How To Make Money By Becoming An Effective Speaker

Public Speaking is said to be the number one fear for many people. The thought of standing in front of a crowd and speaking aloud is enough to drive many to feelings of nausea and having weak knees. The fortunate thing about this is that public speaking is a skill that can be learned and mastered. With adequate practice even the introvert can become to most effective speaker.

Having said this, there are also many of us to whom Public Speaking is easy. You are probable one of them. As a child you were talkative and in school you were always the one who were willing to give opinions and share ideas. Even now, you are confortable talking to a group of strangers and cannot phantom the fear that others have to endure in the process of speaking in public.

If you are in this group, you are fortunate. You can make money by talking. You do not need to spend a great amount of money buying equipment or investing in the necessary hardware in order to make money. You are your own money making machine. Imagine that!

You have a skill that is in demand and can allow you to make a tidy some of money in the process. Speakers are in demand everywhere and speakers are paid well for their efforts. How much you make will depend on how good you are in your subject matter, your stage presence, your effectiveness as a speaker and of course the audience’s response to you.

All you need is just to focus on these areas:

You are your biggest obstacle. Any of us cannot comprehend the fact that we are actually talented and that there are actually people out there who would be willing to pay us to hear us speak. To you speaking is something so simple and natural and as far as you are concerned it is no big deal.

Wrong. What you have is something so special that there are many out there who would give an arm and a leg to have your knowledge, your voice and your confidence. So get over the shock and get down to the business of horning your skills.

The biggest failure of most people is recognizing the skills that they have.

Not only do you have to recognize your talent and skills, you also have to acknowledge it. In my experience, people, particularly Asians, tend to feel even embarrassed when complimented of their skills. You are good. Know it and own it.

What is your niche? All of us are good in something or other. Your profession would be a good indicator of where you could start. If you are a teacher, you probably know more about the education system or kids than the man on the street. In fact, what you may take for granted, would be vital information that so many would be will to pay to hear. Just imagine how this kind of information would be received in a Seminar for Parents? Parents would love to hear about the education system and how they can contribute to their children’s education.

Strive to increase your knowledge on your area of expertise. Read everything that you can get your hands on. The Internet is especially vital in keeping you ahead of others in the fields. Be especially on the know of the latest developments and how specific groups of people will be affected or benefit from it.

The more you learn and the more knowledge you gain, the more confident will you become and the more successful will you be as a speaker. Knowledge is power and as a speaker you have to strive to know everything there is to know about your subject matter.

Everyone remembers an effective speaker. An effective speaker is not just one who is able to share his knowledge with his audience but is also one who is entertaining and is able to present his ideas painlessly. Painlessly? Allow me to explain.

Most seminars can be longwinded affairs with the audience restlessly waiting to get out and get home. The minute you begin speaking, you need to get them to sit up, stop fidgeting and learn something new while being entertained. Practice your craft. Tell a few good stories, even crack a few jokes, engage with your audience and while you are doing all this, keep your information coming. Make it fun. Make it easy on the ears and make it easy on the eyes. Dress well. Practice your tone and intonation. You want to be able to reach out to your audience not drive them away.

A successful speaker is well remembered by the audience and the organizers and you will be called to speak over and over again.

Do the necessary research. You have a gift. This is your strength but remember, even the best of speakers have to prepare before an event. Collect all the information you can about your audience. What are their needs? What are they hoping to gain from this seminar? You have to learn to tweak your presentations to suit your audience.

Learn to be versatile and present the same content in different ways. What works with one group of people might fall flat with another. Do the necessary research and present your piece like a professional. Lack of preparation will affect your credibility and will inhibit your ability to engage with the audience. The success of seminar/talk is only determined by how much your knowledge is received and absorbed.

Be well prepared. Know your subject. Know your audience. From this point, learn to relax. Be ready to make any changes in your presentation, your choice of jokes, your punch lines, anything, if you have to. The key to this is confidence. As long as you are well versed in your content, you can do it.

Sometimes, the unexpected happens. There may be the arrival of an unexpected guest of honour that might require an added ounce of formality in your talk. Your slot may be shortened or lengthened. Adjust. Always keep a few tricks up your sleeve. Learn to charm the audience. If you make any mistakes, don’t worry too much. My experience tells me that the audience is usually not even aware of it. Calm down and enjoy yourself.

I know, I initially stated that you will not have to invest money on equipment and hard ware but if you have the money to spare, invest in yourself. Sign up for courses on Public Speaking or become a member of the Toastmasters Club. Learn from others and improve your skills. You would have to spend a certain amount of time in the learning aspect of your profession.

Watch videos and listen to the top presenters in the world. Observe them and pick up certain skills and use them in your own presentations. Read the latest books and improve, improve and improve. Be constantly learning and the sky is your limit.

This stage is vital is getting people to know you and the services that you offer. How much money you make as a Speaker depends on how many people know of you and the services that you provide. In this age of technology you can reach many people if you are willing to make the effort and go that extra mile. You should:

• Use the social media to spread the spread the news.
• Have an website where your services are clearly stated
• Tell you friends, family and associates about your services
• Use email, flyers and even personal visits to let people know what you have to offer

Making money from your voice does not only mean you only have to give presentations. Think out of the box. Think big. You can offer your services for:

Keynote Speaker

If you consider yourself as an authority on a particular subject and have the necessary qualifications in that area, this is the best deal for you. Allow me to explain.

If you have the qualifications in education for children with special needs. You will be able to speak on this subject to parents with such kids. Your knowledge will help them with the many issues that they need help with. Unfortunately, to be a keynote speaker is not something that is going to happen overnight. You need to develop your skills and your reputation before being engaged for this role.

Conducting Seminars

This is usually the space where you begin your career as a Speaker. Seminar, can be short hour long slots or even be longer. It depends on the orginasers and the purpose of the seminars. Sometimes it can be a collaborative effort where two or three speakers are given particular slots to speak about different issues.

Generally payment, is far less than that of a Keynote Speaker but this is a good platform to learn and improve your skills.

Training And Teaching Programs

People need to be trained and their kill improved. Cooperate organizers are often sending their personnel for training on various aspects. This can be on customer relations, management, work ethics and so forth. If you have the skills in these areas, you can offer your services.

Public Speaking Coaching

There are so many folks out there who just wish that they could overcome the fear of public speaking and speak with confidence and poise just like you. All to often we hear of people who are book smart but are unable to convey their ideas effectively. These people could be from all walks of like from students to executives to politicians.

Offer your services. There is a demand for speech coaches. Prepare modules for what you can offer and put these on your website along with the other services mentioned above.

The ability to speak well especially in front of a group of people is a gift. Many find the prospect of doing this frightening and difficult. If you have this gift, use it to inform, to entertain, to teach and above all to make money and pave the way for a better life.