• Connecting Speakers with Audiences™

Speaker Preparedness

Five-Day Public Speaking Challenge: Day One
Five-Day Public Speaking Challenge: Day One 2560 1700 I Need A Speaker

I Need A Speaker is here to help you achieve your public speaking goals. We believe that a powerful message and a passion to share it are the foundational elements of an effective public speaker.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional who engages audiences regularly or a newcomer to the (virtual) stage, there is always opportunity to examine your approach and make changes as needed.

Are you ready to polish your presentation skills? If so, join us for this challenge – and become a better public speaker in just five days!

DAY ONE: FINE-TUNE YOUR MESSAGE

What do you want to say? Ask yourself what takeaways you want your audience to recall. Next, finalize your central message(s).

Write it out and test it on potential audience members if you can. Use results-oriented language to express your message in a compelling, attractive way.

For example, rather than writing something like “Why It’s Important to Build a Strong Team,” consider language like, “The Five Keys to Building a Cohesive, High-Performance Team.”

What result do you deliver?

Check back tomorrow for the second step in our five-day challenge. Know someone who might benefit? Pass this along!

Zombies are for horror movies
Zombies are for horror movies 1707 2560 I Need A Speaker

What do zombies have to do with public speaking?

A zombie is my nickname for a speech that is resurrected over and over again, without changes. Using a zombie speech is the easiest way to ensure a dull, generic presentation with dated material.

Fight the zombies and bring life into your presentation by reviewing, customizing, and updating each time you speak on that topic. If you don’t, your audience may soon resemble zombies themselves.

Improve panel discussions with one advance step
Improve panel discussions with one advance step 2000 1333 I Need A Speaker

If you’re invited to be part of a panel discussion, take the time to coordinate with other speakers before the event.

Make a quick call or drop an e-mail to introduce yourself  and share your talking points. By doing so, you can coordinate your message and avoid redundancy.

This one step will impress your event planner, who wants to deliver the best possible product, and it will create a better audience experience.

Develop rapport and improve your presentation with this easy tactic
Develop rapport and improve your presentation with this easy tactic 2560 1707 I Need A Speaker

Good speakers will tell you that it’s important to know your audience. Great speakers will collect information prior to their speech, then use those details to shape their remarks.

How can you do that? Ask permission to reach out to a few audience members prior to the meeting, conference, or webinar. Prepare two or three questions that you can ask, collecting specific responses that are relevant to your subject matter.

Let me give you an example. Say you’ll be speaking to an audience about consumer behavior. Drop an e-mail to some attendees before you’ve finalized your remarks, and ask questions that can help you customize your presentation. You might want to ask about their most recent purchase or ask how they select from various brands.

When completing your remarks, include specific answers, which you can reference by saying things like, “One audience member reported that …” or “Based on what you’ve told me …”.

There are so many benefits to using this easy tactic. You’ll engage the audience immediately. You’ll delight the event planner for delivering such a customized, thoughtful presentation. And you’ll create a more memorable experience for everyone.

Wishing you a healthy, happy 2021
Wishing you a healthy, happy 2021 1707 2560 I Need A Speaker

The team at I Need A Speaker wishes you and your families a wonderful holiday season. May you have a healthy, happy 2021!

We’ll be back after January 1 with ideas, tips, and resources to help make your new year successful.

Consider creative alternatives to an honorarium or speaker fee
Consider creative alternatives to an honorarium or speaker fee 2560 1709 I Need A Speaker

I’ve participated in enough committee discussions to know that some organizations don’t have the funds to pay speaker fees. Today I’ll suggest that perhaps that fact doesn’t stop the process – with creativity, it can begin a conversation to negotiate terms.

Here are some ways speakers can be paid outside of the traditional transactional model of money for services:

  • Place ads for the speaker’s services in organizational materials.
  • Feature the speaker in social media accounts.
  • Include information about the speaker on your website.
  • Write an article or publish an interview with the speaker in your group’s newsletters.
  • Offer a discount for the speaker’s products to your members.
  • Barter products or services offered or sold by your organization.
  • Extend membership in your organization.
  • Allow use of your organization’s space or resources on a limited basis: printing, video conferencing, etc.
  • Provide testimonials that can be used to promote the speaker.

A creative approach that results in a win-win situation will pay off for everyone!

Use this tip to get more bookings and more audience interest
Use this tip to get more bookings and more audience interest 2560 1707 I Need A Speaker

Imagine if Lord of the Rings were titled People Looking for Something, or Star Wars were titled Conflicts Among People in Space. Not as exciting, huh?

The same is true of your presentation titles. Both conference planners and speakers want to attract an audience. In many cases, interest begins with the title.

Think about your own experience of browsing libraries and bookstores. Whether the books you’re browsing are print or electronic, it’s the title that usually grabs you first.

When writing presentation titles, consider what you can offer your audience to entertain (is the topic relevant?), motivate (will their lives be better?), educate (will they learn something beneficial?), or inspire (will they leave the presentation feeling excited?).

Here are two potential titles for the same presentation:

Content Creators and Use of Social Automation

How to Turn Your Followers Into Customers

Wow! Big difference!

Here’s another comparison:

Sales Training Techniques

The Sales Training Methods Your Competitors Fear

Make your title exciting and memorable. Use active words that will attract attention and demonstrate the benefits of attending the presentation.

When your title is as exciting as your content, you’ll find the audience you seek. Have fun writing!

Speakers and event planners: What’s on your holiday wish list?
Speakers and event planners: What’s on your holiday wish list? 2560 1647 I Need A Speaker

Holiday sales offer money-saving opportunities to get the supplies you need to do your job well. As you prepare for the holidays, consider adding these work-from-home products to your wish list:

  • Standing desk
  • Ergonomic chair
  • Carpeting or an area rug to absorb noise
  • Headphones or wireless earbuds
  • Microphone for better sound quality
  • High-quality, stand-alone webcam
  • Laptop stand so your webcam is at eye level
  • Wireless keyboard
  • Phone tripod if you connect by phone
  • Ring light or other video lighting
  • Video or audio editing software
  • Appropriate art work and decor for your setting
  • 2021 planner (if you’re old school)
  • Surge protectors
  • Power bank
  • Mobile hotspot
  • Houseplants (studies say you’ll be more productive!)
  • Fire- and water-resistant safe for important documents
  • Shredder
  • Healthy snacks
  • Water bottle
  • Desk organizer (you’re on camera; keep it neat!).

Check online reviews for recommendations, and always check for promo codes before you purchase. Many speakers and planners will continue to work from home (or work from anywhere). Let’s do it comfortably!

Welcome to our new international users!
Welcome to our new international users! 2560 1537 I Need A Speaker

Last week, I Need A Speaker welcomed new users from London. We are so excited about this international expansion, as it broadens our options for the people we joyfully serve.

We have had inquiries about whether people from outside the US can join the I Need A Speaker community (YES!), and we have been asked if event organizers can book people from other countries (YES!).

Today, video conferencing services allow interaction among people from all geographic areas, and virtual event planners won’t need to budget for travel costs.

We look forward to welcoming more international users soon!

Add this to your social media posts to increase booking requests.
Add this to your social media posts to increase booking requests. 2560 1857 I Need A Speaker

Self-promotion helps speakers increase booking requests. It’s helpful to publicly remind your followers when you’ve presented a keynote, published a paper, appeared on the news, authored a book, or completed another achievement.

The next step is helping event planners find you. Include a line on your social media profiles and posts that says, “Find me on I Need A Speaker!” On our directory, event planners can learn more about your qualifications, find links to several of your social media accounts, and obtain details about your speaking requirements.

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