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.

1. Presentation ? do you have something interesting, inspiring, and useful to share with audiences? Be mindful of your voice (keep it deep and low pitched), your personality and attitude (positive), your tone (soft, loud. Encouraging as needed), your style, your vocabulary.

2. Connection ? how quickly do you get to the core of your audience's problems and challenges? Skip what is between their ears and go straight to their hearts.

3. Passion ? do you love what you do? Develop a niche or specialty that you truly enjoy ? and are good at.

4. Network ? enhance your speaking career by networking with 50 or more other speakers. They become your referral sources. Join the National Speakers Association ? a 4,000 member organization that holds conferences and has local chapters to help you with your marketing skills and networking. Call 480-968-2552 (Arizona)

5. Products ? write a book, booklet(s), create audio tapes, video tapes, CD/ROM. Having products will catapult your speaking career and make you more valuable to your clients. This "passive" income is like having frosting on the cake.

6. Value added ? become known as a value added speaker. Provide handouts, attend the cocktail reception before your program, stay after your speech, offer follow-up teleclasses, offer your consulting services, be a facilitator.

7. Hire a Coach ? The Olympic Games remind us that a world-class athlete is surrounded by a number of people whose function is to keep him/her on track. No serious athlete or professional speaker would expect to progress very far without a COACH.

©2004 by Sandra Schrift. All rights reserved

Publishing Guidelines: You are welcome to publish this article in its entirety, electronically, or in print fre*e of charge, as long as you include my full signature file for ezines, and my Web site address (http://www.schrift.com) in hyperlink for other sites. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to sandra@schrift.com Thank you.

About The Author

Sandra Schrift 13 year speaker bureau owner and now career coach to emerging and veteran public speakers who want to "grow" a profitable speaking business. I also work with business professionals and organizations who want to master their presentations.

To find out How to Become a Highly Paid Professional Speaker, go to http://www.schrift.com/ProfessionalSpeaker/

Do you have a question about your speaking skills or presentations? I will answer your top question at: "Ask Coach Sandra" http://www.schrift.com/ask/

Join my free bi-weekly Monday Morning Mindfulness ezine http://www.schrift.com/monday.htm

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Speakers Learn How to Define Your Niche

This is one of the hardest things speakers have to... Read More

Ten Speech Tips for Writing Powerful and Persuasive Presentation

Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember... Read More

Public Speaking Tips

1. No speech is ever perfect. Perfectionism creates more fear.... Read More

How to Write and Deliver an Outstanding Speech - Using the PEPP Talk Forumla

I learned my craft as a speaker a long time... Read More

How To Use Microphones

Microphones are designed to help your voice, not replace it.... Read More

Ten Steps to Fearless Public Speaking

There is plenty of dubious material which suggests you can... Read More

A Perfect Meeting: AKA When You Dont Want to Strangle the Speaker

Have you ever worked for weeks or even months, often... Read More

Be a Guest Speaker and Attract Business

Being a guest speaker in front of the right audience... Read More

Conversationally Speaking

"Would you like to say a few words?" How many... Read More

Top 7 Steps to Better Public Speaking

Whether you want to be a part time, full time... Read More

Knowing Your Boundaries

While delivering a speech, it is clear that we will... Read More

Fear

FearOf what am I afraid, you ask. Of myself, I... Read More

The Porch Light* Method to Speaking Confidence

You know the feeling. Looking out at a sea of... Read More

How Well Do You Speak?

The ability to speak well can enhance your career, clinch... Read More

Public Speaking - How to Make Your Next Speech Count

Along with the opening two minutes of a speech, the... Read More

Lessons in Love for the Shy at Heart

One of the biggest regrets of my life is that... Read More

Public Speaking Tips: The More You Know, The More It Will Flow - Tips For Knowing Your Audience

The more you know about your audience, the better your... Read More

How To Start With Public Speaking

I don't know how many books, articles, manuals and scripts... Read More

15 Tips For Making A Great Speech

1. Listen to your internal dialog. 2. Visualize a positive... Read More

Get Speaking

On a recent Sunday evening, I watched a friend 'graduate'... Read More

Getting on the Speakers List

How do you get your name on a speakers list?Speaking... Read More

Conquer Presentation Anxiety: Olympic Athletes Show Us How

Whether going for the gold or giving a presentation, the... Read More

Let Your Products Sell Your Name: For Public Speakers

Wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to be... Read More

Youre Making Me Nervous

Almost everybody is nervous when they stand up to speak.... Read More

The Ten Ps of Dealing with Questions

Presenters and those making speeches will frequently be faced with... Read More

How to Use your Inner Circle

Who do you know that knows that you speak?There is... Read More

Speech Writing Secrets Of President Bill Clinton

Speaking in public can be a powerful way to build... Read More

Get Real

Humans are born storytellers, but our education system doesn't help... Read More

How To Write Powerful Presentations, Speeches And Talks

Most of us get nervous about making a speech, whether... Read More

Make The Most of Examples and Stories

Examples and stories can bring your presentations alive. They can... Read More

Earn Your Cs as A Speaker

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had some good advice for the public... Read More

Speaker Partnership Offers Trade Show Value

Want to gain added exposure at a trade show? Consider... Read More

Poised for Success: How Developing Self-Awareness Can Improve Your Presentations

There are a number of factors that determine how your... Read More