Missoula-Public-Speaking-Tips: April 2011

How to Market Yourself as a Professional Speaker

Reason To Join A Missoula Toastmasters Club -

There a literally millions of people all around the world that have benefited from a membership in a Toastmasters club, and we trust that you will also consider visiting our club and joining. Visit our site at Shootin The Bull

You will find that Toastmasters is a wonderful place to not just learn to speak but to also make friends and meet new people. As one of the top Networking Organizations in the world it is a great place to meet other professionals and local people that want to become better speakers. Also you will find that Toastmasters supportive atmosphere assists even further in making new friends easily. I have met many people through Toastmasters, including many people I might not have otherwise had the chance to meet.

Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. Shootin' The Bull Toastmasters Club
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The ability to market yourself as a professional speaker is undoubtedly the key to your success. Marketing means that you must advertise your skills and talents. Since many people don't do that, they end up leaving their career to the wind by default. You have to get your name out there. You have to find ways to connect with people who can and will hire you.

1. Network in speaking organizations. If you're not networking, you're not working. Building relationships with your peers and prospective clients is a must do if you're really serious about your career as a professional speaker.

2. Have a business card. As you take time to network and build relationships with people, you'll want to give them something to remember you by - your contact information. Your business card should have a professional look to it. Since it will be the way people remember you, what do you want them to remember?

3. Create your marketing portfolio. Also known as your promotional kit or your media kit, this portfolio will have everything that speaker bureaus and meeting planners need to determine if you are the speaker for them or not. Your portfolio consists of the following elements: a content sheet, a demo video of previous speaking engagement, your bio, testimonials from previous engagements, a price list of your products and resource materials you sell, a sample client list, and your fee schedule.

4. Develop a website. With so many people and businesses flocking to the internet for information, you'll want to have this as a means to market yourself. You don't have to have a website with all the bells and whistles. While your website should look professional, you can still get a started website with low to no monthly costs. Use your website to be an additional location where you sell your resource materials as well as offer information about your topic.

5. Use online social networks such as LinkedIn and MySpace to begin making connections with your industry peers. You can also use speaker forums as a place for additional resources, sharing speaking tips and tricks as well as getting to know other people in your field.

6. Create and use a direct marketing strategy. Send mailers and postcards to past clients as well as prospective future clients. While many speakers aren't hired as a result of their mailers, they are still an easy way to keep your customers in touch with your business. Additionally, direct mail pieces are relatively inexpensive to create and send and as a result, they are a great way to canvass organizations and get the word out that you are available for hire.

7. Market yourself through articles and product materials. Using other resources as a means for getting your name out will help to spread your name like wild fire! Think of it this way, you create the article one and include a short 2 - 3 sentence bio and you'll have that work for you for as long as it's available!

The way you market yourself will determine whether you will have a great career or not. Start using these avenues of getting your name out there and start to get noticed by meeting planners and speaker bureaus. Start marketing yourself today!

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

Handling Questions and Answers in Your Professional Speaking Career

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Handling questions in your presentation can be a scary time for professional speakers. The fear that someone will ask a question that they can't answer makes this sections one of the most dreaded sections of the speech. This fear is so real that presenters will often cut this area short or avoid it all together to get past this section. Here are some tips that will help you to handle this section effectively.

1. Be a great listener. After spending the entire time talking, now is your chance to respond and interact with your audience. Listen to your audience's questions completely before starting to answer. If you don't, you may respond inappropriately not answering what the person was really asking.

2. Give yourself time to think. Listen to the entire question. Repeat the question to give you some time to respond. You can also add filler phrases like "that's a good question", "that's a popular question" or "that's an interesting question".

3. Acknowledge your audience member for asking the question. People appreciate acknowledgement and starts to create a personal bond between you and the audience. They start to feel appreciated for participation in your presentation and they warm up to your speech.

4. Answer the question. Stay on track and be honest. If you do not know the answer at the time, let them you that you will find out and get back to them. This is an especially great opportunity if your goal is to develop a long term relationship with your audience. Just remember to get back to them as you say you would.

5. Create clean transitions between questions by creating "bridges" to the next question. Ask your audience another question such as "Does that answer your question?" Stay on the question until it has been answered appropriately.

Here are some tips to interact better with your audience during the question and answer period.

1. Ask your audience member to stand when they have a question. One of the primary reasons for doing this is to help the rest of the room hear the question more clearly as well. Additionally, you are also able to establish a line of sight eye connection with the person asking the question.

2. Ask your audience to write their questions down on paper. They can either submit this to you or read from their paper at a designated time.

3. If your audience member is shy and does not want to ask their question, create alternative times that you will be available. You're goal is to help them understand the points you are trying to make.

4. Have a paper and pencil for yourself to write down questions that you can't answer. Jot the question down as well as contact information of the person asking the question so you can get back to them.

The question and answer period is a great time to interact with your audience. Many people and instructors like will also say that they learn from this time more than any other section in the presentation. You will also be able to see what exactly your audience has picked up during your presentation. Don't avoid this section any longer!

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

Top 7 Steps to Better Public Speaking

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Whether you want to be a part time, full time or BIG time speaker you must speak, speak, and speak. At first, deliver 25-30 minute free talks to service clubs and community organizations. Consider it to be your off-Broadway tryout. A great opportunity to fine-tune your program…and maybe get some future paid business!

Do the following to put at ease when delivering a speech:

1. Your speech needs a beginning, middle, and end. You must grab your audience’s attention in the first minute…so begin with a starting comment, question, story, or humor. End your speech on a strong note by asking a question, providing a quote, tell a story or leave them laughing.

2. Every 5-7 minutes, back up your facts with signature (about you or others) stories. Stories are out there – everywhere. Find them in the stores, at restaurants, on the airplane, at home. People retain information better when hearing a story.

3. Practice your speech out load. Record it on to a tape recorder and/or video camera. Also do this when giving a program to a live audience. Do it every time!

4. Practice pausing before and after important points. Don’t be afraid to leave open space. The use of silence is a key requirement to becoming an effective speaker.

5. Use direct eye contact. You can focus on one person when making a point…and everyone else in the audience will think you are speaking to them also.

6. Don’t just stand behind the lectern: move around, gesture. Be animated. (Fifty-five percent of how people perceive you is by body language; 38 percent by your voice; 7 percent by your words)

7. Smile a lot. Be enthusiastic about what you are saying. And have fun.

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

Why It's Worth Fighting Your Dragons And Start Public Speaking!

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Everyone hears about being nervous when speaking, and when you overcome it, you become confident and very successful.

What you don’t hear from successful speakers is about the journey itself.

For example, when I started in the field of speaking, I was a corporate employee.

As a project engineer, I had to develop concepts and designs to solve problems within the plant.

I was good at this and yet my career progress was slow because I simply couldn’t speak well, and I needed to present my proposals to obtain funding.

I would become nervous, tongue tied and confused.

So when I started my public speaking career I was so scared and terrified, that even the thought of being in front of a group of people, made me feel physically sick, and would make my heart race so much, I thought I was having a heart attack.

Clearly, I didn’t want to go through my life like that so I did some training and got ready for my Maiden speech.

With this speech I was competing for a prestigious Silver Cup and I was excited because I thought I was going to win it.

I walked out onto the stage in front of 200 people and arrived at the podium. Suddenly my legs started to shake so much I thought I was going to fall down. So I grabbed the lectern, which also began to shake, and then, at that moment, the butterflies in my stomach turned into dive-bombers and I started to feel sick.

While shaking the lectern so much, I watched with horror, as my notes slid onto the floor.

In total confusion now, I decide to start my speech without picking up the notes.

My voice quavered as I stated my name, and then my mind went completely blank.

After what seemed an eternity, I grabbed my notes from the floor and fled the stage.

All I achieved that day was to let people know who I was and that I was one pathetic speaker.

Needless to say , I didn’t get the prize or even a polite or sympathetic applause from the audience.

It was such a horrifying experience that I had to make a decision to quit or do something about it. (I was unable to get into the witness protection program to lose my identity!)

Well I studied, practised and used everything that I write about in my book and then some 12 months later, I had to give a speech on behalf of my company. Now this was a seriously major important speech for the company and me.

If I didn’t do a brilliant job, my career would finish, the company would suffer and I reckon I would have been out of a job.

That would mean, a massive change in lifestyle for my family, changing schools, changing houses and even putting my food supply at risk..

So as I walked to the Podium this time I could feel this huge pressure bearing down on me.

And do you know?

I was confident, created humour and had them laughing, created pathos so they could feel sad, lifted them with excitement, spoke a very clear message, had them in the palm of my hand and when I finished ,they stood up to applaud.

Pretty good eh?

Oh yes, I got promoted and realised that day, that being a great public speaker helps you make more money, no matter what your job is.

So what made the difference?

What transformed me from bumbling idiot to charismatic speaker?

And could anybody do the same?

Clearly, the answer is yes, if they went through all the stuff they I had.

Why am I qualified to say this?

Because it is based upon my learnings, my studies, my experiments, good and bad, and most importantly, on my real life, in the fire, under the hammer, experience.

And then I even wrote my own book on how to overcome the Fear of Public Speaking!

As Chairman of the Public Speaking Group at the Australian Institute of Management I have coached and helped many people who at the beginning of the year , could not even say their name, and by the end of the year, had become articulate and confident speakers.

So overcoming the fear and building the skills, step by step, not only transforms your presentation skills, it builds your confidence in all parts of your life.

And isn’t that a good enough reason to start!

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

9 Tips To Keep Your Audience In Attention

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. Shootin' The Bull Toastmasters Club
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In almost all gatherings (conventions, alumni homecomings, commencement exercises, fund raising or awarding ceremonies), guest speakers are usually invited to highlight the occasion.

To make the gathering memorable, guest speakers are selected for a certain reason, some according to their popularity and accomplishments.

As much as possible, the speaker’s profession or line of achievement must be in some way related to the occasion.

Let’s say the occasion is a convention of home developers. The likely guest speaker to grace it could be a famous housing czar well known and respected by the city and state.

To impart a lasting impression to the audience, a speaker must find ways to keep the attention glued to his speech.

If it so happens that you are the invited guest speaker of a gathering, the suggestions below may help to keep your audience listening instead of walking around or doing something else.

1. Speak in a clear, crisp, comprehensible voice with an enthusiastic tone. Avoid mumbling. Try not to eat the words as if there’s a gum in your mouth.

2. Your speech should be in consonance with the aim of the gathering, touching on issues relevant to its objective and applicable to current needs for the benefit of the majority.

3. More speakers prepare a list of the issues they want to touch on instead of a speech prepared and read (or memorized) word for word. A spontaneous speech aligned on the ideas prepared or written on the list is projected more naturally.

4. Inject humor into your speech to keep the audience attentive and waiting for more. Studies reveal that, when humor is involved, audiences find the speaker interesting to listen to. But be aware not to go beyond the line of humor because this may unintentionally embarrass others or be misunderstood by them. This might raise comments that criticize your speech. Try your best to avoid criticism.

5. When you raise an issue, one of the best ways to project it is by citing instances or examples. Correlate the example and the issue clearly.

6. Suppose the gathering was organized to save an industry or boost the morale of those that will be directly and indirectly affected by it. Try your best to deliver an inspiring speech. A speech filled with positive thoughts, like projecting a bright tomorrow, can turn a depressive mood into an enthusiastic one. If you are well versed on the industry with a solution to offer to suppress its downtrend, then say it.

7. Audience participation may seem to turn your speech into a discussion, but it is one way to confirm effectiveness of what you are saying or offering.

8. Image how the industry will look like 5 or 10 years from now on a positive flight. Be specific and realistic in your projection. If hard work is called for, say so.

9. Leave a lasting, meaningful message as you wrap up your speech.

A speech that leaves the audience thinking long after the speech has been made will also leave the audience remembering the speaker for a long time.

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

Speech Topics That Capture The Full Attention!

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First, if you are looking for a persuasive speech topic, you must know that the more controversial the speech topics, are the more response you will get from your audiences.

The topic sentence has to be short, declarative sentence that states the central idea of your speech. Your persuasion speech topics should zero in on one main idea rather than focusing on entirely different areas.

If you are looking for science related speech topics, there's plenty of those in the science forums. It is relatively easy to join forums. A visual presentation is sure to bring your informative speech topics to a whole new level of interest.

Choosing a persuasive speech topic for your presentation is not an easy task. Introduce the topic with a statement of fact and support that statement with the main points of your speech. Write a purpose statement by stating the goal and topic for a speech and specifying the method to be used in developing the speech. This means you will have to research your topic and work your sources into your speech and outline.

The more controversial your persuasive speech topic, the harder challenge your creating for yourself, and the more you'll learn. Interest the listeners in the topic, purpose, and issues of the speech. Developing a topic and identifying the purpose of a speech will aid in the organization and direction of the overall performance. You will get enthusiastic applause...perhaps even a standing ovation, every time you speak if you develop informative speech topics which are slightly controversial in nature!

If you should emphasize both the positive and negative characteristics of your topic in order to provide a well-balanced speech, you will definitely make your speech more interesting! So, the idea here is to first pick a topic and then list down the positive and negative characteristics of your topic. It will stimulate your mind in more ways than you can imagine, and could easily spawn dozens of speech topic ideas.

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

Create Your Professional Speaking Portfolio

Reason To Join A Missoula Toastmasters Club -

Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. Shootin' The Bull Toastmasters Club
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All professional speakers will need a promotional kit in order to market themselves effectively and obtain more and higher paying jobs. Speakers fail to achieve the desired incomes because they fail to properly market their skills and talents. No more failure! Reach the income you've heard and dreamt about by using a promotional kit!

Speaker bureaus and meeting planners expect to see certain pieces of information in order to see if you are the professional speaker they are looking for. These pieces of information include a content sheet highlighting the material you'll be presenting, a speaker biography, testimonials / reviews, a list of the services you provide including educational materials and fee schedule, a sample client list, a demo video and a business card with contact information. You can also include a letter on a personalized letterhead stating your interest in the event and why you feel they should choose you.

1. Content sheet - include a general outline of the presentation you'll be making. Your material should relate to the theme of the convention or seminar being hosted.

2. Speaker biography (bio) - highlight certifications and qualifications in your 2 -3 paragraph narrative. Each paragraph should be about 2-3 sentences long and should tell give bureaus and planners an idea of who you are and what you're about. This bio may also be used as part of the advertisement of the speaking engagement and may be shortened to a short paragraph. You should also send a picture of yourself.

3. Testimonials / Reviews - This information helps to build your credibility as a speaker because it tells what others are saying about you. In order to build this area effectively, you should also consider requesting feedback after each speaking engagement whether they are free or for fee.

4. List of services and products - This section of information includes a price list of books, CDs or videos that you produce related to your speaking topic. This section can also include other types of speaking engagements that you do along with the respective prices that you will charge.

5. List of the clients you've worked for - you can combine this with your testimonial and review sections however, keep in mind that not everyone will respond to your request for feedback. Either you didn't ask for a review or they didn't take the time to fill out your review sheet. You can still keep a running list of the people who have used your services.

6. Demo video - This should be on the subject you are being asked to speak on. It gives your prospective planners an idea of what they will be getting should they choose to hire you. This should also be professionally done.

7. Contact information - include information on the various ways that speaker bureaus and meeting planners can get in touch with you should they decide to hire you.

Successful marketing ensures that you are on the path to becoming a successful professional speaker. It also presents you as a professional and an established leader in your field. Create your portfolio and get to marketing yourself today!

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club

6 Questions that Professional Speakers Answer

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In any presentation, there are basic pieces of information that an audience should receive from their presenter. You are the problem solver presenting a solution that will benefit your audience. Even if you are just blessing the newly weds at your best friend's wedding, you will still have questions that must be answered. The presentation should answer who, what, when, where, why and how regarding your topic. In giving that information, your presentation will have clarity and will be on track to give the detail necessary to your audience.

1. Who - Who is your target audience? What would they like to know about regarding your presentation? Do they have any preconceived notions about your material? What are their concerns? Are you addressing the "who" you targeted in your research? When you address the "who" of your message, you are better able to relate with your audience. They will feel like you are speaking directly to them. They will give you their attention because they feel like their needs are being addressed.

2. What - What is the message you want to communicate? What are the issues? What are the solutions? The "what" in your message is the backbone of your presentation. It is your purpose of your message and the reason you are speaking. It is also the reason why people come to hear you.

3. When - When is the recommended time to take action? Is there a sense of urgency in your presentation? Stressing the "when" aspect of your message is especially important when you want your audience to take action immediately following the presentation - i.e. - sign up for a class, sell promotional materials, implement what was learned)

4. Where - Where is the problem located? Where can your audience find the help they need? "Where" signifies direction. This leads your audience somewhere in your presentation. Where would you like to take them? Common "where" statements include "across America today", "in college campuses nationwide", "in the construction industry", and "in families in California".

5. Why - Why should they take action? What are the motivating factors in prompting your audience to take action? The main focus here is inspiration and motivation to take action. Not only do you want them to listen to you, but you want your audience to take action on what you've said. You want to somehow improve their lives and honing your message on the "why" is a critical necessity.

6. How - How can they respond to your message? How can they take action based on what they've heard? This is the learning and teaching portion of your message. This can be the "how-to" section telling them how they can easily improve their lives. This section often incorporates steps to follow.

There are still many more questions that your presentation should answer. As you piece all of these bits of information together, you'll be giving your audience the detailed answers they are looking for. You also present yourself as the credible source of information you want to present yourself to be!

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Join Us any Tuesday at Noon -Lunch Time for a 1 hour get together at the Elk Foundation on Grant Creek. We are the Lunchtime Missoula Toastmasters Club