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!

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 . . . .

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!!

Picture this.  The phone rings and it’s a hotshot speaker on the other end.  Not just that, but she’s someone you’ve admired for ages.  And then . . . she asks YOU to be her MC!

Your heart palpitates and your mouth goes dry.  Could this be true?  You get to share the stage with someone as amazing as her?

Of course you say yes and then do a crazy silly dance around the room to celebrate.

Because being an MC is a great way to get noticed, build up your exposure and get asked back to other stages . . . . next time to speak!

So once the celebrations are over, you’ll be wanting to follow these golden MC rules:

Keep it Brief

Keep your introduction to around one or two minutes long, but not much more than that. The focus is on giving a succinct, punchy intro of the speaker.

Be Enthusiastic!

I always think of myself as the host of the party. Remember to smile and come across as a warm person when introducing speakers.

Know Something About The Speaker’s Subject

Even if it’s something that’s new for you, you still need to understand it enough to be able to convey the information correctly.

Don’t Read Word For Word!

It’s going to sound really boring, really flat, unenthusiastic… and it can also give the impression that you don’t know what you’re talking about – that’s the last thing you want.

The Speaker’s Presentation

Make sure you get really clear on exactly what that is because people need to know what they can expect from the presentation.

Build Credibility Of The Speaker

If the speaker has appeared on television, in the press, or written a book, make sure you include that as part of your introduction. It will capture the attention of the audience. As a MC it’s your job is to boast about the things that the speaker might not boast about themselves.

Don’t Use Slides or Overheads

You need to remember that you’re not the speaker,

you are the facilitator. You’re not the leading act, so don’t try and upstage the speaker or don’t try to steal their thunder. It’s a fantastic idea to include a personal relevance about them that will have the audience receptive to the speaker before they have even got on stage.

Being Professional Is Key

An MC at speaking events is not an invitation to try any stand-up comedy routines! If you’re tying in little personal stories, make sure it’s relevant to the subject and to the audience and it needs to be inspirational, and to build the credibility of the speaker.  Remember the big picture and make sure whatever you do or say serves the overall event.

Now It’s Your Turn, MC!

Now you have all the guidelines for being the most fantastic MC ever, why not go out there this week and try to book yourself as an MC.  You never know what doors it might open…

Emcee or MC . . .  However you choose to spell it isn’t the important part.

The important part is getting the right MC to introduce you in a way which supports you correctly.

In fact, the role of the MC is actually a lot more important than most people would assume. . .

You see, knowing how to introduce a speaker is a learned skill and although it seems very simple and straightforward, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye.

So if you are an MC in the making or if you are looking for an MC for your next presentation . . . read on!

The Purpose of Introductions
There are three main reasons to introduce a speaker correctly. The first is to grab hold of the audience’s attention, the second is to entice the audience to pay attention, and the third is to build up the credibility of the speaker. A successful MC will have the audience wanting to buy from this person even before they’ve stepped onstage.

Profiling The Audience
People who attend seminars come from diverse backgrounds, and have different purposes and reasons for being there.  It’s the job of the MC or the person doing the introduction to pull the audience together to be present and focused.

Engaging The Audience
It’s important also to establish the credibility of the speaker. The MC needs to build the speaker up and make them look fabulous. It’s their role to make the audience to be feeling really, really great and very blessed to have this particular person in front of them. The aim is to get an audience wanting to work closely with the speaker even before they go on stage

Audience
An MC also needs to build rapport with the audience to capture their attention.  They need to let them know what’s coming and why they really should listen to this person.

The Plot
Once the introductions are prepared, you don’t want the MC to just be reading out notes on stage necessarily. As an MC, you need to have the basics written down and an awareness of what key words the speaker wants you to use in their introduction. It’s that information the MC will be using to connect with the audience.

Tell The Audience Who You Are
I see this mistake a lot – the MC will get up and forget to introduce themselves.  If you are the MC, it’s important to tell people who you are and why you’re up on the stage. The only exception to not telling the audience who you are is if it’s all ready been done.

Our Next Speaker Is…
If you’re the MC, make sure before you go on stage that you know the speaker’s name by heart and you know how to pronounce it!  There’s nothing worse than pronouncing a speaker’s name incorrectly.

Go On . . . It’s Your Turn Now!
This week, why not pretend you are MC-ing for another speaker and see you can start to practice the above points. Or if you happen to be at a multi-speaker event check out the MC and see how good a job he/she is doing!

To be continued next week . . .

Erm.  Hang on?  Speak  . . . speak  in public you say?

Let me just swallow my fear and choke on my cornflakes.  You want me to stand up in front of a group of strangers and talk to them?  Like give them a presentation?!

Are you cuh-razy?

I can’t speak in public!

No, I am not crazy.  In fact . . . I am about to offer you the fastest ticket to success you could ever imagine.  You know Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the Golden Tickets . . . well speaking is YOUR golden ticket to success.

Look, I know for most people there might be a few fears to get over (although for the rare few there are none)  . .. but let’s imagine you’re the norm and not the exception and you do have a bit of stuff around speaking in public. That’s ok. Maybe you have a lot of stuff around speaking in public!  Because public speaking is (apparently) the number one fear that most people have.

Which is such a shame!   There are so many benefits to becoming a speaker – for your business, your bank balance, for your lifestyle AND for your own personal confidence – I can’t even cover them all in one mere blog post so I’ve highlighted the top 5 for you!

Read on . . .

The Top Five Benefits Of Public Speaking

1. Increased Self Confidence

Once you have mastered speaking in front on an audience, whether it be in front of a crowd of ten or a crowd of thousands, your confidence levels will go through the roof.  Through the roof ok? Do this, and you can do anything.  Honest.

2. Reach More People

Do you have a vision which is close to your heart, a vision which could shape the world, a vision which could heal?  Yes?  Well stop holding onto it and start sharing it.

Does it make more sense to talk to one person at a time, or a roomful of people?  Which method will spread your vision faster?  Remember, a vision flies when you stand on stage.  You give it wings.

Allow yourself to fly.

3. Make More Sales

Regardless of what you are selling -  your ebook, your 3-day seminar, your coaching or your membership site, you will multiply your sales and in far LESS time when you speak to a hundred people as opposed to  selling one on one.

This is a MASSIVE benefit of public speaking – the opportunity to make more sales in one sitting. It’s call leverage.  And it can make you a lot of money.  Fast.

4. Build Credibility

When you are on stage you become an authority in your field.  People look up to you.  Their opinion on you changes simply because you are standing on stage.  Strange but true!

This credibility will open up more opportunities and earn you more recognition which in turn builds credibility and gets you more opportunities.  It’s a winning cycle.

So time to get on it!

5. Make Big Money

I saved the best benefit for public speaking for last.

Public speaking is one of the easiest and best ways to make money.  Big money.   I’m not suggesting this will happen the first time round (although it can and it does all the time) but if you have researched your market, determined your niche, sent out a compelling message to this market, built a big-pack product and added tonnes of value to it, then why not?

Go On . . . Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway!

So, now you’ve seen the benefits of public speaking, why not go out there and stretch your comfort zone this week?

If you’ve never spoken at an event (but always secretly wanted to), is now the time to book your first one? It doesn’t have to be huge!  A few people is as good as start as any.  Or if you’ve only ever spoken to smaller audiences, could now be the time to step up to the next level?  Or if you’ve spoken to large audiences, what could you do differently that will stretch you this week?

There’s always another step out there.  This week could just be the week to take it.  I dare you.

What’s in your head when you’re on stage?

Are you focused on connecting with your audience and building rapport . . . or . . . are you so consciously aware of everything you’re doing you have an internal dialogue raging in your right ear?

(blah, blah, blah!)

If you’ve done a number of presentations, you will have had the experience of delivering your well-designed “speech” to a few different crowds.

But one thing I have noticed with speakers time and time again is that when they are actually on stage, sometimes their focus is on the wrong place.

• “I stood still most of the time like you say Jo, but at one point I thought I should move around a bit so I did.”
• “When I was building the need I know I said it all wrong and it threw me for the rest of the close.”
• “I didn’t think I was going to remember the questions, but I asked about 4 questions in first 2 minutes is that enough?

What’s Wrong Here?

On the one hand, it is great that people have awareness about what’s happening on the stage. The problem with these speakers was that with further questioning I discovered that while on stage, MOST OF THE TIME they were thinking about what they were doing, and whether they were doing it right!

While you’re busy focusing on whether you’ve asked enough questions, or changed state enough or built enough need, or been clear enough- you are stuck in your head. While you’re stuck in your head you are not doing the one thing that you should do on stage and that is:

Connect With Your Audience!

That is your single biggest and most important job once you get on stage. All you should be focusing on is connecting with them and taking them on a great journey.

That’s it.

Practice Makes Perfect

This is why practice is so important.

When you repeat things and practice things over and over you’ll get them embodied in your unconscious mind so that by the time you are on stage it is a habit. You should not be consciously thinking “I need to cross my arms now” on stage. If you are, you have forgotten your primary purpose for being on the stage.

So here’s how to prepare for your presentations:

Write out your script. It doesn’t have to be word for word ( I never write word for word scripts) but it should have all of the key points you are going to make.

Then practice it.

In fact don’t just practice it once. Practice it several times focusing on different elements each time:

1. Practice for timing
2. Practice for energy management
3. Practice for stage use
4. Practice for sensory based language
5. Practice by taking everything over the top, much bigger than you imagine it should be.

And then pretend you never did any of that. Because you are already perfect, aren’t you?

So on the day of your actual presentation forget about all your practice, and get yourself in the right mindset to connect with your audience. Remember, it’s all about connection. That’s all.

As soon as you hit that platform, focus on being present and connecting with every person in the crowd, and authentically taking them on a journey. Find the yummy moments!

Blah, Blah, Blah. . . . Now It’s Your Turn!

So, this week, forget about getting it ‘right’ on stage. Focus instead on practicing your presentation and then when you’re up there, forget all of this and instead build your connection. And then write in here and tell me about the results…

One of the best public speaking tips I can give you is this  . . .

. . .  always seek feedback!

Remember, when you’re speaking in public, either on stage or during a presentation, the aim is to not just to educate but also to leverage your time and bring in extra sales for your business. Selling 1:100 is much more powerful than selling 1:1 . . .which is why getting feedback on your performance can make all the difference to your bottom line profits.

Therefore, feedback is one of the most vital tools that you have at your disposal. You to have to test and measure everything you do. So, as a business owner, you need to measure every promotion you do. As a speaker, you need to measure every offer that you make. The proof is in the measure of your results.

Feedback on your performance can be measured in the following 4 ways:

1. Money:

The most important measure is from a financial perspective. If you seek out feedback on your presentation you can increase your sales conversion rate from a public speaking engagement.

For example, by seeking the appropriate feedback, instead of closing, say, 30% you may increase your conversion to 35% or 40%. Increasing your conversions means bringing in more money. Thus, your business is more profitable and everybody’s happy.

2. Increasing your memorability:

To be memorable is to increase the impact you make on people’s hearts and minds. Seek feedback on your public speaking skills from your audience about how much they enjoyed your presentation, whether it was easy to digest, and what they remember most.

If they remember you and they love your information then they’ll go out and tell their friends about you. This may lead to a purchase down the road. So it is really important that you’ll always be looking to increase your public speaking skills from an entertainment and education perspective as well.

3. Rapport :

Here’s another great sales tip – increase your level of trust and responsiveness you have with your audience. The level to which your audience wants to be involved is a measure of how they are responding to your presentation. The more rapport you have with people, the more profitable your business will be and the more sales you’ll make.

4. Be Real:

This one is the sales tip overlooked and most important. I believe feedback is widely important because it keeps your feet on the ground. Be open and aware. It keeps bathing you in humility. It’s very easy to lap up the accolades. But you are human. So you do need to keep your feet on the ground and your heart in the right place. I think feedback is a very vital part in keeping one humble.

So remember, feedback is in the form of:

• Your conversion rate = $$

• How you affect the hearts and minds of your audience

• Your rapport with your audience

• Be Real

Now It’s Your Turn!

So this week, why not seek feedback on your presentation. If you don’t have any presentations scheduled, maybe deliver it in front of a colleague or friend, or record it so you can listen to yourself back. Feedback is the most powerful public speaking and sales tip I can give you. Be open enough to receive it.