Great Speakers Rock, Average Speakers Roll...right out of the business. What does It Take to Make it as a Professional Speaker?
December 13, 2007 by ed primeau comment
I have been in the
sidelines of this wonderful business of professional speaking, working with
Professional Speakers preview videos and marketing plans for over 20 years now. I have seen several speakers make it big while
others fail miserable. In the following
paragraphs, I will tell you exactly what you need to know, from my point of
view, to make it big in the speaking business!
Before we get to that
list, understand that you are not simply a professional speaker with a huge
ego. You are a humble expert. You must have an expertise. Professional
speaking is simply one of your income generators.
One business model that
works great is to be a consultant, author and professional speaker. Your subject is your expertise. You can make a lot of money in each of these
areas if you position your expertise properly in your marketing efforts.
For example, if you have a
passion for motivating people to success and happiness, then you better have
authored books, cd’s and dvd’s on success and happiness. You better have one or two excellent speeches
on how to become happy and stay successful.
You better have helped some people become happy and successful. Now you have the experience to position
yourself as a professional speaker on success and happiness. All you have to do now is let the world
know. It’s that simple.
People come to me and ask
me to help them market their speaking business on happiness and success and the
only tool they have is a speech and their own success and happiness. That may have worked years ago when this industry
was getting started. Today, with so many
people competing for a piece of the “speaking” pie, you not only have to be
really good to have the privilege to taste the pie, you have to position yourself as an expert in
all of your marketing materials.
You have to have a message
people want to hear. Companies what to hire speakers whose messages will help
their people perform better not just live happier lives. Companies also hire speakers who are
entertaining, not just informative.
Keep in mind, people want
to hear about your failures as well as successes and how you overcame the
failures in an entertaining way.
You also have to be real
good! If you are just starting out, look
to speak at least once a week, even if for free to get the experience of
standing on a stage in front of audiences.
Experience is the key to becoming a great speaker. Rotary, Chambers, Scouting organizations,
men’s and women’s clubs, NABO, ASAE and the list goes on and on of potential
pro bono speaking opportunities.
Not only will you be able
to gain experience you will also gain visibility. It’s hard to get business
when the world does not know who you are.
You must be
entertaining. There is nothing that will
end your speaking career quicker than to be a mundane, so so speaker. If you are not entertaining, hire a coach to
help you become entertaining. This is
not just humor, but other characteristics that make you interesting to listen
to. Take a look at the preview videos of
big bucks speakers. You will see
entertainment.
Lastly, you have to have a
marketing plan. What markets and audiences
is your message suited for? What plan do
you have to gain visibility with those markets? What tools do you have that
will show what you do, how you do it and who you are to that audience/market?
Does your preview video
entertain as well as exemplify? Is your video current? Is your video on your
website? Does your website look
professional? Are you listed with search
engines? Are you linked with your
clients and other industry giants?
By the way, if your video is not on your website,
you are an armature. Get with the
program folks, most speaking prospects today shop for speakers online.
The National Speakers
Association is a great organization that will help you develop your speaking
business through programming, mentoring and resources. Some of the best of the best professional
speakers will attest that NSA helped them launch their careers. Keep growing as a professional by adding to
your expertise and gain experience in front of audiences and you can’t go
wrong.
Ed Primeau works with professional
speakers to produce preview videos and marketing strategies for growth. Contact: Ed@PrimeauProductions.com.
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