Chances are, you’ve already got a leg up on becoming a strong public speaker. After all, good public speaking skills come in handy at home and at work! Still, there are always ways to improve – especially if you’re looking to get into the business of giving presentations for companies or maybe even end up with your own talk show (pretty ambitious goals, but you never know). Here’s a list of tips to help start your successful public speaking career:
Tips on starting a Public Speaking Career
1. Listen to Yourself Speaking
When we speak in front of an audience, the last thing most people think about is how they sound. To make matters worse, when we listen back to audio recordings or watch videos of ourselves speaking, we tend to notice all of our weaknesses and overlook our strengths.
This is why you need someone else’s perspective! You don’t have to invite an audience to watch you speak; ask a friend or co-worker to provide feedback instead. A caring, but honest opinion can help you pick up on your weaker habits and improve them before they turn into bad habits.
2. Keep Your Body Language Positive
Many studies have shown that as much as 55% of your body language is something called nonverbal communication; this means that you shouldn’t use hand gestures and facial expressions trying to compensate for weaker content! If you’re not confident about what you’re saying, it’s going to come across to your audience. So, don’t try to overcompensate with overdone body language; just be yourself!
3. Be Prepared to Fail
Unfortunately, there’s no way around this part of the process if you want to succeed in public speaking – you’re going to experience failure at some point in time! But here’s the good news: every time you fail, the next time you stand up in front of a crowd, you’ll be that much better and more prepared. As they say, experience is the best teacher!
4. Practice Your Speech Multiple Times
For most of us, it takes at least seven repetitions (or “takes”) to nail down a speech or presentation. If you want to be really prepared, try running through the whole thing at least twice before you start your first rehearsal! It may seem like overkill to some people, but doing so will help you avoid mistakes and “um”s more than anything else.
5. Know Your Audience
Many speakers are surprised when they get a negative reaction from their audience. They prepare an amazing speech, deliver it flawlessly, and still don’t get a good response. The problem may be that some speakers simply speak too “down” to their audience.
Everyone in your audience knows something you don’t know – some topic or experience you can learn from! So, before you start your speech, think about who is in the crowd and what they’ll want to hear. If you can deliver a speech that appeals to their interests and needs, you’ll be sure to get a good reaction from them.
Public speaking may seem scary at first glance, but with some dedication and practice, it’s something anyone can learn to do well! Don’t be afraid of failing and keep at it until you’ve perfected the skill. If you follow these tips, your public speaking skills will turn into a successful career in no time.
Jobs you can get as a Public Speaker
Public speaking is one of the most important skills anyone can master. No matter what field of work you want to go into, communicating your knowledge with others is an essential skill required for success. Fortunately, there are many different types of jobs out there that revolve around public speaking! Here I will discuss some of these professions and their duties so that you can get an idea of what it is like to be a public speaker.
1) Radio host
Typically broadcasting live, radio hosts talk about the trending topics with their listeners and interview people that they find interesting. When interviewing guests on their show, they ask them questions that are relevant to their interests and notable positions in their careers. For example, if they were interviewing a fashion model, they may ask them about what inspires their clothing and how they got started in the industry.
2) Motivational speaker
These speakers give speeches to inspire or motivate people towards achieving success. They talk about different things such as overcoming failure, handling fear, and learning from mistakes. There are many different types of speakers, for example, there may be corporate motivated speakers who encourage their employees to work hard, or there could even be public school motivational speakers that give talks to teenagers about personal development.
3) Public speaker at celebrity events
These kinds of public speaking engagements are typically short presentations given by the event host. They talk about the guest of honor, the background to how this person became famous, and what makes them so unique. For example, if it was a Michael Jackson tribute event, the speaker would talk about his early days as part of The Jackson 5s and who helped him on his journey to becoming the King of Pop.
4) CEO/business speaker at events
Typically, these types of public speakers are in charge of representing company values and giving presentations to shareholders about the growth their business has undergone. They share stories about the interesting parts of building a company from the ground up and inspire others to reach new heights.
5) Teacher
Teachers need to be able to relate to students and make themselves relatable to the interests of their class. It is important for teachers to be able to keep their students engaged and show them how interesting learning can be. Of course, since every student learns differently, it’s important that they are flexible with their methods.
6) TV Show host
These public speakers typically introduce new segments to their show, talk about the trends in pop culture with their guests, and conduct interviews live on air. They are the face of the TV show and make an effort to connect with their viewers by sharing entertaining information or experiences that they had throughout their careers.
7) Speaker at business events
Business speakers typically talk about their experiences with the company they work for and share interesting stories about what the company has achieved. They may even show videos to give their audience a better idea of what it’s like to be employed there. For example, if they were speaking at an IBM conference, they might talk about how much culture influences their employees or what products they are excited about developing.
8) Actor
Of course, actors do not always need to be public speakers. However, if they are starring in a play or short film that requires them to talk to the audience then they will need this skill. Actors learn how to display the emotions of their character and make sure their voice carries well for everyone in attendance to hear.
9) Comedian
Typically, comedians are required to give live performances to entertain audiences. They need good public speaking skills in order to keep the audience engaged and try their best not to offend them with inappropriate material. For example, Louis CK is known for his adult-themed comedy routines but he delivers them in a way that doesn’t come off as overly vulgar.
How much money does a Public Speaker make?
When it comes to giving a speech as a public speaker, the first question that comes to mind for many people is how much they will be paid for their efforts. Pay can vary depending on many different factors, such as whether this is going to be an experienced or inexperienced speaker. Experienced speakers usually make more because they have more experience and know what to say in order to really captivate their audience. But another factor that can influence pay is the budget of the company hosting the event-a large budget usually means better pay, but this doesn’t always have to be the case.
If someone wants to become a public speaker, they should know that different types of speeches will bring different pay rates. For instance, a political speech will typically bring more money than a speech given at a university or school function. Public speaking engagements can range from $10,000 to over $100,000 for certain speeches and lectures.
When looking at how much to pay public speakers, an organization should first determine the nature of the event that is being looked at, and how much it will cost them to have this speaker talk. They also need to consider the location of the speech, as well as what kind of support staff they want for this event.
How to promote yourself as a speaker
One of the first questions people ask when they learn that you’re a speaker is “How do I become one?” There are actually many different paths to becoming professional speakers, and anyone can be successful at it. It takes courage, self-confidence, creativity, and perseverance. The following tips provide an easy guide to learning how to capture an audience and get your name out there.
1. Get experience
The best way to get started is by getting on stage and delivering a speech or lecture in front of real people at an actual venue, such as a school, club, community center, etc. Start with smaller venues and build up to larger ones. This can be done either by looking up events that are occurring in your town and sharing with them your wish to speak at their event, or by asking people if they’d be interested in attending an informal talk that you give for free. Be sure to offer a clear outline of what you plan on covering!
2. Develop your own unique style
Some people are naturally gifted speakers, but everyone can develop a style that is uniquely their own. This will take time and effort, as well as outside help from friends and family who you trust to give you an honest opinion about how you come across on stage. Practice speaking in front of a mirror or with friends so that your speaking abilities can be enhanced by their feedback.
3. Find a topic that you’re passionate about
A common question new speakers have is “What should I talk about?” The best advice to follow in this case is to speak about something you feel strongly about, as it will make your presentation more passionate and convincing. Choose an aspect of your personality or lifestyle that helps define who you are, and use this topic to create a public speaking experience that is personal to you.
4. Learn to relax before your speech.
This can be hard for some people, but the more you practice it in front of family or friends, the easier it will become in front of an audience. Some ways to calm your nerves are through practicing yoga, meditation, slow breathing exercises, staying hydrated with water throughout the day leading up to your big moment on stage, and getting enough sleep before waking up early that morning. Ask yourself how important giving the speech is to you – if it’s something that truly matters then there will be no need for nerves at all!
5. Keep practicing!
Just because you’re the best speaker in your town doesn’t mean that you have the title to speak anywhere you wish without getting paid for it. There are many speakers in all areas of expertise, so expect to travel if you want to be a professional speaker. There is no limit when it comes to learning how to become a public speaker – it takes practice, practice, practice.
6. Network with other speakers
No man or woman is an island! Learning how to become a public speaker can help you network with others in your field and informally gain valuable advice from them on the best way to market yourself. This makes marketing yourself much easier when starting out since you’re already “plugged” into the community through friends or associates who are well-known speakers.
There are many steps to take in order to become a successful public speaker. The following tips will help you get started on your journey towards success, but remember that it’s never too late! Learning how to captivate an audience takes time and patience so don’t be discouraged if you’re not quite there yet.
You can do this by getting experience at smaller venues before moving up the ladder, developing your style until it becomes uniquely yours, picking a topic that speaks of who you are as a person, learning how to relax before delivering a speech through various techniques such as yoga or meditation practices for example), practicing more often than ever with friends or family members (or even better-with other speakers!), and networking with people in your field for advice about marketing yourself.
Good luck! And keep practicing, because practice makes perfect! There is no limit when it comes to learning how to become a public speaker – it takes patience and time, just like anything worth doing in life that will truly make a difference. Thank you for reading this article. It’s not too late to start a successful speaking career.