Define the Message You’ll Share

I have always loved the idea of speaking. I wanted to use speaking as a way to build my business as well as a possible additional income stream.  But I wasn’t sure how to get started with speaking. So when I started working with a coach, the first thing she told me was to focus on defining my message...to craft a Signature Speech.

Every speaker needs a keystone message. But building this message can be tricky. Where do you start? What do you say? How much should you talk about yourself? These are important questions and here are a few answers for you.

Determine Your Audience

Before you can begin crafting a message that connects with your listeners, you need to get clear on who you serve. Who is it that you’re passionate about reaching? Who is your product or service for?

I know my audience is mainly women in their thirties to sixties. But I narrowed it down even more by choosing to focus on the "older" part of that range - the baby boomers or retirees.. That means when I started looking for events where I could speak, I focused on ones that catered to my community (retirees or soon-to-be retirees).

Focus on the Problems

The next step in defining your message is focusing on the problems your audience faces. Try to make a list of the top 10-20 problems that your community regularly brings up to you. This may be a mix of big and small issues.

My list includes issues my audience complained about like: not enough savings to retire comfortably, not wanting to "retire" but not wanting to stay at their job, and wanting to start a business but challenged by technology.

Offer the Solutions

Now that you’ve had a chance to consider what problems plague your community, think about how you can offer them the solution. Chances are, you’re already offering the solution even if you don’t realize it.

Maybe your audience complains about the lack of information about writing copy for Facebook ads (which mine does). But you have a free opt-in report on this topic (which I do!). You can mention this solution in your presentation.

Show Off Your Results

As you offer solutions, be sure to share proof that what you’re teaching really works. Using the above example, you’d want to share the story of a woman who earned an extra $10K thanks to following your copywriting tips.

But keep in mind that results don’t have to be monetary. I recently shared a message from a client who found she was more confident and felt more in charge of her life now that was taking control of her retirement savings.

Share What Makes You Different

At this point, you’ve got the audience excited. They know there’s a solution out there for the problem they have. But how you handle this next part of the process is important. You want to make sure your listeners see that you’re the solution to their problems. If not, they may go and do business with one of your competitors.

I point out my coaching is different because I AM a boomer and therefore I can relate to them in ways younger coaches might not be able to. I know how scary it can be to embrace some of this new technology. This makes me stand out in the audience’s mind and gives them an extra reason to try my program over someone else’s.

As you work through the steps above, you’ll get many ideas about what you can speak on. Be sure to keep a notebook handy so you can write down your thoughts and use them as you craft your speech.