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Archive for the ‘Speaking Engagements’ Category

There’s a mindset that’s essential if you hope to grow your list. It requires asking, no matter what the business activity … “How can I use this to grow my list?”

This one simple shift in mindset can be the key to your company’s success.

Building Your List Requires Variety. Think of your list as a fire you’re building. It takes lots of sticks to keep a fire burning. When it comes to building your list, those “sticks” are the strategies you put in place to attract and sustain business.

Just as one stick won’t keep a fire burning, there isn’t one single activity that will build a great list.  A common mistake is to attract the first few hundred names, and then expect your list to grow organically from there. The fire usually goes out from lack of new fuel.  A strong list requires many different kinds of activities and approaches – all directed at adding names to your prospect list.

Some of your “sticks” will be things you do that don’t take a big investment of time. You put the plan in place and your list starts building automatically.  Other strategies you use will require more time on your part.  Remember, there’s a rule in business …   Activities that don’t take much time will cost more money.  On the other hand, things that don’t cost much, take more time. You can decide where you are ready to invest when growing your list.

Fortunately, as you implement a variety of list building activities, they become cumulative. You won’t have to go back and start from scratch each time.  Once you’ve got your strategies in place – you’ll find your list will grow rapidly.

“How Can I Use This to Grow My List?”

Ask yourself this every time you engage in a business activity. Whether you’ve agreed to give a talk or you’re creating a free report – it should always be done with the goal of adding to your list.

Asking that question guides how those activities are done. For example, if you’re giving a talk to a group, be thinking of your free offer to make at the end. A free offer is one way to secure more names for your list. But don’t stop there.

Adopt the mindset of seeing everything you do as a list building opportunity:

• giving interviews
• meeting with groups
• holding free “taster events”
• network meetings
• special offers and promotions

When you see each activity as a list building opportunity, you’ll begin to see the power of cumulative list building efforts. Start by putting the automated strategies in place.  Then keep in mind how each new strategy can build your list, as well.

A solid prospect list is something every business owner should be working to build. As you make decisions about how to spend money and time, look at each new activity as a way to add to your list. By doing so, you’ll soon experience the power having a great customer list can bring to your business.

Bernadette Doyle is a small business marketing expert. Get more tips and advice at http://www.clientmagnets.com

When I first started my business, I would schedule speaking engagements with any group that would listen.  I would have spoken to the local garden club if they would have had me.  Why?  Because giving an informational talk helps you make personal connections, raises your profile and gives you an opportunity to make sales to a group whose defenses are down.

Some of you have responded that it’s all fine and dandy to recommend giving speeches, but they didn’t know the first thing about how to get bookings.  So I’d like to share some tips for you to help you get your speaking ‘gigs’.

1. Start Small
My first suggestion is that if you’ve not had speaking engagements in the past, don’t start off on a grand scale.  Most people assume they need to be speaking to a conference of hundreds of people.  I recommend you start small, perhaps with an audience of 20 to 40 people.  It’s a good size to get you comfortable whilst giving you the opportunity to test ideas and approaches.

2.  Approach Networking Groups and Organizations
Your first step towards a booking is to take a look at any networking groups, ones to which you belong or groups in your area of expertise.  Chances are they have monthly or quarterly meetings.  Offer up your services to the meeting coordinator or organizer.  When you offer to speak, make sure you explain why your topic is relevant and will be a good fit for the meeting.

Even if you’re not a member of a local networking organization, you can take steps to locate one.  Check trade publication, magazines, even the Internet.  Determine who in the organization is responsible for booking speakers and contact them by telephone and offer your services.

3. Tailor Your Talk
Make sure to tailor the speech to fit the needs of your particular audience.  You may need to put a new spin on your speech.

4.  Establish Yourself As The Expert
Once you get your first few speaking engagements, you’ll see bookings begin to snowball.  As you establish yourself in the market, people will begin to contact you rather than vice versa.  Typically after a speech, someone in the audience will approach you and ask you to speak to their group.  So you’re not going to have to make calls to book each and every one of your speeches.  In addition to that, by giving speeches, you are establishing yourself as the expert in your field.  Once you’ve become the expert, people will contact you, you’ll get more bookings and make more sales.

So take the first step towards booking your first speaking ‘gig’, starting small is fine.  You’ll find your bookings and your audiences will begin to grow with each and every speaking engagement.

Bernadette Doyle is a small business marketing expert. You can read more of her articles on her blog at http://clientmagnetsblog.com