Pursuing a career as a public speaking coach can be a good choice for one who enjoys public speaking and has a strong desire to help people. People are becoming increasingly tired of hiding in the shadows, and whether to advance their careers or simply boost their confidence, they need a public speaking coach to help them.
A public speaking coach is a professional who helps people enhance their public speaking abilities. A public speaking coach’s primary purpose is to assist people in conquering the fear of public speaking and becoming confident speakers. The spike of people becoming the best version of themselves and building self-confidence has given rise to a demand for public speaking coaches. Pursuing a career as a public speaking coach can be very lucrative because public speaking is an in-demand and rewarding skill.
In this piece, I will discuss the steps to take towards becoming a public speaking coach.
Steps to Becoming a Public Speaking Coach
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Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree
You should consider obtaining a bachelor’s degree as this will give you credibility in the professional space. You can obtain a degree in journalism, mass communication or a related field. However, you still do well as a public speaking coach if you have a bachelor’s degree from other fields.
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Earn Certifications
It is important that obtain certificates in public speaking no matter the degree you have. This can validate your knowledge and also communicate your credibility to your clients. Additionally, certifications also raise brand awareness and allow you to negotiate better pay. You can get these certifications online. Begin by searching online for courses that meet your requirements.
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Define Your Goals
After getting your certifications, you should define your business objectives. You need to select the audience you want to cater for and what you genuinely want to do. This will enable you to have a clear vision of how to establish your career.
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Choose an Area of Specialisation
You need to have an area of specialisation. You should carve a niche for yourself because you cannot be everywhere. Furthermore, choosing a niche will allow you to focus your knowledge and expertise in that field. It enables you to build a better brand and gain relevance.
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Market Yourself
The most important step in your career pursuit is your ability to market yourself. This is where you let the world know about what you have to offer. You should network with public speakers and other public speaking coaches. Additionally, you can take advantage of the internet and social media channels such as LinkedIn to market yourself.
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Start Getting Experience
You should start your coaching career by gaining experience. You can begin by asking coworkers, friends or family whether they require your assistance. Additionally, they can also serve as excellent client testimonials.
Skills Needed to Become a Public Speaking Coach
- Motivational and Inspirational Skills
- Good Communication
- High levels of enthusiasm
- Public speaking experience
- Excellent body language (making eye contact)
- Supportive coaching style
Areas of Specialisation to Pursue as a Public Speaking Coach
- Storytelling Coach: They guide people in creating interesting descriptions that capture people and successfully deliver information.
- Media Training Coach: They help individuals get ready for effective interaction during interviews with the press, press conferences and interactions with the public.
- Presentation Skills Coach: They guide people in improving their presentation skills, arranging information and giving effective presentations.
- Communication Trainer: A communication trainer improves people’s ability to communicate in a variety of circumstances, such as public speaking, interaction with others and more.
- Confidence and Stage Presence Coach: They help people improve their confidence, lower anxiety when performing and increase their confidence in public.
Examples of People that Hire Public Speaking Coaches
- Students
- Job Seekers
- Media Professionals
- Startup owners
- Working class individuals
A career as a public speaking coach is not only in high demand but also rewarding. Parents will even employ coaches to help their children improve their public speaking abilities. Additionally, you might discover a senior executive knocking on your door eager to pay whatever it takes because the success of their career is dependent on what you teach them.
Therefore, if you enjoy assisting others and getting compensated for it, you should consider pursuing a career as a public speaking coach. You can follow the above steps to pursue a career as a public speaking coach.
Good luck!