SPEAK+ Week Ten

Welcome to Week Ten of SPEAK+.
It’s time to zone in on the WHAT, WHO & WHY.

I was nervously sitting in the boardroom at a local Media Company. This was my 3rd new website since I started offering workshops as a speaker 15 years before. I was feeling excited and scared, hopeful and unsure. This site was costing me $8000. This was a huge investment. HUGE! I had three young children and wasn’t working very much. This was a gamble. But damn…I had to move forward. I had faith I had something important to offer.

My website guy asked me, “So there’s enough events to target women like this?” I nodded with conviction. I mean…I thought there was. I hoped there was. I believed there was? Oh boy.

Here’s the thing about wanting something so bad. It’s easy to ignore your gut intuition and the hard questions being asked. It’s SO EASY to drive forward without a roadmap. As a Management Consultant and Business Coach now, I cringe at my lack of strategic planning. I understand the tendency to move first and plan after—it’s intoxicating.

If I had spent more time understanding WHAT I wanted to offer, WHO I wanted to offer it for and WHY I was the person to offer it, I may have saved myself an incredible amount of time and money. If I had someone asking me these important questions in a way that empowered me to educate myself and grow as a thought leader, I may have made it to the keynote stages (that was my ultimately my goal) years before I did.

Yet here we are. I am sharing these questions, tools and steps with you in SPEAK+ because of my experiences learning and growing.

So I guess, as I write and reflect on all that has happened for me, I have two lessons to share.

#1. You will never get it right, at the right time and in the right way. You will however learn a hell of a lot along the way. One day you too can share your lessons learned with those who follow in your thought leadership footsteps. Keep growing and moving forward. Trust the timing of life.

#2. There is abundance in the mindset of growth and expansion. Learn from others. Find mentors. Intentionally create a support network around you that lifts you up. Seek coaching. Learn endlessly WHILE you simultaneously take brave, bold action towards your goals. If it scares you and excites you. GOOD. That’s the right path forward.

Looking back I wish I had a coach asking me to be strategic in defining for myself the WHAT, WHO and WHY behind my speaking goals. So this week we are going to do just that :)

Let’s get to it.

Welcome to Week Ten of SPEAK+

Look how far you have come! I am so excited for you at this point in the journey because NOW is the time to start asking for the opportunities to get on “stage”!

Are you ready? Of course you are. You have spent 8 solid weeks preparing for this phase of your growth as a speaker and thought leader. #trusttheprocess

With your landing page (or website) complete you can now use that URL in all your marketing and outreach.

OUTREACH?
Yes. People can’t book you if they don’t know about you and all the awesome you bring to the party. Right?

WON’T THEY FIND ME VIA MY WEBSITE?
Well…maybe. Unless you have SuperHero SEO (search engine optimization) powers the reality is YOU will have to reach out to people and ask them for opportunities (not the other way around….not yet at least).

Next week I am going to share with you how to ASK for the opportunity to speak. I will include tips and tools for finding events, companies and organizations to work with. I have so much to share!

Before we get to the HOW let’s focus on the WHAT, WHO and the WHY.

What format of presentations do you want to offer?
Who do you want to speak for?
Why would they want to bring you on their stage?

Let’s get answering these questions! And remember, your ideas/plans/goals will evolve and change over time. #momentummattersmost

WHAT TYPE(S) OF PRESENTATIONS DO YOU OFFER?

There are three most common formats of presentations. Here's a brief overview of the key differences between keynotes, workshops, and panels:

1. Keynotes:

   • Keynotes are typically presentations delivered by a single speaker to a large audience.

   • They are often the centerpiece of an event, setting the tone and providing key insights or messages.

   • Keynotes are usually inspirational, motivational, or educational in nature, designed to captivate and engage the audience.

2. Workshops:

   • Workshops are interactive sessions where participants actively engage in learning and skill-building activities.

   • They are usually led by one or more facilitators who guide participants through exercises, discussions, or group activities.

   • Workshops are often focused on specific topics or skills and provide participants with practical tools and strategies they can apply in their work or personal lives.

3. Panels:

   • Panels consist of a group of experts or speakers who discuss a specific topic or issue in front of an audience.

   • Each panelist shares their insights, perspectives, and experiences on the topic, often followed by a moderated discussion or Q&A session.

   • Panels provide a diverse range of viewpoints and allow for interactive dialogue between panelists and the audience.

Most likely, you will end up offering all three over time. Many of you will start with workshops until confidence is built for the main stage (keynotes). Your Signature Talk is usable as content for all three! YAY!

WHO IS YOUR AUDIENCE?

Professional speakers may speak for various types of audiences…here are some of the top categories:

1. Corporate Events: Many speakers address corporate audiences at events such as conferences, seminars, or training sessions. These events may focus on leadership development, team building, innovation, sales and marketing, or other topics relevant to business professionals.

2. Educational Institutions: Speakers often present at schools, colleges, and universities, delivering motivational talks, educational workshops, or commencement speeches. These audiences may include students, faculty, administrators, or parents.

3. Nonprofit Organizations: Nonprofit organizations often host events such as fundraisers, galas, or annual conferences where speakers share their expertise on topics related to the organization's mission, such as social justice, environmental conservation, healthcare, or community development.

4. Industry Conferences and Trade Shows: Speakers frequently participate in industry-specific events, conferences, and trade shows to share insights, trends, and best practices relevant to professionals in a particular sector. These events may cover industries such as technology, healthcare, finance, or entrepreneurship.

5. Your Own Events: Speakers often host their own training events as a business model or to promote their consulting/coaching services. There is great benefit to hosting virtual and live events to hone your content and skills.

These are just a few examples, and professional speakers may also engage with other types of audiences, including government agencies, associations, religious organizations, and more, depending on their expertise and target market.

So what type of audience(s) do you think you would LOVE to share time with? Think about the type of people you will find in the audience…and how YOUR teachings/expertise will benefit them. Let’s focus on 1 or 2 categories first.

***In our 1on1 sessions together I will help you create your Audience Avatars (you can brainstorm your most ideal audience for now).

WHY SHOULD THEY BRING YOU ON STAGE?

Let’s say, for example, that you see yourself speaking to association conferences. Most associations have annual events where they bring their members together for 1-2 days for professional and personal development. These events are networking opportunities and add value to the associations membership. At these annual association conferences there are both keynote and workshop opportunities.

You decide to apply to speak as a workshop presenter. Exciting! #yesyoucan

Now WHY should they bring you in? Can you answer that question?

OF COURSE YOU CAN.

Remember your Impact Statement?
IT’S YOUR WHY YOU SHOULD BE ON THEIR STAGE!

This is your reminder that your expertise, energy and impact ARE your product. Your Impact Statement is your marketing key to stages all around the world. You have done the hard work of clarifying what you offer, the teachings you bring to your audiences and the art of sharing these teachings through your Signature Talk. Lean on your Impact Statement and forge forward with the confidence that what you have to offer is of both value and interest.

*** Side note: it takes time to know if your area of expertise and trainings will be desired by the market. It’s important to actively look for, and follow, similar thought leaders to yourself. Research and take note on how they position themselves, the words they use in their Impact Statements and the events they are speaking at. Over time you will no doubt adjust your offerings and Impact Statement to reflect your expertise AND market needs. This takes time. Information is power, so be a sponge and soak up as much as you can from following those doing similar work to you.

*** Side note number two: be sure to not get sucked into the trap of comparing your beginning with other speakers middles and ends. This can be tough. You can do it. Learn what you can and then focus on YOUR ACTIONS to move forward.

With confidence and commitment you will attract opportunities.

Next week I am going to walk you through the HOW of asking for the opportunities. For this week let’s get you thinking about and writing down what types of presentations you want to offer and who your ideal audience(s) are.

Consider the demographics, professions and other descriptive elements of your ideal audience. Where might you find these people? Where do they all hang out? What events do they go to? What associations or groups do they belong to? Brainstorm away and create a list of the “stages” you want to be on!

There’s no right or wrong answers. And you will evolve/adapt as you go.

The fun part is just beginning.

Your Action Steps for this week…

• Take the time and energy to define the type of presentations you would like to offer (keynotes, workshops, panels or your own events). Next, define the type of audience you want to speak for (refer to questions above). Finally, write down your Impact Statement as a reminder of your WHY! If you are open to it, share your challenges, successes and insights via the SPEAK+ Private Facebook Group . When we share we inspire each other.

• For 1on1 clients please refer to your google doc for additional action steps and customized feedback.