Do you feel ok speaking for yourself one on one but tremble at the thought of getting up in front of a group? Isn’t it funny how no one limits us as much as we limit ourselves? Often it’s because of a belief that’s no longer true, or never was and is definitely not useful having any more. Maybe it was someone telling you years ago that you aren’t good at something. Maybe a parent, friend or teacher telling you, you’ll never make a good public speaker. And so we take that person’s opinion to heart and continually shy away from getting in front of a group. There are some naturally gifted speakers but for most of us it is an acquired skill.
And that’s great news, because it is something you can learn. For most entrepreneurs and independent professionals, public speaking is extremely useful. You can hire someone to do just about anything but talking about your business is one thing you really want to learn how to do as well as possible. No one cares about your business as much as you do and being able to convey your passion to others will help to draw more business to you. It may take some time for you to feel comfortable in front of a group but it will be worth your efforts.
Here are some suggestions for honing your skills:
· You can get a lot of constructive practice by joining your local Toastmasters group
· Start out talking to small, friendly groups for free. Many service organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis are always looking for speakers
· Work on two or three presentations that you can keep handy for when someone calls you
· Get feedback from an experienced speaker on how you can improve your presentations
· Speak about something you are passionate about with your business. Focusing on sharing what you love will help you get beyond nervousness

©Barbara Didion – Please ask permission to reprint this article.

Barbara Didion
Business & Personal Coach
Entrepreneurs Getting Better Results with Less Work
www.barbaradidion.com
web blog - www.bizuniquelyu.com

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