So you’re in charge of finding a public speaker to teach you and your fellow tech entrepreneurs a thing or two about starting a business. It’s difficult enough to start a business as it is, but now you have to find a paid international speaker who’s good at what they do!
Fortunately, a lot of public speakers today have clips of their prior speaking engagements posted online, which means that you can get an idea of what you’ll be getting before you actually pay to have the public speaker give you advice. But still, there’s a difference between watching someone on video and seeing them speak in real life.
In order to know that you’ll be getting the most out of your paid international speaker, there are a few characteristics that you should look for. Every public speaker is going to be different — and, of course, not every public speaker is going to be an expert on tech entrepreneurship. But there are a few things that all good public speakers have in common. Let’s dive into them below.
1. Confidence
A lot of paid international speakers have amazing credentials that they can offer when beginning their speaking engagements. But going through a list of achievements and credentials isn’t going to motivate listeners. In order for you and the people around you to feel like you can trust the speaker you’re listening to, they need to have confidence. This is something inherent to great public speakers and you’ll be able to see it when you’re looking at example clips.
Confident speakers often have smiles on their faces and speak openly. They don’t stumble through their speeches, but at the same time, they do not seem overly rehearsed. They are also able to take questions freely, which is a major benefit if you’re seeking tech entrepreneur resources from a paid international speaker. Make sure that the person you’re hiring is confident in themselves and their message. Their belief in themselves will help you believe in them, in turn.
2. Self-Awareness
At the same time, you don’t want to work with someone who is so overly confident that they come off like a slick used car salesman. A good public speaker will be self-aware and will acknowledge where they lack knowledge. If someone asks your speaker a question about food industry entrepreneurship when they are a tech entrepreneur, the speaker should not pretend that they know the answer.
Additionally, this kind of humble attitude makes it easier for people to relate to speakers. Everyone fails when starting up as an entrepreneur; if a speaker does not have a story of failure to go along with all of their wins, then it might be harder for listeners to relate to them. Additionally, speakers need to think about how they can improve their speeches. When you look at an older clip of someone speaking, you should get something even better from the engagement you pay for. An estimated three out of four people suffer from speech anxiety, which means that a lot paid international speakers probably have suffered from speech anxiety in the past, too. It’s all about improvement!
3. Engagement
We’ve spoken a couple of times about answering questions from the audience. This type of engagement is important. The last thing you want is a public speaker that just talks at their audience without any engagement. Good speakers will not only take questions from their audience but will ask questions, as well.
When people are able to engage with their public speakers, they often learn more. Rather than going off of a prepared speech alone, speakers can provide information pertaining to specific circumstances. This can be hugely helpful for all involved.
4. Individuality
You don’t want a canned public speaker. Look for someone who speaks about their personal experience with entrepreneurship, as well as their life. When people are more personal and aren’t afraid to share what makes them unique, it’s easier for listeners to feel connected to them and heed their advice.
Everyone is going to have different tastes for public speakers. But if you pay attention to the prior work done by the person you’re hiring, you could find a gem who’s perfect for your purposes.
