5 hacks on speaking for fun & profit.
Michael J. Hughes North America's Networking Guru
Helping business/sales professionals identify, access and leverage networks for optimal results.
In the early days of my entrepreneurial journey, I did?everything wrong. A mentor finally told me "You need to network to be successful."?
Listening to this advice, I did?some?research?on this topic. Over the next?few months, I found some amazing information and decided to embrace the?topic.
But I had no idea how to get my message out. I was broke, had no experience in the marketplace and was unknown.
I created a one-page promo piece titled "The 5 biggest networking mistakes and how to avoid them". I called friends and asked?if they knew a group that might benefit from this topic.
My first talks weren't great. Over the next year, my competence and confidence grew.?Plus, every time I spoke, I found people wanted to know more?about me, my products and my services.?
Within two years, I was being asked to speak at national conferences and was generating significant revenues from speaking. Plus, I was getting?spinoff training, coaching and consulting business.
This strategy has become a cornerstone of my practice. It's also a common question from professionals who have an interest in speaking, whether for fun or profit.
Do you?have a powerful message to share or want to leverage speaking as a strategy to boost your credibility and income? Here are five ways to get started.
1. Pick a lane. Decide what topic you want to speak about. Research it until you have value to share. Then create a one-page overview of the talk. Share it with a few friends to get their feedback.
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2. Start. The biggest obstacle is you. Pick a date and location. Invite your friends/colleagues. They will be happy to support you and let you know where to improve.?
3. Speak. Ask your network about local professional groups?or industry association chapters. They're always looking for new material and value for their members. Speak as often as you can.
4. Value. Think in terms of sharing value. Nothing turns people off more than listening to a thinly-veiled sales talk. When you share true value that helps others, they remember you and want more.?
5. Leverage. Speaking supplies opportunities. Rather than?focusing on money early on,?look to acquire testimonials and references. They are the reason others will want to hear you?speak (and pay you for it).?
BONUS: But what about the money??Once you gain traction and experience, you will find that contacts and clients?request your services, and will then ask the magic question, "What's your fee?" ?
This week's tip: Yes, you can make money speaking. You can also use it to build credibility, showcase your credentials and attract clients. Want to know more? Email me at [email protected]. This is what I do.
#NetworkingForResults #Speak #ShareValue #BuildYourSpeakingBusiness