A guest post by Lily Iatridis,  an expert in helping people take the fear out of public speaking.

Last month I had a really interesting experience with a client who was ready to get out there and promote her new business with public speaking.  She had lots of great descriptions and explanations on the theories behind the new coaching process that she was about to undertake.  She wanted to become a skilled speaker so that she could promote her business better.

But there wasa problem.

Whenever I’d try to get specific, practical information out of her on the nuts and bolts of how her coaching process worked with her clients, I couldn’t get a clear answer.  I tried to ask the question in several different ways.  All I’d get in response was the same lovely description.  Unfortunately, that description also happened to sound like something she had memorized out of a training manual instead of a tried and tested process she’d either experienced herself or tested on a number on people with positive results.

If you lack a depth of knowledge in your content area, people will be able to tell.

If listeners are interested in your work, they’re going to ask you all sorts of questions about it.  If you can’t answer them clearly and simply, then you’ll sound like you’re trying to “blow smoke” around the fact that you’re not so sure of what you’re talking about.  You’ll sound like you don’t really know your material thoroughly.

In short, you won’t come across as an expert in your area.

Obviously in direct sales companies, people market goods created by someone else.  People are trained to develop the expertise to become a certified coach or practitioner of a particular method, like personal trainers or body builders, for example.  Then, they become a skilled speaker in their content area.

Don’t put the wagon before the horse.

You must be able to break down your content into it’s simplest parts and explain how and why they work in a particular order.

Webster’s definition of expertise: “the skill of an expert; a person with a high degree of skill or knowledge of a certain subject.”  There are two ways to get this expertise: 1) thorough research and study of the subject and 2) a depth and breadth of experience with the subject. Quantifiable results, testimonials or case studies showing the success of the process or product lend credibility to your explanations.

Skilled expert speakers devote a lot of time to discussing benefits of the subject.

Please read the next three sentences and note your reaction.  ”Hi, I sell ___.  It was created by ______ who was a great man, because he did x, x, and x.  Let me tell you his life story now.”  Are you scratching your head in confusion yet?

People want to hear exactly how what you’re offering makes their lives better.  Their next question will be how your product is better or unique to others in the market that promise the same result.  Period.

First learn, then lead.

So go out there and get that expertise!!  Then become a skilled speaker about it.  Fearless Delivery’s mission is to work with people to position their expertise in a certain area. Passion is important, but experience or expertise can’t be faked!  At least not for long.

If you feel that you’re ready to start speaking about your business but find that you’re having trouble making your new business venture understood or taken seriously by others, take a litmus test and see if you can answer the content questions in our free elevator pitch video series.