If you know your speaking skills need some work, it’s a good idea to work with a professional coach, who can use their expertise to improve your delivery, content, and confidence.
But how do you know who is the right public speaking coach for you?
Public speaking and presentation skills training is an investment – not just of your money, but of your time too.
Here are three questions to ask yourself when choosing a public speaking coach:
What is their speciality?
When choosing a public speaking coach, select someone who has strengths that you don’t.
For example, even though I am a public speaking and presentation skills coach, I also have a coach of my own! I chose him because he is an incredible creative storyteller, and I felt this was a skill I could improve on, and that I could learn a lot from him.
Think about what you want to learn and pick someone with expertise to teach you.
This needs to also include the type of speaking they teach.
If you are more likely to do in-person speaking, it might make sense to choose someone local that you can meet face to face so they can watch you deliver in-person presentations. Alternatively, if you are preparing for a virtual presentation, a virtual coach will have the expertise to help you nail your online speaking.
What do I want to achieve?
Before choosing a public speaking coach, ask yourself what you want to get out of the experience.
Do you want to obtain paid speaking opportunities?
Do you have an important presentation to your board of directors coming up?
Or do you simply want to become a clearer and more confident communicator?
Keep your goal in mind when looking for a public speaking coach – and make sure you choose someone you believe can help you achieve it.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of coaches out there who will advise you to take a certain action, but don’t do it themselves.
It’s very easy to spot this. If they aren’t delivering a compelling and engaging presentation, then you shouldn’t learn from them.
This is why thinking about speaking style is important too. Everyone has different tastes, and a coach will naturally project some of themselves onto their clients. If you don’t like how they present – or you don’t think it will resonate with your audience - it’s best to look elsewhere.
How much work am I willing to put in?
A coach will help to steer you in the right direction, play to your strengths and overcome your weaknesses, but it doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t willing to put the work in yourself.
Guidance and advice are great, but we can’t do the presentation for you. If you don’t practise and implement what you are taught, your skills won’t be evolved, enhanced, or developed.
So before you start working with any public speaking coach, understand that you will be the one doing most of the heavy lifting.
Interested in my 1:1 coaching?
If you’ve been reading this blog and you would like to know more, maybe I am the public speaking coach for you!
My 1:1 training service is completely bespoke. In the past, I have helped clients prepare for TED talks, investment pitches, keynotes, courses, and so much more. We will continuously review footage of you speaking to work on specific areas that need improvement, so you can walk away as a more polished, professional, and personable public speaker.
Get in touch via emailing Kyle@confidencebydesign.co.uk to find out more.