Become an Amazing Public Speaking Coach

Speaking Coach- Do you wish to become one?

Do you have the passion to improve the speaking skills of people?

Do you want to mentor people to speak confidently?

Are you yourself a good orator and want to help others in becoming one?

Yes?

A speaking coach can be the right career path for you!

Do you know that fear of public speaking is America’s biggest phobia?

25.3 percent say they fear to speak in front of a crowd.

Some people are confident while sharing their views in person. Public speaking fear stops them from doing the same in front of the crowd.

You will find many in your own group. Wouldn’t you?

Do those come to you and ask you for help?

Have you helped them in preparing for speeches and gatherings?

Do you have the passion to take this skill of yours to the next level?

Yes?

Then, why not become a speaking coach and kick-start your business.

What can be better then persuing your passion and gaining monetary benefits too?

I know at this point you are clueless about how would you proceed.

You might be thinking:

Where should you start?

How should you get your first ideal clients fast?

How should you plan your coaching sessions?

How should you market your services?

Don’t worry! I have the answers to all of these and many more.

Before we begin to the technical part, I want you to focus on WHY.

Why would someone hire you?

Let’s see!

What is the need for a public speaking coach?

Why would someone like to hire you?

What is the need?

In simple words- they lack the ability which you have.

Speaking confidently and grabbing the attention of the audience.

Right from a young age, we are expected to speak in front of the crowd.

A school or college going boy may need you to improve his ability to deliver a speech.

The corporate sector has immense demand for a public speaking coach. Meetings, conferences, presentations- all demand excellent orating skills.

You become a savior here!

Sometimes there are informal gatherings- Family functions, parties, etc.

You may think:

Why would it be difficult to present oneself in front of their own ones?

It is indeed!

Since you have not been in their shoes, you may not realize.

The crowd freezes some. Others become too conscious to deliver the right content. Body shaking and hesitating while speaking becomes common.

Such people need proper training and practice. This won’t come by reading books or watching videos.

The need is for a mentor who can be beside throughout. Who can evaluate the strengths and weaknesses. Someone who can set a clear path for a solid outcome.

Such people then start the search for YOU- a speaking coach.

What skills do you need to become a public speaking coach?

If you are here then there are enough chances that you already possess them. Let’s have a look at some of the most important skills.

1. Ability to speak with confidence.
2. Knowledge of the proper use of body language as per the target audience.
3. Command on the language.
4. Effective presentation, instructional and people skills.
5. Research skills and ability to prepare the right content as per the occasion.
6. Analyzing skills to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the client.
7. Art of asking the right questions in conduct meaning coaching sessions.
8. Ability to motivate and boost the confidence of the client
9. Familiarity with some presentation tools like MicrosoftEvents and Prezi

These are some of the most common yet important ones. Have some more to add to the list?

Please mention them in the comment section

Types of public speaking coach

People sometimes have specific requirements. This gives rise to different types of speaking coaches. Three of the most common types are mentioned below:

Content Coach:

Some people require a speaking coach to wordsmith their speech.

Are you a good content creator? Can you write varies content pieces as per the industry/occasion?

Yes? Then this type of public speaking coach can be the best suitable.

Do you know which is the first and most important step to impress the audience?

Writing a marvelous content that can engage your audience.

A content piece that can be an experience for your audience. Speaking and presentation come next.

Not everyone can write good content. There is a need for a helping hand to craft the right piece in the right manner.

Such people are looking for speaking coaches like you. Why not mentor them?

Delivery Coach:

Imagine a person who is not engaging enough to grab the attention of the audience.

While this person speaks people hardly care to listen.

Some people are busy with their phones. Others are moving in and out and causing disturbance while delivering.

He is left disheartened after the speech due to a poor response.

What is the actual problem here?

Are the people responsible?

Maybe to some extent but the crux is that this person’s delivery was not up to the mark.

If you want people to listen, you will have to make them listen.

And what do you do for that?

This requires working on delivery skills and stagecraft.

A delivery coach is a right person to train people for excellent speech delivery.

Are you interested in becoming a delivery speaking coach?

GREAT!

Your job then would be mentoring clients with gestures. You would guide clients on vocal variety. You will teach clients on staging talk and using the proper accent.

Sounds interesting, right?

Speaker marketing coach:

Some people have a speech ready. All they require is guidance on how to market.

Such people look for consultants to market their speech.

As a speaker marketing coach, you would help clients with positioning. It would also include creating and presenting a pitch letter.

The speaker marketing coach takes care of all the speaker’s marketing materials.

Hmm….Wondering what would be the best for you?

Introspect and see where your skills and interest lie the most.

You can also go for a combination of the above.

This will help you to cater to a wide range of audiences. This would also prepare you to solve diverse pain points. In this way, you increase your chances to become hireable.

How to decide your target audience?

From formal to informal ecosystems, there is a need for a speaking coach everywhere.

As a speaking coach, you will find lots of opportunities.

Some clients may need help with small business needs. Others may need you for a TEDx talk.

Some may want your mentorship for a speech in a relaxed environment. This can include family gatherings, weddings, parties, etc.

All of them comprise your target audience.

Before you choose it is important to know your audience well.

This takes us to our next question:

How should you know your target audience?

If you are selling from a storefront, you need to make sure how many of your clients live nearby.

If you are targeting prospects online, you need to study their online behavior.

Will videos impress them more?

Should your site include blogs or case studies?

How can you exhibit your USP to convert prospects into paying clients?

Your clients can have varied requirements. You need to understand which ones are you more comfortable with. Where your efforts will add value.

For instance,

Consider two cases:

Case 1: A client has a need where low risk is involved. It is a relaxed environment. The audience is by his side no matter what comes out of his mouth.

Case 2: This client needs to present in front of a tough/professional crowd. This is a formal setting. The crowd has much expectation.

You see these are two very different settings. Now, you must decide in which case you can help the clients in the best way.

Can you curate creative content?

Can you blend matter with a bit of humor?

Yes?

Then the people with the first case can be your target audience.

Otherwise,

Are you comfortable with mentoring people who have a professional background?

Do you feel easy to guide for meetings, conferences, and corporate presentations?

Then, people with the second case can comprise of your target audience.

Wait, I hear that you can tackle both?

Great!

Both of them can be included in the set of your target audience.

The best way is to do some research. Find the pain points. See where does the scope lie. Levy the same with your own skillset. Finally, finalize who would you like to target.

What people look for to hire a public speaking coach?

Now I want you to become little aware of something:

There is a big pool of speaking coaches out there.

Why would clients approach you?

In other words what you must have so that clients hire you?

Below are some such points mentioned that people consider.

Let’s take a look.

1. The coach’s style
2. Process
3. Knowledge of the field
4. References
5. Chemistry

Do you need training and certifications to become a speaking coach?

Want a one-word answer to this?’

“NO”!

You don’t need any certifications to prove your mastery.

Then why do people run behind certificates?

Because in this way they get a chance to build credibility in front of clients.

Certain clients give preference to coaches with certificates over others.

Especially corporate guys who may prefer accreditation.

You might be wondering will it help you in the long run?

It may, but the foundation of your coaching business will be built on your proficiency, skills, and knowledge.

Certificates may or may not get you, clients. But if you are running fab coaching sessions clients will flock towards you.

How to get a speaking coach certificate?

Join a coaching program

If you wish to go for a coaching certificate, you must complete a coaching program.

This helps in building your leadership, group organization, business communication, and coaching skills. You can improve your coaching style, presentation, and people skills.

Join a professional organization

As a graduate, you can join the National Communication Association (NCA). It hosts an annual convention for communications professionals to network. The job board of NCA will help you to find jobs as a public speaker or speaking coach.

Earn Certification credentials

The International Coach Federation offers three certifications. These are based on:

1. Hours of work experience
2. Completion of certification programs

Are you a high school graduate?

Do you have educational requirements and work experience?

Great! There is an alternative way too.

You are eligible for certification by National Forensic League.

What should be the next steps?

I would recommend following the Zealot Checklist.

Zealot Checklist consists of 6 important steps:

1. Define the business goals
2. Define the buyer’s personas
3. Research your main competitors
4. Determine your USP
5. Pick the most successful channel online
6. Establish a pilot marketing strategy

Define the business goals

As a speaking coach, you can entertain a wide range of audiences. Your core business goals become diverse.

What should be the ideal approach, then?

Focus is very important. Don’t throw a long list of problems that you can help your clients with.

Narrow it down.

You shouldn’t offer everything as part of your coaching services.

Thereafter you can bundle them in different packages. This will help clients with different purchasing power to approach you. Carefully Pricing and packaging your coaching services is really important.

Depending on your target audience and marketing funnel your approach would be different.

You can market varied solutions:

1. Video solutions
2. Paid training options
3. Consulting activities

Why don’t you take a creative turn?

Bundle some of your coaching sessions and sold them on Udemy.

Give careful thought. Pick one or two goals. Thereafter move to conceptualize your ideal group of people.

Define the buyer persona

This is similar to defining your target audience. We have discussed the same in the above section too.

What I want to highlight here is:

Buyer persona template

Yes, this can be really valuable in defining your ideal customers.

Your solution should be fully tailored around a proportion of attendees.

1, You can go for selling low-cost video courses. Here your target audience may include graduates or beginners.

2. For consulting services, you may target senior professionals. Founder of startups or small businesses may fit too.

3. As a professional business coach, you ca charge for keynote talks. This can be just wonderful. You get a lot of chances to earn followers and please organizing team. A good word goes a long way.

Depending on your vertical you can target a specific:

1. industry,

2. a specialty,

3. geographical location,

4. or a mix of two or three skills you happen to excel at.

Research for influencers

The next step is to search for influencers.

Both professional speaking coaches and seasonal trainers.

Study their processes to help you align your value as well.

Employ google, social media, conferences and other platforms for the research.

Resemble their presence, not necessarily clone.

Just type “Top public speakers/public speaking coaches in the US”.

This will render you a list. You may know some already.

It doesn’t hurt checking the top players.

When you research your influencers, you get a lot to take inspiration from.

Their website is a lead generation machine.

• A powerful full-width video on the homepage
• The “Ask” section
• Their story, credentials, experience
• Store for buying training courses
• Their coaching services
• A blog ranking for a number of popular keywords

Discover successful strategies and decide what will suit you the best. Blend it with your own creativity and strength.

Who knows you would be the next influencer in the list soon!

Determine Your USP

If your core skill is over-represented, you can always niche down.

Combine the best skills of yours in a unique mix.

Pay attention to the titles, bios, and ways other speaking coaches brand themselves.

Specialize in a subset of a particular industry. This will help you to give a certain angle to your stories. In this way, you can attract a set of clients that buy your solutions.

Pick up the right channel

Which one do you prefer?

Facebook?

I believe that Facebook is quite oversaturated now.

It’s time to look for more networking platforms.

The key is to be a big fish in a small pond. Or at least a middle-sized one 😀

You can explore:

1. YouTube
2. Twitter
3. Instagram
4. Reddit
5. Medium
6. Quora

Also, don’t’ miss TikTok which has gained many grounds recently.

See what works for others.

Study your audience, in fact, interview it.

Why not pick up a couple of channels?

One that works like a charm for everyone and another which renders you a competitive edge?

Nice idea, right?

Establish a pilot marketing strategy

Get ready for short-term wins, mid-term plans, and long-term goals.

In the short term look for meetups and conferences in your area.

Update your website.

Add practical call to actions lies:

1. Hire me to speak
2. Book me for an event
3. News source request

Leverage social media. Review the website, presentation slides and blogs of influencers and competitors.

Search for events in your locality. Spread the word of mouth. Don’t shy to ask for referrals. Follow up extensively.

Build networking groups. Share amongst your peers and family members. Leave no stone unturned to let the world know that :

There is the rise of another big player in the industry. 😉

Your clients may be making the following mistakes

Do you want to make your coaching sessions successful?

Of course yes, right?

Then it is very important that you know some of the mistakes that people make while speaking.

Check if your clients are committing them. Guide your clients on how to correct and avoid them. This will help you to transform the clients’ speaking skills.

Let’s consider them one by one.

Lack of initial rapport with listeners

Some people are so engrossed in the content that they forget that establishing communication lines is also vital. They remain inside their information bubble. This restricts them from influencing their audience and swaying it.

Not utilizing your body and personal traits to the fullest

Some people lose their natural gestures in front of the crowd. It seems to them that they are alien who has grown odd limbs. If your client is one of them, much rehearsal is required. You must ask him/her to practice a lot in front of a mirror or video camera.

Inappropriate pitch pattern, volume, and speech rate can also be a point to consider for improvement. Train your client to adopt an energetic speaking style. The impact of silence must also not be neglected.

Uncomfortability because of fear of failure

It might be that the client wants you to prepare him/her for a very important task. The client may be a good speaker but the significance of the situations threatens him/her. Because of fear the speaker appears unsure and lacking in credibility.

The solution to this is:

To ask him to focus on himself and his message more than the audience.

This requires extensive preparation and fluency with the language. This is where your support as a speaking coach will matter a lot.

Poor use of eye contact and facial expression

One of the biggest mistakes. Many of your clients will tell you:

“If I look people in the eye, it will knock me off track,”

Now, you must ask your client :

“When were you persuaded last by someone who didn’t look in the eye?”

Additionally, fear and anxiety is the prime cause of this. As a speaking coach, you must try your best to boost the confidence of your client. Solid content preparation and a lot of practice is again the key here.

Facial expressions are a must. Reason? Human beings are tremendously influenced by them. They strongly indicate motive and intention. If your client’s face isn’t participating, get it into an act!

There are some useful tips that you can share with your clients.

Final Thoughts

I hope the article was useful.

If you are determined to become a speaking coach, I say it’s just a wonderful decision.

According to ZipRecruiter the average salary of a speaking coach in us is $48,580/year.

So you get a chance to not only help others with your own speaking skills but to earn a handsome amount for you as well.

Why delay then?

Get started today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)