If you have been working in your industry for some time, chances are you are looking to take that next step in your career where you establish yourself as an expert. Generally speaking, this means that you will be publishing books and speaking on stages at major conferences where you will be sharing your advice.
If you have not done much public speaking in your life, then there are going to be some basic skills you will need to start practicing. Here are some valuable tips you can use to kick off your career as a business conference speaker:
Develop Your Communication Skills
In order to position yourself as a recognized business speaker, you need to be an excellent communicator who can seamlessly convey your thoughts. When you know the does and don’ts of basic interpersonal communication skill and make your counterpart(s) friendly toward you, that is when you have mastered this very important skill. And it usually does not start with speaking, as most people would have it.
Having the ability to instantly build trust and rapport with your audience is going to be essential skill if you want to earn peoples respect and keep their attention. When a speaker steps on stage, you only have about seven seconds to grab their attention. While your topic will play a big role in deterring whether or not you will keep the audiences attention, your ability to connect with them quickly will also play a big factor.
Topics to Talk about
While it might seem obvious that you will want to talk about what you know, crafting your topic is a very important ingredient in becoming a successful business speaker. You need to be able to match your expertise with what the audience actually want to know.
For example, you might be an expert at marketing strategies, scaling businesses, or managing a tight budget. Whatever your topic you decide to settle on, you need to ask yourself this question: What does my audience really want to know? What is the one key takeaway that I can offer them that will truly transform their business?
Preparation is Vital
Presenting is a skill that has to be learned like any other like swimming, riding a bicycle or rollerblading. One of the key elements of being successful is to prepare meticulously and even that needs to be learned and practiced systematically; then evaluated and improved again.
Things that you will constantly be working on include writing your speech out, developing your slides, improving upon your voice, timing, delivery, gestures, and much more. The truth is that many people see speakers up on stage and think it does not look hard. When it reality, what you are not seeing is the hundreds (yes hundreds) of hours of preparation.
Fit and Healthy; Important Tips on Public Speaking
“As a public speaker you better take care of your health and fitness” says Steve Adams of MotivationPing.com. “You want to look your best and perform without difficulties on the stage. Running and working out are not only good for your physique, they also help you keep your mind sharp.”
If you are not confident in yourself, do something that you have never done before, something that is maybe a bit crazy, out of your league but it has to be fun and exciting. Achieving something that you thought was impossible will increase your belief in yourself. Try rollerblading for health, shape, balance, speed, and lots of entertainment. Do it in a group or with family, to enjoy it even more.
Get Rid of Annoying Body Movements
Record your speech or presentation with a video camera. Play back in fast forward and observe your body. Are you repeating certain movements that detract your audience? Are your hands in your pockets often? Do you pace and make your audience dizzy? Watch carefully then start practicing your presentation without these movements, one by one.
Speaking and Retirement
After having worked for many years in a particular industry or job, you most probably have accumulated a vast body of experiences, stories and skills. Are you nearing retirement and thinking of: “What will come next?” Transfer your vast knowledge to the younger generation by becoming an expert speaker. This could be a natural development of your life. You do not even have to wait until you give up work; you can start by speaking for free and honing your skills now. Consider these tips on public speaking as you develop your next career as a business speaker.