Have you ever been told by a friend or acquaintance, “Hey, I saw your post online and thought that this would be perfect for you!”? Whether it’s in the form of a LinkedIn request to join their public speaking group or an email saying they’ve seen you speak at another event and think this one will be just as good, we all get these messages on occasion.
These opportunities may seem like they just fall out of the sky and into your lap, but we all know that if we want to take advantage of them we have to find where and how they exist in the first place!
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Find local listings
talk with other business owners and check out nearby universities for possible events to speak at. Picking up a couple of volunteer positions is very likely to put you in front of the right crowds as well! If you’re a professional in a specific niche, the internet is a great way to find more opportunities! Sites like LinkedIn and Meetup are good starting points, but if you can’t find what you’re looking for there are always Facebook events.
When attending local networking events or conferences, make sure to speak with the event coordinator at some point. See if they have any public speaking opportunities that you’d be interested in and don’t be afraid to let them know that you’re very passionate about the topic! If a connection is made, they’ll usually remember your name and might give you a call or email when they hear of something.
Browse internet forums
online. Nothing beats an old-fashioned pen and paper but the internet is a close second! Try browsing popular forums to see if there’s anything that matches what you’re passionate about. There could be an upcoming conference or even smaller events such as meetups in your city that would require a speaker. If you find something, reach out to the event coordinator to let them know you’d be interested before someone else snatches up the opportunity!
Of course, we can’t ignore the good old-fashion way of doing things: picking up a phone book (or these days, using Google) and looking under “Speaking Engagements”. Whether it’s for churches, schools or local businesses, don’t be afraid to use any resource available to get one step closer to finding your dream public speaking opportunity!
Attend events
whether you’re known by or simply familiar with someone who’s involved or attends yourself, chances are there will be an event manager for speakers soon enough. Do your research and see what the event will be about, who will be there and most importantly, why it would be perfect for you. If the opportunity sounds good to you, don’t hesitate to reach out! Most events coordinators are looking for people just like yourself that can give their attendees an alternative perspective or even a good laugh!
Remember that public speaking opportunities don’t have to come in the form of full-blown conferences or TED talks. Sometimes all it takes is attending one event, volunteering at another or simply reaching out via LinkedIn. The more passionate you are about your topic, chances are the better your speech could be!
If you’re still having trouble finding local venues or events where you can speak, try asking friends or acquaintances if they know of any opportunities you’re interested in. At the end of the day, most event coordinators are looking for someone that can express their topic to an audience without getting too technical or boring!
Whether you’ve been speaking at conferences since high school or are brand new to public speaking, passion is always key! If you believe in what you have to say, your audience will be able to see it through your speech and presentation – which is exactly what you want!
Present over Lunch
If all else has failed, why not go with the good old-fashion job interview? Sometimes a small talk over lunch is enough to land you your dream public speaking opportunity. You’ll have to be prepared in case an employer asks about the previous experience but if you believe in yourself and what you have to say, it shouldn’t be too difficult!
Present on career Day
and take an extra step to attend the other “guest” careers that are also presenting. If you’re a professional speaker or have been previously, don’t hesitate to let an event coordinator know! They’ll usually always be looking for someone who can speak about their career and seeing as though public speaking is your profession, it would be a perfect match.
Career Fairs
of other venues, it couldn’t hurt to try your hand at career fairs! Although you’ll be one of many or even dozens of speakers, if you’re passionate about what you do then there will definitely be an audience to listen to. Take the extra step to hand out business cards and speak with the event coordinate
Perhaps the most daunting of public speaking opportunities is the full conference. There are hundreds of other speakers, thousands of attendees and dozens of coordinators that have no idea who you are. Don’t let this discourage you!
be prepared for everything to go wrong on your big day! You need to be flexible with what you’re doing or whether something comes up but don’t panic! Public speaking does not have to be easy – if anything, it’ll make you a better speaker in the future by learning from mistakes now.
Speak on a Safety Presentation
you may want to consider offering a presentation on workplace safety. This is an area of public speaking that does not get very much attention but can be crucial in the workplace. For any business owner, this little extra step could have a huge impact on their company’s future!
Remember that public speaking opportunities don’t always have to be presentations at conferences or churches. Sometimes just attending an event is enough – it all depends on what you’re passionate about and what you’d like to talk about!
Service Clubs or Speaking Classes
to become involved with a service club like Lions Club or Rotary Club. These organizations are always looking for speakers and if you speak to them often enough, they’ll remember who you are and contact you the next time an opportunity comes up!
achieve this goal, why not attend a public speaking class? With a little bit of hard work, you should be able to practice your skills as well as develop new ones that will help better your future presentations. Public Speaking classes can take place at local venues or even online – it’s
Don’t be afraid to fail
For most people, the thought of standing up in front of a crowd is one that fills them with dread. While there are times where you’ll have to deal with difficult crowds or even hecklers, keep in mind that your success rate will only grow with time! As long as you’re passionate about your topic and believe in yourself, chances are you’re going to be an awesome public speaker.
Not everyone will enjoy your speech but at the end of the day, it’s all about hearing feedback and applying it. If someone doesn’t like something you said or did, don’t take it personally – just try again next year and see what changes you can make! Chances are they were just having a bad day or maybe they simply don’t like your topic, but never lose sight of your passion.
“One of my biggest regrets with public speaking was early on in my career, I didn’t argue for enough time to allow the details that would have made my case better.
It was a speech where I felt that I didn’t really explain things well because of time constraints and now looking back I wish I’d just argued for what was important even if it meant losing the job.” – Daniel Pink, best-selling author
Remember that public speaking is all about practice! If you want to be good at anything in life, you need to keep doing it until it becomes second nature. Just remember these three simple steps: Do your research Find an event you’re passionate about You can never go wrong!
In the end, it doesn’t matter how you find what you’re looking for as long as it leads to a successful public speaking engagement. Don’t get discouraged by rejection or turn down an opportunity that just isn’t your style; keep looking and one day your perseverance will pay off in full!
Remember: If you want to take advantage of these opportunities, find way to get out there and network with others in your field! Don’t be afraid to take on smaller engagements when starting out because this is where you gain valuable experience. We all have to start somewhere so why not right now?
Can public speaking be a career?
People often think of public speakers as entertainers, who are paid hundreds or thousands of dollars for speeches that are designed to make people laugh all the way through. Comedians, actors, singers – these are the kinds of public speakers that a lot of people think of when it comes to this field.
However, there’s so much more to being a public speaker than just making an audience laugh or listen in awe. The ability to speak well in front of large groups is actually very critical for many career paths, and many people don’t realize that.
Public speaking is a terrific skill to have, and it can be applied in so many ways throughout life, from the day you start school all the way up to retirement. Public speakers are everywhere – they’re just not always paid entertainers!
Here’s a look at five different career paths that require strong public speaking skills:
1. Politicians/Political Pundits – The ability to speak well in front of large audiences might seem like a natural talent for politicians and political pundits, but their job actually requires a lot more than just being outgoing and “on”.
They need to present facts clearly and concisely so voters understand where they stand on important topics such as jobs, taxes, education and healthcare; voters need to know where their candidate stands so they can make an educated decision at the ballot box.
Politicians also speak in public about their visions for various policies and initiatives, often explaining the potential consequences of each course of action for both citizens and businesses.
2. Lawyers – One of the main reasons why anyone decides to become a lawyer is because they want to advocate on behalf of others, whether that means fighting for justice or trying to protect someone’s legal rights.
It’s not only important for lawyers to be able to defend their arguments clearly; it’s also critical that jurors understand exactly what they’re talking about when it comes time for closing arguments.
3. Teachers – Educators are another group of professionals who must be unable to speak well in public, because they need to be able to deliver key information in a way that’s understandable and easy for students to learn from.
It’s not enough for teachers just to know their subject material; they also have to teach it well so students can benefit from their instruction and knowledge.
4. Religious Leaders – Speaking effectively in front of groups is critical for religious leaders, who need to make persuasive arguments in favor of topics such as God’s existence or the value of following certain moral principles.
If people were easily swayed when it came time for sermons or important announcements, church services would be nothing like they are today – no one would bother attending if the pastor was boring!
5. Sales People/Entrepreneurs – Entrepreneurs definitely aren’t entertainers, but they need to be good public speakers because the presentation is one of the most important aspects of selling a product.
A business owner needs to be able to explain their products in a way that makes sense to customers and convinces them they’re worth buying. Salespeople have the ability to make or break a company’s future just based on how well they can speak in front of groups.
All five of these professions require strong public speaking skills, so even if you don’t feel like being an actor or entertainer is for you, there are still plenty of options when it comes to careers with good potential for advancement!