We usually start planning a talk by jumping in with clear objectives for what you want people to know and do after your talk. To take your speaking to the "next level", we need to ask two more questions that serve to transform your speaking into something that compels people to take action.
When you're planning and creating a talk, there's a critical step that many people skip or miss because it is so simple, it seems almost like it isn't worthwhile. But these starting points are what lead to success and leave your audience wanting more because you deliver **value**, and there are clear takeaways from your talk.
The art of story-telling is a critical skill for delivering great presentations. But you also must choose the correct stories. Eureka moments--where you literally have an epiphany--are some of the best stories to tell.
The secret to paid speaking is mastering the concept of Value. If you want to be paid to speak, you need to have something valuable in your presentations. You need to help people save time, money, pain or just plain feel better about themselves. Here's a list of some of the things that you can focus on to create that value.
I get asked this question over and over and over again. How do you find paid speaking gigs? It's all about one simple word. And it rhymes with dalue. If you can clearly answer the questions I pose here, you're well on your way to getting paid to speak.
You can't always be a comedian when you're speaking. Sometimes that just isn't your job. And if it isn't your job, you can't beat yourself up because you didn't get that many laughs when you delivered your presentation. You need to know your role and judge your success accordingly.