Being a speaker is a wonderful opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise with new people – and being asked to be a speaker is often a privilege.
Recently I’ve been asked to speak at a number of events which have focused on social care – and I’ve been pleased to do it. These opportunities – sometimes paid, sometimes not – create new ‘moments’ to connect with others and to build new relationships.
I have to do it anyway because I’m encouraged to regularly by my PR partner Fiona Scott and, as we’ve worked together now, for a few years – I’m really understanding the value of being either ‘the speaker’ or ‘a speaker’ at various events.
It’s a moment to be a bona fide ‘expert’ in your field and you will attract interest and questions even if there are just half a dozen people listening. Be grateful for any opportunity to do this.
As part of Fiona’s offering within her company Scott Media she also has a small speaker platform and I’m proud to be part of that platform. It allows me to showcase another part of what I can and will do to share my knowledge and expertise and to help others.
This is often around care, social care but also around business in general or even being in business as a more mature woman. Given I’m now in my 60s, we don’t often hear voices of women like me to encourage other women like me. Why should we be invisible? Why should we be seen as fit for ‘retirement’? No chance!
These are all areas where I have knowledge and experience and can talk with authenticity and passion. I think, having listened to some wonderful speakers myself (and some not so wonderful) that these are key ingredients to being a good speaker.
The other fact is that no one who speaks in public for the first time is the ‘perfect’ speaker. Like so much in business and life, you learn by doing and by stepping outside of your comfort zone. You don’t change, grow or learn by continually doing the same things, you do have to try ‘new stuff’.
Having the courage to do this and embrace the fact that you won’t be perfect, you won’t get everything right the first time, actually can make others feel at ease. It also speaks to people in the room who might need you, your services or your products to be part of their lives or their businesses. These things make you relatable to the ‘right’ people at the ‘right’ time – and the right time for someone might be a year from now…
Speaking builds emotional bridges and memory hooks so that when the time is right, you are front of mind.
There’s also nothing wrong with getting some training if you find the thought of speaking very scary – or to develop your speaking voice in a safe space to improve.
As with so much in life and business – there will always be people who are better than you. Yet I can assure you there will always be more people who are the opposite!
My tip – just start speaking!