How to Get Paid to Speak

Now that you have all the contacts you can possibly use, when can you expect to get paid for speaking or other business engagements?

You have done your job and spoken to many non-profits and Chambers, your name is getting well known and you have even been paid to do a couple of speeches at places of business. Now it is time to look further down the road. You can continue to self advocate your speaking but in addition you will need to use other tools to further what you are doing. One tool would be the use of a Speakers Bureau. These bureaus will want a great deal of information from you and they will also want a cut of your speaking engagements, plus they may also want a host of other monetary gains. If you choose a speakers bureau, make sure they will promote you and not take you to the cleaners. There are many very good bureaus, but you must do your research.

Another excellent avenue for speaking engagements is through professional associations. If you belong to the National Speakers Association, The Association of Management Consultants, or any other such trade organization, you will have opportunities to put on a seminar at their conventions. This is another good way to be known for your expertise and another way to network with professionals in your field. Remember that every contact you make should go into your contact list even if you do not use them initially.

Checklists

One of the keys to getting speaking engagements is to make sure you know your own expertise.

List at least 5 areas where you feel you are an expert.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Take the list you created as your list of expertise and determine which 3 will help your business grow.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

From the list above, determine why anyone would listen to a speaker on that subject - this is a list of benefits of each topic and not a list of features. (use a separate page if you need more room)

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

According to the benefits - who will be your target audience?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Name at least 3 groups that would be an ideal speaking venue for the topic(s) you have selected.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

What publications, articles, or other proof do you have that puts YOU as the expert for these topics?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

List the writing you plan to do in the next 6 months to support YOUR expertise.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

By Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

How to Use your Inner Circle

Who do you know that knows that you speak?

There is a famous saying "It is not who you know but who knows you!" This is so true. Take a look at who you know and also at others at your place of business, or clients that you have worked with or contacted in the past. Do they know who you are? Are they aware of what you do to promote yourself or your business? This is all part of networking and forming business relationships. You need to make sure they remember you, even if they do not buy from you. Make them a part of your inner circle. Each of these people also has an inner circle - they will tell their friends and so on. I remember a hair shampoo commercial a number of years ago that went: "Tell two friends, who will tell two friends, and so on, and so on ?" The image on the screen showed the talking heads multiplying on the television screen. Not only did you get the buzz from the ad, it also encouraged you to pass it along.

You need to use your inner circle. You should list everyone you know (it will likely total well over 100 people). You should then make plans to inform every single one of them of what you are doing and why. Encourage them to tell all their friends (in the case of the shampoo ad, they only need to tell two, who should tell two). Your fame will spread rapidly.

You have likely heard the cliché that there are only six degrees to anyone in the world. I know it is true for me because I moved countries and met people in my new country that knew my grandmother through going to high school together. You can use your inner circle to create excitement and further it by using the web.

By Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

Internet Marketing and Public Speaking: Seven Steps to a Successful Murder Board

I recently posted an article providing tips on public speaking for internet marketers, and was bombarded with Emails asking me to expand on one tip in particular-how to conduct a Murder Board, a realistic simulated practice. I did so in a follow-up article providing a more detailed explanation of this practice method, which has its origins in the US military. Now, below, I provide the seven step method to conduct this invaluable practice. This is excerpted from Chapter 14 of my book, The Shortcut to Persuasive Presentations.

To have a successful and productive Murder Board enabling you to hone your skills and anticipate the difficult questions and comments requiring a response, I have found seven separate steps must be followed.

1. Recruiting
2. Sharing audience Intelligence
3. Role-playing by participants
4. Video-taping and/or audio-taping
5. Critique of presenter's Style and Substance
6. Recording on cards of all questions asked
7. Revision of the presentation

Let's take a look at each of these steps.

1. Recruiting

In recruiting people to be on your Murder Board, the best place to start is with knowledgeable colleagues. Request no more than four of these colleagues to be your simulated audience.

Keep in mind, however, that if these colleagues think that the objective of the Murder Board is only to help you look good, they probably will not want to give up their valuable time. You must give them an incentive tied to their self-interest.

They will have their own priorities. You should frame your request in such a way that these colleagues see a potential dividend accruing to them by investing their time. Remember from your own experience that "What's in it for me?" is the prime motivator for people to take action. You must find a way to have these colleagues believe they will gain some benefit by being in your simulated audience.

Reciprocity is the key. My advice is to recruit only people who themselves will speak in public.. Then you say, "If you will be on my Murder Board now, I will be on yours when you must make a presentation." Presto. They see a potential benefit in the future by spending some time with you now.

2. Sharing Audience Intelligence

Because the purpose of a Murder Board is to create an environment for the presenter similar to the actual situation to be faced, it is important that those playing the members of the audience be armed with as much information about this audience as possible.

Participants must be steeped in the details of the issue being presented so they can put themselves in the mental framework of the people who will be in your actual audience. Information on the personal styles, idiosyncrasies, temperament, etc. of these audience members provides insight into how they will react to certain comments or proposals. Your colleagues can better role-play if they have this information. The more you know about personalities of audience members, the less surprised you will be in the presentation.

3. Role-playing by participants

The success or failure of a Murder Board ultimately depends on its realism. The closer it is to the real thing, the better prepared will be the presenter. This realism, to a great degree, depends on the ability of your colleagues to get into the heads of the key players in your actual audience.

This does not mean having a great gift for acting or mimicry; but it does mean trying to think like the people in the audience so that statements made by the presenter will provoke questions likely to be asked by the actual audience.

After sharing all the intelligence gained on the audience, and eliciting from participants any insights they have on these people, assign specific roles to participants. If you are presenting to senior executives, you most certainly want a person to play the key decision maker.

4. Video-taping / audio-taping

The actual conduct of the Murder Board is likely to not run smoothly, with various interruptions and discussions. Moreover, the presenter cannot be expected to remember all the comments, bits of advice, and questions asked. Consequently, much of the spontaneous, valuable information could be lost, even if someone is taking careful notes.

It is beneficial to have both a video camera and a tape recorder running, during the practice presentation. This will provide a "game film" enabling you to see and hear yourself as your audience will see and hear you.

Perhaps the fundamental benefit of recording the practice session is that you will have a record of the questions asked in the give-and-take of the presentation, as well as your answers. Without an electronic record, the questions stimulated by your presentation, and your answers, could be lost, thereby negating many of the benefits of the Murder Board.

5. Critique of presenter's Style and Substance

You have now completed your Murder Board, and, in the process, have used the valuable time of your colleagues. Now is the time to ask them for a robust critique of the substance of your presentation and your delivery style.

Keep the video camera and tape recorder rolling. These colleagues may be more expert in certain aspects of your presentation than you are, and you certainly want to tap into this expertise.

Additionally, they have just seen you presenting in a stressful environment - presenting before your colleagues may be more difficult than before potential customers - and their comments on how you looked, how you sounded, and your overall presence can be invaluable. Thank them for giving up their time, and remind them that you are ready to pay back when their time comes to make an important presentation.

6. Recording all questions asked on cards

Now it is just you, a VCR, a tape recorder and a stack of 3x5 cards. Why the cards? Because you are now going to go through the painful process of listening to how you answered the questions posed by your colleagues. Place each question asked on the front side of a 3x5 card. On the back - in pencil - place the answer you gave, or a better one if it occurs to you now, and it probably will. Why pencil? Because you are going to come up with better answers the more you think and research.

When you are at home watching television, have that stack of cards nearby. When a commercial comes on the screen, select a card at random, look at the question, give an answer, and turn the card over. If your new answer is better than the one on the back of the card, make the correction.

Go through this procedure a few times, seeking each time to improve your answer so that you not only address the specifics of the question, but also find ways to reinforce your main points.

Following this procedure will do much to remove the fear of the unanticipated question, which has such a direct influence on fear of public speaking.

7. Revise the presentation

Having completed your Murder Board, you are now faced with a dilemma. What do you do with all the new data generated by this most intense practice session? What if the audience doesn't ask the questions for which you have developed such great answers? Do you just leave this information in your files?

The answer is a resounding NO. Remember, your responsibility as a presenter is to provide maximum relevant information in minimum time in the clearest manner possible.

You must make a judgment as to which information best fits your objective and the informational needs of your audience. Some of the material you had originally had in your presentation may well have to be dropped, replaced by information that surfaced as a result of questions and discussions in the Murder Board.

The bottom line on the Murder Board

You need to conduct a Murder Board for the same reason that professional football teams, despite having injured players who could benefit from a rest, go through physically demanding practice sessions before the next game.

It is foolish to deliver an important presentation without going through an intense Murder Board. The wise presenter realizes that he or she should put as much effort into the presentation as has been put into the product or service being sold.

By Larry Tracy

How to Promote yourself as a Speaker on the Web

Why use the web for promoting your speaking engagements?

Most people now agree that the web offers a great deal of information, if not too much. Every business should have a website, even if it is only informational as to what you sell and where you are located. You may not want to sell chocolates in the hot summer over the web, but you can tell people where your business is located and what specials you are running. I recently met a fellow that was getting married and he needed to order a cake and find someone to sing at his wedding. Instead of looking in the yellow pages, he opted to do a search for local businesses to provide what he needed. He found only one baker out of 20 in his city that had a site. He could even choose the decorations over the web. He bought from this store because they had provided a convenience for him. He also located a singer in the same manner.

It does not matter what business you are in, the web will provide you with a way to have an electronic brochure and a presence. I find that many of my clients want to know more about me before we meet; they look at my website to determine whether I have the expertise they are looking for. I, in turn, look for the potential clients' site to learn more about what they do. Do not dismiss the web if you are not savvy, there are plenty of designers that will put up a simple site for you in a couple of days. You must, however, provide them with the content.

An important advantage to having your own website is that it will allow you to have your own email address, at your own domain name. Not only does this make you look more professional, you will also never need to change email address again! Think of the savings in printing cards, never mind the consistency of the image you create for yourself.

Once you have a website, try to get links to it everywhere you can. One way is to join an organization that has a member site and will list you in the price of your membership. Chambers of Commerce are a good example of this and a good place to start.

By Bette Daoust, Ph.D.

Speak in Public! Who Me?

The first time I had to speak in front of a group was in Air Force boot camp. I had always been very shy, naive, and backward. During Air Force boot camp I was so impressed by my training instructors, I volunteered to be one!

What had I gotten myself into? I observed the other training instructors, and the big day came. One of the instructors got sick. I jumped in with both feet. Yes, I was terrified, shaking in my shoes, but I just kept going and followed the lesson plan by the book. You couldn't let the recruits know you were scared, or they would eat you alive.

It wasn't easy trying to motivate the Air Force recruits. They were exhausted, scared, angry, lonely. You try motivating that kind of an audience! Found out I was a natural and loved it! My supervisor thought I was wasting time going to classes to learn how to teach.

To me there is nothing more thrilling and satisfying than to see the light in their eyes, to see them smiling, learning, questioning. I learned the lesson plans (15 different subjects), and was able to get away from the lectern and connect with my audience. It was what I was born to do.

I excelled, became a Master Training Instructor, and started training the trainers. The oddest thing happened. My Training Instructor from boot camp came back into the program and I got to train her!

Teaching five classes a day, I taught five days a week. In five years I taught over 500,000 students. I still run into recruits I taught!

When I left the Air Force, I didn't want to lose the skills I had learned. It was then I joined Toastmasters International and stayed for 15 years.

I started getting paid speaking engagements. Now I love to teach/train where ever and when ever I can.

If I can do it, so can you. With 20 years of experience under my belt, I put together a very special report for you; "Public Speaking Made Easy". There are four simple steps, and great solutions on dealing with the fear of speaking.


By Kathy Thompson

15 Ways for Speakers to Earn More Profits

There is huge potential to create additional profits from your speeches by partnering with a professional transcriptionist to convert your audio recordings into text transcripts.

1) Speakers and consultants often deliver their presentations via teleconference calls and record them for sale later. Once transcribed, the transcript can be provided free to paying attendees as a value-added item or formatted into a special report for an additional product to sell.

2) Another valuable service you can provide to your clients is to send them a transcript of your speech ahead of time. Provide a single copy and allow them to make a specific number of copies to distribute. If you give the speech often, the cost of the transcription will pay for itself over time.

3) With your speech transcribed into text on paper, you can easily customize it for new clients, add new material, and delete outdated sections.

4) A certain percentage in an audience will have hearing problems and not be able to understand you clearly. Promise them a transcript of your speech, or one that was transcribed earlier from another time you gave basically the same speech.

5) If a prospective client asks if you've ever talked about a specific topic, you can send an excerpt from a transcribed speech that you gave for another client that addressed that topic.

6) If you originally wrote up a speech you give often, but over time you've ad-libbed, added new material, changed things here and there, and your current, evolved speech is quite different from your original write-up, have a recording transcribed for an up-to-date transcript of your speech as you currently deliver it.

7) Rather than mailing a tape or a video to a prospective client, it's faster to email or fax a transcript, saving time AND money. Even if you still mail a tape or video, this will get your information in text form to your client sooner for review, and they'll be even more certain it's worth taking the time to also review your audio or video.

8) Provide reporters and editors with transcripts of your speeches to make it as easy as possible for them to give you press coverage, making it more likely to create good publicity for yourself and your client.

9) Have recordings of your radio and TV interviews transcribed and convert the transcripts into articles, book chapters, or to add to your press kit.

10) When planning to make a video, provide a transcript of your material to your video team to make the planning process easier for them. Also convert the transcript into a workbook to go along with your video.

11) You can build a database of questions that get asked frequently along with your answers in Q&A sessions during your presentations for a valuable collection of information. Once transcribed, the material can be converted into material for your website FAQ's section, or into handouts. NOTE: Make sure the person asking the question has a microphone, OR fully repeat the question before giving your answer.

12) Rather than asking your client to write and mail a referral letter after your speech and the event is all over, catch them while your presentation is fresh in their mind and suggest they tape their recommendation on your recorder, and let them know you'll have it transcribed and submit it to them for approval before using it. You can get other recorded referrals for transcription from attendees at the same time.

13) As you're driving away from giving a speech, record your thoughts that are tumbling through your mind such as things to change next time, things to remember, and stream-of-consciousness ideas that flow freely. Once transcribed, you can form a plan of action based on your own heightened inspiration spurred by the adrenaline of a successful event, and increase your overall success and productivity.

14) Convert recordings of your speeches into material for a book or ebook to help establish your reputation as a credible expert in your field and create additional profits for your business. Edit the transcripts into chapters, add a table of contents, a cover, etc. You can have it bound simply or submit it for professional publication, or convert it into an ebook.

15) Once you have a book, have it professionally recorded by reading it out loud for an audio product to sell.

Partnering with a professional transcriptionist is a solid business strategy that can save you time, increase your creativity, and -- most importantly -- add profits to your bottom line.

By Laurie Kristensen

Feedback

I believe that asking for and acting on objective feedback is the best way to improve your speaking skills. In our Excellence in Speaking Institute (ESI), we call this 20/20 feedback.

Honest, objective feedback helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses, so that you can enhance the former and repair the latter. Also, looking for the strengths as well as the weaknesses helps make the feedback more balanced and feel less confrontational. You have to use your active listening skills to really hear and internalize the feedback

A course like ESI or ESI-Advanced gives you the best possible feedback. But if you need a quick dose, get a friend with a camcorder to videotape you doing a presentation or two. Then, together go through the videotape to determine your strengths and weaknesses from the checklist below.

- Rambling. Do you have a clear road map of where you are going and do you follow it?

- Monotone. Are you using vocal variety, varying your pitch, tone and volume to keep the presentation interesting?

- Topic Knowledge. Do you have a good grasp of the topic?

- Energy, Passion. Are you pumped up or pooped out?

- Non-Words. Um, do you, uh, throw in a lot of, you know, um, non-words?

- Eye Contact. Do you really look at and connect with the members of the audience?

- Body Language. Do you distract your audience by wandering, fidgeting or pacing?

- Appropriate Material. Do you use profanity or questionable humor?

- Preparation. When it's show time, are you ready for your close-up, or are you winging it?

Get feedback on these items and I guarantee that you will improve your presentation skills. Not only does 20/20 feedback work to help improve speaking skills, it works for companies, too.

By Ty Boyd