Creative Impressions Press » Speaking

Speaking – 2

Sharyn — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:09:10 +0000

There is also a tremendous amount of pressure on the keynote speaker. It is harder to control your audience from the stage. People have a tendency to be distracted, they are checking their emails, sending text messages and even hold private conversations while the keynote speaker is trying to make their most important point.

It’s not only frustrating, but it leaves me feeling empty. My ideal is to be able to make a difference for my audiences. I want to know that I am able to reach my audience and help them overcome the challenges they are facing.

I know there are a lot of speakers who don’t mind being the “rock star” and deliver the keynote speech so they can earn more with less effort. They don’t mind showing up, delivering their presentation, collecting their check and getting out of there as soon as they can! I have even met speakers who won’t stay in the same hotel as the even because they don’t want to be bothered by the attendees.

That is not my style! So, depending on how much you like to connect with your audience or not, you’ll find you’ll develop a preference in doing either keynotes or breakout sessions. However, most venues prefer you start out with the breakout sessions to prove yourself.

Speaking

Sharyn — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:06:04 +0000

I used to sell Uniglobe Travel franchises in the early 90s and later even owned own. I was impressed by their attention to constant offerings of continuing education programs.

I met Marley Matlin in Palm Springs at our Pacific Rim quarterly meeting and one of the top sales training gurus in Honolulu the next quarter.

Then ten years later, I was one of their featured speakers for a Northern California regional meeting.

They have annual meetings where they go all out. They are typically two to three day events where they have breakout sessions and keynote speakers.

My personal preference is to do the breakout sessions which pay an average of $5,000 to $7,500. A keynote speaker will typically earn about $20,000 – $35,000 which financially is a lot better, but there isn’t an opportunity to connect with your audience like there is when you do a break out session.

I can typically gain a new one-on-one client for every ten people in a breakout session and make up the difference of the pay, but leverage the new clients to repeat clients. That is a lot more valuable than the one time keynote.

Others will argue that the extra time I spend to earn the money doesn’t make it as cost effective, but the more often I am in contact with a client, the more often I will be hired or get referrals.

Keynote speakers rarely get referrals.

Breakout Sessions

Sharyn — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:36:19 +0000

One of the best ways to increase your revenue as an author is through speaking. There are many ways to speak as an author and one of my favorites is to be a breakout session leader at conventions.

One of the websites I use to find potential speaking engagements is TSNN.com Trade Show National Network. Once you fill out your profile, you can get information about expos and conventions as far as two years in advance.

The sessions usually require about an hour to 90 minutes and they typically pay between $3,500 and $7,500. You will be able to attend the entire expo and meet the attendees by attending other breakout sessions.

It is one of the easiest speaking engagements because it takes so little time.

When you approach a trade show organizer, you’ll want to have a topic that is in line with their event. It must add great content to their line up of speakers.

It might be more difficult to break into the expo and convention arena, but it is well worth the effort.

The first thing you want to do is make sure you have a website or blog promoting your name as a speaker. Make the site specific to your expertise and notoriety as a speaker.

When you approach the event planner, don’t leave a voice mail, keep calling until you reach them live. They typically do not return calls until they know who you are.

Look to see who might already be booked as a speaker and try to contact them to see if they can offer any insights on presenting to the event coordinator.

Keep trying! It will be well worth your effort.

Attending Speaker’s Events

Sharyn — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:05:47 +0000

I’ll be attending an event in Los Angeles next week for Speakers. So, why would I write about a speaker’s event at an Author’s blog?
All authors become speakers if they are to become successful.
Being a speaker is one of the top requirements of an author. Whether it is to speak to a small group of ten or eventually ten thousand, speaking is the core foundation of an author’s exposure to new audiences. The most popular and financially rewarding activity for an author is to speak to groups of targeted audiences.
I love to attend speaker’s groups because the event offers concepts which are often inspirational and are productive and profitable. The people I meet at the events are most often the type of people I truly enjoy being with. Speaker’s generally see much more potential in the world than those who are not speakers.
I try to attend at least three or four events outside of the Bay Area every year and at least one needs to be a speaker’s event and another an author’s event. I have the greatest respect for the speakers and authors of the world. They are willing to put their passions to the test. They will stand for their principals. And when I attend events where authors and speakers are the primary audience, I am inspired by their stories and the paths they have taken to get where they have arrived.