It sounded as though I were yelling across the room so you can imagine my surprise when a few people sitting around me said, “speak up…we can’t hear you.”
So, I spoke even louder all the while fearing my jugular would burst from the pressure of trying to project my voice across the room. Luckily I lived but my speech tanked!
That was my first experience, at the age of 8, as a speaker.
Since then, I’ve learned a few things about how to “stand and deliver.”
Like you, I’ve attended all sorts of conferences and events facilitated by speakers from all walks of life…
There’s what I call the RAW, RAW, RAW speaker. This is the person who runs up and down the aisles, getting the audience to jump and shout during their presentation. I don’t know about you, but all that sweating not only ruins a gals makeup but wreaks havoc on a good blow out.
Then there’s the DRAMA SCHOOL speaker. This speaker always entertains me because they draw from theatrics to captivate you on stage using their body as a tool to lure you into their story. I’ll admit it I’m a drama nerd and have been succumbed to using theatrics myself.
No matter what type of speaker you are or could be, what most speakers (especially the good ones) have in common is that they’re ready.
As I sat in the audience of a moderately attended event, watching speaker after speaker and endorsement after endorsement, I was reminded how important it is to be stage ready at all times. The thing is, so many folks are unprepared to take center stage they flub the best opportunity to share their brand with others.
Think about it…
If you want to connect your personal brand in a way that quickly sticks with hundreds of people in a short period of time you can’t beat speaking. Honestly, no ad or even tradeshow experience can deliver this kind of impact.
And while you may not have an interest to make the speaking circuit, you do have the same opportunity as any good podium speaker to connect your brand the next time you deliver your elevator speech or are called by a prospective client who asks, “what do you do?”
See, a 30+ minute stage talk is merely a long – very long – elevator speech. Because of the time involved, you have the advantage of using props to let your audience know exactly what you do and how you do it.
Whether your talk is a 15 second or a 30-minute “commercial” here are a few of my personal success keys for being stage ready:
Get Your Story Straight
Of all the speaker line-ups I’ve been privy to, it’s those speakers that connect what they do with a story that are memorable. Particularly when that story sounds like my own.
And there’s no better way to make a connection than through storytelling. I used to believe I was a terrible storyteller but then one day I realized, I tell stories all the time. When I tell my gal pals about a new hand cream, I’m telling the story of my experience with that product. When I tell the plumber the chain of events that took place before I noticed the big leak under my sink, I’m telling a story. And in your life, you’re telling stories too…all the time.
Prepare
I know this sounds obvious but I can’t tell you how many people I’ve witnessed stammer their words incessantly (is that a rented tongue?), run through their talk with the speed of an auctioneer or have so many ums and ahs I completely forgot what their topic is all about.
If you want to be good at anything, you’ve gotta’ take the time to get good. This means rehearsing, knowing what you want to say and how to say it in advance of saying it so it flows effortlessly and sounds naturally you. A few ums and ahs are fine – we’re all human after all – but excessive stammering, or speed talking is a tell tale sign (perception rules it’s ugly head here) that you may not take yourself or your area of expertise seriously enough to prepare.
Before I go to any event, I have a short outline in my head of what I want to say. This helps me stay on track so I’m not “all over the place.” I don’t memorize a script because I want to remain authentic but the outline keeps me focused.
Ask Them to Take Action
Okay, if you end your commercial (no matter the length) with a repeat of your name and url try something new!
Instead, give your audience a specific action to take because they’ll probably forget that url you rattled off and won’t remember your name about 3 seconds after you say it. But they will remember that you offered them something of value that requires virtually nothing on their part.
Look for ways to offer value, breathe that into your brand and offer it up for FREE (if you can swing it) to your audience. Think of it as your version of the Baskin Robbins pink spoon…what can you let them sample? Once you know what that is, invite them to grab their own pink spoon.
Once I realized there was a formula to speaking that wasn’t cheesy or sales-y, I loosened up and had fun with it. Today, impromptu talks of any length don’t scare me because I’ve got a step-by-step process I’ve developed to guide me (I’ll tell you about that in a second).
I was a quiet, shy little girl growing up who really didn’t like to be looked at. It took many years to identify and then work through my internal junk that was caused by abuse. And once I did that, I blossomed. The first hurdle I wanted to overcome was finding and then having my voice be heard.
Today, as I take women through my branding and marketing process my #1 objective is to help you find your voice, put a name to it and design a business around it. My pain and all the lessons that came from those experiences are now the gifts I share with women like you…
Today’s article is my pink spoon for the day. And if you want the entire yummy scoop, you can pick up my Taking Center Stage: A Woman’s Guide to Passionate, Persuasive and Conversational Presentations that Dazzle Audiences & Get Results program. I’m offering a “Makeover Special” as I redesign the look of the product. Take advantage of the last 16 copies I have available and all the program details by going here now.
Until we connect again…
Love and thanks,
Liz
