Is Your Speaking Helping You to Stand Out From the Pack? Podcast 64
For most folks, most of the time, in most situations, it can seem easier to stick with the pack than to stand out from the crowd. Whether at work, in social settings, or even at home, choosing to get along and to follow rules or ‘norms’ tends to lead to a life with a lot less bother.
And let’s face it, as humans, we’re a fairly risk averse lot – conditioned to fear how others may judge us and the prospect of being shunned should you be deemed different.
But there’s a problem with sticking too close to the herd.
While there’s safety in numbers and you’ll make fewer mistakes, you’ll also run the risk of being quite forgettable.
And that’s not a good thing if you’re using speaking to help you to win interest in you, your ideas, or your business.
Even in industries or professions where being seen to toot your own horn might have traditionally or culturally been frowned upon, here’s the reality:
If your speaking doesn’t stand out from the pack because you offer something that’s different, more engaging, and even provocative compared with other speakers or communicators…
…Why on earth should your target audience give you the time of day or choose to remember a word you say?
As mentioned umpteen times before, there’s another truth: the single biggest issue for businesses who need to promote their products and services into the future is the rise and rise of audience inattention.
And the upshot is this — if you’re not saying something that’s new or fresh, the chances of you piquing interest and being considered a thought leader, whose expertise and advice are in demand, are poor and can only become worse.
But what does it take to set your star on the right trajectory and avoid the downsides of merely blending in?
That’s the topic tackled in today’s expert interview when I had the chance to interview professional speaker, mentor, facilitator, author and debunker Mark Lee at the recent Professional Speaking Association UKI Mega Conference.
Why Every Speech You Make Must Set You Apart
Listen in as we discuss:
- The dangers of giving talks that can get lost in the shuffle
- A 3 R acid test when assessing the outcomes from your talks
- The truth about what audiences tend to remember and why you care
- How focusing on your personal brand will help to set you apart
- The upsides of audience certainty that you’ll come up with the goods
- Steps you can take to ensure your light isn’t hidden under a bushel
- How early bird personal touches can magnify your impact for ions
- A single insight that can free you up to more fully realise your potential
- And more
Your Turn
Thinking about speakers who have truly stood out from the pack from your perspective over the years, can you put your finger on what it is they did that caused you to sit up and pay greater attention to their ideas or words?
And Speaking of Giving Talks That’ll Give You an Edge
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Photo Credit: Marco Duarte