James Malinchak

Have you ever wanted to speak in high schools? Does the thought of helping youth at assemblies and special events intrigue you?

In professional speaking, the youth market is a very profitable niche. Still, the market is broad and relatively general. Colleges and universities are the major buyers and speaking at high schools is close behind. High schools today are in dire need of guidance and motivation. From time to time, they will need a wake up call and professional speakers are just what they want.

First and foremost, as a speaker, you must recognize the prevalent needs and desires of the youth market, specifically high schools. Questions like, "What are the main problems of the high school youth of today?" and "What do high schools need to do to change or improve?" should be asked and the answers will be the basis for your topics and speeches.

Speakers' topics must directly address high schools so they will appeal more to buyers. The buyers are school coordinators and other heads of youth organizations. Speakers should think of what they their niches are looking for so speakers can promote their services much more effectively.

It is important to get into contact with the school heads and organizers. Marketing materials are vital because the buyers in the youth market are very picky and they always need substantiation to claims. Demo videos and testimonials will help a great deal.

Speaker marketing materials should be specific. Materials should appear exclusive to the high school market. For instance, present demo tapes of you speaking in front of high school students. Videos of speakers talking in the corporate arena will hold no water and can even jeopardize your chances of landing the job.

Avoid being perceived as a speaker that talks in any events regardless of audience or topic. You will give an impression that you are a "jack of all trades" which is not favorable in the High School niche and even worse, you could appear phony, just trying to get a fast buck. Specialists and speakers that spend their time and effort exclusively in the niche are the highly favored ones.

A speaker trying to venture in the youth market should consider changing his or her approach in terms of speech delivery. Keep in mind, the audience is not like any other; they are the youth. Obviously, they do not have the insight and maturity of adults. They are easily bored, judgmental, and impressionable.

As a speaker, you can harness these youthful characteristics and integrate them into your speech and presentation. Speaking to High School students should be dynamic, enthusiastic, fun, funny, and never uninteresting. Presentations should touch emotions because humans are emotional individuals, especially during adolescents.

Before getting booked you must do everything in your power to impress buyers, school heads, teachers, and education officers, but once you've been offered a speaking appointment, always perform and deliver more than is expected. If you can own the stage and blow away your audiences, you will get lots of referrals and testimonials you can use to get more bookings.

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