How focused is your outbound marketing?

Many of my clients are moving into the FIRE mode because they have already completed READY and AIM.

Here are some tips on FIRING.

FOCUS IS KEY Your goal is to choose anywhere from 1 to 3 industries on which to focus your outbound efforts. You might ultimately decide that you can only market to one industry effectively, that would be fine. This focus will allow you to monitor your results and make strategic adjustments.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE WHO TO TARGET? Go back through your speaking clients and see who you’ve loved working with and which audiences loved you. eg., you spoke to a large group of realtors and you were a huge hit. You might make real estate one of your target markets.

I HAVE MY TARGET MARKETS, THEN WHAT? The next step is to infiltrate. Become known to this group as an expert. How? I find that writing is one of the most effective ways. Develop articles and place them in all of your target industry publications.

Note: there is a big difference between being an advertiser and an industry expert. Go for the article, rather than the paid ad and you will be positioning more effectively. A good way to find the people in your target market is through their associations, here’s a good search tool. http://www.asaecenter.org/Community/Directories/ AssociationSearch.cfm

You can flood the market with your expertise in many different ways:

1. use social media to build your fan base within the industry
2. run industry specific teleclasses, webinars or podcasts
3. do a postcard campaign (snail mail is bound to make a comeback!)
4. pull people in to your fan base with a strong carrot. For more on this check out this blog post http://www.speakerlauncher.com/blog/?s=carrot

By using a focused and consistent outbound marketing approach, you will see results that lead to bookings.

If you’d like to share something that has worked for you? Post your comment here below.

See you soon Wealthy Speakers!

PS: Want to hang out with me on Social Media?

Here are my links: Twitter: http://twitter.com/janeatkinson

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Jane.Speaker.Launcher

LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/speakerlauncher

Photographer: graur razvan ionut, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A powerful performance is your #1 form of marketing. 

Capturing that on video will allow your clients to see your talent and the value of the content that you provide.

We had 59 entries for this contest!  It takes a certain amount of bravery just to post your video, so kudos to all the entrants!

To review the contest entries and criteria again, click here.  http://ow.ly/36ds6

THE WINNER OF THE BEST SPEAKER VIDEO CONTEST IS:

JOHN YOUNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfbDgKHFfs0

What the judges appreciated about John’s video:  great energy, solid content, unique, relevant, high production quality, positions as an expert.

Congratulations John!

RUNNERS UP ARE:

Simon Bailey (commands the stage brilliantly)
http://www.youtube.com/brilliance777#p/a/u/0/veREsqHhUHg

Bill Stainton (Fun, unique, great energy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdUdKjzX2NY

Steve Shapiro (pulls us in)
http://www.vimeo.com/15265556

Michelle Ray (energy, audience engagement)
http://www.michelleray.com/demo.html

Kris Belcher (great funny stories, she’s real)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7UqrBYt4QY

Congratulations Runner’s Up!

And special thanks goes out to the panel, Joe Calloway and Robin Creasman, for their wisdom and expertise!

And, if you wonder why your video wasn’t selected, this post called “Video: You Might Lose Me If” might help. http://ow.ly/36WMI

In John Maxwell’s new book “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect”, John says…..

“Whether you are communicating one-on-one or with a large audience, asking questions creates a connection between you and your listeners that is vital to releasing energy and raising their interest levels. Because my audiences are often so varied, when I begin speaking…. I pose a question related to the topic I’ll be speaking on. I’m simply trying to get people to engage right away.”

How do you engage your audience?

Are you connecting with them in the first 30 seconds?

One of THE most difficult things for a speaker to accomplish is the “audience flip”. Making it about them (the audience) rather than about yourself.

Art Berg, a speaker who died way before his time, told me that he saw his career change when he caught onto this. It wasn’t easy to make his story “about them” as he was a parapalegic who had suffered a horrible accident. But he did it. Art’s theme was “while the difficult takes time, the impossible just takes a little longer”. Once he turned his speech around and made it about them he saw a major surge in his career.

CONTEST:

During your presentations, how do you connect with your audience?

I’d like to see your ideas posted below by July 1st.  The top 5 ideas will win a copy of John Maxwell’s new book “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect”. (Be sure to leave your e-mail address with your comments so I can connect with the winners).

PS: Someone who is famous for connecting with their audience is Joe Calloway. Joe and I produced “Diary of a Killer Keynote” DVD which includes one of Joe’s most talked about NSA speeches. Right now, we’re offering them at a special sell off price (save $30). Check it out. http://speakerlauncher.com/tools.html

Sometimes I hear people who book speakers talking about how speakers approach them. The speakers ask “do you have a couple of minutes?” and then proceed to keep them on the line for a half hour telling them how great and unique they are.

So what’s the problem here?

Bureaus, meeting planners and decision makers have likely heard it this before. You can tell them how great you are, but chances are very, very good that they are not going to take your word for it. You are going to sound like every other speaker who has gobbled up their time.

And, there are MORE new speakers breaking into the market than ever before. So that means people have much less patience for the Gabby McGabberson’s of the world.

So how do you break through and get noticed?

The #1 way to get discovered by a bureau or a decision maker is to be great on the platform and have clients tell them about you.

And when you find yourself starting in to your “I’m the best thing since sliced bread” spiel. Stop! Ask yourself the question “what’s the one thing I want to learn from this phone call?” Perhaps you ask whether or not they ever book your topic. If they say “tell me more” then you have an opening. If not, respect their time and hop off the call when you get your answer.

The ideal situation?

A client or bureau has heard about you from several different sources before you ever pick up the phone to call them. Around the 3rd time, they are going to think “I keep hearing about this speaker, maybe I need to check them out”.

When they are seeking you out, that’s when you are in the perfect position.

See you soon Wealthy Speakers!

PS: Want to know more about working with bureaus? Check out Chapter 6 in The Wealthy Speaker. Here’s the link if you don’t have your copy yet. http://speakerlauncher.com/tools.html

How many times have you gone onto a speaker’s website and read the words: SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER.

Yaaaaaaawn!

We need more enticing copy when asking people for their e-mail address.

With today’s spam, our “@” has become our most preciously guarded possession.

And some would say, there’s no reason to even have a website if you are not capturing names and addresses for follow up and “fan” development.

Chances are people may not purchase from you (or book you) on the first visit. So you have to keep in touch and continually show them WHY YOU ARE THE EXPERT OR THE BEST IN YOUR FIELD.

So where does the carrot come in?

In order to get people to give up their e-mail, you have to offer them something that they think they can’t live without. You have to dangle a great carrot.

For example, on my Wealthy Speaker System site, I offer a special report called “The Top 3 Mistakes Speakers Make and how to Avoid Them”. http://thewealthyspeaker.com/

As a speaker, wouldn’t you want to know what those mistakes are? Most people do, so they sign up.

So what do you have that people cannot live without? A special report? A white paper? An MP3? An eBook?

If you’ve had success using this method, I hope you’ll comment below to share what has worked (or what hasn’t) for you.

Get those carrots in place and I’ll….

See you soon Wealthy Speakers!

Last week I tweeted this idea and it sparked a mild debate about which was more important – content or presentation style.

So let me preface this post by saying you MUST be good on stage.

Marcus Buckingham is a great example. He knew right out of the shoot how to be engaging and funny on top of great content. Because of that (a few bestsellers and being a hotty didn’t hurt) he rocketed up the fee ladder very quickly.

Like our marketing, our content also needs to be packaged in a clear, digestible format.

I don’t want to leave your session feeling overwhelmed or needing a nap. But I should be able to tell someone (in 20 seconds or less) what I learned.

Content is going to be what rockets you up the fee ladder as well. Here are some things to rate your content on:

1. Relevance

How relevant is your content to your audience? Can they use it? Apply it? Will it inspire?

2. Timely/up-to-date

Have I seen your content before? How long ago? How can you sharpen it or spin it?

3. Unique/creative approach How much time have you spent molding your content into something unique? Something that your audience has never seen before and reflects your personal style.

4. Demand

Is there high demand for your content? Who is going to pay to hear your message?

This post is meant to give you a kick in the butt to examine your content. Maybe you are in great shape, maybe you need work?

Feel free to share your ideas below with a comment.

See you soon Wealthy Speakers!

PS: Did you know that there is nearly 3 hours of powerful content in LIVE version of the Wealthy Speaker Seminar? It’s available now to download directly to your iPhone or computer. It comes with visuals and at just $47 (no shipping required) it’s a tremendous resource! http://speakerlauncher.com/tools.html

I’ve been hearing some good news stories lately so I know that there is business out there!  This tip is designed to help you get out and get your share of the pie!

Here are some ideas to consider when planning your 12 month sales and marketing initiatives (because I know you HAVE a plan, right?)

1.  What expertise do you have that can help people through a difficult time?

Not all companies are in trouble right now, but the fall-out of this economy is wide reaching.  So how can you help?  How can you ease the pain? Bring those ideas forward in your marketing and that will help position you for success.

2.  Is your promise clear?  Does it need to be sharpened or redirected to support this economy? (If you’re not sure about your promise, re-read Chapter 4 in The Wealthy Speaker to get some ideas).

http://www.speakerlauncher.com/tools

3.  What is your outbound marketing strategy?  Do you have it written down?

I typically recommend that people have a 12 month calendar that will allow them to plan and track how they will communicate with their prospects. It might consist of several different marketing mediums:  e-mail, social media, blogging, article writing, direct mail, phone calls.  You’ll want to ’touch’ prospects enough so that when they need your expertise, you are top of mind. (But not so much that they call you a stalker).

In any economy being top of mind when the time comes for them to book a speaker, is going to
be key.  People who used to book 12 months out, might now wait until 3 weeks out.

4.  What is your social media strategy?

The social media phenom requires us to embrace all of the new possibilities with a solid strategy. It can be overwhelming.  When new sites are being added all the time (ie: Digg.com, Stumbleupon.com, Sphinn.com, Reddit.com) your strategy needs to flex and change.  I think the key is to find the networks of people that are going to buy from you. Where do your customers hang out?  What are they reading?

This article might help you sort out some of these new sites. http://www.elance.com/p/node/5283

5.  What is your daily outbound strategy?

I’ll repeat something I wrote in my last tip…when you walk into your office every day do you ask yourself ‘what am I going to do to move my business forward today?’  If you’re not making phone calls or reaching out to people on a daily basis, you’re not going to move forward.

A good database software (like Act) will help you keep track of when you speak to people and what was said.  It will also allow you to form fields that you can search by. Your ‘to do’ list for the day would be generated for you based on who you tagged for follow up. Check out page 131 of The Wealthy Speaker for more on database development.

I hope this helps you develop your ‘book more business’ strategy!

2009 is shaping up to be a year that could be challenging for some and prosperous for others.

With the news networks spouting economic doom every day, there’s no question that decision makers may choose to old on more tightly to their money. That doesn’t mean they won’t ever spend. Perhaps it means smaller budgets and tighter timelines.  And as always during tough times, return on investment will be top of mind.

Your determination to make your business thrive in 2009 means doing all the right things. Do you have the right stuff?

Let’s rate your determination factor.  Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the following:

1.  Do you have an unwavering level of commitment to your subject matter and expertise?

If you consider switching lanes after every client phone call because they needed something different than you offer, then you’ll answer ‘no’ to this question.  If you try to be the solution for every client, your determination factor will suffer.

2.  Are you 100% confident about your level of platform talent?

If you have some down time, you might consider using it to ‘sharpen the saw’ and/or develop new material.  The best way to combat a struggling economy is to be great on the platform. I know many speakers who are NOT seeing their
calendars change despite a rough economy.

Why?

Cause they’re good!

3.  During client conversations, are you able to close the deal most of the time?

If not, then you may not be clear on the value you bring to the table and it’s coming across to the client.  A great way to determine your value is to check back with past clients.  Ask them what changed as a result of working with you.  And have your benefits list in front of you while talking on the phone.

4.  When you get into your office each morning, do you ask yourself ‘what am I going to do to move my business forward today?’

If you find yourself reaching 2pm and you’re still wandering aimlessly through e-mails or surfing the web, then your daily determination is low. Getting and staying focused each day is the key to competing and winning business.

5.  Is your database or system working to help you get and follow up leads?

If you answer ‘yes’ to this then congratulations. Finding and following up leads is the key to building your calendar.  Sitting and waiting for the phone to ring doesn’t cut it in a tough economy.  You might as well go out and get a ‘real’ job if you are not taking determined action every day to make that phone ring.

6.  Is your website working to convert visitors into buyers?

Again, if you have spare time on your hands, now is the time to get your website – your first line of marketing offense – working.  Making sure that your website clearly defines the problem that you help to solve is key.  If you’re website says ‘hire me, I’m a speaker’ you need to go back to the drawing board with new determination!

7.  Are you driving people to your website? Part of your monthly ‘to do’ list should be writing articles, posting blogs, sending out marketing mailings, etc., in order to put people on your home page.  You might also learn the ropes of search engine optimization.  A determined person would never leave it to chance.

8.  If keynotes and training are down for you this year, have you developed other products that can help your bottom line?

If the answer is ‘no’ now may be the time to consider additional forms of revenue.  Making money while you sleep is one of the sweetest feelings in the world and you may be providing your content in ways that are more affordable for
your clients.

***************

This quiz was really designed to give you a kick in the butt.  But if you answered ‘no’ to more than 3 questions you’ve got work to do.

If you answered ‘no’ to more than 6, then you are going to have a difficult year.  You might consider seeking contract work, or working for a training organization until the storm has passed.

If you answered yes to the majority, then congratulations.  I believe your determination will see you through and you’ll look back on this year as one of growth and prosperity.

Have a prosperous and productive 2009!

ps:  Speaker Launcher has 2 things to help you this year:

If you need a step-by-step guide, check out the Wealthy Speaker products and new MP3 programs http://www.speakerlauncher.com/tools.html

If one-on-one coaching would help you get on track, click here for a special introductory offer:
http://www.speakerlauncher.com/coaching.html