How To Present Like A Professional Speaker, Not An 'Expert!'

As a professional speaker, I’ve attended, spoken at, and observed countless conferences and meetings. I’ve witnessed incredible speakers and some downright dreadful ones – even some of the so-called professional ones! But here’s the thing: we’re not talking about professional speakers today.

If you have expertise, a unique perspective, or a point to share in virtually any field, there’s a good chance you’ll eventually be asked to ‘give a talk’. Whether it’s to the eight-person accounts team on the third floor, a local charity group, or an international audience of thousands, you’re now the person at the front of the room.

STOP FOR A MOMENT

In my 25 years of experience, I’ve only ever seen one non-professional speaker have their audience eating out of their hands. Just one!

So, with respect, it’s unlikely you’ll knock it out of the park. But here’s the kicker: you’ll probably never know that your talk hasn’t really landed...

Why?

• You likely haven’t been paid much (if at all), so no one will critique a freebie.
• The organiser is simply grateful you agreed to speak.
• Feedback is always polite: “Thank you so much! That was fascinating and so relevant!” (Blah, blah, blah...)
• You’re not a regular presenter, so people don’t expect a polished performance.
• Audiences are generally polite and won’t tell you what they really thought.
• If you’re the boss, they have no choice but to listen!