Difference between Recreational and PRO speaking

I saw this lady post how she likes to wing it during presentations. She says she’s a toastmaster or something; I guess that’s a group where people meet up in a non-business or non-real setting and get around with their speaking talent.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s pretty good if you can practice speaking; I support that.

Then there’s the “body language/communication coaching” crowd.

You know, hold your hands here, pronounce words louder, or throttle back on the cadence. Again, I have nothing against that. It’s practical, general skill-building, and a practice that can serve you well in many settings.

There is, however, a BIG difference between Recreational speaking and going PRO.

For all intents and purposes, going PRO means you speak to either WIN or LOSE. A deal, an opportunity, a sale, an investment. At toastmasters all you win or lose is a bit of ego.

Should I spend another 200 words massaging this point? I could, but why bother - If you’re not already getting it, then you’re not in a position to win much or lose much. Which, again, is neither good nor bad. It means you don’t rely on speaking to a crowd to go from zero to hero.

Is that even a thing?

Well, yes, it is a thing. You can go to places, arrive as an inconsequential nobody, speak for 5 minutes, and get instant acclaim, generating demand for your attention and time. Everyone feels you’ve absorbed all the importance in the room, and the most influential people interrupt you at the post-speech buffet, not knowing why. They are drawn to you like a magnet to a steel beam.

The reason is that they feel important and must meet the most critical person; it’s a part of who and what they are.

Now beware, this is a Cinderella effect. It has a timer. The clock strikes midnight, and you’re back to being invisible and unimportant.

Let’s put a number on that.

Companies I work with spend a minimum of $0,5M on attending events every year. Granted, it’s pocket change in relation to their top-line revenue. But those “coins” are spent tactically, so the top line keeps going up, (or at least, doesn’t go down).

Not everyone is aware of that though. I’ve seen this guy recently post pictures from his event stand. He was with some startup company. The event organizers made a special label next to their brand name so everyone could see the equivalent of an L learner sign on the road.

It was up to him to break out of that mold. He didn’t. Why not? He didn’t know how.

So can you?

It’s less hard than you think and more complex than it feels.

Here’s a practical overview:

Step 1) Get very fucking clear on what you’re saying. (I’ll make a video about this).

Step 2) Be very concise (less than 250 words) and to the point about the “clear thing” you’re saying.

Step 3) Deliver it to people and gauge response to find gaps in understanding.

Step 4) Plug said gaps.

Step 5) Have the next step ready and words to segway smoothly.

So…what are trying to say and what is the cost of not listening to you?