Why Rivals Should be Allies

...and that applies to public speaking as much as anything

Hello again.

As a public speaker, especially an inexperienced and nervous one, you're quite likely to feel anxious and defensive about your position or status. Don't worry - that's quite natural and normal. If you had no nerves you'd have no adrenalin and probably no energy to perform.

Still, away from the stage you need to be more clear-headed about things.

One of the great things about business (that I wouldn't have believed before I gave up the 'day job' a year ago) is the level of cooperation you get between people who could just as easily be rivals. It's the quickest way to grow a business, bar an unfeasibly large cash injection, so it makes sense all round. Often, though, people cooperate and help each other despite having little to gain. I suppose that's because most people are, basically, nice.

So it was good to read a newsletter from David Congreave today, celebrating that fact. David created Lucid SEO, The Nettle and Networking Nightmares, so he knows a thing or two about success and cooperation.

As a public speaker you might well feel all alone and pretty vulnerable up there on the stage. Actually, there's no need if you're prepared to share the limelight, the kudos, the profits and the stress with a 'rival' who operates in the same niche as you.

Think about it, and think about the value your audience gets if they get two experts' views and ideas, two voices to make things more varied and two people essentially reinforcing the principles you're trying to espouse. It makes sense to me.

You'll be marketing to two lists, as well. And that never hurts...

Roy Everitt, Writing For Results