One of the most common questions that I get as a public speaking coach is, "Where can I go to practice speaking?" It is usually a good idea to practice your presentation skills somewhere that is more low risk than in front of a big client, or your boss, or the board of directors.

Obviously, I'm pretty biased, but with good reason. I believe that the absolute best place to practice public speaking is in a public speaking class with a great coach. A good public speaking class is a controlled environment, so the risk is very low. 

Also, you get practice presenting in front of real people. That is an important part of the learning process.

However, over the years, I've come across a bunch of low-risk venues to practice public speaking. So, over the next couple of episodes, I'll give you this list.

That way, you'll have a bunch of different options to choose from. Pick the one or two venues that you feel will give you the best practice.