Imagine, you’ve been asked by a meeting planner to present your flagship keynote speech for the national convention of a large association. There will be over 5000 excited attendees at the event ready to learn new insights on how to grow their business. The topic and title of your speech seems to be right on for this group and you know if you do well, then there could be a good deal of spin-off work for you from all of the membership. You’re excited!
But before you get too far ahead of yourself with enthusiasm let me ask you a few questions…. Have you gone the extra mile and carefully crafted your speech or do you just kind of wing-it? Do you have a written script of your message or do you just work off of bullet points? Have you rehearsed, rehearsed, and rehearsed your delivery or do you go with your gut instinct? Is your speech full of great content with specific application for the attendee or is it mostly about you? Is it funny and entertaining or is it a data dump of information? Do you deliver your presentation like a performance or like a recital? Are you fun and easy to work with or are you a challenge? Are you concerned about making your meeting planner look good or more concerned about getting a standing ovation? Do you care about the attendees and what they learn or only care about you and your comfort zone?
The answers to these questions separate an average speaker from a Rock Star speaker. And unfortunately there are more average speakers working in the market place today than there are Rock Star speakers. The challenge we have as professional speakers, salespeople, business leaders and entertainers is to continually go the extra mile for our audience… to deliver a dynamic, entertaining, insightful and crafted performance of our expertise to our audience every time we walk on stage.
It doesn’t matter if we are speaking to 5000 excited attendees, 50 tired employees or 5 jaded clients, we need to be Rock Stars for them. Not for us. And when we stand out like a Rock Star everyone wins. Your audience has been engaged, encouraged, enlightened, entertained and have enjoyed themselves in the process.
You see, when I talk about being a Rock Star, I’m talking about being someone who is the best at what you do and delivers your message in the most entertaining way. You stand out from the crowd to the point where people are buzzing about you and when someone needs your service, they recommend you to their colleagues with the highest praise. You’re not only great as a presenter, but you’re fun to be with and you are unforgettable.
And it is more than just being a speaker on stage… it’s about everything you do in life. When you go the extra mile for your customer, employer, family or friend to the point where you deliver more than is expected and you do it with a smile on your face, then you are being a Rock Star in my book. And it doesn’t matter what kind of work you’re involved with… If you want to compete in this crazy, crowded and competitive world so you can get more business, make more money and be more successful then you need to develop what I call The Rock Star Factor… that special “it†that it takes to be at the top.
You see, being tagged as someone who is a Rock Star is not about limos, leather pants or hit songs… It’s about making a difference in peoples lives whether you do it with fun, service, products, humor or perspective. When people feel they are better off after having worked with you or spent time with you than they were before… that’s when you know you have the Rock Star Factor. That’s when you are a Rock Star!
So, let me challenge you to look deep into your process of speaking, whether it’s to 1 or 1000… be intentional in all you do. Craft your message with your attendee in mind and continually ask the questions they will be thinking. “What do you mean by that? Why is that important to me? How can I apply this to my life? What do I do now?â€
If you ask yourself these questions as you go through your presentation and carefully answer them, then you’ll have the audiences’ perspective in mind.
R – Reach out and make it about them.
O – Over-deliver in your content & entertainment value.
C – Communicate your message with a positive style.
K – Know your stuff and be great at what you do. Be the best of YOU!
In turn, they too will have fun and leave with a positive buzz about you and your style. So, be a Rock Star in all you do!
Robin Creasman is a motivational speaker/entertainer, an award-winning television producer, author, marketing and entertainment expert who speaks to business leaders, salespeople, entrepreneurs, small business owners and professional speakers on how to Stand Out, Market and Perform Like A Rock Star whether they are on-stage, in the boardroom or on a sales call so they can grow their business, make more money and be more successful. You can reach him at Robin@robincreasman.com
Learn more at www.RobinCreasman.com.