Have the Confidence to Become a Professional Speaker
Have you ever listened to a professional speaker at a conference, church or workshop and been so inspired you’ve thought to yourself, “I wish I could do that!”
If you’ve ever had the thought or desire to become a professional speaker yourself, I encourage you to seriously sit with the idea for a moment. Allow yourself to explore this exciting possibility without fear getting in the way.
There are professional speakers for just about any subject or area of expertise you can imagine from overcoming adversity to opening your own business; raising a family to build a brand; finding God to finding one’s voice. Although professional speakers vary in terms of the thousands of different topics they focus on, they are identical in one trait: confidence. They each believed that they had a message to share with the world that was important, unique and needed to be heard.
Where did that confidence come from? Some may have been born or raised with it and others may have developed it over time or rather quickly. If you have a topic or story you’re passionate about sharing with the world, but the only thing holding you back is confidence, you can obtain it too. The key is to believe your story and voice matter (they do!) and then start small.
Your first professional speaking gig doesn’t have to be in front of hundreds of people. It doesn’t even have to be in front of people at all. If you are extremely nervous about speaking, try speaking about your passion in front of your pets or in the mirror. Once you’ve gotten your story down ask close trusted friends or family members to be your audiences. From there, expand to larger (but still small) friendly groups you know, like your prayer group or group of book club friends. Listen to the feedback of these groups and grow from it.
Ultimately, you’ll be ready to speak in front of a small group containing strangers and then many small groups containing strangers. The groups will grow and your confidence will get bigger with each one. Finally, you’ll reach a point (after many free speaking gigs) where you’ll feel prepared and confident enough not only to speak but to charge for your words.
Another excellent way to gain the confidence to become a professional speaker is to find a mentor. Not only will learning from a seasoned professional speaker help you hone your own voice and skills, but will allow you to network. Many professional speaking opportunities come about through networking. A speaker may be contacted by an interested organization and not be the right fit or already be booked on the day the group needs – if this speaker knows and respects you, they may pass your name along instead.
How do you find a mentor? Don’t be afraid to reach out to speakers that have inspired you along your journey to consider professional speaking. Most professional speakers would be flattered to receive a heartfelt note or email telling them their story has made a difference in someone’s life and may be willing to sit down or chat further. You can also find a mentor through the National Speakers Association, Toastmasters International or alumni groups through your college or sorority.
Hiring a coach can help you accelerator your speaking success. As a coach, I enjoy helping women position themselves as an expert, excel on the platform and get paid their worth.
When it comes down to it, becoming a professional speaker isn’t about having a certain degree or job title. It is not about needing to look like a superstar on stage or being a certain age. It’s about having a story and voice that’s moving and the confidence to share it with others. The mere fact you’ve read this whole blog entry tells me you have that story and voice, now start claiming that confidence and take action to become a professional speaker.
