Public Speaking Courses in Manchester
Building confidence you can trust with a different approach to public speaking
Would you like to speak in front of an audience with confidence
and ease? And if that was possible, what would you do with your life?
Reviews of my course by Manchester course attendees
“The course was simply excellent. John created a fun and trusting environment to learn in. The amount of change in us all was amazing!! Have not enjoyed myself so much in years. Have let go of my fears to speak in public....thank u John!”
Joshua Enkin
“The course with John was excellent, so much more than just public speaking and a lot more than I expected. John's approach was absolutely perfect and it has given me the confidence to feel much more at ease both in personal and work life. …”
Mark Pitchford
“Extremely worthwhile 2 days. Gained so much more than I had from reading books on presentations. This is different. Reaches all aspects of life, not just public speaking. Just do it - life is too short not to take your place in this world”
Sarah Norman
Five years of course reviews here
Manchester venue
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street,
Manchester, M2 1NL venue information
upcoming dates
Taking your place in the world
Two day public speaking course run by John Dawson
The course is aimed at people who don't like public speaking or are struggling with it. This 2 day course has been running for 24 years and I run it 33 times a year in Manchester, Bristol and London. It will help you to learn how to feel more at ease in front of an audience, change how you feel about being the centre of attention, learn to speak publicly (in a conversational manner rather than performing) and to create a connection with the audience. Many people who come on this course have previously found public speaking tricky to say the least. I know you might be nervous but time and time again people have said "I wish I had done this course 5 or 10 years ago!"
The course really works with beginners as well as people who have been public speaking for a while but are still anxious. You’ll have the chance to absorb and practise what you have learnt on the first day and work with it on the following day. It's all about learning the new fundamental skills and re-thinking what we need for public speaking. Beginners is a strange term here as I get some people who have been speaking for a long time but are doing the wrong stuff and still feel grim.
The course name came from Gill, wrote this about my course in 2009: “John offers more than public speaking training. This course is about taking your place in the world and to NOT apologise for doing so”
Money Back Guarantee
All my public speaking courses come with a simple no quibble guarantee.
Full details here
“I think the course was really insightful overall. It was able to get to the root cause of why we struggle to speak authentically and confidently and gives you useful strategies to help. I had a presentation a few weeks after the course and what I learnt and practiced really helped and was the best presentation I had ever done. I would defo recommend”
Rianna Yafai, Manchester course attendee
How I Teach
It’s an experiential course (learning through experience and discussion) which builds up the learning in very small steps, sometimes very baby steps! The smaller the steps are, the easier it is to learn.
It’s NOT a course about how to structure a presentation. It’s different. It’s a public speaking course about the psychology of anxiety, confidence and public speaking for people who don’t like public speaking.
We learn about audiences and what gets in the way for us as public speakers. Then we look at the new skills and new reframes that we need to make being the centre of attention and public speaking far more possible. Most of the course is focused on learning these new skills and mindset changes we need to make to make public speaking a whole lot simpler.
I do this by:
Keeping the course numbers to 6-10 people so it’s a small enough course to have individual attention and big enough to feel like public speaking.
Individual coaching through the course
Pair work exercises
Group conversations and exercises, building confidence and changing what it means to be the centre of attention
Gentle public speaking practice with reflection, building on what we are learning all the way through the course. It’s all about small steps.
Using ground-rules to set up the learning space to be as safe as possible. This is a key part of my approach and something I really value.
Open to any questions throughout the course
Clear Course materials
Additional help through coaching can be arranged pre or post-course.
I try to model the practice all the way through the teaching
The course is run by me, John Dawson. I’ve been teaching this course for 24 years and it’s been constantly evolving as I’ve learnt more and more. It’s a job that I love. My passion is to help people have confidence not just for public speaking but for life!
I lived in Yorkshire for the first 18 years, became a soft Southerner but married a Northern woman!
More information
My e-mail is john@speaking-infront.co.uk or WhatsApp me on 07730 550842
Quick Chat: Book a “Talk to me for free!” 10 minute slots are offered when I can, including up to 19:30. Book here
Coaching Deal: My one-to-one coaching hour sessions are via Zoom with an introductory session for £45 for an hour’s session instead of my normal £95.
My Manchester courses for 2025…
Thursday 16th - Friday 17th January, Manchester
'Taking your place in the world' - a 2 day public speaking course
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester, M2 1NL
Just one space left as of 22nd November…
Standard Rate
Suitable for a company OR organisation paying for your place either in whole or in part, whether directly or by reimbursing you.
Early bird payment before 16th December : £540 + vat -total £648
Normal price: £625 + vat - total £750
Solo Rate
You qualify for the solo rate if you are paying for yourself and there is NO organisational support for payment or you are NOT being reimbursed by your company
Early bird by 16th December: £395.83 + vat - £475 total - Book early and save a £100
Normal price: £479.17 + vat - £575 total
Spread the costs
Instalment payments for Solo Rate payers
If you want to pay the normal price spread over 6 month instalments, with no extra costs , let me know
Book here by debit or credit card
Book your place by choosing the right "booking type" below and pay with your credit/debit card. All prices include VAT. Standard Rate purchasers: If you need an invoice with your organisation's purchase order please email us.
Further info
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester, M2 1NL
All courses come with a money back guarantee.
You can cancel up to 14 days before with NO charge - Cancellation policy.
Times
Day 1, 9am - 5pm;
Day 2, 9 am - 4pm
Course numbers: 6 people min - 10 people max
Need an invoice?
Often organisations book via credit card for a single booking and that’s the simplest way. If you want an invoice, or want to book multiple people on a course, I can invoice you. Contact me about what your organisation needs via email
Who comes?
Everyone who comes doesn’t like public speaking in some way.
Everyone on the course won’t be better than you! There is no powerpoint, the dress code is smart casual. Everyone there wants to get their heads around being the centre of attention, pausing, connecting to audience, and learning new ways of being with anxiety. A full list of all the occupations who have come is here
Thursday 13th - Friday 14th February, Manchester
'Taking your place in the world' - a 2 day public speaking course
Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester, M2 1NL
spaces available…
Standard Rate
Suitable for a company OR organisation paying for your place either in whole or in part, whether directly or by reimbursing you.
Early bird payment before 13th January : £540 + vat -total £648
Normal price: £625 + vat - total £750
Solo Rate
You qualify for the solo rate if you are paying for yourself and there is NO organisational support for payment or you are NOT being reimbursed by your company
Early bird by 13th January: £395.83 + vat - £475 total - Book early and save a £100
Normal price: £479.17 + vat - £575 total
Spread the costs
Instalment payments for Solo Rate payers
If you want to pay the normal price spread over 6 month instalments, with no extra costs , let me know
Book here by debit or credit card
Book your place by choosing the right "booking type" below and pay with your credit/debit card. All prices include VAT. Standard Rate purchasers: If you need an invoice with your organisation's purchase order please email us.
