Uncover the art of creating speeches that not only inspire and motivate but also captivate an audience willing to invest in their personal growth.
Have you ever listened to a speech that left you feeling uplifted and ready to tackle the world? That’s the power of a well-crafted motivational speech. But what makes some speeches stand out while others fall flat? What is the secret ingredient that turns words into a source of inspiration and a profitable endeavor?
We’ll explore the five key secrets to crafting speeches that do more than just talk – they sell. These are not the steps to writing your speech. Instead, these are secrets to pay-worthy speeches.
Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or just starting, these insights will help you create speeches that resonate deeply with your audience, making them not only willing but eager to pay for the experience. So, let’s begin this exciting journey together and unlock the secrets to making your motivational speeches truly unforgettable and rewarding.
Your speech must motivate.
Motivation is the desire to act to achieve a goal. Motivation is the reason why you will do something you hate to do. It is the reason why you wake up each morning with full enthusiasm. Motivation makes you keep standing even when you keep falling.
So, you want to be a motivational speaker? Understand then what a motivational speaker is trying to do.
You may call yourself a motivational speaker and get paid for speaking on stage but fail to motivate a soul every time you speak.
I got invited to speak at a conference some years back. A popular motivational speaker went on stage ahead of me. He is famous in the Philippines, but I won’t mention his name.
He was funny. He punctuated his paragraphs with punchlines. I laughed a lot. He filled most of his slides with quotes from dead men. Mostly white. But there were some Gandhi quotes also. I believe he included four tips from lifehack.org, but that was it.
He was a funny man — a good enough storyteller and probably a good person. However, the speech had no clear message, and I was unsure if he added value to others.
It wasn’t easy to follow him. People expected another motivational speaker to be as funny. But I did not try to be funny too. I have a message to tell and I don’t want to hide my message.
Information is important.
Entertainment makes your speech desirable.
But the real purpose of a motivational speech is not to make people laugh, jump, or cry.
You want people to believe in the beauty of their dreams and gain the courage to make it happen while you speak.
Motivation must lead to motion.
A motivational speaker is a person who delivers speeches that put a spotlight on people’s challenges, uncover causes, offer a proven solution (and its benefits), and move people into action.
A motivational speaker is someone who constantly seeks to understand people’s motivation.
Okay, so let us talk a bit more about motivation.
What motivates people?
The root word for motivation is motive, the reason for your action.
When we try to judge the goodness of someone’s actions, we look into their motives. If the reason is not good, we don’t trust the person.
Then, the suffix ion indicates that it is a product or a process.
From its etymology, we can say that motivation is the process (or product) of persuading someone to change a behavior to achieve a goal.
It is sexy to say to use the word reason instead of persuasion. We like to believe that human beings are reasonable animals. So, dictionaries might say that motivation is the process of giving people reasons to act in a certain way.
Reasons may work for a few. You use logic to show why one action is better than others to achieve a specific goal.
But persuasion works better for motivational speakers — those who tell the best stories win.
People have motives for their actions. Even employees whom managers tagged as unmotivated have unsaid motives. They are motivated to do something else, something more desirable than what the company wants them to do.
Learn more about giving a motivational speech.
What behaviors do you want to change?
Look again at Jef Menguin’s definition of motivation: the process (or product) of persuading someone to change a behavior to achieve a goal.
Using persuasive tools, like storytelling, a motivational speaker attempts to help change the audience’s behavior to achieve their goals.
The desired behaviors are often obvious.
For example, a company that hired a motivational speaker to speak before its army of salespeople must have been preaching target behaviors to achieve sales targets.
Unfortunately, not everyone is adapting to the behavior. In this case, a motivational speaker’s role is to create a sense of urgency and encourage salespeople to change their behaviors.
For example, the followers of John Maxwell, Tony Robbins, or Les Brown who purchase tickets to hear them speak do not need much motivation. They are very motivated. They want to be told what to do.
If you want to become a motivational speaker, it will help you study how speakers get invited and why people pay them.
Your solutions must deliver results.
Not all motivational speakers get paid. You can find many motivational speakers in churches who will gladly share their stories and who will try to save your soul for free. Of course, I am not talking about pastors of mega-churches. They earn millions every time they speak.
Newbies typically don’t get paid. Probably because most believe they don’t deserve to get paid yet. They are still “practicing.” A bottle of red wine for a 30-minute speech is enough.
Some freelance speakers will be happy to receive a thousand pesos. It is called honorariums. I don’t find any honor in this kind of pay since others think honorariums are talent fees.
Most get paid 5000 pesos for a motivational speech. But you may charge ten, twenty, or forty thousand pesos.
Yes, some speakers charge 40,000 pesos an hour and 80,000 pesos for two hours, as if a two-hour speech is twice better than an hour.
A good website and a bold claim that you are the best motivational speaker in the world may help increase the fees. Getting found among the top 50 Motivational Speakers in the World may make people pay you buckets of money too. Most people believe in advertising. But it is your speech that will close the next deal.
The industry experts, often invited as keynote speakers at conventions and conferences, may charge six to seven figures. Yes, you read that right.
In general, people do not pay for the speech. They pay for you who can deliver results.
Companies expect you to deliver many things. Here are the three most common results they expect from their favorite motivational speakers.
Boost Morale and Engagement
Rejuvenate the team’s spirit. Aim to rekindle enthusiasm and commitment among employees and help them rediscover the joy and purpose in their work.
A well-delivered speech can act as a morale booster, similar to a ray of sunshine piercing through clouds. It can transform a routine work environment into a more dynamic and positive space, where employees feel valued and energized.
Employees with high morale are likely to be more productive, collaborative, and loyal to the company. This upliftment in morale can significantly reduce burnout and turnover, leading to a healthier, more vibrant workplace culture.
Encourage Change and Adaptability
Demystify change and present it as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Equip the audience with the mindset and tools to adapt to change positively and proactively.
An effective motivational speech can transform the audience’s perception of change, making it less intimidating and more manageable. It can instill a sense of confidence and readiness to face new challenges and adapt to evolving circumstances.
Help them become more resilient and flexible. You deliver results when employees are better prepared to handle transitions, embrace new ideas, and contribute to the evolving needs of the company.
Inspire Innovation and Creative Thinking
Your task is to unlock the creative potential within the audience. The focus should be on fostering an environment where innovative thinking is not just welcomed but encouraged.
A compelling motivational speech can shift the mindset from conventional to creative. It encourages employees to think outside the box, challenge the status quo, and view problems as opportunities for innovation.
The company benefits from a culture rich in creativity and innovation. Employees feel empowered to bring new ideas to the table, leading to novel solutions, improved processes, and a competitive edge in the market. This environment is where groundbreaking ideas are born and nurtured.
Many say you cannot measure the results of a motivational speech. You can if you know what the company is trying to achieve.
Your speech must flip the switch.
Why do companies hire motivational speakers?
The obvious answer is that they failed to make people practice a particular behavior. They need someone from outside the company, probably someone whom many people trust, to create a sense of urgency inside the organization.
This investment does not always work. But those who do are greatly rewarded. Some motivational speakers can flip the switch.
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