Public Speaking and Presentation Skills - Tips and Techniques That Really Work

Part VII: Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

The "path of the great speaker" won't make you rich. It won't even put food on your table. And, it's certainly not going to pay your mortgage.

This is going to ruffle the feathers of many speakers out there, especially the speakers that belong to organizations that teach them that being a great speaker is the path to success.

But, it's not! Sucks, doesn't it? I know, I know - it seems like a logical path... be a great speaker, people rave about you, they buy your stuff, you get a lot of bookings and speaking fees, right?

Wrong, wrong, WRONG!!

To ultra-briefly paraphrase a story that you simply must 'get' - there were 2 Greek speakers, and after one spoke people clapped and said "what a great speech!", but after the other speaker spoke, people said "let's march!!".

You, my friend, want to be the latter speaker. You're just plain dead wrong if you think that being a great speaker is going to earn you any money. It's not. When you come to my Seminar Speaking Success Training (coming up early next year in Los Angeles) you'll discover what you absolutely must know if you expect to use seminar speaking (or any kind of speaking) to generate income. If not, you'll be stumbling along for years without making any real money.

More tomorrow, see you then!
David
PS: Stay tuned - my new book for speakers is being processed by my publisher, and will be published early next year!

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Part VII: Different Paths

Part VI: Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with being a great speaker. I never get tired of hearing that from people at the end of my presentation. Who wouldn't mind hearing enthusiastic praise about their speaking?

But yesterday, I said I'd pull back the curtain and reveal the problem with "the path of the great speaker", and here it is.

Being a great speaker does not translate to making sales, gaining new clients, converting prospects, and putting more money into your bank account.

If you are involved in organizations that help you to be a better speaker, what I just said may be very hard for you to accept, but it's 100% true. I know from my own experience, and the experience of many who belong to those well-known organizations that hand out awards and designations for becoming an accomplished public speaker.

I know quite a number of great speakers that are broke and can't get their business off the ground. All the accolades and applause in the world is not going to put food on your table.

Tomorrow I'm going to tell you why, see you then.
David

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Part VI: Different Paths

Part V: Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

This *third* path we're discussing is not limited to business owners. If you expect to make more money in your career, the fastest way to advance is by being able to make "oral presentations" to groups.

If you work for an attorney firm, a CPA firm, or in escrow, insurance, banking, and dozens of other industries, as you move up the food chain you will be required to speak to groups of prospects and clients, or even the board of directors if you move into executive positions.

As you move up, you will have to speak to groups. And, I've taught many a workshop where a large number of people sheepishly admit they've been passed over by promotions because they harbored fear about speaking in front of groups.

It's a terrible shame to have your career or business - and income - stall just because of stage fright, which is so easily and quickly conquered using my techniques.

So whether you're in business for yourself or working for someone else, the fastest and easiest way to increase your income is through "the path of the speaker that gets results".

Tomorrow, I'm going to (somewhat reluctantly) pull back the curtain and reveal the huge problems with "the path of the great speaker" - there are huge numbers of people marching down this path, and they will not become successful!

See you tomorrow,
David

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Part V: Different Paths

Part IV: Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

The third path I want to talk about is the path where business owners use seminars and "public speaking" to generate and convert highly qualified leads into happy, paying customers and clients.

If we wanted to be technical, this *third* patch is actually under the category of "the speaker that gets measurable results" and is not a third category of seminar speaking at all. But that's just if we wanted to be technical about how we are categorizing things...

Anyway, this path is a terrifically useful path for any business owner, and this is an area where I shine and specialize. I've helped many a business owner including chiropractors, insurance agents, financial planners, real estate professionals, contractors - even sex-toy shop owners!

This path is woefully under-utilized by business owners. Seriously, tragically under-utilized. This path can create a stampede of new business for you and flood of new revenues and income for you. Sadly, many business owners rule out using seminars and "public speaking" for a myriad of reasons.

What about you? Are you not doing seminar speaking for some reason? Post your reasons right her on my blog, you can post anonymously if you want - and tomorrow we'll continue with more on the paths to seminar speaking success.

See you then!
David

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Part IV: Different Paths

Part III: Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

"The path of the speaker that gets measurable results" is very different than "the path of the great speaker".

Remember yesterday I said that the path of the great speaker boils down to speakers that expect to be paid for showing up and speaking. This is the path that is most well-known.

The lesser-known path, the path of the speaker that gets measurable results, is the path where the speaker will show up and generate sales. This speaker generally does not ask for a speaking fee, and in fact when you think about it, this speaker pays to speak because they split their sales with the seminar promoter.

These are two distinct paths, and it does boil down to which direction the money is flowing.

Now, are these two paths the only paths that exist? Absolutely not!

Tomorrow I'm going to talk about a third path that is also not well known, is dimly suspected by some, is very well-known by others - and is very under-utilized!

You will want to know about this path!

See you tomorrow,
David

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Part III: Different Paths

Part II: Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

The "path of the great speaker" is the path that is most commonly taken.

It's the path that you will most likely be steered down if you join organizations that are comprised of budding professional speakers, experienced pros, or even a mix both. To generalize, the path of the great speaker will emphasize the "do's and don'ts" of being up in front of people.

There will be a lot of emphasis on how you structure your presentation and how you deliver it, with a lot of time spent on your speaking style, your image, and a few gimmicks to make you more memorable.

The path of the great speaker, to summarize this path, is the path of the paid speaker; the speaker that expects to be paid a speaking fee. This path is a viable path, and it is the more well-worn path.

Tomorrow I'll outline the other path - which for wont of a more clever and descriptive name, I've settled on the name "the path of the speaker that gets measurable results" (I know, not a scintillating name, but what the heck!) - and over the next few days, I'll outline the benefits and detriments to each path - this will be a real eye-opener!

See you tomorrow,
David

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Part II: Different Paths

Different Paths, Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success:

It turns out that in reality, there are different paths out there when it comes to seminar speaking success, or any kind of "public speaking" no matter whether you call it lectures, speeches, classes, trainings, boot camps, seminars, workshops - whatever.

And, I'll admit that although I've been doing classes, seminars (etc. etc. etc.) for a loooooong time, only in the last few years have I become acutely and keenly aware of the different paths. Well, I won't be too hard on myself - I once heard someone say "if wisdom comes to you late, no regrets - just be glad it came to you at all!"

It's very easy to mix up the paths and confuse them. I know I did. That confusion can cause a lot of mixed successes, or even "stumbling around" wondering why results are not exactly as you would hope.

So, I'll call one path "the path of the great speaker" and the other, "the path of the speaker that gets measurable results".

Admittedly, those terms are not scintillating and descriptively brilliant, but they do make the point - which we'll continue with tomorrow.

See you then!
David

Labels: Different Kinds of Seminar Speaking Success, Different Paths