***Knowledge + Attitude + Skills

Speaking to an audience requires a mix of knowledge, attitude and skills. We have all sat through presentations by people that were probably brilliant but just could not hold our attention. This blend of requirements is the ideal but take it with a grain of salt. Very few of the best professional speakers possess all of these and few of them approach perfection.

Knowledge

You must position yourself as a leading authority on your topic. You may already have the credentials and the experience - now you need to continue to expand your frame of reference. Keep updating yourself and know more than your audience. Here are five ways to become a true authority on your subject:

Identify the top 10 books, CDs, DVDs on your topic and read, listen and watch them carefully.

Attend any and all seminars on your topic. There is much to learn from your competitors and colleagues.

Subscribe to magazines and on-line newsletters on your topic.

Join organizations and professional associations that focus on your topic.

Position yourself as the expert. Introduce yourself to as many notable people in your field of expertise as possible.

Attitude

There are some essential qualities that all winners possess. You likely have most and are stronger in some areas. Work on the improving some of the following traits in yourself:

Commitment - for you to overcome fears or misgivings. The mind- set for the most creative ideas to flow. Commit yourself to success and your confidence will shine through.

Sense of mission - when you feel a greater sense of purpose it automatically leads to a more positive mental attitude. That's what you'll need to create, market and present your seminar. Believe that your seminar presentations are a way to help others and this becomes more than a job - it's a calling - and your potential for achieving greater success is unlimited.

Persistence - not everything will go your way all the time. Every new undertaking requires the ability to bounce back and stay on course with positive expectancy.
Goal orientated - in order to get what you want, you must know what it is you're after! Create goals for yourself and your business success. Consider setting short term goals (3 to 6 months), medium term goals (1 to 3 years) and long term goals ( 5 to 20 years).

Enthusiasm - or simply energy. You need energy in every aspect of your life to achieve seminar success. You need emotional energy, physical energy and mental energy.

Skills

The following are also critical to your success in seminars. You may have the luxury of being able to hire others to do these things but it's a good idea to understand the importance of each. Learn as much as you can about these skills before asking others to do them for you:

Writing Skills - you need to create brochures and flyers that are persuasive. You may also want to write your own workbooks, e- books or hard cover books.

Telephone Skills - you need to be able to use this tool effectively in order to rent your seminar locations, to speak with potential attendees and to those who want to hire you to deliver your seminars.

Internet Social Networking Skills - linking all of your contacts together by using all internet related networking groups (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, MSN, etc.)

Selling Skills - you must be comfortable with the notion of selling your program to companies and organizations. Plus you need to understand the basics of selling your products and resources at the "back of the room."

Presentation Shills - this is how you become successful! Learning to be at ease when you stand in front of an audience. Learn to speak properly, learn to present effectively, learn how to communicate and get your point across in a light-hearted professional manner. Toastmasters International is an organization that has launched many a great speaker.