Emotional Intelligence

Posted on July 15, 2020 by Fran Watson

Can You Improve Emotional Intelligence?

If IQ measures your mental intelligence, then EQ measures your emotional intelligence level. Most everyone has been taught that IQ is important for success in life. While people with higher intelligence levels generally have better career success than those with lower IQs, this is by no means guaranteed. The 21st century has taught us that strong emotional assessment skills are probably more important than brainpower for enjoying healthy, fulfilling relationships, and benefiting from those relationships at work and at home.

It is widely believed that your IQ is basically set by the time you hit your late teens or early 20s. You can in some ways gradually improve your IQ during your lifetime, but studies show the improvement is usually insignificant. This is not true of your EQ. Research tells us it is possible to boost your emotional intelligence skills quickly and substantially with the following practices.

Look at Possible Rejection in a Positive Manner

Imagine you are applying for a job that you would really like to land. Worrying about being rejected before your interview does you no good. It can wreak havoc with your emotions and put more pressure on you, so don’t think about what will happen if you don’t get the job. Instead, remind yourself that you have applied for several jobs, and that if you don’t land this “dream” position, you will probably still get hired by one of the other companies where you have submitted an application.

Don’t Assume the Worst

Many people don’t go very far without their smartphones. This means a lot of the time you receive instant gratification in the form of a return communication when you reach out to a friend or family member. Don’t assume the worst when you text someone and do not immediately receive an answer. The person you texted is most likely not trying to avoid you, and is probably just busy. Don’t let the responses or actions of other people immediately cause you to experience negative emotions.  Those of us who are older remember the times when you wrote a letter and didn’t hear back for weeks.  Hard to imagine in this day and age.

Listen More and Speak Less

Seek first to understand. Emotional intelligence can be improved by becoming empathetic. This means you put yourself in another person’s situation. This is difficult to do if you are always speaking and never listening to others. A high EQ means recognizing what feelings and emotions are dictating the actions of others. When you take time to truly listen to what other people are saying, you improve your ability to empathize with their feelings, which helps explain their actions.

Don’t Be Afraid to Express or Comment on Difficult Emotions

Remaining silent when you need to speak up is never the right choice. Sometimes we have to say things that are difficult. When talking about serious emotional issues which center around difficult feelings, whether the emotions are yours or someone you are interacting with, you must remain empathetic, honest and objective. It’s not always easy to express our emotions, but doing so when silence can make a situation worse is absolutely imperative.

Learn to Act Rather Than React

Being proactive requires taking control of your emotions if you want to improve your EQ skills. This means learning to stop and think about what you are going to say rather than blurting out the first thing that comes to mind. Often times our emotions can escalate a difficult situation when we don’t think before we speak. This means taking control of your emotions and acting responsibly rather than emotionally.

Embrace Failure

A successful salesperson will tell you that every “no” gets them closer to the next “yes”. They look at failures as necessary for them to become better at what they do. The same is true for successful athletes, celebrities, politicians and just about any high achievers. Use failures as learning tools instead of looking at them as personal characteristics. A failure is simply an event, it is not who you are.

To your improved EQ.

Fran Watson

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Conversation

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Fran Watson

10 Steps for More Effective Conversations

If you have a strong ability to communicate, you can positively impact any interaction with another person. This is especially true when you know how to listen. A conversation is a two-way street, and simply being a great orator is not enough to make you a top-flight communicator. Aside from learning to listen, taking the following 10 steps can boost your conversation skills and effectiveness.

So You Want To Speak

Understand the Who, What, When, Where, How and Why of the Conversation

As a speaker you know it is important to know your audience, but sometimes you head into a conversation with little or no preparation. In those instances where you do have some time to prepare, get to know as much about the interaction as you possibly can. Who will you be talking with? What is the central topic of discussion, and where will it take place? Understanding as much as you can about an upcoming conversation can make the outcome more beneficial for everyone involved.

Use It or Lose It

Your conversational muscles become stronger the more you use them. Practice makes perfect, which means engaging in conversations as frequently as you can to develop better skills.  This is also known as practice, practice, practice.  This is one reason why people come to organizations such as Toastmasters where they get the chance to speak with others on a weekly basis.

Empathy Is Important

Empathy is the ability to understand the feelings of others. Since conversations involve two or more parties, empathizing is important for conversational success. In order to understand the other person, it is important to really listen.  That means to listen to not only the words, but the tone and the body language of the person you are speaking with.

Start Simply

A simple “Hello” is an effective conversation starter. Don’t overthink things. Simple conversation and small words keep people from feeling intimidated when you speak with them and can get your conversation started on the right foot.

Use Physical Clues

Is the person you are going to speak with wearing an item of clothing or a piece of jewelry that tells you something about that individual? Noticing and commenting on what a person is wearing is a tried and tested sales tool that leads to more effective conversations.

Repeat What You Just Heard

If someone asks you how you are doing today, it is polite to answer them. It is impolite not to ask them the same question in return. People subconsciously talk to you about the things they want you to talk to them about. Repeating bits and pieces of what someone says also improves your memory of the conversation later.

Face Your Audience

The most rewarding conversations take place when you look your audience in the eye.  When you are “listening” while doing a task or with your back to the person, you are not really engaged in conversation.  Stop what you are doing and look at the person while they are speaking and you are answering.

Be Grateful

At the end of the conversation, express gratitude and thanks. This teaches you to be grateful for any conversations you have, and lets the person know you appreciated the interaction.  Having conversations with one or two people helps you prepare to speak to a larger audience in the same manner.

Don’t Strive for Perfection

Unless you were born with a silver tongue, conversation might not be easy for you. This means you should work on your skills constantly, using the tips on this list. It also means recognizing that perfection as a communicator is virtually impossible to achieve.  There is always something to learn.

Critique Yourself

After the conversation is over, critique your “performance”. What could you have done better? Where did you miss an opportunity to improve the conversation? You can only become better as a communicator by critiquing your conversational skills and performances and making the necessary changes.

To becoming a better communicator

Fran Watson

#publicspeaking

Fran Watson

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Smile

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Fran Watson

The Secret Of Smiles And Eye Contact

Today I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Actually, it’s two little things that if done combined, will make you instantly seem more friendly and approachable. That’s a big deal when your goal is to make friends and win people over. They are to smile and make eye contact. This seems very basic, but don’t let it deceive you.

smile

Combined this is a very powerful tactic. It instantly shows the other person that you’re open to talk and interact. Let’s take a look at them individually and then I encourage you to use them in combination. It’s hard to resist someone who smiles genuinely at you and keeps eye contact. That’s where the real magic happens, even though each one individually is quite helpful as well.

Let’s Talk About The Smile

Something special happens when someone genuinely smiles at us, doesn’t it? I’m not talking about the polite smile you get as you pass people on your way to work. I’m talking about a real smile that lights up the person’ face. It really is a powerful thing. It is universal across all languages and cultures. It signals that all is well and safe. We are much more comfortable approaching and talking to a smiling person than a grumpy one. In fact, when we’re socializing, a smile can signal permission to approach. Think about the last time you were in a bar looking at a pretty girl. If she gives you a big smile, you’re much more comfortable walking over to talk to her.

The same holds true when you’re trying to reach out to new people and win them over to you. Start with a big, genuine smile and it will become much easier.

Getting Good At Eye Contact

Making and maintaining eye contact can be a little intimidating at first. If you’re an introvert, or simply not a very social person in general, this will seem hard, and possibly even scary. Your default reaction may be to avert your eyes and look down. That’s a hard habit to overcome, but it can be done.

Start with baby steps. Practice on people you meet as you run errands around town. The grocery store cashier is a great example. The next time you head to the store, make eye contact with your cashier for a few seconds. The next week, hold the eye contact for longer or make it multiple times. Keep practicing on people you meet as you go about your busy life and it will start to become easier.  That way when you are on stage, your smile will become automatic as you look out over the audience.

#ToastmastersRenfrew

To your speaking success

Fran

 

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Three Essential Skills

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Fran Watson

Three Essential Skills by Sina Marasco DTM
Eastern Division Director, District 73

I came across a post by Sina Marasco tonight and it caught my attention – Three Essential Skills – all of which can be learned in Toastmasters.  Effective communication, Evaluation and Planning.

“Here are three essential skills I wish I had learnt at school – effective communication, evaluation and action planning.

Yes.  I wish I had learnt these skills a lot sooner.

Without effective communication it can be difficult achieving the results you want out of life. I highly recommend teaching these skills to children.”

“Words have power. I see so many people taken advantage of because they don’t know the power of effective communication.  To actually think through the results of their words.  To actually guide the conversation rather than reacting to it and ‘losing out’.”

read more

Each week at Toastmasters meetings we learn new words to help us build our vocabulary, and we practice impromptu speaking which teaches us how to compose a mini speech, only one to two minutes in length on a topic we have just been presented with.  It’s amazing how quickly you can think on your feet when you practice this weekly.

There are many more things you can learn at a Toastmasters meeting.  To find a club near you, wherever you are, just go to the Toastmasters International website to Find A Club.

Perhaps we may meet up at a virtual meeting someday!

Fran Watson

P.S.  If you have any questions about Toastmasters, please feel free to message me.

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Body Language

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Fran Watson

Body Language (Non-Verbal) vs. Verbal Communication

Communicating with others is one of those basic life skills we all have. But if you want to communicate effectively with others, a good starting point is to understand the importance of not only verbal communication but nonverbal as well.

Some researchers have claimed that somewhere between 60 to 90 percent of all communication is done nonverbally.

Let that sink in for a minute.

 That’s astounding! And pretty hard to believe, considering that there about 4,000 words added to the English dictionary every year. With all those words available how could body language outweigh the spoken word?

What is Non-Verbal Communication?

 You use nonverbal communication methods every single day and probably don’t even realize it. The tone of your voice, your posture and the expression on your face are just part of the equation.

Other nonverbal cues are eye contact, how close you are in proximity to whom you are communicating, and any gestures you might use to get your point across.

Nonverbal communication can be used alone or in combination with speaking to others and still be effective. A baby can nonverbally tell her mother she’s hungry, she’s sleepy, or she’s in pain with three distinct cries.

Now add in the rest of the body parts and just imagine how many thoughts and feelings can be revealed without uttering a single word!

What is Verbal Communication?

 There are two main types of verbal communication: Personal and Public.

Personal communication is one-on-one or even a small group of people. These are people you are familiar with and know on a personal level. Your friends, family, coworkers, etc., are all people you communicate with personally.

Maybe you’re talking to your best mate, at the dinner table with your family talking about your day, or in the breakroom chatting it up with a couple coworkers.

No matter the audience, you are comfortable with these people and the conversation is on a more personal level than if you were addressing a crowd.

Public communication is on a bigger scale, and the majority of the audience isn’t on your Christmas card list. It could be you are delivering speech, offering a congratulatory wedding toast, or heading a presentation at work in front of the entire staff.

Either way, there are going to be unfamiliar faces in the crowd, and your verbal communication skills are going to be challenged much more so than when speaking on a personal level.

Words. Verbal communication is all about using your words to get the point across to one or more people. Of course, you can talk to yourself, in which case you are the audience. Your choice of words is your biggest asset when you are verbally communicating.

Decoding the Message

 Nonverbal and verbal communication work together to effectively communicate with others. Humans use nonverbal actions in conjunction with the spoken word, and their audience is left to decode the message.

Deciphering the true meaning is fairly easy when the two complement each other. It’s natural for our actions to place emphasis on what we are saying.

For instance, if you say your birthday is next week in a normal tone with a flat affect, devoid of excitement or physical activity, your audience is most likely going to interpret that your birthday isn’t a big deal to you.

However, the opposite is true if you are smiling from ear-to-ear, your eyes get big, your arms are outstretched with palms facing up and your pitch gets higher when you say, “Tomorrow is my birthday!”

When nonverbal cues contradict what’s being said, you might be dealing with someone who is not telling the truth or trying to fake enthusiasm. Some people tend to look up and to the right when they are telling a lie, and others look down and fidget or maybe touch their mouth or face while they are speaking.

It’s likely that everyone has tried to fake a smile at one point or another, but the rest of the body language usually tells the truth.

Here’s why correctly decoding the message matters. Your personal and professional relationships are built on trust and integrity. Misinterpreting sarcasm can be the difference between laughing or the start of an argument.

More importantly, as you read another’s body language, you can determine if now is even the time for humor, sarcasm, empathy or no words at all. Effective communication begins and ends with using both nonverbal and verbal to your advantage.

To more effective communication

Fran

P.S.  Be sure to come back for more tips

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Are You Shy When It Comes to Public Speaking?

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Fran Watson

Today I have the opportunity to bring you a special treat.  A guest post from my friend Rachel Youngson of UsePLR.com.  I have purchased her products and her training and she is amazing.    Thanks Rachel for the post

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The Shy Girls Tips for Public Speaking

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Hi There, my name is Rachel Youngson and I run UsePLR.com. I also run a Facebook group, do coaching calls, and hold weekly trainings for my community. As if this weren’t enough, I run a team to help me manage my products and I regularly take meetings when someone in my community needs me. Oh yes, and I should also mention that I am starting a podcast.

Wow, to see it all written out like that it sounds like I must be pretty darn confident in myself to accomplish it all doesn’t it? Honestly if I were to read this I would think that this lady has really got her stuff together. But honestly I don’t. I mean I do…but I don’t. I take my business really seriously and I love helping my community but owning who I was in this business took me a long time.

A Very Long Time

Things like reaching out to strangers, putting myself on camera, and coaching clients did not come easily or naturally for me. I wish it did, because I imagine I would be much further along in my business if I knew how to be confident with my voice from the start. But it is what it is and I am just thankful that I finally figured out how to be a voice for my business.

Be A Voice for YOUR business

My goal today is to help you be a voice for your business, and yourself, as well. But before I tell you what I did to get here I wanted to let you know a bit about my journey. People don’t know how to explain what I do for a living…and I don’t know how to explain it to them. On the surface it is as easy as ‘I have clients and I give them what they ask for’, but exactly how I go about that really depends on what is needed at that time. Because I didn’t know how to explain my business I was very shy about talking about my business. Even online I went by the name ‘Rachel Young’ when I was creating PLR and my Facebook page was a completely closed, completely personal page.

You see, I tried to keep my business and separate from who I was but the truth is that my business is part of who I am. And when my business coach pointed that out to me she asked me to do something that I was really nervous about…she asked me to use my legal name for my PLR site and broadcast who I was on Facebook. She said that she should be able to Google my name and see exactly who I am in business.

This terrified me. I thought people in my personal life would ask me questions…maybe even make comments on my social posts, I thought this would embarrass me in front of the audience. And because I went by a fake name on my PLR site I now had to get those audience members to connect with me and my real name (which I know doesn’t sound like much but it was to me).

Who I am Today

That person was a long way from who I am today. Today I proudly showcase all of my new products all through my social media. Today I show my face on camera multiple times a week and even lead meetings for entire groups of people. And believe it or not I am entirely comfortable with it.

So how did this transformation happen? How was I able to find my voice and help my business? Here are some of my tricks.

  1. Do it on your terms. The more control you have of your speaking situation the more confident you will be. While I can easily jump on someone’s call and talk to their audience, I am much more confident when I schedule the meeting, I know what I want to say, and I am in my own Zoom room. When I lead a meeting I automatically have a bit more power than I do when I am not the meeting host, and that helps me to be more confident.
  2. Find a buddy. The first time I ran a meeting I had NO idea what I was doing. I didn’t know how to lead a meeting, how to get people into the meeting, how to share my screen, nothing. So the first meeting I spoke at was one that was hosted by someone I was JV’ing with at the time. She met with me before the meeting, we went over the technical stuff, and she helped me to know what to expect. During the meeting itself she handled all of the technical stuff and i was able to see how she was doing things. For the audience, they were none the wiser, they only knew we were both teaching and training on the meeting. But behind the scenes I was taking my cues from her and learning all I could. My second meeting was one that I hosted but had a guest on and then by the third meeting I was more than comfortable doing it all on my own.
  3. Plan ahead. When I speak on my Power Hours I don’t make these elaborate Powerpoint slides to present but I do have topics to present, (unless we are doing a QnA). Before the meeting I will open a text file and make notes of everything that I want to talk about. I will also pull up any links that I want to share with the audience and take notes as the meeting is going on so that I can make show notes after the call. We also have a formula that my audience has grown accustomed to. The meeting starts with my intro, then we go into training, then questions, and we wrap up by sharing our wins. Because I know ahead of time what I am getting into for each call I am able to speak with more confidence to my audience.
  4. Figure out your worst case scenario. This one took me a bit longer. For the longest time I was just plain afraid of doing certain things. For speaking, one of my biggest fears was that I would have someone ask me something that I couldn’t answer. Or even worse, that I would be speaking on something that my audience already knew everything about. This really held me back. So before I had to do something scary I started sitting down and thinking about what the absolute worst case scenario would be. And then I prepared for that scenario. Those ‘worst cases’ never happened but just being prepared for them seemed to make my confidence soar. For example, when I started doing my Power Hours I was really afraid of someone asking me something that I didn’t know the answer to. My plan for that was to get their email and let them know I would research their answer and get back to them. And it worked. I was able to get through those meetings, when I hit a bump I knew exactly what I was going to do, and my audience was more than happy that I was really going to bat for them instead of just dismissing their question.

There are my best tricks for public speaking, and they have totally changed the way that I do business. I hope they help you as well!

By the way, you can learn more about me at: UsePLR.com.

Rachel Youngson

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So you see folks, if Rachel can overcome all those problems to become a speaker, so can you.

Fran Watson

P.S.  You can pick up 50 quick tips for public speaking by leaving a comment.

 

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Post Event Tasks

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Fran Watson

Going Out on a High Note: What to Do After a Speaking Event

Most event speakers spend most of their time before an event preparing for it. Then when they arrive, they do their speech, hang out with other speakers, form connections, and put on their own speeches.

But that’s only half the process. Just as you would have a packing checklist to ensure take everything you need, you also want an “after-care” checklist for events. Here’s what you want to do following a conference or seminar…

Write a Note

Take the time to thank your host. This will make you stand out in a positive way in your host’s mind. Remember, this host may organize other events in the future or may know other conference hosts who are looking for a speaker.

If possible, try to hand-write this note. It doesn’t have to be long or detailed. Simply thank them for the opportunity. Then mention one or two aspects of the conference that you enjoyed. Sign your name and pop it in your mailbox.

Follow Up with Speakers & Leaders

The wonderful thing about conferences and events is that it gives you the opportunity to connect with other speakers and thought leaders in your industry. If you made any promises, you want to follow up right away.

For example, if you agree to write the foreword for someone’s new book, reach out via email or text message. Let them know you’re looking forward to reading their book.

Schedule Meetings

Attendees from the event may have wanted to speak with you about a topic in-depth. Perhaps they wanted a discovery session from you or maybe they were interested in a one-on-one consultation package you offer.

Once you’re back in your office, be sure to follow up. Let the attendee know that you hope to connect soon and give them a link to your favorite calendar scheduling tool so they can book a slot with you.

Sort Your Ideas

Conferences and events can be a great place to find new ideas. Perhaps you thought of the perfect title for the book you’re writing or maybe you heard about an income stream that would be an excellent fit for your business.

If you’re like most people, you probably scribbled this idea down or took a quick note on your smart device. The problem is that if you had a lot of ideas, then you may have difficulty acting on all of them.

Don’t let the overwhelm of new ideas keep you from taking action. Instead, sit down and sort through your ideas as soon as possible. You might want to create a list of ideas you want to implement now and those you want to act on later.

Speaking events are fun and energizing. But they can also be tiring, too. Make sure that you plan for a day or two of recovery time. You can use that time to do the tasks above and squeeze in an extra nap or two if you need it!

CTA: Be choosy about your speaking events—learn more when you download your free workbook!

Fran Watson

What if you could boost the visibility of your business? What if you could easily connect with potential clients in person? What if you got clarity around your message and influenced even more people with it?

With the So, You Want to Get Speaking Gigs? Workbook, you’ll discover how speaking benefits your business, what you need to get started, and how you can begin finding speaking events today. Here’s a peek at what you’ll see in your workbook…

  • The 4 Big Benefits of Becoming a Speaker
  • Create a Message You’re Proud to Share
  • Talking Money: What to Expect as a First-Time Speaker
  • Speaking Gigs Are Right Under Your Nose! Here’s How to Find Them…
  • Why Every Speaker Needs a Media Page (& What to Put on Yours!)

Kickstart your speaking adventure now! Just sign up below:

 

 

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Product Sales

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Fran Watson

Selling Your Product from the Stage

Katrina had been speaking for a few months because she’d heard it would help her grow her business. But despite speaking, nothing was changing. She wasn’t getting more clients or selling more products. So, Katrina reached out to a mentor who had several years of experience speaking.

Her mentor said, “If you’re getting paid to speak and the speaking itself is the end game, that’s awesome. But even if you’re not getting paid money, you still can leverage your speaking to benefit your business if you plan well.”

Here’s what Katrina’s mentor told her to do…

Develop Funnel Vision

Think of your speaking opportunity as the top of a marketing funnel. The content you share is going to have an impact and will teach your audience something valuable. As you plan it out, always be thinking, “What is the next step?”

When you speak, you almost always have a chance to make a call to action. This might be a specific spoken call to action to sign up for something free or to buy something.

Be Subtle If Needed

Not every event host wants speakers making a pitch from the stage. In these cases, you’ll want to make a subtle offer. For example, you might invite audience members to follow up with you at the event. If you have a table to invite them to, that’s wonderful. Then have materials ready to share.

You might say something simple like, “After the event, come find me. I have a gift for you.” Once members show up, the gift could be a postcard with details on how to claim a free digital resource.

Shout It from the Stage

Some event hosts may encourage you to make an offer in the final moments of your presentation. You can use a cool tool like LeadDigits from LeadPages to do this. When an audience member texts a certain address, they’ll be automatically subscribed to your mailing list

You could say something simple like, “Text the word SAMPLE to 44222”. Doing this automates and simplifies the opt-in process.

Talk with Your Host

If paid offers are welcome at the event, then it’s important that you know your audience and their comfortable spending level. Ask the host or organizers for their best insights. They might tell you that products for a certain price point sell best or that you’ll earn more if you bundle two products together.

Making an offer at an event is only half the process. You may want a way to secure the sale right away. Some speakers have a multi-part form for taking orders and credit card information right at the event. You can even purchase a credit card chip readerthat attaches to your smartphone or other device.

Not all speaking opportunities allow for offers to be made but don’t let that discourage you. You will have an impact and you have the entire event to continue to connect with your audience. Then you can invite them to learn more about you, your product or your services.

CTA: Learn how to leave your speaking event on a high note when you download your free workbook!

Fran Watson

 

What if you could boost the visibility of your business? What if you could easily connect with potential clients in person? What if you got clarity around your message and influenced even more people with it?

With the So, You Want to Get Speaking Gigs? Workbook, you’ll discover how speaking benefits your business, what you need to get started, and how you can begin finding speaking events today. Here’s a peek at what you’ll see in your workbook…

  • The 4 Big Benefits of Becoming a Speaker
  • Create a Message You’re Proud to Share
  • Talking Money: What to Expect as a First-Time Speaker
  • Speaking Gigs Are Right Under Your Nose! Here’s How to Find Them…
  • Why Every Speaker Needs a Media Page (& What to Put on Yours!)

Kickstart your speaking adventure now! Just sign up below:

>

 

 

 

 

 

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Attract High Paying Clients

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Fran Watson

Using Your Presentation to Attract High-Paying Clients

Sally was excited to begin offering her services as a business coach. She had spoken at a few events in the past and was booked for several in the coming months. She asked her mastermind group how she could use these opportunities to fill her coaching business with high-paying clients. Here’s what they shared…

Skip the Pitch

“Some speakers use their entire speech just to pitch their products or services and that annoys the audience quickly,” Jamie pointed out.

There’s nothing wrong with making an offer to a roomful of event attendees, provided you have the host’s blessing. But before you do this, you want to show the audience that you care about their problems and genuinely want to help.

Give Value

Use your presentation as a chance to provide value to the community that paid to show up. This means you want to include actual substance to your content. Don’t promise “15 ways to market your business on social media” then spend forty-five minutes talking about yourself.

You want to include so much value in your speech that when attendees to go to leave, they say, “Wow! That alone was worth the admission ticket I paid!”

Be Relatable

“Sometimes, speakers come on the stage and they have such an air of self-importance that it totally turns me off,” Shannon confessed. “I like it when speakers are real and honest rather than arrogant.”

You want to be professional on stage but also want to remain relatable. When your audience feels connected to you, they’re more willing to listen to you, take your advice, and even buy from you.

You can help your audience see you as human by sharing a story from your own life, making a funny joke (be sure it’s appropriate), or using a metaphor that will speak to them (choose one that isn’t overdone).

Be Consistent with Your Brand

When it is time to make an offer, be mindful of your branding. If your brand is laid-back and casual, then a hard-sell approach made in a loud manner is going to confuse your audience and may even turn them off.

Regardless of what you’re selling, you want the brand experience to be consistent with your community. When your audience feels comfortable with your brand and knows what to expect, they’ll be more likely to make a purchase.

Nurture Your Community

“I’ve been speaking for several years,” Katie shared, “I’ve worked with some wonderful clients as a result of my events. But for the most part, they didn’t sign up at the conference we were attending. I had to cultivate the seed.”

You may not get clients right away from speaking at an event. Don’t let this get you down. Events can lead to connections that eventually become some of your best (and most fun!) clients.

But this process does take time. You’ll need to be patient and carefully follow up with your attendees regularly. You never know who might end up hiring you from an event!

CTA: Learn what you should do before and during an event when you download your free workbook!

Fran Watson

What if you could boost the visibility of your business? What if you could easily connect with potential clients in person? What if you got clarity around your message and influenced even more people with it?

With the So, You Want to Get Speaking Gigs? Workbook, you’ll discover how speaking benefits your business, what you need to get started, and how you can begin finding speaking events today. Here’s a peek at what you’ll see in your workbook…

  • The 4 Big Benefits of Becoming a Speaker
  • Create a Message You’re Proud to Share
  • Talking Money: What to Expect as a First-Time Speaker
  • Speaking Gigs Are Right Under Your Nose! Here’s How to Find Them…
  • Why Every Speaker Needs a Media Page (& What to Put on Yours!)

Kickstart your speaking adventure now! Just sign up below:

 

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Using Social Media for Speaking Gigs

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Fran Watson

4 Things Smart Speakers Do Before & During Events

Elisa was attending her first conference as a speaker. She was excited and nervous. Since she’d never done this before, she reached out to one of her Facebook groups with experienced speakers. She asked them for advice and this is what some members suggested she do….

Harness Social Media

“Use social media to make a big deal about your speaking gigs,” Sarah advised her. She said, “Make sure everyone knows you’ve been booked to speak and share your excitement in prepping for the event.”

Doing this accomplishes two things at once: first, it makes you look great and second, it promotes the event. Hosts love to see their speakers talking up the conference or event. It makes them feel like you’re a team player and they’re more likely to recommend you to others who might need a speaker.

Find the Event Hashtag

Before you post, look around online. Try to find the event hashtag as most hosts to create one. This hashtag will be useful both before, during, and after the event. It’s also a terrific way to get to know other attendees.

Next, look for the other speakers on social media. If you’re not already following them, start now. If they follow you back, you can send a brief message that says, “I see you’re attending Conference ABC on DATE. I’ll be there too and can’t wait to meet you!”

Post Photos

“During the event, try to ask for photos and share them proudly,” Jennifer recommended. She says, “When you do this, you build connections and help people remember who you were at the event.”

You may want to grab photos with other speakers and industry leaders as well as audience members. If the event host or organizer is there, get a shot together, too! Don’t forget to use the event hashtag when posting your photos.

Put Your Phone Away

“Don’t forget to put down your phone at the event,” Marla cautioned. “If you’re not careful, it’s easy to spend the whole conference or event absorbed in the virtual aspect of it.”

For many speakers, attending the event is about making connections as much as it is the speaking aspect. This means that you want to take the time to unplug and be present with those around you.

Remember that speaking at the event is awesome and can be an amazing confidence-builder. But the buzz you get before and after is the most valuable part of the whole experience.

CTA: Use your presentation to attract high-paying clients—find out how when you download your free workbook!

 

Fran Watson

What if you could boost the visibility of your business? What if you could easily connect with potential clients in person? What if you got clarity around your message and influenced even more people with it?

With the So, You Want to Get Speaking Gigs? Workbook, you’ll discover how speaking benefits your business, what you need to get started, and how you can begin finding speaking events today. Here’s a peek at what you’ll see in your workbook…

  • The 4 Big Benefits of Becoming a Speaker
  • Create a Message You’re Proud to Share
  • Talking Money: What to Expect as a First-Time Speaker
  • Speaking Gigs Are Right Under Your Nose! Here’s How to Find Them…
  • Why Every Speaker Needs a Media Page (& What to Put on Yours!)

Kickstart your speaking adventure now! Just sign up below:

 

Posted in advice, communication, howto, presentation, public speaking, speaking, tips | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment