Put what you most want people on the planet to know into a 30-minute speech. Call your local Rotary, Lions and Apex Clubs – in fact any clubs in your area – and offer to speak at their regular meetings. While it can be very scary at first, get five of these under your belt, and you’ll start to worry less about how you look and more about what kind of impact you can make. Plus – it’s great for getting clients.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Imagine you will die at midnight tonight.
Your friends and family have been invited to come to a great hall to hear you share what you have learned, that you wish to pass on to others.
At 9pm you walk onto the stage. You look around at their smiling, loving faces. They are listening, ready to soak up what you have to pass on.
You have 30 minutes to speak. Write down what you say to them, that it may be passed on from generation to generation.
Introduction:
– Tell them what you are going to tell them
– Include what gives you credibility to speak on the topic, and WHY you left home to come and speak on it
Main Section:
– Tell them what you want to tell them
– Point, story illustrating point, point
– Point, story illustrating point, point
– Point, story illustrating point, point
Conclusion:
– Tell them what you told them
– Reiterate why it’s important
– Possibly let them know briefly what you do and how you can help them
– Consider leaving them with an action they can take; perhaps invite them to email you the results.
Questions:
– (Optional 5-10 minutes)
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Public speaking is a great way to get clients. You speak to local clubs or organisations (usually for free, or you get a nice pen) and give their members a 30-minute talk at their regular meeting. You help them with a particular issue they might be facing, you’re positioned as an expert, and they get a strong sense of who you are.
If you make it easy for them to give you their information, you can follow up and build a relationship; e.g., through your ezine.
Some in the audience will want to have you speak at their club or company, and it may not be long before you’re starting to charge a fee.
And, when you have a great talk, you can record it and sell it on CD!
I gained several long-term clients, and my first paid corporate speeches, out of free speaking on the local club circuit.
The following is taken from David’s interview with Robert Cornish in 10 Super Coaches.
What was most disheartening for you while building your practice?
I spent a lot of money learning that print advertising is ineffective to market coaching services, and that THE way was personal contact with people in a way that they can experience what you are like.
Public speaking is a good way to do this, and so my block was overcoming for good my fear of public speaking. Having been one who used to stutter this was a big deal. I joined Toastmasters and actively sought and did as many talks about coaching as I could – to service clubs, business networking groups, my church, and any group of people I could speak in front of.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
Creating Your Speech
You need to decide who you will speak to. Who do you want to help? Women? Teens? Corporations? People in Rehabilitation? Spiritual people? When you know who you will speak to/help, you can start to try and find them.
Ideally, choose people who would pay for your services — who have money. Pick a topic which solves a problem people have. If you speak on ‘enlightenment for underprivileged children’ you’ll likely command a lower fee than if you speak on ‘how to make your customers choose your company over others’. Of course — if money isn’t important to you, this won’t matter.
Speak on something that’s VERY important to you and which you feel makes a difference to the world. If you don’t come from the heart and say what you really feel/mean, you won’t get the gigs, you’ll be unhappy, or both.
The following is an excerpt from the CoachStart Manual.
When asked to speak at a corporation, there’s no harm in trying for a fee.
Rule of thumb: whoever mentions money first loses. When asked how much one charges, ask what the budget is. This gives you an opportunity to see what they are charging and if you are willing to speak for that. When calling a service group or organization one can always ask what the budget is for speakers. Many have honorariums that they provide to speakers.
If they are not forthcoming, and you have to mention an amount, something like $150 or $200 is reasonable to start with, moving up to $500 when you’re well known and have a killer speech. And it’s up to $10,000 when you really get up there, and are doing keynotes at national conferences.
But initially, if you just want the gigs for clients, experience, a testimonial, and a chance at some paid work, then still ask for a fee — but negotiate down as far as zero if you have to. “Well, because I’m going to get A, B, C out of it — I’d be willing to do a freebie.”
Sometimes you can ramp the fee up a little by offering a coaching session or package to senior staff.
Copyright 2018 David Wood.