WEBVTT 00:00:17.130 --> 00:00:21.429 Welcome to Networking Unleashed, Building Profitable 00:00:21.429 --> 00:00:24.910 Connections, the show where relationships become 00:00:24.910 --> 00:00:28.870 revenue and connections fuel results. I'm your 00:00:28.870 --> 00:00:31.769 host, Michael Forman, and today we're diving 00:00:31.769 --> 00:00:34.990 into the business side of speaking, how experts 00:00:34.990 --> 00:00:40.490 can turn their voice into a consistent income 00:00:40.490 --> 00:00:44.189 source. My guest is the author of book, banked 00:00:44.189 --> 00:00:47.950 and in demand and breaking and break the booking 00:00:47.950 --> 00:00:51.409 ceiling. And she helped subject matter experts 00:00:51.409 --> 00:00:55.590 create their own stage revenue stream and speaking 00:00:55.590 --> 00:00:59.850 empire. We'll explore how networking is the secret 00:00:59.850 --> 00:01:03.909 ingredient to booking more engagements building. 00:01:04.730 --> 00:01:08.090 I'm sorry. building more engagements, building 00:01:08.090 --> 00:01:11.769 visibility that converts, and creating a sustainable 00:01:11.769 --> 00:01:15.430 business around your expertise. If you ever wanted 00:01:15.430 --> 00:01:18.569 to leverage your knowledge, expand your influence, 00:01:19.430 --> 00:01:23.010 and make speaking a real business, not just a 00:01:23.010 --> 00:01:27.030 side hustle, this episode is for you. I'd like 00:01:27.030 --> 00:01:31.769 to welcome today, and I'm sorry, and Tony Rose. 00:01:32.469 --> 00:01:35.489 And if I'm mispronouncing that first name, I'm 00:01:35.489 --> 00:01:38.310 terribly sorry, but I'd like to bring you on 00:01:38.310 --> 00:01:40.349 to the podcast. Give us a little bit about your 00:01:40.349 --> 00:01:43.719 background and just welcome to the podcast. Thank 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:45.819 you for having me, Michael. That was a beautiful 00:01:45.819 --> 00:01:49.200 introduction. It's Antonia Rose and it's a mouthful. 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.400 So no worries on that at all. I'm happy to be 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:56.700 here. I love your podcasts and networking unleashed 00:01:56.700 --> 00:01:59.760 building profitable connections. I think communication 00:01:59.760 --> 00:02:03.099 is key in business and in life in general. So 00:02:03.099 --> 00:02:07.290 I'm happy to dive right in. Perfect. Perfect. 00:02:07.629 --> 00:02:10.889 So I came up with 10 questions, which we're going 00:02:10.889 --> 00:02:13.129 to go back and forth with, but we'll see where 00:02:13.129 --> 00:02:17.050 it goes. So first one, you say speaking should 00:02:17.050 --> 00:02:20.469 be a business model, not just a side hustle. 00:02:20.930 --> 00:02:24.490 What's the single biggest mindset shift someone 00:02:24.490 --> 00:02:28.599 must make to treat it that way? Really excellent 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:32.180 question. This is key, right? Many of the clients 00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:35.719 that I work with are high achievers, high performers 00:02:35.719 --> 00:02:39.180 in some area. Maybe they've devoted their careers 00:02:39.180 --> 00:02:42.520 to being a CEO, a doctor, even have an attorney, 00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:45.039 whatever it might be. And they come to a place 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:48.750 where they've spoken. quite a bit in the line 00:02:48.750 --> 00:02:51.449 of their profession. And now they want to just 00:02:51.449 --> 00:02:54.409 pass the torch on the day to day and step more 00:02:54.409 --> 00:02:58.629 into the speaking side of their business model 00:02:58.629 --> 00:03:02.469 and their revenue model. I think the biggest 00:03:02.469 --> 00:03:05.930 misconception I know the biggest misconception 00:03:05.930 --> 00:03:11.060 is they can Get an agent, get on a few bureaus 00:03:11.060 --> 00:03:13.960 and they're fabulous and they've got some really 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:16.919 important content. So it's just going to work 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:22.479 for them and it's not yet. It's parallel to really 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:25.460 great college football player wanting to make 00:03:25.460 --> 00:03:30.300 the NFL or somebody who has. with the star in 00:03:30.300 --> 00:03:33.500 their high school or community theater and they 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:36.400 want to make it big in Hollywood, right? There's 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:40.360 beautiful talent out there who may never actually 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:45.620 make it to those higher echelons of those types 00:03:45.620 --> 00:03:49.099 of careers. And it's really similar with speakers. 00:03:49.960 --> 00:03:53.039 So when you come in just thinking, I'm going 00:03:53.039 --> 00:03:55.759 to have somebody else throw me some opportunities 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:58.039 and it's all going to come together and snowball 00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:01.639 from there, that is you're in for disappointment. 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:06.699 if you go in seeing the long run, right, because 00:04:06.699 --> 00:04:08.900 there's a ramp to any business that you build, 00:04:09.379 --> 00:04:11.360 knowing that there's going to be some groundwork 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:14.039 that has to be laid, and there's going to have 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:17.959 to be some promotion that has to happen for you 00:04:17.959 --> 00:04:20.639 to catch on. And then you're off to the races, 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:24.420 right? So when you treat speaking and corporate 00:04:24.420 --> 00:04:26.699 training, something you and I were speaking about 00:04:26.699 --> 00:04:30.220 just before going on air, as a business is going 00:04:30.220 --> 00:04:35.399 to work for you. But you can't just, let's liken 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:39.759 it to say, you want a corner street gas station, 00:04:39.939 --> 00:04:42.660 right? You can't just say, I want a gas station, 00:04:42.899 --> 00:04:44.899 but I want somebody else to build it for me. 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:48.660 and me reap all the benefits. There's some work 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:50.680 and some investment of your time, resources, 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:54.420 and energy that needs to go in upfront. However, 00:04:54.579 --> 00:04:57.199 in the speaking and corporate training industry, 00:04:57.819 --> 00:05:01.620 when a speaker makes it, it's a six, seven, sometimes 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:05.779 eight figure career. So if they can see the bigger 00:05:05.779 --> 00:05:10.250 picture, and be willing to put out that effort, 00:05:10.750 --> 00:05:14.589 then it's going to happen for them. If they think 00:05:14.589 --> 00:05:16.649 that they're just going to join some bureaus 00:05:16.649 --> 00:05:19.589 and grab an agent, that's all part of the ecosystem, 00:05:19.589 --> 00:05:23.970 but that's just a small part of that whole equation. 00:05:24.069 --> 00:05:26.750 So that's what I mean by that. That's perfect. 00:05:27.089 --> 00:05:30.529 That's a perfect analogy. I've only been speaking 00:05:30.529 --> 00:05:35.389 full time for about three years, and I work from 00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:37.740 eight in the morning to about five in the evening. 00:05:38.139 --> 00:05:40.800 And I prospect for a full hour and a half to 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:45.480 two hours every day. And I've owned my own businesses. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.139 I've owned pizzerias, restaurants, the whole 00:05:48.139 --> 00:05:51.339 thing. And I'm not quite sure which one takes 00:05:51.339 --> 00:05:55.259 up more time. Okay. So I was sure less than that 00:05:55.259 --> 00:05:59.199 pizza. Listen, we had New York pizza, my brothers 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:02.540 and I own the pizzeria. And there was better 00:06:02.540 --> 00:06:05.339 pizza. I'm telling you, I'm down in Georgia now. 00:06:05.370 --> 00:06:08.610 and they don't hold the candle. I know. My mom's 00:06:08.610 --> 00:06:13.370 from Brooklyn and they knew pizza. Yep. Absolutely. 00:06:14.350 --> 00:06:17.490 Absolutely. Okay. So walk us through the first 00:06:17.490 --> 00:06:21.230 three revenue streams an expert should build 00:06:21.230 --> 00:06:25.149 when turning speaking into a business and which 00:06:25.149 --> 00:06:28.389 one should they prioritize and why? A beautiful 00:06:28.389 --> 00:06:32.019 question. And a very relevant and important question. 00:06:32.500 --> 00:06:35.579 So yes, those fabulous keynote checks, right? 00:06:35.779 --> 00:06:38.839 And they're a little bit romanticized. Ooh, they 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:43.939 got a $15 ,000 check for an hour talk. How incredible. 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:49.699 That hour talk took many hours. Number one, to 00:06:49.699 --> 00:06:53.560 get the gig. and then to work out all the negotiation 00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:56.879 details and then the pre and post details, right? 00:06:56.939 --> 00:07:01.019 So many hours right there. Of course, many hours 00:07:01.019 --> 00:07:04.420 preparing for the talk itself and then travel 00:07:04.420 --> 00:07:06.740 and all the things. So there's a whole lot more 00:07:06.740 --> 00:07:11.149 to it. Then... You got $15 ,000 for an hour of 00:07:11.149 --> 00:07:13.189 your time. Side note really quick before I go 00:07:13.189 --> 00:07:15.689 on from there, no one ever pays you for an hour 00:07:15.689 --> 00:07:18.230 of your time. They're paying for the decades 00:07:18.230 --> 00:07:22.870 that brought you to those unique solutions and 00:07:22.870 --> 00:07:25.290 point of views that you can offer that might 00:07:25.290 --> 00:07:31.589 spark some strategies within those who are there, 00:07:31.589 --> 00:07:34.350 right? And troubleshoot some problems for an 00:07:34.350 --> 00:07:37.209 organization or a person sitting in the audience. 00:07:38.280 --> 00:07:41.699 one new idea can completely change the whole 00:07:41.699 --> 00:07:44.300 course, the trajectory of either their life or 00:07:44.300 --> 00:07:47.899 their career. That's what these organizers and 00:07:47.899 --> 00:07:49.540 event planners, that's what they're looking for. 00:07:49.740 --> 00:07:51.399 That's what they're paying for. They're not paying 00:07:51.399 --> 00:07:53.879 for your hour. So that's another kind of misnomer 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:56.040 that speakers step into. Wow, this is a really 00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:59.259 great career because I get paid $15 ,000 an hour. 00:07:59.579 --> 00:08:02.040 There's a whole lot more that goes into that 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:05.779 ecosystem. Speaking of that ecosystem, the most 00:08:05.779 --> 00:08:08.939 successful speakers and corporate trainers don't 00:08:08.939 --> 00:08:13.000 only go for that keynote check. And this actually 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:15.339 answers your first question and your second question. 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:18.000 Because if you're only after that keynote check, 00:08:18.339 --> 00:08:21.879 great, you'll get there, but you're leaving a 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:26.079 whole lot of not only income, but also impact 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:30.160 on the table. So a couple of other things that 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:33.460 I like to see. Every different speaker creates 00:08:33.460 --> 00:08:35.759 their own ecosystem. It really needs to be in 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:38.639 alignment with them, their archetype, who they 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.000 are, what they bring to the table. Number two, 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:43.179 who it is that they're going to be creating these 00:08:43.179 --> 00:08:46.519 solutions for, their avatar. We all heard of 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:50.080 that. But then also, it needs to be in alignment 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:53.080 with their non -negotiables, the kind of lifestyle 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.919 that they want to build for themselves. All of 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.600 these pieces need to go together, right? So that 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:02.340 said, it's going to be different for each speaker 00:09:02.340 --> 00:09:04.600 what those other revenue streams are. But here 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:07.460 are some examples, some very common and strong 00:09:07.460 --> 00:09:11.600 examples. Number one, consulting packages. Obviously, 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:16.259 you go into an organization and you bring forth 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:19.019 some ideas, some possibilities, some solutions 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:21.220 to whatever problem that they're facing. Maybe 00:09:21.220 --> 00:09:24.100 it's retention, maybe it's team communication, 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:29.100 breakdowns in SOPs or flows, whatever it might 00:09:29.100 --> 00:09:31.919 be. You bring those solutions, but in a talk, 00:09:32.059 --> 00:09:35.399 you can really only present possibilities. You 00:09:35.399 --> 00:09:38.159 really can't roll up your sleeves and get much 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:43.700 done in one sitting. So you can say, I'm $15 00:09:43.700 --> 00:09:47.840 ,000 for a talk, or you can work with me in a 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:50.639 set of three sessions with your leadership teams 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:55.120 after the talk for X many dollars. That is super 00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:57.460 powerful because once they hear your solutions, 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:00.120 see the possibilities, then yeah, they want to 00:10:00.120 --> 00:10:01.799 sit down at the table with you and say, okay, 00:10:01.899 --> 00:10:04.100 now how do we put this into action? How do we 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:08.700 implement this? So that is an obvious way to 00:10:08.700 --> 00:10:12.769 package your fee sheet. The other thing that 00:10:12.769 --> 00:10:16.409 let's say you do happen to be a speaker or a 00:10:16.409 --> 00:10:20.789 corporate trainer that cannot afford the on -ramp 00:10:20.789 --> 00:10:24.460 and the on -ramp for prosperous speaking career 00:10:24.460 --> 00:10:27.559 is about a year to 18 months, sometimes shorter, 00:10:27.740 --> 00:10:30.220 sometimes longer, depending on a lot of factors. 00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:32.940 But if you go into it seeing there's going to 00:10:32.940 --> 00:10:35.980 be an on ramp, but then once you put that pedal 00:10:35.980 --> 00:10:37.779 to the metal, as long as you never take your 00:10:37.779 --> 00:10:40.659 foot off the gas, then you'll never have to re 00:10:40.659 --> 00:10:43.120 enter that on ramp again, because you're reaping 00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:46.139 the fruits now of the labors that were happened 00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:49.179 six months ago or a year ago. So it's always 00:10:49.179 --> 00:10:51.929 a kind of forward. forward -moving momentum. 00:10:52.610 --> 00:10:55.070 But let's say you don't have that six months 00:10:55.070 --> 00:10:59.149 a year or 18 months. You need to earn money right 00:10:59.149 --> 00:11:02.330 now as you're on the on -ramp. Some of the things 00:11:02.330 --> 00:11:05.690 that I love to see speakers and corporate trainers 00:11:05.690 --> 00:11:09.769 do is to create something that you've done very 00:11:09.769 --> 00:11:13.090 well, digital courses. You can author a book. 00:11:13.330 --> 00:11:17.669 I wouldn't think I wouldn't I would Caution putting 00:11:17.669 --> 00:11:20.710 energy there until you are financially stable 00:11:20.710 --> 00:11:23.169 and you're not hurting for money because it's 00:11:23.169 --> 00:11:25.330 not going. It's a definite door opener. It's 00:11:25.330 --> 00:11:29.590 an authority booster. It's not really a revenue 00:11:29.590 --> 00:11:32.730 maker direct revenue maker. It can help you open 00:11:32.730 --> 00:11:35.970 doors to other revenue opportunities Just caution 00:11:35.970 --> 00:11:38.090 a lot of people think I'm gonna write a book 00:11:38.090 --> 00:11:40.350 and then I'll hire you to get me on the stages 00:11:40.350 --> 00:11:44.169 It's backwards one of the there's two ways for 00:11:44.169 --> 00:11:48.470 immediate income for speakers Number one is some 00:11:48.470 --> 00:11:51.450 sort of product or service that they can be offering 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:55.019 in the meanwhile, right? A digital course, workshops, 00:11:55.220 --> 00:11:57.639 live workshops, create your own events, there's 00:11:57.639 --> 00:12:02.679 those kinds of things, but also you can create 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:08.539 a proposal for sponsors to sponsor you to go 00:12:08.539 --> 00:12:12.740 and speak at unpaid events or unpaid opportunities 00:12:12.740 --> 00:12:16.629 and you don't have to overtly promote a product 00:12:16.629 --> 00:12:19.549 or service, but you're basically representing 00:12:19.549 --> 00:12:23.269 another company that kind of aligns with your 00:12:23.269 --> 00:12:26.090 theme, who you are, what you're about, obviously 00:12:26.090 --> 00:12:29.730 a product or service that you believe has integrity 00:12:29.730 --> 00:12:33.169 and that you believe in. And I have seen quite 00:12:33.169 --> 00:12:36.429 a few speakers, even established speakers, but 00:12:36.429 --> 00:12:39.870 definitely emerging speakers utilize some sponsorships 00:12:39.870 --> 00:12:43.909 to get those opportunities that are otherwise 00:12:43.909 --> 00:12:47.259 unpaid. paid as they're building their careers. 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:50.860 So there's all kinds of ways that you can go 00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:53.059 about it. Of course, that would be me rolling 00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:55.259 up my sleeves with you and figuring out what 00:12:55.259 --> 00:12:58.419 that perfect formula is for you. But there's 00:12:58.419 --> 00:12:59.960 certainly ways out there where there's a will, 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:04.820 there's a way. Very good. Very good. That should 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:08.379 give a lot of people, many speakers, different 00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:12.009 ways to think about their revenue stream. while 00:13:12.009 --> 00:13:15.049 they're building their speaking business. And 00:13:15.049 --> 00:13:18.850 then some I've authored a book. I have eight 00:13:18.850 --> 00:13:22.529 digital courses. I have all that going. I created 00:13:22.529 --> 00:13:26.850 a networking group per se that meets every week. 00:13:26.909 --> 00:13:31.470 So all these little things, but I've even thought 00:13:31.470 --> 00:13:34.850 of. Thank you for that. And you did mention my 00:13:34.850 --> 00:13:37.929 book, book banked and in demand. And I just wanted 00:13:37.929 --> 00:13:42.399 to give a little caveat there because it's perfect 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:44.659 to what we're talking about right now. It has 00:13:44.659 --> 00:13:49.139 been put on the side. So I'm in the midst of 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:51.159 writing it, and I've been writing it for about 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:53.519 three years. I love it. It's actually so close 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:56.399 to being done. But any time bigger projects come 00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:58.620 along, it's the first thing to be put to the 00:13:58.620 --> 00:14:01.899 side. It's a passion project. I absolutely love 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:05.100 it for the people who, for whatever reason, can't 00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:07.620 hire me. They're not a good fit, so they're not 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:10.720 accepted into the agency, or there is an upfront 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:13.360 investment to work with me on an active level, 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:14.980 so maybe they don't want to make the investment. 00:14:15.220 --> 00:14:19.059 I still want them to have what they need to really 00:14:19.059 --> 00:14:21.840 get themselves on that on -ramp, moving in the 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.580 right direction, so they don't circle the mountain 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:27.990 and waste a lot of years. not really getting 00:14:27.990 --> 00:14:29.950 to those milestones that they want to get to. 00:14:29.990 --> 00:14:32.789 So it's in the works, but I just wanted to clarify, 00:14:32.789 --> 00:14:37.169 it's not published yet. OK, OK. That was my read 00:14:37.169 --> 00:14:39.490 that wrong because I thought it was already published. 00:14:39.509 --> 00:14:42.549 But that's a book that I think we're all waiting 00:14:42.549 --> 00:14:47.110 for. So we'll see. All right. OK, break the booking 00:14:47.110 --> 00:14:52.190 ceiling. What are the top three mistakes experts 00:14:52.190 --> 00:14:55.289 make that keep them from getting paid stages? 00:14:56.520 --> 00:15:00.860 and how do they fix it? There's two things that 00:15:00.860 --> 00:15:03.500 come to mind immediately. The first is obvious, 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:07.139 and you alluded to it earlier. I commend you. 00:15:07.179 --> 00:15:10.240 You are one of the very few speakers who are 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:14.320 consistent in scheduling in that daily outreach. 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:17.200 And that just has to happen. In our ecosystem, 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:21.039 we know the numbers. So it takes a lot more than 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:24.139 you think. I'm not talking about you, but than 00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:26.889 the average speaker out there. believes, right? 00:15:27.110 --> 00:15:29.909 I'm going to put out 10 pitches a month, maybe 00:15:29.909 --> 00:15:32.970 50 pitches a month, and that's going to generate 00:15:32.970 --> 00:15:39.169 me some paid speaking opportunities. No, it takes 00:15:39.169 --> 00:15:43.009 hundreds every single month. And on top of it, 00:15:43.710 --> 00:15:45.769 that mounts because you've got the hundreds that 00:15:45.769 --> 00:15:49.929 you reached out to, let's say in July, and then 00:15:49.929 --> 00:15:53.149 you need to follow up with them. in August while 00:15:53.149 --> 00:15:57.509 you're reaching out to that whole new set of 00:15:57.509 --> 00:16:00.509 opportunities in August. So it just mounts that 00:16:00.509 --> 00:16:04.049 way. They underestimate how much it really takes 00:16:04.049 --> 00:16:07.610 to get that engine fueled and running for them 00:16:07.610 --> 00:16:11.090 to get that income certainty. As a speaker or 00:16:11.090 --> 00:16:12.830 corporate trainer, it's well worth it because 00:16:12.830 --> 00:16:15.909 it the rewards are very big but if you want those 00:16:15.909 --> 00:16:19.070 consistent three to five engagements booked on 00:16:19.070 --> 00:16:22.149 your calendar that you can count on month after 00:16:22.149 --> 00:16:24.629 month unless you're taking December off but you 00:16:24.629 --> 00:16:26.990 still don't let your foot off the gas in December 00:16:26.990 --> 00:16:29.789 because you're going to feel it in the spring 00:16:29.789 --> 00:16:32.330 if you do. You've got somebody working in the 00:16:32.330 --> 00:16:34.529 background for you still doing that outreach. 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:38.879 Day after day, it is rote and it's a lot of work. 00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:41.259 As I know, the average speaker can't do it on 00:16:41.259 --> 00:16:43.639 their own. That's where we step in. We make sure 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:46.820 that gets done for them. We manage the whole 00:16:46.820 --> 00:16:50.139 process for them so that they can be a speaker, 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:52.779 a corporate trainer. They can be an author, right? 00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:56.360 Be the thing that is more in their lane without 00:16:56.360 --> 00:17:00.250 compromising that level of... constant consistent 00:17:00.250 --> 00:17:02.950 outreach. That's what it takes. It takes hundreds 00:17:02.950 --> 00:17:06.950 of touch points every single month to ensure 00:17:06.950 --> 00:17:10.269 that in time, you're going to have that income 00:17:10.269 --> 00:17:12.750 certainty in that booked out calendar on a regular 00:17:12.750 --> 00:17:17.029 basis. So that's number one. Oh, my goodness. 00:17:17.730 --> 00:17:21.789 Repeat the last part of your question. Okay, 00:17:21.890 --> 00:17:25.230 the three mistakes experts make when what are 00:17:25.230 --> 00:17:28.799 the top three mistakes? Okay. Sorry, thank you. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:33.619 The other mistake is they think that. Displaying 00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:36.779 their fabulousness is going to get them a gig. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:40.599 Maybe they were a CEO or an executive. Let's 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:42.740 not see you. Let's say they were an executive 00:17:42.740 --> 00:17:45.380 of Fortune 50. Let's say it's an executive of 00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:48.460 Microsoft or Google and they have spent 30 years 00:17:48.460 --> 00:17:52.119 with the company that obviously got a lot of 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:57.109 leadership. Material. to share and impart with 00:17:57.109 --> 00:18:00.509 other corporations. That's highly valuable, right? 00:18:00.589 --> 00:18:04.910 But when you lead with I'm fabulous, you are 00:18:04.910 --> 00:18:10.390 not speaking to what the organizer needs to decide 00:18:10.390 --> 00:18:14.009 to book you. So you speak to the problem and 00:18:14.009 --> 00:18:16.589 the solution, the outcome, the ultimate outcome, 00:18:17.190 --> 00:18:20.549 you lead with outcome, and then you back it up 00:18:20.549 --> 00:18:23.559 with credential. Many speakers go out there and 00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:25.740 they basically are giving their resumes like 00:18:25.740 --> 00:18:28.400 applying for a job, right? They're giving their 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:33.220 resume everywhere. That's not it. You do your 00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:36.500 research on the company and the opportunity. 00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:41.700 Let's say it's a company that has an annual C 00:18:41.700 --> 00:18:45.000 -suite retreat that they take their top leaders 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:48.400 to. You do as much research as you're able to 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:51.220 on that particular retreat. Who spoke at it? 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.099 the in previous years who was hired to speak 00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:56.400 and though there's easy ways to figure that out 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:59.160 a little bit of a insider insights there but 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:02.359 there are ways to figure that out and it really 00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:05.700 gives you an idea of what they like to accomplish 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:08.160 during those retreats and then when you create 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:11.079 that program proposal or just that introduction 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:16.140 to begin with it's all about meeting the need 00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:19.319 And then backing it up, of course, with credential 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:22.380 and clout and social proof and testimonials and 00:19:22.380 --> 00:19:26.500 all of those things. But those come after once 00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:32.740 they realize you can come and be an answer to 00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:35.680 a problem that they have, then you're worth it. 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:38.680 Because one shift that you make for an organization 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:45.690 or an event planner can save them untold. millions. 00:19:46.089 --> 00:19:48.150 Well, I'm speaking specifically to organizations. 00:19:48.309 --> 00:19:51.470 You bring in a fresh idea or a fresh solution 00:19:51.470 --> 00:19:54.230 to this ongoing problem that they've been facing, 00:19:54.509 --> 00:19:58.210 it can save them untold millions and headaches, 00:19:58.450 --> 00:20:01.359 even when it comes to retention. There's studies 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:05.339 out there that say how much just replacing one 00:20:05.339 --> 00:20:08.500 key employee can cost an organization in terms, 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:11.640 not only in terms of money, but in interruption 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:14.180 in the flow of the whole process. So they know 00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:17.380 that. They just need to know you are a sure bet 00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:20.900 for an answer to a problem that they're facing. 00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:25.980 And then that $15 ,000 is peanuts to them. If 00:20:25.980 --> 00:20:30.329 you go in on fabulous, then yeah. prove to me 00:20:30.329 --> 00:20:33.930 why I want to give you $15 ,000, $20 ,000, $25 00:20:33.930 --> 00:20:38.049 ,000, whatever it might be, because then you're, 00:20:38.049 --> 00:20:40.049 you're proving your worth in a whole different 00:20:40.049 --> 00:20:44.690 way versus showing them that there are other 00:20:44.690 --> 00:20:48.309 ways to approach this problem of absenteeism 00:20:48.309 --> 00:20:51.650 of, I've been using the example of retention 00:20:51.650 --> 00:20:55.289 or of lack of internal communication streams, 00:20:55.470 --> 00:20:58.529 those kinds of things. Those are big problems 00:20:58.529 --> 00:21:02.569 within major organizations. So as long as they 00:21:02.569 --> 00:21:07.190 can see you are a sure bet to an answer to something 00:21:07.190 --> 00:21:09.390 that they are struggling with, the problem that 00:21:09.390 --> 00:21:13.890 they're facing, then you throw yourself away 00:21:13.890 --> 00:21:16.769 on top of that big stack of other people vying 00:21:16.769 --> 00:21:20.980 for that particular opportunity. That's great. 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:23.960 That's great advice. You're saying that really 00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:26.160 when you're a speaker or doing a workshop or 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:28.819 anything else like that, it's not just answering 00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:32.799 an email. You have to do research. You do research 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.819 into the company, you do research into the retreat, 00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:38.559 if that's what the workshop is, and you have 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:40.960 to work. So it may take you a little bit before 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:44.160 you answer that email, but there's a whole lot 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:48.250 more work that goes into it. That's what I have 00:21:48.250 --> 00:21:53.950 found, but it's much more enjoyable for the speaker 00:21:53.950 --> 00:21:57.910 to go in there and knowing that they have an 00:21:57.910 --> 00:22:01.769 answer to their problem. Because if they really 00:22:01.769 --> 00:22:03.990 like you that much and you brought an answer 00:22:03.990 --> 00:22:06.410 to their problem, you know what? They'll invite 00:22:06.410 --> 00:22:09.890 you back. I have one more if you'd like one more. 00:22:10.549 --> 00:22:13.220 Sure. Absolutely. First, I'd like to speak to 00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:16.480 what you said. You're spot on, Michael, for sure. 00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:19.920 I also have a podcast. It's ranked in the top 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:24.059 10 % and what there's 5 .5 million podcasts worldwide. 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:27.920 So I'm super proud of that, but not necessarily 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:31.299 because I'm so fabulous. It's more because it's 00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:35.089 only about a year and eight months old and We 00:22:35.089 --> 00:22:38.170 didn't try to grow to those ranks. We were just 00:22:38.170 --> 00:22:41.490 speaking to the problems within the speaking 00:22:41.490 --> 00:22:44.289 industry. And that's what attracted the people. 00:22:44.690 --> 00:22:47.190 So that's what excites me the most, right? It 00:22:47.190 --> 00:22:50.609 proves my, my motive operation. So that's been 00:22:50.609 --> 00:22:53.230 a lot of fun. It's speak packed, speak packed 00:22:53.230 --> 00:22:55.769 .com later. I'm sure we'll talk about it, but 00:22:55.769 --> 00:22:57.710 it's specifically for speakers and corporate 00:22:57.710 --> 00:23:00.910 trainers. And for me to have that kind of show, 00:23:01.230 --> 00:23:04.839 I have to understand. my audience my speakers 00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:07.299 and corporate trainers in order to track them 00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:12.660 at all and before coming on your podcast I Made 00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:16.099 sure to listen to some of your episodes by the 00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:18.619 way. I really like the AI one We could talk about 00:23:18.619 --> 00:23:20.900 that later. That was the reason the AI one was 00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:24.630 very good, but networking unleashed, building 00:23:24.630 --> 00:23:26.849 profitable connections. If I were to just show 00:23:26.849 --> 00:23:31.309 up and just then it would be all about me. I'd 00:23:31.309 --> 00:23:33.329 never looked at your podcast. I never listened 00:23:33.329 --> 00:23:36.849 to it. I never did any homework on you or the 00:23:36.849 --> 00:23:39.910 show prior to even accepting this opportunity. 00:23:40.089 --> 00:23:42.609 Thank you for the invitation. Number one, it's 00:23:42.609 --> 00:23:45.289 highly rude, but also it's highly unprofessional. 00:23:45.529 --> 00:23:50.550 How many more speakers show up to an actual speaking 00:23:50.550 --> 00:23:53.869 opportunity paid or in every speaking opportunity 00:23:53.869 --> 00:23:56.009 is paid. We'll talk about that here in a moment. 00:23:56.269 --> 00:23:59.690 It's just what's it paid? What is the payment? 00:23:59.730 --> 00:24:04.990 We can talk about that, but I just show up because 00:24:04.990 --> 00:24:09.789 I'm fabulous and I give my talk, but with no 00:24:09.789 --> 00:24:14.019 interaction with the audience before. Maybe even 00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:18.299 during or after I just give my spiel and I get 00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:21.059 off that is not very effective. It's not very 00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:24.480 memorable and Organizers don't really appreciate 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:27.779 it. So do your homework it whether it's on a 00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:30.559 podcast Do your homework right when somebody 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:33.339 shows up to my show and they've never even listened 00:24:33.339 --> 00:24:35.380 to a podcast Sometimes I just shut down the whole 00:24:35.380 --> 00:24:40.500 thing because it just isn't If they don't understand 00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:45.319 me and my show and my audience, then to me that 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:48.259 just shows a real lack of professionalism. So 00:24:48.259 --> 00:24:50.920 that's really your job as a speaker to know your 00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:53.140 business, to know your audiences, and every audience 00:24:53.140 --> 00:24:55.779 is different. The third mistake that I'll share 00:24:55.779 --> 00:25:00.460 and then we can move on is those speakers who 00:25:00.460 --> 00:25:04.279 quote unquote won't speak for free. They're looking 00:25:04.279 --> 00:25:08.380 at it wrong. And I get it. We've all done those 00:25:08.380 --> 00:25:11.740 free talks and they can get really tiring. But 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:15.779 if you are strategic and you see the bigger picture 00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:18.759 and you're looking at it, there are no free engagements. 00:25:19.099 --> 00:25:22.880 You may not get that keynote check, but there 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:27.880 are so many. There's so much other value in a 00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:31.779 given speaking opportunity if. It is, you do 00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:34.220 your homework and it's filled with right fit 00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:39.000 people, decision makers, or people who you can 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:42.220 shake hands with, open doors to other opportunities 00:25:42.220 --> 00:25:45.180 for both sides, for them and for you, right? 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:48.740 That is invaluable. Generally your next best 00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:52.000 engagement comes from your last best engagement. 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:54.940 So you're really hurting yourself if you say, 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:58.460 I'm not going to speak to associations or I'm 00:25:58.460 --> 00:26:02.299 not going to speak to local business groups because 00:26:02.299 --> 00:26:07.400 they're not paying me. That's very short -sighted. 00:26:07.819 --> 00:26:10.740 If you go, number one, there are ways to monetize 00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:16.259 it. Then that's a whole talk in itself. But the 00:26:16.259 --> 00:26:21.039 keynote check is one portion of a payment that 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:24.920 you get for any engagement, paid by host or not. 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:29.799 So really rethink what are those key relationships 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:34.039 within the industry that I need to build? How 00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:36.759 do I keep myself top of mind? So I'm the obvious 00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:40.740 choice when the opportunity arises, because timing 00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:44.200 is everything. Positioning is everything. So 00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:47.259 positioning, visibility, timing, that can only 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:49.980 happen when you're getting yourself out there 00:26:49.980 --> 00:26:53.160 virtually or in person, staying top of mind. 00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:56.940 So that's really another big mistake that I'm 00:26:56.940 --> 00:27:00.160 just going to hold out for that 15, 20, $25 ,000 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:04.380 keynote and nothing less will do. Kind of missing. 00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:08.000 You're missing the bigger picture. Yep. You're 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:10.359 missing a whole lot because as you're talking, 00:27:10.440 --> 00:27:14.259 I'm thinking about what I've gone through and 00:27:14.259 --> 00:27:17.599 all of my free speaking engagements. This month, 00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:20.619 October, it's almost October, I have a speaking 00:27:20.619 --> 00:27:23.180 engagement with a local business association 00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:26.740 that obviously it's free, but I don't think about 00:27:26.740 --> 00:27:30.480 that. I think about A, who I'm talking to, but 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:33.839 their network of people, of the people that are 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:36.859 there. So not just talking to them, I'm talking 00:27:36.859 --> 00:27:41.720 to their networks. And the last keynote, It was 00:27:41.720 --> 00:27:45.079 a workshop last workshop that I did. I got there. 00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:47.299 Listen, I'm a firm believer in getting there 00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:49.500 early. If you're early or on time, if you're 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:52.559 on time, you're late. Amen. That's the way that 00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.420 that's the way that I grew up the military in 00:27:54.420 --> 00:27:59.660 me. Right. But before my sessions began, I went 00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:02.279 to the back of the room and I was talking with 00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:05.039 everybody, speaking with people. So when I got 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:08.319 up on stage and went, oh, he's the speaker and 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:11.930 I made. something to say that Jack in the back 00:28:11.930 --> 00:28:14.269 of the room, he had this problem. And let me 00:28:14.269 --> 00:28:16.970 tell you, everybody has that problem. And I went 00:28:16.970 --> 00:28:19.470 on further. And so that brought the back of the 00:28:19.470 --> 00:28:24.869 room up front. And it's just the way they look 00:28:24.869 --> 00:28:27.930 at it. Yeah, I find that more enjoyable. Listen, 00:28:28.410 --> 00:28:31.549 I love speaking. I have a passion for speaking. 00:28:31.789 --> 00:28:35.650 When I get out in front of everybody, that's 00:28:35.650 --> 00:28:39.619 my play time because I love it so much. Okay, 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:45.019 so how do you decide whether to chase visibility, 00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:51.460 more eyes, versus viability, actual income? Give 00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:55.720 me a real metric or rule that you use. So I see 00:28:55.720 --> 00:28:58.200 it a little bit differently. I don't see it as 00:28:58.200 --> 00:29:02.279 chasing visibility or viability. I see it as 00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:05.500 being visible and viable, right? So as long as 00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:07.809 you're visible, you're viable. You can be the 00:29:07.809 --> 00:29:11.990 best thing, the best absolute speaker or trainer 00:29:11.990 --> 00:29:15.349 for an opportunity. But if you're not findable 00:29:15.349 --> 00:29:19.470 and you're not positioned right, then you're 00:29:19.470 --> 00:29:22.549 not viable, right? So they go hand in hand and 00:29:22.549 --> 00:29:25.329 it's part of the job. But there's always going 00:29:25.329 --> 00:29:30.170 to be part of every career that may not be the 00:29:30.170 --> 00:29:35.130 immediate income earner, but it is what makes 00:29:35.130 --> 00:29:39.619 you viable. Visibility makes you viable. So get 00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:41.900 yourself out there in all the right places, not 00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:45.900 indiscriminately. Really hone in on who you can 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:50.700 help most, who you love helping. And that's the 00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:52.940 first order of business when we get a new client. 00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:56.720 It's three intensive sessions of hammering all 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:59.279 of that out because we don't want to build an 00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:02.259 empire for you that you're going to resent once 00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:05.599 you actually Achieve that success. We want to 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:08.119 build the empire. You actually want to live in 00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:13.579 long term so you can only know that by Seeing 00:30:13.579 --> 00:30:16.099 all of those pieces of the puzzle and then once 00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:20.559 you do Then you are willing to do that outer 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:24.160 bank I guess we can call it part of what gets 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:27.640 you the core of what you're actually after and 00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:31.160 positioning and visibility are They go they go 00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:35.059 along with the job There's no way to be a sought 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:37.720 after speaker or corporate trainer without it. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:40.200 You need to be putting out content, free content 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:44.839 on a regular basis, whether it's through getting 00:30:44.839 --> 00:30:47.420 on other people's podcasts, showing up at your 00:30:47.420 --> 00:30:51.359 local business, regional business meetings, creating 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:54.799 social posts in the right settings, the right 00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:57.500 groups, LinkedIn, if you're not on LinkedIn and 00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:59.500 you're a speaker or corporate trainer, why aren't 00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:03.220 you on LinkedIn? There's just... It's one in 00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:07.380 the same. Visibility positioning equals viability. 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:11.779 It's so true. I write articles for an online 00:31:11.779 --> 00:31:16.579 magazine. It's called speakeredge .io. And on 00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:19.640 there, I write about three articles a week. And 00:31:19.640 --> 00:31:24.539 I do that just for name recognition. And it was 00:31:24.539 --> 00:31:28.160 true because last month, a person from Las Vegas 00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:32.059 was talking to this person in California. And 00:31:32.059 --> 00:31:36.339 he asked me, who is Michael Foreman? Because 00:31:36.339 --> 00:31:40.480 his name is all over the place. And so it was 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:43.460 really so that's it. So it's working. So I'm 00:31:43.460 --> 00:31:45.599 writing those articles for name recognition. 00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:48.519 You bring up a really good, really very vital 00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:53.519 point. And that is, Michael, that somebody's 00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:58.250 job is actually on the line to choose you. over 00:31:58.250 --> 00:32:02.190 the next guy. Their job is at jeopardy. So the 00:32:02.190 --> 00:32:06.869 more Googleable you are, the more featured you 00:32:06.869 --> 00:32:09.170 are by other people, other people took a risk 00:32:09.170 --> 00:32:13.970 on you, then that puts that organizer at ease 00:32:13.970 --> 00:32:17.509 and it will bump you in positioning for that 00:32:17.509 --> 00:32:20.230 particular speaking opportunity. So you're doing 00:32:20.230 --> 00:32:24.509 it right. Michael, you should fill up at least 00:32:24.509 --> 00:32:26.369 three pages if somebody Googles your name because 00:32:26.369 --> 00:32:29.019 they're going to take your your speaker assets, 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:31.180 write your press kit, all the beautiful things. 00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:33.599 Great. They have those are going to set it aside. 00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:36.400 And what are they going to do? They're going 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:40.960 to Google your name. And if you're out there, 00:32:41.319 --> 00:32:43.039 face after face, you've been on podcasts, you 00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:46.200 have magazine articles out there, all the things 00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:50.779 that it that really puts them at ease. You've 00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:54.160 got some maybe media spots, ABC, NBC, whatever 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:58.059 Fox News had you on and featured you. then they 00:32:58.059 --> 00:33:00.779 took a risk on you. Nobody likes to be the first. 00:33:01.019 --> 00:33:03.000 So if they Google your name and you might have 00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:06.579 two pop -ups and it's your own website, then 00:33:06.579 --> 00:33:09.059 that's going to be a little bit more unsettling 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:13.140 for that organizer. It's just the way of human 00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:15.920 nature. By the way, yes, have a LinkedIn profile, 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:18.480 but going back to what you said about that newsletter, 00:33:19.019 --> 00:33:22.619 there's also ways to create your own. LinkedIn 00:33:22.619 --> 00:33:27.309 has an incredible free feature for anybody. You 00:33:27.309 --> 00:33:29.230 don't even have to have the paid version of LinkedIn 00:33:29.230 --> 00:33:32.809 to do this. And that is to create a LinkedIn 00:33:32.809 --> 00:33:36.609 newsletter. And every single new connection that 00:33:36.609 --> 00:33:41.410 you get, they send out an invitation to your 00:33:41.410 --> 00:33:43.809 newsletter. We have, as a matter of fact, Michael, 00:33:43.809 --> 00:33:46.630 I might like for you to be a guest author for 00:33:46.630 --> 00:33:49.769 an article, but we have Keynoters High Impact 00:33:49.769 --> 00:33:55.299 Edge. I can't tell you how much feedback Get 00:33:55.299 --> 00:33:57.640 from that and when we're late, which isn't very 00:33:57.640 --> 00:34:00.420 often we hear it So, you know that there are 00:34:00.420 --> 00:34:02.779 people really waiting for that content. That 00:34:02.779 --> 00:34:06.920 is one more layer of keeping you searchable findable 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:12.920 and top of mind and also really Showcasing your 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:15.139 point of view and the solutions that you bring 00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:17.440 and the way that you bring it your delivery style 00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:22.920 all of those things Okay, if you go to SpeakerEdge 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:26.219 .io and read some of my articles, I'd love to 00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:30.840 know what you think. Okay, and you go to Keynoters 00:34:30.840 --> 00:34:34.880 High Impact Edge and LinkedIn, and I'm definitely 00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:42.619 going to go to SpeakerEdge .io. Yeah. Good. Good. 00:34:42.739 --> 00:34:45.079 We'll do that and we'll report back. Okay, sounds 00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:49.400 good. Sounds good. Okay, tell us about a time 00:34:49.400 --> 00:34:53.539 you've heard a single speaking gig into multiple 00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:57.860 consistent income streams and What was your exact 00:34:57.860 --> 00:35:02.000 playbook? Okay, say that say the question one 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:05.320 more time Well, it's about a time you turned 00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:09.980 a single speaking gig into multiple consistent 00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:17.440 income streams Okay, I have an example of not 00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:20.880 this summer, but last summer. Was it last summer 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:23.519 or the summer before? Time blends together so 00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:28.800 fast. Anyhow, I was a speaker at an engagement. 00:35:29.139 --> 00:35:32.800 Now, my home base is in Texas. So I flew to Florida 00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:36.699 to a very, extremely expensive hotel. And it 00:35:36.699 --> 00:35:40.480 was like $45 a day just to park there. Got a 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:48.139 room at the hotel and... So I only did, it was 00:35:48.139 --> 00:35:52.280 an unpaid by host talk, but the only reason, 00:35:52.400 --> 00:35:54.099 there were two reasons why I accepted it. Number 00:35:54.099 --> 00:35:57.840 one, I never book my speakers for events that 00:35:57.840 --> 00:36:00.860 I'm not familiar with. So I wasn't familiar with 00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:03.280 this one. It was fairly new. However, it looked 00:36:03.280 --> 00:36:06.320 like all the pieces were there. So I was interested 00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:08.280 enough to go and I thought if I'm gonna be there, 00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:11.239 why not speak as well? So that was one reason. 00:36:13.550 --> 00:36:16.250 The other reason was the organizer said that 00:36:16.250 --> 00:36:20.309 they had expected 8 ,500 people to be in the 00:36:20.309 --> 00:36:22.949 audience. When I spoke to the organizer a month 00:36:22.949 --> 00:36:28.429 out, she told me that they had sold 6 ,500 tickets. 00:36:29.010 --> 00:36:31.070 So I'm like, great. I knew there was going to 00:36:31.070 --> 00:36:33.170 be multiple stages at all times, but I expected 00:36:33.170 --> 00:36:37.329 about maybe 1 ,000, maybe 1 ,200 people in my 00:36:37.329 --> 00:36:42.019 audience, which that to me, that's a six. That's 00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:46.619 a six figure event for me even not getting paycheck 00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:51.300 from the. host and the way that I do it. So I 00:36:51.300 --> 00:36:53.699 accepted, I went there, they gave me a certain 00:36:53.699 --> 00:36:55.639 number of tickets to give away. So of course 00:36:55.639 --> 00:36:57.880 I gave them away to my speakers. Three of my 00:36:57.880 --> 00:36:59.679 speakers took me up on it. They also went to 00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:02.480 the very expensive hotel, right? To enjoy this 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:05.039 opportunity, see me speak, all the things. We 00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:07.780 get there and it's just so beautifully done. 00:37:07.900 --> 00:37:11.079 They've got the archways, all the banners. They've 00:37:11.079 --> 00:37:14.099 taken up a good portion of this pretty big the 00:37:14.099 --> 00:37:17.019 whole like two or three floors of this big hotel, 00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:20.340 and there's breakout rooms, everything is done 00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:24.199 impeccably. And I come from the producer space, 00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:26.139 I used to produce large scale events, there was 00:37:26.139 --> 00:37:32.900 a whole vendor hall with tons of vendors. The 00:37:32.900 --> 00:37:38.320 problem was, I was, all of us were just seeing 00:37:38.320 --> 00:37:42.610 speaker vendor sponsor lanyards. We weren't seeing 00:37:42.610 --> 00:37:47.409 any attendee lanyards. And it was pretty thin. 00:37:47.630 --> 00:37:50.289 Like, where's the people? We were here. Where 00:37:50.289 --> 00:37:54.070 are those 6 ,500, 8 ,500 people? Pretty quickly 00:37:54.070 --> 00:37:57.090 in, we realized that we were duped. And I don't 00:37:57.090 --> 00:37:59.170 think that the organizers meant to dupe us. They 00:37:59.170 --> 00:38:02.489 just made a critical mistake, which a seasoned 00:38:02.489 --> 00:38:05.969 producer like me would know, but they didn't 00:38:05.969 --> 00:38:08.610 for whatever reason. What they had done is, yes, 00:38:08.630 --> 00:38:12.590 they sold the $6 ,500 tickets. 6 ,500 tickets, 00:38:12.989 --> 00:38:17.309 but they sold them in groupings to corporations 00:38:17.309 --> 00:38:20.110 and organizations who then handed out the tickets 00:38:20.110 --> 00:38:22.250 to their employees who never even asked to go 00:38:22.250 --> 00:38:24.809 to this event. They weren't going to lose work 00:38:24.809 --> 00:38:27.469 and get on an airplane and fly to this very expensive 00:38:27.469 --> 00:38:30.230 hotel to go to an event they never even asked 00:38:30.230 --> 00:38:33.130 to go to. So it was a little bit deceptive there. 00:38:33.849 --> 00:38:37.230 I have never, Michael, ever in my 30 years in 00:38:37.230 --> 00:38:42.989 the industry seen vendor floor an exhibit floor 00:38:42.989 --> 00:38:46.929 revolt there was screaming there was throwing 00:38:46.929 --> 00:38:49.929 of things these people flew from in from all 00:38:49.929 --> 00:38:53.130 over the world with boxes and boxes of their 00:38:53.130 --> 00:38:56.889 wares believing that it was going to be a pretty 00:38:56.889 --> 00:39:01.039 substantial event and Anyway, there was a lawsuit 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:03.480 after all the things. But I decided instead of 00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:05.340 going down that route, I was just going to make 00:39:05.340 --> 00:39:07.159 the best of it. There were some really fabulous 00:39:07.159 --> 00:39:09.239 speakers. Of course, I wanted to shake hands 00:39:09.239 --> 00:39:12.079 with. Really long story short, when I got up 00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:15.280 on my stage, which I expected to have hundreds, 00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:19.960 if not 1200 people in my audience, I had 10, 00:39:20.579 --> 00:39:23.480 three of which were my own speakers. So I really 00:39:23.480 --> 00:39:27.860 only had seven. But because of the way that I 00:39:27.860 --> 00:39:32.820 do things, it was a $33 ,000 event for me. It 00:39:32.820 --> 00:39:34.699 was still a disappointment because I expected 00:39:34.699 --> 00:39:38.159 a lot more than that. But not only that, the 00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:42.219 relationships I made, I still have. And the networking 00:39:42.219 --> 00:39:45.199 that I was able to do during that time has paid 00:39:45.199 --> 00:39:49.519 off in some significant other ways. So it's all 00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:52.519 about attitude. It's all about that whole ecosystem, 00:39:52.579 --> 00:39:55.019 that diversity that we talked about coming into 00:39:55.019 --> 00:39:58.579 this interview. In contrast, there were other 00:39:58.579 --> 00:40:00.599 speakers who were just so upset. They just wanted 00:40:00.599 --> 00:40:02.960 to get through their talk and leave. One good 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:06.380 example of that was this brilliant doctor who 00:40:06.380 --> 00:40:09.639 gave this brilliant talk. All of my speakers 00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:12.219 actually went to this talk. I wanted to be there, 00:40:12.219 --> 00:40:14.619 but they had me emceeing as well, so I didn't 00:40:14.619 --> 00:40:16.840 get to go to this particular one. But something 00:40:16.840 --> 00:40:19.820 they shared with me at the end of it was this 00:40:19.820 --> 00:40:22.739 woman was so visibly upset that she had four 00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:25.809 people in her audience, three people of which 00:40:25.809 --> 00:40:28.309 were my speakers, that she just wanted to get 00:40:28.309 --> 00:40:29.869 through it and get out of there. She was really 00:40:29.869 --> 00:40:32.429 good. And the other person who was in the room 00:40:32.429 --> 00:40:34.230 was, how do we get a hold of you? How can we 00:40:34.230 --> 00:40:36.610 go in next step with you? And she said, there's 00:40:36.610 --> 00:40:39.530 my Instagram or whatever it was. that could have 00:40:39.530 --> 00:40:42.829 been a client, one new client from an opportunity, 00:40:43.449 --> 00:40:45.789 the lifetime value of that one client, who they 00:40:45.789 --> 00:40:48.909 refer to you, what they, the next levels they 00:40:48.909 --> 00:40:52.409 may go with you can really equate to $100 ,000, 00:40:52.530 --> 00:40:54.849 just depending on who you are and what you offer. 00:40:55.469 --> 00:40:59.989 So to me, she spited herself because the event 00:40:59.989 --> 00:41:03.130 wasn't exactly as she had hoped, and most events 00:41:03.130 --> 00:41:06.239 won't be. There's going to be some things. You're 00:41:06.239 --> 00:41:07.500 not going to have the microphone you thought 00:41:07.500 --> 00:41:08.780 you're going to have. There's going to be some 00:41:08.780 --> 00:41:13.559 things. I think that flexibility and making lemonade 00:41:13.559 --> 00:41:20.699 out of lemons is an art and a gift if you are 00:41:20.699 --> 00:41:24.980 a speaker with that kind of attitude. Absolutely. 00:41:25.619 --> 00:41:27.840 So many things came through my mind as you're 00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:31.579 telling me that story. And one to mine was when 00:41:31.579 --> 00:41:35.300 I got there early and half the staff didn't show 00:41:35.300 --> 00:41:40.280 up. And I was there helping them clean up, set 00:41:40.280 --> 00:41:43.199 the tables, set the chairs. You don't have to 00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:46.179 do this. You're a speaker. I said, yep, I'm doing 00:41:46.179 --> 00:41:50.840 whatever I can to make it easier on you. And 00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:54.099 they were so thankful, so thankful. Yes, love 00:41:54.099 --> 00:41:56.900 it, love it. I think I miscalculated my time 00:41:56.900 --> 00:41:59.500 today. Michael, I do have a hard stop in about 00:41:59.500 --> 00:42:03.019 three minutes. Okay, so let me just ask you the 00:42:03.019 --> 00:42:05.239 last question. We're going to bring this full 00:42:05.239 --> 00:42:09.500 circle. For experts who are stretched thin, what's 00:42:09.500 --> 00:42:12.519 the one automation or outsource you'd implement 00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:17.849 first to free up time and grow revenue? Okay, 00:42:18.070 --> 00:42:20.070 that's it, right? That's the foundation of everything 00:42:20.070 --> 00:42:23.010 that grind that daily grind Make sure you've 00:42:23.010 --> 00:42:25.289 got all your business systems in place. That 00:42:25.289 --> 00:42:28.449 means you have to have a real CRM You have to 00:42:28.449 --> 00:42:31.409 have automations in place not that I encourage 00:42:31.409 --> 00:42:33.949 you automate outreach. You can never audience 00:42:33.949 --> 00:42:38.090 automate Never effectively automate unless you 00:42:38.090 --> 00:42:39.730 happen to be a celebrity and just throwing your 00:42:39.730 --> 00:42:44.130 name out there, but the Most of us cannot automate 00:42:44.130 --> 00:42:47.530 relationships effectively, so that needs to be 00:42:47.530 --> 00:42:50.250 hand -touched, but you can automate the nurture 00:42:50.250 --> 00:42:54.610 sequences, the follow -ups later to stay top 00:42:54.610 --> 00:42:58.090 -of -mind. You need to have your pipelines and 00:42:58.090 --> 00:43:00.590 just all of those business systems. Make sure 00:43:00.590 --> 00:43:03.409 you have those in place. You should have an assistant. 00:43:03.469 --> 00:43:06.849 If you're serious, you have an assistant, right? 00:43:07.030 --> 00:43:09.429 If you don't want to deal with any of that, contact 00:43:09.429 --> 00:43:12.730 me. And that's what we do. And we will do that 00:43:12.730 --> 00:43:15.289 with and for you. You need to be freed up to 00:43:15.289 --> 00:43:18.519 be that. influencer, that thought leader. If 00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:22.079 you're down here in the mire of the grind and 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:24.619 that's what it takes running that machine, you 00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:26.500 want to be driving the machine, you don't want 00:43:26.500 --> 00:43:29.920 to be the machine. And number one, that's a big 00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:33.110 mistake that holds a lot of speakers back. is 00:43:33.110 --> 00:43:35.030 to either underestimate the importance of the 00:43:35.030 --> 00:43:37.570 machine or trying to run it themselves because 00:43:37.570 --> 00:43:40.130 it's just not sustainable long term. Sometimes 00:43:40.130 --> 00:43:41.829 we've got to do that when we're first starting 00:43:41.829 --> 00:43:45.070 out, burn the candle at both ends, but do it 00:43:45.070 --> 00:43:46.889 in a way that you're working yourself out of 00:43:46.889 --> 00:43:50.510 that job so that you can bring on a team like 00:43:50.510 --> 00:43:54.030 me, like my organization WPC Speakers Global, 00:43:54.469 --> 00:43:57.210 to be able to link arms with you and do that 00:43:57.210 --> 00:44:00.559 right alongside with you. Antonio, I want to 00:44:00.559 --> 00:44:02.900 tell you this was fantastic. I could talk to 00:44:02.900 --> 00:44:06.619 you for another two hours about follow -up, about 00:44:06.619 --> 00:44:09.800 networking, about everything else. What is the 00:44:09.800 --> 00:44:12.920 best way for somebody to get hold of you if they 00:44:12.920 --> 00:44:14.920 want to be coached, they want your services, 00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:17.340 whatever they want? What's the best way they 00:44:17.340 --> 00:44:19.539 can get hold of you? Thank you for that, Michael. 00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:22.539 So if you'd like to be interviewed by me to see 00:44:22.539 --> 00:44:25.539 if you're a good fit for my roster, there's no 00:44:25.539 --> 00:44:27.860 cost. Michael, I got to interview you, which 00:44:27.860 --> 00:44:30.559 I loved. I loved learning more about you. You 00:44:30.559 --> 00:44:33.500 can just go to speakerbooker .com and make an 00:44:33.500 --> 00:44:35.980 appointment. You do have to apply for an appointment, 00:44:36.380 --> 00:44:39.420 but if it seems like you're... You're a good 00:44:39.420 --> 00:44:41.420 fit for our agency. I will certainly meet with 00:44:41.420 --> 00:44:44.079 you and we can talk further. Other than that, 00:44:44.260 --> 00:44:47.659 be sure to find me on LinkedIn. Look up Keynoters 00:44:47.659 --> 00:44:51.699 High Impact Edge and read my newsletter and go 00:44:51.699 --> 00:44:55.539 to Speak Packed, Speak and then Packed as if, 00:44:56.000 --> 00:44:59.300 as in we're all on this journey to impact with 00:44:59.300 --> 00:45:02.610 the power of our voice. speakpact .com or just 00:45:02.610 --> 00:45:06.409 look us up on any major podcast platform and 00:45:06.409 --> 00:45:08.610 follow us. I think I really appreciate that you 00:45:08.610 --> 00:45:11.409 follow our podcast, Michael, and you shared with 00:45:11.409 --> 00:45:14.590 me that you have really gleaned some insights 00:45:14.590 --> 00:45:18.610 that are just those deep kind of insider insights 00:45:18.610 --> 00:45:20.750 that you only get from those who have already 00:45:20.750 --> 00:45:23.969 gone before you and have done the journey ahead 00:45:23.969 --> 00:45:28.380 of you. I love your podcast. I just, I listen 00:45:28.380 --> 00:45:31.900 to them very carefully and I get so much information 00:45:31.900 --> 00:45:34.539 from it. You have no idea. But anyway, thank 00:45:34.539 --> 00:45:36.860 you very much for coming on the podcast and I 00:45:36.860 --> 00:45:39.139 hope to speak with you soon. Thank you, Michael. 00:45:39.219 --> 00:45:45.519 It was a pleasure. Lots of fun. Well, hold on 00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:48.719 folks. Don't go anywhere. Let's hear from our 00:45:48.719 --> 00:45:52.599 sponsors. David Neal, co -founder Revved Up Kids. 00:45:53.050 --> 00:45:56.230 Revved Up Kids is on a mission to protect children 00:45:56.230 --> 00:46:00.130 and teens from sexual abuse, exploitation, and 00:46:00.130 --> 00:46:02.769 trafficking. They provide prevention training 00:46:02.769 --> 00:46:06.309 programs for children, teens, and adults. To 00:46:06.309 --> 00:46:11.030 learn more, go to revvedupkids .org. Henry Kaplan, 00:46:11.349 --> 00:46:14.210 Century 21. When it comes to making the biggest 00:46:14.210 --> 00:46:17.190 financial decision of your life, leave it in 00:46:17.190 --> 00:46:20.050 the hands of a proven professional, Henry Kaplan. 00:46:20.550 --> 00:46:23.550 Henry is a global real estate agent with Century 00:46:23.550 --> 00:46:27.989 21, celebrating his 41st year in business. No 00:46:27.989 --> 00:46:30.409 matter where you're moving, Henry has the right 00:46:30.409 --> 00:46:34.030 connections for you. You can contact Henry at 00:46:34.030 --> 00:46:42.440 561 -427 -4888. A huge thank you to our guests 00:46:42.440 --> 00:46:45.699 for sharing such incredible insights today. And 00:46:45.699 --> 00:46:48.760 of course, a big shout out to you, our amazing 00:46:48.760 --> 00:46:51.619 listeners, for tuning in and spending your time 00:46:51.619 --> 00:46:54.880 with us. If you're interested in my digital courses, 00:46:55.460 --> 00:46:57.860 being coached, or having me come and talk to 00:46:57.860 --> 00:47:01.300 your company, just go to Michael and fill out 00:47:01.300 --> 00:47:04.780 the request form. Remember, networking isn't 00:47:04.780 --> 00:47:07.639 about being perfect. It's about being present. 00:47:08.300 --> 00:47:10.849 So take what you've learned today, Get out there 00:47:10.849 --> 00:47:13.929 and make some meaningful connections. If you've 00:47:13.929 --> 00:47:16.610 enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to 00:47:16.610 --> 00:47:19.750 subscribe. Leave us a review and share it with 00:47:19.750 --> 00:47:22.389 someone who could use a little networking inspiration. 00:47:23.230 --> 00:47:25.949 Let's keep the conversation going. You can find 00:47:25.949 --> 00:47:30.469 me on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, or my 00:47:30.469 --> 00:47:34.449 website, Foreman .com slash podcasts.