I run into people all the time who have the same questions:
- Can I really be a speaker?
- How do I perfect my presentation skills?
- Can I really make money as a speaker?
So, here are the answers for so many of you: YES!!!
The Bottom Quarter of Your Audience
Anyone … I mean ANYONE, can be a speaker. If you really have a desire to help people and to change their lives, businesses, families, health or whatever, then you can be a speaker. Get over that you want to be like Tony Robbins or Oprah Winfrey and just be yourself. In all scenarios when you speak, there will be about 25% of the people who automatically don’t understand you, don’t get you, and just don’t like you. STOP focusing on that bottom percentage because in reality … YOU don’t like them either!
The Cream of the Crop Audience Portion
This was so hard for me to get over because I was so focused on getting everyone to like me that I completely missed the point: the top 25% of the people LOVE you! They love everything you say; they “get” you; they adore you … focus on them!
The Gold is in the Middle!
Now, what most people do is they ignore the left over … the 50% who haven’t decided or need more information or time to decide which camp they want to jump into. So, bring those people into your data base, social media and keep the conversation going until they decide to opt-out and go away or buy from you. By the way, never look at who opts-out! Focus on the positive and the amazing people who are your community and want to be a part of your community.
Connection Over Perfection
Please stop trying to perfect your presentation skills and, rather, just get really good at connecting with the audience. If you have a perfect presentation and get a standing ovation, then you messed up! Yep, If I get an audience who jumps on their feet, I know I didn’t connect with them enough. I want them, rather, in their thoughts, filling out forms and I want them running over to me to create momentum in their lives. Not to buy a book because they think I’m “awesome” but because they know I can help them make a huge impact in their business and help them go out and change lots of lives. So, stop perfecting and just start changing lives with your words. Get used to tweaking and improving but never, ever, to perfecting.
Speaking to Sell
To make money as a speaker these days is different than it was ten years ago. Now, speaking is just part of your marketing for your business. There is some philanthropic speaking where you just give back but, for the most part, you are looking at driving those in the audience to something they can buy into. In reality, there is no way in thirty to sixty minutes on stage you can change those people’s lives forever. They MUST go further with you which means your sales offer. So, yes, six and seven figures a year is not only reasonable but a must to really make an impact and change lots of people’s lives with your message.
