Marketing for Top Speakers and Coaches

Cruise ship speakers not only make good money from their skills, but they also tour the world for free. If you think this is an exaggeration, then you probably haven't yet met anyone who earns their living by speaking on cruise ships. If you still hold the misconception that speaking on cruises is only for elite speakers, then it's time to change your mind.

You don't have to be an expert in some technical field. Cruise ship speakers entertain passengers on a wide variety of topics. They speak about general topics of interest such as how to play bridge, the basics of photography and information about travel destinations to name just a few.

What all good cruise speakers have in common is the ability to entertain their audience. Cruise companies are looking for the most engaging and entertaining speakers they can find, so mastering the art of being highly entertaining is a must.

You may have heard the term product funnel, but do you know the exact meaning of this term? Product funnel is a relatively new marketing technique. So those without a marketing background may not be familiar with it.

A product funnel is basically a series of products that you offer that range from free, or very cheap, all the way to continuity sales. The idea is to bring the customer into your funnel with free or very inexpensive items and then continue to offer them increasingly higher-end products and then ultimately you want to offer ongoing subscriptions or a membership site. The final phase of your product funnel is what provides you a continuous, steady flow of income.

Photo credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/creative_stock/5157527557/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Now let us take a look at how speakers can create a product funnel. There are many different products that speakers can provide in addition to their speeches and seminars.

Offering an ebook is a powerful marketing strategy. There is a long list of possibilities in this category. For example, you can write eBooks that offer public speaking tips and guidance to other speakers, eBooks that are motivational, eBooks that offer marketing strategies for speakers, eBooks that describe ways to enhance a speech using tools like PowerPoint, eBooks that offer suggestions for selecting a speakers bureau or an eBook that guides other public speakers in the proper selection of a good speakers bureau. The possibilities are endless.
Other products that public speakers can offer in their product funnel include audio CD's, downloadable video, DVD's, books, educational courses about how others can become successful public speakers, teleseminars and podcasts.

The most important aspect of managing a product funnel lies in the timing and the proper sequencing of offers to the prospective buyer. This means that you must have a clear marketing plan before you attempt product funnel marketing.

1) First, create a squeeze page. A squeeze page is a webpage that is designed with the sole purpose of acquiring the email addresses of targeted subscribers. Your squeeze page should offer something free of charge. This freebie could be a free eBook, a free ecourse, a free CD, a free report or a free newsletter.
2) After the visitor has signed up to get the free product and you have captured their email address; you can follow-up with weekly or monthly newsletters that advertise your products and services in the low to moderate budget range. Do not advertise any product that exceeds $30 in this phase of the product funnel.
3) The third level may include a public speaking home study course for $139 or a series of teleseminars for $39 each.
4) The fourth level may suggest a "boot camp" type product for $299.
5) Finally, you might offer your one-on-one coaching or public speaking services for $500+.

The product prices mentioned here are merely one example of how the products should be categorized, and in no way suggest the exact rates that you should price your products or services.

Teleconferences when leveraged correctly offer you and your business a wealth of opportunities. They can help you in ways you might not have considered. Do you want to tie the Internet into your prospecting, and tie both the Internet and your prospecting into your consulting service delivery? Then teleseminars are a great way to build your business.

They are very easy to implement. All you need is a phone. Today you can choose to tie that into your computer and get the benefits of both audio and video visuals even without a video phone. There are many online teleconferencing services available today. Allowing clients to hear your voice and see you is the next best thing to meeting with you personally.

Hosting teleconferences is a great way to build strong connections with your customers.
Your attendees will feel a level of comfort and personal service with or without the benefit of added video. Teleseminar service providers can be free or expensive depending on the level of hosting they provide. But there are some very good free services, especially for smaller teleconferencing businesses.

Another advantage of teleconferencing is the way it cultivates good relationships with prospects by adding a personal touch to your delivery. Regular teleseminars give your prospects the support and relationship touch they require. It is a great way to demonstrate your expertise and to get to know and guide the prospect. You will find that when you host regular teleconferences your audience will grow steadily the longer you host your teleconferences.

Being an SME in your community is important. Choice topics that answer the needs and the pains of your niche. Share follow ups on your blogs and emails. Delivering high-value content to teleseminar attendees is a great value added experience to coaching and you can do it with clients worldwide. They save seminar travel costs, plane fares, and hotel expenses, and get a close-to-equivalent value and great savings.

Weekly or monthly teleconferences help you develop your reputation and distinguish you as an SME in the marketplace. You want to be the go-to-person and teleconferencing is a good way to distinguish yourself in your arena. Think about the time of day and the frequency of your teleconferences. You can try a variety of times and days and see which works best for your business. The idea is to get your listeners accustomed to your delivery time each week. Begin monetizing your calls from day one!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myphotosshare_albums/3689204558/

One of the greatest advantages to teleconferencing is you can build a local, regional, national, or worldwide client base with little added delivery expense. Teleconferencing is an additional income stream to add to your product formats. You can then repackage the teleconference into a recorded audio and redeliver that, at a fee. You can repackage that into multiple audio programs and turn the package into a CD set, at an additional fee. An ebook is also an easy byproduct to create from an audio recording. Don't forget the Kindle and mobile download markets either. You can offer the recording package, free or for sale depending on the teleconference call, upon completion of the teleconference when you have a readymade audience still online and hungry for more information.

Teleseminars are a great way to capitalize on using leverage for your time and budget. You can increase your client base with little or no added expenses or preparation time. When you do the live event it doesn't matter much how big your listening audience is. The key is to be able to attract listeners, deliver a great live event, then repackage it and have backend products available. The listeners get immediate extended product offers and immediate access to the product delivery. And because they have already heard your delivery, they have a built in level of buying comfort for your high-content programs.

The convenience of teleconferencing is becoming a realized value added component. People in other countries have to readjust their clock to hear your delivery. If I give a teleconference at 2PM on Tuesday someone in some country is listening to me at 2 AM their time. They don't have to worry about carrying or having a computer or an internet connection. To make up for that time-differential inconvenience they don't have to travel, have no plane flight, no luggage, have instant access, and no overnight stay required. The listeners greatly appreciate the added convenience, speed, and savings.

Regular teleconferencing done correctly helps you cement your client relationships. Keep your offers in line with your topic level. Remember that the first 90 days of a new client are when they tend to make added purchases. Have short reports, and other programs in other formats available for purchase. It helps drive traffic to your websites, and increases your live event attendance. It quickly helps establish your credibility and gives you another stream of income. New clients and old clients appreciate the added avenue of contact.

Duplication is nothing more than digital "McDonald's mindset". In online marketing we call it 'rinse and repeat'. If you are an online marketer, you usually don't make big money on any one item. What it takes to make big money on the internet, and commerce in general, is the ability to duplicate your efforts. Recruit affiliate marketers to duplicate your efforts. Succeed with an online product and duplicate your efforts with multiple products creating multiple streams of income.

Duplication doesn't mean following the herd, it means finding and modeling the top 1% in the lead. Find your own unique way of spinning what is already out there. Use your unique perspectives, talents, strengths, and leverage that into your vision. Remember that the 'blind leading the blind' is not a good model. Be careful who and what you duplicate.

First, follow the money. Where and how do the Internet millionaires make their money? What do they do? Here's a quick summary:
First they duplicate their market research, where people go to buy online, what people buy online, what are prospects looking for?
Next they duplicate market selection. What is profitable? Which markets are worth working? What skills are required? What is "evergreen" (Evergreen refers metaphorically to marketing products that are continuously renewed or is self-renewing.)? What has a long-term profit potential?
Next they look at product selection. What products deliver solutions the prospects demand? What are the features and benefits being sought? Is the need a fly by night fad or a growing trend?

Promoting yourself as a professional speaker is not like promoting any other product because what you are really marketing is yourself. That fact alone should shift your perspective as you consider the best ways to market your business. The strategies you choose will have a huge impact on your career. Here are some things to consider as you begin to promote yourself as a professional speaker.

The first step in selecting your marketing strategies is to clearly define your target audience. Look closely at your niche market. What are the main concerns, pains, needs and issues within that niche? For example, if you are concentrating on being a motivational speaker for teenagers, you must know what makes them tick and what is relevant to them. Similarly, if you want to be a business speaker, it is critical that you have a solid understanding of the world of business. Once you have identified your target market, you will be able to tailor your promotional efforts to that specific group.

To have a great career as a speaker, you must present yourself in a highly professional manner. This is of the utmost importance. In order to come off as a professional, you must handle all of your business with maturity and a high level of skill. Demonstrating your dependability and integrity are critical. It is through these traits that you will gain credibility as a speaker. Always deliver what you promise. Better still, deliver more than you promise. Respond promptly, and make yourself available, to your customers and potential clients. Speak from the heart to make genuine connections with your target audience. Don't be afraid to show them who you really are. These are the things that define a truly professional speaker.

Know who your competition is, but just knowing who they are is not enough. Any winning sports team understands the value of studying their opponent, and so should you. Be on the lookout for what they are up to. What does their website look like? Is it optimized? What other products and services are they offering? How often do they speak and where? Once you have sized up your competition then you can develop your marketing strategies in new and inventive ways that will set you apart as the "go to guy" in your niche. Think about new and innovative products you can offer that will distinguish you from the rest. Try new ideas, and adapt to change as new competitors enter the market.

Obviously promoting your speaking business will require that you spend some money. However, before you go out and invest in a lot of expensive marketing, take the time to learn all you can about alternative marketing strategies. Now that the Internet is the primary way most people gather information, there are many ways you can use it to your advantage.

Learn how to use your website and blog, the social networks, video sites like YouTube and pay-per-click advertising to your advantage. These are just a few of the many highly effective ways to market yourself at a fraction of the costs of old school marketing strategies. The time you invest in learning how to use Internet marketing strategies will pay off for you in a big way.

By now you have probably honed your speaking skills, polished your presentation and done all that you can do to be an outstanding public speaker. Yet, you have not gotten as many offers to speak as you'd like. If that is where you find yourself, then it is time to step up your marketing efforts.

Here are some easy and effective ways to promote yourself, and your services, as a speaker.

Developing a website is a must. The importance of having an online presence can't be over emphasized. The Internet is the first place people go to find anything and everything. The Internet is one of the most effective and efficient ways to interact, communicate and make contact with a large number of people. And the best way to make this possible is by creating a professional website or blog.

As you create your website, stay focused on the primary goal of your site which is to sell your services as a public speaker. If you keep this as the focal point in your website design, you will be able to create something that will help your speaking career really take off.

Remember, your public speaking business is all about your audience, and communicating with them. So, your website should be interactive allowing communication with your visitors. Your site must convey your expertise, skills and special talents. Give them a taste of what they can look forward to in your talk.

Your website is your online portfolio, and it is the first step in connecting with current and prospective clients. Make sure that you include only information that highlights the very best of your skills on the site. Make everything first class, including images, your biography, a list of your former clients, a list of the previous speaking engagements, testimonials and video clips of your previous events. Do not forget to put in a detailed list of the types of services that you offer.

Market Your Services as a Public Speaker by Volunteering Your Services. There are charitable events and social activities conducted everywhere. Find an event in your neighborhood and volunteer your public speaking services. This is a great opportunity to network and collaborate with prospective clients. It is a wonderful way to make a name for yourself and hone your speaking skills. Create a professional handout that you can distribute at the event. This is one of the easiest ways to promote your skills. Be sure to include your contact information and web address in the handout. If the event organizers will allow it, shoot a video of your presentation. Use this to build your portfolio.

Joining a speakers bureau is one of the best ways to market yourself as a speaker. However, high-profile speakers bureaus look for the best speakers with a strong portfolio. They may also ask for video clips of your previous speaking engagements. Keep in mind that speakers bureaus will retain a percentage of your speaker's fee as a commission for their efforts on your behalf. When you perform a Google search for speakers bureaus, you can narrow the results by looking for speakers bureaus that target your niche.

The most important aspect of whether or not you will be successful as a speaker is the quality of your seminars. There are countless speakers out there, on every conceivable topic, and yet not all will experience the same level of success. What will separate you from the pack is a first class seminar. Crafting a seminar that your audience will find riveting requires time, preparation and attention to detail. First, you have to provide information that they can't get just anywhere. Second, you must find a way to present the information in a creative and entertaining way. Humor, used skillfully, is a great way to keep your audience engaged and wanting more. If people leave your seminar feeling uplifted and inspired they will tell others, and before you know it you are a speaker who is in demand.

The expansion of the Internet has made it possible for your name to be everywhere. The ability for you to go global is easier today than it has ever been before. There are countless ways to promote your seminars on the Internet. You will begin with your website or blog, but don't stop there. Go viral. Providing free samples of your seminars on video sites such as YouTube is a remarkable tool. Joining forums and groups, the social networks such as Facebook or LinkedIn, and posting comments on blogs that are related to your niche are all amazing ways to increase your exposure. Best of all, every one of these tools are at your disposal for free.

Article marketing is one of the best ways to drive traffic towards your website, and your website is your online shop. More traffic means more customers or at least more potential customers. Article marketing can also help you establish yourself as a subject matter expert. Marketing your expertise in your niche by writing articles is an important part of making a name for yourself as a speaker, and reinforcing your brand identity.

Not surprisingly, the first step in article marketing is the creation of articles. You can either write them on your own or if you find that tedious, lack the skills, or are short on time; you can hire professional article writers who will ghost write them for you. Either way, you need to ensure that the articles are high quality. It is quality that counts, and builds your online reputation.

** Write articles that are free of grammatical, spelling or factual errors.
** Create original, unique and fresh content.
** Grab the attention of the reader.
** Use titles that generate curiosity and interest and encourage readers to read on.
** Focus on your keywords. Each of your articles should use relevant keywords that are
targeted towards your speaking business and your particular niche.
Be sure that you use long tail keywords.
** Use keywords at optimum density. Keyword density should be no higher than 3%.

** Don't go overboard on self-promotion.
** Don't use hype, bragging or repetitive ideas.
** Don't overlook the importance of inserting a call to action in the summary of the article.
** Don't forget to focus on the marketing aspect, because that was your aim in beginning article writing in the first place.
** Don't underestimate the importance of the resource or author's box. It may not seem that important, but it can most certainly
be the doorway to your business. Insert 1 or 2 links within it, but no more.
** Don't make the mistake of writing long drawn-out sentences. Keep them short and concise.
** Don't lump all of the information together in lengthy paragraphs; instead use bullets or numbering to make the article easily readable and inviting to the eye.

1. It provides the freshest and most current information around because it can be updated frequently and easily.
2. It allows instant, effective customer interaction.
3. It will present you in an informal way that your customers can relate to.
4. Search engines are crazy about blogs.
5. You can connect to an ever increasing network through links.
6. It is linked to your website giving you double exposure.
7. It can provide you with previously undreamt of advertising for your business.
8. You can start your blog at no cost.
9. It is incredibly easy to create and maintain.
10. You don't have to hire a tech team or webmaster.

One way to make $100k as a professional speaker is to become a motivational speaker. Nearly everyone wants to feel motivated and inspired. Businesses strive to keep their employees motivated so they will work harder and try to be the best at their job that they can be. Speakers in this genre are far and away the most sought after.

There are speakers who earn $100k by turning their lifelong passions such as photography, the arts and sports into a presentation that others want to know more about. If you want to create a speaking career from your passion, you have to be up on the latest, cutting-edge trends in that field. Your audience wants to learn something new that they haven't heard from a hundred other sources.

You must establish your credibility if want to make lots money as a speaker. You have to have a reputation as a credible and well respected person. Show that you know what you are talking about, and understand your subject inside and out. Your audience will spot your expertise of the topic by how well you can talk about and elaborate on ideas. How level of speaker's fees that you are able to command, and your status as a speaker, will be determined by how credible you are, and how well you know your material. There is no shortcut for this.

You must have a marketing plan if you want to earn $100k as a speaker. All careers have to start somewhere, and a speaking career is no exception. Speaking jobs are not that easy to come by, particularly if you are just beginning your career. That being said, it is possible to jumpstart your career by developing a marketing plan. Your marketing plan will promote, and demonstrate, your abilities as a speaker. There are a number of effective marketing tools. These include ebooks, instructional DVD's, CD's and a blog or website. All of these components work together to develop your customer base and help you get the high-end clients you want.