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Create Credibility in
New Markets
One of the most popular
ways experts expand their empire is by penetrating new
markets. The most common obstacle: all markets have
their favorite gurus – folks that have been there
since the Ice Age. How do you use your past to create
credibility when you are the new kid in town? Here are
two ways to do an end run around the old guard:
Show the Similarities
Most newbies don’t get past the first round of
consideration. Why? Because the buyer can’t see
the connection between your previous success and their
audience. Show how your current clients are similar
to your new potential clients, and poof! Your track
record is now portable.
Example: Jim Loehr co-authored The Power of Full
Engagement in 2003 to apply his work with athletes
to executive performance. His argument: just as athletes
train for “game day”, executives perform
in stressful, high-stakes environments. By showing the
similarity between athletes and executives, he creates
credibility in a new market, one where he had less experience.
This comparison also created a great mental picture
for new prospect; what competitive exec doesn’t
want to relive their glory days on the football or baseball
field?
Key questions to ponder: who else has a similar mindset
to your current clients? Who else has similar challenges,
or works in a similar environment?
Define
the New Threat
Another way to make immediate inroads is to announce
a new source of pain. A source that you just happen
to know a lot about. This strategy takes advantage of
the most primitive of human natures, the avoidance of
pain or loss.
Example: the creator of the standard tool
for diagnosing psychopathy, Dr. Hare, applied his 25-year
research of criminals by co-authoring Snakes in
Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work last year. He
paints a dark picture of how this personality pervades
Corporate America and what happens when psychopaths
become leaders. Fast Company was intrigued
enough to feature him prominently, which no doubt raised
his profile. He points out that danger is lurking, and
the devastating impact psychopaths can have on any organization.
He warns how easy these con artists can fool anyone
and offers specific personality traits to watch out
for.
Dr. Hare shows the application of his work
in a new environment. He introduced a new threat and
then used his past experience to show his unique prominence.
Corporate scandals gave him great examples and the media
had a field day.
Key Questions to
Ponder
How portable is your prominence? Who else would care
about your work? What is the most profitable problem
you solve? What are the similarities between your clients
and your new market?
Experts who build empires hedge their bets. They not
only go vertical in their established markets but also
do end runs against their competition in new arenas.
Buyers are always looking for a new take on their challenges.
Use that to your advantage and watch the Old Guard.
The Curse of the Committee
Program committees that select speakers are to experts
what women are to men, a mystery. Why? There appears
to be two decision-making processes in committees –
and they are polar opposites. Below is the inside scoop
on both approaches and how you need to navigate.
Democracy
in action
The most visible approach is the democratic process.
It ensures that all proposals and possibilities are
considered and everyone gets to voice their opinions.
This system is not really designed to select speakers.
It is intended to create buy-in for the program and
to explain the choices made to anyone who asks. It spreads
the blame if the program doesn’t work and shares
the credit if it does.
Every potential speaker has to play to this process.
You can’t move around it or you leave the committee
open to being accused of playing favorites. So use the
committee’s democratic process as a place to start.
The biggest mistake experts make is to depend on equal
treatment – not all proposals are created equal.
Behind
the Scenes
The second approach is the “behind the scenes”
process; what really happens to all those proposals
gathered? This system is hidden and therefore, hard
to get a feel for. It explains why all proposals are
not created equal. The criterion is very subjective
and the “rules” change constantly.
You know you’re participating in this process
when you are “invited” to submit an application.
These proposals are immediately put into the, “this
is a given” stack and the rest of the slots (few
if any) are selected via the democratic process. Playing
this game is key to getting on the program.
Because of this “parallel universe,” things
are never what they seem with committees. Surprises
are common. The good news: knowing how the system works
is half the battle. So, be prepared to compete on both
fronts.
Vickie’s note: my system for getting booked
using the “behind the scenes” process has
helped thousands of experts navigate the committee selection
process. It’s in Get Those Bookings, and you can
get the download version free when you buy the cassette
version of Speaking in the Strike Zone. Click here
for details.
Cleaning out the
closet, part 2
Amazing things happen when you move. You discover stuff
you never knew you had. When 35 boxes showed up at my assistant's doorstep, her team immediately got to
work creating an inventory. And guess what we found,
a box of the cassette version of Speaking in the
Strike Zone. Coulda swore we sold out of those
things a while back…
This is one of our most-requested programs. A mixture
of market trends with specific how-to’s. It’s
$34.95 on the website, but I want to get rid of those
things. So here’s the deal: I’m giving them
away at $24.95 plus S&H. And I’m throwing
in the download version of Get Those Bookings.
This program has a great briefing on committees, a maze
of decision-making if there ever was one. (See above
article.) But hurry – the units are going fast
and when they’re gone, they’re gone.
Whew! That was fun...
Many thanks to all of those who participated in the
20th anniversary party. I was shocked at the response
(all 20 slots filled within a week) and especially what
happened next. The ideas that were generated were nothing
short of amazing. Great things happen when you suit
up, show up and serve with all you’ve got. This
experience has inspired me to open up to new ways to
help, so be on the lookout for new formats and ways
to play.
Harvard, here I come!
Just when the east coast thought it was safe, I’m
coming back to Harvard for a presentation on personal
branding. This time the focus is on the strategic use
of stories – what kind to use, and when. I can’t
describe the feeling of making a difference in such
a big way. A great reminder that we are all angels unaware.
We are indeed on this planet to care and serve one another.
I know that consulting
and coaching brings in steady revenue, but frankly, I
just want to speak and write. Given that, how do I make
my business more profitable?
A: Congratulations on
your clarity. The last thing the marketplace needs is
a consultant and/or coach who isn’t good at it.
If you don’t want to go there, then don’t.
If all you want to do is speak and write, then the focus
is on getting work without the high marketing costs.
The most direct route: an exclusive relationship with
a speakers bureau. These deals are hard to come by,
so be prepared to spend months (if not years) finding
the right bureau and getting them to work with you.
These folks are looking for the easy sell – someone
they can pitch to their buyers and consistently get
the deal. The more attractive you are to the buyers,
the better off you are. This means extensive media and
momentum – before a bureau will touch you.
A lower-fee route: contract training. Corporate universities
and larger corporate contracts are perfect for experts
who have the gift of group dynamics. You have one buyer,
many workshops. Be aware: these contracts come and go
fast. You don’t have a deal until you get the
deposit.
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