Becoming a Better Speaker

Who should listen: Seasoned pros and nervous beginners will both benefit from professional public speaking and presentation tips, which help boost confidence and engage audiences from introduction through conclusion.

Key idea: You are in service to your audience, so don’t focus on what you want to say as much as what they need to hear.

Whoever said talk is cheap had no idea what he or she was talking about.

Some of today’s most in-demand public speakers command six and seven figures to talk at an event: Oprah Winfrey, Magic Johnson, Tony Robbins, Suzy Orman—the list is long and familiar.

We can’t promise that today’s Stay Paid episode will make you a million-dollar speaker, but if you need to present to clients, are a speaker at a conference workshop, or have been dubbed a keynote speaker and you need an edge . . .

Or if you find yourself at meetings and on Zoom calls wishing you felt more calm and confident in your ability to engage an audience . . .

Then this episode will give you what you need.

Matt Abrahams is a lecturer at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, the principal and founder of TFTS Communication, LLC, and the author of Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting, which is now in its third edition.

In this episode, Matt joins the Stay Paid pals to share some of his ideas, including thoughts about the power of language, what it takes to build confidence as a presenter, how to keep an audience engaged, and—given the right approach—the genuine opportunity for understanding and connection that exists during a Q&A session.

We guarantee that after listening to Matt’s interview, you’re going to walk away with solid ideas and advice that will make a real difference to how you approach and feel about and speaking in public.

Here we want to take just a moment to mention what we believe is one of the most powerful ideas to come out of Matt’s interview: The value you bring to an audience isn’t in what you want to say. It’s in what they need to hear.

We love this idea because it redirects our thinking away from ourselves and toward the people we want to help.

Of course you want to consider how you look and sound, but we don’t think you should allow that to become your focus. Instead, focus on what you need to do and say to ensure your audience leaves having heard the message that can help them. This can mean:

• Choosing words they’ll understand
• Using visuals that will clarify confusing ideas
• Telling illustrative and relevant stories that will keep them engaged

It’s mentioned during the episode that the best ideas aren’t always the most eloquent, nor are the most eloquent ideas necessarily the best. If you master your information and practice your presentation (the two indispensable ways to build your confidence), and keep your focus on your audience, you’ll be closer to bringing eloquence and ideas together.

Connect | Resources

Books:

• Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting
• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Take Hold and Others Come Unstuck
• Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up

Website: nofreakingspeaking.com

Podcast on Apple Podcasts: Think Fast, Talk Smart

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Are you interested in working with Luke and Josh to improve your marketing, get more referrals, enjoy more repeat business, and begin living the life of freedom you deserve? CLICK HERE and get a special offer just for Stay Paid listeners!

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