eTip #647 - Becoming an Influential Person Through Public Speaking

The adjective “influential” is described by Webster as having great influence on someone or something.  Synonyms include:  powerful, dominant, controlling, strong, authoritative, persuasive, significant, important, crucial, distinguished, affluential.

So why are we talking about an adjective?  Because this one word is a deal changer.

We’re attracted to influential people. You, me, your coworkers and friends. Influential people are admired, respected, and organically granted authority over others.

Most importantly, influential people have access and opportunity. They have access to resources, tools, and other people that non-influential people could never get near. They are presented with opportunities to advance, make money, build their businesses, and connect with other people for even more access and opportunity.

Becoming an influential person takes time, but it’s worth your trouble. There’s power in it. It will open doors and light the paths to success.

Conceptually, being influential is easy. You just have to add value to the lives of other people. You have to turn yourself into someone who oozes support, encouragement, and free information. When people are near you, you want them to perk up when you enter a room and listen intently to your words.

The first step to becoming an influential person is to start speaking publicly. That’s a terrifying thought for many people, but it’s not as bad as you think. Your first public appearance shouldn’t be a stadium full of people with rapt attention, waiting for you to suffer or sweat.

Start by making appearances at networking groups, rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, industry-specific events, or any center of influence. You don’t have to sign up to be a keynote speaker right away, but you should find a way to make yourself seen by other people. Attend a side-event (like an after party or dinner) or participate in someone else’s contribution. A good way to get started is to introduce yourself to other influential people and ask questions.

Over time, you’ll become comfortable in settings where other people are looking at you. Your confidence in your own knowledge will grow, and you’ll find talking about your specialty easy.

Once that happens, double down on providing value. Give talks that teach people new concepts or discuss problems in your industry. Listen to the questions other people ask and turn them into talks, lectures, or group chats. Host a monthly discussion group, office hours, or workshop.

There is a growing trend of making oneself influential online. You can surely find countless sources of information in your space: Websites, newsletters, social media groups, etc. There’s a guru for everything. These methods have their place, but there’s nothing quite as valuable as one person’s face in front of another.

There’s power in person-to-person communication. You can be more powerful and valuable when the audience can study your face, watch your gestures, and hear your voice. If you really want to connect with people and become influential, you have to get close enough to shake their hand.

But that means you have to be engaging. You won’t have the luxury of editing your words, so you have to be able to communicate effectively on your feet. You need to capture people with your voice if you want them fully experience the value you’re providing.

Our High Impact Presentations course will give you the skills you need to communicate effectively, energize your audience (even if it’s one person), and transmit that value to other people – especially if you’re selling something.

Always remember: Relationships matter. Karma is real. If you provide value to other people, the value will come back to you. It might come back as education, as access to new tools, or opportunities for learning, growth, or new business. It could come back as referrals, partnerships, or easy sales.

The first step is to capturing that power is to make yourself known.
For more information, visit our website!