Public speakers are a courageous bunch. Not only do these individuals have to step out of their comfort zone to speak in public, but also he or she has to be ready, willing, and able to accept interviews, host teleseminars, and produce videos of their presentations. In addition, in every occurrence he or she must show up as one hundred percent professional. Talk about being uncomfortable!
However, there are advantages of being uncomfortable. Stepping out of the comfort zone allows for taking greater risks with equally great rewards, developing your pitch to perfection, and networking with others who may prove invaluable to your career.
Taking Great Risks Equal Great Rewards
One of the best reasons to step out of the comfort zone and step into more speaking engagements is that by taking a great risk, a public speaker can reap a great reward. By staying inside the comfort zone, a public speaker will never be able to reach future customers or potential clients. Playing it safe will result in stable and predictable sales and leads. Stepping out of the crease will allow for greater rewards in those very same sales and leads.
If a public speaker stays within the confines of his or her community and does not expose himself or herself to other communities, then the chances of being a one-hit-wonder exist. If a public speaker wants to make a lasting impact, it is vital to their career, brand, or product to reach out and expand.
Develop and Perfecting Your Pitch
By stepping out of the comfort zone and experiencing new scenarios, a public speaker has the opportunity to develop and perfect his or her pitch. Experiencing new situations will bring confidence to try even more scenarios that are new. The theory that practice makes perfect certainly does apply in this case.
Networking
Once you have accepted an invitation to speak on a radio show or do a television interview, that exposure will provide you with many more opportunities through networking. Being in an environment that provides contacts (and perhaps individuals who can help you along your journey) is invaluable to the public speaking portion of your career.
One meeting at the perfect time can launch your career or product into a completely new direction. You may have the opportunity to meet a publisher, a literary agent, or even a chief executive officer looking for what you have to offer.
The more comfortable you become in front of an audience, the more confidence you will gain; however, stopping there just does not make any sense. Public speaking can open up many avenues, but expanding that into teleseminars, interviews, and radio shows can turn up the traffic volumes.