What separates a professional motivational speaker from an ordinary guy? Mostly it’s just studying the basics and practicing the established techniques of an established, successful professional motivational speaker.
Unless you are that one in a million type of person who can just wing it on stage and hold a large audience of people captive with the strength of your personality and the power of your voice, you must learn the basics before you begin to speak publicly. These naturals exist, that but they are few and far between and, truth be told, they’ve practiced and rehearsed even that seemingly relaxed, improvisational style. Most people take the time to learn the basics. Here are some to start with:
Audience awareness
Many beginners are so concerned with their appearance and the way they come off that they pay absolutely no attention to who they are talking to. The better you know your audience the better chances you have of being accepted by them
Content
You can be charming and have the voice of an angel, but after a few minutes, if you don’t start speaking about something the audience wants to hear, you’ll be ignored until you stop.
Test your equipment
Fiddling with microphones, slide presentations and such is the true sign of a nervous amateur and someone who will not be listened to.
Preparation
Stumbling over your speech and being unfamiliar with your subject material is a sure way to be ignored.
Be humorous
Unless you are a stand up comedian brought in to relax the audience you want to use some humor in your speaking but not so much as to detract from your message.
Be approachable
Getting in and out of an event fast is a good way to be forgotten. Take the time to meet people, and talk with them. That way they’ll pay more attention to you when you speak and they’ll remember you when you’re done.
There are so many things you have to learn to become a professional motivational speaker. You have to look right, sound right, act right and say the right things to be accepted as someone worthy of being listened to. It takes time and hard work studying and practicing the lessons of an established professional motivational speaker before you can be accepted on your own. When that happens, then you can formulate your own teaching program and instruct others how to duplicate your own success.
