We make our own way in life. We set our own goals and pursue our own ideas, still where we come from matters. The people we come from matter and the way they treated us matters. What also matters is who they are and were, and what we saw when we watched them.

I am one of the luckiest people on the planet because I have great parents. No perfect parents, not did everything right parents, great parents. What made them great is that I always every moment of every day knew they loved me unconditionally.

Today is Father’s day and I want to tell you about my Dad. My dad who went with me on my Girl Scout® camping trips and was the only dad chaperoning. My dad who drove me around and picked me up from high school many days so I did not have to take the bus. Even then I thought I was VIP. My mom never drove me anywhere because she did not know how. These and many more were acts of love that made a shy, insecure girl feel loved. What could be better?

When I decided in high school that I wanted to be a teen counselor at Planned Parenthood®, my parents were supportive even though they did not understand my decision. When I was in my twenties and wanted to sell my successful café and catering business to become this new thing called a coach they supported me even though they did not agree or understand it.

As an adult woman every time my dad hugs me, tells me he loves me or tells me he is proud of me I feel like I have just been infused with super powers in my body, my heart fills with pure love and I feel I can do anything. A kind word, a smile, a laugh from my dad is still one of the best things in life.

Thanks Dad (Tony Rando) for being the best dad out there. I love you, Happy Father’s Day.

What is your talent? What are the things that only you can do? If you are an image consultant, only you can take a client shopping. If you are a writer, only you can put words on paper. If you are a speaker, only you can get on the stage and deliver a talk. These are your revenue-producing activities, and this is where you need to put your focus in order to have your business thrive. Let your team handle the rest. Since every business has different needs, make sure your team consists of more than just one or two people. Think about whom you need on your team for your business?

For example: Sarah is a corporate trainer. Only she can stand in front of a room and teach. That is her talent, her business. If Sarah tried to do everything herself she would not have time to do what she should be doing: training! Whom can Sarah use on her team?

A sales associate can identify possible clients, make initial contact, prescreen clients and sell training.

An administrative assistant can put together and send info. packets, prepare invoices and maintain correspondence, contracts and the calendar.

An editor and writer can prepare Sarah’s print and online marketing materials, training materials and PowerPoint presentations.

As a side note, Sarah can also train other people to do her training programs and take a commission on the programs she books for them, thereby adding another revenue stream.

Ask yourself– Like Sarah. What are the things that only you can do? What else needs to be done that you need help with?

Now imagine you are Sarah, and instead of being a corporate trainer, Sarah does what you do. Now ask yourself what type of support Sarah would have to have to be a rockstar in your business. By creating a fictional person sometimes we can see what we do in a new light. Take action based on the insights you receive from this post and start to make you a rock star in your business.

Join me at the next Business Breakthrough Summit for a lot of business catapulting idea. Go to http://www.bizbreakthrough.com

Be Sure to Have a Break After Your Offer

I remember one day a few years back, I had an audience of three hundred. It was one of those days when you feel like you are really on and the audience is really with you. There was no break after my talk. It was a paid full fee speech so while requested I could not insist. The speaker following me was talking about sex. You can understand that by the break they forgot about me and my offer. It was a low sales day. Always ask for a break after your offer.

Be Available to Meet with People for Bigger Offers

Never be the rush in and rush out speaker. When you do this you leave before people can come up to you and discuss with you a situation or opportunity they think you would be great for. You might say to yourself that they can always call or email you. While that is true you will not have all their attention once they leave the room and while they still remember your awesome talk you want to be available to discuss possibilities with them.

Track Your Success

While speaking is service it is also important to see how effective you are at making your offer. Keep track of how many people were in the audience, how many purchased something, how much they spent and compare that to previous speeches. This is key so that when you do something differently you can see if it impacted your sales. Test everything, you have probably heard. I say test and track everything do not keep it all in your head.

The next Sought After Speaker Summit is Sept. 14^th and 15^th. Come and work on your offering skills. You will be closing more as soon as you leave. Details at www.soughtafterspeaker.com as a blog reader use coupon code SASAICI for a75% discount.

Use Client Examples in Your Presentation

Just because you are giving a speech and sharing a lot of value and great ideas with an audience do not assume that they understand how you work with your clients. You want to make it simple to get their head around not only how you work with your clients, but the great results you get for your clients. Use your client success to support the points you want to make. That has the members of the audience think to themselves that they want those results to.

Make Sure Your Heart and Commitment to Serve Is Clear
My husband asked me the other day if I would still work if we won the lottery. The answer was an easy yes. The reason is because I am here to serve. I speak to serve and that comes through when I am on the platform. How about for you? Does your servant leader self shine on the platform? I believe it was Zig Ziglar who said “No one cares what you know till they know how much you care.” When they know you care they are open to working with you.

Do Not Overwhelm Them with Too Much Information

A big rookie mistake is trying to fit everything you know about a topic into your brief presentation. Do give them a lot of value but not enough that their head is spinning and they feel they have so much to do before they can hire you. This is what I call shooting yourself in the wallet.

I have more for you tomorrow on what to do and not do to come home with clients.

Allow me to show you what you need to know to catapult your business with speaking. Join me this weekend June 8^th and 9^th at the next Sought After Speaker Summit. Come and work on your offering skill. You will be closing more as soon as you leave. Details at www.soughtafterspeaker.com as a blog reader use coupon code SASAICI for a75% discount.

If there was an apocalypse on Sunday by the following Wednesday I would have launched my workshop on How to Thrive After the Apocalypse. While it may seem absurd I am not kidding. Because I am now confident there will always be people in my audience that want what I have to offer. The better part of this is that after years of studying and upgrading and seeking to master how to make an offer I am now good at it.

Presentation skills are one set of skills to master and making an offer and coming home with clients is another key, if not the key skill to master to thrive in business with speaking.

I could write a book about this and maybe someday I will. For now over the next three days I am going to share some upgrades you can make immediately to get more clients from speaking.

Your Speech/Offer Starts in The Parking Lot

Image the speaker who is running late and cuts off someone in the parking lot to get a closer spot, only to find that person is running the meeting you are speaking at. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your gig and be extra gracious as soon as you pull in to the parking lot.

Get to Know Your Audience Before Your Program

Find out ahead of time who is in your audience. If you can survey them a to what their needs are you could modify your offer to meet those exact needs. This is sure to result in more sales.

Know Your Program Allows You to Focus on Connecting and Delivering

You may have seen many speakers that seem to be presenting off the cuff or extemporaneously. Most are not. Even for the presentations I have delivered dozens or even hundreds of times I still prepare for each one. The more you know your content the more you can have your attention on the audience. The more they feel connected to you the more they will buy from you.

Be Full of Value – Not Full of Fluff

You would think this goes without saying—unfortunately it does not. How many speakers have you heard that give the impression that if you want learn anything you have to buy their program or product. Never be that speaker. Give a ton of value. You have a ton more. When you are full of value they will want more and choose to work with you.

I have so much more for you on this. We will pick it up tomorrow. Join me this weekend June 8^th and 9^th at the next Sought After Speaker Summit. Come and work on your offering skill. You will be closing more as soon as you leave. Details at www.soughtafterspeaker.com as a blog reader use coupon code SASAICI for a75% discount.

Get Booked for Speaking Challenge

“Loud and Proud” business owners make time to meet people, share their knowledge, write and just reach out to people. They are friendly and always project themselves in a pleasant and polished way, always ready for a chance meeting or an unplanned conversation with a new potential client.

Here are a few other things “Loud and Proud” business owners do to to increase Business Influence and proclaim to the world that they have value to bring.

* You have a speaker sheet, identified groups where your ideal clients are gathered and you are connecting with those groups to become a public speaker to get clients.

*You host your own events to connect with your current and potential clients just let loose or create new business ties.

* You regularly host free webinars or teleclasses to impart your expertise with new people and grow your network.

* You seek out opportunities to be a regular radio show guest or even get your own segment.

Now that you have gotten some ideas on what the “Loud and Prouds” do, ask yourself what you are going to do to assert yourself. The louder and prouder you are about what you can offer, the more your business will thrive!

Do you want to build your business yet you don’t reach out to your clients in public about the value you can bring them?

Do you want to book more speeches to gain more clients and revenue for your business?

Here’s something you can do right now! 

Join the Get Booked for Speaking Challenge! Starts May 14th!

Why should you join the Get Booked for Speaking Challenge?

Because it is a fun way to focus on getting more speeches on your calendar!

And you will learn a lot and meet some great women entrepreneurs in the process.

What is the Get Booked for Speaking Challenge?

This is a 30 day virtual, online and over the phone event with the goal of having you get your calendar full with all the speech/teleclass and webinar bookings you want for the year.

When you join the Get Booked for Speaking Challenge 

You will have the positive energy, support and great tips to speak as often as you like.

By Caterina Rando, MCC

Public speaking can be scary, nerve racking at first, and even frightening. Eventually, anybody can give a good speech -and even a great speech. I assure you with experience and practice and, possibly, some good speech coaching, the day will come when speaking is as easy and as pleasurable as singing in the shower.

You’ll find eight important reasons in this article to start speaking to promote your business: http://www.attractclientswithease.com/articles/speakandsucceed.htm

Join us June 8th and 9th for the Sought After Speaker Two-Day Summit and make your business thrive. http://soughtafterspeaker.com/

Always have something to give to audience when you speak. Audience members will forget you when you walk out the door if they do not have a part of you to take home with them.

• In addition to information on the topic discussed, consider giving participants an article you have written on the topic. This makes you look like an expert. Always have your brochures and business cards displayed.

• When applicable include a flyer on your upcoming seminars or where you will be speaking next or any other event you would like to invite your audience to.

• Put your business name, address and phone number on the bottom of each sheet of paper you give your audience.

• Many speakers use an evaluation form to ask audience members for feedback on how their presentations can be improved. While you have to be pretty thick- skinned to do this, it can be very helpful.

• Design a sheet asking audience members for their contact information. Consider including qualifying questions to help you determine if you should follow up with an individual. For example “Do you or does your company use (fill in the blank with your product or service)?” or “Would you be interested in a complimentary consultation to discuss (fill in the blank with your product or service)?”

• To make sure everyone turns in their form, hold a drawing, give away one of your products or services.

• Consider making a special offer good only for a certain period of time for everyone in your audience. Give each person a customized coupon with the offer written on it. Or send them an electronic coupon after the event.

• Some savvy professionals give everyone in the audience a specialty item with their business information on it, such as a pen, a pad of paper or an eraser. You will make friends with your audience members when you give them freebies and if they keep this item on their you will be remembered.

Start with a few of these tips that seem right for you, then add a few more. Speaking is a skill that can take time to develop. The more you do it, the more clients it will bring you and, eventually, you will find that there is no place you would rather be than in front of an audience sharing your message. Enjoy.

For the full article on how to prepare and deliver a great speech, visit:

http://www.attractclientswithease.com/articles/deliveraspeech.htm

Join us June 8th and 9th for the Sought After Speaker Two-Day Summit and make your business thrive. http://soughtafterspeaker.com/

Everything you do in your business is either revenue producing or non-revenue producing. It is important to ask yourself, “what non-revenue producing and revenue producing activities can I get someone else on my team to do?” This is especially important to ask when non-revenue producing activities are taking away from revenue producing activities.

The Time=Dollars Equation

Determine your current time equals dollars equation. This tells you the dollar cost to attribute to your time. Figure out what a day and an hour are worth in your business. For example, if your goal is to generate $10,000 a month in gross revenue and the average month has 20 business days in it, each day would be worth $500.00, and each hour of an eight hour day is worth $62.50. If you are engaged in business activities that are worth less then $62.50 an hour, like data processing, bookkeeping, proofreading, filing, then you are losing money–especially when these activities are taking away from revenue producing activities. Know your time dollar equation to be better set up to make decisions in your business.

What is Your Time=Dollar Equation?

As you know, time is money. But how much money is your time worth? Let’s figure it out right now. Answer these questions:

What is your monthly revenue goal? __________

Divide that number by 20= _________ This is what a day is worth.

Divide that number by 8=  _________ This is what an hour is worth.

Sometimes we can be so busy we get in the way of our own success. How can that happen? Any time we perform an activity that is not the highest and best use of our professional time, we hold back our business. Become more aware of how you spend your time, spend more of it on revenue producing activities and watch your business thrive.