Thinking About Becoming a Speaker? Here are 10 Lessons I've Learned (so far) as a "Professional" Speaker
Chris Heiler | February 4, 2012
I use the term "professional" loosely. I get paid to speak. Do I do it well? I'm okay. I'm not as polished in the delivery as my peers like Jeff Korhan, Jeffrey Scott, or Marty Grunder. But I'll get better. Have you thought about becoming a speaker? You could speak at your local botanical garden, for garden clubs, or at a local garden center. You don't even have to get paid (but hey, if you can make some $$$, all the better). Public speaking is a terrific platform for showcasing your expertise. And it can help generate new leads for your business. If you do want to jump into the speaking arena, learn from my mistakes. I've made a bunch! Here are 10 things I've learned over the past two years as a professional green industry speaker:
1. Don't get flustered by the guy who falls asleep in the back row.
It doesn't mean you suck. The person just doesn't want to be there. Or he didn't drink any coffee at lunch. (At least I hope this is the case!) 2. Just be yourself. Just be authentic and the audience will appreciate it (at least that's what I've been told). Don't try to be like the super-star, big-personality speakers if that's not who you are. 3. Skip all the "thank you's" and "I'm glad to be here's" in the beginning. The audience doesn't care. Just get on with it. Your intro needs to engage the audience, not make them yawn. 4. Don't hide behind a podium. Don't hide behind anything. Let people see all of you. You can't connect with the audience if they can only see half your body. 5. Don't agree to do two original presentations at the same event. That's a preparation nightmare. 6. Don't agree to do two original presentations back to back at the same event. That's an even scarier nightmare. Trust me... 7. Don't be afraid to use notes. If I don't have a presentation totally down (usually the first time I give it) I will typically have notes to refer to. I'd rather a presentation go smoothly with notes in hand then stumble through a presentation looking like an idiot because I didn't want to refer to notes. Use "notes view" in Powerpoint. 8. Don't "over-talk" to the audience. I learned this the hard way. I'm pretty laid back and like to interact with the audience. I once received a couple of bad reviews that said, "the audience seemed to know more than the speaker". Yeah, funny, right? I no longer engage the audience in conversation, especially when Jason Cupp is part of the crowd (had to put that in there, Jason :-). 9. Have a "contribute" mindset. I try not to focus on myself. I try to focus on what I can contribute to the audience in the short period of time I'm fortunate to have with them. It's not about "how well I do" or "what can I sell", it's all about contributing something to the audience and making a difference. 10. Just assume everything is going to go to hell. In other words, plan for the worst. It takes the edge off. I just assume I'm going to say something stupid at some point. I always do. I don't beat myself up over it. I also assume that the audio/visual equipment isn't going to work. Because of this I make sure I can deliver my presentation with or without the supporting Powerpoint.
Can you relate with any of my lessons from above? Do you have any others to share from your experience? Feel free to share below in the comments.
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