We often hear and read
exhortations to Do what you LOVE. The money or
fame will follow! This may be true for most people, although even for those who
do make it, there are always challenges. When I left a corporate career as a
professional development trainer and pursued becoming an entrepreneur, I
certainly thought long and hard about what I was about to sell.
Essentially, as a
presentations/speech coach, I was selling the idea of how important it is to be
able to sell oneself. When I decided to include video productions, a logical
extension of the importance of communicating one's brand in a digital manner, I
had my suspicions that the idea would sell. Over several years of selling my
wares, it became evident that persuading small to medium-sized business owners
to get their message across on camera was going to be a tough road to hoe!
Why is it so challenging for
most professionals to feel confident about being on camera to convey their
excitement about the business they built? I think I know the answer, and at
least one part of it has to do with the lack of practice over the course of our
lives. We typically don't get in front of people to pitch, sell, offer,
present, or otherwise convey ourselves about our business or our ideas.
And when we do, it just plain frightens us to be in front of an audience.
So a fair percentage of my
business as a coach is to quell the anxiety of public speaking that so
many people have, long before we explore the techniques of stage or camera
presence. Sometimes I am successful. Other times it seems an impossible task. My
counsel then for all who are reading this blog and would seek support in
marketing their brand/idea/concept/business is to practice every chance you get!
In other words see your business advertising life as stage time, stage time, stage time! And once you
believe in that, drop me a line to get some additional coaching.