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As an influencer, you\u2019re not going to get stage fright. But there is a big difference between not being afraid and radiating confidence. In order to give truly captivating speeches, you will need to do the latter.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll need to share your experiences to connect with your audience on a deeper level. You\u2019ll also need to expose your vulnerabilities. This is one of the lessons you\u2019ll learn at Speakers Institute. It is not easy. But with enough confidence, you can do it. Fortunately, you don\u2019t need to be born with a confident personality – this is something you can learn.<\/p>\n
For an example of someone who has developed a confident approach and benefited greatly from it, you can turn to Neil Patel.<\/p>\n
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If you have any interest in online marketing, you\u2019ve undoubtedly heard of Neil Patel. And even if you don\u2019t care for this field, it\u2019s possible you\u2019ve stumbled across one of his blogs. That is because Patel is very good at getting search engines to show you what he wants you to see.<\/p>\n
These skills have allowed him to establish successful companies such as Kissmetrics and Crazy Egg. In addition, he has worked with the likes of Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Airbnb, and so on. He is also a bestselling author.<\/p>\n
For his work, numerous organisations have recognised him as a leader in his field. He has even received acknowledgment from President Obama and the United Nations.<\/p>\n
While this is his forte, Patel is also an accomplished speaker. The fact that he has had more than 300 speaking engagements to date is proof of this.<\/p>\n
In his speeches, Patel excels at topics such as growth marketing and entrepreneurship. By drawing from personal experience, he can provide in-depth insights. He\u2019s also not afraid to discuss his business failures, allowing him to address his audience\u2019s biggest pain points.<\/p>\n
And throughout all this, one trait stands out \u2013 confidence. But, the most interesting part is how Patel got to that point.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to be quite shy. It wasn\u2019t until I worked as a vacuum cleaner salesman that I learned to put myself out there.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The gist of Patel\u2019s approach is to learn from experience. He doesn\u2019t attribute his success to natural abilities. Instead, he became confident through trial and error.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s how I got to where I am in life. I\u2019m not smarter than most people, I didn\u2019t get the best grades when I was a kid\u2026 But, I just kept at it, I never gave up, and I learned from my mistakes. If you avoid making the same mistakes over and over again and you learn from them, eventually you\u2019ll know what not to do. Which leaves you with one simple thing \u2013 the stuff that you should be doing.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Through perseverance, Patel acquired the confidence he needed. In turn, it propelled him to major success. So, if that dose of confidence is what you\u2019re lacking to take your speaking career to the next level, you just need to work on it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As mentioned, Patel didn\u2019t start out as someone who could instantly captivate an audience through his confidence. He got there with practice.<\/p>\n Due to this, he has shared some of the tips which have helped him along the way in his blog. As a storyshower, you stand to benefit greatly from them.<\/p>\n \n The titular tip is something any new speaker should pay great attention to.<\/p>\n In the long run, your confidence needs to come from within \u2013 that\u2019s how you\u2019ll be able to maintain it no matter the situation. But right now, there\u2019s nothing wrong with \u201ccheating\u201d a bit to create the illusion that you\u2019re more confident than you actually are.<\/p>\n This can take many forms. Perhaps you have a favourite outfit you know looks good on you. Or, you can wear that perfume people have complimented numerous times. It doesn\u2019t matter what it is as long as it puts a bit of extra pep in your step.<\/p>\n At one point, Patel wanted to test this out so he spent an exorbitant amount of money on fancy clothes. The idea was to create an outward image of success and confidence. Unsurprisingly, the ploy worked and ended up earning him several times more than he had put in.<\/p>\n Of course, this doesn\u2019t mean you should spend your life savings on clothes and accessories. But you can use a few shortcuts to give yourself a temporary confidence boost.<\/p>\n And throughout all this, make sure to use eye contact. If you start to doubt yourself, don\u2019t avert your gaze \u2013 that will instantly give you away. Instead, retain eye contact and continue sending the right message.<\/p>\n \n Confidence is an expression of your belief in your abilities. Therefore, you can\u2019t be confident if you\u2019re wallowing in negativity. Thus, you need to develop a positive mindset.<\/p>\n This was crucial for Patel\u2019s career. He may have had a lot of early success, but he also had failures. In fact, he had lost US$ 1 million before turning 21. But, he stayed positive and turned it around. This is what you should do as well.<\/p>\n For some people, affirmations can do the trick. This amounts to repeating positive statements. For others, it can help to distance yourself from your problems. Consider how someone else would deal with what\u2019s worrying you. With some distance, you may see a logical solution. This can give you the confidence to proceed.<\/p>\n You can also take some time each day to reflect and focus on what you\u2019re grateful for. Make a habit of it and it could turn into a beacon of positivity.<\/p>\n \n As you\u2019re about to give a speech, you\u2019ll hear that voice at the back of your head. It tells you people are going to boo you off the stage. When this happens, stop it before it gets out of hand.<\/p>\n Yes, it is possible your speech won\u2019t go as planned. But it can also go even better than expected, particularly if you\u2019re prepared.<\/p>\n Negative thoughts will creep in, you can\u2019t prevent that. But, you do not need to let them dominate your thinking. Instead, reframe them and focus on what you\u2019re doing right.<\/p>\n \n Stress will eat away at your confidence, it\u2019s as simple as that. Unfortunately, you can\u2019t always avoid it. As an influencer, you will constantly be thinking about building up your brand, and that will take a toll. That\u2019s why it is very important to find a way to alleviate stress.<\/p>\n For Patel, this means getting plenty of sleep \u2013 nine hours or more. For you, it can mean going to a restaurant, spending time with friends, enjoying a hobby, etc. The crucial part is, you need a vent for all the stress.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to feel doubt when you don\u2019t know what\u2019s ahead of you. That\u2019s why you should do everything you can to research the people you\u2019ll be speaking to.<\/p>\n Learn why they\u2019re there and what motivates them. This is easier if you\u2019re only speaking to a small group, but it works under other circumstances as well. Talk with the event organiser and collect as much information as you can. Knowing what to expect will make it much easier to stay confident.<\/p>\n \n When you\u2019re speaking, you should have solid facts and figures to back up your claims. Of course, truly engaging speeches are a mixture of emotion and logic, so you shouldn\u2019t go too far with this.<\/p>\n However, you will draw a lot of confidence from knowing that your speech contains elements absolutely no one could dispute. The data is an anchor, and it will provide stability.<\/p>\n \n Your goal as a speaker is to stand in front of an audience, show them your story, and leave a lasting impression. But, you won\u2019t always be giving long speeches to roomfuls of people. To get there, you\u2019ll often need to quickly explain what you\u2019re about. In other words, you need an elevator speech, and you need to deliver it with the utmost confidence.<\/p>\n This speech has three main elements. You need to explain what you do, which problems your speaking addresses, and what separates you from other speakers. You just need to practice until you can cover all this in around 30 seconds.<\/p>\n Master the elevator speech, and you\u2019ll know you\u2019re always ready to grab an opportunity \u2013 this will build up your confidence.<\/p>\n \n Confidence isn\u2019t a replacement for skill and effort, meaning you can\u2019t build a speaking career on it alone. But, it is a crucial component, one which will amplify your strengths and make your speeches impactful.<\/p>\n Confidence is also something you can improve with time. It worked for Neil Patel, and it can work for you.<\/p>\n So, make an effort to stay positive and ignore your inner critic. Do your homework before each speech and be ready. Also, there\u2019s nothing wrong with playing up your confidence from time to time.<\/p>\n Practice this regularly and you\u2019ll see a shift. Your mindset will change, and this confidence will then come even without the extra effort.<\/p>\n Speakers Institute can teach you a lot more about succeeding in the speaking business. To get started, we recommend the following steps:<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/images.squarespace-cdn.com\/content\/v1\/55a5ee16e4b021d8b80132b3\/1559351766498-WXAGYN0GTJ12IFE8BZSC\/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kPh9yuiTy5omh7FzCXeCyZJZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZUJFbgE-7XRK3dMEBRBhUpwnq31WE9OylypH8naNZva0czmBm-HOsbudOee9QLtnO0slTRnZ5cmnpkLS8K13mS0\/Screenshot+2019-06-01+09.10.33.png?format=original\")
<\/p>\nTips to Build Confidence and Leave an Impression<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Tip 1: Fake It Until You Make It<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tip 2: Stay Positive<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tip 3: Silence the Inner Voice<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tip 4: Take Care of Yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tip 5: Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tip 6: Use Solid Data<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tip 7: Master the Elevator Speech<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Final Word<\/strong><\/h2>\n