Start Small
If you haven’t already spoken at lots of events, how do you get booked to start building up that experience?
Gaining experience in public speaking can feel like a catch-22 situation. Event organisers want to bank on presenters with a good track record in order to make sure their event isn’t a flop. Big events aren’t likely to take a chance on an inexperienced speaker, and as a presenter, you probably don’t want to be learning your craft on such a public stage.
If you haven’t already spoken at lots of events, how do you get booked to start building up that experience?
One great way is to join a local meet-up group for your area of expertise. These groups, often organised through sites like meetup.com not only offer a way to meet and learn from other local people working in your field, but also provide a unique opportunity to practise giving a short, targeted presentation in a friendly and supportive environment.
Groups are particularly common for technology, marketing and entrepreneurial business, but they exist for many other industries too. They usually meet in low-key places like a meeting space in someone’s office or the back room of a pub, or community or arts centre, and are more often than not free to attend.
A couple of local groups I attend have occasional “lightning talks” evenings, designed for rapid-fire 5 or 10 minute presentations. These are a perfect opportunity to get started. Even the most inexperienced speaker can put together 10 minutes of a presentation - usually the challenge is cutting it back enough to fit a core idea or point.
Of course, once you’ve given a presentation, make sure to add it to your Noti.st profile so you can start building up a portfolio of experience when you’re ready to pitch a talk to a bigger event.
So if you’re looking to gain more experience in a low-pressure environment, check out your local area for meet-up groups!
Advent speaker tips: this is part of a series of tips for public speakers that we’re posting throughout advent. Check back daily during December for more.