8 Essential Public Speaking Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs For Business
“If you can’t communicate and talk to other people and get across your ideas, you’re giving up your potential.” Warren Buffett
In business every entrepreneur is looking for that special edge, the one that puts them in a more competitive position. Many entrepreneurs are focused on such topics as customer satisfaction, more effective procedures, marketing, leads and sales.
But I bet very few have considered improving the one thing that is at the
core of all these problems. It is a simple fact that effective public speaking and communication skills are extremely good for business.
In business today, there is very little activity at any level which does not depend on good communication skills. Public speaking is the tip of the communication iceberg.
The skills that you learn as a public speaker:
- Know your audience
- Know your message – what you want to achieve, what you want the audience to take away
- The structure of your speech
- Attention catching openings
- Call to action conclusions
- Storytelling
- Connecting with the audience with eye contact, vocal variety and body language
- Ensuring there is a balance between information and emotional connection
All of these skills are the same skills you need to be an effective communicator to connect with your clients, your customers, your team, your staff, your peers and your suppliers.
Worried about customer satisfaction? Then having improved communication skills will have an immediate effect in this area. Frustrated that you have to spend so much time in repeating requests; re-stating statements and fixing up the results of miscommunication? Going into a boardroom to pitch your business? Just think how much more effective time you would have with improved personal communication skills.
And yet when considering what can be done to improve their position in the market, entrepreneurs rarely consider these skills and in fact very rarely include them as part of their business and marketing plans.
So what can you do to ensure that you are prepared in your business to succeed, to increase your leads, close sales, share your message, enhance your communication skills and have the confidence to grab opportunities?
“Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. Just literally 20 seconds of embarrassing bravery and I promise you something great will come of it.” We Bought a Zoo, Benjamin Mee
First Step in the journey is to Overcome that Fear of Public Speaking. For most of us that fear is the fear of the unknown, fear of what the audience will say, fear of what our peers will think, fear that we may be found to be a fraud. This is that negative self-talk that says to us – you can’t do that, you’re not good enough. When you recognise that self-talk starting visualise a big red STOP sign. You don’t want to go down that downward spiral of negativity. Stop right there. Get rid of the negativity and replace with positive talk. I am good enough, I am an expert, I have a message. Adopt a positive attitude. Believe in yourself and dismiss those quiet voices of doom and gloom and replace them with some strong positive affirmations.
Nerves are energy which manifests itself in the familiar symptoms of dry
mouth, shaking hands, sweaty palms and all the rest of the debilitating feelings which makes it difficult for us to perform to our best ability.
We need to understand that the symptoms of performance anxiety and the symptoms of exciting anticipation are exactly the same; the only difference is in our attitude to the activity which causes them.
Remember to breathe! Breathe before you go into that important meeting with your client, breathe before you get up to speak at your first network meeting and breathe before you speak up and share your passion and message. Two or three deep breaths will centre you and give you the energy to make those first words count.
“You can speak well if your tongue can deliver the message of your heart.”
John Ford
Second Step is to be Genuine. There is a lot of talk around about authenticity and it really is vitally important. People will work with those they like, know and trust. You cannot build that rapport with someone who is not genuine, who is not able to come out from behind that mask of uncertainty and step up and share their message. Let your passion shine when speaking about your business to clients, staff, or suppliers. Be you.
This is a sample from the chapter ‘8 Essential Public Speaking Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs For Business’ published in the book U Can: Run Your Own Business. The chapter is by Trish Springsteen.
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