“In a world of vanilla, you need to be mint chocolate chip,” remarked American novelist Rob Waldo Waldman. Public speaking may be intimidating, and if you want to be the type of speaker that moves and retains the audience, you must do more than just present information to them.
It is essential to know how to say the correct stuff adequately so that people will listen and remember you.
With so many brilliant speakers available on the market, it’s easy to understand how some have become carbon copies of one another, duplicating each other’s style and replicating each other so much that it’s uncommon to encounter presenters that stand out from the crowd. When we find speakers like that, we celebrate their individuality, and they are always in high demand.
With that stated, how can you as a public speaker discover your uniqueness? How can you be the mint chocolate chip ice cream in a world filled with vanilla?
Establish your individual style: A great public speaker engages in one-on-one communication with one person at a time in front of a group of people. So you connect, deliver your message, ensure that it is received, and go on to the next.
Your distinct communication style, on the other hand, will make you appear open, sincere, vulnerable, and humble. It is that unique style that must be packaged commercially, otherwise, you risk sounding like everyone else.
Great public speakers become great because they discovered their voice; make it a goal to discover yours as well.
It’s all about the presentation: To be honest, there are many innovative speakers in the public speaking profession. Aside from your speaking ability, one aspect that will help you stand out and get recognized is your branding.
How do you present yourself and your work effectively so that the client notices you? It’s all in your bio: the pictures on your website, how you edit your videos, the types of stories you tell, and that one thing you’re famous for.
Leave your ego aside: People are always looking for ways to connect, and one way to stand out as a public speaker is to be approachable. Speakers who can connect with and inspire any audience to forget about their importance and convey their thoughts as if they were offering a gift to their listeners. Consider your speech to be a gift that you want the readers to appreciate.
Oversharing or disclosing too much personal information is not a sign of vulnerability. It is not simply telling a narrative for the purpose of telling a story. It is about being authentic, relevant, and honest in your individuality, flaws and all, just like your audience. That is the essence of you that draws people in and keeps them seeking more.
Have a parachute mindset: Having a parachute mindset means having a mind that is open and eager to learn, adapt to change, and be open to the thoughts and criticism of others.
“We cannot fix our problems with the same mindset that produced them,” Einstein once remarked. The top speakers, the ones who dominate marketplaces and create New York Times best sellers, are those who are eager to learn, examine, evaluate feedback, and keep evolving. That is what leads to mastery.
Takeaway: To stand out as a speaker, you must be consistent, patient, and passionate about what you do; otherwise, your originality will be lost.
References.
1. https://www.mindstoretraining.com.au/is-your-mind-like-a-parachute/.
2. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stand-Out-Speaker-More-Giraffe/dp/1527296016
3. https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/how-vulnerability-can-help-you-connect-with-an-audience/
