Recently, I was asked to be a panelist for a webinar about using the power of publicity to achieve your goals. The participants asked great questions.<\/p>\n
The first: \u201cHow do you step into the spotlight when you don\u2019t like the spotlight?\u201d<\/p>\n
Getting media attention and speaking engagements — the spotlight — goes right to the heart of my book, \u201cCelebritize Yourself.\u201d By boosting your visibility and your credibility, you set yourself apart from your competition and become a trusted authority in your field.<\/p>\n
Should you abandon that avenue if you don\u2019t like the spotlight?<\/p>\n
Absolutely not.<\/p>\n
I was \u2013 and still am \u2013 that person. I had no desire to seek the spotlight, and even had trepidation about it, but eventually I realized I had to for the sake of my business.<\/p>\n
First I had to figure out why I was so uncomfortable with the idea of being in the spotlight.<\/p>\n
The answer for me was simple: The thought of public speaking terrified me. I\u2019d seen wonderful speakers, including my own brother, who could captivate huge audiences and have them hanging on every word. I knew I didn\u2019t have that kind of talent so why bother even trying?<\/p>\n
Because, as I came to realize, I had to. I needed to do it in order to grow my business and, on a deeper level, I needed to do it for me! My fear was holding me back \u2013 an admission that became increasingly painful as time marched on.<\/p>\n
I talked to my brother about the problem. \u201cIt comes naturally to you and the other great speakers I\u2019ve seen,\u201d I told him. \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t come naturally to me!\u201d<\/p>\n
His response surprised me.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it doesn\u2019t all come naturally,\u201d he said. \u201cI had to work at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
For years, he spoke to small audiences at seminars. They proved an ideal training ground. He critiqued himself and got feedback from others so that he could constantly polish his delivery.<\/p>\n
So, first tip<\/strong>: Start small. Give yourself time to get used to the spotlight.<\/p>\n Here are a few more tips for public speaking.<\/p>\n \u2022 Know your material<\/strong>. You won\u2019t feel comfortable speaking if you don\u2019t thoroughly know your material. How do actors and Olympic athletes make their feats look so easy? They practice! That doesn\u2019t mean memorizing a speech, which can lack enthusiasm and leaves little room for spontaneity. Know your key talking points, the anecdotes or other means you\u2019ll use to illustrate them, and how you will smoothly segue from one point to the next.<\/p>\n \u2022 Energize! Positive energy is contagious<\/strong> \u2013 if you\u2019re upbeat, excited and passionate about your message, chances are, your audience will be, too. And you\u2019ll be surprised about the positive cycle that creates: An enthusiastic audience can pump up your energy even more! Use hand gestures to illustrate points and, when appropriate, smile, smile, smile.<\/p>\n \u2022 Make eye contact<\/strong>. Find friendly, receptive faces in the audience and speak to them. Making eye contact with individuals helps prevent you staring off into the distance or reading from notes. It also helps make you feel like you\u2019re engaging in a conversation rather than speaking to a group. I\u2019ve found that visually touching base with engaged audience members gives me little shots of confidence that help propel me through my presentation.<\/p>\n \u2022 Look your best!<\/strong> When you look great you feel great and that makes you stand taller and exude confidence. Speaking engagements aren\u2019t the best place to break in a new outfit (who knows what wardrobe malfunctions might surprise you?) Instead wear clothing and shoes you feel good in and that are appropriate to the setting \u2013 you can\u2019t go wrong with business formal. Simple is fine, but you should look crisp and polished from head to toe.<\/p>\n A fear of the spotlight shouldn\u2019t prevent you from getting the visibility and credibility that can build your brand and your business. Remember \u2013 you\u2019re not alone. The fear of public speaking is said to be one of the top 10 worldwide!<\/p>\n If I can overcome it, so can you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Recently, I was asked to be a panelist for a webinar about using the power of publicity to achieve your goals. The participants asked great questions. The first: \u201cHow do you step into the spotlight when you don\u2019t like the spotlight?\u201d Getting media attention and speaking engagements — the spotlight — goes right to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1038,"featured_media":34020,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-development"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n