Are you on podcasts, panels or interviews? Giving talks on stage? Is your audience getting value out of your appearances? Speaking to audiences is a great way to sell our services, raise awareness and build our following. There’s one way to know if you’re succeeding, and that’s whether you’re making sales and building your following. If you aren’t, there is likely a reason: Your message doesn’t land with the audience.
We want to inspire them, help them connect with us, and serve them in solving the problem they have — the most inspiring speakers do this well. What is the difference between you and them?
You know inspiring speakers when you see them — they confidently command the stage or tell a story that has you on the edge of your seat. Anyone can do this, but not everyone knows how. If we’re not confident or are unclear or, worse, trying hard to sound good, we’re losing out on an opportunity to serve others and grow our business.
Have you heard this statistic? Seventy-five percent of us fear talking in front of a group of people more than death. That includes business owners; we’re just better at hiding it because we are so used to talking with people. The thing they struggle with most, actually, is not fear but imposter syndrome: the inner doubt about whether what we are saying actually matters or is valuable to others.
Today, I am going to show you the way you didn’t know was possible!
People who want to be a powerful speaker hire me to learn confidence and share their transformative message. As a public speaker and former professional actor, I have performed for thousands of people on stages and sets across the world. For 20 years of that time, I have trained hundreds of actors and speakers in a method I developed for becoming confident in front of audiences. It hasn’t just led to success on stage; it has changed lives.
Past client successes include being featured in Forbes magazine, gaining 1 million followers, being on the cover of Vogue magazine … and these people weren’t just studying being on stage; they were learning about themselves. They become clear on who they are — and feel good about it — which changes the way they show up in front of audiences.
The conflict is when you know something is not working but don’t know how to fix it! Often, it comes down to realizing you’ve been living according to others’ expectations rather than your own. When you make your own definition of success and fulfillment according to your values and vision, you validate yourself — and live on your own terms for once!
The other part is anxiety of speaking to a group of people. Whether it’s fear of sounding stupid or wondering if your message is clear or is important to your audience — none of this is about performing. It comes down to confidence in yourself. We address this by my three-fold approach:
- Know your story and what challenges you came through that taught you some important lessons. The way we do this is to go back and understand some of the personal growth you came through that normally you wouldn’t think you’d ever discuss. The most inspiring speakers know which parts of their story will inspire and help their audience; now it’s your turn.
- Know your message and what valuable lessons your challenges have taught you. The vulnerability you have as an inspiring speaker only works because of the value it brings you and others. You got wisdom about life from those hard times, and those become your message that is the heart of your talk.
- Know yourself. This is the magic, and makes all the difference between being an inspiring speaker and just a speaker. When we sit in the seats watching and listening to someone talk, we can immediately tell whether a) they’re forcing it or b) they’re being authentic. Self-knowledge gives you the feeling like you’ve done the work, so when you get up in front of people you don’t feel like you need to cover for yourself, explain yourself or feel afraid.
Taking time to understand your values and path on a deeper level allows you something magical: a greater awareness of your growth, your power and how inspiring you really are. What you develop by going deep is discovering why your message matters. This is real confidence, and nothing can substitute for the real thing. This is the transformation that my clients experience that changes their life. It causes them to succeed because they feel confident not just on stage but in themselves as a whole across different sectors of life.
Your growth makes you unique and gives you a distinct perspective in the world. I want you to discover your unique voice. Do you know that your professional accomplishments have in some way resulted from the growth you have had? Do you know why your path and lessons are valuable to your audience? This is what the audience wants. They want help on their journey. You help them by sharing the valuable lessons from yours. This is the power of an inspiring, authentic, powerful speaker whose message resonates with those listening. When you stand in your confidence, you move people. That’s good for you, good for others and good for business.
Joanna Horton McPherson
is a speaker and coach who trains people to have confidence in their transformative message.
