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Why did you decide to become a professional speaker? I think the seed was first planted at 15 years old when I was participating in school speaking competitions. It grew stronger when I was in the sales industry as I would attend annual conferences and monthly training. I would watch these amazing speakers and be so inspired and I wanted to do that, to make people feel like that.

What are the most important three lessons you have learnt since becoming a speaker? The good ones make it look so easy! There is no avoiding the fact that even with some natural ability you need to spend hours practicing to hone your skills and learn the craft of speaking.

To be a powerful speaker you need to connect and to do that one must be authentic and strip away the layers. It’s hard to be vulnerable and raw but when we are, it’s when the magic happens.

When starting out, it doesn’t matter how many tips and techniques people give you around nerves, it is just a process that you have to work through and takes a certain amount of time and experience to get the confidence.

What do you wish someone told you before you got started? No one is born a world class presenter. Some of us may have some natural talent but everyone has to work at it and anyone can develop their skills. It just takes time, perseverance, passion and a desire to be your best.

What is your top tip for people who present in business? Value how important presenting is. Back in my real estate days I was fairly successful yet I wonder how much more successful I could have been had I known then what I know now. I would have been a lethal weapon.

Learning how to present well, helps build confidence, teaches us how to be more articulate, to speak more powerfully, to engage others more effectively and gives us the power to influence. These are amazing and necessary life skills that can help us in all area’s of our life.

You have done many courses on speaking - what are your top three takeaway tips?

1. Know your audience - understand what they are thinking, feeling and doing before you walk in the room. Then analyse what you want them to think, feel and do after they have heard your presentation.

2. Understand the power of using our voice, body and location on the floor or stage.  This is incredibly important in terms of getting an audience to retain the information you are sharing and helping them to anchor it.

3. Watching presenters has really been a huge part of the learning, seeing them putting it all into action.

Any final words of wisdom? Practise, practise, practise and invest in yourself - read, listen to cd’s and podcasts, study and spend time with mentors. I did 30 courses in my first 12 months as a speaker and know this was the key to fast tracking my success.

Kirsty Spraggon is a relationship building expert who was recently awarded the 2011 O2 Breakthrough Speaker of the Year at the National Speakers Convention in Melbourne. www.kirstyspraggon.com.au

Kirsty is the guest speaker at our next Breakfast in Perth - find our more or book now