This following article was originally published on TransformingStigma.com and created from my podcast, The Mike Veny Show. This is from episode 2, How to Become a Professional Motivational Speaker for Youth Events. I invite you to listen to this episode on iTunes, Stitcher, or Sound Cloud.
Please remember to leave a comment at the bottom.
Ever since I began speaking at youth events, I’ve received many calls and emails about becoming a motivational speaker for youth events. In the events I am hired to present at, I speak about my struggles with mental health and behavior as a child and teenager. I understand what it feels like to be an at risk youth.
As a child, I was on a variety of medications and hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital three times. In addition, I was expelled from three schools for behavior problems. I was violent at home, harmed myself frequently, and tried to take my own life at age 10. Whether or not I like it, I was a poster child for at-risk-youth.
As you read this article, I am 36 years old and I am doing really well. I have managed to stay out of legal trouble (minus New York City parking tickets). My career includes being a mental health health speaker and an interactive drumming facilitator. When I speak to youth, I use my story as a teachable moment to share lessons that I have learned about overcoming challenges. I sometimes wonder how my life may have been different growing up if I had the opportunity to hear someone who had the same challenges I did speak.
Would that have made me find healthier ways to cope?
Would that have helped my depression?
Would I have had an easier time making friends?
Would my journey to adulthood have been more smooth?
No matter how much I try to imagine the answers to those questions, I will never know. Instead, I have the opportunity now to help youth who are like me. I really enjoy delivering presentations to youth events. This includes speaking at elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and youth conferences.
Speakers like Josh Shipp and Jeff Yalden have had incredible careers doing this. I look up to both of them and encourage you to visit their websites and learn more about them. If you are interested in getting hired to speak at youth events, I’d like to share some of the tips that I have learned with you:
#1 Commit to an education plan
It’s important that you learn as much as you can about the business of speaking. When people come to me and tell me that they want to become a youth speaker, they typically have a story about overcoming challenges that others have found inspiring. They may have spoken at a few events and received some great feedback or people in their lives have suggested that they become a motivational speaker. Whatever reason you have for becoming a motivational speaker is fine.
One lesson that I have had to learn the hard way is that just because people tell you that you should do it (or you want to do it), doesn’t mean that you are ready for the BUSINESS of speaking. Like most industries, it’s a very unique business that has it’s own set of rules and customs. You have an obligation to learn and master these rules and customs if you want to make a career out of it.
Your education plan can include conferences, books, blogs, podcasts and webinars on the business of speaking. The important thing that you must do is create a plan and schedule for learning.
One of the mistakes that I have watched some veteran speakers make is that they stop educating themselves. I know one speaker who was a superstar 20 years ago, but has become irrelevant now because he doesn’t educate himself like he did when started out. He admitted it to me and I hope he goes back on an education plan.
The business of speaking is constantly evolving. It’s on YOU to be proactive about understanding the business, how it works, and to continuously educate yourself. Here is a list of books to get you started:
- Paid To Speak: Best Practices For Building A Successful Speaking Business by the National Speakers Association
- Speak More!: Marketing Strategies to Get More Speaking Business by the National Speakers Association
- The Six-Figure Speaker: Formula for a Six-Figure Income as a Professional Speakerby Cathleen Filmore
- Speaking for Millions: How to Make REALLY Big Money as a Professional Speaker (Public Speaking is just the START!) by Fred Gleeck
#2 Become a member of Toastmasters International
As a I said before, a lot of people who are starting out speaking,were told that they were a great speaker and got some positive feedback on their presentation skills. More important than positive feedback is CRITICAL FEEDBACK. To become an effective speaker, it’s important to consistently receive critical feedback. This will help you develop and deliver your message. Also, youth are a very honest audience. You have to get their attention and keep their attention. If you don’t, they will let you know.
Toastmasters International provides a great opportunity for you to grow your speaking skills fast. The cost of membership is less than $80 per year (as of the date of this article being published). That’s a very low cost for entry into any organization these days. Once you join a local club, you can visit any club in the world and speak.
One strategy that I have learned to do when traveling to speak is to schedule myself to speak at Toastmasters meeting in the area in which I am visiting. This allows me to practice presenting in front of a new group of people and develop new friendships. Also, I get to rehearse my speech and get feedback.
You need all the practice you can at delivering your message so therefore I encourage you to become a member of Toastmasters. I think the membership as of the time of this episode is somewhere around $75 for the year. And that’s a pretty low-cost entry for any organization these days. And you can speak at any meeting in the world. One thing that I do when I travel to events around the country is I book Toastmasters meetings for myself to attend and speak at. So I can get in front of new groups of people. Practice speaking and it really helps me because I’m always delivering different presentations. So I think that’s really really important.
Find your local Toastmasters meetings here…
#3 Become a member of the National Speakers Association
Unlike Toastmasters International, the cost to enter the National Speakers Association (NSA) is much higher. However, I would suggest not thinking of it as a cost. Joining the National Speakers Association is an investment. Through webinars, live events, the magazine, and the people you meet, you will learn how to increase your income as motivational speaker.
Through joining this organization, you will have access to some of the best education on the business speaking. Most importantly, you will meet the top speakers in the world and have the opportunity to learn from them and develop relationships with them.
I can’t even begin to talk about the growth my business experienced in the first few months after joining. To be honest with you, it was very intimidating for me. Once I understood the pace of learning, it became my secret weapon.
Just the other day, I had to reach out to one of my mentors that I met through NSA. I was having a challenge with a client who was being difficult. They had already signed a contract with me for an upcoming event, but wanted to change some of the payment terms. I reached out to my mentor, who is one of the top speakers in the world (on his particular topic) and he took time out of his busy day to advise me on how to proceed.
Learn more about NSA here…
What questions do you have about becoming a motivational speaker for youth events?
Please leave your question(s) in the comment box below…
