Introduction to the Speaking Industry

There are three things to aim at in public speaking: First to get into your subject, then to get your subject into yourself, and lastly, to get you’re subject into your hearers.
~ Gregg ~

The Speaking Industry:

Most of the population is afraid to speak in public. Surveys have reported that public speaking rank at the very top of human fears. What we do know is that you were not born afraid of speaking in public, no child comes into this world afraid to speak. You had absolutlely no inhibitions of public speaking until you went to school and began to suffer embarrassment or ridicule when you tried to express yourself. We all know that we can become tremendously more effective human beings in our jobs and in our relationships if we didn’t have this fear of expressing ourselves.

We are living in the information age. There are unlimited opportunities for public speaker, seminar leaders, trainers and communicators of many sorts. Paul Karasik in his 1992 book “How to Make It Big in the Seminar Business” claims that American Businesses spend over 44 billion a year on educational programs and the personal growth seminar market is estimated at 10-20 billion. The author and founder of the American Seminar Leaders Association says there has never been a better time to cash in on it.

Industry needing new talent: Alan Wiess expresses for new comers not to be awed by the size and scope of the industry. He says quote “many of the new comers I have seen are a lot better than the veteran’s”  he carrys on by say the “meeting planners are in need of new talent. No meeting planner wants to present the “same old, same old” and every bureau wants to be able to propose freash new faces and new topics to their clientele”

Walters 2002 report

SUMMARY OF 2002 SPEAKING INDUSTRY REPORT RESULTS

We also asked speakers and bureaus, what will this industry look like in 20 years? Many of the interesting comments are included. Overwhelmingly, we all feel that in 20 years there will still be a great need for great speakers to greatly inspire their audiences.

 

Communicating In The 21st Century:

Communication has taken on new challenges in the 21st century. Audiences have become more sophisticated. People in this day and age are better informed on just about everything which makes them more challenging to get your message across to. You have to be sharper and better organized at delivering your message. You can’t be bouncing all over the page or you are certain to loose their attention. That brings us to another point is that audiences and people in general have become harder to hold their attention. It seems everybody has ADD. (attention deficit disorder). Teachers feel this challenge immensely. Part of the reason is that we are bombarded daily with hundreds of marketing messages and there is an endless amount of people seeking your attention and your money. It seems everybody has something to sell and you are forever being sized up by people that are adding you to their data base as a potential customer.

As you develop your speaking career and materials keep in mind the 21st Century challenges;

• Audiences more sophisticated.
• Harder to gain and hold attention.
• Work place changes and a service economy.
• Becoming a global economy that has multicultural differences.
• Ideas, concepts and theories in all disciplines are being challenged.
• People are demanding more respect and consideration.
• People are wanting to hear something new.

Types of Speaking Opportunities. (see section for full list and details regrading each opportunity)

• Work for a seminar company.
• Develop you own workshop or seminar.
• Public seminars.
• Inhouse seminars.

Money Talks by Alan Weiss. “How to make a million as a speaker.”

Alan seems to have a little different perspective than the average speaker. Alan poo poo’s the back end selling approach of your books and tapes. He poo poos the telling all about your personal story (in depth about your hard luck situation) and he poo poo’s the having to be nervous before speaking, and also poo poo’s the act of getting poeple up and touching one another like hugs, shoulder rubs or other personal acts that may be offensive or embarassing.

Be original and be authentic. In this world of copy and paste it is all too easy when researching to cut, copy and paste other peoples material into your work. In this program as stated in our Core Values Statement we encourge you to be original. You have the ability to create original works from your perspective, from your experiences and from your world view.

 Money Talks by Alan Weiss.  “How to make a million as a speaker.”

 Speakers Creed Pg 212

• I will use predominately my own ideas and experiences, and will credit others when I refer to theirs in support of my own.
• I will be honest on the platform and never make a statement I know not to be true.
• I will approach my work with the intent of meeting the clients objectives through my involvement with the audience.
• My fee structure will reflect the value I bring to the client, and that client will feel that the investment was exceeded by the results.
• My intent is to help people learn, think, change, and act, and my real impact occurs well after the audience has left the room.
• I will never deliberately manipulate emotions through stories or actions that are unrelated to the clients objectives.
• I will never use material or actions witht the intent of building my own ego or image irrespective of my topic and the audiences needs.
• I will refrain from proselytizing and respect the diversity, varied beliefs, and private spirituality of the audience, no matter how strong my personal beliefs.
• I will keep feedback in perspective, knowing that I am never as good as the highest rating or as poor as the lowest; my self esteem comes from within.
• My materials and publicity will accurately reflect who I am and I will never take credit or make cliams that are undeserved or unsupported.
• I will help other speakers, through sharing experiences, providing ideas, referring business, ans mentoring, because as we all grow, so does the profession.
• I will make contribution to my community and environment through pro bono work, financial contributions, and volunteer activities.

I will have made a difference in that my presence will have been felt.