How to be a more Credible Speaker?

You must come across as a credible speaker. If not, why should we listen to you? Here are eight tips for building your credibility, using the acronym CREDIBLE:

(C) Create content. If you’re not doing this already, you should start now. I’m guilty of this. I should have created more content in terms of social media posts, articles, and videos. Take, for example, my good friend Shep Hyken, a Customer Experience Expert. He has more than 750 videos on YouTube, more than 1000 articles in his blog, more than 250 articles in Forbes Magazine, a weekly newsletter running for years, and seven books. If you were an audience member, will you view him as a credible speaker? You bet.   

(R) Read widely. I have breakfast meetings in one of the Cafés in Bahrain. Because of the frequency of our visits, we know the waiting staff by name. One of them stands out – Adnan. Whenever we discuss global issues with him, he will often begin his talk with, “I just read an article in the Economist that ...” We are impressed with him. Here’s a gentleman who invests his time wisely to become more erudite. Be like him. Read widely, especially respected magazines and journals. And then, refer to them in your speech.

(I) Insist on your introduction.  If you have a casual introduction by the MC, you will have casual credibility. And this is the last thing you want. You should coordinate with the event’s organizer that the MC must use the speaker introduction you prepared. If you don’t have one, create one. Your introduction serves three primary purposes: (1) Introduce you, your experience and qualifications, (2) the topic you’ll speak about, and (3) bring you to the stage to an excited audience. Casual or credible, the choice is yours.

[Note: Watch this space, I’ll publish another article on how to create a compelling introduction for yourself.]

(D) Drop names. I used to speak about Investor Relations. I published a book about it and wrote several articles too. These were great credibility boosters. However, if an audience member did not know about these, my credibility may not be high enough. To tackle this, I could drop the names of a few well-known personalities in my speech. For example, when I had a meeting with the CEO of the Bahrain Association of Banks, we agreed on one crucial point. And then reveal the point. By doing this, I become part of an elite group of people. With that, I appear and sound more credible to the audience.

(I) Infiltrate media outlets. Most people will tell you when it comes to the media; it’s all about who do you know to get coverage. From my experience, this is not the case. Media outlets are hungry for content. In almost all cases, the email and contact numbers of editors are available in their print publications. Approach them with your articles. Offer them a regular contribution proposal. Editors like consistent and reliable contributors. It may take time before they respond. Be patient and understanding. Follow up with them. You should not only infiltrate the print media; you should also target TV and Radio. Ask around. Get their mobile numbers. Send them a text message or call them. Present your proposition. Demonstrate what value you can add to their programs.

(B) Books sale or giveaways. If you have published books, agree with the event’s organizer that you’ll offer your books for sale during breaks and at the end of the event. Place your books in a visible spot. If you offer them for sale during breaks, you will get the chance to interact with the audience and build rapport with them. That’s a positive development. It means you will face a friendlier audience when you speak. If offering them on sale is not feasible, you could give a few copies away during your speech for audience members who responded to your questions. In either way, you will build up your credibility with the presence of your books.

L) Leverage past speaking engagements. If you have spoken to a well-known Global Brand, leverage that, I spoke to a few Fortune 500 Companies. However, I usually refer to one in my speeches: “When I was speaking to Google staff in California, I noticed …” That’s a big name, and it’s a great credibility booster. Notice that I mentioned “California” in reference to the Headquarters of Google in the USA. And usually, the slide will have my picture over there standing next to Mr. Android. This works very well. Be like a fisherman; always show your photo with the 5-Meter Great White Shark you caught!

(E) Expand your testimonial list. We live in a world that revolves around numbers. Your potential clients will likely visit your LinkedIn profile to check how many followers you have, how many of your contacts endorsed you, and how big your body-of-knowledge is in the form of published articles. The higher your numbers, the more credible you will appear. And that will likely lead to more speaking engagements. You need to establish a system to collect more testimonials for your website and LinkedIn. Ask for testimonials. And when you get them, show your appreciation by sending a Free eBook.

 Sample Testimonial:

“I had the absolute privilege of hearing Mohamed speak at the GGI Middle East Africa regional conference. Not only was his talk entertaining and inspiring but relevant and informative too. He has that rare ability to be able to engage with a diverse audience on a personal level. Not only is he a gifted orator, but a great gentleman too.”

– Graeme Saggers, Tax Director, Nolands South Africa

There you have it eight tried and tested tips to build your credibility as a speaker. Keep in mind; it takes time to build credibility. Rome wasn’t built in one day. Start now. Work.

Mohamed Isa is a Business Advisor, an Award-Winning Speaker & 4-Time Amazon Bestselling Author.