Are you considering a public speaking job? Great.

Let me offer you one self evaluation that will help you qualify yourself for the public speaking industry. The great English poet and artist William Blake said it best when he described is professionalism to writing and was so excited about his public job that he wrote these words from his heart one day on his way to work:  Sparks emit from my fingertips, in anticipation of my day’s vocation. That is it! Step one in making a decision to go after a public speaking job is passion. It’s as if you have a burning desire to be a public speaker.  You should carry a photo of Phil Town in your “speaker’s notes” folder as an example of passion on stage. It’s not because he’s my favorite artist,author and speaker. Phil Town has, in my opinion, a rather wealthy life but still manages to keep that relatable and passionate energy when he speaks to investing audiences.

But one thing I do admire about Janis Joplin is — she had passion.  Her passion comes through in her songs. And when I listen to her stirring music, I hear someone who has set her soul on fire. There are many times when I am contemplating making a statement to an audience that may be a bit risky, and I glance down and see Janis, and she literally encourages me, saying: Say it, man.  Go for it! Speak like it’s the last time you’re going to public speak.  It may be the hundredth time you’ve said these things, but it’s the first time they’ve heard it.  So, go for it!

Janis= Passion.Passion,” contends Richard Chang, “is not a privilege of the fortunate few, it is a right and a power that we all possess.” Passion, then, is neither a gift nor a talent.  It is a choice, a decision. I suggest that you discover  the “Passion Point” in public speaking presentations. What will you feel most strongly about in your public speaking job? This is the Passion Point. Every genuine message must have one.  Whether it’s a speech on information technology, on finance, or on natural turf…find it!  Find what excites you about it. Find that Passion Point. Highlight or underscore it.   Practice it with the great passion it generates within you. Make it something you believe in, and you’ll be on fire every time and keep your audiences enthralled.

Technorati Tags: career in public speaking, careers in public speaking, how to become a motivational speaker, jobs in public speaking jobs, phil town, public speaking career, public speaking jobs

If you can develop a motivational speech that will blow audiences away every time then you can be among the elite who earn high income and have one of the highest paid jobs in america.

I’ve been doing public speaking for audiences for over 30 years. I can vividly recall the “early
days” when I witnessed unspeakable horrors in motivational speaking. I actually saw audience members yawning, checking their watches, and even nodding! OUCH! There are few experiences in life more humbling than to be baring your soul to the throngs, only to be ignored in return. Thus, I made a resolute pact with myself three decades ago: “I want to have one of the highest paid jobs so…I will not be a boring speaker…Period!” Thus, I graciously hand over the following “highest paid jobs fuel tips.” These are the logs tossed on a fire that not only keep it burning, but send the flames higher and higher. These “logs for the fire” will create warmth and light…and here is the word that pays, literally, captivation!!! One key which I teach for a full day in my workshops is the skill of telling stories. If you want to be one of the highest paid in your public speaking job then learn the art of telling stories. One other key to having one of the highest paid jobs is to be funny. Have great humor sprinkled and perfectly timed to compliment the point you are making.

The highest paid people in the world and the most powerful are great speakers. In being a great speaker you’ve got to use stories and humor like a master craftsman. If you are fortunate enough to be highly compensated as a speaker then you undoubtedly have mastered these two essential skills of a motivational speaker.

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaker jobs, motivational speaking jobs, public speaking career, public speaking job, public speaking jobs

We often think of the comic who can’t get a laugh a performance that bombs. Did you know that in your public speaking jobs that going past your allotted time can turn a good speech into a bomb? It is called Overtime public speaking.”Stand up so you’ll be seen. Speak up so you’ll be heard. And then
sit down so you’ll be appreciated.”–John Davies, Business Speaker and Trainer

Ready for a stiff motivational speaker to motivational speaker challenge? I submit there is a direct correlation between the overtime minutes of a speech and the Motivational speaker’s ego! If you just had a distinctly negative reaction to this theory, the red warning ego light may be flashing– Ego! Ego! Addressing an audience is a blessing; not stopping in time is a curse. “Leave ‘em wanting more” is an adage most business speakers can quote, but few can follow. Even when we know that it is always advantageous to cease while the fire is still hot, the dreaded ego too often has the last word (or words). While I was visiting a friend in Texas, a motivational speaker I know invited me to sit in on his Saturday morning class. This presentation skills workshop was scheduled from 11 to noon. The class was fantastic, and we were all involved and learning a great deal. However, high noon was approaching quickly, and I noticed that people were getting just a little bit antsy. The bell to end class rang at noon, and the teacher went on as if he hadn’t even heard it. Students still listened to him, but I could sense a significant energy change. A few of them began gathering their books together and looking at their watches as polite signals to the teacher that it was time to go. He continued to speak. Ten minutes later the late-bell sounded. He responded that he had one more thing to say regarding this…and another regarding that… He talked on until about twelve-twenty, when all of a sudden he paused and said, “How’s everybody feeling right now?” There wasn’t a word in response. “Please be honest,” he said. “How is everybody feeling right now about the fact that this class went twenty minutes late?”
Finally, it began to come out. “Well, I’ll be honest with you. I really like your class and always look forward to it, but this is kind of an inconvenience for me. I had a twelve o’clock appointment with
someone.” Someone else added, “My wife has been upstairs for twenty minutes! She always picks me up at twelve, and we go out and have lunch together.”

Similar comments were also made. The teacher then surprised us all by informing us that he had held us overtime on purpose, adding that he would never again hold us past twelve o’clock. “But as future preachers and teachers,” he concluded, “I want you to remember how this feels. I want you to remember how important it is not to keep people overtime.” This was a major motivational speaker training lesson for me because, even though he had one of the most enthralling motivational speaking careers speaker business I knew, people resented even him for going overtime. Just don’t do it.

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, become a speaker, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaker training, public speaking career, public speaking job, public speaking jobs

First you have to start the fire by gathering twigs of skill in Motivational Speaking. This first one may be for pay or “no fee” but you prepare for it as if it is paying $100,000 for a keynote speech. Twigs simply refuse to stack themselves. Carelessly tossing a handful of kindling into the fire pit yields nothing but wasted time and wasted matches. “Stacking twigs” for a public speaking presentation requires meticulous attention as well. It includes such things as arriving early at the site of the event – not ten minutes or half an hour early, but early enough to check, recheck, and connect. Other “twigs” to “stack”:
• Has the room been set up properly?
• Are there enough chairs?
• Does the lighting suit our purposes?
• Have we completed a sound check?
• Did we make sure the lavaliere would be effective while roaming the stage?
• What if we roam the room?

• Is the battery in the mike system fresh?
• Where is the thermostat?
• Who do we contact for technical problems?
• Has a glass of water been poured?
• Are we recording this presentation?
• Is our system ready?
• Are the batteries fresh?
• Is that smoke alarm too close for that special pyrotechnic effect?
• What if the “fireball” is tossed in that direction instead?
• Are the chairs in the audience too close together to permit “intimate” roaming?
• Where are the exits, in case of an emergency? (“fireball”)
• That group singing and shouting next door could be a problem!
• When does their meeting end?

And on and on — twig by twig, we stack for success as a Motivational Speaker. Assuming all of this is done, the next phase of “stacking” is greeting and meeting people as they come in, being sure to give each person you meet your full attention. Sometimes you’ll get some great material for your speech just doing this. One time I was asked to do a public keynote speech at a school.
My motivational speech was prepared beforehand, but I’d never spoken to this group before since I had become a speaker. There
was a dinner before the speech (and may I just mention that they served the finest tri-tip he audience members were parents of children attending this school. Again,
my speech was prepared, but I didn’t think I had enough of the personal touch. When
the call came to get in line, I took my notepad with me, and started meeting people in
line. I’d introduce myself as the evening’s Motivational Speaker and began asking them questions:
“Can you tell me what you like about this school?”
“Why do you have your child attend this school?”
“Who is your favorite teacher here and why?”
I “stacked” some very humorous and heartwarming quotes. Every time I got to the head of the line, I’d excuse myself, and go to the back of the line, still meeting people, interviewing and taking notes. After an hour of doing this, I was extremely hungry, but I had ten excellent interviews, of which I used the top five in my speech. Mentioning their names, their children’s names, quoting their statements, praising the school and its teachers—it made all the difference. I believe it is important to note that I had my speech fully ready and practiced beforehand. I had gathered my wood. Consequently, I had time to further personalize and customize it with these “twigs” in the final hour before “showtime.”
Too many Motivational Speakers spend that hour putting the final touches on their basic
keynote speech and, unfortunately, miss an opportunity to better connect with their listeners. I’ve been blessed to attend an international customer service seminar for the
past few years and heard lots of great Motivational Speakers. But I’ve noticed only one speaker has ever come out prior to his or her speech to meet audience members. That was Dr. Stephen Covey.
Turns out he is one of the most in demand Motivational Speakers

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, become a speaker, Dr. Stephen Covey, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaker jobs, motivational speaking jobs, public speaking career, public speaking jobs, speaker business, Stephen Covey

It never fails to amaze me that top speaking professionals, working for a top company, will
come to a presentation skills workshop without a presentation! Moreover, these speaking
presentations are being video-taped and conducted, not only in front of their peers, but
also many times in front of their bosses. Still, remarkably, many do not prepare.
Often, I’ll try to break the “avoidance-syndrome” tension by reading those e-mails
aloud, evoking some embarrassed chuckling and confessions of “Oh yeah, you’re right.”
(I sincerely believe that if I didn’t read these “Exhibit A Evidences” to them, there would
still be a few who would stubbornly hold to the claim that they’d never heard about the
presentation requirement.)At this point, the room energy is comprised of a dangerous combination of
embarrassment and guilt. So I use humor to make the bitter truth more palatable. I
offer the following explanation: You probably did peruse the course description and signed up for the
course with every intention of doing a good job on your presentation for
yourselves, your peers, and your supervisors. You knew that it was important
and would be beneficial to your speaking careers, but you still had some time. Procrastination in preparing to speak is toxic potion for one who wants to become a motivational speaker.You can’t wing it you have to take the prep time that is necessary for every presentation. I’ve heard people describe their talents as not needing preparation that they think better on their feet. You are deceived. It takes:
…reading for your speech
…note-taking for your speaking opportunity
…outlining for your speaking opportunity
…writing for your speaking opportunity
…editing for your speaking opportunity
…memorizing for your speaking opportunity
…developing supplementary materials for your speaking opportunity
…finding appropriate props
…and as many essential etceteras as you can shake a stick at!

Don’t make the mistake of so many who start in this industry and then bomb when they have to stand and deliver. It takes preparation for public speaking…lots of preparation to become a motivational speaker.

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaker jobs, motivational speaking jobs, public speaking career, public speaking jobs

Starting your job in motivational speaking is no easy task. I always advise everyone to not quit their day job until they have a full understanding of what are the entry level tools required for a speaking career. The speaking business, in many ways, parallels the entertainment business. When the hit show American Idol rolls into your city for auditions reports of 4000 plus will wait for days to audition. Only a small handful will be selected from each city. The speaking business is a great career but the first tool you need to start working on is finding your message and writing a book about it. If you do not have a book you can still get speaking jobs. Having a speaking career is different than getting some speaking jobs. A career is about crafting a great message that is worth writing about and becoming a motivational speaker. There are several ways to get your book finished. In fact, you may be a great speaker but not very good a writing. Ghost writers can take your hand written notes or even audio CD’s of your ideas and turn it into a work that you’d be proud to publish. In our Public speaking training course we’ll give you lists of writers and publishers. You’ll also want to self publish your first book, unless of course, you have already been signed by a publisher. If that is the case then you must know Oprah personally.

Coming soon is my free download of some quick tips for writing your first motivational speaking book.

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaking, public speaking career, public speaking jobs, speaking business, Speaking Career

To have a public speaking job
is to go beyond comfort and stretch yourself toward greatness.
My Friend, boxer, minister, and real estate developer Chris
writes: “Average is the top of the bottom… the best of the worst… the bottom of the top…
the worst of the best… The saddest epitaph is this: ‘Here lies Mr. Average.

Here lies the remains of what might have been,  except for his belief that he was only average.’”
When I first met Chris, he was, by his own account, an average public speaker. He had limited education and very little motivational speaking experience. He was determined to improve and was willing to go to any lengths to do so. He watched other public speakers, always taking notes on each little detail of how they went about their public speaking job. Chris would always asked for feedback after delivering a motivational speech or sermon.Many nights I remember Chris, in my garage, practicing his
upcoming public speaking. Using my ironing board as his podium, he enthusiastically spoke to an audience of one. At each juncture I would offer suggestion after suggestion. After a some scribbling, he would begin again…and again. Chris became a powerful as a minister and later went to be successful in his Public speaking career! Chris now has spoken all over the world. Today, he is a favorite of many, including myself…and there is nothing average about as a public speaker.

Technorati Tags: highest paid jobs, highest paying jobs, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaker jobs, motivational speaking jobs, public speaking career, public speaking jobs

I love my motivational speaking job and the following quote by Daniel Webster says it all.
“If all my talents and powers were to be taken from me by some
inscrutable Providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would
unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the Power of Speaking, for
through it, I would quickly recover all the rest. Helping others to become a motivational speaker and helping others get into a motivational speaking career is our mission in forming this company.
One issue you must resolve as a business speaker is the mystery that I call “The Paradox of Front Rows.” Let me explain. I now live in southern California, and it didn’t take me long to marvel and the staunch Laker fans. During games, I always see the front row seats occupied by the likes of Jack Nicholson and Dyan Cannon, because the cost for those seats is just so out of reach for anyone else. And why not? Your view is at bench-level. You’re nearest the action and the players, and you might, should fortune smile, spend a few unforgettable moments sharing your lap with a hustling, leave-it-on-the-floor, professional basketball player.
Front rows are the place to be. Recently, “The Lion King,” one of the top hits in theater, came to Los Angeles. As a birthday surprise, I bought three VIP tickets for my wife and two daughters at $125 a piece! There were several back-row seats available for that performance for one-fifth that amount. I was willing to pay the higher price, because the value is greater the closer you get.
Yet, you visit a typical motivational speaker presentation anywhere in the United States, and
the first rows are probably empty. The back rows seem to be of greater value. Now,
would this make sense in theater or sports? One valuable skill you must learn is how to fill the front rows and fill the room with your powerful skills as a motivational speaker. By James Lloyd

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaking jobs, public speaking career, public speaking jobs, speaking business

There’s something dignifying and honoring about being introduced as the motivational speaker. It also presents several advantages. Your introducer can “sing your praises,” and this is the best opportunity to have your accomplishments mentioned without.
Most speakers in their motivational speaking career, including myself, have typewritten large print introductions (our “matches”) that they can hand to the introducer to read about our speaking career.

I have different ones, depending upon my topic and my audience. I suggest sending your “Intro” to your “Introducer” to give them time to review it, insert their own comments, and practice it. I usually jokingly warn them against reading what I sent, and beg them not to say, “James has asked that I read this to introduce him.” If that happens, we have essentially just boasted about ourselves. Do that and we’ve just doused the kindling we are attempting to light. Theoretically, wet wood can burn, but it takes a long, long time to ignite.

You only have a brief window of opportunity to “light the fire” and capture the attention of your audience that you are speaking to. The first thirty seconds will determine whether your audience is going to fully listen and participate with you, or tune out the motivational speaker.
Think of the television industry. They understand that they have half a minute to capture your attention, or you’ll start channel surfing. Millions of dollars are invested to maximize the impact of those opening moments. Pay attention to the “tease” of television shows, and you’ll see countless examples of “lighting up.” One question I ask in my training workshops is, “Can you envision every
member of the audience you are speaking to holding remote controls in their hands and pointing them at
you as the motivational speaker?” I picture this and I’m determined to remove any of their temptations to change channels or hit the mute button.

Today’s audiences expect much more than did audiences in the past. They are
ready and willing channel surfers. So we had better ignite a bright fire, and ignite it
quickly. It is critical to grab their attention immediately. Notice how the best motivational speakers are able to employ humor right in the intro. You’ve heard the old maxim, “always open with a joke.” I would suggest, whenever possible, to use humor because there’s nothing like laughter to loosen up people. Moreover, all three of these examples demonstrate a keen awareness of the audience. Phil Town is a great speaker and is purposeful, humorous and captivating. In short, they showcase the art of a motivational speaking job.

Technorati Tags: become a motivational speaker, becoming a motivational speaker, how to become a motivational speaker, motivational speaker jobs, motivational speaking jobs, phil town, public speaking career, public speaking jobs, speaker business