Marketing

Build Your Speaking Platform in 3 Easy Steps

Wouldn’t it be great to begin 2018 knowing exactly what to do to grow your speaking platform?

As a heart centered visionary, I know you’re here to do big work in the world. And you feel called to speak to make a greater impact.

Speaking is a great way to connect with clients, establish your thought leadership and grow your business.

While there’s no formula for success, there are a few key ingredients that will build a foundation and make your visibility soar.

Find Your Voice

We all have a voice. Yet, finding your voice is one of the greatest struggles for many entrepreneurs. Once discovered, it can also be the key to standing out from the noise.

To help define your voice here are a few questions to get started:

What 3 words would you use to describe yourself? Is this how you would describe your speaking voice?

There are others who do the work that you do, but what do you do differently?

What are your strong opinions or beliefs?

A second way to define your voice is to think of a story you want to share with your audience. Now, pretend you are telling the same story to a friend. Do the styles match up? Do they sound the same?

Finding your voice is the first step to being visible. It’s also the way to engage your audience and developing a following.

Define Your Story

What is the message you were born to share? One of the concerns I hear most often from clients is that they don’t have a story to share. Or that their story isn’t compelling, special or unique.

Everyone has a story to tell – even YOU.

Like finding your voice, your story will take time to develop. Dig beneath the surface to uncover gems – the experiences, challenges and adventures you’ve forgotten about.

Here’s an exercise you can try: draw a line on a sheet of paper. The line represents your life with one end representing the day you were born; the other, the present day. Begin to fill in all the key milestones in between – graduations, marriage, moving, career changes, children, writing a book, traveling, and so on.

You’ll remember events and achievements you’ve forgotten about, which may spark your signature story.

Build a Platform

Your speaking platform is the foundation that will get you to the next level. That means, getting speaking experience under your belt. If you’re new to speaking, start small. There are numerous opportunities available in your local community from Meet Up groups to associations to the Chamber of Commerce. You can also be a guest for online podcasts, livestreams and webinars.

When you have a track record it makes it easier to book larger speaking opportunities.

In addition to your experience, building a foundation includes growing your community (online and off), perfecting your story, creating speaker materials and having a strategy to set you up for success..

When all of those pieces come together you’ve build a platform that will launch you to the next level. Continue to build the momentum and raise your visibility. Beforeyou know it you won’t have to seek out speaking opportunities. They will come to you!

Ready to take your speaking to the next level in 2018? Reserve your complimentary session and watch your visibility soar!

3 Ways We Can Work Together in 2018

With the New Year fast approaching, you may be busy planning new adventures you’d like to create in 2018.

There are so many opportunities, ideas and experiences to develop like booking a national speaking opportunity, hosting an event, getting media coverage or simply getting started. The biggest challenge is wanting to do everything all at once!

To help you achieve your speaking goals, and set you up for success, here are 3 ways we can work together.

No need to wait until January. Sign up for these opportunities today and we’ll get started right away!

Wouldn’t it be great to start 2018 knowing exactly what you needed to do to secure speaking engagements, build your platform and increase your visibility?

Jump Start Your Speaking Strategy

What do you want to create in 2018? Is there a speaking goal you’ve been thinking about, but need more clarity to get started?

The Jump Start Your Speaking Strategy experience is a 60-minute session to help you:

  • Get clear on the message you are here to share
  • Discover how to find speaking opportunities
  • Learn how to tap into your ideal market with your story
  • Craft a powerful pitch speaking engagements
  • Find the best speaking opportunities that get you in front of your ideal clients
  • And much more

Reserve your session here

2018 Speaking Strategy Intensive

If you’re looking for a deeper dive to bring your speaking goals to life in 2018, you’ll love the Speaking Strategy Intensive. Spend a half-day with me and get input and support to fast track your speaking goals by developing a powerful talk, finding ideal speaking engagements, and building a platform to share your message with the masses. You’ll leave with a solid plan that will keep you excited and motivated as you ramp up your speaking goals in 2018!

Sign up for 2018 Speaking Strategy Intensive here

Amplify – Bring Your Speaking Goals to Life in 2018

Are you ready to share your unique message and voice? And build a platform that allows you to make a greater impact? Now is the time to expand your reach and take your speaking goals to the next level.

Amplify is a one-to-one coaching experience designed to help you build your speaking platform so you can increase your visibility. Whether you have speaking experience, or are just getting started, you’ll get the support you need to craft a powerful talk, get booked to speak, connect with your audience, find media opportunities and so much more.

Begin the New Year with the clarity, support and action plan you need to bring your speaking goals to life! Let 2018 be the year you step into the spotlight!.

Grab your spot for Amplify here.

Questions?

Have questions about which opportunity is right for you? Or do you want to create a custom experience? Schedule a complimentary call and we’ll chat about the best option to meet your goals.

May 2018 be your best year yet!

How to Sell Out Your Next Event

Hosting a live event can be a daunting task. Planning the content, finding a venue and managing the logistics can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. And then you have to get people to register and attend – minor detail!

Whether you are hosting a retreat,  book signing, virtual teleseminar or conference, there are a few key marketing ingredients that will make your event a success.

Set up your sales page 

First things first. Begin by writing a description of the event that highlights the benefits of attending and what people will gain by attending. How will this event help them? What is the format? What is the agenda for the day? Who is the event designed for?

It’s also important to include basic information like the date, time and location for the event as well as the registration information so people can buy tickets!

In addition to your website or sales page, set up an event page on Facebook or Eventbrite so you can can reach a wider audience.

Create a marketing calendar

Depending on the size of the event, you should begin marketing 2-6 months in advance of the event. Creating a marketing calendar will keep you organized and on track with your initiatives as you move closer to the date.

Decide how often you will promote the event and through which channels. For example, will you send an email to your newsletter subscribers or post the information on social media? Write down each marketing piece on a calendar to indicate the date you plan to send it out.

Here are a few marketing channels to consider:

  • Newsletter list and subscribers
  • Client prospects
  • Colleagues and partners who serve similar audiences
  • Social media channels
  • Networking groups and associations
  • Online groups and communities such as Facebook, LinkedIn

Important note: Remember to also mark time on your calendar to write the promotional pieces whether it’s copy for an email or a tweet!

Engage partners to build the buzz

In addition to marketing to your own list and social media channels, enlisting the help of friends, colleagues and business partners will help spread the word to a wider audience.

This can include:

  • Speakers for the event
  • Referral partners
  • JV partners
  • Clients
  • Colleagues from networking or association groups

Provide sample email copy, blurbs for newsletters and social media posts to make it easy for people to share the event with their communities.

Build excitement ahead of the event

Once people begin registering for your event, it’s important to keep in touch with them before the event happens. Sending email updates or engaging with attendees on social media keeps it fresh in their minds and builds excitement. Get creative and start a social media promotion by asking attendees to post pictures on Facebook or Instagram.

Monitor your registration numbers throughout the process to make sure you’re meeting your goals.

Ready to sell out your next event? Begin by booking your complimentary 30-minute discovery call.

4 Steps to Planning a “Must-Attend” Event

If you’re like many entrepreneurs, hosting an event is probably on your calendar this year. If not, it should be!

What better way to establish yourself as a thought leader while gathering a room (virtual or in-person) full of prospects and giving them a taste of your magic?

Events offer a number of opportunities to promote a new offering, get publicity for a book or simply make new connections.

Here’s a step by step guide to get you started:

Select the Topic

Got an idea for a program you’d like to host? Great. Before you start planning the logistics, your first step is to do some research with your target audience. Events require time and money, so it’s important to gauge the interest and need for the topic before booking a venue. Asking a few clients for their feedback on the idea or post a question to your community on Facebook or Twitter will help determine the interest and also give you insight into the questions or hot topics you should address during the event.

The Format

Now that you have the topic narrowed down, your next step is to determine the best format to deliver the content. Virtual webinar? Small group workshop? Large scale conference?

The content and subject matter often dictates the format. For an introduction or overview of a topic, a virtual webinar may be the best fit. If your topic is more in-depth and requires more training, an in-person workshop works best.

Choose a Date

Selecting the date seems simple, but is often the most difficult part of the process. There are a few things to consider when picking a date including the prime day and time for your target market. For example, hosting an event for corporate executives in the evening is ideal, since they may not be able to leave work during the day.

Also, beware of any holidays that may coincide with the dates as that will impact attendance.

Finally, remember to leave enough time to market the event. It takes anywhere from two weeks to six months to market an event properly. Make sure you have enough lead-time to promote the event so you can fill those seats!.

Select a Venue

If you’re hosting a virtual event, you still need to pick a “venue.” Think about where will you host the event online: Google+ Hangouts, Facebook, UStream or will use an teleconference service like Free Conference Call or Instant Teleseminar?

For in-person events, the size and format of your event will determine which venue you select. For smaller events, you can rent a space at locations ranging from the public library to a local cafe to a yoga studio. If you’re looking for a more professional setting, a co-working space or conference room could provide the perfect location.

Now that you’ve got the basics nailed down, it’s time to promote the event!

If you want to host an event in 2015, let us show you the way! Begin by scheduling a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

4 Ways to Communicate Your Brand

Speak Your Brand Panel

Speak Your Brand Panel; Photo Courtesy of Justin Gillen

Recently, I hosted a panel discussion Speak Your Brand: How to Communicate Your Message with Ease. The panel consisted for four branding experts: video gal Holly Gillen, style expert Tania Sterl, mojo coach Dibi Silber and photographer Alyssa Peek.

Thirty women entrepreneurs came together with a common goal: to clarify their brand messages so they can easily communicate and create connection with potential clients.

That’s the power of a clear brand:

When you have a powerful message you become magnetic to prospective clients.

Here are four ways you can speak your brand message:

Find your voice

Think about your favorite book, movie or TV show. What keeps you reading, watching and tuning in? Great storytelling and a clear point of view.

What is the message you are here to share? What separates you from others in your industry? By clearly defining your unique perspective you will stand out from others in your field and create connections with clients and customers.

Dress for Success

You have just 7 seconds to make an impression.

7 seconds.

What impression are you making when you walk in a room? Do you clothes represent your brand?

Selecting clothes that accent who you are and what you want to say is more important that being on trend. A statement necklace, a fabulous pair of shoes or a beautiful scarf will make you stand out in a crowded room. Wearing these items can also start a conversation and open opportunities.

Consistency is Key

Potential clients and business partners will Google your name before working with you, so it’s important to put your best photo forward. As an entrepreneur you’ve probably taken professional headshots for your website. So why does your LinkedIn profile have a picture of you at the beach? Professional photos used on your website should also be used on your social media profiles to create consistency and reinforce your brand.

Silence the Inner Critic & Embody Your Brand

You can have the right clothes and image, but if you don’t feel confident on the inside, you won’t make a positive impression. When networking, giving a presentation or meeting with clients, the inner critic may creep up and whisper ‘Who are you to do this?’ Don’t let this sabotage your success. When you hear that voice whisper, remember to let go of perfection, let your personality shine and be your unique self.

As Oscar Wilde once said, “Be You. Everyone Else is Already Taken”

Want to create a strong brand message? Sign up for a complimentary 30-minute session to get started.