The digital entrepreneur

How to Be a Better Public Speaker: A Guide for the Digital Entrepreneur
Feb 4, 2019

Around 73% of the population is terrified of public speaking. Whether for school projects or a work presentation, many people clam up even thinking about talking in front of others.

Are you one of these people?

Even if you have a slight fear of public speaking, you might have a message you feel destined to share with others. Believe in yourself, because it is possible to surpass these fears.

Ready to take your public speaking skills to the next level? Want to become the digital entrepreneur everyone raves about? Keep reading this guide for five tips you need to know!

1. Accept Your Nerves

Step one is to accept the fact that you will be nervous before and during a public talk. Even seasoned speakers get a little nervous.

By acknowledging that these feelings are normal and okay to have, you decrease the power they have over you.

To help you speak through your nerves, be sure to practice a few times. Arrive at the location early so you can get used to your environment.

2. Keep Main Messages Simple

As someone with a lot of knowledge, it can be tempting to pack in everything you know into one talk. Plan each talk you give to contain a few focused message points.

Too many details will bore an audience. But if you present impactful and meaningful messages that they can remember, people will love your talks.

As you find success, you may even be able to take your speeches international!

3. Prepare as the Digital Entrepreneur

As mentioned above, preparation is key. And that doesn’t mean the day before.

To nail a speaking engagement, start thinking about your speech at least a few weeks ahead of time. Understand who your audience is. Things that young college students find interesting won’t go as well with older business owners.

One of the most important things to prepare is an introduction. You want to grab people’s attention and get them excited for what you have to say.

Just as important as an introduction, be sure to prepare an impactful conclusion.

4. Be Careful with Powerpoint and Other Visuals

You aren’t a professor giving a lecture to students. Don’t kill your audience with busy powerpoints filled with text.

If you are going to use slides at all, make them minimal. Use appealing images that add value to what you as the presenter are saying. You should be the focal point, not a slide with a bunch of information on it.

It’s also important to remember that you run the risk of technology issues when using visuals like Powerpoint.

5. Create an Outline

Notice we said outline, not a script. Creating just an outline ensures you will sound natural while giving your talk.

If you just read an entire speech from a script, you will seem robotic and have poor eye contact. The audience will immediately be turned off.

Let Your Voice Be Heard

With these tips, you are well on your way to becoming a better public speaker. Soon you will be the digital entrepreneur everyone wants to hear!

Looking for more tips on being a successful digital entrepreneur? Check out this awesome list!

the digital entrepreneur

What It Takes To Be The Digital Entrepreneur that Dominates 2019
Dec 14, 2018

The way we do business is rapidly changing. According to Forbes, 82% of business enterprises plan to adopt a digital-first business strategy in the coming year. 

The online terrain is still new territory for many business owners and entrepreneurs. This means with the right knowledge and skills in your repertoire, you can climb past the competition and ascend to digital success. 

But what does it take to be the digital entrepreneur that will dominate the coming year? Read on, and I’ll discuss the skills and tactics you’ll need to know to win big in 2019. 

Stay Flexible & Be Ready To Pivot

Online trends change at a rapid pace, and true digital entrepreneurs need to be quick on their feet in order to keep up. 

The way consumers interact online, and what they turn to the web for, changes rapidly. Keeping an eye on the pulse of the web and being able to move with changes quickly can make all the difference in digital business. 

Keeping your business flexible and open to new ideas can help you take advantage of sudden opportunities. It can also make sure you avoid being crippled and left behind by the changing of the digital tides. No one wants to end up like Vine, FilmStruck, or a variety of other quickly shuttered digital companies. 

Get The Word Out 

The power of a business in the 20th century lay in how many physical assets a company had. The number of offices, land, and employees were all a mark of dominance in most industries. 

Today, size is more of a liability than a strength, limiting flexibility and function. Instead, digital assets and connectivity rule the game. Grow your e-mail list, your social media followers, and establish yourself on many different platforms and networks. 

The more you can make yourself present in the eyes of the consumer, the more powerful you’ll be. These days, quick, fluid and innovative thinking can do that a lot better than the brute force of size and stature. So a lack of budget is no excuse. 

Plan For Scalability

Take a look at some of the most successful digital leaders in the world. Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, for example. What do their businesses have in common (besides some questionable ethical issues)? 

They were able to expand from niche markets out into ever increasing forms of profitability. Bezos’ Amazon started as an online bookstore and now provides, well, just about everything. Zuckerberg started with a niche customer base, college-aged Harvard students, and expanded out across the whole world. 

Be ready for growth. If you’ve already had a strong year behind you, begin the new one by finding the next step for your company. Is there a service that you aren’t providing but could, or an audience you aren’t reaching for but might want to? 

And most importantly, if such opportunities present themselves, have you properly planned for such changes? 

Become The Digital Entrepreneur of 2019

Opportunities come and go quickly in the digital world.

If your hope is to become the digital entrepreneur that dominates the next year, you’ll need to stay nimble, hustle, and follow the advice above. With a little luck, you can end this next year as the envy of all your entrepreneurial peers. 

Need more business advice? Check out my blog for more essential tips and tricks.