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10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker (Part 6)
By Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
author, speaker and personal transformation coach

Here’s step number 6 of 10…

STEP 6: Get ready for the event. It’s now time to get ready to send out your invitations or event announcements. After you speak to people on the phone, you should also send out personal invitations between 2-3 weeks in advance. I believe in working on a shoestring budget whenever possible. So, yes, you COULD go out and buy a stack of really pretty invitations and post them all if that expresses your style and approach, but I prefer email as it is cost-free and enables you to send reminders before the event. Generally, I send the reminders about 1 week before the event, and then again 2 days before.

Regardless of which approach you use, be sure to put some attention into the LOOK of the invitation. Make it reflect the character of the event you are presenting, as well as the impact that you wish to create. For instance, I know many online marketers who use plain text for their marketing materials, but personally they don’t always catch my eye and I am sure I miss some interesting events. That is why, recently, when I wanted to hold a Christmas event, I created an e-invitation with an animated candle on it. It was fascinating how many people told me that this email-based invitation made them feel warm and welcome to the event. One of them even cancelled another event she was going to simply because my invitation looked more… well… inviting. It cost me nothing to do, and even though it took me about a half hour to make, that is nothing compared to the time and cost of sending out posted invitations, or making dozens of phone calls.

If your event is also going to be open to the public, make some low-cost flyers and place them in places where the kinds of people you are targeting “hang out”. Better yet, find places to hand it to people personally.

Time your event carefully. Hold it in the evening if you are targeting working people. Hold it in the morning or afternoon only if you are running a business network type event, or you are targeting retirees or young mums. Any kind of general public event where people who are employed are invited should be in the evening. The best evenings for speaking events are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, although Mondays and Thursdays can also work. Make sure you don’t schedule your event on the same night as a major sporting (or similar) event! Be sure you tell people that the doors open at 7 PM, and plan to start your talk (or talks, if you have more than one speaker) at 7.30.

Step 7 follows tomorrow…
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Want to take this dream further?
I teach all these techniques and more in my course “Light Your Fire Without Burning Out”, where you learn how to set up your own social and business networks that can also help position you as an expert in your field. This course will be running again sometime in the spring of 2009. If you wish to receive a calendar announcement for when this (and other) courses are running, just set your RSS feed to receive this blog or sign up in the box at the left of this page.

You can find more information about my courses on my Create-a-Life website.

coaching info: www.create-a-life.co.uk

Related posts

• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 9 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 8 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 7 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 5 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 4 (0)

Subscribe to this blog to receive weekly radio listings for Garden of the Soul Radio. Tune into the show Wednesdays at http://blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn

Almost half-way there. Here’s step number 5 of 10…

STEP 5: Create the SPACE. It’s time now to locate and book a venue for your talk. Don’t think big and expensive. Make it a small, cosy place. Having 20 people in a small venue feels a lot better than having the same amount of people in a larger room. Rent out a church hall or a small hotel board room. Look for inexpensive but aesthetically pleasing places. The atmosphere of the venue is just as important as your talk, believe me! It is a commonly quoted axiom that people forget what you say, but they don’t forget how you made them feel. So make sure they will feel good as soon as they enter the venue.

Be sure you do a “rekkie” before the day so you get an idea of how the tables, chairs and other items in the room would be laid out. Pay attention to where the electrical mains are. Be sure the venue is accessible to all and there is ample parking. Think about how you will “create” the space that will set the mood for the evening you wish to present. Fluorescent lighting might be fine for an up-tempo business talk, but it might not at all be right for a talk of a more reflective nature. Take time to plan how you will set the room up for impact. Think about whether you need kitchen access, PA system or other resources.

And speaking of resources, don’t think that you need lots of “props” to make your talk more “exciting”. It is your job to inspire the audience, not to “impress” them. So here’s a tip… if you want to be a motivational speaker, don’t make your debut hiding behind a visual presentation (unless pictures are absolutely essential for your talk). While I have done some pretty funky things with a PowerPoint presentation, there is the old adage “death by PowerPoint”.

And flipcharts? Good heavens no! Not unless it is absolutely essential to express something you cannot say with words alone. There is nothing LESS motivational to an audience than the sight of a flipchart waiting in the wings. Don’t die before your career even starts. If you are using any kind of visual aid, make sure it is attractive and used sparingly.

Step 6 follows tomorrow…
Subscribe to this feed to ensure you receive all 10 tips.

Want to take this dream further?
I teach all these techniques and more in my course “Light Your Fire Without Burning Out”, where you learn how to set up your own social and business networks that can also help position you as an expert in your field. This course will be running again sometime in the spring of 2009. If you wish to receive a calendar announcement for when this (and other) courses are running, just set your RSS feed to receive this blog or sign up in the box at the left of this page.

You can find more information about my courses on my Create-a-Life website.

coaching info: www.create-a-life.co.uk

Related posts

• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 9 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 8 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 7 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 6 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 4 (0)

Subscribe to this blog to receive weekly radio listings for Garden of the Soul Radio. Tune into the show Wednesdays at http://blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn

10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker (Part 4)
By Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
author, speaker and personal transformation coach

Here’s do-it-yourself step number 4…

STEP 4: ASK for names. Before you hang up on your contacts, ask them who else they know who might like to come to the event as a member of the audience. Be specific about what kind of people you want. Say something like, “I’m looking for people in their 20s and 30s who are getting ready to move from full-time care to an independent living situation” (or whatever it is you are looking for) and ask them who they know who fits that category. Gather names/emails and telephone numbers. Ask them to call these people to ask if you can speak to them. Believe me, people will be very helpful if you are giving them something free of interest to them. Call the secondary people and start to make connections with them. THEN, ask them who THEY know and continue building your special interest group. If you do this correctly, you could end up with an invitation list of about 30 people for your first event. AND, find one or two people amongst your invitees who would be willing to help you run the event.

Step 5 follows tomorrow…
Subscribe to this feed to ensure you receive all 10 tips.

Want to take this dream further?

I teach all these techniques and more in my course “Light Your Fire Without Burning Out”, where you learn how to set up your own social and business networks that can also help position you as an expert in your field. This course will be running again sometime in the spring of 2009. If you wish to receive a calendar announcement for when this (and other) courses are running, just set your RSS feed to receive this blog or sign up in the box at the left of this page.

You can find more information about my courses on my Create-a-Life website.

coaching info: www.create-a-life.co.uk

Related posts

• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 9 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 8 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 7 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 6 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 5 (0)

Subscribe to this blog to receive weekly radio listings for Garden of the Soul Radio. Tune into the show Wednesdays at http://blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn

10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker (Part 3)
By Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
author, speaker and personal transformation coach

2 down, 8 to go. Here’s step number 3…

STEP 3: Talk with people you already KNOW. Next, write down the names of all the people you already know who fit this description. You might only personally know 3 or 4 people in this category. Fine. Call them up and say that you are arranging a talk on a topic that fits the range of interest you have in common. Don’t feel compelled to make it entirely free; a small charge at the door to cover your costs is acceptable. Tell them the topic, and what they will gain from it. You might have a prize draw, coffee/tea, wine reception, whatever. ASK this person if he or she would like to give a short talk too. Get them enthusiastic. Tell them that you intend to set this up for 1 month from now, but you’ll give them all the details later. Repeat this until you have about 4 speakers for the event, including yourself.  

Step 4 follows tomorrow…
Subscribe to this feed to ensure you receive all 10 tips.

Want to take this dream further?

I teach all these techniques and more in my course “Light Your Fire Without Burning Out”, where you learn how to set up your own social and business networks that can also help position you as an expert in your field. This course will be running again sometime in the spring of 2009. If you wish to receive a calendar announcement for when this (and other) courses are running, just set your RSS feed to receive this blog or sign up in the box at the left of this page.

You can find more information about my courses on my Create-a-Life website.

coaching info: www.create-a-life.co.uk

Related posts

• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 9 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 8 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 7 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 6 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 5 (0)

Subscribe to this blog to receive weekly radio listings for Garden of the Soul Radio. Tune into the show Wednesdays at http://blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn

10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker (Part 2)
By Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
author, speaker and personal transformation coach

Here’s Step 2 of 10…

STEP 2: What do YOU want to say? Once you identify the kinds of people who make you feel motivated, it’s time to get more specific. What kinds of things you like to talk about with them? What topics turn you both on? What is your common ethos? What do you life for? For what specific issues do you want to be known as an expert? Don’t make it too broad, or you will dilute the “image” of your expertise in people’s eyes. In your case, if you go with mental disabilities, for instance, what specific disabilities would you want to work with? What is the impact you want to create? What stage of their lives will they be? Young, old? Are they in care? Are they in transition to independence? Or do you want to work with parents/families? Think of what motivates YOU and then select something that would sustain your interest.

Step 3 follows tomorrow…
Subscribe to this feed to ensure you receive all 10 tips.

Want to take this dream further?

I teach all these techniques and more in my course “Light Your Fire Without Burning Out”, where you learn how to set up your own social and business networks that can also help position you as an expert in your field. This course will be running again sometime in the spring of 2009. If you wish to receive a calendar announcement for when this (and other) courses are running, just set your RSS feed to receive this blog or sign up in the box at the left of this page.

You can find more information about my courses on my Create-a-Life website.

coaching info: www.create-a-life.co.uk

Related posts

• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 9 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 8 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 7 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 6 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 5 (0)

Subscribe to this blog to receive weekly radio listings for Garden of the Soul Radio. Tune into the show Wednesdays at http://blogtalkradio.com/lynn-serafinn

10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker (Part 1)
By Lynn Serafinn, MAED, CPCC
author, speaker and personal transformation coach

Many of us have things we learned in life that we’d like to share. For that reason, we might dream about becoming a motivational speaker. And in reality, while the competition is stiff out there, not everyone is a gifted speaker. Being able to hold a room and really inspire people is a gift-and if you’ve got it, I say, GO for it!

 Some people think that the hardest thing about public speaking is the actual act of getting up and speaking in front of an audience. Well, if that’s your edge, CALL ME– I’m a coach, remember? I have coached many people through that blip known as self-doubt and helped them to find their wings. I myself know all about such edges as I had a really severe case of stage fright between the ages of 18-21, right when I was starting my music career. NOT a very good thing for a musician to have. But for the purpose of this article, I’m going to assume that nerves are not your primary issue, and you just want some practical tips on how to get started in public speaking.

I am a motivational speaker as well as a coach and author. I started dipping my big toe into public speaking about 2 years ago, and now it is starting break through, and I am averaging about 2-3 paid engagements a month, with the aim of getting 2 paid gigs a week before the end of 2009. These days I get calls from organisations that want me to speak at their events, but that is NOT how I started my speaking career. It is very “difficult” (sarcasm intended) to get asked to be a speaker when no one knows you and they have no idea of your speaking abilities. So, rather than take on this “difficult” energy and say it can’t be done, I am going to give you some tips on how turn your perspective around so you can CREATE your own public speaking career from scratch. As I come from a creative artist background and take an “inside out” approach to business building, some of it might be a bit different to what other marketing consultants may have told you in the past. But as I said, this is “my” plan. Feel free to lift it, tweak it and succeed with it (or even ignore it, if you want!).

But before we start, the very first thing you need to do is ask yourself WHY you want to speak? Is it just because you want to stand in front of the room and have people’s rant attention? It might sound like fun (or sheer terror) but that isn’t going to sustain you OR your audience. You have to know WHY you want to speak publicly. Are you dedicated to spreading a message? OK, then what do you wish to achieve by speaking about it? Are you after social reform? Do you want to empower people? OK, that’s all well and good, but why else are you speaking? What’s in it for YOU? Are you looking to make money from speaking itself or will it bring you residual income? Are you looking to sell books to your audience? Are you looking to find 1-to-1 clients from your audience? Do you want people to do training with you? Are you looking for corporate contracts? Or are you actually looking to make a full-time career from speaking? It is extremely important that you know why you are going into public speaking, so that you can be aware of whether or not it is serving your bigger “dream” for your life.

 OK, once you have a really clear idea of why you want to be a speaker, move on to my 10 steps to getting started…

STEP 1: What motivates YOU? Many marketing experts will tell you that before you launch any marketing campaign, you have to start by determining your target audience to see if there is a need for what you are offering. While that is true in a way, actually I find it more functional to think of it in the opposite way. In other words, instead of thinking who I can please, I like to start with what kinds of people make ME happy, driven and fulfilled when I am around them. Ask yourself:

• Do you like to be around quiet, introspective people?
• Do you like to be around intellectual types?
• Do you prefer lively, gregarious, spontaneous people?
• Do you like people who are into spirituality?
• Do you prefer conservative, serious, business types?
• Do you like creative types?
• Who inspires you?
• Who would you like to inspire?

Really ask yourself what kind of environment would sustain your interest and motivation. Many people tell me that they are “quitters” on projects and they wonder why. Usually I find it is because they didn’t bothered to do this vital step before they embarked on their project. Of course we quit when we are not connected with our focus. If you start with SELF, you are actually NOT being selfish because you will serve more people and get more done if you are intrinsically motivated and connected to your goals.

Tip 2 follows tomorrow…
Subscribe to this feed to ensure you receive all 10 tips.

coaching info: www.create-a-life.co.uk

Related posts

• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 9 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 8 (1)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 7 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 6 (0)
• 10 steps to becoming a motivational speaker Pt 5 (0)