If your goal is to become a professional speaker here is my advice as a past president of the National Speakers Association. Many of the best strategies to build your speaking business are the same you would use to establish any new business. My overnight success took many years of gradual, constant growth. I worked all the time to prepare for the opportunities that were to come. Do not wait around for opportunities, thinking that after these come along, you will begin to do the work. Over the last 3 decades, I have often been asked, “How do I become a well-paid professional speaker?”
You are paid for what you know. You are paid well for delivering your message in an interesting, compelling, and dynamic way. Start to hone your message by speaking at service clubs and groups. Remember, everyone is looking for a free speaker next Thursday, so it is very easy to get booked.
Once you have invitations, the person introducing you will let the group know of your expertise and that you are available for more engagements. I know this because YOU are responsible for writing your great introduction yourself!
If you are speaking for free and nobody has asked, “What would you charge to deliver that message to my group?” you may not be ready to quit your day job!
Consider, what exactly it is that you know that can help your audience make more sales, speak more effectively, negotiate better, have an organized office, or build better relationships.
Your content has to be practical. At some point, you stop thinking, “I would like to speak” and instead focus on what your friends, associates, clients, etc. actually ASK you about. Then you package that experience and advice into a speech, TeleSeminar, Webinar, public seminar, YouTube video, or blog post.
How do you promote yourself? In an on-going, consistent, relentless way. You start and do not stop.
Always revisit, re-focus, re-energize.
Tell me what you say you want…then show me one week of your life and I will tell you if you will get it.
Activity begets results.
As a speech coach and presentation skills expert, my clients include executives, engineers, sales teams, and even celebrities and professional speakers.
I designed my Fripp Virtual Training to help everyone benefit from what it has taken me decades and thousands of dollars to learn. Fripp Virtual Training is designed to be immediately engaging and makes it fun to learn.
If you are a novice presenter or a seasoned professional, you will find the content both practical and relevant. It is designed for ambitious professionals, executives, sales teams, and professional speakers.
“I am enjoying FrippVT very much! It is a great way to train with master speech coach Patricia Fripp at anytime.”- Bill Fleischhauer, Professional Speaker & Coach
Sign up for your complimentary trial and discover how FrippVT can transform you and your team. FrippVT delivers high-caliber comprehensive presentation and sales presentations skills training with built-in accountability. http://frippvt.com
Executive Speech Coach and Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker Patricia Fripp works with individuals and companies who realize that powerful, persuasive presentation skills give them a competitive edge.
