By: Trina Johnson
You don’t have to be a celebrity. You don’t have to be the most knowledgeable or have the most charisma in the world to be a dynamic speaker. What you need is a message others want to hear, confidence in yourself, and a little bit of business smarts.
Here’s a solid 5-step formula to get you on stage.
Acronym: S-P-E-A-K
S – Select a Problem to Solve – be specific, know why it is a problem for your audience. What are the common causes, what are the common symptoms/results they experience because they have this problem. What are their pain points?
P – Prepare Your Talk – Identify the problem – remind them of the pain points – and explain the causes. Then offer the solution, use an illustrative story of someone or group who has used your solution and gotten the result the audience wants. Offer your solution at least three times in three different ways.
Practice, practice, practice
E – Establish Yourself as an Expert – build your credibility. Create a personal brand. Start posting regularly about your selected problem and your solutions. Blog, guest-blog, or write articles about your audience’s problems and your solutions. Become known for your ability to solve your audience’s problem. Create a professional one-sheet and brochure highlighting your ability to solve problems. You do NOT have to highlight credentials (but if you have them, then of course use them). You want to focus on what results you bring to the table. KEY POINT: You do not need to know everything – you just need to know more than your audience.
A – Acquire Speaking Gigs – it doesn’t matter how big the audience. It doesn’t matter if it’s volunteer, paid, or if you pay to get on the stage. Just get on stage. Work on developing a long list of speaking engagements. Take every opportunity you can to be visible on a stage.
Attend events where decision-makers are also attending. Think about ROI (return on investment). Would it make sense to pay $300 to attend a conference where 1,000 non-profit executive directors would be present if you could walk away with 20 solid non-profit contacts? And if those 20 contacts led to 5 speaking gigs where you could enroll 8 clients which would each pay you $1,000 each? Do the math. Would you spend $300 if you could end up with $8,000 or more in your pocket? Do not be afraid to invest.
K – Know When to Expand – At the beginning, concentrate on becoming known for one specific problem and solution. But once your audience has devoured that solution, they are going to want more. So what’s your next step? Expand your offerings. Start with offering a one-to-one solution, then add an online Do-It-Your-self option or group. Write a book or workbook to offer. Offer advanced, intensive high-dollar one-on-ones. Expand strategically. Ask your best clients what else they want from you and give it to them.
Don’t let your fear of public speaking hold you back from sharing your message with the world. Everyone in the audience is just like you. Your message is too important to keep it to yourself. So get up on stage!
Katryna Johnson, J.D., aka Trina, owns Mirelli Entrepreneur Training for Women. Her passion for helping women came from seeing her law clients broken and demoralized after divorce. She helps women build confidence, take responsibility, and launch businesses. She wholeheartedly believes women who help other women succeed will change the world. Find out more at www. MirelliETC.com