The Changing Role of Speaking
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Statistics show that many speaking engagements are still obtained the old fashioned way: someone hears a speaker, thinks they’re great, recommends them for another speech, and the process repeats itself. What has changed is the buyer’s definition of "great." And that redefinition has overhauled the speaking industry and presents unique opportunities for building income.
The successful business now will make speaking the means, not the end. Instead of focusing on direct revenue from speaking, marketing efforts should focus on tools that directly contribute to the client’s success, with speaking being just one of those tools.
New Rules
Why not just speak? Because the market no longer supports speaking in a vacuum. With the exception of humorists, many speakers are being selected according to past success in other areas (such as sports).
Associations want a draw, and corporate buyers want excitement, both created by high-visibility success. The abundance of talent makes great speaking skills a given, and is no longer a competitive advantage in many markets. What’s critical now? How that success relates to their message. What will be critical in the future? How those messages translate into effective tools.
Blurring of the Lines
Because buyers are concentrating on credibility and message, experts like consultants and authors are making more headway into the marketplace than the traditional speaker. In the corporate markets, consultants are using speaking as value-added to their assessment and training services, making their message even more pertinent. Authors provide a lot of credibility, especially if their book is known in that industry, even though associations want "feel-good" messages for general session and keynote slots. Key Strategy: focus your message on "original research" in that industry and be willing to do more up-front work to customize.
Beyond Books and Tapes
Speakers have always understood leveraging, using books and audio/video tapes to create income. In the future, these products will still be a great way to increase impulse buys from the audience, but these tools only help in the retention of the information. Also, they put the burden on the listener to put ideas into action.
Key Strategy: continue this for the audiences, but bundle tapes and books with specific tools (see article on page 3 for examples) to go beyond folks that have heard you. Bottom line: the market will respond to speakers who move away from who and what they are and focus on specific tools they contribute directly to the success of their clients. These speakers will be the success stories for the new millennium.
New Opportunities
For every door that closes, another one opens. So how can speakers use the changes in the lead article to create more revenue? Below are some ideas:
Expand Your Spectrum of Services
No, you don’t have to necessarily become a consultant, author or sports hero in order to speak more, but you must have some tools that can directly enhance key decisions your marketplace makes. Remember, go beyond the dissemination of wisdom to tools that can help create what you are recommending.Create computer templates, assessments, games, anything that will give information or data that directly relates to specific situations. Example: one of my clients developed a computer template that would create data to aid in making loan decisions.
Create Direct Applications
I met a psychologist once who was traveling first class to speak for big bucks. How? He created a process that determined the monetary impact specific types of trauma have on someone’s quality of life. Who was he speaking to? Plaintiff attorneys. In this case, he was still a generalist (psychologist) but he had a specific application to his work.The more direct your application, the more you are seen as an expert. The more valuable your solution, the more you can charge for it.
Free Information
Instead of using speaking as a way to charge for information, give away your material and charge for implementation options. Use your web-site, special reports or newsletters to give away top trend info, new thinking, etc. and make speaking just one of the many experiences for solving specific challenges. Possible other outlets after the program: teleclasses, follow up coaching/consulting, even tracking results. Already seen on the web: subscription services for more specific information/implementation strategies.
Going Public
In the past, public seminars were very high risk. They still are, but changes in the incentive industry can make them less so. According to industry sources, 70% of incentive groups plan on more individualized programs. So, can your program be tailored to individuals from several incentive groups and be offered as an option to visitors in your area?Combine that market with local clients and the risk is eliminated. Reminder: most incentive participants expect activity-based programs, so don’t do the lecture and exercise routine with them.
Changes in the marketplace will require a more broad set of skills than just speaking, as well as more ways to implement and direct your wisdom. Good luck and happy creating!
I understand that content is important, but I also know that my favorite speakers are giving the same speech for years and still getting booked. Can’t I do the same thing they are doing?
Sure, if you started out at the same time they did. If you did, and you are as good as they are, then you would have a great track record, too. Along with that, you would have a database filled with folks who think you walk on water. In the 70’s there were more meetings than speakers. Competition is very keen now and there are different expectations for those coming into the marketplace in the 90’s. Many of our beloved veteran speakers are now seen as a major draw — which means that they can speak from the telephone book and folks will love them anyway. You may not get the same reaction from the audience if you did that, and audience perception is decision-maker reality.
So how can you create a draw? Being good now is a given, so differentiate yourself with content, and increase visibility to showcase your brilliance. Setting yourself apart in this way will make you the beloved veteran of the future.
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"Since I began working with Vickie 20 months ago, my fees have tripled. Product sales from July '97 to July '98 were up over 500% from techniques she suggested.... I thought I was allergic to marketing until Vickie showed me how to do it "my way" and succeed."
Perry A~
Perry A ~ Productions
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