As your genealogy expertise increases, you may find yourself in demand as a speaker at genealogy meetings and conferences. If you become knowledgeable about researching a particular ethnic group or the records of a particular area or a genealogy program, others will seek your advice. In fact, being asked to speak on a topic is flattering to the speaker and can also provide a service to those in the audience. The words you speak may help others accomplish tasks they otherwise might never attempt.
Of course, public speaking brings with it many challenges. By far, the biggest obstacle is the butterflies in the stomach. Next, learning how to make public presentations can be a challenge. Finally, in most cases, you need to have "presenters' tools." Nowadays, that means a laptop computer, presentation software, a projector, a laser pointer, and more.
For butterflies, I can only recommend antacid. I am not a public speaking coach, so I also will pass over the skills required for public speaking. However, I can offer suggestions about the hardware and software available that can support and enhance your public speaking efforts.
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