by Kristie Tamsevicius

Sometimes finding good leads for speaking gigs can feel a bit like hunting for a tropical spa with umbrella drinks in the dessert. It’s easy to get discouraged. But yet when you see superstars that are booked solid, you know that it can be done. So how do you find leads for paid speaking engagements? Below are 14 techniques you can use to find good contacts and get yourself booked!

1) Define a niche. According to Networking expert, Lillian D. Bjorseth (www.Duoforce.com), a niche can be defined as types of organizations you want to speak for, an industry you want to specialize in, or a subject matter. By defining a clear niche, you instantly set yourself apart. The next challenge of course is to become known in your niche.

When you become the leading authority in your field, people seek you out. Speaking trainer Burt Dubin (www.burtdubin.com) says, “There’s no point in being a fine marketer until you have expertise to offer. And your expertise has gotta be in a specific niche. A niche where folks with cash in their jeans recognize your value and are willing to invest in what you alone know. Here’s how to select your niche: identify the topic or issue in which you’re willing to do endless and ongoing research for a market with the means to pay you.”

2. Free to Fee. Speak for free in places likely to have people who could hire you for fee. Often there are people in these audiences who could hire you. Check your local Kiwanis, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary
clubs.

After speaking recently in the Women’s Economic Development Outreach event, someone in the audience hired me for a speaking engagement for their group. If they hadn’t seen me speak in person, it’s very unlikely that this person would have contacted me.

3. Attend Events - Go to the events that your ideal clients attend and mingle with the decision makers who could hire you. “The Transition Man” Johnny Campbell (www.TransitionMan.com) says, “Research the event ahead of time. Know who will be in attendance. Have a hit list of people you want to connect with. Ask first what THEY do so you can tailor your 30 second pitch to address how you can help with their specific needs.”

Johnny likes to go to chamber meetings and sit at the far end so he goes last introducing himself. That way he can listen first to who is in his audience and tailor his 30 second introduction. Once he did this and a gentleman was so impressed that he immediately handed him a business card and said, “Call me.”

4. Speaker Directories. There are websites that list speakers for a fee. Meeting planners sometimes go to these directories looking for a speaker on a certain topic.

Here are two that you can check out:

Speaker Services – speakerservices.com
Speaker Zone – www.speakerzone.com

5. Smile and Dial. Flipping the pages of a meeting planner directory and cold calling can drum up business. Most speakers who use this approach successfully make 40- 50 calls everyday. If you are smart about finding the
“right” targeted leads to call, this is especially effective.

Here are three sources for this information:

A) Douglas Publications – www.douglaspublications.com
They make 2 publications: The Directory of Association Meeting Planners and Directory of Corporate Meeting Planners.

B) NTPA Directory (National & Professional Associations) It lists national conventions, meetings, and trade show dates for over 7,700 trade and professional associations with an annual report published each February.

C) Columbia Books, Inc. – www.columbiabooks.com
6. Google your way to leads. Google makes it so easy to find leads. You can search for events in your industry or to find who your competitors have spoken for.

7. Ask for referrals right from the platform. Keynote speaker and master certified coach, Rich Fettke (www.Fettke.com) says this when he speaks to groups “As you can tell, I am really passionate about what I do. If you know of a group who could benefit from this message, please hand me a business card afterwards.”

8. Referrals. Ask for referrals from existing clients who have hired you to speak. If you ever have to lower your fee, you ask for letters of recommendation and referrals as part of the deal in exchange for the discount.

Burt Dubin (www.BurtDubin.com) offers this tip to reward those who refer you.

“Let your clients or customers know they are rewarded for referring folks who invest in what you offer. Give appropriate gifts, depending on the size of the ticket. I give a choice of gifts. A dollar amount in cash or a higher dollar amount given to their favorite charity in their name, or a certain dollar amount in free product. Reward referrals generously.”

My personal thought is that a heartfelt note, a Starbucks gift card, a phone call, or even flowers is a wonderful way to say “thank you – I appreciate your referral!”

9. Get on Your Prospect’s Radar Screen. Top of mind status comes from word of mouth of your clients, being “seen” in the pages of print media, and from testimonials of audience members.

Know where your audience goes and be there. This includes your prospect’s ezines, clubs, organizations, bulletin boards, and magazines.

10. Speaker Website. An effective speaker website gives a meeting planner everything they need to decide that you are the perfect speaker for their event. You’ll want to include downloadable one sheet (brochure), testimonials, program descriptions, media coverage, results gained for other clients, and your speaker video.

Lillian D. Bjorseth, the Networking Expert, (www.Duoforce.com) shared how she got a lead from a major company who wanted to hire her and found her on the website. The person came back to their planning committee who said, “You found her where?” “Have you even seen her speak? My reputation is on the line here.” Then after reading testimonials from clients who hired Lillian to speak, they were happy to hire her.

In the past 2 weeks, having a speaking video on my website has gotten me the job. A client was hemming and hawing and said, “Can we see you speak somewhere locally first?” I told them where they could view my speaker video on my website and in 5 minutes they called back to book me.

11. Join organizations where people can hire you or might be able to refer you to people. Review your organization memberships at the end of the year before you renew to make sure that the fees was worth it.

12. Publicity rules! Red Zone Marketing speaker, Maribeth Kuzmeski (www.RedZoneMarketing.com) says that hiring a full time publicist has made all the difference in her speaking career. She says that when people have seen your face enough times in publications they get to feel like they know you.

13. Invite prospects as your guest when you speak to groups. That way they can experience you firsthand. After they experience the power of your speaking, they are likely to hire you or even refer you to others.

14. Building relationships. Communication expert, Cyndi Maxey (www.CyndiMaxey.com), says her secret is to keep in touch with her clients and prospects. She sends articles to them to let them know she is thinking of them. She also likes to send cards and call them from time to time. As Cyndi says, “Never let them forget your name. You want to be top of mind when they are ready to hire.”

Article by Kristie Tamsevicius – Dubbed as the “Marketing Maven & Brander Extraordinaire” Kristie Tamsevicius turns entrepreneurs into the lavishly paid in-demand experts in their field. Learn how branding helps you to attract customers, build income, & gain visibility while successfully promoting your business online with our FREE report “Web Branding Secrets” by visiting www.brandingonthenet.com

Radio Interview 101, by Bryan Farrish Radio Promotion
www.radio-media.com

Speakers are great at getting information, verbally, from point A to point B. One difficulty occurs, however, in situations where an intermediary (like radio) is involved. Radio is “invisible” to most people, including speakers; it is largely unknown to speakers why or how things are chosen to be “on the air”. If you only remember one thing, make it this: It is not how good a person speaks that determines if he/she will be PLACED on the air.

However, once a speaker IS chosen to be on the air, his/her speaking ability will have great affect on the listeners. This is why speakers do well with listeners once they get on the radio. It’s just the getting “on” in the first place that is the hard part. (And, doing well with on-air-sales is a different matter entirely, requiring you to know how to make contact announcements). So here are some specifics, tailored to speakers, to help you get radio interviews; these are the exact same techniques we use with clients, and they do work. They are, starting with the easier ones:

1. When promoting yourself to the radio producer or host, ask for a referral to a local business person, meeting planner, group organizer, or event promoter who may have interest in hiring you to speak for them. Since the radio person now knows your topic, and since radio people keep in good contact with most businesses and groups in their city, this is fairly straightforward for them to do. And note that this can be accomplished whether OR NOT they decide to interview you on-air.

2. If your topic is business or sales related, call the station’s sales manager and offer to do a one-hour telephone consultation with their sales department for free, in exchange for an on-air interview. If this works once, then offer to make it a weekly event, in exchange for a weekly on-air “bit”. If your topic is any kind of voice/acting/drama skill, then do the same thing but ask the program director instead. And if your topic is any kind of personal improvement/empowerment, then do the same thing but ask the general manager instead.

3. Offer the station program director a weekly custom-recorded topical “bit”, usually 30 seconds long, that they can air. The topic would depend on your personal topic, and the topic that the station wants to air. In return for this, they would interview you on-air. The number of “bits” required for one interview would be up for negotiation.

4. If your topic is sales, then offer the radio station sales manager this deal: When they give up on a tough prospect, you will call that prospect and attempt to close him (for a specified minimum dollar amount.) If you succeed, you will get an on-air interview. It’s important, however, that you only attempt this with the station’s “failed” prospects, because the salespeople there will not want to you interfering with their “hot” or “current” prospects.

(The following require field trips. The bonus of this is that since you would be in their city, you can do the on-air interviews live-in-studio. Traveling expenses are “usually” covered.)

5. Offer the general manager to speak for free at a “station sponsored” event. Many times these are charity/fundraiser events that the station donates air time for, and since these events are usually with groups or outdoor activities, it makes for a good crowd for you to speak to. In trade for your appearance there, the station would give you one or more on-air interviews (depending on what is negotiated).

6. Offer the sales or promotions manager to speak for free, live and in-person, at a station client’s event if the station gives you an on-air interview. If your topic matches up with one of their hot prospects, then your speaking (for free) at the client’s event may just help close the deal for them. They do the closing, and you do the traveling and speaking.

Related posts: http://www.speakerscommunity.com/blog/category/radio-talk-shows

The following post comes to us from James Malinchak (part 1)

Photo of James and me Susan Levin at the National Speakers’ Association Convention

Prior to me sharing my college speaking secrets with others, I would often hear speakers in the industry often share information with others that wasn’t correct. Those sharing this information weren’t mean spirited. They just didn’t understand the college market. Therefore, they “assumed” certain things about it and would pass those assumptions along to others like us. Basically, what I’m referring to are seven myths I’ve been hearing people in the speaking industry pass along to speakers for years. Just because they don’t understand the college market, they think you can’t possibly make serious money speaking in it. I have a saying I’ve been repeating for years which is: “Just because someone doesn’t know, doesn’t mean it isn’t so!”

So, here are 2  Myths You’ve Been Led to Believe About the College Speaking Market:

Myth #1:  There’s no money in the college market

For years, I would constantly have speakers, authors, trainers, coaches, consultants and info-preneurs approach me and say, “There’s no money speaking in the college market.” And, for years, before I began sharing my secrets with others, I would simply smile and respond with, “Well, you’re probably right.” Then I would just keep-on-keeping-on.  There’s money if you know where to look and it’s not your fault if you’ve been believing this myth because nobody has ever taught you why there’s money.

Let me teach you why there’s money because if you understand why there’s money, then speaking in the college market will make perfect sense to you. And I really want you to understand this because as the old saying goes:

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and he feeds himself for a lifetime!”

Almost every college requires each student to pay an Activities Fee when registering for classes. Some schools charge this fee per semester, while others charge it per year. It depends on the individual school. This fee ranges from $20-$200 per student. Again, it depends on the individual school. One of primary uses of this fee is to bring people just like me and you to the school, meaning speakers, authors, trainers, coaches, consultants, info-preneurs, bands, comedians, hypnotists, and others.  This $20-$200 fee doesn’t seem like a lot, but remember that most schools have thousands of students. So let’s play this out in an example:

$50 activities fee x 10,000 students = a potential $500,000 BUDGET

$100 activities fee x 10,000 students = a potential $1,000,000 BUDGET!

That can be per year or per semester. Again, it depends on the individual school. Wow!  You can clearly see that some schools have bigger semi-annual and annual budgets that many corporations and associations. This activities fee will always be charged because it’s similar to a vacation resort fee. When you check into a vacation resort, there’s always a minor resort fee that all guests get charged. There’s no way around it and we all pay the resort fee. The same goes for this activities fee. It always gets charged. In addition, there are anywhere from 10-15 different departments at each college that have well-funded budgets to bring in speakers! They could be funded by state and/or federal grants, alumni donations and other sources. And, here’s the best part. Colleges will have these budgets every year because there will always be thousands and thousands of students going to school, no matter how bad the economy gets or how bad corporate or association training budgets get cut. Which means the activities fee will always be charged.

Let me give an example of the power of this.  When the unfortunate 9/11 terrorist tragedy happened, I was flying to Tallahassee, Florida where I was scheduled to speak at Florida State University that night. Obviously, the presentation for that night was canceled. But the remaining presentations I had scheduled for the rest of the month of September weren’t canceled. While many speakers’ businesses came to a sudden stop because corporate and association budgets were immediately slashed, I made around $40,000 in the last few weeks of September alone! Then, the remaining months speaking in the college circuit continued on as if nothing had happened. What I mean is the other college presentations that were booked on my schedule from October-on all remained booked and I never missed a beat!  The college market is one of the greatest, most overlooked, most untapped, most lucrative speaking niches and anyone who walks up to you and says, “There’s no money speaking in the college market,” obviously doesn’t understand the market.  Simply smile and respond with, “Well, you’re probably right.” Then you just keep-on-keeping-on following my recipe and enjoy getting an MBA for yourself (Massive Bank Account!)

Myth #2:   Marketing to the college market is the same as marketing to any other market, whether it’s youth, corporate or a specific niche

I hate to break it to you, but people in the speaking industry have been misinforming you for years!  Marketing-wise, it’s totally different marketing to the college market than ANY other market if you want to get booked. Anybody who ever tells you that you can have a “one-sheet” or have one set of marketing materials that is used to market yourself for all markets, you can be sure they have no clue how to market to colleges. It is not the same as other markets and it’s as different as night and day, apples and oranges. I don’t care which market or niche you may be speaking in, the college market is so much different and if you don’t understand the proper way to market to colleges, then you won’t get booked and you won’t make any money!

Note:  Meet James in person on May 3, 2009 at the Speakers’ Summit09

by Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, The Productivity PRO®

You’ve got the talent! You’ve got the ambition! You’re sick of that corporate job!  You’re ready to break out on your own as a professional speaker…or are you? Here are some things to consider before you leave that 9 to 5 job and segue into a professional speaking career:

1. Get real-world experience before you quit the employment ranks.
People always want to know “how I got started” as a professional speaker. You don’t really just “start.” I highly recommend you get some real-world training experience first. My first job in the training profession was as an employee with TRW Defense Systems. Understanding of the role of training vendors in a corporate setting is invaluable when you start approaching prospective clients, and you get paid while you learn. I then taught adjunct courses at the University of Colorado, which gave me skills in Instructional Design. You could teach a class at a Learning Annex, university extension center, or Free University in your area. Next, I presented seminars around the country for CareerTrack, Inc., which gave me a broad understanding of the meetings industry and gave me extensive platform time in front of real learners.

2. Get business training.
I went to college and got my undergraduate and masters degrees in business. The biggest reason people fail when they break into the speaking business is they fail to understand it IS a business. It takes marketing, accounting, technology, customer relations, systems, public relations, and financial savvy to make it work. You have to know how to sell your services, relate to meeting planners and bureaus, back up your presentations with products and many other skills related to managing your company. You will not fail because you’re an excellent speaker; you will fail because you stink in business acumen. If nothing else, take some college business courses for no

3. Get a mentor and some guidance.
The National Speakers Association has local chapters around the country. Each chapter operates a bit differently, but most of them offer some type of “Apprenticeship” or “Fast Track” program for people who are seriously interested in moving into a professional speaking career. For example, in Denver, you can join the NSA/Colorado chapter as an Affiliate (not a professional member) and participate in the “Fast Track” program. Fast Trackers meet once a month, to help people ramp up quickly in the mandatory competencies of platform mechanics, professional awareness and relationships, topic development, and sales and marketing. Many chapters also offer a “Coaching” program, which will pair you with an already-experienced professional speaker to work one-on-one with you for a year. For information on a local NSA chapter in your area, visit http://www.nsaspeaker.org/search/chapter_directory.xpl.

4. Get a mastermind group.
It is incredible helpful to network with a group of people (even across the country) who are on the same journey you are. As you’re getting ramped up, you’ll want to exchange ideas with others who have the same aspirations. Having a mastermind group is like having a personal board of directors for your new company, to give you guidance and shorten your learning curve. An excellent resource is the Academy for Professional Speaking (www.academyforprofessionalspeaking.org), which is a community of experts who want to turn their passion and talent for public speaking into a successful career. The Academy accesses NSA’s vast universe of learning opportunities, friendship, participation and growth. Best of all, it offers you the support of other aspiring speakers and additional seminars and educational opportunities, its own newsletter, and a networking directory of other national members.

5. Get some platform time.
Let me dispel one myth of the professional speaking business. Some people may tell you to never speak for free, which I believe is absolutely ridiculous. When I first started speaking, I would talk to anyone, anytime, who would listen to me speak. I had a really nice collection of coffee mugs going from all the rotary groups I visited. There are many service clubs in your area that are in desperate need for a speaker each meeting. They can’t pay you, but the objectives in getting started in the business are to meet people and SPEAK. Alan Weiss says it beautifully in his book Money Talks (the bible of the industry), “You’re better off speaking for free in front of potential customers than you are not speaking at all in front of no one.” Pick up a copy of your local Business Journal and turn to the “Calendar” section. You will see a list of groups and contact names just waiting for you to speak. Most of these local meetings only require 30-60 minutes of your time, and you can arrange your work schedule accordingly. These programs will allow you to practice and hone your speech before you try to sell it.

6. Get some clients BEFORE you stop moonlighting.
I saw Guy Kawasaki (one of the masterminds behind Apple Computer) speak in LA a few years ago. He said one of the successes of Apple was that they allowed their potential customers to test drive their computers. In the speaking business, you are the product, and you should allow people to “test drive” you too. When they like you, they will eventually buy. When I first started out, I offered free “brown bag” luncheons to large corporate clients as a way to get my foot in the door. You don’t even have to quit your day job! Identify a company you’d like to work with, call the main number, ask for the person who handles employee training and development, call that person, introduce yourself, and ask, “Do you sometimes bring in outside training contractors to conduct onsite training seminars?” Be honest. Tell them you are “just starting out” in the business and are offering a complimentary one-hour brown bag seminar as a way to introduce yourself and your product. It’s a good idea to work up a little “one-sheet” on yourself first, so that you have a piece of promotional literature to send. Registering a business name and getting business cards printed up is a good idea while you “moon-light” in this fashion. After giving the presentation, I would ask for a testimonial letter in return to help you start your client list. Having these letters will be very helpful when you start asking for money. After they love you, they will want you back. Get enough of these…and bang…you have enough clientele to support you when you get started.

A little training, a little preparation, a little support…combined with your immense talent…and you, too, can be a professional speaker!

Susan’s Note:  Check out our online directory www.speakerservices.com for connecting with audiences and for training Speakers’ Bootcamp http://www.speakerservices.com/services/thegame.html

I posted the USA Today article on April 10 about Web Video Marketing Gold. Even though we have been offering one and three camera shoots for many years I see that people are finally getting it. So I been thinking about it alot and wondering how I could integrate more video into my services.

I have been following the recommendations of my colleagues who referred the Ultra Flip Video and I ventured off to purchase it at Best Buy along with a tripod. This sweet little videocam (you can hold in your hand) and is so much fun.

I have been practicing and learning. Here is my first attempt and mind you no make up. I plan to do some video blogging at the upcoming Speakers’ Summit and it will be the perfect place to do that plus I want to put more video on my website and on my Speaker Services channel on youtube.

I have also created an alliance with Michelle Price, a brilliant web 2.0 marketing strategist who will design a plan to build a channel for you on youtube plus get you out on blog tours as well as distribute your videos on the various sites so you will be all over the web. She has had amazing results with some of her clients. BTW: This is service is authors or professionals who have a service and wants to create a buzz.

If you have videos ready to go that is great and we can still work with you and design the perfect out reach for you.

If not we have The Authors’ SpeakEasy Workshop coming up in September where you will learn to speak in soundbites and create your 2 or 3 short videos plus you will get the entire distribution packet.

Contact me if this appeals to you- 310-822-4922.

Let’s get on the web video bandwagon!

by Donna Gunter

You may have heard the saying that “the gold is in your list” for your online business. I’ve found that to be the case, despite any number of social marketing techniques like blogging, MySpace, etc. It’s always extremely helpful to have a list of people to whom you can market.

How do you develop that list and keep adding people to it? You create a client-capturing device. A client-capturing device is a free giveaway that is of value to your target market and serves as a solution to a big problem that challenges your target market.

Once upon a time, the offer for a free ezine was sufficient to capture a visitor’s contact info. Alas, that is no longer the case, so you have to up the ante and provide even greater value to your visitor. Your client capturing device can take any of several formats — an ebook, a recording of a teleclass, a 6- part ecourse, a short downloadable video.

Here is a list of 8 qualities that your free giveaway must contain in order to capture the most clients:

1. Compelling title. Make sure the title of your client-capturing contains a solution to a major problem with which your target market struggles. My title strategy is to use a number and a solution, like 5 Secrets to…. or 7 Mistakes Made By…. When your visitor sees the title, you want him to think, “I’ve got to get that!”

2. Benefit to visitor. In addition to your compelling title, create 3-4 sentences to describe the content of your client-capturing device. Making an offer is not enough — you need to convince your visitor that you have the perfect solution to his problem and that he can get that solution very quickly by providing his name and email address to you.

3. Graphic enhancement. A picture is worth a thousand words, and people like to “see” what they’re getting. Have a cover or graphic image of your giveaway created that matches the look and feel of your website or blog.

4. Format. You want your client-capturing device to be as easy to use as possible. Therefore, if you’re giving away an ebook or special report, create a PDF file that anyone can download and open. If it’s an audio file, save it in mp3 format, which can be opened by any audio player. If you want to share videos, embed them into your site using a player that is compatible across both the PC and Mac platforms.

5. Relevant and useful content. Don’t hold back in your giveaway. Provide a complete solution to your visitor that can be implemented immediately. Limit the amount of upselling that you do in the content, and save the bulk of that for any followup autoresponders that the visitor receives.

6. More information. Create a page with all the pertinent info about your giveaway. Some visitors will request their copy of your giveaway immediately when they see the offer on your opt-in form, while others will require a bit more convincing.

7. Testimonials. What have previous users said about your download? Add to the excitement and the desire of getting your giveaway by listing how beneficial others have found your information.

8. Put a price on it. To accentuate the value of your giveaway, put a price on it. Make it reasonable for your target market and not completely outrageous. If it sounds too good to be true, most visitors will believe just that and leave your site without requesting your giveaway.

In whatever form it might take, your client capturing device needs to provide some solid information to help your target market solve a pressing problem and not simply be a piece of fluff that advertises your business. If your giveaway is all fluff and no substance, you will have lost this prospective customer for good.

Copyright (c) 2007 Donna Gunter

Donna Gunter is an Online Business Resource Queen™ and Online Business Coach. Donna helps independent service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. http://www.OnlineBizU.com . Ask Donna an Internet Marketing question at http://www.AskDonnaGunter.com

By Vickie K. Sullivan, Contributing Editor for Rain Today

You’ve hit a homerun with a recent speech. The audience was perfect, filled with high-level prospects who have the authority (and the budget) to hire you. Your talk was met with rave reviews and you got an outstanding recommendation letter from the host organization. But now, it’s 90 days later, and you didn’t get the business you expected. What happened?

As speaking moves beyond generating credibility and into lead generation, the next big question is: How can we convert a larger portion of the audience from observers to clients? This conversion happens with a consistent but subtle adjustment of perception.

Understand that the audience is not attending your program thinking of ways to hire you. Create that connection during the presentation by planting “seeds” that give them the idea to approach you. Experts who answer those below-the-surface questions create ingrained opinions that drive initial interest and inquiries.

Each attendee must be convinced of three things before they get the idea that you can help them. Below are the questions that must be answered before any attendee will approach you.

You Do What?

I was an agent for professional speakers for eleven years and talked to thousands of participants looking for more business. Their most common question: “I can hire this person?”

Somehow, the message that your services are available to them just doesn’t register.

Again, it’s a matter of focus. The attendee is there to network and learn something. They are not shopping for professional service firms. So you have to show the audience that you work with folks just like them.

The biggest mistake many thought-leaders make is they meet the challenge head-on with an approach that looks like a sales pitch. This is the kiss of death in many venues. Not only will the audience be offended, but they will also complain about you throughout the entire event.

You don’t want that kind of attention. The audience needs to learn that you are available without your selling them.

The best way to tell the audience you’re available without sounding like a walking sales pitch is to let other people do it for you. Most speakers are introduced by the program chair or president of the host organization. Write out your introduction and give it to them.

And don’t just say “consultant” or “coach.” After identifying what you specialize in, include how many people or organizations you have helped and in what way. If the clients are well-known, mention a few by name. Then, carry that idea forward by mentioning other clients in the context of your work. For example: “Of all the organizations we work on with (your area of expertise), one challenge comes up every time…”

How Does This Work For Me?

Once an attendee knows that your services are available, the next question is about application. Many audience members think to themselves, “This speaker is really making sense, but our situation is different. I just don’t see a fit.”

Translation: there’s no connection between the material and its application. When a participant sees you as the perfect solution to a specific challenge, they are transformed into allies. They are now on a personal mission to get you into their organization.

The biggest reason why many thought leaders get stumped here is that offer too much information and not enough stories and examples. It’s called “data dumping” and usually happens from a misguided desire to educate and/or from the arrogant belief that “all of my content is too important to cut.”

Many speakers also fear running out of material, so they overcompensate. Presenting too much information is like drinking from a fire hose. An overwhelmed audience is a paralyzed audience. They think, “Well, I will digest all this information, then I’ll contact the speaker to help us.” The result: the call never gets made and the attendee moves on to simpler solutions.

What’s the best approach? Don’t assume that the audience will apply your material. Do it for them. Use specific examples or instances and apply your message to them. Switch the focus from teaching your material, to applying it to their work environment.

Attendees will still learn, but they will also see the application. When using your clients (in their industry) as an example or story, be sure to make the client the star, not you.

Why Do We Need You?

The third question is the most subtle and most always fatal. I call it the, “We can implement this system without you” opinion.

Many companies send people to conferences for a recount of ideas/ strategies to teach the others. Audience members come to the program with an agenda: what can they take from this program for their report? If attendees think they can do your work on their own, then your content didn’t tell them anything new.

Consultants and other list makers are the biggest culprits here. Too many speakers give in-depth, step-by-step solutions, complete with all the pitfalls and best practices. Not only is this way too much information for the time allotted (see drinking from a fire hose above), but also you can’t give enough nuance to implement it effectively.

The audience thinks, “We now know the entire system. The speaker has given us all the steps. We can do this in-house.” Never mind that they can’t implement your ideas as well as you can. And if the effort fails, what do they blame? Your system.

Use interaction to prevent this disaster. If you’re a coach, do some “on the spot” coaching about process. For example, if you are a consultant use a process that will spur recommendations not only from you but also from the group.

Exercises that hone in on just one tool or process will be enough to shine a spotlight on your ability. Attendees who see your talent in action will never assume that they are as good as you are. They will know that having your help is well worth the investment.

To convert an observer to an interested prospect, your audience needs to know three things: your expertise is unique, you can help them and they can’t do it without you. Only then do the audience members start to think, “We need this person in our organization!”

Vickie K. Sullivan, President of Sullivan Speaker Services, Inc. is nationally recognized as the top market strategist for experts on the professional speaking circuit. Since 1987, she has worked with thousands of experts in a wide variety of industries to launch their big-fee speaking, professional service and book/product empires in highly lucrative markets. Visit Vickie’s Website: http://www.sullivanspeaker.com

One of the biggest mistakes speakers make is offering too much information in their programs. Somehow speakers seem to think that they have to give more then less so that their audience will get it! Check out the video below that TJ Walker did on Data Dump Before You Speak.

Another thing happens too-the presenters forget to involve the audience and when the audience is not involved what happens? They tune out.

Here are a few suggestions for organizing your presentation:

- In an hour talk have 3 to 4 points

- Support your points by telling stories that the audience can relate too

- Involve the audience by asking questions and don’t forget to repeat their answers so everyone can hear them

- Create a simple partner exercise that supports your point and don’t forget to ask a few folks what their experience was and don’t forget to repeat their answers

There is much to learn about organizing your presentations. And if that is not enough you also need to connect, have confidence and of course content. We call that the holy triad.

If you are interested in learning more about great presentations join us for the 3rd annual Speakers’ Summit in LA on May 2 and 3. I am offering an unheard of fee to attend $397 and bring 2 guests. Do you know anyone who might be interested? This is a once a year event. Please look closely at the program

Jack Barnard, my partner will be talking about the THE MAGIC OF SPEAKING IS INVISIBLE at the Summit. He says, “You can have all the outside stuff together, you can be fire-branded, media-trained, slickly structured; have well-designed, colorful one-sheets, possess a commanding voice, connect like peanut butter and jelly, and look like Dr. McDreamy…but if you’re not truly cozy surfing the present moment, results are compromised. It’s all about the present moment. That’s where the promise of speaking and presentation is brilliantly delivered.”

And that is only one of his talks. The other talk is quite racey and I am sure it will get your attention. Are you ready for this? FOUR-PLAY: THE FUN-DAMENTALS for an ORGASMIC PRESENTATION

My colleague T J Walker has a short video with great tips click here to listen Data Dump Before You Speak

He says, “If you want people to fall asleep while you speak, cover 38 facts and 27 bullet points. However, if that information is really important TJ has a solution.”

My colleague speaker and author friend Chellie Campbell www.chelliecampbell.com always says there is gold in the phone. As a matter of fact she painted her phone gold and wears only gold shoes. In her workshops she teaches the attendees to send out ships. That is all great but how do you leave a message that gets potential clients to call you back? Today’s post by Jill Konrath, Contributing Editor of Rain Today offers us 5 great strategies on leaving voice mail messages that get call backs. If you are mining for speaking gigs, media interviews or consulting work all the tips apply.

Sick and tired of prospective clients never calling you back? Then it’s time to take a good hard look at what you’re doing – or not doing – that’s creating these results for you.

Voicemail is a fact of life today. Whether you like it or not is irrelevant. And believe me, getting through to decision makers is only going to get worse. So if your livelihood depends on getting in to see these people, you better learn how to use it to your advantage.

First, let’s take a look at the basic formula most sellers use in their voicemail messages:

Hello, Mr/Ms __. This is __ calling.

I’m an account executive with __ company.

We do __.

Our service is leading edge, high quality and __.

I’d like to get together to learn more about how you do __.

And tell you about how our __ can help your business.

Please call me at __ to set up a time.

What’s wrong with it? It’s boring, boring, boring. No one in their right mind would ever waste one precious moment of their time to meet with a seller who said this.

Let me repeat myself. This approach does not work. I don’t care if that’s how you were trained. The world has changed. Even your own mother wouldn’t call you back today – and that’s pretty darn bad!

Most buyers from big companies are bombarded with more than 50 calls like this each and every day. Your message is “zapped” before the second sentence is out of your mouth.

How To Be Enticing

Being enticing is about saying or asking something in a manner that truly piques a prospective decision maker’s interest or curiosity.

You have to put on your thinking cap too. There’s no way around it. Enticing voicemails don’t just flow out of your mouth when its time to leave a message. In fact, not planning guarantees that you will sound trite and cheesy – exactly like the kind of salesperson everyone detests.

Here are five strategies you can use to increase your enticement quotient:

1. Reference Your Research

Do you know how few sellers actually invest time studying their clients before placing a call? Very few. You’ll immediately set yourself apart if you mention your research in your voicemail. You might say:

“In researching your firm prior to calling you today, I noticed that…”

“In reviewing your company’s website and marketing collateral, it became apparent to me that a critical issue you’re facing is…”

“In studying your organization’s strategic direction and comparing it to others in your market segment…”
If you’re not doing this pre-call research prior to contacting a big company, you’re making a huge mistake. Dig in. Do it. What you learn can help make your voicemail even more enticing.

2. State A Strong Value Proposition

Powerful value propositions focus on the business outcomes companies get from using your services. Framed in business terminology, they highlight specific measurable results. Examples of enticing value propositions include:

“In working with another firm like yours, we reduced space requirements by 10%, saving them over $500k on lease payments and capital equipment reductions of over $300,000.”

“After working with our firm, our average accounting client sees their prospect meeting-to-signed contract conversions increase by 35%, and their average dollar amount of services contracted increase by 13-18%.”
Prospective clients are enticed by strong value propositions because they address critical business issues and demonstrate significant value. To increase their effectiveness, mention that the results come from businesses like theirs – or even name-drop some prominent clients.
3. Share An Insightful Idea

Nothing is more tempting to future clients than an idea that can help them achieve their goals or solve their pressing problems. You have to do some pre-work to use this approach, but oooooh, it is seductive. When you leave a voicemail, don’t tell your prospects everything. Only tell them enough to get them drooling to learn more.

To be enticing with a thought-provoking idea, you combine it with some facts you’ve gathered from your research of their business and your value proposition. Examples might be:

“Over the past month, I’ve invested a great deal of time studying your website and what you’re trying to accomplish with it. Based on my analysis, I have some interesting ideas regarding how you could leverage it to create additional revenue opportunities.”

“I’ve been following your firm closely for the past six months, since its merger with Beta Industries. After hearing about your recent round of lay-offs, I have some ideas that I’d like to share with you regarding how you can reduce the risks of potential legal action.”

4. Dangle Important Information

Do you know something that your prospective clients don’t? If so, let them know you have this lucrative information. What tempts prospective buyers? They’re always interested in learning more about:

Their clients

Competitors

Industry trends

Visionary ideas

If you have access to this knowledge, use it. One of my clients recently used this strategy to land appointments with hard to reach decision makers. Essentially, here’s what they said:

“We recently conducted a study of how your clients’ needs are changing relative to decisions on group life insurance. I’d like to set up a time to review some of the key points with you. I know people in your firm will be very interested in what we’ve uncovered.”

5. Conclude With Confidence

Today’s buyers won’t waste time helping you learn about their business. Nor do they want to hear your service pitch. Enticing voicemail messages must end with strength to show that prospects will get immediate value if they meet with you. Several options that have proven to be effective include:

“We should talk. The savings I’m talking about can drop right to your bottom line. Give me a call at 651-429-1922 and we’ll set up a time to get together.”

“While I can’t promise you the exact same results, I can assure you that it will be worth your time. My number is 651-429-1922. Give me a call and we’ll set up a time to get together.”

“If you’d like to find out how (big, well-known company in related industry) have utilized similar ideas to gain significant market share, you can reach me at 651-429-1922. I look forward to getting together.”
Please notice how these closures demonstrate a quiet confidence and assuredness in the value of an appointment.

Leave Prospects Begging

Are you ready to be enticing? As you can see, it requires some serious thinking, a good understanding of your business case, and the panache to pull it off as a professional.

While the strategies discussed don’t ensure a callback, they will guarantee that you stand out from the crowd. Creating a series of these enticing messages enables you to penetrate your prospect’s natural defenses. When you do actually connect, getting an appointment should be the natural next step.

And, don’t be too surprised if you pick up the phone some day and it’s your prospect – begging to meet with you!

Jill Konrath is a Contributing Editor for RainToday.com and is a recognized expert in complex sales strategies and creating business value for B2B sales organizations. She is also founder of SellingtoBigCompanies – a web resource that helps professional services providers, consultants and salespeople win big contracts in the corporate market.

One of the strategies speakers use to widen their marketing reach is to speak to associations. Presenting to associations gives you a natural link to their member organizations.

Thw following interview is with speaker Elizabeth Jeffries excerpted from http://www.nsaspeaker.org article bank discussing how to make those connections and develop clients from association audiences.

Why should speakers target association audiences?

Elizabeth: Relationships with associations can be the entry into the organizations. Hopefully you are booking regularly with associations, have built relationships, created alliances and you are adding value. You can also co-sponsor programs for which you split the profits.

How would you narrow down which associations to target?

Elizabeth: If your market is healthcare, you might choose hospitals, nursing homes or home health and really concentrate on that one industry. For example, my husband and business partner Stephen Tweed, CSP, continues to niche in home health and has built a very good business in just that one industry. I don’t go there at all, because they don’t have the money for seminars and coaching like they do for strategic planning.

You might also want to consider the “who” of your audience. Who do you best relate to? It’s hard to move from the front line to the executive suite in the same organization. We can get positioned and branded before we know it.
How can speakers perform specialized research on one group or industry?

If you want to do research, consider your association audiences. Create a questionnaire and ask for their help in the program. Give them something for their time, such as a special bookmark. If you want to do research with executives or a certain professional group, do it with those you know. Today, people are swamped with surveys, questionnaires and information that infringe on their time. They will more likely to respond if they know you or your name.

Is there any other advice you can give us about working with associations?

Elizabeth: Mostly, remember this entire industry of speaking has changed so much. We are all reevaluating our materials, market, sales techniques, passion and uniqueness. Each industry has its own set of challenges with staffing and regulations. People want solutions! If you can show them how you can provide solutions, you’ll be ahead of the game. People need learning today that they can use tomorrow.

One more thought: if you aren’t in a mastermind group, you might consider forming one. It could benefit you to have three to four other speakers to bounce ideas off of, help you through transitions and generally support you in your business.

Elizabeth’s Top Ten:

1. When setting up work with associations, ask them for a list of attendees and the privilege of making your learning materials available to them. (Some speakers do this in exchange for “an association fee,” which is somewhat less than regular in-house fee).

2. Go through the list after the program and send e-mail notes to the ones you want to get involved with. I usually summarize key points from my program.

3. You can also send the group to your Web site with a password for follow-up handouts, “10 steps to…” or a multitude of take-aways.

4. Pepper your association program with comments about your in-house work, stories and examples to teach as well as to let people know you do in-house work.

5. Have something you can e-mail or send to people. Ask for business cards for those interested, send them the information and follow up.

6. You can also tell people in your audience that you offer in-house programs, and if they have a conference coming up or want more information, to give you a business card with a note on the back such as Send newsletter.

7. Have articles and tip sheets on a back table. Anything you provide should also have your name, credentials and contact information.

8. If you really want to niche, customize your materials with that industry’s language and examples.

9. Do your pre-work. Talk with and interview the association president and board members at their facilities. If you plan to do any research, you will want to talk to this level of folks. This is also a great way to find out about changes in the industry, regulations and staffing issues.

10. Use the Web! Research not just the association, but the organizations of the board members and leaders. Know who the big players are in that business and just call them.

Elizabeth Jeffries, RN, CSP, CPAE, works with organizations that want to put their mission into action and with leaders who want to multiply their performance. She is a keynote speaker, seminar leader, executive coach and the author of The Heart of Leadership: How to Inspire, Encourage and Motivate People to Follow You. www.tweedjeffries.com

Today’s post is all about how speaking can lead to more business by Jeff Wolf written for Rain Today. Before we get to the post I want to share some of our services with you. I think you will agree after reading the following article that it is helpful to have training.

Speaker Services, my business offers lots of training for developing presentations as well as a marketing venue through our online paid listing service to get your message out to the public. E-mail me at speakerservices@ca.rr.com and request the guidelines for getting listed. BTW: We have been in business since 1992.

Yesterday I posted several video testimonials from the Speakers’ Summit

When you have a moment please take a look at what our clients are saying about our training. The Summit is offered once a year in May.

The Speakers’ Bootcamp is another opportunity to work with us. This is offered 3 times a year and is a five day intensive. Next time will be March 26-30 and we only take 20 people. If you are interested in seeing how we coach our folks contact me and I can send you a short instructional mp4 video for viewing. Oh yes, I have a 60 minute audio Q & A on the Speakers’ Bootcamp page that you can download and listen to at your leisure.

The Speakers’ Community Membership Site is coming along and I will be telling you more about it in the very near future and offering you 30 days for free to check us out. You can read more about my intentions if you click on the ink above that says Speakers’ Community.

I want to remind you that being media savvy plays a big part of your speaking practice. That is way we always include media training in all of our trainings. The 3rd MediaSpeak Symposium is scheduled for October 11, 12 & 13. I encourage you to check it out and to attend. This event is for anyone who has a service, product or book who desires more exposure via the media. Reminder: Early registration fee by Sept 1 and save $150.

I welcome your comments please send them my way.

Okay Jeff Wolf take it away. Speaking Your Way To More Business
You are trying to build your book of business. With the competition getting nimbler and more aggressive, it hasn’t been easy. Clients are unfaithful, yet they’re demanding more of your time. You have tried to be a consultative business developer, working on building relationships. You’ve been trying to do as much as you can with limited time.

One way to improve your business development — for yourself, your firm, and your colleagues — is to get out there and give a talk to a roomful of people. Presenting your positions shows you as an expert, or, better, the expert, in your area of specialty. Speaking to a captive audience allows you to make your points and deliver your strongest messages. The crowd will hang on your every word. You are the authority everyone came to see and hear.

If you do it well, you’ll find this form of business development is incredibly successful. It attracts new clients. You become a people magnet. They’ll walk up to you, engage you in conversation, slip you their business cards and say, “Please call me.” Translation: “I like your message and think you are the type of professional with whom I want to do business.” The calls and emails will continue for several weeks as word of mouth spreads through the business community.

Sadly, most speaking opportunities end up wasted. All that worry about the presentation, the pressure of the prep work and, at last, the performance, result in an empty-handed return to the office.  But you can come back with a list of potential clients who are excited about working with you and your firm. As a professional speaker and presentation skills coach, I have seen many service providers speak in front of audiences over and over. Most have no clue how to give their audiences a motivating and memorable experience.

A Golden Opportunity Wasted

I recently gave a keynote address in Los Angeles and, prior to my talk; the association had a lawyer give the membership a legal update. His thirty-minute monologue of facts and figures, presented in a droning, monotone voice while leaning on the podium, was a disaster. I watched in disbelief as a golden opportunity to connect with the audience slipped away, second by second. Every two or three minutes, groups of people got up and walked out.

Flabbergasted, I watched an audience of over 500 people, previously excited to be there, shrink by about 50%. When the speaker finally finished, he garnered a smattering of half-hearted applause – mostly because he had finished. The emcee thanked him and asked, diplomatically, if we could all take a 10-minute break — so they could regroup everyone for the next presentation – mine.

This is one of many sad examples of service providers wasting not only their own valuable time, but also the audience’s valuable time while leaving a bad impression in the minds of 500 potential clients. When I talk with service providers who have just given a presentation, they usually think they have done a tremendous job. Yet, no one comes up afterward or they never receive any calls or emails from the members of the audience. They then tell me, “Speaking is a waste of time and it just doesn’t generate business.” My answer to these providers is very simple and straightforward: “If you give a great speech, business will follow.”

The Key To Success

If you are going to be a presenter, the expert, the font of wisdom, you must remember one central fact. It’s not about you. It’s about them, the audience, the listeners, and people who are investing their precious morning, afternoon, or evening to hear and see you.

They listen intently with one question in mind: what’s in it for me? They want to be engaged by your personality and passion for your subject matter. If you are passionate about your topic, your listeners will become excited about it, too. If you deliver your message with enthusiasm, voice variance, and convincing inflections, staying clear of the podium and employing dramatic body language, you will become a people magnet.

That podium puts a wall between you and the audience. Ditch it and connect with the people you want to win over. Don’t let the podium be a barrier – that just tells those folks you’re nervous and uncertain. Remember, you’re the expert. You know your material frontwards, backwards, and inside-out. Come out in the open and be open. Stand tall and confident. Connect. Smile and use a tone of voice that makes people feel good.

Here’s something to take to heart. A famous UCLA study on communication found that:

• 55% of communication is body language
• 38% is tone of voice
• 7% is the actual words

A Success Story

Last year, I spoke at an event attended by over 700 people from companies large and small. After my speech, I sat in on a couple of workshops. One was a presentation by an attorney to about 75 people. A podium stood at the front of the room, but she didn’t go near it. Instead, she walked from side to side and up and down a few rows. Why? To connect with her audience. She carried herself with poise and dignity, and was passionate about her subject. Everyone could see that she knew her stuff and was well-prepared.

She gave her talk with energy, passion, and style. When it was over, I counted 25 people who went up to her and handed her their cards, saying they were interested in speaking further with her. After the room emptied, and while she was packing up her things, I walked up to her and introduced myself. We talked about how her presentations were generating new business for her firm and the self-evident benefits for herself.

She said she had been doing approximately eight to ten presentations a year. Each year, her speaking had led to increased revenues. We shared a knowing laugh when I told her our consulting firm has seen the same results.

When I asked her what the key to her success was, she said, “Most lawyers think it is a waste of time to speak because they don’t want to make the effort to practice. Most of my colleagues have the attitude that it is always about them but, in the real world outside of law, it is all about the needs of the audience. That’s why I continue to speak and keep growing my practice at an unbelievable rate each year.”

I sent out an e mail this morning to my 4,000 plus e-mail list and mentioned that they might want to look at my blog. When I checked my stats on this blog I found to my amazement that 90 people checked me out in less then an hour.

Next week from the 9th thru the 12th I will be in San Diego for the National Speakers’ Association Convention. If you are there please stop by and say hello. Jack Barnard and I will be in booth 200 and we’ll be very happy to see you in person.

Yesterday I bought myself a new digital camera-a Cannon, PowerShot and I will be taking photos at the NSA Convention and send them to you along with updates on my blog.

As mentioned in my e-zine earlier here’s some information on how to speak on cruise ships.

Did you know that you can cruise all over the world for free? Yes, you can cruise free by simply speaking about information you already know. There is a simple eight step process by which you can get started on a lifetime of free cruises.

All you have to do is share information on your hobby, passion or interest, and it is easy to learn how you can do it..

Meet my recommended resource Daniel Hall. His book Speak on Cruise Ships will provide you with a step-by-step process to get your foot in the door on how to cruise free.

Attorney and author Daniel Hall has cruised for free using the simple method outlined in his book and he will show you exactly how to do it in his Speak on Cruise Ships: Eight Easy Steps to a Lifetime of Free Cruises by Sharing Your Passions and Interests as an Onboard Lecturer.

To learn more and order Daniel’s book Speak on Cruise Ships.

The 6 Fatal Mistakes That Will Prevent You From Cruising FREE As An Approved Onboard Speaker

By Daniel Hall © 2005

Being an approved cruise enrichment lecturer is the greatest gig on the seven seas. The deal is simple: you furnish the cruise lines three or four 1-hour lectures on subjects you love and you get a free cruise for yourself and a companion. The best part is the lectures are usually scheduled on sea days so you’ll have every port day totally free to explore. Further, you cruise as a passenger (not a crew member) so you’ll get every other passenger perk, too.

Although it is relatively easy for anyone willing to try there are some pitfalls to becoming an approved cruise lecturer.

Here are the things you should watch out for:

You don’t do your homework. Learn which cruise lines have enrichment lecturer programs and what topics they generally seek. The cruise lines will know if you aren’t asking intelligent questions. You’ll only be able to sound intelligent about their programs if you’ve done your homework. Being labeled as an amateur because you have not done the required up front work will be the kiss of death to your application.

You don’t pick “good fit” topics. The lecture topics you pick must succeed on two fronts. First, they must fit what the cruiselines seek. Second, you must be passionate and knowledgeable about them. This is easier than at first it may sound. From your homework you’ll learn what types of lecture programs the cruise lines like to have onboard. Once you have done that, find topics within your personal knowledge base that match what’s popular on the cruise lines. You may have to make a list but EVERYONE has at least two or three topic areas in which they have proficiency, if not expertise. However, if your topics are all wrong, you’ll fail before you start.

You don’t’ make a professional, cogent presentation to the cruise lines. You’ll need to sell yourself and your lectures to the cruise line. Take the time to do it right. Be prepared to talk about how the lecture(s) fit within the cruise line’s format. Why passengers will like the lectures and why you’re qualified to talk about it. Get to the point. If you botch this initial communication with the cruise line they won’t have much faith that you can communicate in front of an audience of their passengers. Consequently, you may not get the chance.

You send an unpersuasive “lecture packet.” If you have done a good job with the initial contact, the cruise line will want you to follow-up with more information about yourself and your lecture. Think about this information as a mini-press kit that may contain a video or audio of your lecture. Your lecture packet must continue-the-sale that you started with the initial contact. if it doesn’t you’re in trouble.

You’re not flexible. You are trying to get your foot in the door. It will pay to be as flexible as possible with the cruise line about when you can cruise. Remember, you are there to help the cruise line entertain/ educate its guests. If you limit the time you can cruise to a specific week of the year, you may never set sail. Show as much flexibility as your schedule will allow and you’ll dramatically increase yours odds of getting approved.

You don’t educate yourself in the process of getting approved. Learn all you can about how to be approved as a lecturer. Not only will it streamline and take the guesswork out of the process but also dramatically increase your odds of success.

I will be interviewing Daniel Hall on September 26. It is a complimentary teleclass.

Listen to the replay of the teleclass