Marketing Turbo-Charge » Public Speaking

Build Your Business Through Public Speaking

Carma Spence — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:33:15 +0000

O.K. I’ll admit that I’m a born-again public speaker. What do I mean by that? Well, when I first took speech in High School, I was so painfully shy (and, I actually still am) that stepping in front of the room full of classmates who I just knew wanted to ridicule me felt like walking into a dragon’s lair and shouting, “Fresh virgin meat! Get it while it’s still moving!”

But apparently, I have the gift of gab, despite my introvert leanings, and was recruited onto the speech team, where I earned several 5th place awards and a block.

Later, I joined Toastmasters. There, I went from wanting to crawl under the table every time “Table Topics” came up (Table Topics are impromptu speeches that you give, if selected, on the spot with no preparation), to practically pulling an Arnold Horshack and leaping out of my chair to be chosen.

So, every time I have the opportunity to step in front of an audience, I experience a combination of elation and terror.

But why am I telling you this. Because I want you to know that although I know quite a bit about public speaking and am a total advocate for using this technique to grow your business, I’m not immune to the fear this lead generation method can engender.

That said, I’d like share with you my top 5 reasons why you should consider public speaking as a prospect attracting tool, as well as a revenue generating profit center for your expertise-based business.

Personal Branding
Speaking in public can increase your brand awareness. People learn of you online, then they see you offline and it reinforces your brand. An a coach, speaker or information marketer, your brand is intimately tied to YOU. It is amazing how powerful speaking can be in building your personal brand.

Lead Generation
Public speaking gets you in front of more people who will either hire you, buy your products, refer more business your way or even book you for another speaking gig. You’ll even meet prospects who would have found you no other way.

Expert Status
Regardless of what you may think of yourself and your qualifications, the minute you step in front of an audience, you are given expert status. Why else would you be speaking before them? Of course you are an expert! As a speaker, you are seen as knowledgeable and, perhaps, even a thought leader. This underlying respect can do amazing things for your business.

Self Confidence and Esteem
Getting a few successful speaking engagements under your belt can really boost your self confidence and esteem. This, in turn, makes you a better business person and can translate into better service provided to your clients.

Profit Center
How many marketing techniques do you know pay you directly? You can actually work it out so that you get paid to speak to a group and then sell to them, too. Now, of course this is a careful balancing act, but can be done. Public speaking really should be a part of every expertise-based business owner’s marketing funnel.

One of the faculty of Marketing Strategies for Promoting YOU! is Arvee Robinson. Arvee is a Master Speaker Trainer, Persuasive Speaking Coach, Author, and International Speaker. She teaches Business Owners, Service Professionals and Entrepreneurs how to use public speaking as a marketing strategy so they can attract more clients, generate unlimited leads and grow their businesses, effortlessly. She teaches a proven system for delivering persuasive presentations, and easy formulas for creating a killer elevator pitch and a magnetic self-introduction. Arvee has helped hundreds of individuals to win clients and close more sales every time they speak. During her session, she addresses how public speaking can fit into your marketing funnel and what a speaker’s marketing funnel might look like.

Blogging Tips for Speakers

Carma Spence — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:50:17 +0000

If you speak professionally or as a way to generate leads for your business, a blog can help you get the gigs you want. Here are a few tips on what to blog about to support your public speaking efforts.

Video Posts

Do you record your presentation on video? Share the best moments on your blog. This is an excellent way to showcase what you have to offer in action.

You can also share video clips of people singing your praises … especially if you include a little story or case study about what you did to help that person.

Audio Posts

Create a podcast and share it on your blog. The podcast should be centered on your particular topic of expertise and can include people asking you questions or you interviewing fellow experts.

Informative Posts

Write about your topic and show off your expert knowledge. Educate prospects about your topic, showcasing your thought leadership and wealth of information.

Calendar of Events

Do you speak often? You can post your upcoming events and highlights from past events (with photos!) on your blog.

Test the Waters

Have some ideas for your next presentation? Try them out on your blog audience. Survey your readers. Find out what they want to know about your topic.

Do you struggle to move forward in your business because of niggling little questions that you just can’t find the answers for? Do you wish you could hire a coach to help you through specific challenges without the commitment to a long-term program? Do you need help developing a strategic plan you can actually implement? Introducing Short-Term Coaching Options from DragonWyze Solutions! Get the coaching you need without a long-term contract. AskCarma.com

Blogging Tips for Speakers is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

Five Tips for Giving Oral Presentations

Carma Spence — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:23:23 +0000

Speaking in front on an audience … people who fit your target market … is a good way to generate leads and grow your business. Here are some tips for making these presentations run smoothly.

1. Use simple, easy to understand visuals.

Visuals often help make a concept clearer than mere words can. This is especially true of difficult to understand and/or visualize scientific or technical information.

2. Use clear and natural body language.

Often, if you can “show what you mean” via body language — hand gestures, body stance — it can make a concept more clear. It is very important, however, that the gestures seem natural and not forced.

Also, using body language can put you and your audience at ease. When people are more relaxed, they can convey and understand scientific and technical information more easily.

3. Use easy to hear language, make it more conversational.

Many times words that are perfectly understandable when read, can be misunderstood when heard. Also, a person who is reading can always go back and read an unclear sentence, however, when someone is talking, they can’t go back and listen to the sentence again. This is even more important when you are trying to convey difficult information.

4. Keep the presentation simple — no more than three core ideas.

No matter what the topic, people can only understand so much. Much more than three ideas in a speech, and people will either loose interest, loose track or both.

5. Use vocal variety.

Vocal variety adds personality, interest, and emphasis to your speech. It keeps people interested, which is very important when discussing technical information.

Five Tips for Giving Oral Presentations is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

Sell Your Back-of-the-Room Products

Arvee Robinson — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:47:16 +0000

Selling from the front of the room and getting people to run to the back of the room to buy your stuff takes practice. The best closers are the most sought-after speakers because of the amount of revenue they generate. Whether you have an inexpensive product to sell or a high-priced item, it takes a carefully orchestrated presentation and offer script to motivate people to buy. It is imperative that you practice your offer and perfect it over time.

The best closers do not wait until the end of their speech to mention their offer. Instead, they start their presentation with the end in mind. In other words, they come right out and tell their audience that there will be an offer at the end of their presentation. Or they may say it in a more subtle way. Regardless of how they say it during their presentation, making the offer during the speech is called seeding. The master closers have proved that if you seed at least twice during your presentation, your sales will double!

Here are some ideas to help you perfect your closing:

1. Study other speakers’ closing techniques closely.
Pay close attention to how they begin their offer, how they talk about the offer forms, and how they invite their audience to participate.

2. Use a prepared script.
Don’t wing it! This can be a costly mistake. Take as much time or more than you did preparing your speech to prepare your offer and call to action.

3. Prepare the logistics.
Prepare your product table before your speak. Make sure you have the right supplies such as credit card forms and pens. Hire someone or get a trusted volunteer to take the orders. Do not try to do this yourself. You need to be available in case someone has a question.

4. Prepare the stage.
If you have a product, make sure it can be seen from the stage during your presentation. While seeding, pick up the product and show it to the audience.

5. Prepare the visual offer.
Your audience must see the offer. This includes bonus items and discounts. Use a whiteboard, flip chart, or PowerPoint so your audience can see what they are going to get.

6. Offer forms.
Your form is a selling tool, so it counts! The color, the way it is laid out, the price-everything matters. Start collecting forms from great speakers and great closers and mimic their forms.

Tip: If you are speaking for someone else, create 3-part NCR forms: one copy for the buyer, one for you, and one for the promoters.

Sell Your Back-of-the-Room Products is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

Use Body Language to Persuade

Arvee Robinson — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:12:59 +0000

Body Language Tells the Truth

Ever listen to someone speaking and realize that something about that person just did not ring true? Something about the way he carried himself conflicted with his words. Maybe, it was his inability to look you in the eye. Perhaps, his hands distracted you. Or maybe it was the facial expressions that just did not quite match what he was saying? No, now you realize it was his stance; focused, truthful people just don’t carry themselves that way. As you will see, the body tells its own story. Often you can read someone and reassure yourself whether that person is trustworthy or someone you are right to run away from right now. Let’s look more closely at body language.

1. The eyes don’t lie.
	a. Have you ever conversed with someone who would not look at you directly? The person looked over your shoulder, above your head, at the floor, or even at someone else—everywhere but at you. What did you think? The person probably made you uneasy. Most likely, you doubted that person’s interest, honesty, and confidence. Or perhaps you felt ignored. Eye contact plays a major role in how people perceive one another, and, as a speaker, you should pay special attention to it. If you make eye contact with your listeners, they’ll think you are sincere, credible, friendly, and honest. These feelings have a great impact on how listeners receive your message.
	b. Eye contact has other benefits:
		It allows you to establish a bond with listeners. It holds their attention. It demonstrates you are speaking honestly. It conveys self-confidence. It shows you are listening. It acknowledges people.
	c. When speaking in front of a group of people:
		Look at your audience before you launch your speech. Scan from one side to the other before you speak. Contact and connect with one person at a time. Hold your eye contact for 3 to 4 seconds for each person. Use the 4 C’s—contact, connect, communicate, and continue.
	d. Eye contact to avoid includes:
		Staring too long at one person Looking above people’s heads Looking up at the ceiling, or out the window
2. Hand gestures show conviction and enthusiasm. Hand gestures are the most expressive part of body language. To be most effective, make your hand gestures above your elbow and away from your body. They should be vigorous and definite to show conviction and enthusiasm. A sweeping wave of your arm to show distance will add more to your message than a half-hearted hand wave. Hand gestures also should be full and varied rather than partial and repetitious; making the same movement over and over is distracting. Make your hand gestures larger for large audiences to ensure that even people in the back of the room can see them.
	a. Some basic hand gestures show:
		Size, weight, shape, direction, and location Importance or urgency Comparison and contrast
	b. Hand gestures to avoid include:
		The parent—pointing figure The fist—anger and stress The karate chop—looks violent
	c. Sample hand placements include:
		Hands cupped, one holding the other at the waist Hand at side ready to make a gesture
	d. Hand placements to avoid include:
		Touching the face Hands in the pocket Fig leaf position Prayer position Arms crossed at the chest Same placement for too long
3. Make sure your facial expression supports your words. Your face unwittingly conveys cues about how your listeners are supposed to react or feel. If you are talking about a terrible automobile accident, yet you are smiling and nodding, your audience will be confused, not sad. Your facial expression must be consistent with the feelings or information you are communicating.
4. Assume the rooted position to convey confidence.
	a. The stance you assume while standing still is important because it indicates your confidence and comfort level. If you slouch your shoulders and fix your eyes on the floor, your audience will think you are shy and weak. If you repeatedly shift your weight from one foot to another, you appear uncomfortable and nervous, and your movement may distract your audience. But when you stand straight, with your feet shoulder-length apart and your weight evenly distributed on each foot, and look directly at your listeners, you convey confidence and poise.
	b. This is called the rooted position. Imagine your feet have roots buried deeply in the ground. It will be impossible for you to sway or get off balance. This is the position of power and strength.

Use Body Language to Persuade is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge