TEN SUPER MARKETING IDEAS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER
By Dr. Donald E. Wetmore
During the past eighteen years as a full-time Professional Speaker, I have learned a lot about what to and, more importantly, what not to do to market Professional Speaking Services. Below are ten SUPER marketing ideas that have worked for me. They all have two things in common. They are all low cost/no cost and they have all produced great results for me.
1. Get a non-profit sponsor. Work out an arrangement with a non-profit organization (Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, etc.) to co-sponsor your event as a fundraiser for them. They are responsible for all marketing, filling the room. Expenses are taken off the top and the balance is split 50/50. For example, let’s say you co-sponsor an event, the non-profit signs up 30 people at $200. Total revenues are $6,000 less expenses of $1,000 or a net of $5,000. Your share is $2,500 and the non-profit has had a successful fundraiser.
2. Introductory breakfast. Target the audience you want to reach (sales managers, human resources professional, finance managers, etc) and invite them to a no charge Preview breakfast. Give a short overview of your talk and follow-up with each to secure paid engagements.
3. Radio promotion for barter. Many local radio stations will trade advertising time for your services. They may not sell it anyway and it’s a way to get some value out of lost airtime. In return, you conduct an engagement for their staff.
4. Trade shows. Almost all local Chambers of Commerce sponsor mini trade shows. They provide a flow of traffic where you can meet qualified decision makers for your services. This never fails to generate business for us.
5. Sell products at every engagement. Develop your own materials, manuals, audio tapes, etc. If you have nothing developed, sell someone else’s related materials. As you speak, your audiences will almost always want more information. For example, if you are speaking to a group of 60 people, and 20 purchase your manual at $30, that’s an additional $600 in revenue.
6. Set up direct, face-to-face meetings with decision makers. Compared to direct mail and telephone it is very effective because it is harder to say “no” to someone face-to-face then to a piece of mail or over the phone. Have a purpose in mind when asking for the meeting that is valuable to that person. Everyone needs to know, “what’s in it for me?”
7. Give pro bono speeches. Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, Chambers of Commerce are always looking for speakers for their meetings. As a condition of your no cost service, ask that you be provided with a list of attendees to follow-up with your marketing efforts. This was how I started off, when I knew no one and no one knew me. To this day, I still get business as a result of those speeches.
8. Use the fax machine. Gather fax numbers of decision makers you need to market to. Send them something of value, tips, etc. We send out 2,000 per month (about 100 per day). The payoff has always been about $2 per fax in new business, or $4,000 per month.
9. Create an “In-House” mailing list. Add people to it as you make contacts at business events, people contact you, hear your no cost speeches, or attend your paid engagements. Mail to them 3-4 times per year. These are people who at least have some familiarity with you versus a cold list you can purchase. We derive about $2 in new business per piece mailed.
10. Create and maintain a webpage. I am not a computer geek. Five years ago, I couldn’t turn on a computer. (Small exaggeration-but close to the truth.) Today, 50% of our revenues are coming from the web. It is important to create a useable site and, just as important, to constantly promote it on the web listing it everywhere on search engines, classified ads, directories, etc. It’s all yours to promote, but requires the discipline of your time. I spend about an hour per day promoting my site but the payoff is extraordinary.
Do have an interest in developing or improving your own Professional Speaking business? I offer a consulting service for selected individuals, working with them one-on-one, helping them to develop their Speaking Businesses in the areas of topic(s) development, presentation skills, and creating a relevant marketing program to secure paying clients. For more information, send your request for “career” to: ctsem@msn.com
Would you like to receive your Timely Time Management Tips on a regular basis to increase your personal productivity and get more out of every day? Sign up now for your no cost “TIMELY TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS”. Just go to: http://www.topica.com/lists/timemanagement and select “subscribe”. We welcome you!
Dr. Donald E. Wetmore
Professional Speaker
Productivity Institute
Time Management Seminars
127 Jefferson St.
Stratford, CT 06615
(203) 386-8062 (800) 969-3773
Email: ctsem@msn.com
Visit Our Time Management Supersite: http://www.balancetime.com
Professional Member-National Speakers Association
Copyright 1999 You may re-print the above information in its entirety in your publication, newsletter, or on your webpage. For permission, please email your request for “reprint” to: ctsem@msn.com
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3 comments:
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