Do you have expertise in a small facet of corporate life?
Maybe you have found that you possess unique insight into the psychology of salesmanship, or the link between specific hobbies and positive networking outcomes.
Whatever your niche, having proven success in a profitable component of commercial strategy is the first step toward becoming a successful keynote speaker.
Of course, the same insight could be used to write a book or start a YouTube channel, or simply to give you an edge in your own climb up the corporate ladder.
But what if you have your heart set on being a business keynote speaker? What specific steps could you take to turn your area of expertise into a lifelong career of influence and prestige, lending your insights to the biggest and most successful corporations in the world?Â
Hone the Craft: Zeroing In Your Speaking and Your Speech
One of the most important steps is, of course, to perfect your public speaking. You will need to be charismatic yet sincere, entertaining yet educational.
You will need to be quick on your feet, not just spouting the same speech you have given a thousand times, but customizing it for each audience and being prepared for questions and interruptions.
As vital as the ability to alter your planned speech, however, is making sure that your address has excellent points and internal logic. These vital characteristics can’t be negotiable, and whatever other demands are placed on you, your address needs to be clear, concise, and actionable–every single time.
Still Selling: Marketing Yourself Successfully
A keynote speaker who wants to make a living never stops being a sales person, but the early stages of a speaking career are particularly sales heavy.
Think of everyone who has been positively influenced by your expertise in your niche: managers, CEOs, event planners, everyone. These contacts can be the basis of vital networking and promotions.
Can you get testimonials and reviews? How about invitations to speak at workshops or as a guest speaker? These are all opportunities to get your name out there–while honing your craft and building authority, vital to any keynote speaking career.
As you take these engagements and seek these endorsements, make sure to stay within your niche. Reviews and testimonials about some other skill your have or favor you did for someone will be of limited usefulness, so focus your networking on those who know exactly what your niche is and how to make it sound good. All this is vital to building your brand.
Consistency is Key
As in many areas of life, successful speakers are consistent. Their speeches are consistently excellent, their philosophy has been made rock solid by their years of experience and research, and they are reliable and punctual to a fault.
Even a free or low paying engagement deserves your full attention and a quality performance, so if you agree to such addresses–whether in the beginning of your career or later on–never use the pay scale as a determining factor for quality; bring your best to every speech and you will find that integrity and value really do pay in the long term.
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