I did my first paid garden club talk on Tuesday last week.
It went really well and I received great feedback.
I did the talk on unusual fruit, veg and herbs - something I know lots about!
I got the audience guessing and trying lots of different things, had funny anecdotes to tell along with 30 slides to guess what each one was. I'd also made up some sauce and brought in a some different herbs, flowers and leaves to try.
Afterwards I had lots of questions as well as people coming to chat after the talk which was really nice and welcoming.
Doing this public speaking type thing is something I wouldn't have considered before I did my first talk at Hellens but I actually really enjoy it, and although I'm a little nervous before I go on stage the nerves soon disappear, especially as I felt really well prepared and practiced for it.
I also did an assembly at my wife's school on Friday, a very different audience - 400 children! it went well and although it certainly wasn't as slick as my garden club talk, the children seemed to enjoy it (even though I spilt a bag of wheat on the floor!).
I think I certainly need to work on my speed of delivery (I talk far to fast in life anyway and I'm worse when I'm on stage!), but I'm sure that will come with practice.
So I'm going to start putting my name down for being a garden club speaker or for the WI and see how it goes. I've already got another talk booked in February next year on unusual veg again and one for preserving the following autumn, hopefully this will be a way to help make all the gardening I do pay for itself!
Anyone on here do any public speaking?
What's your tip for the top?
Well done, its lovely to hear information from someone who does grow fruit n veg themselves.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was great fun!
DeleteI'm so excited for you! What a fun and rewarding thing to get involved with. For you of course, not me. I find the idea of speaking even in front of a class of kids terrifying.
ReplyDeleteI used to but I think I enjoy it now!
DeleteI have lectured about Art, Art History, etc, and hated every minute of it. I soon started to say NO.
ReplyDeleteI seem to enjoy it so far.
DeleteWell done! That sounds like a great talk and any food to try always makes you popular!
ReplyDeleteI'm in our WI (I'm the youngest member ;-) ) and I would definitely get our committee to book you as a speaker but we're about an hour and a half away from you.
Food helps doesn't it!
DeleteIf you paid travel....
They do, but I'm not sure if they have a top limit. It would be great if you could, but it's got to be worth 3 hours of travelling time for you. I'll ask :-)
DeleteI forgot to ask what you charge? For the talk and travel expenses.
DeleteWell done with the talk. I'm sure you will be very popular with WI talks and garden clubs. It's always a lovely afternoon or evening listening to a well prepared speaker and with all your props and personal experience it sounds very entertaining. I'm glad you had such a great response. Best wishes
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty enthusiastic and I think that helps!
DeleteFound talk fees didn't cover the actual costs of travel (petrol, parking, time) to anywhere less than really local venues. Some organisations would only book speakers that would 'donate their fee' back to the organisation & take no payment. Others (often branches of national organisations) would only book speakers from a list of regionally 'Approved Speakers', with the approval system being a total mystery!
ReplyDeleteThey'll be no donating fees here, the kids have got to eat! I'll see how it goes but the sums have got to add up before I book too many in.
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