12 Ways to Improve Your Speaking in 2012
Good morning, speaker girls! It’s great to be back with you. I hope you feel as refreshed and renewed as I do after a break. I’m chomping at the bit to get back to work which is a wonderful thing.
Last year I shared some tips for improving your speaking in the new year. Here’s the new and improved list for 2012.
1. Spend a day (or as much time as you can carve out) in a quiet place with just your Bible and a journal. Worship, pray and read God’s Word. Ask Him to speak to you about His agenda for you for the year. Read this blog post for more details about a retreat with Jesus.
2. Pray before you speak, “Lord, help me to love you first and love these women as you love them.” Watch your focus change and your nerves subside.
3. Prayerfully lay aside a percentage of each of your speaking fees for reinvestment back into your ministry.
4. Purchase a book that will challenge you in your speaking and implement at least one new idea in your next message. We’ve got some great suggestions in our reading list on the sidebar!
5. Schedule time each week to work on your speaking ministry–studying, writing new messages or working on marketing tasks.
6. Prayerfully choose 12 of Tracie’s marketing ideas, and implement one each month this year.
7. Attend She Speaks. It’s a feast for your mind and soul!
8. Be open to all kinds of venues for speaking, and speak as often as possible. Pray for chances to share God’s message and exercise your “speaking muscle”.
9. Record yourself (digital recorders are worth the investment) or ask to be recorded each time you speak. Then listen to yourself! I know it’s excruciating, but you’ll identify more needs for improvement by doing this than by any other single thing.
10. Subscribe to blogs that will give you information about being a better speaker and getting the word out about your ministry. We’d love for you to subscribe here, of course! We also have additional information posted on our Facebook page. Also, I recommend Micheal Hyatt’s blog as well as signing up for Rob Eager’s Monday Morning Marketing Tips.
11. Listen to great speakers and analyze the structure of their messages. There are tons of free podcasts. A few of my favorites are any of my Proverbs 31 sisters, Jennifer Rothschild, Andy Stanley and Ravi Zacharias.
12. And last but not least…use Next Step Speaker Services to help you individually with message development, message evaluation or developing marketing pieces. Learn more about our service by viewing this video.
Happy New Year, friends!
I’m so excited about the conference! I have already ordered my book and begun practicing. I have signed up for the email notifiction, nad check the site everyday…you know…just incase you post and then I get the email a day later.
Not I”m not OCD, just excited and don’t want to miss this opportunity!
See you in July!
I love your enthusiasm, Diane! I hope our paths will cross in Concord.
I am interested in attending the She Speaks Conference this year. Do you know when the registration will be open?
Registration usually opens mid-late February. The best thing to do is to subscribe to the blog at http://www.shespeaksconference.com. You won’t get posts all year long, but the opening of registration is announced and lots of great conference information follows. I hope to see you there!!
Thank you Amy for always sharing such great things to help me improve as a speaker and ministry director! You are a great example of the power of sharing rather than hoarding the gifts of wisdom God gives us in being a light for others.
LOVE this!!! I have my first big speaking (big for me that is!!) engagement next month and was looking for some resources!!! Sooo appreciate this post, Amy!!! Thanks!