How to Become a Professional Speaker

I often get asked "How can I do what you do? How can I become a professional speaker?" It's not always in those words but the message is the same.

As you can imagine some are more committed than others. Some have made real investments of their time, effort and money. All three of those elements are critical.

Then there are the dreamers.

They say,

"I love to speak about 'x' and I put together a PowerPoint show. What's next?"

"I've been calling speakers' bureaus and they won't want to talk to me until I'm successful. If I was successful, I wouldn't need them. What's your secret?"

"I want to be a professional speaker and you've got to help me because I bought your book."

"I was let go by my company and I always loved to speak. My friend suggested that I become a professional speaker."

"I'm passionate about my message. I want to change the world. You've got to help me."


Dreaming is a good place to start. And you've got to move past that stage to planning, investing and doing.

All three actions need to be there to succeed.

When I only had the dream to become a professional speaker, I asked a friend who was a speaker what to do. His advice was:

• Don't quit your day job yet
• Join Toastmasters to get good at the craft
• Volunteer to speak as often as you can to any group - for the practice
• Focus on a specific area of expertise
• Become an aggressive marketer of your service

It took at least a few years to get from birth of the dream to full-time professional speaker. I did all the things my friend told me and more.

I appreciate my friend's help and others that I learned from along the way. Naturally I'm willing to assist others but I don't wish to waste my time with every dreamer that crosses my path.

One piece of advice from my mentor, Peter Urs Bender, was "Be nice to people, but be rude with your time."

So I wrote my advice to future professional speakers and published it on my website. Those who are serious will read it and benefit from the open and practical insights. Those who are dreamers won't read it - because they want a pill.

Here's the link to How to Become a Professional Speaker.

As you can see if you visit the link, there's lots of good information there. I invested my time and effort to write this information and publish it as a free resource. It doesn't answer every question you might have but it does cover much more than the basics. Also there are links to other useful resources and books.

It's curious that after sharing this link I have received angry messages from people who seem to believe that I owe them more - for free. As you can probably guess, those people will not make it in the professional speaking business.

If you want to become a professional speaker check this link.


Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

Fast Track Your Professional Speaking Business

PRO-TRACK is a year-long program teaching aspiring, new and mid-career speakers the business of professional speaking.  We help you develop the level of presentation and platform skills needed as an expert professional speaker.  And, we help you identify, create and build all of the components necessary to run a thriving, satisfying and profitable business.

Whether you want to deliver keynote speeches, workshops or seminars this is the program for you!

The program consists of 4 weekend Boot Camps spread throughout the year. Our faculty are each successful in their career, most currently earn their living as a Professional Speaker, and are only too willing to share their insights and expertise of what has led to their success.

Sign Up before September 15 and save 15% of the tuition!

Here’s what our participants had to say about the program:

"If you're one of the ones, like I was, that has been thinking about professional speaking for some time and/or recognizes the vital importance of speaking skill to attracting customers to your fine work, but you're still propped up on that fence, I'm here as one of the converted to tell you that ProTrack is your catalyst. If you're ready for something that will propel you forward - your belief in what's possible and you're belief in yourself - you simply must take this program. It's personal and professional development at its finest - AND - it's just smart business to choose to learn from all the defeats and victories of the very best in the business, while simultaneously cutting down your own learning curve to success in the process!"

The PRO-TRACK Program is an incredible experience that jolts participants into action around a variety of topics aligned with speaking and facilitation. The experience is SO rich as participants with a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds come together in an effort to improve and learn from the best in the business. It is an incredible opportunity for anyone who is committed to doing the work necessary to take their abilities and understanding of the business to the next level. I have benefitted immensely from this experience, it has been life altering for me and my family. Thank you Pro Track!!

"ProTrack has provided remarkable opportunities for me to learn directly from the Pros. These respected professional speakers have generously shared the wisdom of their experience and shortened my learning curve considerably. This program has provided me with a network and support system that is deeply appreciated. Building a speaking business can be a very lonely journey and ProTrack has made it a lot richer and a lot less lonely.  Thanks to all of the Volunteers that have made this exciting program possible."

For more information go to www.capstoronto.org or email Sylvia Plester-Silk, Chair, Pro-Track Speaker Academy at sylvia@onpurposeconsulting.ca

Sylvia Plester-Silk

Chair, Pro-Track Speaker Academy

Sylvia Plester-Silk

Principal Trainer

On Purpose Consulting

www.onpurposeconsulting.ca

519-822-3776

Co-Chair Pro-Track Speaker Academy,

Canadian Association of Professional Speakers - Toronto

Presentation Tips on Twitter Presentation Skills Club on Facebook
Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

How to Get Started as a Professional Speaker

If you are thinking of becoming a professional speaker and you want to know where to start, then I offer you the same advice that helped me launch my speaking business many years ago.

The speaking business is not a get rich quick scheme. There are exceptions. If you are a past president of the United States, a recent Olympic Gold Medalist or an airline pilot who just landed your plane on the Hudson River then you can grab some quick and ready cash as a professional speaker. But, beware that your cache might fade quickly.

Here are the four nuggets of advice that I was told and followed to get started into the professional speaking business. My early benefactor of advice and encouragement was Fraser McAllan.


Don’t quit your day job yet

If you still have a job – keep it for awhile. Positive cash flow reduces stress and helps you make better business decisions. Cash on hand makes it easier for you to make the strategic investments in yourself and your business. Starting a new business usually means going through a period or two of negative cash flow. A successful entrepreneur who made the transition from the corporate world gave me similar advice. She said, “When you go solo have enough money in the bank to live for the first year.”

I started and operated my speaking business part time for two years while working at my corporate job. Evenings, weekends and vacations were for building the business. When I left the corporate world my business was generating enough revenue to be viable.


Get good at the craft of speaking

If you want to be a speaker you must learn how to present well. It might be a great insight, story or experience that gets you started. But if you want it to last at some point your paying audiences will expect you to get better.

Public speaking is a skill – not a talent. Don’t rely on talent. Don’t wing it. Learn the principles of presenting, practice your presentations and get coaching. You might take a course or seminar on presentation skills to start.

Toastmasters offers an effective low cost alternative to developing your presentation skills. Toastmasters is the largest and longest running non-profit organization that develops presentation skills for its members.

At some point you will need to work directly with one or more presentation coaches.

Read everything you can find on presentation skills. Watch TV, movies and theatre from the perspective of observing the presentation skills of the actors. Study them from the point of what works and why.


Speak as often as you can

Speak – speak – speak. If you want to be a paid professional speaker you will need to speak a lot – even if it is for free. Why? Two reasons. One, you need the experience and two, people need to see you to appreciate you.

While speaking you might discover that material you thought was wonderful didn’t go over so well with that audience. Don’t throw it out. Instead ask why that didn’t work so well. What might you do to adapt it?

In the beginning you might need to beg for opportunities to speak. Start with the groups that you know or who know you. Volunteer to speak for the associations that you are or have been a member of. It might be the monthly chapter meetings or the annual conference. Accept anything in the beginning. And always deliver your best presentation.

Offer to speak more at your job and in your volunteer work. Get known as “the speaker”. Offer to introduce other speakers, chair a meeting or MC a panel discussion.

There are thousands of associations that meet every month that need a guest speaker. That could be you. For example, Rotary groups meet every week and need a speaker every time. They often invite guest speakers. I spoke to many Rotary groups while developing my speaking business.

Ask for referrals and testimonials from every presentation you deliver.


Become known as an expert

Speakers are a dime a dozen. Lots of people are willing to speak for no money. Some of them are even fairly good at speaking. If you want to make real money as a speaker you must be known as an expert.

Perhaps you already know what that expertise is. Perhaps you need to do some research. If you want to be a professional paid speaker then your expertise must be something that the market is willing to pay for.

And it’s not enough to be an expert. You must be known and valued as an expert by your target market.

There are three strategies to boost your reputation as an expert:

Speak on the topic of your expertise
Write and publish
Appear in the media

You can make these strategies work if you follow a focused system for each. Do all three. Each is important.


That’s the advice I received when I started in the speaking business and I offer it to you here freely.

Good luck in your speaking business.



George Torok
Bestselling Author – Professional Speaker – Radio talk show host

PS: My mentor Peter Urs Bender said, “The speaking business is the easiest business to get into and it is the hardest to survive in.”

PPS: Time management expert and speaking colleague Harold Taylor said, “If you want to be successful in this business, stay in it for 20 years.”



© George Torok, Professional Speaker www.Torok.com 905-335-1997



Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives

CAPS Convention 2009 Calgary

CAPS Convention 2009 in Calgary

If you are in the business of professional speaking then the event of the year is the annual convention of your national professional speakers' association.

As a Canadian speaker, I am an active member of the Canadian Assocation of Professional Speakers, (CAPS). I was there at the first CAPS convention in Toronto 14 years ago. I'm not sure of that date. Naturally I will attend the upcoming CAPS convention in Calgary this month.

Professional speakers include trainers, facilitators and keynote speakers. Many of our members also coach, consult and write. The common thread of CAPS is professional speaking. Many professional speakers are often referred to as motivational speakers. Although some speakers don't like that label the truth is that people need to feel motivated to listen, learn and act.

Attendance is open to non-members - but hurry it's this weekend in Calgary.

This is not the place to learn how to speak in public although presentation techniques are usually featured as one topic. The main reason to attend the CAPS convention is to learn more about improving your speaking business. You might be inspired by the keynote presentations, learn ideas from the workshops and especially pick up creative and effective ideas from the other speakers at this convention. As professional speakers we tend to share our best ideas openly.

Are you a professional speaker? Then in Canada this is the event for you.

See you at the CAPS convention.
See details about the CAPS convention here.

George Torok
Profesional Speaker
Canadian Business Speaker
Canadian Motivational Speaker
Past CAPS National Director


Executive Speech Coach, Business presentation tips from George Torok, the Speech Coach for Executives.