From Average Joe to Inspirational Pro: How To Become A Motivational Speaker

Do you think your current job is a dead end? Wishing won’t make it better, so if you want a change, you need to take action. What if you could inspire those around you instead?

Being a motivational speaker may be just what you need to get out of your rut and make a difference in the world. Yet getting started in a new career is a big project, one that means a lot of hard work and dedication.

Here are some steps to follow if you want to know how to become a motivational speaker.

What Do You Have to Share?

You need to figure out what you have that can motivate others. Whatever your life experience or career experience is, try sharing that. Develop your message and draft some speeches.

This is the most important part of becoming a speaker. You can’t motivate anyone without the heart and passion behind it. Write and rewrite your speeches and your message, and put out blog posts about it.

You can take some videos of yourself once you’ve nailed down the message and post it on YouTube. That will help get the word out about who you are and what ideas you have. Get feedback from those you love who will be honest with you, so that you can revise your message to fit the audience’s needs.

Keep your audience in mind. This is really about them and what they need to motivate them. While you draw from your experience, it’s not about you and what you want most to share.

Book Free Engagements

Offer to speak wherever you can without expecting payment. You can try offering workshop-style events at your local library or church. Talk to your friends and find out if their businesses need anyone to speak for upcoming local training events.

You can also try seeking out Rotary Clubs or similar organizations like Kiwanis, Lions, Eagles, or FOPs. They often meet at lunchtimes and look for speakers to fill the slot each week.

Get Feedback and Share It

When you give your first few speeches, hand out surveys to get feedback from your audience. This will help you improve your speaking skills and revise your message even further. It will also give you quotes to put on your website about how much your audience loves you.

Once you have testimonials and feedback, more people who visit your website will be likely to book. They’ll be able to see what people are saying about you and see how much their audience will love listening to you.

Make Sure You’re a Good Speaker

No one wants to listen to a conference speaker who reads from their notes and keeps saying “Uh.” Part of being a good motivational speaker is being a good speaker in general. Evaluate whether you have what it takes.

If you have the heart and the passion to motivate people, that’s the most important part. But before you start, you’ll need to acquire the necessary speaking skills, too. Take a class in professional speaking to get started.

You can also join a club like Toastmasters, where you’ll get lots of practice speaking in front of a crowd. Take in as much as you put out, from watching motivational speakers on YouTube (TED Talks are a great place to start) to reading their books and blogs. Their styles will influence your style.

The key to overcoming nervousness is practicing your speech so much that it becomes like muscle memory. That way as you’re freezing up in front of your audience, your mouth knows what to say. It will get you started automatically, although you can glance at your notes if you get hung up.

How to Become a Motivational Speaker: Apply for Jobs

While it seems like you should have to turn down speaking engagements right and left, often that’s not how it starts. You’d love to be so popular that you can pick and choose your schedule, but it’s probable you’ll have to apply for jobs in the beginning.

Look for conferences that need speakers. Based on your message, look for similar speakers and find out their schedules. If the message is similar, then similar venues may have interest in booking you.

Always keep your eyes open for opportunities. And don’t be shy when you find them. No one will know you want to speak for them unless you ask. Be prepared to hear the word “No” a lot, until you start getting more “Yes” answers.

Use the Internet to Market Your Brand

Setting up your own website and domain name is fast and easy. With your social media links at the top of your site, and a blog that is optimized for Google searches, you can start to get your name out there. Make sure that you post content on a regular basis using popular keywords.

You can also use your social media sites to help you promote your brand. Share helpful tips for people that have to do with your topic, and participate in the evolving conversation about how people can make a difference. These all should get tailored to your specific genre and topic.

Help people engage with you and your message this way. You can also run giveaways for a free guest speaker in exchange for your followers’ participation. It will build a fan base and help get your name out there.

Motivating and Inspiring

From deciding your message to marketing yourself and everything in between, motivational speaking is a special kind of entrepreneurial project. If you want to know how to become a motivational speaker, make sure you follow these steps to help you succeed.

For more ways to inspire others, read more on our website.