Public Speaking to Boost Your Business
I knew that public speaking would boost my business when I came online as an entrepreneur in 2006, but I was terrified of speaking in front of a group at that time. I soon learned that I had a classic case of glossophobia, which is the fear of speaking in public. I had never experienced anything traumatic around this anxiety, so I was determined to overcome it and make public speaking a supporting business communication tool. I am now a sought after international speaker on the topics of success and entrepreneurship, so it was worth every moment to overcome my fear of public speaking and now you can’t get a microphone away from me!
During my second year as a speaker I can remember the precise moment I felt comfortable presenting my information from the stage. I was speaking at an event put on by Armand Morin in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was something I said that made the audience laugh, and the next thing I knew I was actually having fun with them. Right then I knew that I would always want to be a speaker and that it had all been worth it.
The rewards I experience from speaking are both tangible and intangible. I sell from the stage, meaning that I am not paid to speak on my topics and that the promoter and I share the proceeds of the sales I make while I am at the event. The intangible rewards include knowing that I have successfully shared information with others that has the potential to help them change their life, and knowing that I am doing the work God intended for me.
These days I speak several times a year at venues both in the United States and abroad. I even host my own live events where I am the primary speaker during the three days I am training. Something else I enjoy is speaking at charitable events and for fundraising functions which are close to my heart.
Do you enjoy speaking in front of an audience and have you thought of public speaking as a way to boost your business?
Connie, this is a really good topic to talk about.
Public speaking has not always come easy to me. I think a huge turn around in my thinking and my ability to stand up in front of strangers and speak, was when I was “forced” to take a public speaking course in college. I was in an engineering/science track and the curriculum required a course in public speaking. It was one of the best things I ever did. It caused me to grow outside my comfortable boundaries. And I learned something then that I still remember many years later – tell them what you are going to say, say it, then tell them what you just said.
And recently, I have further stretched myself by taking on the leadership of a local meetup group that meets once a month. I have to get up in front of 30 to 50 people, and run a meeting. Sometimes I just get things started and introduce another speaker. And sometimes I am the speaker/teacher for the evening. Taking on the mantle of leadership and standing in front, increases my position and credibility as an expert and leader. And of course the responsibilities that come with that.
I agree that seeking opportunities to speak in public can only help to boost our business.
Thanks for a great post.
Mike Darling
You are most welcome, Mike. And thank you for sharing your experiences with us here.
Connie Ragen Green
Great post. I love your story and want to take a slightly different angle on “public speaking to boost your business”…
First, let me just say that I too had a fear of public speaking. I worked hard to overcome it and now I help others overcome their fear and become effective communicators.
Second, I often get push-back from people when I use the term “public speaking”. They may say they don’t speak publicly in their job… but most actually do. Most of us in traditional white-collar jobs do. We speak publicly whether we’re in front of a room standing at a podium presenting with PowerPoint, speaking on a conference call with clients, or sitting at a table giving a status update at a staff meeting.
Yes, you can boost book/merchandise sales via public speaking. It’s a great approach. The message I’m continually attempting to convey is that you can also “boost your business”, whether your business is marketing, sales, coding, analytics, finance, etc., simply by improving your public speaking.
Thanks so much for sharing your expertise and insight here, David.
Connie Ragen Green
Really great advice here. Connie, I appreciate you (and the commenters) taking the time to discuss the fear of public speaking and overcoming it! Thank you!
You’re most welcome, Beth. Are you speaking in regards to your work with film?
Connie Ragen Green