Me and Jesse Jackson, on stage 1985 Tacoma Dome- 10,000 people!
Becoming a compelling speaker started a LONG time ago for me. Realizing the gift I had to share with other entrepreneurs took me much longer!
I started Toastmasters in the seventh grade! It’s an interesting story because as an “at risk youth” the Rev. Jesse Jackson had started a program in the 70s called PUSH Excel. The program was to help kids like me build their confidence and self-esteem through communication and academia. Now the program has evolved to all kinds of exciting levels. One of the components of the program was oratory, and a Toastmasters leader came to teach us about speaking. That has been a phenomenal experience that lead to oratory competition in high school. If you’re not familiar that competition is where you are given your topic 10 minutes prior to speaking on it and then get up and give your presentation. The goal is be an eloquent and persuasive speaker. Now that is a great way to become a compelling speaker
I actually think that is a powerful way to learn to be a compelling speaker in your own business. If you can take your topic and in 10 minutes decide what you’re going to say, how you’re going to close, and the powerful story… you will have an amazing presentation.
Fast forward into adult life and time and time again I would be asked; “why don’t you teach people how to speak Ann?” I kept saying; “I don’t want to do that, this comes naturally to me. I’ve been doing it so long I don’t know what to teach.”
Hmmmmm… Do you hear that that I’m taking my unique ability and discounting it? What I realized as I was making assumptions about what I had to teach related to speaking versus what I desire to teach related to speaking. I didn’t want to teach people how to dress, or the tone of their voice, or their body movements and hand gestures. I firmly believe if you’re authentically you on the stage you will have success. I didn’t want to teach people how to overcome being afraid of speaking. I didn’t go through that starting so young.
But I have been speaking and SELLING from the stage since 1998. And I love it.
As I thought about my passion about speaking I realized it’s truly the one marketing strategy that keeps my business alive. And then it clicked! That is exactly what I want to teach other business owners how to do.
That is exactly what my five steps in COMPEL. Speak. Sell. are about. Teaching you how to create a compelling presentation and becoming a compelling speaker that builds a marketing and sales funnel into your business. The funny part is that this is applicable to any type of business owner. Service or product based, even if you’re in a multi-level network you need a presentation that is compelling and will feed your funnel. You can use it everywhere, even BNI, meetups online…!.
It’s important when you want to speak to market and sell your business that you don’t just think about talking about what you sell. That’s the biggest tip I can give you right now! Build an interesting, educational, and fun presentation that achieves the marketing goal I teach: Credibility, Trust and Vulnerability! That is how you turn people into buyers!
You can learn the 5 Steps I have used since 1998 to be a compelling speaker who SELLS here!
