One of the things I truly admire about homeless people is their ability to start a conversation.
I’m not talking about using the proper words, or the best body language, the best eye contact, or an amazing tone of voice, no!
I’m talking about their ability to be confident with “Public Speaking”
A homeless person doesn’t think twice about asking a complete stranger for some money, a cigarette, water, or even some food.
The homeless person standing at the intersection has a goal, and he/she is determined to reach that goal before the light turns green
Regardless of their situation, they don’t care about criticism or how they sound or look in front of strangers.
They are confident in doing some public speaking.
In my opinion, they would make great public speakers and sales associates.
I say this because I know how horrible it feels to lack confidence in public speaking and as a salesperson.
In 2019, I got invited to speak on stage in Atlanta, Georgia.
I arrived the day before the event.
I got in contact with the coordinator of the event and even had the opportunity to visit the stage where I was going to be speaking the next day.
We got there. I checked everything: the room, the sound, the schedule, etc.
I left thinking I was super ready to deliver my speech the following day.
I was wrong!
The following day, when the host announced my name, I was so nervous I thought I was going to faint.
I remember the moment when I was walking up the stage, my legs were shaking, and my face was twitching a little due to my nervousness.
I even forgot part of my speech. Of course, my audience never found out because to them, everything was fresh and new, and the transition from one point to the next was smooth.
In reality, I was suffering!
The experience was horrible, but the lessons I learned that night were amazing.
Pro Tip: When you are in front of your audience delivering any type of public speaking, you will ALWAYS feel more nervous than you really look. So, don’t worry and keep going.
Let’s talk about communication in sales!
Have you ever been with a sales rep who had poor communication skills? How was that experience?
Sales is a career that requires great communication and people skills.
If you're in sales, you don’t like people, and you have poor communication skills, good luck earning good money.
I was a horrible automotive sales associate!
Having never sold a car in my life, I lacked confidence and presentation skills
It was so bad that one time, as I was helping a lady and trying to sell her a car, she said to me, “Son, do you know who you work for? I suggest you go home and learn your products and how to present them.”
She left me standing there, walked to her car, and left the dealership.
That was embarrassing!
Why do you think people fear public speaking so much?
In my experience, it’s because of the 3 negative emotions.
But it starts when the communicator loses focus on his/her audience and puts the spotlight on them.
When communicators put the spotlight on themselves, the 3 negative emotions start kicking in, and it’s game over. They lose confidence.
They either start rushing their speech, start sweating, stutter, or just quit and say I can’t do this.
Here’s something I want you to try next time you’re in front of an audience, even if it’s a one-on-one conversation.
Next time you feel your public speaking confidence dropping, think about the value that you are giving to your audience through your speech. Shift the spotlight from you to them, and you will be ok.
Remember, it’s all about the people in front of you; it’s not about you.
Be interested in them and don’t try to be interesting to them.
The more times you do this, the better you will get.
The homeless do it every day, and they're good at their craft.
Repetition is the mother of learning.
Hope this helps.
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See you next week.
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