How to Have a Successful Speaking Gig – Systemize Your Speaking Process (Part 1 of 2)

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February 19th, 2009
Filed in: Leadership, Lifestyle, Public Speaking

Do you want to read the previous post in this series? Just go to http://tinyurl.com/cmbaev.

Preparing to speak at an event is just as important as speaking at the event.

Over the years I’ve developed my own system for preparing for events, which includes checklists and process maps that my team uses to help us prepare for a speaking event. These materials have been shared with me by other mentors, experts and colleagues like Stephanie Frank, author of The Accidental Millionaire who received them from someone else. None have ever been copyrighted so I have no idea who to attribute the original checklists to.

Speaking Opportunity Evaluation

When a presentation opportunity comes in, the first person who typically hears about it is my personal assistant who handles the phones. The exception to this is if a colleague approaches me directly. This step is dual-purpose. First, we need to understand if this is a “power presentation opportunity.” My assistant will open up the speaking opportunity evaluation form and begin to ask the questions in our “filter.”

Here are some things to include in your decision making process:

• Is it your target audience?
• Are there other speakers who have the same or very similar topic that could “cannibalize your sales?” (If it isn’t back of room sales this won’t matter.)
• Do you like the event producer and are they reputable?
• Do they have their act together (a.k.a. have they done this before?)

Unfortunately, especially with back of room sales, many entrepreneurs have jumped on the “event” bandwagon and throw together a pipe dream and don’t do the proper marketing. You are left with a commitment to speak at an event without a proper audience.

• How many other speaking events are you signed up for? Have a “cap” on how many you will take on at any given time. For instance, my desired “cap” is two events per month. Any more than that I am not having fun and it starts feeling like work. I’ve actually turned down speaking at events because I’ve hit my “cap” and I know I won’t show up at my best.

The second purpose is to help us prepare for the event properly. The second half of the checklist identifies who their audience is, what kind of event it is and specifics about my role there. With this evaluation complete, my team better understands what I need to do to ace this presentation.

As you create your own system for speaking, it’s important that you take these ideas and make them your own. Just because certain things work in my business, or the business of an expert or mentor you admire, doesn’t mean it will work for you.

I can’t tell you how many “recovering speakers” have come into my coaching programs feeling burned out, overwhelmed and frustrated because they took someone else’s model and just made it their own. Your job is to get crystalclear on what needs to be in place so that you and your team make the best decisions possible based on your criteria, lifestyle goals and financial desires.

Pre-Event Preparation

Once you have agreed to do the presentation, your team needs to begin preparation for the event. If you are still a lone-ranger and doing it all yourself, these checklists will come in handy. The key steps are:

Creating Desired Outcome & Targets

Using the Intention Form, identify what your desired outcome is for the event. What is the audience’s desired outcome? What are your revenue goals? What are your other goals (meet joint venture partners; get a book deal; etc.)

Setting Up the Administrative Details

Create your event folder and event checklist. I have a color-coded folder with everything in it – contract, marketing materials, event checklist, travel itinerary, notes, etc. Be sure to book the time in your calendar, complete the speaker contract and book your travel needs sooner rather than later. A lot of extra expense can go down the drain by waiting too long to book your travel.

Once you have completed your event checklist, send it out to the rest of the team so they can start their responsibilities.

Sending the Event Producers a Presentation Kit

The event producers will produce web pages, direct mail pieces and conference materials with your information on it. Create a folder in your documents list with everything that needs to get emailed. You may even want to create a zip file so that it transfers easily. In my presentation kit I have: my bio, my picture in print and web version, my topic blurb, and my
speaker introduction. Be sure to check their promotional materials to ensure that they prepared everything correctly. Often they can misspell your name or get details incorrect.

Preparing Your Marketing Campaign

There are two ways that the marketing campaign needs preparation. First, what you will do in conjunction with the event producer’s list. Second, what you need to do with your database. Often times an event producer, especially it is a product split type event with multiple speakers, will require you to advertise to your database.

When you work with the event producer, determine what they would be willing to do to a) pre-educate the prospects about the value you will provide and b) position yourself as the expert so they are guaranteed to attend your event. This is really crucial if there are multiple breakout speakers at the same time.

Here are some of the ways you can help market to the event producer’s list:

Offer to do a pre-event teleclass or interview with the host.
Record a special value topic from a live teleclass and encourage the host to use it in their registration package they send to the participants.
Prepare a postcard that event producer sends to all registered participants or prospects
If they have a printed conference booklet, prepare an advertisement.

Here are some ways you can market to your list:

Talk about the event in your ezine or newsletter
Post it on your blog as an article or opportunity
Write an article (or better yet, get one from the conference producer) about their expertise area
Email out an invitation
Do all the above on your other chat groups you participate in

Special Note: Your list is your gold mine. When you agree to market an event to your own list as part of your speaking agreement, be careful about HOW you market it. There are many ways to let people know you will be speaking like advertising in your blog, identifying “upcoming” events, and sending a blast that talks about the value of the event (versus “just sign up.”)

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post How to Systemize Your Speaking Process Part 2.