Summon the Courage to Speak
How spiritual speakers can inspire and move audiences (technique 5 of 5)
You will probably have heard the old adage ‘you’re the sum of the five people you spend the most time with.’
When it comes to creating success as a speaker, this is absolutely true.
How would you define success as a speaker?
How will you know when you’ve reached it?
Is it a feeling? Feeling confident, competent, and in sync with your audience as you educate them, entertain them, and enjoy the delighted look on their faces.
Is success defined by a specific result? Do you want to sell 100,000 copies of your book, make $10,000 in course sales at the end of your seminar, or share your ideas in front of a particularly prestigious audience?
Or maybe, for you, success as a speaker is bigger. A lot bigger. Perhaps you dream of sparking the next generation of thinkers, changing the world’s view about a particular topic, or breaking new ground in helping and healing people.
Most of us did not grow up with Tony Robbins for a father (least of all Tony himself!)
Most of us are not surrounded by award-winning orators on a daily basis…
And we did not spend our childhoods giving lectures to highly engaged and appreciative siblings who issued us with balanced expert feedback.
Often, in fact, the desire to speak and to be heard was frowned-upon and discouraged. We were called drama queens, accused of attention-seeking, and told children should be seen and not heard.
So it’s no wonder we start out feeling a bit behind when it comes to our confidence and competence with speaking.
One of the most powerful things you can do to become a confident and captivating speaker is to create a network of positive support around you. Fill your life with mentors, peers and friends who value the craft of speaking, and who are going for big audacious goals, as you are.
Support breeds success. You will be stunned at how deeply a few words of direction and encouragement could improve not just the content of your talk, but your belief in yourself and your talk.
A huge aspect of success as a speaker is your ability to create and internalize a self-image of yourself as a powerful speaker with great ideas. You must believe you are someone worth listening to. The best people to help you with that are other speakers.
Here are my four favourite ways to boost your speaking career by receiving powerful support from other speakers.
Binge-watch other speakers you admire.
Studies have shown that watching a recording of someone else doing a task successfully helps the viewer to complete the same task more quickly, and with greater confidence and competence.
Find the five TED Talks you find most compelling. Watch them for pleasure, then watch them for research.
What do you like about them?
What makes them compelling?
How are they constructed?
What do they have in common?
Extract as many lessons as you can from what’s already working and apply it to your talk.
Here are my three faves!
Jon Ronson - Strange Answers to the Psychopath Test
Johann Hari - Everything You Think You Know About Addiction is Wrong
Brene Brown - The Power of Vulnerability
Join Toastmasters, or a similar speakers’ bureau.
In 2019 I won the Scottish final of the Professional Speakers Association ‘Speaker Factor’ competition, open to all newcomers.
I love the PSA, and I met many great friends and peers there. Between the monthly meetups, annual events and many, many socials, I was never far from another speaker who understood the trials and tribulations I was going through. I was never far from someone I could help, or someone who could help me. To be working together, towards a common goal of mastery at speaking, created a flow that kept me going when I otherwise would have stopped.
Create a ‘Speaker Share’ feedback group.
A ‘Speakers Share’ group is a mastermind group of speakers who meet up monthly to practice their talks and give and receive feedback. Find speakers you like and admire in your local area and start a speaking group together.
Each month, a different speaker takes a turn to give a talk, and the other speakers give feedback, tips, pointers and impressions. Your singular goal is to help each other be the best you can be. Six speakers to a group is a good number. Try to craft your group from speakers who have different skills to you. Maybe one of you is a marketing genius, another is an experienced storyteller, and another is great at research and presenting compelling statistics.
Work with a mentor.
Working with a coach or mentor 1:1 can be a great way to receive dedicated support and break through any excuses, blocks and barriers to speaking.
A speaking coach is also particularly useful if you are working towards a specific goal with your speaking, say, filling your first seminar, or preparing your first big talk as a guest speaker.
If you enjoyed this five-part series on how you can meet your sales goals and expand your influence by speaking, while inspiring and empowering your audience, and spreading your message, then I may be the right coach to support you as you take the next step.
I am currently offering half-day and full-day speaker coaching intensives, both in-person and online.
If we decide to work together, I can help you accomplish one of three main objectives:
Guest Speaking on Prestigious Stages
If you choose this option, you’ll walk away with:
A completely unique idea, and a polished talk structure. Audience’s will say, ‘I really need to hear this!’ And you’ll feel confident you can deliver.
Create a digital speaker ‘one sheet’ to send out to potential bookers.
Make a list of ten appropriate bookers and start reaching out! (Don’t worry, we’ll do it together).
Successful Seminars: How to Craft, Fill and Sell Empowerment Seminars
If this is the right option for you, you’ll walk away with:
A clear and compelling seminar structure that has students listening intently and scribbling furiously.
A tried-and-tested business plan for filling your own seminars. Take control of your income as a speaker!
Support and guidance with making the right offer to the right audience, and selling without being salesy.
I will show you how to make $10,000 from a seminar, even if you’ve never hosted a seminar before.
Powerful Podcasting: How to Get Booked to Speak on High Profile Podcasts
If this is your desired option, you’ll walk away with:
Brand new confidence. Never again say, ‘I’m not famous enough.’, ‘I’m not ready.’ Or ‘I don’t have anything unique to say.’ Instead, begin believing in the value of your stories and ideas.
Create a totally captivating podcast booking sheet and cover letter that hosts will find irresistible!
Make a clear and simple plan for how podcast guest speaking makes sense for your goals as an author / entrepreneur.
Start reaching out to the big names in your niche!
My coaching style focuses on both inner and outer results; the journey and the destination. I have two decades experience speaking professionally, and I’ve supported my clients to accomplish amazing things.
Will you be next?
Tap the button below and sign up for your free Speaker Superstar coaching session to see if we’re a fit.
Ps. This will be the last batch of coaching I offer for quite some time as I’m going on maternity leave in December. So don’t delay. Take action and make a start on your speaking goals now. Applications close at midnight on Monday 31st October.
This concludes the 5-part series for spiritual speakers. Thank you for reading!
Got questions or comments for me? Email me: lauren@laurenrobertson.co.uk