I’ll never forget how nervous I was…
It was high school English class, and in order to pass, I had to give a speech to the entire class.
Just the thought of doing this made me wish I was invisible to the world…
So, on the day of the speech, I skipped class to hide in the toilets.
The truth was, to most of my classmates, I was invisible.
I never put my hand up or spoke in class, due to the fear of saying something stupid.
After my teacher told me she couldn’t pass me if I didn’t present a speech, she also offered to help me write it.
So, I faced my fear and agreed.
It actually didn’t go too badly, and the best part… I was… I didn’t die!
This made me want to conquer my fear of speaking, and so I joined Toast Masters, so I could also improve my English and gain more confidence.
I remember how nervous I was speaking in front of the others in attendance.
As I felt I wasn’t a good speaker, I made sure I worked on it extra hard.
In fact, I was a member of two Toast Masters groups at one point, so I had double the speeches.
And do you want to know something funny?
After one of my speeches one day, a colleague said to me “Dan, you know you’re a natural speaker?”
I almost fell out of my chair.
“There’s nothing natural about what I do, trust me.” I replied.
And guess what else…
Out of all the people in my group who wanted to become professional speakers, I was the ONLY ONE to make it happen.
The kid from Hong Kong who spoke with a thick accent.
But that just goes to show the power of putting in the work.
So in this week’s newsletter, you’re going to get some of my best tips on improving your public speaking…
So you can turn yourself into the best public speaker you can be.
Even if you don’t plan on becoming a paid public speaker, this will help you in many areas of your life, especially at work.
After all, the better you are at public speaking, the more money you’ll make.
Why Public Speaking Is North America’s Biggest Fear
As you may know, public speaking is feared by almost every person on the planet.
Why?
There are many reasons…
They fear being judged or evaluated negatively by the audience.
This of course leads to shame, embarrassment, and failure.
Having bad past public speaking experiences also contribute to and confirm this fear, which can lead to a loss of confidence and even social anxiety.
So, there are many factors at play, and I deep dive into more of them here >>
How To Overcome The Fear Of Public Speaking
It’s likely you’re in a catch 22 situation.
Do you overcome your fear of public speaking before you get on stage next, or do you face your fear and get on stage to overcome it?
The truth is, it’s a bit of both.
Obviously, I’m a far better speaker today than I was way back when I started, because of all the hours I’ve put in.
But there were some very powerful mental tricks I did to overcome my fear of speaking in front of others.
In short they are focusing on your audience, visualization, and what I like to call the “power move”.
If you’d like a more in depth explanation, then I clear all this up for you here >>
How To Find Your Speaking Style
You may look at great public speakers like Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey, or Steve Jobs and think…
“They’re great, but that’s not really my style.”
I get you.
That’s why it’s important you find your own signature style.
The way I did this is by studying great public speakers and using some of their techniques and style in my speeches…
Then eventually, I took what worked for me and developed my own style from that.
One afternoon, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Forbes speaker Deborah Patel, where she shared some of her pro speaking tips to help you connect with your audience and create your own speaking style.
Click here to watch the short interview, I guarantee you’ll get a lot out of it >>
How To Hook Your Audience and Keep Them On The Edge of Their Seat
It doesn’t matter whether you’re speaking in front of a small group, doing an office presentation, or speaking to hundreds or even thousands of people…
There are things you can do to make your presentation fun, engaging, and memorable.
And the best part, you don’t have to be famous to hook your audience in.
In fact, no one will listen to a boring speech delivered by even the most famous person in the world.
So, in a moment you’ll get the chance to discover 7 of my most effective public speaking secrets.
These secrets, will help you:
- Become unforgettable…
- Let the audience know why they should listen to you…
- Command their participation in a smooth way…
- Be entertaining…
- Set the right expectation and stop your audience thinking “I’ve heard of this before”
- And much much more
In closing…
Public speaking is one of the highest paid skills on the planet.
Why?
Because every event needs speakers, and if you can convey your message and get people to act on your presentation, you can literally print money from the stage.
When you combine closing and copywriting skills with public speaking skills, you’re in a league of your own.
It’s a tiny investment but has the potential to have an immense impact on your life and financial future.
To your success,
Dan Lok
P.S. – It’s not often someone like me who’s spoken on stages all over the world reveals their most closely guarded secrets for giving phenomenal public speeches.
