The Business of Speaking for Profit, Pleasure and Personal
Growth
I believe that public speaking can be rewarding in many ways.
First of all it can provide you with an opportunity to earn a
fantastic full time or part time income working from home.
Groups, organizations and businesses are always looking for
informative, entertaining speakers to address their members at
banquets, annual meetings, conferences etc. As you become well
known as a speaker the invitations increase. Word of mouth is
still the best form of advertising. As your reputation spreads
you will find people from outside your local area approaching
you to present to their group. Since I began my speaking career
I have spoken to numerous groups throughout Canada and the
United States. Not only are the financial rewards terrific, but
I get to travel, all expenses paid, meet new people and see new
country. What a great life and what great rewards for doing what
I love to do.
Another appealing feature of a speaking career is that you
control your own schedule. You accept only those engagements
that fit nicely into your other family duties and obligations.
If you want a month off, you just don't accept bookings during
that time. When you add this to no traffic jams to face twice a
day and no boss to contend with it starts to hit you just how
appealing this career is.
Not only do you determine how many speeches you would like to
give per month but you also can negotiate how much you will
charge per speech. When just starting out in the speaking
business you will receive in the neighborhood of $200.00 per
presentation. Within a year you could be receiving between $500
and $1000 per talk. Not bad part time money for doing something
you love.
I like to have a fee range to accommodate the various budgets
of different groups and to provide room for negotiation. I am in
the business of opening doors of opportunity not closing them
because my fee is rigid. This is entirely up to you. I know
speakers who will not negotiate their fees. That is their choice.
If you just want to speak locally you can. If you want to
spread your vocal wings across the region and the continent the
possibilities are endless. Marketing yourself and your service
will bring opportunities galore. If you have a computer and are
online you can advertise on your own web site. This brings
inquiries from all over the planet and spreads the word about
your speaking topics and availability to millions of potential
clients.
Added Benefits of a Public Speaking Career
1. Public speaking builds confidence. When you experience the
thrill of holding an audience in the palm of your hand and
receive their appreciative applause your confidence soars.
2. Public speaking boosts your self esteem. When you see the
audience relate to you as someone who really knows what you are
talking about your self esteem increases. And we all can use an
increase in self esteem.
3. People start looking at you in a more positive way. Even if
you never use your public speaking skills in giving formal
presentations, people will notice that you are more articulate
and confident in expressing an opinion or sharing an insight.
You will discover that they begin looking to you for advice and
opinions on many issues.
4. It helps you become a more organized thinker.. Planning,
writing and delivering a well researched , well organized
presentation has an overflow effect in other areas of your life.
You begin to plan and organize your thoughts more effectively..
This is especially helpful in your career or business. When your
manager or supervisor asks your opinion on some work- related
issue you are better able to express your ideas in a clear,
concise and well organized manner.
5. Public speaking begins to alter your self perception. As you
begin to use the skills involved in public speaking you will
notice that you begin to start talking to yourself in a more
positive way. You begin to see yourself as capable and
confident.
6. By accepting the challenge to speak in public you begin to
explore and actualize your own potential. Many of us go through
life not realizing how much we are capable of achieving. Public
speaking is an effective tool in the process of self discovery.
7. Public speaking gives you the courage to break out of your
comfort zone. I believe that the comfort zone is the enemy of
human growth. When we are too comfortable where we are we tend
to become stagnant. Speaking in public pushes us out of the
comfort zone and reveals to us our enormous capabilities.
If you feel compelled to share your expertise or message with
others do so. Start slowly and start small but start. The
benefits and rewards are tremendous.