Marketing

Keep Your Speaking Engagements Organized (And Don’t Miss an Opportunity)

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Photo courtesy Estee Janssens, Unsplash

Good news! You’ve lined up ten speaking engagements over the next few months.

You did the hard work – researching speaking opportunities, submitting a solid proposal, connecting with meeting organizers and finally securing the gig. You’re primed to increase your visibility, connect with hundreds or thousands of people and perhaps, sell a few books.

Now, it’s time to kick back and relax, right?

Not so fast.

If speaking is not your full-time profession, managing your speaking schedule in addition to running your business or career, can get overwhelming rather quickly.

Here are a few tips to keep you streamline the process and stay organized:

Create a form on your website

Set up a Google document or contact form directly on your website to manage incoming speaking requests. Include questions about details for the speaking engagement and event such as:

  • Name of organization
  • Contact person
  • Date and location of the event
  • Length and format of presentation
  • Fee or budget for the speaking engagement

Having this form in place will reduce time emailing or calling the meeting organizers to get the information. With all the requests in one place (as opposed to sifting through emails) you can review them at once and respond accordingly.

Create a calendar just for your speaking engagements

Mark the dates of each speaking event on the calendar so you can see everything in one place. Additionally, map out any planning meetings with the event organizers, deadlines to submit slides or materials, promotional or marketing campaigns and most importantly when you will write and rehearse each talk.

Create a file for each event

Create a paper or digital folder with important details for each event including: date, location, on-site contact person, time of the talk, transportation and travel details. This will save you time and energy in the days before a speaking engagement, so you can focus on the content of the presentation.

Plan your follow-up strategy

There are always details to take care of once the talk is over. Have a system set up for invoicing and collecting payments for any speaking fees or travel reimbursements. Also, plan to follow up with the audience by sending a survey or email to thank the audience for attending and share any resources you may have mentioned during your talk.

Creating these systems may take some time in the beginning. However, once they are in place you’ll be able to accept requests and manage speaking engagements more efficiently. That way you direct your attention where it really matters – creating and delivering a powerful talk that makes an impact.

 Ready to ramp-up your speaking strategy? Book your complimentary 30-minute strategy session.

3 Steps to Easy Networking

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photo courtesy of Wu Yi, Unsplash

Have you ever walked into a networking event and wanted to walk right back out because you were nervous?

You are not alone.

Walking into a room full of strangers can be intimidating for most people, but particularly if you are an introvert.

Networking is essential to one’s  success, so, here are 3 tips to make your next networking event a breeze.

Perfect your pitch

The key to making great connections is knowing how to talk about yourself and your work with a powerful introduction. Your introduction, sometimes called an elevator speech, is a brief description of the products or services you provide and the clients you serve.
Writing a great intro is the first step, but it’s important to rehearse it before an event. The way we write and the way we speak are very different. Saying your introduction out loud will help refine it so it’s more conversational. It will also build your confidence so when you’ll know exactly what to say when someone asks, ‘What do you do?’.

Have a few ice breakers ready

In my work with clients, I often hear “I never know what to say” or “How do I start a conversation?” Here are a few ice breakers to start a conversation with anyone in the room.
“I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m (name).”
“What brings you to the event?”
“What do you do? / Tell me about your business”

Prepare your Mindset

Before you head into your next event, take a few minutes to get into the right frame of mind. Begin by take a few deep breathes to calm your nerves. Then, set your intention for what you’d like to get out of the event. Do you want to connect with a certain number of connections? Are you looking to meet someone in a specific industry – perhaps someone who can be a referral partner? Having a goal in mind will give make your networking more targeted, reducing an nerves that creep up.
Looking for a network to make great connections and find support? Join the Strong Women Support Network.

10 Questions to Ask Before Booking Your Next Speaking Gig

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photo courtesy Neil Godding, Unsplash

If you are new to public speaking, or trying to ramp up the number of speaking engagements you book, it can be tempting to say “Yes!” to every opportunity.

There are thousands of speaking opportunities from conferences to corporate training to podcasts and livestreams. These events provide a platform for you to speak to a new audience, share your message and build your visibility.

Once you have a few talks under your belt, and you’ve establish your expertise on a topic or in an industry, you will no longer have to seek out speaking engagements. The invitations will come to you!

Invitations to be a guest on a podcast, speak to a networking group or association, or to present at a large scale conference.

When an invitation comes your way, how do you know if it’s an opportunity you want to go after?

There are a few things you should consider before confirming your next speaking event. Gathering details about the event, audience and presentation can help you decide which opportunities to accept and which to decline.

Audience

First and foremost, find out who will be in the audience. Learn as much as you can about the participants: Are they senior level executives or newbies? Are they from small businesses or Fortune 1000 brands? What is their knowledge level of the topic? Finally, how many attendees are expected?

Goal of the program

What is the mission the event organizers are trying to achieve? What are the attendees hoping to learn and how will the content meet those expectations?

Event history and program

If it is an annual program, learning more about the content and audience from previous events will provide insight into the upcoming event. If it is a new program you may want to review a draft of the agenda and find out which speakers have signed on at that point.

Speaker budget

Is this a paid speaking opportunity? Determine what type of fee or stipend will be provided and if that fee includes travel expenses.

Theme of presentation

Understand what topic the event organizers want you to discuss, and more importantly if there is a specific angle or example they would like you to share.

Format of the presentation

It’s important to understand how much time you will have to present, but also find out if you’ll be presenting alone or as part of a panel? If it is a large-scale event, ask if you will be speaking to the entire audience or to a smaller group in a break-out session.

Media

Will the media be in attendance, and if so, which outlets will be represented? This is important for corporate executives as you may need to get permission from your organization to participate.

Will the program be recorded?

Having a copy of your talk can be a great resource to add to your website and speaker kit. If you work for a corporation you may need to get clearance to have your session filmed.

Networking opportunities

Large conferences and trade shows often include welcome receptions, speaker dinners and other networking events. Find out when they will be held and whether they are mandatory for speakers. This is important to consider as it may impact your travel schedule.

Vendor opportunities

If you are an author, there may be an opportunity to have a table or booth to sell your book during the program. Better yet, try to negotiate with the event organizers to buy copies of your book for all of the attendees.

Need support with booking your next gig? Begin by scheduling your complimentary session.

When Marketing Makes You Want to Hide

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Photo courtesy of Alexandra Gorn, Unsplash

Does promoting your business make you want to stay in bed and hide under the covers?

You love what you do. You provide great value to your clients. So why do you turn into a shrinking violet when publishing a blog or social media post?

The good news is you are not alone!

Recently, I led a discussion with small business owners about marketing and many of the participants expressed fears and hesitation about promoting their services. Regardless of how many years they have been in business – or how extroverted they are – marketing can make the most confident person shake in their boots.

Marketing is necessary to attract clients and expand your business, so here are a few recommendations to help ease the process:

Consistency is Key

When you are engaging with your customers and community through email campaigns, social media, networking and other marketing channels regularly, marketing becomes instinctive. Using automation tools can help with consistency so you are engaging with potential customers regularly

Find a Platform You Love

Do you love to write? Are you a visual communicator? Do you like to speak in front of a live audience? Whether you like to write blogs or film videos, find the marketing channel that is most comfortable for you. Create content in your preferred format to find your voice and style. Once you’ve mastered one channel – and know what content works best – then you can expand to other marketing platforms.

Silence the Inner Critic

Ahh, the inner critic! Yes, that nasty voice that creeps up and says “Are you sure you want to publish that blog post? Do you think it’s good enough?” Ouch. The inner critic can be down right mean and, if you let it, will sabotage your efforts. Be aware of the voice and find ways to silence it, so you can keep moving forward.

Accountability

If you need support or an extra push to send your marketing communications, find a partner or group who will hold you accountable. Share your daily or weekly goals and ask your partner to check in so you meet your goal. It helps if there’s a penalty for not meeting your deadline. One of my mentors asks that her friends post Justin Bieber photos to her Facebook wall if she misses a deadline. If you happen to love Bieber, try a financial penalty like paying your accountability partner $1 for every missed deadline.

Do you need support with sharing your message? I’d love to help! Begin by booking your complimentary session.

Ready to raise your visibility? Try this.

You’ve heard the saying, “You’re one in a million?”

In Mel Robbins’ TED talk, she says that number is actually 1 in 400 trillion. Yep. The odds of you being born are one in 400 trillion.

With odds like that, there’s no doubt you have a unique vision and message to share with the world!

It’s frustrating when you ready to share your gift, but you’re not reaching a large enough audience.

Maybe you’ve built a solid foundation and are ready to get to the next level. Or you’re just getting started and don’t know where to begin.

As a creative entrepreneur you have so many ideas you’d like to develop and share with those you serve. Often, having too many ideas feels overwhelming and will keep you stuck.

Before you panic, there’s an easy solution to kick start your momentum. In this video , I explain what’s keeping you where you are and how you can ramp up your visibility quickly.

Once you’ve watched the video, let me know what action you’re taking to be more visible in the comments below.

Remember, that’s trillion with a T!