How to Give a Talk to Market Your Business

First of all professional speaking is a business to business sale. I realized as a speaker bureau owner that there were many terrific speakers who did not have sales and marketing acumen and therefore they never got the bookings and higher fees they deserved. So you must use "attraction marketing." When you have an opportunity to speak to a group for free or for a fee, they are not buying your speech . . . they are buying your solution that will fix their problem. Be coach-like in your presentation and demonstrate what it would be like to work with you as their coach.

Think of yourself as an expert who is addressing the audience's challenge and is providing "how to's" to solve their problem. Here is what some of my clients speak on: direct mail marketing, security issues in the workplace, how to lobby the government for your special interest, ethics in the workplace, follow your dreams, financial planning, a doctor and lawyer who want to speak about what is wrong with our healthcare system and how we can change that.

 
Begin each talk by asking yourself 3 questions.

1. What action do I want my audience to take after my speech?

2. What do they need to know to do this (content)

3. What do they need to feel to do this (emotions)

Remember, you will get hired for your content and paid (or referrals) for your delivery!

So to persuade an audience, we must get in touch with their feelings, and reveal that our own feelings are in harmony with theirs. When we can do that emotionally, and truthfully, we will have won their trust . . . and will get repeat business and referrals to new clients.

There are 145,000 meetings held annually in US alone - about 7,000 day. Meetings are an 80 billion dollar industry. How much of that do you need to make you happy?

In addition to platform speaking, you can also be a guest teleclass speaker, conduct your own teleclasses, provide a radio interview, start your own virtual university ( I did in 1998 - Speakers University - thespeakersuniversity.net)

 
Here are some of the hot topics:

Knowledge Management
Filling Multiple Roles in the workplace
Creating Change skill sets
Ethics in the workplace
Time/task management
Stress Management
Increasing worker/employee productivity
Blending people and organizations
Teamwork
Creativity
Leading, managing and surviving change
Diversity
Strategic Planning
Humor (as a stress handling technique)
Negotiations techniques
Handling difficult people
Conflict resolution
Communication Skills
Motivation
How to achieve Balance in your life
Health and Wellness (to do's)
Programs specific to women's issues and family issues.