Public Speaking - Attention Getters - Are You Beginning Your Speech With a Big Mistake?

Public speaking is a fabulous tool for solo professionals to market their businesses. But I've seen so many do it all wrong. That's a shame because when you present your speech using the right time-tested techniques and strategies, you'll see amazing results every time.

The first words you speak are some of the most important words of your entire presentation. Real estate professionals use the term "location location location" to talk about what's important with regards to buying and selling a home. In public speaking, you can use the same concept with the most popular and absolute worst way to begin your presentation. Ready for it? Here it is:

"Hi, my name is..."

Public Speaking - Attention Getters - Are You Beginning Your Speech With a Big Mistake?

Bleck.

Boring.

Yawn.

Do people need to know who you are? Sure they do. Do they need to hear it as the first words out of your mouth? Only if you want to bore them to tears during your ever-important first impression. Think about your speech in terms of real estate and consider your first words, known as your "attention getter" to be some of the most prime real estate of your speech. Just as you wouldn't build a shack on the same street with multi-million dollar luxury estates, you don't want to clutter one of the most important parts of your speech with a less-than-powerful phrase like "Hi, my name is." Why is it bad? Read on.

First, you've likely already been introduced. Almost no speaker gets up at a public speaking event and starts to give his/her speech without someone introducing that person. What does that mean? It means the audience already knows your name. They also probably were drawn to the event and saw your name in pre-event publicity or on the program when you arrived. Don't re-state the obvious as your attention getter.

Next, the first words out of your mouth need to compel your audience to sit up, take notice, and be engaged with your speech from the very start. You want their reaction to be, "Ohhhhh... this is gonna be interesting!" And while your name is undoubtedly a beautiful name, it's not enough to make an audience be compelled to listen to what you have to say next.

Finally, as a solo professional delivering a speech to market your business, your speech should NEVER be about you. Your audience is tuned into radio station WIIFM: What's In It For Me. Make it clear from the start that your speech is all about what's in it for them. They'll not only listen, they'll take notes!

So if your attention getter is prime real estate and "Hi, my name is..." doesn't deserve prime location, does it belong anywhere? Yes. Your name has a home later in your speech's introduction. Tell your audience who you are after you've drawn their attention. Use the real estate that comes after your attention getter as the time to begin building your credibility. Tell your audience information that will allow them to know you are qualified to help them with their needs.

When you use the proper techniques and present information in the correct order, you can get all the benefits of marketing your solo professional or small business using public speaking.

Public Speaking - Attention Getters - Are You Beginning Your Speech With a Big Mistake?
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If you'd like to learn more about all the proper techniques so you can use public speaking to market your business, visit [http://www.CashInOnSpeaking.com] . You'll learn everything you need to know from how to choose a topic, how to best organize your speech to get instant results, and where to go to get booked to speak.

Public speaking is one important way to increase your credibility as a small or home-based business owner. I invite you to discover how to Increase Business by Communicating Your Credibility now. You'll get this FREE e-course designed to help you attract more business and get more cash flow. Pick it up here: http://www.communicationtransformation.com/creating-credibility-ecourse.html

Felicia J. Slattery, M.A., M.Ad.Ed. is a communication consultant, speaker & coach specializing in training small and home-based business owners effective communication skills so they can see more cash flow now.