Public speaking isn’t an inherent gift. While some individuals may be inclined to become public speakers, others need guidance. There’s no shortage of persuasive public speaking personalities like Dr. Prem Jagyasi that show what a compelling speaker can do. However, for many people, public speaking leads to fear. Not knowing what to do to break into the business of public speaking is a massive part of that uncertainty. Even after you make it as a public speaker, how do you get people to notice you? How do you develop your brand and your voice? There are a few critical tips that can help you become a better public speaker that we’ll cover in this article.
1. Focus your Message
The core of your job as a public speaker is to deliver the information you have effectively to the audience. The Introverted Speaker mentions how important it is to have a focused message. The gist of it is that you don’t want your audience to get bogged down with unimportant details. The more focused your message is, the more likely that what you’re trying to say will get through. English, especially, is a difficult language to get the nuanced meaning across. Distilling your message down to the critical points allows you to take out the parts that don’t add to the core values you’re communicating. If you can’t say in it fifteen words and make it understood, you aren’t focused enough to deliver your message.
2. Know Your Audience
Many people think that public speaking is a spontaneous thing when it truly isn’t. Sure, a trained public speaker might be able to muddle through an impromptu appearance, but a lot of their impact would be lost since they can’t read their audience. ASME suggests that to know your audience intimately, you need to be aware of why your message is important to them. Once you can pinpoint how that message is essential, you can focus on the delivery. Never assume the audience is a collection of people just like you. There’s no replacement for research. Do your homework, and you’ll be able to hit the mark with your speeches every time.
3. Take Advantage of Free Appearances
When you start as a public speaker, your jobs aren’t usually the paying type. You should tap into whatever exposure you get, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t seize the opportunity. Free appearances are an opportunity to make contacts and share your skills. You never know when those contacts would be able to offer you speaking engagement in the future, this time with pay. Collect email addresses as part of your agreement with the organizers to keep in touch with these individuals. Networking is the bread and butter of a public speaker’s client base.
It’s Not as Hard as It Looks
Public speaking doesn’t have to be excessively difficult. It is a business, however, and it requires a lot of planning and flexibility from you. You have to run it as a business if you expect to make money from it. That includes taking opportunities where they occur, even if they seem challenging at first glance. Even the best and most recognizable public speakers started as beginners in the grand scheme of things. There’s nothing to be ashamed about being one of those. However, by improving your craft, you’ll eventually start to make a name and following for yourself.