Public Speaking - The Top 3 Reasons Why

Some people think that just because they can talk, then that automatically makes them good at public speaking.

But that makes as much sense as saying that because you can drive a car that makes you qualified to be a professional race car driver.

Professional race car drivers have knowledge you don't have; and professional public speaking skills trainers have knowledge you don't have.

The good news is, it's actually easier to master professional-level public speaking skills than it is to become a professional race car driver-(and it costs a lot less, too).

Deciding whether public speaking skills training is a waste of your time and money depends on what your desired goals and outcomes are.

If you have unlimited time and money then the question is a moot point. But if you don't, then you need to be more careful and selective.

The most important question you can answer for yourself is "ultimately, what results do I want to get from doing public speaking?"

So, what do you most hope to accomplish by doing public speaking?

There are 3 common goals people have:

1. To get ego strokes and attention.
   
   
2. To be able to effectively train groups of people.
   
   
3. To persuade groups of people with your speaking.

• Ego speaking: If you're looking to get ego strokes and all you care about is getting applause and standing ovations, then you're best off looking for speaking clubs and associations like the NSA and Toastmasters.

• Speaking to train: If you're a trainer, you need to be able to impart information - sometimes complex set of information - in an understandable and systematic manner. And, you need to be able to keep a close eye on your trainees to make sure they're "getting it".

• Speaking to persuade: you might want to persuade people to join your cause, sign a petition, or donate to charity. Or you might be persuading them to make an appointment with you, or buy what you're selling, do business with you. In that case you'll need to carefully evaluate whether the training you're considering will actually meet that goal.

Summary:
The biggest mistake most people make when setting out to get public speaking skills training is incorrectly assuming that joining public speaking clubs and associations will give then the skills to get the results they want. You need to be 100% clear about what results you're hoping to get via public speaking. With that clarity, then you'll need to look for professional public speaking skills trainings that can help you to reach those specific goals. Ask lots of questions so you can evaluate which public speaking skills training will actually be able to deliver the skills and abilities so you can reach your goals.