How to Become a Public Speaker

Are you interested in learning how to become a public speaker? Public speaking is a valuable skill to have in your freelancer toolbox – and it can open doors to new opportunities in your professional, personal, and social life.

If you want to learn more about public speaking, but aren’t sure where to start, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about becoming a public speaker, including how Knowadays can help you develop your skills and thrive in front of an audience.

What Is a Public Speaker?

A public speaker delivers speeches or presentations to audiences in order to inform, inspire, or persuade them. Many different venues, companies, and organizations hire public speakers. They work in a variety of industries, such as education, medicine, and technology, and they often specialize in a specific topic. Many public speakers develop a personal brand and market themselves around their niche (e.g., leadership or motivation), adapting their message to fit different audiences and settings. 

However, while expertise in a particular subject is important, it isn’t enough for success as a public speaker. The best public speakers are more than knowledgeable on a topic – they are also engaging, charismatic, and able to communicate complex ideas in a clear and relatable way.

A public speaker’s role goes beyond simply speaking to a crowd; it requires careful preparation, writing skills, and the ability to meaningfully connect with a wide range of groups. 

Why Is Public Speaking Important?

Public speaking is an essential skill with a host of professional and personal benefits. Developing public speaking skills can help with:

• Career advancement: Being an effective public speaker can set you apart at work. It can help you further your career through increased visibility, invitations to collaborate on projects, and even promotions. And if you’re searching for a new position, it can help you stand out at interviews. 
• Leadership opportunities: Public speaking skills are often associated with leadership. Being able to articulate your ideas clearly and confidently can position you as a leader at work or in your community.
• Networking connections: Speaking at events such as conferences or seminars can connect you with potential employers and industry leaders, especially if you’re interested in pursuing public speaking professionally.  
• Social skills: Public speaking requires you to organize your thoughts and convey them clearly, which can boost your overall communication skills and build your confidence in tricky social situations.
• Education of others: Public speaking is an effective way to raise awareness of important issues and shape societal discourse. Public speakers have the unique ability to influence diverse audiences by communicating new ideas, inspiring action, and driving progress. 

How to Get Started as a Public Speaker

Did you know that professional public speakers who deliver keynote speeches can earn up to $15,000 per booking? While it takes time to command such a high salary, new public speakers can still find clients and book paid speaking gigs. Thousands of events and conferences are held globally every year – both in person and virtually – and many need speakers of all specializations. 

If you’re interested in becoming a public speaker, whether amateur or professional, here are the steps to get started: 

1. Develop the Right Skills

Public speaking requires a specific set of skills, including clear communication, storytelling, confident body language, and audience engagement. To develop these skills, consider:

• Taking a public speaking course
• Reading books about public speaking
• Watching recordings of speeches delivered by renowned public speakers, or popular TED Speakers, for inspiration 
• Joining a public speaking group like Toastmasters 
• Recruiting friends and colleagues to be your practice audiences for speeches

Thoughtful feedback is an essential part of learning a new skill, so actively seek constructive criticism to improve your delivery and content.

2. Decide on Your Niche

To stand out as a public speaker, it’s important to identify your niche or area of expertise. Ask yourself what you’re interested in and are able to research and speak passionately about. Examples of popular niches include health and wellness, technology, the environment, and finance. After deciding on a topic, identify the unique insights or ideas you can offer. This is the first step to building a focused brand and attracting the right audience.

3. Build Your Personal Brand

Your personal brand is how you present yourself to the world as a public speaker. This includes your speaking style, the topics you cover, and how you market yourself. To start building a recognizable and trusted brand, we recommend creating a professional website and developing a strong social media presence, consistently publishing engaging content such as videos or podcasts. 

4. Market Yourself

To gain visibility as a public speaker, you need to actively market yourself. Start by joining a public speaking group, networking with other speakers, and pitching yourself to event organizers. You can also create a YouTube channel or start a blog to share your insights and reach a wider audience. Remember, it takes time to build a solid reputation, so be patient and persistent.

5. Identify Opportunities

Look for opportunities to speak at local events, workshops, or webinars. Volunteer to speak at community events or offer free talks to gain experience and record your speeches. As you build your portfolio, collect testimonials and gather feedback from your audience to establish credibility. Over time, these experiences will help you work your way up to paid speaking engagements. 

Becoming A Public Speaker

If you want to build your confidence and sharpen your public speaking skills, then check out our comprehensive Becoming A Public Speaker course. It teaches you everything you need to know to become a more effective public speaker – whether you’re giving a presentation at work or delivering a wedding speech. Try for free today! 

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What Are the Different Types of Public Speaking? 8 Public Speaking Exercises to Boost Your Skills What Are Ethics in Public Speaking? 5 of the Best Public Speaking Courses for Professionals