You may be an amazing speaker, but in order for your public speaking business to survive, you will need audiences who will pay to listen to you. Instead of paying for lots of ads to promote your business, you want to spend your marketing efforts where you will get the best results: networking and showing people what you’ve got.

Marketing in this way enables you to do more of what you do best: public speaking. You do not have to spend a majority of your time marketing, which takes away from the time you have available for speaking engagements. Instead, you can sell yourself to 10, 20 or even 100 people in one hour and grow your public speaking business faster.

1. Volunteer to Get Your Business Off the Ground

Speaking for free may sound like a way to not earn money – but in reality, it is a cost-effective way to market your public speaking service. Not only do you gain exposure to several audiences, you can establish a relationship of goodwill with potential clients.

There is no hard selling here, and people are more likely to want to hire you for future paid speaking engagements because they see you a a good person and want to reciprocate the favor. Do not underestimate the power of “charity work.”

2. Meet the Right People Through Organizations

Join trade organizations in your industry; ones that match the topics you speak about. This is a simple way to get connected directly to people in a particular industry that tend to be leaders and decision makers. Many of these people want to excel in their field, network and participate in group activities.

Whether organization members do the hiring for speaking engagements or they know contacts involved in event planning that could land you a job, sharing your skills and getting involved in industry organizations can provide you with lots of speaking opportunities.

You can use the search engines to find a list of trade associations and industry organizations to contact. Joining your local Chamber of Commerce can also connect you with potential clients.

3. Get Listed in Online Directories and Have Clients Calling You

Speaker Services and Speaker Zone are two directory websites that connect speakers with audiences. Organizations and businesses use these sites to find speakers for their events, and it is an easy way to reach new clients that is easy and convenient for them.

For a fee, you can list your speaking service in one of many different categories. Describe the topics you cover, the geographic locations where you are available to speak and the rates you charge. You can also share your experience, skills and even a video of you speaking.

Getting your first clients will be the hardest part. Once you begin speaking to groups, the contacts, referrals and repeat business you get tends to grow exponentially. Instead of going out and searching for audiences for your public speaking business, you will find that people will be calling you.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Visit HomeBusinessCenter.com to get more information on How to Start a Speaking Business and free public speaking training videos.

Quite often, schools, universities, organizations, and community groups hold events that need guest speakers. These guest speakers may provide keynote messages, motivational talks, or vital information on a particular subject.

Such events are major opportunities for speakers to present their skills and topics while getting paid. Becoming guests at these affairs enhances the speaker’s reputation and expands buyer prospects. Getting into these events is quite challenging though. To become guests, in corporate conferences and universities requires a great deal of self-promotion and credentials.

When you think about it, it is natural for planners or organizers of these events to invite speakers that are known and reputed for their achievements. Speakers that are perceived to be great at what they do are logically prioritized and some groups will favor celebrities in the field. Not only does it attract more people to the event; it will also ensure favorable results and productivity.

So what exactly needs to be done? How does one become a guest speaker at schools, conferences, and events?

The answer relies on the effectiveness of the speaker’s marketing approach. The key here is to establish a reputation of expertise and professionalism. Also, an understanding of the niche is essential so the speaker can be clear about the promotional tactics to be employed to attract the organizers.

That is the basis for your marketing materials and created products. The products you release in the market should provide an impression of authority and extensive knowledge. The niche will not fail to notice this and the speaker will have an imprint in their minds. Thus, they are called upon when they are needed.

Marketing materials should show a speaker’s specialization. If the speaker intends to break into the college market, a speaker should state and emphasize in brochures that his or her focus is on youth motivation and school leadership. Perception is reality. It is important that speakers should be perceived appropriately in the niche.

Personal branding is one way to create better recall and establish a reputation. Once the market labels your professional services, you will begin to get clients easily in specific niches. This is why speakers should carefully plan their branding and labeling.

It may take some time to get to the point where you become a primary commodity as a speaker. Big events require only the best speakers and through experience and strategical marketing approach, you will eventually reach that favorable position. Once you reach that point, you can become a guest speaker at any event.

There are plenty of ways to become a guest speaker at schools, conferences, and events. However, persistence and smart work is imperative to get there. Nothing will happen to people who just wait for something to occur. To get ahead as a speaker, you must get out there and network. Recognize the needs of your market and expand your database of prospective clients.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Article by James Malinchak. **Attention Readers** Want to Make $100,000 to $1,000,000 Dollars Per Year as a Professional Speaker? Learn to Become A Speaker At Schools and More or send a completely blank email to bmsoptin@aweber.com.

When most people think of getting paid, they think about one thing…CASH! However, there are many other ways to get paid for speaking (and some of them might be even more valuable than cash… I know it sounds hard to believe, but it’s true!).

According to one Member Survey by the National Speaker’s Association, 81.1% of speakers worked for no fee at least once during the last year. Of those, 89.6% spoke for free between 1 and 10 times! A full 21% of the membership surveyed spoke for free between 5 and 10 times. Why do they do this? Because it’s great marketing! There’s just no better way to develop your reputation as a speaker than to be seen speaking. It makes perfect sense.

Anyone with experience in the field of professional speaking can tell you that the key to success in this industry is exposure. As you speak to more audiences, word of mouth starts to build faster and faster. Before you know it, event organizers will begin to call YOU!

Of course, great marketing material helps, but nothing beats great marketing material combined with the far-reaching word of mouth.

That’s where the pro-bono work comes in.

You are knowledgeable on the subject matter, you have gained the confidence to stand and speak in front of hundreds of people, and you finally put a good structure together to keep your audience interested throughout your speech. The problem that many speakers face is that when you are just starting, you can not demand the big bucks that more experienced professionals can.

So… there’s a balancing act you need to play. Paying expenses out of your pocket in order to gain experience does make sense in some situations, but there’s a way to minimize your risk. The objective is to turn any out-of-pocket expense into an investment.

We have put together a dozen tips to make sure that you are getting reimbursed for your speaking engagement in a way that will work for both you and the meeting planner.  So read on – this could make a huge difference in your speaking career!

1. Ask for a professional quality video tape.

Perhaps the best way to sell yourself to a meeting planner who hasn’t seen you before is to let them see you in action.

Tell the planners that you do not require any money for your services, but you want them to have your engagement video taped at PROFESSIONAL QUALITY. Many organizations have the resources in-house to provide this to you. It’s low-cost for them and big-benefit to you. Hiring a professional yourself to record a presentation could run you hundreds to thousands of dollars.

Perhaps the best way to sell yourself to a meeting planner who hasn’t seen you before is to let them see you in action. A videotape is the next best thing to being there.

Today, the recording can be downloaded on a computer and even sent via-email (for free) or burned on a CD (for pennies). You can add a streaming version to your website. So you might not be getting paid for a few hours of your service… but you definitely will be laying the foundation for growing your engagements in the future.

One important note: make sure you use a lapel mike when being videotaped, and do a test run with the person running the camera. There’s nothing that screams “amateur video” like a soundtrack that plays as if were recorded in an echo chamber.

2. Have them buy your product (i.e., book, CD, resource kit) instead.

Some organizations may not have the budget for speakers, but they have a “training” budget.  In my experience in dealing with many different organizations and companies looking for speakers, I often find clients who do not have room in the budget for speakers who DO have various other budgets for the event that they are putting on.

The training budget allows the event planners to use money on any resources that can be used to help train the attendees. Companies, non-profits and various other organizations spend millions of dollars every year to train their employees or volunteers in their respective fields. That is MILLIONS of dollars floating round being spent on training costs, so why not offer training resources?

If you have a book, a resource kit, or any other learning tool that complements or enhances your speaking workshop or engagement, have the company or organization buy some from you.  If you “speak for free” but sell thousands of dollars worth of books or kits, you can make the engagement worth your time.

If you do not have any books or kits, develop some for your presentation.  Not only will it make everyone understand you and stay interested longer, it can also benefit you financially.

3. Request a testimonial on the organization’s letterhead.

Even the top-paid professional speakers will often donate their services in exchange for a testimonial that helps their portfolio.  The more experienced you become, the more recognized and wanted you become for other engagements.  What’s especially interesting is that an organization’s competitors want the same speakers. They don’t want to feel like they’re missing out.

It is always important that you get endorsements and testimonials.  Offer to speak at a venue for free under the condition that if the planner is satisfied with your presentation, they will write a testimonial for you. And be very clear that you don’t expect anything if they aren’t thrilled.

Think about this for a minute: how much does a meeting planner really expect from a free speaker? Chances are they are expecting a lot less than you’ll be delivering. So it’s likely that even if your presentation doesn’t knock their socks off, the planner will feel obligated to put a few kind words about you in writing.

Testimonials are a great way to convince others that you have performed well in the past and will perform well for future engagements. Especially if the organization or company is a reputable and well-known, ask to have the testimonial printed with the organization’s letterhead. You can include copies of your best letters in your media kit. Use selected portions of other testimonials on your website and in other promotional materials.

Having a reputable entity backing you up increases the value given to the opinion. When other people say you’re good, it means about 2000% more than you saying you’re great.

4. Ask for a write-up in the organization’s newsletter.

Almost every type of organization – including businesses, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, religious congregations, and others – sends out newsletters to keep people involved and interested in what is going on. Whether it’s employees, customers, or an organization’s members who read it, you can get some really nice exposure, and it’s a good way to reach others who might also be looking for speakers.

If you speak for one of these organizations, ask to be included in their newsletter. Preferably, they will include an article you write, with your byline and contact information at the end. At a minimum, ask for them to include a feature about you, and the talk you will be doing (or have already done).

You would be surprised at how vast some mailing lists are and how many people read the articles in them.  This is a great way to spread your name and your mission, and could lead to more engagements and publicity for you in the future… and let’s face it: in the professional speaking industry, publicity is imperative.

You never know who the newsletter will reach. One of the readers may need you someday, and realize it just as they’re clearing out old papers from their desk in two years.

BONUS TIP: Ask to also be included in an online version of the newsletter. An online version has real staying power. Most popular search engines will eventually pick up any online posting, which means that web surfers will be finding your write-up for years to come.

5. Use business cards to your advantage.

Almost everyone has a business card, so how can you use yours to help gain publicity? When accepting an engagement for free, tell the planner that you will do so under the condition that they place a business card on every seat in the room. That way, when people sit down and listen to you speak, and like you (I am assuming you are good at what you do…otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this), they can pick up your card and keep it with them for the future.

Next time these people need a speaker or know someone who needs a speaker, guess whose business card they have without ever meeting you one-on-one? That’s right – they have all your contact information in their Rolodex, which will hopefully lead to more engagements and money for YOU in the future.

6. Use your audience as a source for leads.

When other people say you’re good, it means about 2000% more than you saying you’re great.

If you are looking to increase your speaking engagements, one of the most popular ways of doing so is through networking and word of mouth.

Asking friends or others if they know of anyone who requires an engagement speaker can be quite tedious and boring. So next time you are giving a speech for “free,” use the audience to help give you referrals.

The first thing to do is to let the audience know that you are doing this pro-bono. When they hear this, they will wonder why you would be willing to do such a thing. Explain to the audience that you have an evaluation that you would appreciate them filling out. In the evaluation form (which could be placed on every seat, or handed out upon entrance/exit to the venue), ask them to rate you as a speaker.

Many people will be willing to give you constructive feedback on your presentation. Once you have people drawn into your survey, include a question regarding whether they know of anyone looking for speakers. It also helps if you can promise a reward for any referrals that lead to more business.

In addition to the referral section, include a section for people to sign up for your internet newsletter or online e-zine, in which you will keep them up-to-date with your speaking engagements and booking opportunities.

NOTE: When getting referrals, ask for names, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. DO NOT even bother asking for e-mail addresses or fax numbers The last thing you need is to be accused of sending spam or unsolicited faxes. These practices can really tarnish your reputation. Once you have an existing relationship, and obtain permission, e-mail and fax are great communications tools.

7. Don’t give out notes.

When you are speaking, do not print handouts or notes of any type for the engagements.  Let people know that they are more than welcome to take their own notes throughout the duration of the speech, but also make the notes available on your website, and encourage them to visit your site.

Hopefully people will go home, get on the internet, and start visiting your site.  This is a great way to keep yourself differentiated from other speakers and build a fan base.

To encourage visitors, DO offer a promotional item with your contact information to every attendee. Pens and pads are fine, and pretty standard; this is a great place to be really creative. Use your imagination to come up with something that people will want to keep on their desks. Even better, come up with something they’ll want to show to others.

One speaker I know gives out small mirrors with her contact information printed on the plastic frame. The frames are designed to attach easily to cubicle walls. Because she works with customer service professionals who spend their days in a cubicle, these are a big hit. Her message, that “people can actually hear your smile over the phone” makes her gift especially purposeful as well.

8. Sell your products and services before, during, and after the speech.

This one probably doesn’t even need to be on the list, but some new speakers fail to understand that speaking is always about selling. Speak for free, sure, but let your audience know that you are more than a speaker.

You don’t need to do a hard sell. I don’t even think you need a soft sell. But you should clearly communicate that you are an expert, and make it clear that you earn money in ways other than speaking.

No matter what you speak on, you should have a consulting fee. If someone wants to get your professional advice, be prepared to offer it – for a fee! I’m not saying that you shouldn’t answer questions for free, but there’s nothing wrong with working out a day of consulting.

If you do have resources that can be purchased at the back of the room, make sure to ask for permission from the venue coordinator before you make a sales pitch. Any kind of audio or data CD, resource kit, or even a DVD of previous speeches (that can be recorded for free… refer to tip #1) can be sold.

Some items cost pennies to reproduce and can often be sold for hundreds of dollars… that is almost pure profit!!!

9. Use free speaking for tax advantages*.

When making a speech to a non-profit organization, you can actually use your speaking “fee” to your advantage for tax purposes. For example, let’s say that your normal going rate is $1000 per venue. If you are speaking for an organization that the government deems to be subject to charitable contribution deductions, and this organization does not offer a speaking fee, you can “comp” the organization the $1000.

In essence you are speaking for free, but that $1000 comp you just gave the organization is now tax-deductible as a charitable contribution deduction.  The deduction for the charity is capped off at a certain percentage, which is about 1 free in every 20 speeches. Additionally, you have to make sure that your going rate is consistent, and you can not make up a going rate based on where you are speaking. Claiming that your going rate is $250,000 will probably get you an audit and jail time.

* Be sure to consult with an accountant and/or tax attorney before dealing with taxes and invoicing. I’m not a lawyer or an accountant, and I won’t be held liable if you do anything that gets you into trouble.

10. Have them invite you back.

A great way to get future engagements that pay is to work out a deal with a venue that is having you speak for free. Let them know that you are more than willing to speak at their venue for free assuming that if they like you, they will invite you back and pay you for an upcoming event.

This is kind of like a money-back guarantee in reverse. You have to earn the money before they give it to you.  It provides incentives for both parties to enter the agreement, and assuming you perform well, everyone should be happy in the long-run. Just make sure to iron out the details of the possible future payments in advance. The organization holds the upper hand here, but a written agreement will make your life a lot easier.

11. How about a free weekend?

Sometimes event planners are not willing to pay a speaking fee for an engagement, but are willing to fly you in, wine and dine you, and show you a good time. This is a great way to be compensated even though you are “speaking for free.”  Have them pay any travel, lodging, and meal costs for you.

It can’t hurt to ask them if they are also willing to pay for your spouse’s transportation and meal costs (the lodging will not cost any extra).  This is a great way to get a free trip and vacation.  In addition, you can also use the vacation as a business expense in some cases.  For example, if you speak at a venue on a Friday and then spend the rest of the weekend doing the touristy stuff, you can write off the whole weekend as a business expense for tax purposes.

Once again, it is important that you consult with an accountant to make sure that all laws and regulations are upheld, but if done correctly this can save you money on your tax returns while you are enjoying a wonderful vacation.

12. Get a professional photo shoot.

Here’s a tip that the pros know: get some good “3/4 shots. That’s 3/4 audience, 1/4 you. The idea is to show not only audience size, but audience reaction. Those are the images that really sell to a meeting planner, and they are extremely important to have in your promotional materials.

This one is an often overlooked opportunity that has LOTS of inherent value. You need great photos for your one-sheet, your website, your media kit, and other publicity vehicles. Don’t miss any opportunity to get professional quality shots of you in front of an audience.

Very talented photographers can be found in almost any group you can think of. It’s worth it to ask a meeting planner if they can help you to get some good shots.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

The ONLY way to build a truly successful speaking business is to get out there and do what you do best – SPEAK! Remember that even the top level professional speaker will speak for free to try out new material, market themselves, and just stay fresh. Don’t let the lack of a speaking fee be an obstacle to your building a successful business.

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - -

Ah, so you’re looking to increase the amount of products you create in order to build your revenue? Well, let me give you some help with that, because through this article I will show you some good methods that will speed up things for you. You can be so much more productive like this:

1. There’s an alternative to ebooks and written media; you could look at selling audio products instead. I bet you speak faster than writing, and MP3s or CD series carry a higher perceived value than the written word; $100 – $500 is a common price range. So rather than spending ages at you screen creating an ebook, why not go for an audio product in under 24 hours? You could hire a studio, but it would probably be more beneficial to have your own; more control, more cost effectiveness in the long run.

2. Interview gurus. If you can get an interview with an expert or guru in your niche, this can save massive amounts of research time. Skype and other VOIP services are ideal for this, and you don’t need to spend a cent. Knowing what kind of questions to ask is the key your product creation, but remember – you can send out a survey and simply ask your potential clients what they would like to ask.

3. If you have the budget – outsource. There are freelancers for every aspect of product creation that you can think of. Not only can expert freelancers take the heavy time-consuming burdens off you, but you can hire a particular professional to give you the best at what they excel at; graphics, copywriting, sales letters, email series, etc.

4. Have you thought about hiring an army of affiliate marketers to help expand your sales effort? You’ll not need to lift a finger, and you only pay them if they make a sale. You’ll get more exposure, and hence generate healthier revenues.

If you have years of successful speaking under your belt, there’s no need for you to keep reading. This is specifically for rookies and those like myself – starving to death between paid speaking engagements. Why couldn’t someone have taken the time to tell me what I’m about to tell you? Yes, yes, I know…it was meant for me to make this costly mistake and share it with you so that you don’t end up doing the same thing.

Honestly, I’d heard a number of speakers and coaches say what I’m about to say. But the truth of the matter is that I was too busy thinking I knew everything and what they were telling me was really a sales pitch disguised as “education”. Big fat dumb costly assumption on my part. While my ultimate goal is to attract and retain a like-minded group of folks who want to empower themselves for the sake of helping others, I want you to do it AND make money. If you aren’t 1.) consistently booking at least 3 paid speaking engagements per month and 2.) getting at least $3,000 for each gig, don’t send out another proposal or chase another lead until you create a product that’ll make you some money in back-of-the-room sales. Seriously – you’ll end up peddling free articles for a living like me! Give yourself 30 days max to produce it, package it, and distribute it. Here are a few recommendations to get you going in the right direction:

Pick a Topic and Talk About it: Supposing you’ve branded yourself and identified your target audience, choosing a topic is a piece of cake. Now is the time to let everyone know why you’re the subject matter expert by sharing your personal experiences and educating people at the same time. People relate to real people and true stories. Relax and have a conversation with your audience. Don’t come across as a know it all and lecturing is a big no-no.

Decide on a Format/Medium: I’m sure there’s a fancy formal MBA term for this, but it all boils down to what will your product look like? CD, podcast, e-book, guide? Audio is the way to go for speakers and trainers. If you’re a writing coach, an e-book or guide is the perfect way to showcase your talent and expertise. My suggestion – have an audio and print option available. You now have two products to sell! Customers love choices and you’ve given them the power to make the buying decision that best suits their needs.

Launch Your Campaign: No one will know that your product exists unless you tell them. As a matter of fact, you should’ve been telling people while you were in the discovery and development phase. Don’t listen to people who believe you should only tell those in your industry. Find new friends who aren’t put off by your entrepreneurial nonsense. Take them under your wings and show them the ropes. They’ll think they’re in the company of a hot shot business tycoon and will move more product by word of mouth than you could ever sell by yourself.

Everyone in the service industry should market a product. The key is to keep your individual niche in mind when creating your deliverable. Solicit feedback and make enhancements accordingly. Ask for testimonials and include them in everything you send out – it speaks volumes for your business and adds instant credibility.

Are you a conference professional speaker? Is your present marketing working? Working well enough you have enough profits to vacation each year, buy a nice car, or pay your child’s tuition? Now you can replace low results marketing with these five solutions. It will change the way you do business if you are willing.

Perhaps you’ve tried high-cost, but low results marketing already. In person networking groups can steal your time and not yield big results. Free talks and book signings are fun for the extrovert, but don’t yield a lot unless you give at least six talks a month.

Replace low results marketing with these five solutions. It will change the way you do business!

Top Five Questions Answered So you can Update Your Authentic Marketing Messages

1. How can I update my email signature file to attract more clients?

Remember, to engage your audience and get action you need to include a signature file at the bottom of every email. Without it, you miss possible sales and clients. Don’t just taut yourself or your book; show some benefits of your service with a written concept statement such as “I help business people manifest their book dream.” Offer a free report or white paper through a link either to a squeeze page or to your free ezine. Your purpose is to capture your visitor’s email and add it to your growing data base. From the report they will see you as the trusted expert in your field.

2. Should I brand my speaking business with a short book?

Yes! Either an electronic book or print book, or both. Test your ideas with an eBook; then write your print book for in person programs. Many authors waste a lot of money printing too many copies and don’t realize even the printer makes mistakes. Know your book is your best business card and you can even write a short version to give away or sell for under $10.00. Many speakers I know practice this. Your target audience is hungry for your information and they will buy your books. Books are the #1 product bought online. Your audience is out these awaiting your wisdom. And your book will bring you higher paid speaking jobs.

3. Why is knowing my preferred audience so important to know before I start a book or web marketing project?

The biggest mistake speaking professionals make is to not to be clear on who their audience is. This is the kiss of death. Aim each print marketing message to a particular audience. That includes short sales messages for each book, seminar, teleseminar, web site product sales and your soft sales letter on your website for your service.

Your headlines and titles matter. Make sure they include hot key word phrases that are low competition only and benefits to your audience. You’ll write much better copy when you slant your materials toward just one audience. If more, your copy withers away, and no one is satisfied.

4. Why should I write short articles to submit to the top high-traffic article directories or blogs?

Your targeted audience visits these websites and blogs because it wants free information in your field of expertise. When they like your article, and if you have a powerful original resource box, you will attract droves of unique visitors to your Web site.

The most popular length article is from 250 (blog entry) to 800 words. Before you post these articles on your own site, make sure that EzineArticles gets the first version. Google knows who the biggest sites are, and will get your article page up from this source. Isn’t it better to do just a little work in the right place than to shotgun your marketing and spread yourself thin with far less customer following?

Know that the top sites offer multiple categories that are sure to fit your niche. You give the article; the resource box brings your target audience to you.

Article marketing is faster and easier, because you already have content from your talks, books or programs to put into your articles. And, with the new rules today, you only have to submit to a few high-traffic sites–much less time with a lot more credibility and unique web visitors.

It’s great that article marketing is free except for your time. I recommend that you start key word research before you submit because the game has changed. You must only use 3 keyword phrases that are in the low competition scale. I recommend you delegate submissions to a VA or webmaster when you can. I credit my Google rating as still #1 with the keyword “bookcoaching” from the 290+ article submissions we sent out over the past eight years.

5. Why should I write a benefit driven sales letter for each product and service?

You have the marketing down with articles. But, when your unique visitor comes to your site, do you get low sales conversions? Maybe it’s because you haven’t let your visitor know the benefits of your products or service.

A list of talks doesn’t motivate sales. You won’t get many tele-coaching attendees if you don’t share how you’ll solve your audience’s problems. The same thing goes for your service. Although it’s a bit softer, you still need a unique marketing message for it. How will your customers choose you if you don’t show your values and solutions to their needs?