Public Speaking and Presentation Skills - Tips and Techniques That Really Work

Is Your Seminar Topic "Hard" or "Soft"?

Yesterday I received an unsolicited email from a "life coach" that put me on her mailing list without my permission - and the email was promoting an upcoming day-long series of seminars given by 21 different speakers.

But this blog post is NOT about spam - read on...

I stopped and read each speaker's topic title and seminar description, and ONLY ONE speaker had a "hard" topic, the rest were "soft" topics.

What are "hard" and "soft" topics, you ask? - glad you asked!

Hard topics are subjects about how to get measurable results and improvements. Soft topics do not target measurable results.

Soft topics are more "warm and fuzzy" or "feel-good" topics: raising employee morale, for example, is a soft topic because employee morale is very difficult to measure, even if you pass out a survey to employees, you're likely not getting the full story for obvious reasons.

Hard topics are easily measured - for example, my topic is a hard topic - my products, workshop-trainings and consulting/coaching is all about getting you results: butts in seats at your seminar and dollars into your bank account as a result. You can measure butts in seats, and you can measure dollars in the bank.

Hard topics are an easier sell than soft topics. Your seminars will do much better if you promote a hard topic seminar.

What to do if you have a soft topic? Keep your subject the same, but find a way to create measurable results and you have a hard topic!

So, how about you? Is your topic a hard or soft topic?

Let me know if you have comments! - you can post right here on the ASA blog.

Dedicated to maximizing your success and income with speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Not signed up for the ASA Seminar Success Daily Quick Tips?- it's fast, easy and best of all free - click here for more info.

Labels: Is Your Seminar Topic "Hard" or "Soft"?

Celebrity, Author, Speaker....YOU!!

Yesterday I was talking about how doing speaking and seminars turns you into an instant celebrity. This is not an exaggeration or hype: when you run into people at the supermarket who've been to your seminars, they often will be intimidated to come over and speak to you. Seriously, no joke.

Now, when you write a book or put together an audio program like I described last Friday 1-25-08 and on 1-18-08, you really cement that authority and celebrity status.

"....who, little old me, a celebrity?..." I can hear some of you saying.

Yes, little old you, a celebrity.

Some of you people out there with "high achiever" syndrome tend to minimize your accomplishments - and even those of you that don't have the 'syndrome' tend to forget that you know much more about your field, your industry, your line of business than the average person does. This is a very common thing - for example, real estate agents forget that most people are fuzzy about even the most common real estate terms like equity, refinance, or escrow.

You have to remember that you have specialized knowledge and skills and experience that others do not. When you sell or give away your book or audio CD and speak at your seminar on your topic of expertise, people are going to elevate you in their mind as an authority, an expert - you really do take on celebrity status in their mind.

Presuming that you are good at what you do, and that your product, service, business is providing tremendous value to your customers, why not leverage your celebrity status for all it's worth?

Dedicated to maximizing your business income and success with speaking and seminars -
David

Labels: Author, Celebrity, Speaker....YOU

Seminar Success and Celebrity:

You may not care about being seen as a "celebrity" type.

Get used to it.

I'm not saying that throngs of people are going to mob you and tear at your clothes and beg for autographs as if you're the second coming of Elvis Presley or the Beatles.

Sorry, if you want that, become a rock star!

However, when you get up and do your seminar, you do automatically - and instantly - take on celebrity status. Why is that, you ask?

Because you're doing something that most people don't do, won't do, and can't do. Most people have huge fear of public speaking, huge amounts of stage fright. At a funeral, they'd rather be the one in the casket than the one giving the eulogy!

We all - all of us - look up to people that can accomplish things we can't, dare to do things we're too afraid to even try. Don't minimize the fact that when you do seminar speaking, you're doing something most people would never dare to do, and in fact, they will live in dread and fear of ever having to get up and speak anywhere - even just to give a speech at a wedding shoots fear into their heart, and causes sleepless nights of anxiety and dread the days and weeks before.

Add to that the fact that when you speak on your topic/subject - your area of expertise - you ARE seen as THE expert.

Welcome to celebrity-hood!! (is that a word?? ;-)

No, your celebrity status probably won't get you into exclusive Hollywood parties and nightclubs with Britney, Paris and Lindsey, but you will gain tons of new customers, generate buckets of new revenue for your business, and put lots more money into your pocket!

Isn't that better??

Dedicated to maximizing your business success and income through speaking and seminars -
David

Labels: Seminar Success and Celebrity

The Balance Between Seminars, Advertising, and other Marketing Efforts:

When it comes to effective marketing, seminars win hands down. Seminars are the fastest, easiest, most effective way to market your product, your service, your business.

But don't get me wrong, I'm NOT "against" other marketing methods: advertising, networking, direct mail - they all have their place.

Of course, I'm partial to seminars because you can reach a lot more people, a lot more effectively, with a whole lot less costs. There are so many ways to do low-cost (or even no-cost) seminars I could fill an entire book with that info (ahem, actually - I have done exactly that - hint hint).

But, I'm not a 'nut' about it - you know how some people get, they act as if the only thing you should ever do is their thing: people who like direct mail say don't do seminars or advertising, people who advocate advertising say you should concentrate on that, and PR people say publicity is best.

I take a more balanced approach: there's a place for any or all of the above marketing methods. You just have to stop and evaluate what's going to make the most sense to you considering your industry and your type of business, your target market, and your budget.

So many people don't do seminars that should be, and when you hear their "reasons" and objections (which really are more like rationalizations and excuses) like I do, you realize that there are several common themes to those objections you hear over and over.

Are you making rationalizations and objections? Let me know what you think and feel right here on the ASA blog / newsletter.

Dedicated to skyrocketing your business success and income through speaking and seminars -
David

Labels: Advertising, and other Marketing Efforts, The Balance Between Seminars

Making a Product Fast (You've Waited Long Enough...)

Okay faithful readers, thanks for your patience (especially David D. who was kind enough to bring my little oversight to my attention - by the way David - I went to school with a Brian D. in Torrance, CA - any relation?)

Alright then, let's get to it - to recap, a week ago I was saying you need a product for many reasons, and that a book is the ideal product - if you haven't read that post please do, it was last Friday 1-18-08.

Here's a terrific way to produce a very good product, if not an excellent product - and much faster (and much less expensive) than writing a book.

Make an audio recording of an interview with you, on your topic / area of expertise - let's say you're a financial planner (but you could be a pet shop owner, a real estate agent, insurance broker, chiropractor, attorney, plumber, or any business at all, really) - you're going to recruit one of your friends or family members who has a nice speaking voice.

Then you're going to write out an outline for your audio which will consist of 15-20 questions (not more) that you most commonly get asked by prospects and customers in your target market.

Then you're going to write out the answers to those questions, but don't "script" them, just write 3 or 4 bullet points that encapsulate the essence of your answer. That way you don't sound like you're reading a script when you record your interview.

Next - and actually you should do this first now that I say that - come up with a catchy, attention grabbing title for your audio interview, and make it "pain based". In other words, make the title more about what people will LOSE or NOT attain or NOT be able to do if they don't take action on your topic. See what I mean there?

After that, write out your intro - an introduction of you. Keep it short and sweet, but punchy. Highlight your education or experience or accomplishments - whatever makes you shine the most. Your intro should be 15-60 seconds long, not longer.

Finally, write out your "call to action" which will be the end of your audio - you'll include how people can contact you and any special offers or incentives.

Okay, once you've got all that done, you're ready to roll. By the way, if it takes you longer than 2 weeks to get his far, you're stalling. Seriously. Don't give me this "it's got to be perfect" stuff, nothing is ever perfect, there's no such thing as perfect. I'm only being "hard" on you about this because I don't want you to procrastinate or drag this thing out longer than it should to get it done.

How you record is up to you, I've had a fair amount of recording experience having played in a number of bands in my life and done a good amount of studio recording, but don't spend a gaggle of money on a recording studio - you can pick up a microphone or digital recording device cheap and it can easily upload into your computer. You can also search the internet for free audio recording software, go to download.com or tucows.com and you'll find it. You can use this same software to "mix" your audio if necessary, but that should not be needed. What's most important is the QUALITY of your CONTENT, not the quality of the recording - as far as the recording quality goes, in this case, good enough is good enough. Focus on making the CONTENT super-high quality.

Now record the interview, start with your intro, end with the call to action.

If you want you can dub in some music at the beginning and end of your audio (it's not necessary, though) and use the free software you get to mix it in. Look for royalty free music on the internet. If you do use music, don't let the intro/outro music exceed 10 seconds.

Now you've got your "master audio" and you're ready to go. You can burn CD's easily in iTunes after you import the audio, or you can use other CD burning software that came with your computer.

At any office supply store you can buy CD labels that give you free software to create VERY nice labels - it's very easy to use - put your "hot" title on it, and of course include all your contact information. Stick your labels on the CD's and either put them into sleeves or jewel cases you also get at your office supply store.

Now, wasn't that worth the wait?? ;-) - here's the thing: PASS YOUR CD'S OUT LIKE FREE CANDY! Of course you can sell them too. Give one to prospects along with your business card. Give a few to your existing clients and customers to share with their friends. Give them out at networking meetings. Watch for the impressed look on people's faces. Try to pretend to be humble ;-) (or not).

And of course, distribute them to all of your seminar attendees!

Dedicated to skyrocketing your business income and success using seminars -
David
PS: I still have just one set left of the Quick Start Seminar Success System - get more info by clicking here:

Labels: Making a Product Fast (You've Waited Long Enough...)

It Turns Out I'm Also a Tease When It Comes To Seminar Success...

An astute reader of my blog with the very cool name "David" kindly pointed out that last Friday I was talking about how you simply must put a product together, and that a book is the ideal product, but that that can be quite labor intensive, etc.

But more to the point, David pointed out that I had also set up a little "tease" where I said there were easier faster products to make, and that I would talk about that the next day, Saturday.

Well, I'm guilty of having buried myself in my always-too-long to-do list (do you ladies and gentlemen every find yourself putting more on your plate than even 4 people could accomplish? I certainly do... heck, I could teach a seminar about that topic!! :-) ..... "How to Overwhelm Yourself With More Tasks Than Superman or Superwoman Could Accomplish".... and that whole weekend was working my tail off on a new product myself!

Does that qualify as irony??

But I digress, back to the product thing.

David is absolutely right: I promised to tell you about how to produce a terrific product fast, and one of the things I pride myself on is follow-through and doing what I say I'm going to do.

So since I took up all this space in this blog post with this explanation, tomorrow's Friday again, so I'll post tomorrow all about how to produce a VERY good product, very fast.

Tune in, it'll be worth your time!

Seriously dedicated to increasing your business success and income with speaking & seminars -
David

Labels: It Turns Out I'm Also a Tease When It Comes To Seminar Success...

Little Known Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Seminar Success:

Last week I watched someone deliver a presentation to a group of clients. Let me share with you something he did that destroyed his successful results: he crossed his legs.

"What? Crossed his legs? So what??" - I can hear you saying...

Remember, the old saying is true: it's not what you say that matters, it's HOW you say it that counts.

He was presenting to an all-male group. When you present to an all-male group, you have to project control. No one follows or believes a leader that is weak. Crossing your legs is NOT a powerful posture, it's weak. If you're an "energy" person, crossing your legs disrupts energy flow. For the rest of us, suffice it to say that the power-posture is to keep your legs spread at least shoulder width, or a little wider for a stronger image, and keep your weight evenly distributed on both legs. Do NOT shift your weight back and forth.

Ladies, same thing. And, sorry to say this but it's true, ladies - you have an uphill struggle for credibility if you speak to an all-male group, so you need this advice even more than men do.

Questions? Comments? Rants? - Feel free to post them right here, right now.

Dedicated to increasing your business success and income with seminars -

David
PS: I only have one copy left of my best-selling program "The Quick Start Seminar Success System" - after that one is gone, you'll only be able to get it as part of a much more expensive package so get your copy before it's gone.

Labels: Little Known Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Seminar Success

Why Your Voice Can Ruin Your Seminar Results:

First, let's be clear about something: you do NOT need some kind of "golden voice" to be successful doing seminars.

If you hold that belief, or anything even close to that - if you think your voice is "bad" - take that belief and send it off to the sun to burn up forever. Get rid of that belief because it's as useful to you today as yesterday's lunch.

What I'm talking about today is your voice speed: most people deliver seminars speaking at their normal, conversational speed. Now, I happen to talk very fast in normal conversation - drives my Mom nuts. My Mom talks very slooooowwwwly. Drives ME nuts!

Get the picture?-people LISTEN at the speed they normally TALK. If you get up in your seminar and talk slow like my Mom, you'll drive people like me nuts. If you talk fast like me, you'll drive people like my Mom nuts.

The solution? Learn to speak at 3 speeds: slow, medium and fast. This will prevent you from ruining your seminar results by driving people nuts. Alternate your speech speed during your seminar talk so that you keep everyone, every kind of listening speed, happy.

Dedicated to maximizing your business success and income through seminars -
David

Labels: Why Your Voice Can Ruin Your Seminar Results

How Your Face Can Determine Your Seminar Success:

Here's something that is so easy to overlook, many seminar presenters completely miss the huge power of using your face properly in a seminar.

If you're a business owner using seminars to market your business, generate new leads, convert those new leads into happy, paying customers, and for client retention and referrals, you simply MUST use your face properly.

(And by the way, if you're NOT using seminars and public speaking to get new customers, what's wrong with you? Haven't you been following this blog? Have you not been getting my Daily Seminar Success Quick Tips? Do you not have my Quick Start Seminar Success System?? Seminars are the fastest easiest least costly and most effective way to build your business...)

It's a common mistake for business owners not to pay attention to what they do with their face during a seminar presentation. Your face is going to determine the mood of the group. If you smile or frown, that has a huge impact on your group. I will go as far as to say that you can make or break your seminar based on what your face does.

I've cringed watching some seminar presenters frown during the entire presentation, and bring the whole room down - the mood of the group was palpably, tangibly sour, and it was clearly because this presenter was scowling at us the whole time. On the break, I overheard a number of people saying they did not like this guy and would not do business with him or buy from him ever, saying "who wants to do business with a sourpuss like that".

It's time to face the fact: your face has a huge impact on your group!

Tune in tomorrow - I'm going to tell you about something else that most seminar presenters have no clue about, but can completely ruin your seminar and kill your chances of success.

Dedicated to maximizing your income and success through seminars -
David

Labels: How Your Face Can Determine Your Seminar Success

How to Develop Your First Product Fast:

As a seminar speaker, you need a product. You need a product for a number of reasons. A product can be another revenue stream, it can give you tremendous added credibility, and it can promote you 24/7 without you having to do a thing.

The ideal product for you to have is a book. I don't know exactly why, but when you're an author, you get a degree of respect and credibility and authority you just don't have otherwise.

However, lots of people find writing a book a daunting task. I understand that. After I wrote my first book, I swore I'd never write another, but I did write another book - and it was a lot of work, I wrote every single word of each of my books. You can hire a ghost writer, and I know a couple of good ones I can refer you to, or you can hire someone on a work-for-hire website such as elance.com. But those options are not necessarily cheap.

If you want to have a book fast, then you should write up a good outline, then hire a ghost writer or someone from elance, and also give them everything you have in writing such as articles you've written, your brochures, website info, audio recordings you have of your seminars - anything and everything you have on you and what you do. They can fill in the rest based on your outline and information, and in short order you'll have your book.

There's a much faster way to have a terrific product in no time flat, and I'll talk about that tomorrow, see you then!

Dedicated to maximizing your business income and success through speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Be sure to check out my resource shop by clicking here now:

Labels: How to Develop Your First Product Fast

How to Instantly Improve Your Public Speaking and Seminar Skills:

Getting up in front of of people and doing public speaking or seminars is a lot like being an actor.

You should have a script you follow. Of course, I don't suggest you memorize your talk the way an actor would, but your talk should have a strong opening, a middle, and a strong close. Follow your planned script as you give your talk.

There have been many great speakers over the years, in many fields: the self-improvement/self-help field has had a zillion, as well as motivational speakers. Politics provides dozens of examples as well. Find someone who embodies the kinds of characteristics that you would like to have, and deliver your presentation emulating their delivery. Use your face voice and body the way they do.

By using a pre-designed flow and structure, or "script" for your talk, and emulating great speakers, you instantly improve your public speaking and seminar skills!

Dedicated to maximizing your business income and success through speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Be sure to check out my resource shop by clicking here now:

Labels: How to Instantly Improve Your Public Speaking and Seminar Skills

How Speaking Skills WILL Make You More Money:

People won't pay you money just because you're a great speaker - BUT, you will make more money if you're a great speaker.

What?-isn't that a contradiction?

No it's not. It's an important distinction. A little discernment will reveal the important and critical distinction:

Very few people will be in demand as a paid speaker, just because they're a great speaker. Impressing people with speaking skills and polished professionalism rarely - very rarely - translates into people lining up and banging on your door to hire you and pay you to speak. This is just a fact: being a great speaker does not guarantee you an income stream. Period.

However, being a great speaker can make you loads of money, and here's the critical distinction: being a great speaker will make you loads of money, if and only if you get up in front of your target market and deliver a compelling call to action. If you get up in front of a group of people who need and want your service or product, and as a speaker you are atrocious, you will lose 99.9% of them - they will not like you, they will not believe you, they will not trust you - they will not do business with you.

Do you see the critical distinction here? Being a great speaker will not bring you income just for being a great speaker. But, being a great speaker will bring you a flood of income if you speak to a hungry target market and deliver a compelling call to action.

Dedicated to maximizing your income and success through speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Have you signed up for my Seminar Success Daily Quick Tips?-it's fast and free - just click here.

Labels: How Speaking Skills WILL Make You More Money

Making Money By Being a Great Speaker:

I hate to burst your bubble, but this is a no-nonsense blog - being a great speaker is no guarantee of making money.

But, this is the fallacy that many speakers get caught up in, and to their financial detriment.

They go out and print up promotional packages that cost thousands of dollars, then go out begging for a speaking engagement. And, they want to be paid for it.

They want to be paid to tell their inspiring story. The problem? This is a strategy that works for all but a very few. If you're Michael Jordan, you can command big money by speaking - but it's not because people really want to hear his empowering message, it's because they want to be able to say they saw the great Michael Jordon in person.

Unless you're a celebrity, you can forget about big paydays, just to show up and tell your story.

Even worse, just because you gain some kind of certification as a "speaking pro", no one gives a rats ass about that.

What do they care about? Tune in tomorrow, and I'll tell you.

Dedicated to maximizing your success (and income) through seminar speaking -
David
PS: Have you signed up for my Seminar Success Daily Quick Tips?-click here, it's fast and easy.

Labels: Making Money By Being a Great Speaker

Is Seminar Success Out Of Your Reach?

Occasionally I'll get a phone call or email from someone complaining that they're industry is too tightly controlled to do seminars. One example is financial planners - they can't do anything unless the compliance dept. give approval first.

In reality, that means they just don't want to jump through the flaming hoops to get compliance to sign-off on and approve their seminar materials and presentation - but here's an easier way around this: go directly to compliance and ask them for pre-approved promotional materials.

If your industry or profession is tightly controlled, like financial planners, don't let that be a barrier to your seminar success. Remember this quote:

"People fail in direct proportion to the socially acceptable excuses they're willing to accept".

Don't give up at the first sign of a barrier: doing seminars will help you to get to any level of success you want to reach!

Dedicated to maximizing your success and income with seminars -
David

Labels: Is Seminar Success Out Of Your Reach?

How To Stay Focused To Achieve Seminar Success:

It's easy to get distracted. There's a lot to do, a lot to get done. If you're like most of my customers who are business owners (and me!) and have a huge, practically overwhelming amount of items on your to-do list, here's a tip that has helped me and my customers:

First, if you have to-do lists spread out on different sheets, consolidate them - group them in categories if you need to, like lead generation, contact follow up, technology, and so on. Do NOT turn this into a new career, good enough is good enough - just quickly consolidate your list to one master list.

Now, at the top, write down this sentence: "Is this task a profit-producing task?" and go down the list and highlight or check off the ones that are: those are your first priorities. Now just go back and number each of those highlighted items in terms of priority - again, do NOT make a career out of this, just get it done.

It's easy to get lost in busy work, especially when your to do list is so long it intimidates you. Organizing and prioritizing your list in this fashion will bring you out of paralysis and into cohesive, focused action.

Dedicated to maximizing your business income and success through seminars and public speaking -
David
PS: Have you seen my "one minute training videos" - check them out by clicking here.

Labels: How To Stay Focused To Achieve Seminar Success

How To Stay Motivated On The Path Of Success:

No matter what level of success you get to, you'll find you'll want to keep going. Very few people are truly happy just sitting around doing nothing, although many people dream of that. Doing nothing is highly overrated.

Here's the thing: we tend to think of success as a destination, even a "thing" - like a possession we can obtain. But it's really much better to think of success as a continual process that never ends - no matter how wealthy or well-known you become, you're still on the path to success.

But if you're not as rich or famous as you'd like, you need to stay motivated - motivation is like food, you can't eat just once and be full for life. Like food, you should have at least one dose of good positive motivation per day.

That's why I email one "daily success tip" per day - have you signed up yet? If not, just click here to sign up - it's fast, it's free, and each day you'll get a very brief, very powerful success tip you can use to become more successful, and stay motivated.

Dedicated to maximizing your success (and income) through speaking and seminars -
David

Labels: How To Stay Motivated On The Path Of Success

Lest you forget, let me remind you right here right now that seminars and public speaking is without a doubt the best way to promote your business. It's also the fastest way to bring in new customers and clients. It's also the most fun way too.

You can also boost your career and income if you have good presentation skills.

Sure, maybe you're not sure about the whole getting up in front of people thing - after all, in school it was nerve wracking (to say the least) to have to get up in front of people and start speaking... all those faces looking at you... all those eyes on you....

Look: that was then. That was when you were in your formative years when your peers, and what they thought of you, meant more than anything else.

Yes, you probably have a kind-of hangover from that now, but my students over and over have easily conquered what they thought was insurmountable stage fright and fear of public speaking, and so can you.

So, either start doing seminars and public speaking to promote your business, your mission, your product, your service, yourself................ or you might as well get out one-hundred dollar bills and start ripping them up right now.

Dedicated to maximizing your success - and income! - through public speaking and seminars -
David

Labels: Start Ripping Up $100 Bills Starting Right Now

Is Doing Public Speaking and Seminars Easier Than Walking On Fire?

Nothing can build your confidence (and your income!) faster than seminars and public speaking.

How is that possible?

Think back on a time when you did something that you feared doing, or thought was impossible for you - I don't know what that is for you - maybe you jumped out of an airplane (hopefully with a parachute) maybe you walked across hot coals without burning your feet.

Or it could have been learning to ride a 2 wheel bike or drive a car, or learn how to use a computer, or learn how to type.

Think about it: after you did what you feared or thought was impossible for you, you experienced a huge surge in your confidence and self-esteem.

When you overcome fear of public speaking you'll experience a surge in self-confidence and self-esteem the likes of which you've never experienced before!

Dedicated to maximizing your success - and income!- with public speaking and seminars -
David

Labels: Is Doing Public Speaking and Seminars Easier Than Walking On Fire

Getting Ahead In Business At Warp Speed:

Here in the U.S., we like speed. Delayed gratification is not exactly something we're fond of.

And when it comes to success, we want to succeed sooner rather than later.

If you have your own business, you want to generate new clients as quickly as possible. And if you're an employee of a business, you want to advance your career and pay as fast as possible.

Since doing speaking, seminars, and other group events is the fastest way to generate new clients or climb the corporate ladder, then why aren't you getting around to doing it yet? Why is it still sitting on your to-do list?

My experience is that often the things we resist have some kind of "juice" behind it, which usually boils down to some kind of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of public speaking, fear of failing, and so on. Sometimes it's even fear of success.

If you were to be brutally honest with yourself, what's holding you back? Why aren't you getting ahead at warp speed? What's stopping you from using speaking, seminars or other group events to get ahead?

Dedicated to maximizing your success - and income - through speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Hurry and get details on my upcoming free Tele-Seminar, click right here:

Labels: Getting Ahead In Business At Warp Speed

How to Maximize Your Results From Your Speaking and Seminars - Converting Prospects Into Paying Clients and Customers:

1. Stop thinking that you're there to "educate" people (you're doing them a disservice if you think you can possibly teach them everything they need to know in less than a day - and even if you've got a day you're pushing it, my friend!)

2. Stop being afraid to ask for the sale (if you send them off with the materials and resources they need to succeed, you've done your job right - if not, you haven't. Period!)

3. Stop assuming that prospects will take action just because you shared some info with them and they have your contact info (you need to tell them exactly what step(s) to take next, and then you need to contact those who don't immediately take the step(s) you outlined and tell them again).

Is that it?? Of course there are other pieces to the puzzle, but those are some major pieces people miss, and miss often!

Dedicated to maximizing your success - and income! - through speaking and seminar success -
David
PS: Hurry and sign up for my upcoming free Tele-Seminar - get the details by clicking here.

Labels: Getting The Best Results From Your Speaking and Seminars

The Reason Why You're Not Making Money From Speaking and Seminars:

Actually, there's more than one reason people aren't banking a boat load of cash from speaking and seminars.

Yesterday I pointed out that if you work for a business - or own one - you can bank substantial amounts of additional income by opening up your mouth in front of groups. Reread yesterday's post if you need or want to.

The number 1 reason why you're not making money from speaking and/or seminars, is because you're not doing it due to fear or ignorance - fear being primarily "stage fright" and fear of public speaking. Ignorance being primarily not knowing what you don't know - you're not an ignorant person, you just don't know how to effectively present in a manner that advances your career, your business, and yes - your income.

But even those stumbling around out there speaking and holding seminars are wasting a lot of time and money - I'll tell you how tomorrow.

Dedicated to maximizing your success and income through speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Want one-on-one help?-just click here for details.

Labels: The Reason Why You're Not Making Money From Speaking and Seminars

Big Mouth, Big Money:

There are 2 main ways to use your mouth to put a lot more money in the bank.

1. You are an employee of a business, or 2. You run your own business.

If you're an employee, as you move up the food chain you will face the fact that in order to do your job you will be required to speak and/or make presentations to groups of existing clients, prospects, at company meetings, and perhaps even before the board of directors.

If you can not or will not do this, you will not move up in the food chain. Period. And you will miss out on a lot of money. Period.

If you own your own business, they lead generation and lead conversion are one of your highest priorities. Speaking and seminars are the fastest, easiest, and most fun way to generate tons of qualified prospects, and convert them into paying, happy customers and clients.

So if there's all this money to be banked, why do most employees and business owners NOT use their mouth to pad their bank accounts?

Tell you tomorrow!

Dedicated to multiplying your income through speaking and seminars -
David
PS: Hey - have you already signed up for my daily success quick tips?-click here now for info.

Labels: Big Money, Big Mouth

Which would you rather be: right, or rich?

Sounds like a stupid question, doesn't it?-wouldn't everyone rather be rich than right?

No. Definitely not. People will defend their ideas and methods to the death, even if those ideas and methods are keeping them from achieving their financial goals - even if their ideas and methods are keeping them broke!

It's just human nature to get stuck in a rut. It's just human nature to "stick to our guns" even in a losing battle. But why stick to methods and ideas that are just not getting you the results you want?

I'm just as guilty of this as anybody. I stumbled around for years and years before I finally admitted to myself that I didn't know everything, and needed business help. Looking back, I kick myself for not doing so sooner - I could have avoided so much wasted time and money spent, not to mention all the money I didn't make due to my ignorance!

How about you? Would you rather be right, or would you rather be rich? It's up to you!

Dedicated to your increased income through speaking and seminar success -
David
PS: Click here to view some resources that can help you to multiply your profits and earnings.

Labels: Would You Rather Be Right - Or Rich?

Building Credibility and Celebrity with Speaking and Seminars:

Let me be the first one in 2008 to say it: the U.S. has officially become a culture of celebrity.

Look no further than your TV set for the proof. Notice all the businesses using celebrity endorsements to sell their stuff? In this land, those with celebrity status are seen as trustworthy, believable experts. Suzanne Sommers has no medical credentials at all, but... well, you've seen the commercials, right?

It doesn't matter if you think celebrity culture is a sign of brilliant marketing, or the apocalypse, or merely the decline of western civilization, it's here to stay. And as they say, if ya can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Lucky for you, speaking and seminars elevates you to the level of local celebrity. How can you use speaking and seminars to leverage your way into expertise and credibility?

Tune in tomorrow to find out how.

Dedicated to your speaking and seminar success!
David
PS: I have just one set of "The Quick Start Seminar Success System" left - for more info click right here.

Labels: Building Credibility and Celebrity with Speaking and Seminars

Seminars, Speaking, and Super-Effective Marketing:

Your marketing plan - is it a true plan, or something you do haphazardly?

There are a number of ways to market yourself, your product, your service: you could do traditional advertising, but that's expensive and becoming less and less effective. You can do Google Ad Words - every business person I know has only lost money doing this (do you know anyone actually making money with ad words??). You can hire someone to do SEO (search engine optimization) for your website - again, expensive and with no guarantees of converting prospects into paying customers and clients. You can send out press releases trying to get publicity - a terrific strategy, but a bit tricky if you don't know how to play the media game.

Seminars and speaking can be done at zero cost (yes, zero - not one dime, not one penny) and because you're "pressing the flesh", people get a feel for you, and you're instantly established as the expert.

No matter what your marketing budget or plan is, you simply must be incorporating seminars and/or speaking, or you might as well just start ripping up $100 bills right now!

Dedicated to your seminar and speaking success,
David
PS: Need some one-on-one help, coaching and consulting? How would you like to pick my brain for one hour straight and ask all the questions you want? Just click here for more info.

Labels: and Super-Effective Marketing, Seminars, Speaking