Grow Your Public Speaking Business

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.

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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.

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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 

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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 

27: Get Booked to Speak with Video Marketing

Get Booked to Speak with Video Marketing.  Visit us at www.CharliJane.com 

26: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.Visit us at www.CharliJane.com