Don’t Wait!
“It’s called entrepreneurSHIP, not entrepreneurSTAY. Don’t wait. Just ship.”
― Richie NortonRecently, an Air Force ROTC friend of mine passed away after a long bout with cancer.
As I was sitting during his memorial service and listening to people talk about the extraordinary things my friend did in his life, I thought about the many more remarkable things that would not happen because he has passed on.
It got me thinking about the extraordinary things you have done in your life and the many more in your future.
It also got me thinking; we are unsure how many more years we have on this beautiful blue planet, celestial traveler.
I assume because you are reading this newsletter, you are a speaker. If you knew you had a year to live, what three things would you immediately do in speaking?
Let me suggest the following:
Find Out Where Your Tribe Hangs Out
Do you want to be a speaker? Then you need to find your tribe. But before you find your tribe, you have to describe your tribe.
Novelists sometimes find writing mini-biographies of the main characters in their novels helpful. For novels of average size, there are many characters in which to keep track.
Have you ever found yourself saying to yourself, “That character would never say or do that?” But, then, when novelists write a scene with dialogue, they refer back to these mini-biographies to stay true to their characters.
Well, the same goes for your marketing and the audiences you select for whom you will speak.
There are various terms for those you speak – ideal client avatar (ICA), avatar, and perfect client. Of course, there are many more, but they all mean the same thing.
Why not write a mini-biography of your ICA. What is their education? What part of the country are they from? What books do they like to read? These are just a few questions, but you get the idea.
Knowing who your tribe is, goes a long way to understanding their “pain points.”
The money, as they say, is in their e-mail.
Offer Something in Return for Your Tribe’s E-Mail
People will pay money and sometimes significant money if you can show them how to alleviate their “pain points.”
One of the most prized items in speaking, or any business, is an e-mail address.
We all know that when we buy something, we are conscious that the item is worth more than the money with which we are parting. It is the same thing with e-mails.
You have a goldmine on your laptop if you have permission to send e-mails.
In his book Business Made Simple, Donald Miller says an e-mail is worth somewhere between $10.00 to $20.00 to someone. So to get a person’s e-mail on your opt-in page, make sure what you are offering in return (lead magnet) is worth at least $20.00. The more your lead magnet is worth to your ICA, the more likely the person is to allow you to send them e-mails.
A free pdf, if a person allows you to use their e-mail, may be enough. Make sure the item is not too extravagant. People expect something they can use but don’t expect something precious. If you offer them something very valuable, you risk them thinking it is a sham.
So you know who your tribe is, you know that a person’s e-mail is like gold to your speaking business, but are you offering them something to alleviate your tribe’s “pain points” in return for their e-mail address?
Deliver Content to Alleviate Your Tribe’s “Pain Points”
To say people are savvy shoppers is an understatement. Your tribe is very discerning. They won’t permit you to send messages to their e-mail inbox unless they alleviate their “pain points.”
We are right back to “pain points.” Think about it. Everything you buy is to solve one of your dilemmas.
You are taking a vacation to Alaska in the winter, so you buy a zero-degree rated parka.
You were in an accident with your bike. Thank God you are not hurt, but your bike was totaled. You would be receptive to buying a new bike on the Internet.
Or, to bring it back to speaking, you offer a alleviate someone’s deathly fear of public speaking guaranteed.
All these are examples of how you can alleviate your ICA’s “pain points.”
Remember, people, don’t buy what they don’t need. So if they think they don’t need what you are selling, you will never make the sale.
So you have to know who your tribe is, how to often them something valuable in return for their e-mail, and deliver valuable content that alleviates their “pain points.”
DON’T WAIT!
Call to Action
Make it a priority to describe who your ideal client fully
Give your ideal client more in return than they figure their e-mail address is worth
Deliver content that alleviates their “pain points.”
“Your success lies in your own hands. You must therefore not wait for the grass to become greener by magic. You have the hands to irrigate your own territory by doing what is expected of you!”
― Israelmore Ayivor, Dream Big!: See Your Bigger Picture!Frank DiBartolomeo is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and award-winning speaker, presentation and interview skills coach, and Professional Member of the National Speakers Association. He was awarded Toastmasters International’s highest individual award, Distinguished Toastmaster because of his outstanding work in public speaking and leadership.
Frank formed DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC (www.speakleadandsucceed.com) in 2007. The mission of DCI is to help technical professionals to inspire, motivate, and influence their colleagues and other technical professionals through improving their presentation skills, communication, and personal presence. Reach Frank at frank@speakleadandsucceed.com and (703) 509-4424.
Don’t miss Frank DiBartolomeo’s latest book!
“Speak Well and Prosper: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Better Presentations”
Available now at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com