If you want to learn how to become a motivational speaker, but cringe at the idea of sounding just like every other motivational speaker, you're in the right place.
There are only so many times you can get up in front of a crowd and take the Shia LaBeouf approach, forcefully telling the audience to "Just Do It!"
It's not that his approach is terrible, but it very much only speaks to a certain type of audience. The type who needs to be told to get over it, and get it done. And while this might work for many, the messaging from many motivational speakers nowadays lies in the same idea. So it often makes any newcomers to the field sound as if they don't have much to offer that the audience hasn't already heard.
It becomes derivative.
Even cheesy.
And even worse...cliché.
But you want to do this. You have a knack for getting people motivated but aren't sure how to take these ideas and small-time successes to a broader audience without sounding like a try-hard. Plus...you do actually want to make a difference in others' lives.
That's what we'll cover here—how to become a motivational speaker effectively:
No, you do not need to be certified to be a motivational speaker. Unlike certain professions that require specific certifications or qualifications, such as doctors or lawyers, there is no official certification process for becoming a motivational speaker.
Motivational speaking is more about your ability to inspire and motivate others through your words and stories. However, gaining experience, honing your speaking skills, and building a strong personal brand are important factors in becoming a successful motivational speaker.
There are some places that will sell or preach about motivational speaking certifications, but they'll try to teach you the same methodology. This just creates speakers who are all the same, which is exactly what you don't want if you're learning how to become a motivational speaker. There are better ways of going about it, which we'll cover below.
Plus, you will still need to build credibility in various ways if you want people to pay to see you speak. But this is more about qualifications than it is a special certification.
There are no specific qualifications required to become a motivational speaker. Technically, anyone can hop on stage and start encouraging others with the hopes of that being good enough to be labeled motivational speaking.
However, certain attributes and skills can greatly enhance your effectiveness in this role, and your audience will be looking for some sort of validation that you are someone they want to learn from.
So it's beneficial to possess some of these skills:
While formal qualifications are not necessary, many successful motivational speakers have backgrounds in fields like psychology, coaching, or business, and may have completed training programs or courses to enhance their skills. They have done something and have come from somewhere that helps "sell" their ability to motivate. It gives people a reason to want to learn from you.
Ultimately, what matters most is your ability to inspire and motivate others, regardless of your background or qualifications.
When you become a motivational speaker, you often become the keynote speaker of certain events. Not always, and they're not the same thing necessarily.
That said, it's important to think of your speaking career as if you will be the "star" of the show. Meaning, focus on crafting your material as if everyone has come to see you specifically, and you'll be well on your way to learning how to become a motivational speaker.
These steps will help you get there.
Who you're speaking to will dictate much of the messaging and other parts of the process to become a motivational speaker. Most of this involves understanding who will be most helped by your own experiences. Because your speeches will come from a place of experience, it's worth jotting down who you were at the time when you went through the most change.
This is to say, who were you prior to becoming who you are now?
That's often the best way to find your audience.
Additionally, determine what specific topic or area you want to focus on as a motivational speaker. This could be personal development, leadership, career advancement, or any other area where you have expertise or a compelling story to share.
This is where you differentiate yourself from others. The "just do it" mentality can work, but will it work for your audience? Here's where you get to prepare your speech, deciding what you'll say and how to say it.
You'll want to craft a clear and impactful message that resonates with your target audience. Your message should be authentic, inspiring, and offer practical value to your audience.
What is the specific angle you'll take in order to motivate? What are you motivating others to do? Where are your audiences stuck that they need someone else to help them move forward?
Here are a few tips to help with this stage, especially if you don't want to come off as derivative:
Crafting the message is often the hardest part. That is to say, it will come from a deep and vulnerable place that's sometimes difficult for someone to come about on their own. But this is also what people will pay the most for.
Not all of us are speechwriters, which is why even the most skilled still take up coaching or work with writers to craft their message.
Practice your speaking skills regularly to become a more confident and effective speaker. Consider joining a Toastmasters club or taking public speaking courses to improve your skills.
A lot of this has to do with getting practice and gaining confidence on the stage. But there's more to it as well.
We have some tips here based on what we've learned analyzing TED talks. It can help set the groundwork for how to become a better speaker.
Here are a few things you can work on to build your speaking skills, especially for motivational speakers:
One of the best things you can do if you want to learn how to become a motivational speaker is to get feedback from a coach or those qualified in speaker training. You can also check out these exercises for speakers to learn more.
Create a professional brand that reflects your expertise and message. This includes developing a professional website, creating marketing materials, and establishing a strong online presence.
As a motivational speaker, your brand is you and the message you'll continuously go back to.
That is to say, craft your marketing material around how you motivate people to create change in their lives. Keep the energy and branding consistent across many mediums, including your website and social profiles, especially if you're trying to learn how to grow on Instagram.
The more you share your perspective, get speaking engagements, and affirm yourself in the space around your motivational tactic of choice, the more your personal brand will be solidified.
Develop engaging content that showcases your expertise and resonates with your audience. This could include blog posts, videos, podcasts, or other forms of content that demonstrate your knowledge and passion.
While there's an array of choices for sharing content, it should all cycle around your core message and principles.
This isn't to say it all has to be the same content saying the same thing. But rather, to focus on saying the same thing many ways and through many mediums. Position yourself as a thought leader in the motivational speaking space and continue sharing your voice.
Oftentimes, it's best to choose a certain platform to go all-in on. Likewise, focus on understanding what your audience likes, where they're spending time, and analyze the data to continue serving what brings you growth.
Attend industry events, leadership conferences, and networking events to connect with other speakers, event planners, and potential clients. Building relationships is key to getting speaking engagements. The more people you meet, the more opportunities may present themselves for practicing your speeches.
Be open to working with other people—even other people learning how to become a motivational speaker.
This isn't a competition. While some may say it is, there's room for many motivational speakers. For example, do you know of anyone who only follows a single person to gain motivation and inspiration? No. Therefore, there's room to work with other speakers to grow your platforms.
As you gain experience and credibility, you can start charging higher fees for your speaking engagements. Be prepared to negotiate with event organizers and be clear about your value proposition.
If you really want to get paid as much as possible, work on securing a spot on a highly known, reputable stage.
Getting a Signature Talk is a great place to start, for example. This stage is popular, creates exposure, and automatically gives you the credibility often needed to negotiate a higher rate for other speaking gigs.
Additionally, you can use some of these tips for negotiating pay for being a motivational speaker:
Stay updated on industry trends, continue to develop your speaking skills, and seek feedback from your audience to continuously improve your craft. Utilize groups like Toastmasters or other communities—like ours—to learn and grow. One of the best ways to improve your craft is to get as much practice as you can.
That includes taking free speaking gigs in addition to the ones that pay.
At the end of the day, hiring a coach and working with a professional may be the most effective method to improve enough that you can make this a full-time job.
If you want to be impactful as a motivational speaker, you have to learn what it takes to get there.
The best way to do that is to learn from those who have already done it. Therefore, studying the world's best in the motivation department is sure to help.
That is to say, study these speakers to learn their ways:
Learning how to become a motivational speaker will take time. It's not an overnight decision, but something that can take years to fully cultivate both the right messaging, and the right following. We're here to support in the way we know best.