Getting started as a speaker

It is the question that speakers are asked most frequently by those take an interest in public speaking---"How do I get started?" The answer is as plain as the nose on your face. It begs the question, though, how many of us spend time noticing our noses when we're not looking in the mirror? Hmmm. I digress.

That question is normally accompanied with the question of how yours truly got started. My journey began about 35 years ago as a little one. My brother, sister and a very close first cousin will gleefully recall performances I put on for my family and friends at 3 or 4 years old. I would sing, dance, act out arias from operas, and end each performance with a bow and "Thank ya much." Later, as a teenager, I found myself doing readings at St. Peter Claver Church in my beloved Treme neighborhood in New Orleans. Later on, I enjoyed an awesome experience as a member of the St. Augustine High School Speech & Debate team. So, I've always loved an audience.

Therefore, I think the best way to start speaking is to get in front of people! Here's whatcha do . . .

1. Get comfortable. It's great to start speaking to a room full of friends and family because they can be your greatest critics. Get any hint of discomfort out of your system right away.
2. Speak! Express what is on your mind. Read a newspaper article that blows your mind to a group of people. Tell a joke. Get used to the sound of your voice as it permeates a room, and hits the ears of others.
3. Write. After you've gotten comfortable with saying what you have to say, organize your thoughts on paper. Writing a speech is like writing a composition for school. It has an overview, a body and a summary. The operative word, however, is organize.
4. Choose. Decide to whom you want to speak and why. Developing a target audience (i.e. culturally diverse Christian teenagers, ages 15 to 19, from the South) will help you figure out what you want to say, why you want to say it, and how you want to say it. Ironically, having a laser focus on a particular group helps you expand your audience reach, because that will help your audience maintain a focus on your very important message, as well.
5. Critique. Getting feedback from family and friends is good, but a recorder is the most powerful tool a speaker can have. Play your speech back and ask, "Do I believe me? Am I moved by what I'm saying? Do my thoughts and my delivery match?" Video is great, but audio recordings are most powerful. The reason is many people are more tuned in to how you sound rather than how you look. Example. Remember the last time you attended a lecture, comedy show, or sermon, you looked away for a few seconds; and something the speaker said made you snap your head back to him or her? Our words and voices are truly more dynamic than we realize!
6. Pursue. Start creating contacts! The best way to start is with family, friends and maybe even co-workers. Ask for a mere 5 to 10 minutes to address the group you want to address. If you know a speaker, ask him or her if you can tag along on gigs to observe. And take notes!!! What will help you is taking notes on what that speaker does. Hopefully, he/she will want feedback (most speakers do). That way, you can get into a healthy discussion that will help the both of you improve.

Notice that I haven't approached the topic of money . . . yet. What's most important in speaking is to establish yourself. You want to get yourself "in shape" first. You want to know that (1) you can do it, and (2) you actually enjoy doing it.

I have to warn you that speakers speak, because we looooove to speak. If you ask any one of us, to a man or woman, we will tell you that we have an unfettered passion for what we do. You will often catch us saying that we would do it for free just about any time or any place. But time is money, and we don't forget that, either. ;-)

You ready? SPEAK!