Brrr! It’s cold here in North Carolina. This morning I put on a sweater and tights even though it’s probably a temperature that’s still considered balmy by the standards in other parts of the country . Inevitably, with temperatures dropping and the tangle of Halloween/Thanksgiving/Christmas decorations in the store, I start thinking ahead to the holidays and New Year. I know…it’s a sickness.
Last year we started group conference calls with the desire to serve as many speakers as possible, and we’d love to hear from you about what topics will be most helpful for you next year.
Leave a comment today with the topic you’d most love to hear about as a speaker, and we will enter you in a contest with two randomly chosen winners. One winner will receive a spot on our next conference call. Here are the details:
Unforgettable: Creating Messages that People Just Can’t Shake–Amy Carroll
Date: Thursday, November 8
Time: 8:00 pm EST
Amy shares six keys supported by brain-science and research to creating unforgettable messages. Based on the book Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath, Amy translates these innovative principles into a checklist for speakers desiring to create compelling messages. She will teach you to:
- Create tension that keeps your audience engaged and listening.
- Communicate a “sticky” central truth.
- Implement creative story-telling to strengthen your message.
- Utilize your audience’s emotions to imprint scriptural truths.
The other winner can choose to receive on of the two recorded calls that we’ve already done this year. Here’s what the winner will choose between:
Finding Your Niche–Karen Ehman
Have you felt the general call of God to speak to women but are a bit iffy on the specifics? Need to hone in on what makes you uniquely “you” including your speaking messages, social media focus and online presence? Listen and learn as Karen equips you to:
- Find your areas of expertise by taking inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, loves and loathes.
- Blend your life experiences, talents and spiritual gifts together to obtain your ministry niche.
- Unearth your hidden passions and turn them into powerful messages.
- Make it “match”–your online persona and your personal life.
- Discover your unique place in God’s plan that will change lives–yours and your listeners!
- Create the opportunity for life-transformation in your audience.
Brass Tacks: Message Development Essentials–Amy Carroll
Developing a strong message is the beginning of building a growing speaking ministry. Amy shares the essential basics of a strong message along with tips she’s learned along the way from other speakers with decades of experience. She’ll guide you to write like a speaking pro as she leads you to:
- Embrace scripture as the spring board for a fresh, personal message.
- Identify the core idea in your message to give it laser-like focus.
- Compel your audience to passionate response to the truths you’re sharing.
- Create the opportunity for life-transformation in your audience.
Fern says
November 7, 2012 at 7:32 pmI would like to learn more about how to market myself without seeming prideful. I love sharing personal ways The Lord has brought me through situations. Being a single mom for over 10 years there were many things to get through. I learned a lot and drew closer to Him. My Spiritual Gift is “Exaltation” encouraging and leading to a fuller Trust and Faith.
I also, make church Banners. I need help to promote this ministry, as well. I have started 6 churches with their Banner Ministry, 3 churches I attended as we moved. The other 3 heard about me and ask me to help them with a Banner Ministry.
I know I could help more churches if I knew how to inform them about what a Banner Ministry is and is not. It is a Bible Study. The Holy Spirit leads through study and prayer to “LIFT UP HIS NAMES” in worship. Some might think it is just a craft but it’s not. Everything comes from scripture and prayer, the Name, the colors and even the different textures of the fabric.
The “True Stories” I can share from this ministry will give you Holy Goose Bumps.
I’m excited about learning.
Amy says
November 8, 2012 at 8:03 amFern,
We’re so glad that you’ve connected with us! A couple of years ago, Tracie Miles wrote a series of posts for us about Marketing Your Message that are wonderful. Here’s the link: http://nextstepspeakerservices.org/marketing-your-message-series/
I hope you find these posts helpful!
Amy
Letitia says
October 20, 2012 at 11:46 amMost interesting to me is the “Finding Your Niche” topic. I’ve been speaking for several years and I am interested in establishing a foundation for the ministry God has called me to. I struggle with being sure of my voice and, as the session description says, what make me uniquely “me”. How (the methods I use) I present myself and ministry online is important to me, too.
Elizabeth says
October 18, 2012 at 12:46 pmI would very much like to know how to get started in a speaking ministry. I’ve dabbled in my own small church, but would like to branch out. I really enjoy connecting with people and combining humor with God’s Word. Thanks!
Kimi Miller says
October 17, 2012 at 9:05 pmI would like to know the best way to develop a message around a theme without losing “my” message. I want to stay true to the “central” message God has put on my heart, but I also want to diversify my messages, too. Any tips with that would greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Kate Posthuma says
October 17, 2012 at 8:37 pmI would love some training on how to share other’s stories with an audience or if this is even appropriate to do so? Sometimes, the stories I hear from people would be wonderful illustrations of how the Lord can move and do His work, but I want to be sensitive and not share something too personal…how do you handle this?
Amy Boyd says
October 17, 2012 at 7:19 pmI love all the ideas that have been mentioned by others but I think the one I would most be interested in would be something on marketing. Specifically the line between self promoting and letting God work. How do I let others know that I am available for speaking events without sounding like I am tooting my own horn
Debra Weiss says
October 17, 2012 at 5:46 pmThe call sounds like so much fun! I really enjoy Next Step Speaker Services. As for what I’d like to know in 2013, I would love to hear more about the basics of marketing yourself as a speaker. Which marketing materials (business cards, brochures, etc) are essential and which should I skip?
Bethany Hayes says
October 17, 2012 at 5:41 pmI would be interested in a discussion on “How to Deal with Post-Speaking Blues or No Blues” — like how to graciously respond to praise, as well as handling those thoughts as soon as you sit down like, “I think underwater basket-weaving was really my calling.”
Elise Daly Parker says
October 17, 2012 at 5:21 pmI love the idea for your next call. I would like to know more about how to get speaking engagements once I’ve developed my messages? What are the basics I need to be professional, prepared, and promoted!!
Deb Mantel says
October 17, 2012 at 12:15 pmI’m interested in the best way to create a retreat theme with handouts, power point, discussion questions, etc. to make it easy on event planners. Thanks for your help!
Jill Farris says
October 17, 2012 at 11:50 amI’d love to hear how to prepare for a retreat or a series of messages. Ideally, I love sharing a retreat with another speaker but when I am the only one and giving four messages over Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning it is quite a challenge to keep everything fresh, interesting and not feel like I am the guest lecturer!
Jill Farris
Michelle says
October 17, 2012 at 11:24 amI’d love to hear more on using our mistakes to create speaking topics that can be turned in to motivating messages….. How to follow those rabbit holes toward an organized topic!!!!
Thanks!
Sherry Long says
October 17, 2012 at 11:06 amThe Topic that I would love to hear about is “The Flow” of a message. This also relates to timing and rapport with the audience. Also, marketing, how to get your audience.?
Gayle Haddock says
October 17, 2012 at 10:37 amHey Amy,
I had the pleasure of hearing you at “She Speaks” this past summer, on the topic “What Every Beginning Speaker Needs to Know”. I would love to learn more about how to balance life’s “busy factor” while pursuing a speaking career. I am a single mom, working full time, and involved in a lot of great activities at my church which connect me to women’s ministry, such as leading a Wednesday night Bible Study and co-teaching a Sunday School class for single moms. These are all good things, but by the end of the day, it’s hard to find the time or the energy to sit down and craft that signature message that I know I have to have to get started speaking. My calling to speak has been confirmed, now it’s a matter of making time to do it! I’ve taken inventory of my priorities and cut out some “time suckers” but know there are more to offer up right now. Monthly meetings with a mentor are also helping me to develop a timeline and set monthly goals to avoid feeling so overwhelmed, but I would love to hear any advice, tips and encouragement you have on the best way to keep pressing forward. I listened to Steven Furtick’s Greater sermon series online, and really resonated with the one on “Digging the Ditches” before ever seeing the rain. I feel like that’s where I’m at right now, and am trying to keep the faith that if I start digging, the rain will come.
Thank you so much – I’m already very encouraged by your blog and always look forward to receiving your updates.
Blessings,
Gayle
heather says
October 17, 2012 at 10:37 amI am struggling with finding balance. I started writing this summer during school vacation. I am a high school English teacher. Now that we are back to school, I am juggling many responsibilities and don’t have time to cultivate my writing and speaking skills. My blog is all about juggling the important areas of life–relationships, exercise, adjustments, creativity, and home management.
Jen Allee says
October 17, 2012 at 10:24 amit would be great to hear a message on how you do the same message for two diff audiences, yet keep it fresh for both. What are ways to keep it fresh and not recycled for a diff group? I would also love to hear about ways people incorporate prayer as they prepare. I know we are supposed to do it, but what are some of the things others do? (ex: pray by name for each participant) Thanks!!
Ann Fleshman says
October 17, 2012 at 9:53 amI am so effusive with body language that I’m afraid It distracts my audience. I’d like guidelines on body language (facial expression, gesticulation, walking, ertc.) that attracts, detracts, or sidetracks
Amy says
October 17, 2012 at 10:07 amGreat idea for a call! Also, watch our blog in coming weeks for a series by Karen Ehman on delivery. She’ll give lots of great tips.
Monica Watkins says
October 17, 2012 at 7:47 amI have only two speaking credits to my name. Both were in front of a small group of young people (one group of all girls and one mixed group). I would like to know basic ideas for how to get started as a speaker. Maybe how to craft a first message by using existing writing material or from scratch and find someone willing to take a chance and help an inexperienced speaker get some experience.
Wendy Schulz says
October 17, 2012 at 7:37 amI would love to hear about how to market my speaking ministry to local women’s groups, MOPS, churches.
kathy says
October 17, 2012 at 7:19 amHow do you watch these sessions and are all 3 that you’ve mentioned shown on November 8th?? THANKS in advance.
Amy says
October 17, 2012 at 7:22 amKathy,
All 3 of these conference calls are now available on our Group Services page. “Unforgettable” will be held on Nov. 8 (all the other details are also given on the Group Services page), and the other two can be purchased as recordings. Thanks for asking! I hope these will be valuable resources for you.
Kathy Craig says
October 16, 2012 at 10:05 pmI’d love to hear about best ways to read and gain a rapport with different audiences…how do we increase their capacity to hear, experience, feel. Are there initial steps to take to help an audience anticipate and lean in what’s coming in the message? Do you tailor your openings based on your initial “read” of the varying audiences?
Thanks!