|
|
| Public Speaking Information |
|
|
|
|
What is YOUR Speaking Expertise?
Why do you have to be an expert when getting speaking engagements? The first thing you need to do before engaging into a speaking career is to define what you are an expert in. I have seen so many speakers that get relegated into the mediocre list just because they say they can talk on anything and "what would you like to hear?" Although I am not advocating sticking with one topic, I am advocating that you are an expert in a field that you choose. Do not try to be everything to everyone. The other day I came across a consultant saying to me that he was in the Application Integration business and that he had some major customers. I asked "how do you present your materials?" He explained that he simply worked with major vendors to make all their systems talk together. Then to my dismay he also added "and I do training (which is OK) and I am also a management consultant to help management make decisions with processes and how to put them together." To each question I asked he replied "I do that too". Now I was totally confused. All of a sudden, I did not view him as an expert and moved on. You will find that once you specifically define your expertise, you will stick to it! You may also provide other things to your clients, but when you are speaking to an audience, YOU are the expert and not a chameleon that changes spots with the changing smell of a new business opportunity. Remember to focus on what you do best and the rest will follow; when you secure a speaking engagement, attach a subject to it, don't leave it open. If you can clearly define your expertise, then business will be easier to obtain. People will come to know you in that field and ask your advice. Being an expert and defining it well is the first step to a speaking career within your field. Another thing you must be aware of is your audience and why they will listen to you. Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Internet Marketing and Public Speaking: Seven Steps to a Successful Murder Board I recently posted an article providing tips on public speaking for internet marketers, and was bombarded with Emails asking me to expand on one tip in particular-how to conduct a Murder Board, a realistic simulated practice. I did so in a follow-up article providing a more detailed explanation of this practice method, which has its origins in the US military. Now, below, I provide the seven step method to conduct this invaluable practice. This is excerpted from Chapter 14 of my book, The Shortcut to Persuasive Presentations. Making Transitions Ever notice how smoothly some speakers or writers move you through their speech or memo? It seems they effortlessly take you from start to finish without making you strain to follow. Demand Dignity in Public Speaking Training Mandy*, a bright, attractive professional woman, had a fear of speaking in front of groups. Recognizing that her feelings of vulnerability and self-consciousness were limiting her potential, she showed up for a presentation skills class filled with trepidation. In the class, the students spent the morning listening to the instructor explain the rules of public speaking. That afternoon, they gave their presentations to the group. Top 7 Ways to Succeed in the Business of Speaking How attractive are you as a speaker? No, your looks, but your consistent ability to provide a quality presentation, attract clients, and be irresistibly attractive to meeting planners and speaker bureaus? Below are some useful tips that I learned while owning a national, professional speakers bureau for 13 years. Get Speaking On a recent Sunday evening, I watched a friend 'graduate' from a beginner's class for stand-up comedians. Earn Your Cs as A Speaker Franklin Delano Roosevelt had some good advice for the public speaker when he said, be sincere, be brief, be seated. Be simple, natural and effective and earn your C's. Youre Making Me Nervous Almost everybody is nervous when they stand up to speak. There's no shame in being nervous. However, if you are too nervous, your anxiety will spread to your audience, making them nervous in turn. How VALUABLE is Your Speaking Topic? What information can be used immediately by the audience and what is to follow? You Too Can Be A Public Speaker Have you ever watched a speaker and said, "Wow, I wish I could speak like that"? or "That person was just so wonderful. I could never do that." Well, I've got some good news for you. You too can be a public speaker. Public speaking is a learned skill, so anyone can do it. You just need to follow some simple steps and practice, practice, practice. If you know how to talk, you can become a public speaker. Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking Knocking knees, butterflies (who came up with that word?) in your stomach, sweaty palms, quavering voice. We've all been there ? some of us more than others. I'm going to share with you some of the tricks of the trade to help manage and reduce your anxiety before and during your presentation. These methods are tried and true and have helped many presenters. Poised for Success: How Developing Self-Awareness Can Improve Your Presentations There are a number of factors that determine how your audience will judge you and subsequently your message, one of the most visible being your posture. Posture is a reflection of your attitude and may at times betray your misgivings or uncertainties in difficult situations like an important presentation. You would normally not consider revealing your inner most thoughts to your audience about exactly how you feel about your new product or service; but your body language may be doing just that. A substantial part of communication is based on non-verbal aspects such as body language. When preparing a presentation much thought is given to its content yet there is far more to it than just words. Some of the best-prepared presentations can be badly let down by how you look and behave during the delivery. When Richard Nixon spoke to the American public of his involvement in the Watergate scandal his performance was received more favourably by radio audiences than those who saw a worried, hunched and perspiring president on the television. How you hold yourself, the movements you make and the gestures you use all contribute to how well your presentation is received. The Ps and Qs of Public Speaking Avoid the pain Speaking for FUN and PROFIT How do you gain contacts from a speaking engagement? How to Answer Questions Your Audience Will Ask In elementary school, most of us asked questions which were for purely informational purposes. A raise of the hand usually got the attention of the teacher and the question was treated matter-of-factly. In training however, questions from the audience are rarely asked and when they are, they don't get the attention they deserve. However, these questions, along with other indicators, can give a trainer an abundance of information to analyze their audience. It is crucial that trainers take these questions and other indicators seriously to avoid having their presentations become one-sided. 13 Publicity Tips for Professional Speakers In a funk because other speakers seem to be snagging all the media attention? It's time to start claiming your share. Here are a baker's dozen of tips that will boost your publicity efforts and help you finally get noticed. How to Use Public Speaking to Attract Clients When Robert Middleton moved his marketing consulting practice, Action Plan Marketing, to Palo Alto, California several years ago, he started his business from scratch. He had left his well-established client base several miles away and now had to find strategies to generate new clients. Tips For Keeping Your Cool Before Your Presentation Stretch to relax. Rise on your toes and reach for the ceiling, with your head back. Tighten your muscles from legs up through abdomen, and then release. Relax the neck and shoulder muscles, letting your head loll on your neck in different directions. Five Tired, Worn Out Speaking Cliches The subject of public speaking is riddled with tired, worn out cliches we ought to throw out. Here are a few to let go of: The Top 5 Public Speaking Questions Answered There are a number of questions that we consistently get asked in relation to public speaking and presentations. Here are a few of the most common questions, along with our answers: Fee Credibility is a Must Think of it like this: your fee credibility is as important as putting on your clothes before going to a speaking engagement. Having questionable integrity when it comes to your fee, will leave you open for attack from many different angles (as would giving a speech nude). Without question, all hiring events should receive identical fee bills, as long as they are getting identical presentations. Overcharging or undercharging an event will do nothing but get you in trouble with the speaker's bureaus and ruin your good name.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |