I have been speaking professionally for a lot of years and I am very comfortable in front of an audience. In spite of this I still feel the need to learn more about the art of speaking. The best place for me to learn is at the feet of those who are achieving beyond where I am at present. That's why I am constantly looking for resources that will take me to the next level of expertise. When I find someone I admire and want to emulate I order their products, study them and apply those ideas that fit my style.

A percentage of my earnings each month goes into this process . It's a fact that professional development for a speaker is of paramount importance if you are to improve and continue to progress.

The one area that interests me the most and in which my need for improvement is the greatest is the business side of speaking. Not only is it important, it is vitally important. There are some speakers who say that learning how to market yourself and your services

should be the central focus of every speaker.

In my continued research into the subject of how to market myself as a speaker I have picked up quite a few strategies that really do work but I am always on the lookout for more. Thus my monthly investment in professional development.

There are people in our business whose experience and expertise can really help you grow as a speaker. These are the people you want to access. If I am achieving the results you would like to achieve then access my material. The important thing is to find someone who can take you to the next level.

Don't be afraid to pay for the information you need. Just make certain that the person from whom you are purchasing a product offers a 100%, no questions asked guarantee. With this kind of guarantee you have nothing to lose. If a person buys my product and isn't happy with what they get, then I don't want them to have it. Send it back and your money is refunded without hesitation and without question. I must say that in the five years I have been selling my public speaking manuals and CDs I have only had one returned and that one was sent back to me highlighted with a yellow marker. Some people!!!

The people I look to for advice and speaking wisdom are Burt Dubin and Tom Antion. These speakers have achieved a position in the speaking business that I want to achieve therefore I study them. I subscribe to their newsletters and purchase their products. Both have impressed me and their material was certainly worth the money. Burt and Tom provide access to free articles and both are willing to answer questions when contacted.

If you would like to take a look at their sites just type their name plus the word speaker into your favourite search engine and they will appear. They are worth a visit.

The message in this article is an important one. Find someone a level above where you are. Develop trust with that person and invest in your professional development. The dividends are well worth the expenditure.