Grow Your Public Speaking Business

37. 8 Ways to Improve Your Speaking Platform

8 Ways to Improve Your Speaking Platform

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To open doors to more speaking engagements, build a stronger speaking platform.  The more credibility and visibility you have, the more doors will open for you, leading to more and more opportunities, and a fully booked schedule every year.

There’s an easy way and a hard way to do everything, and for speakers the easy way is to set yourself up as the expert in your field: build a platform first, do marketing and show the world that you indeed can “walk-your-talk.”

Searching out speaking opportunities before setting yourself up as the expert in your field can cause a lot of frustration, and an empty pocketbook. Fixing the situation often means starting all the way back at the beginning, so you might as well start there.

How much effort you put into building your platform should match how serious you are about speaking.  I would recommend several hours a day, and if you are trying to build a full time speaking business, then I recommend working at it all day.

Here are 8 ways to get started strengthening your speaking platform.  They’re not in any particular order. Tackle these so you can go out and seek opportunities with more confidence and with a higher chance of getting booked.

1. Build a simple website. It doesn’t have to be perfect to start, you can tweak as you go. Don’t spend thousands of dollars either. Hire someone to build a simple yet elegant site that is in your budget. You only need a few important pages and ingredients on your website to set yourself up. See my post on the Speakers Website here (http://bit.ly/2aOfzKd) It’s important capture your visitor’s name and email by offering them something free and valuable. Your mailing list is one of your greatest assets.

2. Niche yourself. Become known for “something.” Focus in tight on your market, and find that specialized group that you can connect with. The more specialized you are the more opportunities you will have. This tip can be tough especially when just starting because you feel you need to have many areas. Pick one.Be happy and confident with it and go for it. Give yourself a tag line. Queen of Landing Pages. The Swinging Salesmen expert. Use your imagination and coin yourself. You can also go with simplicity if it makes you feel better. Large Organization Leadership expert. Millennial Mindset expert. Just tag yourself as something that fits your specialty.

3. Blog it! Blogs need to be updated frequently: you should be writing blog posts and adding them to your website, sharing with your list, minimum once a week. Put your talent and knowledge out there and post articles that are helpful to your audience. Try top 5, 7, or 10 posts — such as this one — or a “how to” post. Once you have put your thoughts to paper, edit it. If you need help editing let me know I have a great referral.

4. Know your audience. You build credibility and connection when you are in sync with exactly what your audience needs and wants. If you’re not in tune with them, it will be a long time struggle and you won’t get booked on a regular basis or asked to return. So, do your homework.

5. Create a killer onesheet. A onesheet is your #1 marketing tool along with your demo video. When trying to book speakers, I get asked for a speaker’s Onesheet and it’s embarrassing to say “They don’t have one.” It’s not the response I like giving. If you don’t have one, get it done here (www.CharliJane.com)  It should be on your website as a downloadable PDF and make sure you share a link to it on your social media pages. 

6. Write a book, ebook, or create some information products. Create an online program, workshops or mastermind groups. To stay in sync with the title you have given yourself, create a “signature program” and create books, workshops, online classes and course around this signature program.

7. Speak for free if you are a beginner. Being brand new, I recommend speaking for free, if its feasible and not going to break you. If you are just starting, speak for free in your local area to build your client list, testimonials, videos, audios, transcripts, and experience. Doing this gives you more credibility and exposure. There are many advantages to doing this. This is how platforms start.

8. Set up your social media platforms to be branded. Your social pages should match your website and your message. Use the same images and messages so that your fans and buyers see consistency and can trust that you’ll be consistent on the stage as well. Build trust and people will remember you. Work the social media circuit, get in front of your audience. Write posts, share, like, follow. Be interactive and very helpful. Do not constantly be selling. Share and send people to your free giveaway. It’s about relationship building.

These tips are only a handful of ways that you can strengthen your speaking platform.  With a stronger platform you’ll get more speaking engagements, and the more engagements you get the more testimonials, the more videos, the more fans you’ll have.  That’s how people will seek you out and make it easier for you to get booked for speaking engagements.

36. Using LinkedIn as a Speaking Lead Magnet

Using LinkedIn as a speaking lead magnet. Note: Do Not sell on LinkedIn. It’s considered spammy, people will unfollow you and you could take a chance at ruining the credibility you worked so hard to build.  A great way to avoid “selling” is to ask and answer questions.

I’m often asked how I find speaking jobs. It’s a combined effort of research, building relationships, networking, marketing and building my speaking platform.

The stronger your platform, the more doors of opportunity will open. There is not just “one magic thing” to find leads or bookings. It’s a combined effort of many things and doing those many things regularly — even daily. Speaking is a business and should be treated as such.

LinkedIn is part of my strategy. I consider it part of my networking, building relationships and marketing all together inside a professional platform. LinkedIn offers enormous opportunities to connect with the people who have the power to hire you as a speaker. LinkedIn gives you un-gated access to your target market.

Here’s a simple strategy to using LinkedIn as a speaking lead magnet and to help expand your reach:

• Make sure your profile is complete and has a very clear message showing exactly what you do, including your speaking topic specialties.
• Seek out groups (Interests -> Groups in the menu) in alignment with your message. In that group you will find associations and organizations you can join.  Be helpful, like their posts, share resources and just be present and participate without expecting anything in return. People will notice when you are helpful and visit your profile.
• List companies you would like to work with, and associations or organizations that you would love to speak at. It’s a wishlist, so make the list long — if it’s not long, do your homework to find organizations in alignment with your message and get creative.
• Find the organizations on LinkedIn and follow them. (For a company, there’s a prominent yellow Follow button on a computer and a blue button on an iOS.)
• Each business lists employees who work for the organization, so you can sift through the employees that work for this association or organization. Look for persons most likely to hire you or direct you to the decision makers.
  1. To connect with individuals who work at an organization, find the section that tells you how you are connected by, 1st, 2nd or 3rd
  2. If you have a 2nd degree connection, make sure that you touch base with your mutual 1st degree connections and re-introduce yourself if you’re only acquaintances (nothing is worse than name-dropping someone who doesn’t remember you), and if you have a good relationship with the mutual connection, ask for a direct introduction.
  3. To connect to 2nd-level connections, briefly explain why you want to connect (hint: something about your mission that you share with them) and who you know in common (if anyone). The key here is to eventually connect with people in the company that have the power to hire you as a speaker.
  4. Be patient. This is about building relationships, and that doesn’t happen overnight.  Remember this isn’t about selling; it’s about serving.

Note: These same steps can be used to get you in front of the media, too.  Instead of companies and organizations, figure out an escalating chain of media appointments, starting smaller and local to get warmed up, then working your way up to larger venues.

This is an easy habit to get into, just spend a few minutes a day responding to posts and asking for connections. I recommend you doing it yourself because you will know what to look for. However, if your time is limited you can outsource research to an assistant — they can make a nice spreadsheet of some potential buyers, but you spend the time asking for the connections.

Be Original

Do NOT use the default connection message that is already written for you.  Make up something zippy, unique and personalized to the contact – but whatever you do don’t be lazy.  You never want to be perceived as lazy.

Be Brief

Be brief, be professional, polite and personalize it with their first name (double check the spelling!) and if you have room, mention something you have in common, that you are grateful for or inspired by from their profile.  Tie it back in to why you’d like to be connected.

Reach Out

Once you’ve built a good connection and established your trustworthiness, transition to an offline conversation. Pick up the phone and chat and get their email address to continue your conversation.

There are many ways of finding a person on LI who can hire you, but you have to take the time, make the effort and commit to doing it. Not just one day but several times a week, on a regular basis. If you commit, LinkedIn can become a speaking lead magnet for you.

 If you enjoyed this post, you’ll love our free guide on “21 Ways to Increase Your Paid Speaking Gigs!” at www.CharliJane.com

35. The Speakers’ Mailing List

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The Speakers’ Mailing List

Have you dragged your feet getting an opt-in to grow your mailing list?

 

If you already have a list, this is a great opportunity to revisit it and see if you can spice it up, or add a new giveaway to entice people to your list!

 

Your mailing list is one of your most important assets, especially when nurtured properly.

 

I’ve heard speakers say they don’t need one because they just want to use their website as an online brochure. They’re leaving money and opportunities on the table!

 

We invest money and time in our websites. When there’s no action to be taken, or a way to follow up with visitors who are interested in you and your voice, it’s working against you in many ways.

 

When a planner, prospective clients or your fans come to your site it’s important to stay connected. Sometimes people aren’t ready to buy, but they are ready to hear what you have to say, stay connected and learn more.  If you have no means to help them do this, you are losing all your web visitors and possible clients that could have been yours in the near future. It’s like using a thimble to catch a waterfall of pennies — and not catching even one.

 

It’s surprising how many public speakers do not have an opt in on their website. After a great speaking event, with hundreds of people attending, a great response and had a good connection with the audience —what do you think happens next? A good portion of the audience is going to your website even as they sit in their seats to see how they can stay connected with you. When they can’t find your opt in box, giveaway, a place to leave their name and email — how will you will stay in touch with them?

 

It should be easy to see how this is money left on the table: the audience could be potential buyers of a book, a product or service — or even a person who has the power to hire you for another speaking gig. Don’t lose that opportunity because you don’t have a way to collect names and emails!

 

When you add an opt in box to your website, make your giveaway so enticing they can’t help but sign up for it!  Make it urgent and a great value. It has to be worth giving up their email address.  Once they are a follower, nurture them on a regular basis by sharing helpful tips, tools and resources. If you sell all the time they will leave your mailing list.

 

So how do you take your first step?

 

1.     You need an email service that allows you to place an opt in box on your website.  Set up a list, create the form and put it in the sidebar or header of your website.  You might even start collecting emails immediately.  MailChimp.com is one good service that allows you to use their mailing list service for free until you have a good list size.

2.     Next, create an offer: a giveaway that speaks specifically to your audience.

3.     You need to look into how to create an “autoresponder” or a welcome message for your list.  Attach a link to your downloadable to the first email that your prospect gets after signing up to the email list.  You might upload the file to your Media or website assets, or use your Public folder in your Dropbox account and use a link to your file in the welcome message.

4.     Then go back to your website and make sure that you mention the offer prominently, near where the sign-up form is.

 

If you have any questions on setting this up contact me: info (at) CharliJane.com

 

When you have a lively mailing list, an engaged audience, and people who hang on your every word — more opportunities will open up to you.  Guaranteed!

34. 3 Email Disasters Speakers Should Avoid

3 Email Disasters Speakers Should Avoid 

Professional speakers send emails quite frequently, so email etiquette is important.  It can really be the difference between developing goodwill and a loyal following versus un-subscribers.

 

Working with Speakers and Meeting Planners every day, I see these mistakes frequently. It may seem nitpicky, and sometimes they go unnoticed by the sender, but recipients take notice. Even I am guilty of email mishaps and need to slow down and double check before hitting the “send” button. Watch for these little things that can make a HUGE difference:

 

1.     Don’t send attachments unless asked. They won’t get opened. Rather put them on a page on your website or link to a shared Dropbox file. There’s just too much spam and viruses and people will hesitate to open attachments unless they are very familiar with you. Unexpected emails with an attachment are likely to go straight to the delete box.

 

2.     Spell the recipient’s name correctly. Take notice of name spellings before you push the send button! People can be very sensitive and it really can show the recipient that you care. A meeting planner could take offense and if you’re pitching yourself, sending a proposal or inquiring about an event, it won’t look good and shows a lack of attentiveness. Be on your toes, always get the correct spelling and double check your emails before sending. The extra few minutes you take to do this can be the difference between landing a gig or getting reflexively deleted.

 

3.     Don’t use CAPS and Colors. This can irritate the recipient. Use a consistent font and size and a black font. When you use CAPS, it appears as if you are hollering at the reader, and if you use red, especially bold it’s not only hard to read, it also appears that you are raising your voice. Mix-and-match colors, changing out font sizes to express a word or feelings — they may both irritate and reflect poorly on you. Please keep it consistent to build the trust you need to start a relationship and keep email from going to the trash unread.

 

Details are important. Attention-to-detail can get you the gig. Rushing, not doing your homework, failing to double-check your work can lead to the delete box and end what could have been a big opportunity for you.

 

Slow down. Be sure you keep your emails professional.

Please visit us online at www.CharliJane.com

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33. Optimizing the Length of your Speaker Videos

In this podcast I talk about optimizing the length of your sample videos.

To learn more about Charli Jane Speakers and what we do visit us here: http://www.CharliJane.com 

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While you're there be sure and grab out free guide:  "21 Ways to Increase Your Paid Speaking Gigs" 

When I see video on a speaker’s website, I know they are serious about speaking. They probably get booked more often than speakers without any videos.

 

Planners expect to see at least one video on your website, and if you are a serious speaker and want to grow your speaking business you need a video.  But I also get asked, “How long should my video be?”

 

While opinions may vary, I feel anything over 5 minutes is too much for a portfolio or sample video, because planners are in a hurry. They may be going through as many as 20-50 speaker websites looking fora great fit for their event.  You need to highlight your best topics, your best interactions with the audience, and your optimal dazzling presence.

 

If you’ve captured the event planner’s attention then they will review your onesheet, look at testimonials, etc. With so much work on their plate, they may just click away from 10-20 minute videos.  They won’t wait around for you to get to the point or warm up the audience.

 

I’ve been creating and editing videos for well over a decade, and the best advice I have is to keep it short. People have very short attention spans and planners know what they’re looking for.  They’re moving at lightning speed to find the right match.

 

Pull out your most dynamic pieces that will catch the planner’s eye.  Not a shot where you looked really good onstage because your hair was just perfect, or when you smiled so cute, or told a joke you thought was funny, but rather really think on what a ‘planner’ wants to see: you really rockin’ the stage, asking questions, the audience clapping,you being real, you interacting with the audience… that’s what they want to see. Short, punchy clips, that move at a very nice pace.

 

A 30-minute video will never get watched and will quickly bore them. They are out of time. Think of when you received a thick brochure, looked at the cover and title, and threw it in the recycling because it wasn’t even worth the time to go through it to see if there was anything you wanted from it.  Clicking away without saving your link or downloading your onesheet is the ultimate in recycling your speaking materials.

 

I want to save you time and get you hired.  Your long videos need to be clipped down to short dynamic montages with many elements in place to make it an eye-catching, sales video for you. Make them hire you on first view!

 

It is said that you have under 10 seconds to catch someone’s eye when they land on your website.  A 10-minute video isn’t going to grab anyone’s attention in 10 seconds.  And it may take more than 10 seconds to start because of a higher file size.  If you grab their attention in the first 10seconds, hopefully you can keep the planner’s attention for the 3- 5 minutes it takes to give them a good idea of what you offer.  If you draw them in, they may poke around,watch another video, download your onesheet, look at your client list or read testimonials.  And you might get the call for the event.

 

Always keep it short and sweet.  The best-worse-case-scenario is that you leave them hungry for more.  Respect people’s time, especially planners,and you can get booked.

Remember to stop by Charli Jane Speakers www.CharliJane.com 

If you enjoyed the podcast and have just a minute we would love a review on iTunes! Thank you and we greatly appreciate it :)

32. Proactive Speakers Get Booked

You worked hard to get your website looking good, you’ve created a social media presence, and even have some marketing material. That’s awesome, and the start to building a strong platform — but none of this does any good if you’re the only one who sees them. 

Visit us online at www.CharliJane.com and www.Facebook.com/CharliJaneSpeakers 

If you enjoyed the podcast and have just a minute we would love a review on iTunes! Thank you and we greatly appreciate it :)

31: Where Are Your Social Media Links?

Where are your social media links? 

Visit us online at www.CharliJane.com 

If you enjoyed the podcast and have just a minute we would love a review on iTunes! Thank you and we greatly appreciate it :)

30: Searching Out Speaking Gigs: Phone Calls & Voicemail

Searching out speaking gigs: Phone calls & voicemail.You all should be making calls and doing it on a regular basis, either you’re doing it yourself or a trained assistant can do it, in my opinion you are always the best one for this job.  The only reason you wouldn’t be making any phone calls would be .... 

Visit us online at www.CharliJane.com 

If you enjoyed the podcast and have just a minute we would love a review on iTunes! Thank you and we greatly appreciate it :)

29: Top 10 Ways a Speaker can Use QR Codes

Top 10 Ways a Speaker can Use QR Codes. There are many creative and effective ways to use a QR code for your business. Whichever you choose be sure and have a goal in mind.  When people scan the code you can send them wherever you like. Perhaps an opt-in page, website, social network, a book review, your demo video, a discount, a contest page or thank you page. Visit us at http://www.CharliJane.com 

28: Human Connections in a Noisy Twittersphere

Human Connections in a Noisy Twittersphere.  Visit us at www.CharliJane.com