Wowsers. I just realised this morning that I’ve been speaking from stage for around 10 years now!

Apart from making me feel quite old it also reinforces just how much experience I’ve had on the speaking circuit . . . I’ve spoken on other people’s stages, I’ve run my own highly successful events, I’ve even put on my own multi-speaker event . . . and during this time I’ve seen a lot of strange things.

But the strangest thing of all is not what actually happens on stage . . . it’s the myths and perceptions that everyone else has about public speakers!

Today, I’m going to dive into them and dismantle them one by one!

Here are four common, and untrue myths.

Myth #1: You have to be educated to become a public speaker

Although education is a great asset, it is not a requirement if you want to start speaking from stage. Yes, a high educational qualification may appeal to some audiences but it all depends on your niche. If your market is academic, then a good educational background can pull interest from buyers.

But the truth is most of the market does NOT demand a highly educated speaker. A lot of public speakers don’t have college degrees and yet still make large amounts of money selling from stage. . .

In some niches, blue collar speakers with little or even no education may possess more mass appeal because the audiences can more easily relate to them.

Tip: As a speaker, remember you must inspire and motivate your audience to take action with you. If you have a lack of higher education and yet have achieved professional and financial success – then this is a very inspiring premise indeed.

Myth #2: You have to possess the gift of speaking in order to stand up in front of people to speak

Public speaking is a skill and just like any skill, it can be developed and practiced. There are formulas that anyone can use to create great speeches . . . all you need is a message and the willingness to deliver that message to your audience. . . .
. . . Then after a few tweaks, revisions, and rehearsals; you can present a knockout speech even without the possessing the “gift of speech”.

Tip: Technique and practice are the key factors in improving public speaking skills. Dedicate yourself to the art of practice . . . and greatness awaits you.

Myth #3: You have to be different or change who you are to speak

Many people will often say that a career in public speaking will make you fake, somewhat pretentious and change your personality.

If this is the case, public speaking seems like very hard work but in reality, you do not have to change in order to become a speaker!

Great speakers are individuals who stay true to their characters, including their weaknesses and idiosyncrasies. It makes them human.

Tip: Always be authentic when you are speaking from stage. Audiences are far more perceptive than you realise and will soon pick up if you are putting on an act. Just be yourself, that’s all you need to do and you’ll be surprised at how quickly people warm to you.

Myth #4: You have to work hard to be a public speaker

This can be rather subjective. Yes, it can be hard work if your heart is not into it. Any endeavour without passion is not an easy task. However, if you are really committed to the career and loving it, it won’t matter, will it?

Moreover, once you get the hang of it public speaking will come naturally to you.

Tip: If you love speaking or you’re passionate about your topic, then speaking from stage will be like a hobby for which you’re getting paid!

So this week, I suggest you sit down and make a list of all the myths or fears you have around public speaking or selling from stage . . . take the time to really get them off your chest. When your fears are on paper they won’t seem as scary any more and you’ll see them for the myths they really are! Remember, you don’t get anywhere in life without taking action so why not get out there and get yourself on a stage or a webinar soon!

Did you know the one secret ingredient that can make or break an effective and profitable presentation?

Luckily it’s an ingredient all of us have but sadly not of all us use effectively.

What is that ingredient?!

It’s your voice!

Take a moment now to recognize the power that your voice has to impact another human being. Now take another moment to see how your voice can also help create emotional change in another human.

And what happens when we create change in another?

It can lead to transformation and as such, this can generate more sales if your product or service assists in that journey.

The 3 keys to using your voice dramatically

Creating emotion with the intention of making sales from speaking has a few key elements that cannot be missed.

These are:

1. Awareness
2. Intention
3. Vocal strength and flexibility

1. Awareness

   It has been said that the words that we choose are only 7% of the message that we communicate. 38% of our message is due to our tonality, and 55% of it is due to our physiology, our physical action.
   So over a third of your outcome depends on your voice.

   Create awareness of your own voice and use it dramatically.

   Listen to how you use your voice, listen to the vocal range that you have.

   Start to listen to other people’s voices, how they use them, and then start to bring awareness to the extremes that you use in your own voice. Do you have extremes or is it all flat lining?

   You will make more sales from stage AND make it easier to listen to you if you can work on your voice variation.

2. Set the intention

   These are the intentions you will want to set if you want to make more sales from stage:

   • That you will start to expand your vocal range
   • You will create moods with your voice
   • You will carry your confidence in your voice
   • And that your voice will take people on an emotional journey.



3. Vocal Strength and Flexibility

   If you start to learn how to use your voice in a powerful manner, then you’ll find that it will be more powerful for longer, and you will be able to preserve and conserve your voice. You want to use your voice in such a way that it touches the hearts and minds of the people in your audience and thus create more sales from speaking.

Don’t Be Just Comfortable . . . Be Memorable!

If you’re committed to becoming, not just a profitable speaker, but also a memorable speaker, then the next step is to get masterful with your voice.

Be the sort of person that when people leave the room they continue to talk about you, not just because of your content, but because of your style, your charisma and your ability to take them on an emotional journey.

And be the sort of speaker that makes massive money from stage!

So, What’s Next?

Well, my suggestion is for you go to have a little bit of fun this week . . . and go see a high drama movie. Here’s an opportunity for you to listen to the way these highly trained actors use their voice to create mood. Notice the high, the loud, the soft, notice the pace changes, notice the volume changes.

So I want you to spend the whole time listening to people with a new intention and then see how you can utilize this in your next speaking gig to make more sales.

And remember, have fun!

I believe that one of the best presentation skills you can have is the ability to deliver “effective presentations”. These are the kind of presentation that don’t just inform, but involve, inspire and move people to action.

A core part of moving people to action is that you have to prove and back up your points and arguments. There are various presentation skills that will support you in this- use testimonials, quotes, stories and so on. But we all know that “STATISTICS DON’T LIE!”

So it’s a great idea to use statistics in your presentation. However this needs to be done with a certain level of skill and aplomb so here are some guidelines.

Statistics as a Presentation Skill

1. Do not overwhelm people with all the statistics in one part of your presentation. There is such a thing as too much data! Try to restrict it to 3 stats at a time, and then some qualitative information, or stories.
2. It’s a good idea to mention the source for data. We know that the more legitimate your sources are, the more credibility you will have; and therefore the more power your presentation will have.
3. Back up statistics with personal stories or stories of clients that further demonstrate the point your statistics make. Generalizations are great and can hold power, but people will remember the specifics of stories.



4. Make any numbers “real life”. This is one of the best presentation skills you can develop. For instance you might say “In the year 10,000 B.C., there were only 5 million people sharing 57,268,900 square miles of land- imagine that! The current population of Sydney spread out over the entire planet! My how we’ve grown!”

Don’t avoid statistics because you think they may be boring. They can be really influential and quite exciting if used in the right way. What’s more, when people “see the proof” they are more likely to act! And having people take action is the best presentation skill you can ever learn.

As I recently ran an evening networking event in London I thought today’s post would be a great reminder of how to get the most out of any business event you attend.

So why should you make the effort to attend a business event?

There are 4 main reasons.

1. You can learn new skills
2. You can network with potential JV partners or colleagues
3. You can  get inspired for re-energizing your business
4. Or, if you are thinking about changing your corporate hat for an entrepreneurial one, an event is a great place to get ideas for starting off quickly and profitably.

Weekend events (such as my recent Professional Speaker’s Summit, my 3-day Presentation Profits Intensive or my upcoming Seminar Business School, are an investment in yourself and your business – one that you can easily offset with new contacts, strategies, and tools to boost your bottom line.

So next time you go to a business event, consider these top strategies to get the most from your experience well before you head out the door:

Research topics & speakers:

Always check out the website’s agenda or sales page for the event. If it’s a multi-speaker event, make a note of  who will be speaking and what the topics are.  Perhaps even go to their individual websites to find out more about them and how they can help your business. By doing your homework, you’ll be better informed, and be in the best position to get what you need from the training.

Know your business strengths and weaknesses:

As a speaker, you shine on stage and are an expert at selling your products or services. Or maybe you’re an ace networker and a dab hand at putting together a team . However, you also want to be aware of the areas where you need development, such as online marketing, the techie stuff, copywriting, etc. Before you attend any event, take a moment to consider what your current business strengths and weaknesses are.  This will then help you raise your awareness to what the event will present – either in terms of the content from stage or the people you meet!

Know your figures!

If you meet a potential joint venture partner, you may want to have a few relevant figures handy like your gross revenue or list size.  Be specific about your list – is it UK based, worldwide, what is the gender split, approx age etc.  Have your forecasts for next year handy as well.

Connect with your fellow attendees before and after

Seek out Facebook event pages or forums that have been created for your event. In our case, you can connect via either my Shift Speaker Training Facebook page or by Twitter. It’s a great way to virtually meet your fellow attendees before the event, so when you do meet in person, you’ll be best friends! Keep an eye out for any hashtags after the event Tweetups — impromptu gatherings of Twitter users — or better yet, organize one yourself.

Be alert for strategic alliances.

If you are just starting out in your business, you may want to form strategic alliances. For example, web designers and copywriters work hand-in-hand and refer each other clients. Consider what professions are your natural match, have them in mind, and you’ll be surprised how many of them you’ll meet at the event.

Plan your travel

If you are traveling from overseas, arrive at your event destination a day or two early to relax, get acclimated, get in the same time zone, and get accustomed to your surroundings. Stay at the hotel where the event is held to save time going from your room to the event, save money on car rental or cab fare, and increase your potential for connecting with other event attendees. (Your room is also a great place to get a little privacy and get a breather, so it’s nice when it’s close by.)

Dress for success.

For most events, business casual is the stated attire, but think about stepping it up a notch.  You’re representing you, your business, and your brand, and the better you look and feel, the more people will notice you and find you approachable.

Come prepared

You’re just about ready, but here are a few more must-haves: an empty water bottle for being “green” while you travel, a jacket, pashmina or coat in case the room gets cold, a few of your favorite health bars or snacks, and a method for jotting down lots of notes (I always suggest buying a special journal and pen for the occasion!) and your all-important follow-up list of action items when you get back home. Of course you’ll want to bring a stack of memorable business cards!

Be clever and memorable.

Do you have any event tips to add to this list? I’d love to hear more.

Oh my Gosh, if I had a cent (or a penny) for every time someone asked me ‘how’ to speak on stage . . . I’d be living on the Bahamas and swinging in my hammock on a daily basis.

(And perhaps supping the odd cocktail . . .)

So enough already!

Because get this – I’m not so concerned with the ‘how’ to speak but much more so with the ‘why’ to speak on stage.

And the absolute number one key to speaking on stage  is  . . .

Passion.

Listen very carefully because this is probably the most powerful piece of advice I can give to new speakers – Follow Your Passions!

When I am stood up  on stage I always try to speak from the heart and connect with the audience in this heart-felt way.  And funnily enough, when I bring my heart into my speaking, it always follows that my sales increase!

But get this – I don’t speak from my heart to create more sales. That’s counter-intuitive. Selling more is just a byproduct of what happens when you are passionate about what you do.

Bring Your Heart Into Your Sales
Think about it.  Children are some of the best sales people around, not because they know all the tips and tricks on creating a masterful close, but because they are undeniably passionate about their view point and their outcome.  They will not take no for an answer and they are not afraid to show it.

Likewise your passion for your product, service or message will shine through over and above any techniques you learn.  I’m not saying don’t learn the techniques:  you must.  But technique without passion is fruitless.

Passion on stage comes from being passionate about what you do in life.

The Attractor Factor
In the Attractor Factor, Dr. Joe Vitale cites a study where a group of 1500 people were given the option of joining two groups.  Group A was a group of people who were going to pick a career they believed was going to be a practical way to make a lot of money and then they were going to follow their passions after they made enough money.

1255 people joined Group A.

Group B was a group of people who were going to pick a career that they were interested in and passionate about and just trust that the money would come.  Only 245 people joined Group B.

20 years later there were 101 millionaires out of the 1500 people who signed up for the study.  100 of the millionaires came from group B, the group of people who followed their passions and just trusted that the money would come.

Only 1 out of the 1255 people who picked a career because they believed it was a practical way to make a living actually became a millionaire.

This study shows that you do not need to have a plan or know how you are going to make money by following your passion.  All you need to do is to follow your passion.  Remember the great Dr. Martin Luther  King Jr. said,

“I have a dream! . . .”

He did not say:

“I have a plan.”

The Key
Discover what you are passionate about.  You may already know this exactly.  What is it that lights you up?  How can you use this to inform your sales presentations? Try asking yourself some of the following questions to connect with your passion:

·    What did you love to do as a child?
·    What do you love about your product or service?
·    Why do you want the world to know about it?

Passionate Summary
If there’s one thing that’s clear from this . . . it’s that living from your heart-felt passion will not only give you a sense of purpose in your career – and on stage – but it will also attract more abundance to you!

The thing is it takes courage to follow your passions and just trust that the money will come.  But having been both a speaker and an audience member, believe me when I say, there’s no more compelling call to action from an audience’s perspective than watching someone come from a place of true authenticity, love and passion.  You simply shine like a lighhouse and everyone wants to be in your beam.

So, forget about getting ‘it’ right next time you speak, just try connecting more with your passions in your next presentation and see the magical effect this has . . . .

This week it’s all about image.

You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover

When it comes to speaking, we like to think that what we say and how we say it is more important than what we look like and how people see us. . .

But the truth is that people do judge us by our appearance and by our offstage behavior.

When you are portraying an image that fits in with your brand, you will have the audience in a place where they’re going to be very receptive to what it is that you’re talking about.

Your Brand: What Everything You Do Says About You

The most important thing in terms of making the right first impression is brand.  How do you decide what your personal brand is going to be?  Well, it takes a bit of research and it takes a bit of digging.

But here are  some simple things that you can do first:

Personal Research

Research the brands that you are attracted to is the first step in recognizing your brand. What brands do you like, what brands do you resonate with?  What brands will accurately represent the image that you want to have?

When you start to get clearer in that, you can get some clarity around how you’re going to position yourself.

Magazine Research

Grab all different kinds of magazines: lifestyle, beauty, business. Go through and tear out images that speak to your values and your brand. Create a “Brand Board” around what look and feel you want to project into the marketplace based on images. Then create a list of value words around those images.

Words that Define Your Brand

So for us, that is Shift Lifestyle, and the words that define our brand are fun, anything is possible, looking for the bigger pie, contribution, lifestyle, freedom, and a myriad of other words.  And around these words that’s the brand we created.

Your Dress and Image

What you wear is going to be influenced by your brand.  You rarely see Richard Branson wearing anything other than a sweater, a pullover, a jumper and looking unshaven with unkempt hair. He’s got that relaxed look around him at all times. That’s his style.

On the flip side, you never see the royal family, for instance, wearing anything other than expensive tailored suits.  There’s a certain look and feel to what you wear if you’re a royal.

It’s the same for a speaker. When you start your speaking career you need to choose your brand. And then everything you wear onstage and off needs to reflect your brand.  So you need to get really clear about that.

Your clothes = Your Brand

Get Stylish!

So this week, have a think about your personal brand.  Who is it you would like to model?  Create a ‘brand board’ and look at the words which describe your brand.  Also look at what it is you are wearing onstage and make sure that your clothing backs up your brand.  And remember, have fun!

Sales.

What does that word mean for you?

Think about it.  Does it have a more positive or negative association for you? (For a lot of people, it’s negative!)

Now see yourself standing on stage, speaking in front of an audience of people and selling YOUR products or services.

Combine sales with public speaking and we have the perfect recipe for people being deep in their s***!

So let’s look at the 4 common fears around selling from stage and more importantly how you can overcome them!!!

4 Fears Which Stop You From Speaking On Stage

1.  You Don’t Know How.
If you are not currently achieving at the level you wish to, it is either because (a) you simply need more practice, or (b) there are unconscious issues limiting you.

2.  You Have A Personal Bias or Negative Belief Systems Around Sales
These include negative emotional responses, or belief systems around selling.  If you believe that “selling is bad” then you will not sell as well as you could.

Also, if you have seen selling from stage done badly in the past, then you will be biased against doing it. Some “purists” think that selling as a speaker is not what speaking is all about.  I disagree.  I believe ALL COMMUNICATION IS SALES.  No matter if you’re talking to your wife, son, friend or client, we’re always selling our attitudes, beliefs and ideals.

3.  You Have Unconscious, Unresolved Stuff Around Money
Beliefs like “money is the root of all evil” or that “money stinks” etc will stop people from being able to sell effectively.  If you have issues with being deserving or that money is not good- then this will be communicated energetically when you make sales from stage.

4.  Fear!

It doesn’t matter if its

o      fear of failure

o      fear of speaking

o      fear of success

o      fear of being found out

o      fear of doing a bad job

o      fear of being judged

o      fear of not making sales.

ALL or ANY of these common fears will stop you from being able to really confidently present your information and ask people to take action at the end.

It’s now time to get honest and discover whether your mindset is set up in the most powerful way for you to succeed.

Now let’s look at how to overcome these fears to make you as successful and as abundant as you deserve to be:

5 Step Plan For Overcoming Fears

1. Let go of Fears From the Past
   There are many techniques for removing blockages and fears.  Shop around and see which one fits for you.
2. Be prepared
   To this day I still get nerves but it helps that I talk about something I know.  Stick to your area of expertise – it will reduce the nerves.
3. Use a Proven System
   With a proven system you don’t have to worry if it’s going to turn out wrong.
4. Give Yourself Positive Suggestions
   It’s vital that you give yourself POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS.  And do visual rehearsal.  Prepare and rehearse the presentation step by step in your mind.  That will get you in the right frame of mind to deliver an awesome presentation and to make the sales that you want.

Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway!

Don’t let your fears be the reason you don’t get out there and give these things a shot.  You will always have doubts and reservations about things, but let that be the reason to get out there and do it; rather than stopping you.  Leaving your comfort zone can be a scary thing but until you actually start, you will never really learn these tools.

You will never do it perfectly, I have never done it perfectly and I doubt I ever will. There’s always more to learn – but the fastest way to learn is to do!!