Before you even get on stage, it's a really good idea to think about how you want to come across to the audience. I call this personal branding. But you might hear me talk about it as a persona, or personality. Now, when it comes to personality, I suggest you have one. But if you want to get into this in more depth, the way that I think about my personality on stage is to select three words that best describe it. And to make sure that I am demonstrating those three words every single time I'm on stage.
There's a handout to go with there so you can download that. And in there, I've put some suggested words, and you can circle your top three, and then think about how you're going to put that across. To give you an example of how I've worked on this. My three words are funny, sexy, intelligent, So how do I convey that when I'm onstage? Well, funny means that I'm going to have to write some jokes, that takes a bit of preparation and also some confidence to do I know. So I've been going on the comedy circuit in the UK and practicing my material and seeing what gets laughs and how I can best deliver it.
I'll tell you a bit more about humor later on. Nobody has to be funny on stage. But it is a really great idea if you want to get paid, which is what I do. But if that's not the word for you, then don't worry about it. Now, sexy, how am I going to do that? Well, partly that's in what I wear.
I'm a big believer that you should think carefully about the clothes you wear on stage and what impression you want to make. I'm always going to be slightly more feminine, a little bit sexy, and be to use some double entendre and innuendo as well. But again, that's to do with my more heightened comic personality. So what about intelligent well I'm going to have to say something that sounds clever at some point. So that means I might put a bit of thought leadership or research in my speaking. And I'm also likely to drop in the fact that I read Psychology at Oxford, and that normally does the trick.
So these are my words and the way that I convey them on stage, but what are your words and how might you put them across to people? Try to avoid the temptation of choosing professional because that's just a given. And I would also avoid, inspirational. inspirational is a thumb of a lot of different behaviors, and the way that you are looking and sounding really if you follow all of my videos in I present, then you will be an inspirational speaker. So try not to have that other word. Think about more interesting descriptive words that might make you more entertaining, more palatable, more interesting for the audience.
Good luck, let me know how you get on with developing Your personal brand