The Business of Speaking for Profit, Pleasure and Personal Growth

I believe that public speaking can be rewarding in many ways. First of all it can provide you with an opportunity to earn a fantastic full time or part time income working from home. Groups, organizations and businesses are always looking for informative, entertaining speakers to address their members at banquets, annual meetings, conferences etc. As you become well known as a speaker the invitations increase. Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising. As your reputation spreads you will find people from outside your local area approaching you to present to their group. Since I began my speaking career I have spoken to numerous groups throughout Canada and the United States. Not only are the financial rewards terrific, but I get to travel, all expenses paid, meet new people and see new country. What a great life and what great rewards for doing what I love to do.

Another appealing feature of a speaking career is that you control your own schedule. You accept only those engagements that fit nicely into your other family duties and obligations. If you want a month off, you just don't accept bookings during that time. When you add this to no traffic jams to face twice a day and no boss to contend with it starts to hit you just how appealing this career is.

Not only do you determine how many speeches you would like to give per month but you also can negotiate how much you will charge per speech. When just starting out in the speaking business you will receive in the neighborhood of $200.00 per presentation. Within a year you could be receiving between $500 and $1000 per talk. Not bad part time money for doing something you love.

I like to have a fee range to accommodate the various budgets of different groups and to provide room for negotiation. I am in the business of opening doors of opportunity not closing them because my fee is rigid. This is entirely up to you. I know speakers who will not negotiate their fees. That is their choice.

If you just want to speak locally you can. If you want to spread your vocal wings across the region and the continent the possibilities are endless. Marketing yourself and your service will bring opportunities galore. If you have a computer and are online you can advertise on your own web site. This brings inquiries from all over the planet and spreads the word about your speaking topics and availability to millions of potential clients.

Added Benefits of a Public Speaking Career

1. Public speaking builds confidence. When you experience the thrill of holding an audience in the palm of your hand and receive their appreciative applause your confidence soars.

2. Public speaking boosts your self esteem. When you see the audience relate to you as someone who really knows what you are talking about your self esteem increases. And we all can use an increase in self esteem.

3. People start looking at you in a more positive way. Even if you never use your public speaking skills in giving formal presentations, people will notice that you are more articulate and confident in expressing an opinion or sharing an insight. You will discover that they begin looking to
you for advice and opinions on many issues.

4. It helps you become a more organized thinker.. Planning, writing and delivering a well researched , well organized presentation has an overflow effect in other areas of your life. You begin to plan and organize your thoughts more effectively.. This is especially helpful in your
career or business. When your manager or supervisor asks your opinion on some work- related issue you are better able to express your ideas in a clear, concise and well organized manner.

5. Public speaking begins to alter your self perception. As you begin to use the skills involved in public speaking you will notice that you begin to start talking to yourself in a more positive way. You begin to see yourself as capable and confident.

6. By accepting the challenge to speak in public you begin to explore and actualize your own potential. Many of us go through life not realizing how much we are capable of achieving. Public speaking is an effective tool in the process of self discovery.

7. Public speaking gives you the courage to break out of your comfort zone. I believe that the comfort zone is the enemy of human growth. When we are too comfortable where we are we tend to become stagnant. Speaking in public pushes us out of the comfort zone and reveals to
us our enormous capabilities.

If you feel compelled to share your expertise or message with others do so. Start slowly and start small but start. The benefits and rewards are tremendous.

About The Author-- Mike Moore is an international speaker on the role of humor in human relations. Mike's articles and cartoons have appeared in publications throughout the world. For more on what Mike can do for your organization visit http://www.motivationalplus.com http://motivationalplus.com/cgi/a/t.cgi?speakbiz

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