Here are some usable tips from Ray Higdon about how to speak more powerfully to an audience.
Ray has extensive experience speaking to crowds but comes from very humble beginnings when as a state government employee, about 13 years ago, he was asked by his manager to give a presentation to his group on a project. Having no group speaking experience, he was totally petrified, unable to sleep and overwhelmed with anxiety. The day of his presentation, Ray was so incapacitated, his manager became so concerned about him, she had to ask if he was okay, or perhaps suffering from using drugs!
After that horrifying experience, Ray Higdon vowed to himself never to be caught in that embarrassing situation again and proceeded to change the course of his life by going full tilt into learning how to speak publicly. His newly found confidence made way for him to be inspired and to leave a secure and well paying government job to venture out on his own.
From the local college where he took all the speaking courses to Toast Masters, to starting his own Wealth Investment club, Ray Higdon sought speaking opportunities. He took on many forms of challenging cold market sales roles speaking and selling from stage where he developed a rock solid reputation of being able to persuade a high percentage of cold audiences to buy real estate investment tools and other other products.
In one case he was required to memorize a 120 page presentation which, although he failed on his first attempt, he ultimately he was able to quickly nail.
Finding success in real estate investing, Ray became heavily involved the market in Florida. In 2008, he suffered a great loss financially and became both bankrupt and broke trying to save his properties in the relentless market.
For over a year, desperate with virtually no wealth to his name, he received unconditional support from his wife, then girlfriend, Jessica who worked at a Nordstroms make-up counter to help pay his bills. Like a phoenix, Ray emerged from the dust heap of his ruined economic situation, a restoration process which began through an invitation to join a network marketing company.
With true grit and a burning desire to succeed, Ray quickly rose in his network marketing company relieving his economic stress and proceeded to rise to achieve the #1 top earner status in his company.
A serious student and implementor, Ray has earned himself a prominent place in the industry as a network marketing team leader, blogger, marketer, coach, trainer, author, and businessman.
He has shared the stage with prominent speakers and has solidly established his presence in the network marketing world.
The following are from my notes taken during Ray’s webinar, for his Top Earner Success School group coaching program.
Ray Higdon. image source : RayHigdon.com
5 TIPS ON SPEAKING TO AN AUDIENCE
In a portion of his webinar training on speaking tonight, he gave 5 power tips you can adopt in your public speaking. I will use the acronym H.O.P.E.S to help you memorize them.
“H” stands for Humor. Using some mild self-depreciating humor can help build rapport with your audience. Ray suggest not to poke fun at others or people in the crowd as this could cause a bad vibration despite the short term response.
“O” stands for Offers. If you are selling some products from stage, you want to make at least two offers and you want to give people a ‘heads up’ that there will be an offer. Do not wait until your presentation is over and then surprise people with a product offer. By creating a 2nd product buying opportunity, you offer a grace period, you can catch the group of people who procrastinated or were not ready on the first round. When it comes to selling products, adding a sense of urgency and scarcity is always valuable in promoting sales to help peak the buying interest, for example adding special bonuses for the first 5 people who act.
“P” stands for Pause. This is a powerful technique to use while you are speaking to emphasize important points. Like a pause or space between the notes in a piece of music. Simply make a point and give it emphasis with a moment or two pause to sink in to the heads of the listening audience.
“E” stands for Energy. An experienced speaker will be able to energize any audience by adapting to the needs of the audience. Seek to energize your audience, not just speak at them with your prepared words. Not everyone responds to the same type of delivery of a message. Like Anthony Robbins teaches, intent means nothing if you cannot deliver the message in a way that can be understood by the audience in a way that has the desired effect. Ray quoted Brendon Burchard as comparing an audience to an electric company that generates energy.
“S” stands for Stance. This was actually the first tip Ray gave and this has to do with your body language when you want to make an important point. Especially if you tend to move around the stage a lot, you should plant yourself firmly, facing the audience, like a statue and deliver an important part of your message (perhaps also followed by the appropriate use of a Pause!).
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I’ll see you… on the next page
Challen Yee