Speak it into existence
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times to my speaker colleagues - I have zero desire to ever deliver a keynote.
It’s because of a very simple reason:
I’m far too lazy to memorize anything, let alone put together a slide deck, let alone keep in time with that slide deck. The thought alone is terrifying.
But, after working with a wide breadth of speakers who deliver their messages of transformation through different presentation approaches, I understand the impact that speaking offers participants sitting in the room, especially when they’re hungry for the knowledge that is shared with them.
I experienced that, first-hand, during a recent fireside chat with the good folks over at the NSA Wisconsin chapter.
That experience opened my mind to possibilities.
Not to change my feelings on keynoting - let’s not get crazy over here - but to, instead, lean into the fireside chat model with more intentionality than simply saying yes to whatever comes my way.
As a result, I sat down recently for the first time and actually put together a speaking page for myself.
A day I never thought would come, but hey, here we are.
www.johndemato.com/speaking
As part of that intentionality, I wanted to share it with you as a way to speak it into the world and make it feel more real in order to be intentional about actively submitting to companies, organizations and associations to present the value of visual storytelling for business owners in their rooms.
Whether your expertise involves a stage, a boardroom, a Zoom link, online course, or storefront with physical products, creating the perception of being the go-to solution in your space is paramount to gaining the attention of those that you serve.
And, based on my experience, #yeahabsolutely I can help with that process.
Now comes the hard part - where do I start?
If you could impart one piece of tactical and practical advice to your younger speaker self, what would it be?
Please share in the comments as I have a pen and paper on hand and ready to take notes!