Although you can speak of anything, there are certain things you should pay attention to from the start if you plan to make it a business. We've listed these things here:
For most of us, speaking is natural. We have talked since we were kids and some of us have made - or is thinking of making - a living from speaking.
Much like setting up a kitchen is most straightforward with the manual in hand, a plan for a great talk can and will save you a lot of trouble selling it later. So first thing first:
Much like setting up a kitchen is most straightforward with the manual in hand, a plan for a great talk can and will save you a lot of trouble selling it later. So first thing first:
No one buys speakers. Customers buy solutions
(unless you are very famous - in that case they may want to hire you because you are famous). People's time is too valuable for anything that isn't solutions. When you can create a good solution, you are halfway there. Let's start with that.
The solution should accompany the problem and vice versa. The answer is not worth much when we don’t know what it is fixing.
So start planning for business right now. Once you understand a problem, you need to phrase it in straightforward terms. Never try to sound smart, or make things unnecessarily complicated. Easing the cognitive load on your customers is customer service at its finest.
Do a simple sentence test to make sure that the problem-and-solution core is in place and as simple as it can be:
Finish this sentence;
So start planning for business right now. Once you understand a problem, you need to phrase it in straightforward terms. Never try to sound smart, or make things unnecessarily complicated. Easing the cognitive load on your customers is customer service at its finest.
Do a simple sentence test to make sure that the problem-and-solution core is in place and as simple as it can be:
Finish this sentence;
X has a problem with Y. The solution is Z
Replace X, Y, and Z with your own words - You can’t add extra sentences or change the sentence.
You can use more words when talking to people in real life - but go through the mental exercise of getting to the essential nature of what you are selling. When you think you've stated it as simply as possible, then make it simpler. Sacrifice broad audience appeal if you have to, to get there.
Replace X, Y, and Z with your own words - You can’t add extra sentences or change the sentence.
You can use more words when talking to people in real life - but go through the mental exercise of getting to the essential nature of what you are selling. When you think you've stated it as simply as possible, then make it simpler. Sacrifice broad audience appeal if you have to, to get there.
Does it make a difference?
Sometimes things sound great, even if they aren’t.
Sometimes they sound so great that we don't even realize ourselves that they don't carry any specific meaning.
This might also be the case with your solution. We need to make sure we aren't doing it in this case.
One way of doing this is a simple test of mind called “the surveillance-test.”
To put it simply: If you could watch the audience after your talk, you would see how they did something differently or new if they followed your advice.
If this is the case, you've passed the test, and you're providing real value.
Sometimes they sound so great that we don't even realize ourselves that they don't carry any specific meaning.
This might also be the case with your solution. We need to make sure we aren't doing it in this case.
One way of doing this is a simple test of mind called “the surveillance-test.”
To put it simply: If you could watch the audience after your talk, you would see how they did something differently or new if they followed your advice.
If this is the case, you've passed the test, and you're providing real value.
Make a list
So far so good, but we are not in the clear yet. The next step is crucial for planning as you need to know your audience.
Before you're good to go, you need to know where to find the audience afterwards. If you don't, creating your talk is probably a waste of time. As the saying goes “Does the falling tree make a sound if there’s no one to hear it?” Likewise, we can not claim to have the most excellent presentation if there’s no one to see it.
For example, if your presentation is for lawyers, then getting in contact with lawyers is crucial.
Create a list of local lawyers offices, national offices and maybe even a few of the bigger global ones - no group of lawyers is too big, but it can be too small. A single lawyer is most likely not buying your presentation - and he is very unlikely to pay you sufficiently if he did.
Does your audience have one or more associations? Do they have an organization? Is it easy to put together a list of 50 local associations, that you can start selling to immediately when the talk is ready?
Before you're good to go, you need to know where to find the audience afterwards. If you don't, creating your talk is probably a waste of time. As the saying goes “Does the falling tree make a sound if there’s no one to hear it?” Likewise, we can not claim to have the most excellent presentation if there’s no one to see it.
For example, if your presentation is for lawyers, then getting in contact with lawyers is crucial.
Create a list of local lawyers offices, national offices and maybe even a few of the bigger global ones - no group of lawyers is too big, but it can be too small. A single lawyer is most likely not buying your presentation - and he is very unlikely to pay you sufficiently if he did.
Does your audience have one or more associations? Do they have an organization? Is it easy to put together a list of 50 local associations, that you can start selling to immediately when the talk is ready?
If so, there might be something to work with here.
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