Motivational Speakers Who Really Care About Their Audience, Show It
I see a lot of big egos in the business of motivational speaking. And I think that nothing turns an audience off faster than an arrogant speaker. Our job is to motivate and inspire – and in order to do that, we must be liked. People buy from people they like – and they listen to people they like – and they remember people they like – you get the picture.
So it pays to be likeable on stage. But let me tell you what else pays – being likeable off stage.
Our value as motivational speakers increases when we can prolong the experience.
This is so easy to do, and yet so many speakers don’t do it. Here are some easy ways to prolong the experience.
1. Arrive early – early enough to visit with attendees in the hallways, at other sessions, etc. This is your chance to be under the radar, and visit with them not as a speaker, but just another person.
2. Send a note in advance of the event. Ask your meeting planner if you can prepare a little message to meet them in advance. Videos are great. All you have to do is talk about how excited you are, and what they can expect. And act excited. This isn’t a training video – this is your chance to smile and say hello.
3. Visit with your audience before you speak. Walk through the room and greet people as they are sitting down – start small talk. If you need time to prepare for your speech you have waited too long. Using this time to visit with your audience is more important. You don’t need to tell them you’re the speaker – just say hello.
4. Stick around after you speak to chat with people. Give them a chance to say hello and tell you what they enjoyed about your program. Let them take a picture with you. It means a lot to them.
5. Be accessible afterwards through social media – like Facebook. And then when they message you or comment – respond. In fact, use your social media as another way you can encourage, motivate, and share your advice.
These are some easy ways for you to prolong the experience. And when you do, you create fans. And nothing brings more business like fans.
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Kelly Swanson is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker, Huffington Post Contributor, and cast member of The Fashion Hero television show airing on Amazon Prime. She is also the author of Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale, The Land of If Only, The Story Formula, and The Affirmation Journal for Positive Thinking. She was a featured entertainer for Holland America Cruise Lines, keynote speaker for the International Toastmasters Convention, and has keynoted major conferences and corporate events from coast to coast. She just launched her one-woman show Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale in theaters, and it is being booked all over the country. In July of 2022, she was inducted into the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame.
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