Three Secrets to Becoming a Professional Speaker

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

You have honed your speaking skills and you have still found filling the room, with an audience that makes the speaking engagement profitable, unlikely. Sound familiar? Are you discouraged and wondering what it takes to make a living at professional speaking? If you want to become a professional speaker, you need to know how to deliver an engaging speech, develop your speaking organization, market your organization, and supplement your profits with backend sales.

Delivering an engaging speech is not enough. If you would like to have the profitable professional speaking career you dreamed of, there are secrets to building success. Here are the three most powerful ways to increase your earnings and deliver your message to thousands of people.

I use the term secrets because most professional speakers start their career with an emphasis on developing an engaging speech, and give little or no thought to anything else. Additionally, most speaking groups are the same. This is an outdated approach to successful professional speaking and leads to discouragement and failure.

Here are the three secrets that few speakers and speaking organizations reveal.

1. Plan and execute: Develop your professional speaking organization. Whether there are one or fifty people in your organization, you need a vision, plan, and method to measure your success.

2. Develop marketable talks and products: Market your professional speaking and associated products. Success depends on having people fill the room that are willing to pay for what you have to offer.

3. Leave them with an impression they can take home. This means develop your backend sales. This could include CDs, DVD's, courses, coaching programs, books, workbooks, tee shirts, and more.

Developing your organization is the first step to any successful organization. Why should your professional speaking career be any different? Without a business plan, you are doomed for failure. I have seen this too often.Don't let your enthusiasm short cut this part of your business. Write out your business plan and make it a living document, continually updating it with the details and changes your organization discovers in its evolution.

Marketing produces sales. Without sales you are just playing at a hobby. Today, marketing is changing at light speed. It used to be advertising in newspapers, TV, radio, magazines, etc. Now social networking and utilizing internet are changing how to market and get the most bang for your buck. Great web pages and successful search engine results are critical.

Backend sales supplement your speaking engagement income and can account for more than half your annual earnings. Do not underestimate the difference this can make. Successful professional speakers spend significant time developing their backend products. To become a six figure speaker you will need to utilize as many methods as you can to generate income. Backend sales such as books, tapes, CDs, DVD's, courses, tee shirts, games, pamphlets, and more are investments for future sales. Backend sales can continue to generate income after the speaking engagement.

As you can see, the three secrets to becoming a professional speaker are not so much really secrets, just under-utilized skills. However, they are not what most speakers think about when they start their professional speaking career. In addition, you can read the current literature on professional speaking and little if any of this is written about by speakers who are successful front line speakers themselves. If you want to become a professional speaker, you need to know how to deliver an engaging speech, develop your speaking organization, market your organization, and supplement your profits with backend sales.

Take Your Speaking Career to New Heights

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

In spite of the difficult economic climate we currently find ourselves in, speakers are still in high demand. More and more people and businesses are seeking inspiration and motivation. You may be wondering how you can take your career to new levels. This article describes ways to help get you to the top of your field.

#1 A first step in moving your career forward.
One of the most important things you can do for your career, regardless of your current level of expertise is to surround yourself with the leaders in the field. This is a great way to learn from the best. It is also a wonderful way to find a mentor. Find someone with more experience and/ or greater success, and soak up all of the knowledge you can. You will be surprised by how much this can benefit you and more quickly than you would imagine. Finding a mentor can also help you in your networking efforts.

#2 Provide the best resources and information.
Obviously the field of public speaking is focused on concepts and words. To become a master of your craft you have to know what you are talking about and find ways to convey that information that are unique, interesting and compelling. You must practice until you are able to clearly present your information without losing the flow of the presentation. During your presentation you have to be able to take questions and provide solid, thoughtful answers. You have got to show that you are an expert and aren't stumped by tough questions. Being a subject matter expert will help you be seen as the "go to guy" in the field, putting you in high demand.

#3 Stay on top of current trends.
To be at the top of the speaking field you should have a thorough knowledge of the latest trends and current events. This includes your particular niche and the broader market in your field. Know what the most pressing concerns and issues are in your market. You also need to know what your competitors are doing. Know what they are talking about, and how they are delivering their presentations. Staying on top of trends also means being familiar with the latest developments in terms of the Internet and technology. Leaders in public speaking know how to leverage these to their advantage.

#4 Build your reputation.
Making a solid name for yourself is critical to being a top-tier speaker. In order to do that you have to take advantage of all of the tools available. The days of old school marketing efforts are over. The Internet has opened up the world and brought new meaning to the old saying, "The sky's the limit." Not only is the Internet a great avenue for building a dynamic reputation, it is one of the best ways to market your speaking services and accompanying products. Let the world see that you have something powerful to offer, something that is worth buying.

How to Be an Elite Speaker

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Are you ready to take your speaking career to the next level and join the elite? To do that you have to look at what defines those great speakers, and examine how they got there. Elite speakers are those who have taken their careers global. They are very often sought out as consultants for businesses and organizations around the world. They have mastered their material to the highest level of expertise. They are leading authorities in their market.

Take a look at some of the things all truly great speakers have in common. The great news for you is that elite speakers are not born; they grow and develop their craft tirelessly. You can do the same.

#1 Elite speakers always start with a story.
The beginning of your talk is extremely important. This is where your audience settles in to your talk and decides if they like you or not. The importance of making a good first impression is as important in your talk as it is in any social setting. The beginning of your presentation sets the tone and draws your audience in. Start out with a bang. Tell a great story that is highly relatable or one that is surprising and attention grabbing. The appropriate use of humor will help you create a light and warm atmosphere in the room. Happy people are receptive.

#2 Elite speakers sense the mood of the crowd.
Don't stop at getting your talk off to a great start. As you move into the meat of your presentation don't forget to stay tuned in to what is going on in the room. If you pay attention, you should be able to tell if your audience is following what you say, if they are interested and if they are comfortable. Don't forget that you should be audience focused rather than focused only on delivering the speech you have prepared.

#3 Elite speakers offer solutions.
Just as important as the environment that a speaker creates is the content they provide. You have to know your market and your audience inside and out. Know what their greatest problems and needs are. Determine how your talk can provide solutions that others aren't providing. You have to know your subject on a very deep level. Elite speakers don't provide yesterday's news or outdated statistics and information. Your credibility as a speaker relies on how well you know your topic.

#4 Elite speakers offer explanations and examples.
To ensure that your audience if following your message and getting the most out of it, provide lots of examples and explanations as you go along. Using examples and explanations will make your message clear and easy to understand, particularly if you are talking on a highly technical topic. Know the skill or experience level of your audience so that you can tailor your talk to that level. Your presentation should not be perceived by the audience as either too complex or too easy.

These are the basics for honing your speaking skills to the level of the speaking elite.

Professional Speakers and Targeted Marketing

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Do you believe you have what it takes to become a successful professional speaker? Have you advertised for a speaking event with little or no success in attracting a paying audience? Have advertisers promised you they would increase your business, and then you found the results of the advertising will be tied directly to the amount of money you are willing to spend upfront? Do you believe name recognition as a speaker comes with your success, and your success as a speaker comes with name recognition, creating a catch 22?

Most speakers have limited resources for their marketing so getting the most out of what you spend is important. The best professional speakers spend their time and money on list development and on targeted marketing. Let's focus on targeted marketing. How do you locate a targeted market? It is not as complicated as it might seem if you take the time to think it through logically. For instance, would you spend your advertising dollars on a radio ad during a football game if you were speaking about women's health? Probably not.

Radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and journals, direct mail, and telemarketing, all have the potential to reach thousands of people. However, these forms of advertising must be repeated several times to embed name recognition. In addition, these methods are expensive and slow. On the other hand, there are times when used right they can have a reasonable rate of return on your investment. Be sure to consider who will see or hear these ads and determine if you are targeting the audience you intend.

Targeted marketing also focuses on 'picking the fruit on the lower branches'; reaping the rewards of the nearest, easiest market to tap. You may have a presentation you think everyone would want to see or hear. Yet, some may want to hear or see it more than others. Your target audience may have similar problems, wants, or needs. They may belong to a particular group, association or industry. They may live in a particular town or share similar demographics. They may all use a particular product or technique. They may work using similar job skill sets. For example, if financial planning is your speaking arena, you may find speaking about financial independence may be interesting to most people, but more so to a targeted market of people worried about developing their financial security. And the less financial security they have, the more they may want and need to hear what you have to say. Nevertheless, even after uncovering your target audiences perceived needs, you must still uncover whether they are willing and able to pay to hear your presentation and buy your products and services.

Marketing is complex and should not be left to guesswork. Testing to determine if you are reaching your targeted market can be systematically achieved. Testing your marketing campaign means measuring results, while changing one aspect of your marketing champagne, will show you what and who to focus on. The best professional speakers either know how to do this or pay someone else to do it for them.

The Internet and social networking offer those who want to do it for themselves an inexpensive method for targeted marketing. Additionally, the Internet also provides several easy ways to measure for results. Measuring the number of hits or responses can be strategically employed by emailing similar ads with specific ad copy variations, like changing the headline, and seeing which one had the best results. By changing one phrase or component in the same ad, you can focus on what works. In addition, by emailing the same ad to different demographics, you can target your audience, seeing which demographics pull in greater ad responses.

Professional Speaker Networks

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Are you unsure of how to start your professional speaking career? Is the jargon that professional speaking consultants use confusing? Are the articles you read only making you need more information in order to take that first step? Do you need a road map to a successful professional speaking career? Are there steps you can take while you are doing your research? If you have asked any of these questions you are not alone. Most successful professional speakers have found a way to tap into a network of experts.

Creating a network of people who can help your successful professional speaking career develop will always be unique. It can be as easy as hiring a coach or you can take advantage of connections you make on social networks like Twitter or Facebook. However, any method you start with is just that; a start. You will find there is a lot of misinformation, hype, and advertisements out there. Finding a good coach and/or making your way through the mine field of misinformation is not easy.

What I have found helpful for developing a network is keeping in mind what is in it for the other guy. It can be said that there is no such thing as altruism. People don't give of themselves unless there is something in it for them. It may be as small as a thank you. However, the more you are willing to give, the more you will receive.

With this in mind, a good starting point is developing an email list of people interested in professional speaking. Sharing your list may attract others you can network with. The bigger the list, the more attractive it will be. In addition, the more reliable, the more attractive it will be. Separating your lists into focused groups can also be helpful to you.

You can bypass some of the work, of developing your network, by being willing to spend some money. Keep in mind that hiring a marketing firm, paying promoters and event organizers, utilizing a coach, all present their own challenges. For instance, how do you find the right coach or marketing firm? How much should they cost? What will be the rate of return on these investments? These are important factors and require research. On the upside, they can allow you to focus on delivering your presentation. If you can afford professional help go for it. But use caution and discretion.

Networking is critical, and can be expedited if you keep in mind that people join networks because there is something in it for them. With a little work, by developing a network of professionals, you can get your professional speaking career on the fast-track.

Be a High Ticket Speaker

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Professional speaking is not just another business. It is an art. To rise to the top of the field you must be very skilled and have a knack for captivating an audience. The world is changing rapidly, and this requires speakers who can adapt to any given situation and can shift how they do business to keep pace with the world. Don't be discouraged by how hard it may seem to make a go of a speaking career. There are lots of opportunities out there. In this article I will describe some things to keep in mind as you strive to build a truly successful speaking career.

#1 Conquer your fears.

The first thing you have to do is overcome your fears. Whether it is a fear of taking the stage or a fear that you won't succeed, it will be difficult for you to reach the levels you want if you don't acknowledge, and master, your fears. The world of high ticket professional speaking is no place for cowards. Your fears, whatever they may be, will be a block to your success. It takes nerves and steel, and great determination to make it in this business. Don't wimp out here; this is your first real test-are you willing to throw caution to the wind and believe in yourself? High ticket speakers are not paralyzed by fears or negative thinking.

#2 Create a unique style.

There may be a number of high ticket speakers within the same genre of speaking, but make no mistake they are not like every other guy in pack. They have found a way to set themselves apart from the crowd. Look at what the big guys do, but use your creativity to develop your own style and spin. What can you bring to the table that is new and different? What problem are you solving for your audience? Tell interesting stories that are unique to you. Don't be afraid to be yourself.

#3 Be adaptable.

High ticket speakers are constantly evolving. They read the flow and energy of the room just as a surfer senses the flow of a wave, and adjusts his stance when needed. Have you ever attended a talk where the speaker seemed oblivious to the fact that the crowd is restless, it is thirty minutes past lunch and it's 90 degrees in the room? You probably didn't think much of the speaker or get much from the talk. When the crowd seems restless or confused make adjustments. Always have something up your sleeve that you can go to when you know you need to make a change in the direction or pace of your talk. Master speakers move about, and are aware of everything that is going on in the room. They know what it takes to win over an audience and how to keep an audience on their side. Get as much feedback as you can on your talk, and incorporate the necessary changes. Your presentation should always be a work in progress.

3 Keys to Internet Marketing for Successful Speakers

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Marketing is a main ingredient to success for all businesses.  If you want to be successful as a speaker you have to learn to apply a variety of marketing strategies to attract potential clients.  In today’s market you have to learn to leverage the Internet to your advantage so that you can build your reputation and grow your income.

Here are 3 key to successfully using Internet marketing.

#1 What is the basis of successful Internet marketing as a public speaker?
The first thing is to make sure that you have strong, quality content. The Internet is vast so what you have to say on your website and blog, and in your posts on social networking sites, must be something unique that is perceived as high value. The web is saturated with weak, superficial content; make sure yours does not fall into that category if you want to be seen as an authority in your field. A lot of the same content is repeated throughout the Internet; you have got to stand out! Give potential clients a reason to select you over the competition. Answer some pressing need or want that they have. Show them that you are the one to choose.

#2 How do you do it?
Once you have developed some quality content you can begin to focus on how you will get yourself out there so that you can be noticed. People are spending more time online than ever before. They are often on social networking sites and video sites. Social networking sites such as Facebook, and there are many others, is a great way to begin to establish your reputation. On Facebook set up a personal page and a fan page. The connections you can establish through social networking can prove to be invaluable. Remember, that quality posts are very important. If you don't offer something of interest, your followers won't return.

YouTube is a site that has grown rapidly. Millions of individuals spend more time watching videos on YouTube than they do watching television. This is a market you can't afford to pass up. Create some short videos that give a sample of what you're all about as a speaker, and watch yourself go viral.

#3 Build a reputation.
Get out there and book as many public appearances as possible. Offer to speak for free in the beginning if you have to. It will pay off in the end because once you start to build a reputation people will be hungry for the other products you can provide. The Internet is the number one source for information today. That is where people will go to get more of what you have to offer. You can have products that you sell online such as CD's, DVD's and ebooks. You can even offer teleseminars online that can easily, and inexpensively, reach a global audience. Any initial investment you have to make now will pay off when you learn to use the Internet as a way to market yourself.

Make Your Presentation Skills Sing

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Audiences today have short attention spans. In older cultures, the people would sit around together and tell stories.  Around the turn of the century, there were approximately 3 million telephones. This gave rise to shorter but more frequent conversations. With the invention of the television we were introduced to news clips and sound bites and eventually MTV. Computers and email took sound bites into written form. We then transitioned into social networking and texting, which has evolved into 140-character tweets. Not only has technology given us shorter and shorter communication abilities, we are inundated with a barrage of quick images and video. All of this leads to a shortened attention span. We want our information quick and we want it now!

If you are going to make it as a speaker, you must keep this development in mind. In order to maintain the attention of their audiences, communicators must show that their message will benefit the audience members in some way. Simply presenting interesting information is no longer enough. There needs to be an attention grabbing "Wow" factor.

It is important to maintain our ancestral ability to tell a good story, which is personal and appealing to the audience. Dry facts from a talking head are not nearly as interesting as a heartfelt experience. At the same time, it is important to encapsulate the information, bullet point by bullet point into a memorable sound bite. Surely you have experienced attending a great talk, and came away with one or two powerful statements that really made an impression, and that you will remember long after the talk is over.

Prior to preparing a speech, the speaker should become familiar with the audience's point of view. In other words, do some research to find out what aspect of a topic would most concern the audience members, and tailor the talk accordingly. Try to put yourself in their shoes, and give them what they want.

Online resources are often helpful in providing insight into the group's focus and goals. The internet is an invaluable tool for designing a speech for a specific audience, making generic presentations seem outdated and obsolete.

If possible, arrive early at your venue, and chat with audience members to build rapport. Ask genuine, open-ended questions and really listen to the responses. Listen for key words, specific problem and jargon that are particular to your group. Then use that information to further refine your speech.

Common Mistakes Motivational Speakers Make

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Are you a motivational speaker or have been assigned the task of giving a motivational speech? If so, be sure to avoid these 5 common mistakes that unsuccessful motivational speakers make.

1. Failure to start off with an attention grabbing introduction.

The best way to get your audience's attention is to start off with a great introduction. Grab the attention of your audience by starting off with a mind bending statistic, a controversial statement, a motivational and inspiring quote or a current and controversial headline. Start off with something that will give your audience something to think about that will not easily be forgotten. The best motivational speakers start and end their presentations with a bang!

2. Failure to adapt your speech to your audience.

Many motivational speakers have a themed presentation that can apply to many audiences, but the best motivational speakers adapt their presentations to the audience at hand. Research the demographics of your audience before your talk, and gear your presentation to the group you are speaking to. The motivational speech that went over well with business executives will not go over as well with college students. So study your audience and get the information that they would like to hear. Adapting your motivational speeches to the audience will give them the feeling that the presentation was prepared just for them, and for their interests, instead of the general presentations of some speakers.

3. Failure to tell stories and/or moralizing too much.

Get your point across by telling interesting stories, preferably about your own experiences or even stories that you have heard and have interested you. Stories can get teaching points across without moralizing which tends to turn off some people. Relate to your audience not from a position of "I'm above this," but from a position of "we are all in this together and we can be motivated to do better." Leave preaching to the church ministers on Sunday.

4. Presenting too many or overly complicated points.

Keep your main talking points to five or less, and avoid complicated statistics or theories. Audiences of motivational speakers can usually remember from three to five main points and get turned off to things that are too complicated. The main purpose of a motivational speech is to inspire and motivate people to want something better or to do more for a particular cause. To accomplish this, it is better to keep the main ideas simple and to a number that can easily be grasped by your audience.

5. Failure to close powerfully.

As important as the introduction is, the ending end of your presentation is equally important. Try to end with something complementary or an answer to the statistic, statement, quote, or news headline that you gave in your introduction. It will show that you have come full circle, and will remind the audience of your main point. Most audiences remember the introduction, a few main points, and the closing. Try to connect these aspects of your motivational speech, and end with something that leaves the audience with a good and satisfied feeling. The best motivational speeches start and end with a bang!

Remember that motivational speaking is an acquired skill that takes time and practice. But with practice you can learn to give presentations that are enjoyable both to you and your audience. Common motivational speaking mistakes are easy to avoid if you know what they are. By avoiding these mistakes, you will find yourself in a position that your peers will find enviable.

Sales Lead Generation Steps for Professional Speakers

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

The most important aspect of public speaking is making real human connections with your audience. If you fail to make a genuine connection with them, it will be very difficult to sell them your materials. Before you can begin to think about selling products, carefully consider these questions. Are you in touch with your audience's problems, needs, desires? If so, can you come up with unique, sustainable solutions to their problems? After carefully answering the questions you are ready to think about sales lead generation techniques as a speaker. Here is a 3 step strategy you will find helpful.

Step One
By now you have carefully considered how to create and offer solutions to your audience, and you have created products such as books, ebooks, CD's or DVD's. Find ways to show what a unique and knowledgeable speaker you are. The competition in the field of speaking can be stiff so distinguishing yourself from the rest in some way is important. Demonstrate that you truly are an authority in your field. Being a subject matter expert, and making the all-important human connection I mentioned earlier, will greatly enhance your reputation, and bring you the speaking engagements you are looking for. After hearing a great talk, individuals are highly motivated to purchase products. They feel good, and want more of what you have to offer.

Step Two
It is important as you start out to determine the methods you will use to sell your products. Of course you will have products available for sale at your live events, but you can do much more than this. The Internet is the primary place people go to find information and products. Learn how to leverage it to your advantage. First, take the time to learn how to use the Internet to establish your name and reputation as an expert in your field. Second, learn how to use the Internet to drive traffic to your website and your products.

Step Three
Go global. The wider you audience, the more sales you can generate. You can take your speaking business global in a couple of ways. Join international organizations and groups. Very often these groups need speakers in places around the world. Also, they often hold international conventions or conferences. This is a great way to form a global network. Second, you can offer your talks as teleseminars using a standard conference calling service. People from all over the world can join the call. During the teleseminar you will be able to mention the products you have to offer. Just like with your live talks, your listeners will be motivated to purchase your products.

How Professional Speakers Can Improve Their In-Bound Marketing

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

It's a great time to be a new, emerging or established professional speaker. Now more than ever the speaking business is able to level the playing field, and tap into larger corporations in the global market.

If you've been dreaming about growing your professional speaking career, now is a great time to act on that goal.

To build your consultancy you need to join organizations, write some articles, get clients and give speeches.You need to consider that you are the brand.

A stand-alone platform of conventional marketing no longer makes sense. Ad costs are rising. People are paying less attention to the flood of traditional media. It's a waste of time and money to blast out old fashion push marketing methods. If people don't like the marketing message, they simply aren't going to pay attention to the messages they don't care about.

Here are some strategies you can use to improve your inbound traffic.

Blogging and vlogging on the social network sites are two methods. The blogosphere now has over 100 million blogs online, and it's growing exponentially.

Your blog or vlog should be a canvas for "What do you do for a living?" It should answer your clients and customers question, "What's in it for me?" Your job as a blogger or vlogger is to find out what your prospects and clients need. That's what you should be talking and videoing about.

Focus on your niche market. You should be able to write about your target customer base in one sentence or less.

7 Important Points for Speakers:

1. The first point is, the better your blog or vlog, the greater the number of backlinks to your site. That in itself is one of your measures of the marketing success for your blog. The better the blog, the more posts, the more quality visitors,the more links and the more traffic.

2. The best speakers differentiate themselves. They don't try to be everything to everybody. They want to become a unique alternative, not just a competitive choice.

3. Remember the most frequent reason bloggers and vloggers fail is because they oversell their product or service with a push marketing focus. Push marketing is out, pull marketing is in.

4. You want to be the absolute best, a true authority, in your specific niche. Define and segment your prospect, customer and vendor database and determine what kind of client "relationships" you need to develop in each segment. Be flexible. Allow your current business model, even if it's successful to have a short lifespan. Why? Because the standard for being the best in your niche changes over time.

5. Link your blogging by expanding its delivery modalities. Just like people have different tastes in foods or music or art, they have different delivery preferences. Do blog articles, vlog, do white papers. Make video series, do webinars, Do web delivered PowerPoint presentations, do podcasts and webcasts.

6. Remember to "segment" your prospect and customer base and determine what kind of client "relationships" you need to develop. And then think monetization; remember that your revenue streams and cost structures are determined by your daily key activities.

7. Make sure you focus on monetizing your short-term efforts and then duplicate and develop that idea over the life of the project. Keep the whole picture in focus, but monetize your daily activities. Do something every day that makes money.

Useful Tips for Professional Speakers

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Being a first-rate speaker takes preparation and knowhow. Because the professional speaking industry is both competitive and crowded, you will need to take the time to prepare yourself so that you can be at the top of your game. Use these tips to sharpen your skills and presentation.

1. Be prepared for your presentation before you step up to the podium. Practice, practice, practice. There is no substitute for being well prepared. Add being unprepared to a case of stage fright, and you have a recipe for disaster. Arrive early so that you have plenty of time to get set up and familiarize yourself with your surroundings.

2. Tell a story. People like to listen to stories they can relate to. A good story will grab the attention of your audience. It can also make it easy for them to understand the point you are trying to make. A story also helps your audience remember your key points. Humorous stories can re-engage an audience whose attention is drifting.

3. Don't be afraid of moments of silence. A lot of speakers get nervous and have a tendency to talk quickly, thus speeding through their presentation. If you slow down, and even pause momentarily at pivotal points in your talk, it helps the audience internalize what you are talking about. It also shows that you are being thoughtful as you deliver your talk.

4. Emphasize your key points. You can do this through the repetition of your keywords. This will help your audience remember what it is you want to stress in your presentation.

5. Make eye contact with your audience members. Make sure that, as you give your speech, you look around the room making eye contact with as many audience members as possible. Avoid looking down at your notes too often. Your audience wants to connect with you, and they want to feel that you are connecting with them.

6. Be expressive during your speech. Express emotion through your tone of voice and gestures.

7. Take into account the different life experiences of your audience. While there are some experiences that many of us share, it is important to gear your talk to a wide range of individuals. Knowing who your audience will be is a big help in preparing a talk that will appeal to a larger segment of the group.

8. Never think that you or your talk has to be perfect. Expert speakers can make mistakes too. But with that being said, you will tend to make fewer mistakes if you practice a lot. If you do make a mistake, admit it light-heartedly and with humor and move on. Don't let it get you flustered, this only increases the likelihood of more mistakes.

9. Know that it is normal to be nervous. If you find your fear of public speaking is a real hindrance take whatever steps are necessary to overcome your fear. There is a lot of information out there about how to do this. A little bit of nervousness can actually be used to your advantage if you channel the energy into making you a more energetic and enthusiastic speaker.

10. Accept feedback. You will never be able to improve as a speaker if you aren't willing to look at the feedback you receive. Take a look at you strengths and weaknesses. Don't be discouraged by negative feedback use it to make the necessary adjustments to your presentation and become a truly dynamic speaker.

11. Speak as often as possible. Take every opportunity to speak even if it means speaking for free in the beginning. The more you speak the better you will become, and the more you and your name will become known.

12. Learn from the experts. Take the time to watch very successful speakers. See what it is they are doing, and get inspired to enhance your own skills and presentations.

13. Join organizations for speakers. This is a great way to network and learn new strategies and techniques

14. Stay current in your niche. Read and learn all you can from reference materials, magazines, newspapers, the Internet and books. Audiences enjoy listening to speakers who are knowledgeable and can provide cutting edge, interesting information.

Finding Your Niche s a Professional Speaker

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Cut through the competition by identifying and targeting your niche. The field of professional speaking is very broad. The competition within the field can feel brutal. Your first step in building a strong, sustainable career as a speaker is to identify your niche market. The more specific you can be, as you define the traits and qualities of those who will be interested in your services, the better.

What's Your Mindset?

First, you have to approach your speaking business with a market mindset rather than a product mindset. What you want to talk about is not nearly as important as what people want to hear. You could be the most gifted and inspired speaker on the planet, but if you topic does not appeal to, or fill a need for, others you won't get speaking jobs, and that is a cold hard fact.

Know Who They Are.

Take the time to find out who your general market is, and then drill down to the specifics. What are their problems? What needs are currently unmet? What are their desires? What motivates them? Take a close look at the demographics for your target market. How old are they? Is this a gender specific interest? What is the general level of education? What is their socio-economic status? These are some of the kinds of questions you should be asking. This information is critical to both your presentation development and your marketing strategies.

Know Who You Are.

As I said, the field of professional speaking can feel brutal. It can also feel crowded. Finding a way to distinguish yourself from the pack is critical. First, you have to know what your strengths are as a speaker, and play to them. Once you have determined who your market is, become a subject matter expert in that area. You will get nowhere as a speaker if you don't offer information that your audience thinks they can get some place else. How can you, and what you know, offer something different? How can you turn your skills and expertise into a specialty field, and zero in on a hidden or pocket niche? How can you present yourself as unique in a crowded field?

Finding your niche, and then setting yourself up as shining star, takes some time and footwork on your part. There is no shortcut for the research and planning it takes to find your audience and position yourself to capitalize on it. If you do the legwork, it will be worth it is as you create a professional speaking career that really takes off.

Identifying the Best Markets for Speakers

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Have you ever anticipated speaking to a full house and when the time came few people showed up? Have you spent good money to advertise your speaking event and been disappointed at the turnout? Have you put up a web site that nobody looks at? If you can relate to any of these questions you probably have not identified the best markets for your speaking.

Measurement is a fundamental component to identifying the best market for you. One way to measure is to compare two similar advertisements. You can identify the differences and count the number of responses each one gets. This will help you identify what advertisement works best. Similarly, you can advertise to different known demographics and measure the responses. This will help you identify your best market as a speaker. On the other hand, you can use the Internet to let people opt in to what you have to offer, thus identifying your best market. Measuring and comparing your opt ins will narrow your search for your best market.

The opt in asks the reader to give you their email address for something in return such as a discount or a free newsletter. If the reader opts in you know they have some interest. That is your first clue. By changing any aspect of the opt in strategy, you can compare results. The results will help you build email lists for specific products you have to offer. In addition, if you offer two things and one is of higher value, you can ask for a phone number for the higher value offer. I have found that if a reader gives you a valid phone number, chances are their email address is also valid. Ask for a phone number for the opt in with the higher value.

As you can probably see, opt in emails direct the reader to a product, and narrow the market. There are many services that offer email lists and help you to manage yours. Focusing your email campaign will increase the results per email. With some research and work you can do this on your own.

You can also compare and measure the results you get from the analytics related to your web site. You may find that people are going to your site more often on some keywords than others. Make changes to your keywords, and then closely monitor the results. You can also use your analytics to determine if visitors are coming to your site from other sites. What sites are they, and how do they relate to your niche? This is another clue to what your best speaking market is.

Secrets to Becoming a Six Figure Speaker

Dr. Gary Arnold's Book
How the Top 1% of Speakers and Coaches Do Internet Marketing
Paperback: ISBN:978-1-57867-041-3; eBook: ISBN:978-1-57867-043-7

Have you started your speaking career and are considering giving it up? Are you spending time and money on your speaking career and not realizing a significant return on your investment? Are you getting advice that isn't working for you? Have you found that some of the people who gave you advice do not actually have a successful speaking career themselves? If you have asked "yes" to any of these questions you are in the majority of those who are trying to launch a speaking career.

The speaking business is a highly competitive with great rewards for the few that succeed. If you are trying to get your speaking career off the ground, beware, there is a lot of bad advice out there. Finding a proven strategy for success is knowing what resources are available and credible. You can shorten the learning curve, and save a ton of money with the proper strategies and follow through. Let me share three of the most important secrets I had to learn before I became one of the few successful speakers that crossed the million dollar barrier.

1. Many speakers fail because their presentation is not engaging and entertaining.
2. Marketing is changing at light speed and it has to be part of your strategy.
3. You can earn money from your speaking career while you sleep.

While having a great presentation is critical, it's not enough. People need to know about what you have to offer, and be willing to pay for it. Word of mouth and networking are good for local audiences; however, you will find those alone are not enough, and local audiences are some of the most challenging customers when it comes to paying for what you have to offer. TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and direct mail are expensive and reach only a limited audience. These strategies are too slow and expensive.

If TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and direct mail aren't the answer to marketing, what is? First of all, it is not that there is no place for them in your marketing plan, they can play a small role in your overall marketing strategy. The Internet is faster, and you will get more bang for your buck. Yet, posting a Facebook page and even having a website will still not reach the numbers you are looking for. The Internet has been discovered and everyone thinks it is easy, so they post on it. However, you have to do a lot more to get the traffic you are looking for to your sites than that. The Internet is vast and growing every day, you have to know how to become visible online or no one will find you. You must learn at least the basics of search engine optimization or hire someone who can help you. The keywords you select for your site are how the search engines will rank you, so take your time in their selection. Knowing how to effectively make the Internet work for you, and acting on it is the secret.

The third secret to a successful speaking career can earn you money while you sleep. This is not too good to be true. In the business we call these backend sales. Books, CDs, DVD's, and coaching are a few of the items you can sell to supplement your income. Don't miss this opportunity.

These are three secrets to success and they are seldom mentioned. You will find that few successful speakers are willing to offer help or advice, however, I believe there is enough room in the field for anyone willing to take sound advice and act on it. And, don't kid yourself, it is work and unless you have lots of money for a staff or marketing firm, you will have to do the work. It is worth it.