How to Become a Professional Public Speaker

The professional public speaking industry in the US generated $1.9 billion in 2019 and is expected to generate $2.3 billion by 2025. Given these numbers, it may seem both exciting and daunting to break into the professional public speaking industry. However, there are four key ways to improve your skills and become a professional public speaker.

Identify an Area of Expertise

What topic are you most passionate about? Can you offer a different perspective that your audience may benefit from? Ask yourself these questions to identify your area of expertise.

Suppose you’ve studied marketing. You have the expertise and knowledge to discuss different marketing strategies and channels. What can you share that others can’t?

If you want to narrow down your expertise, you could apply your marketing knowledge to a specific industry or product category—or even identify emerging trends.

Know Your Audience

Now that you know what you’re going to talk about, it’s time to determine who you’ll be speaking to. What is the makeup of your audience? What do they do?

Having a defined target audience can help you figure out the type of content you need to develop. Knowing your audience’s demographics will help you determine what to say and how best to communicate your message.

For instance, if you’re discussing veganism with a group of college students, you probably wouldn’t want to spend much time on the chemical processes of vegan meat production. Instead, consider focusing on an area that would resonate with this audience, such as the environmental impact of meat-eating.

Develop an Online Presence

A solid online presence is crucial to becoming a professional public speaker. When people hear your pitch, the first thing they do is look you up on Google. So, give them something meaningful to find.

Having a professionally-designed website with regular content updates is the best way to attract interest. It’s also important to maintain a strong presence on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Master Public Speaking

While your content is critical, you also must know how to deliver it well. That’s why developing effective public speaking skills is so important. You can learn from an expert public speaking coach or participate in public speaking and presentation skills training online.

I offer in-person and virtual public speaking coaching to help people build their professional speaking brand. To learn more, send an email to Hello@StevenDCohen.net or click on the button below.