Find Your Voice: The Newsletter

"YOU are a Public Speaker!"

Everybody is a public speaker. You read that correctly. Everybody is a public speaker. Even you.

Some of you may read that statement and say, "Dan, I'm terrified to speak. I'm definitely NOT a public speaker!"

Here's my response. Once you leave the safe haven of your home, you speak to the public. Whether it's your barber, your stock broker, or the pro at your golf course, you are always speaking to the public. Your audience can range from 1 to 1,000; every time you open your mouth to speak, you say something about yourself to someone. The big questions is - what are you saying?

If you are in business as an entrepreneur, business professional, or executive, this becomes increasingly important. Have you ever been tongue-tied at a networking function? Do you remember a time when a sales meeting went horribly wrong because you couldn't think fast enough on your feet? Have you ever been called on to give a brief presentation when you weren't expecting to?

If you're like me, the answer to all three of those questions is YES. Those can all be lost opportunities and you as a business person can't afford to blow a potential deal because you aren't skilled in "public speaking".

The first thing you have to do is get over the myth that you are a bad speaker. That is a self-fulfilling prophecy because if you think you are, you will be. You can gain confidence by testing and practice. Find a group, something like Toastmasters or a Mastermind group that will help you by letting you test and practice your presentations and offer positive, honest evaluations. The best way to prepare for any situation, even the unexpected, is to be prepared. This means practice. Remember, successful people are willing to do the unpleasant things that unsuccessful people aren't willing to do. Put in the work behind the scenes.

The second thing you must do is be coachable. Learn how to accept constructive feedback, whether you like to hear it or not. This feedback should come from your request; be wary of unsolicited criticism. When you get a group that is there trying to help you improve, take their suggestions and see if you are able to make impactful changes on your presentation. Better to make a mistake with this group than when money is on the table!

The third thing you must do is to not take yourself so seriously. You will make mistakes. We all do; that's how we learn. Your clients and prospects want your content, not perfection. They are looking to see what's in it for them. You don't have to be perfect and you need to have a sense of humor about yourself. Think of the most successful business people you know in your life. You will find that the majority of them have a great sense of humor and a level of humility to know that they aren't perfect. Cut yourself some slack and continue to improve one step at a time.

You are a public speaker - accept it. Unless you hide in your house 24/7, you will eventually have to talk to people and most of your day will involve being in a business atmosphere. Use these three strategies to improve how others hear and learn from you.