Public speaking is the most common fear in the United States. However, If you’re the type who’s capable of speaking your mind without becoming overly stressed or embarrassed, then public speaking can be a great opportunity.
This is especially true if you have a great story to tell and a great way to tell it. Of course, there’s more to being an international speaker than that, and we’ll go into more detail below.
Find the Message
Before you can become a motivational speaker, you’ll have to look through the story you want to tell and find what it’s about. Sure, on some level you know what the story is about, but look deeper.
What messages are hidden there? What lessons can be learned from the story? Ideally, you’ll need to be able to boil this all down to one sentence and don’t just use an old adage. Come up with something original.
Finally, that lesson has to come with dedication. If you don’t firmly believe in what you’re saying, nobody else will, either.
Stay Positive
It doesn’t matter where you come from, whether you are an abuse survivor, a former drug addict, an ex-con, or a disabled veteran, you all have one thing in common–nobody wants to listen to you complain for an hour.
Sure, you’ve been through some horribly traumatic things, and your story is bound to be inspirational, but it’s all about the delivery. It’s perfectly fine to be somewhat dramatic, and you should definitely emphasize the importance of the issue you faced, but don’t take yourself too seriously.
Learn to laugh at things. Laughter may not be the best medicine, but it’s definitely the best therapy. Think back to a bad day, some of the worst days of your life even. You probably used humor to get through it or use humor now to keep from dwelling on it, or to help cope with it.
Start for Free
If you want to get into this business, you’ll have to offer your first speeches for free. This may seem counter-productive, but it’s necessary when you’re starting out.
Nobody is going to spend money on an unknown. It’s just a bad investment. They’ll gladly try out a speaker if it costs them nothing, and that’s how you get your foot in the door.
Once you’ve done a few free speeches, you can get reviews and testimonials from some of your clients, and that’s how you get a reputation for being a good speaker. That, ultimately, is what will make people willing to pay for you.
The Road to Becoming an International Speaker
Becoming an international speaker isn’t as complicated as it may seem. You essentially just need a good speech and message, and a good way to market them. You’ll need to start from the bottom, working as a volunteer, but soon people will begin to recognize you and vouch for you, and that’s where the paid gigs will start coming in.
If you want to learn more about how public speakers work or how to become a better one, please visit our site. If you want to hire an international speaker, and an awesome one at that, please consider Rafferty Pendery. We promise you won’t be disappointed.
