking with an audience that seems disconnected from the information being delivered. "D'OH!"

You’re sharp. You’re experienced. You’re successful in your lane.

But when it’s time to speak in front of an audience—whether on a stage, in a meeting, or on camera—something still feels... off.

You’ve got the credentials and the content, but what you don’t have is the confidence or clarity to communicate your message in a way that sticks.

And let me tell you this truth right now:

Being brilliant doesn't guarantee you'll be heard.

If you want to lead, inspire, or grow your influence, you’ve got to speak like a pro. That means connecting with your audience, delivering your message with power, and leaving people moved—not just informed.

So, what’s getting in the way?

Here are the 3 biggest mistakes I see even the smartest professionals make when speaking in public—and what you can do to fix them.

❌ MISTAKE #1: Speaking Without a Strategy

Let’s be honest: Most people just "wing it." They scribble a few notes, run through their points, and call it preparation.

But here’s the truth—if you don’t have a clear structure, your audience won’t know what to take away.

Winging it leads to rambling, repetitive, and forgettable delivery. You may sound smart, but you won’t sound strategic.

✅ THE FIX: Use a proven framework like my Power of 3 to structure your message with clarity and rhythm. This not only keeps you focused but helps your audience retain what you say. (It’s one of the first tools I teach in my course.)

❌ MISTAKE #2: Delivering Information, Not Transformation

A lot of professionals speak like they’re giving a report—full of facts, stats, and steps.

But here’s the problem: Facts don’t inspire. Data doesn’t move hearts.

Your audience doesn’t just want to hear you. They want to feel you. They want to relate to your journey, your story, your "why."

✅ THE FIX: To speak like a pro, you must go beyond surface-level content. You must evoke emotion, spark thought, and provoke action. That comes through storytelling, intentional questions, and anchoring your message to a core idea people remember.

❌ MISTAKE #3: Overlooking Delivery

You could have the best message in the world—but if your tone is flat, your body is stiff, or you rush through your words, people will tune out.

Speaking isn’t just what you say. It’s how you say it. That includes your verbal delivery (pace, pauses, vocal variety), your physical delivery (presence, gestures, facial expressions), and your emotional delivery (connection, conviction, authenticity).

✅ THE FIX: Practice the art of delivery just like a performer or athlete would. In the Speak Like a Pro Academy, I walk you through exercises that help you master your voice, body, and energy so you leave a lasting impression every time you speak.

🎤 READY TO LEVEL UP YOUR SPEAKING?

If any of these mistakes hit home—you’re not alone. I’ve been there. I’ve frozen on live TV, tripped over my words, and left the mic knowing I didn’t deliver my best.

But I also learned, practiced, and developed the tools to speak with confidence, clarity, and conviction. And now, I teach those exact tools inside my Speak Like a Pro Academy.

But first—I want to invite you to take the next step for FREE.

🎁 JOIN MY FREE WEBINAR: “Mastering High-Impact Communication - Speak with Power, Presence & Purpose”

🗓️ Tuesday, July 15th

🕖 7 PM CT / 8 PM ET

👉 Reserve your FREE seat now: https://www.speaklikeaproacademy.com/webinar

And if you're serious about taking the next step…

Join the Waitlist for Speak Like a Pro Academy—the ultimate course for speakers ready to build confidence, craft their signature story, and book paid gigs that align with their mission.

🔗 Join the Waitlist

In this powerful training, I’ll show you:

✅ How to craft a strategic message that connects and converts

✅ The key to confident verbal, physical, and emotional delivery

✅ My go-to technique to hook your audience from the first line

✅ What every coach, leader, and professional needs to grow their influence through communication

🔗 Save Your Spot Now

And I’ll even give you a sneak peek inside the Speak Like a Pro Academy and how it’s helping people just like you land paid speaking opportunities, build their brand, and speak with unshakable confidence.

You are reading this because you know your voice was meant to move people. Let’s unlock its full power — together.

I'll See you in class. 

Marke Z. Freeman

Professional Speaker

Author, CHAMPIONS’ Creed 

Executive Coach, Speak Like a Pro Academy