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by Burt Dubin

A touch of background first:   A successful, journeyman level public speaker, serving associations and corporations, I routinely received fees of $3000 to $5000-6000 for 1 to 3 hours of programs. I got 1 or 2 bookings a week.   This was in the late 1980’s.

Active in my Chapter of the USA National Speakers Association, I watched the revolving door of aspiring public speakers come and go every month.  

Also active at the national level, I was dismayed to see that a full third of the NSA membership changed every year. As a skilled researcher I had cracked the code.  The secrets of getting a gig or two every week were no secret to me.  I was doing it.

Now to the action and the outcomes:

I said to myself, I can change this tragic loss of talent. I can show my fellow speakers how to do what I do. And as a marketer, I knew I had to stand out from all others.  Had to be unique and unduplicable.

Here’s what I did. Here’s what I do.  You can do it too:

Action 1:
I market the outcome of my services for public speakers and trainers, not the services themselves. I market success in the business of public speaking. Nobody else did that.  Today, 14 years after launch, nobody else does that.

Market the outcomes of your
speaking/training services, and
not the speaking/training itself. 

Action 2:
I give a money back Warranty of success. In writing.  With teeth. The first few years, I gave back some money. Since 1995 nobody has legitimately requested their money back.

Give a real  personal satisfaction
money-back warranty.  

Action 3:
Do exhaustive research.  Spare no expense. Make yourself the very best on earth at public speaking and training. Do more that is required.  Do more than is expected.  Do more that anyone in their right mind would do.

Be the best, the very best
at public speaking and training. 

Action 4:
Stimulate referrals.   Let your clients or customers know they are rewarded for referring folks who invest in what you offer.   Give appropriate gifts, depending on the size of the ticket.  My Inner Circle Gold Membership is $7000 to $10,000. I give a choice of gifts.  $500 in cash. $600 to their favorite charity in their name.  $700 in products.

Reward referrals generously.

Action 5:
Treat people right.  Be there for them long after the sale.  Care about each client. You’ve heard this before: “People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care!”

Let the Golden Rule govern your attitudes,
your thoughts, your words and your actions.

Action 6:
Don’t sell.  Instead, market.  What’s the difference?  This: Selling is persuading someone to buy your public speaking services. Marketing is creating conditions under which the buyer is attracted to your public speaking services and decides on their own motion to engage you. How do you do that?    PR. Advertising. Word-of-mouth.   In the words of Walt Disney, 

Do what you do so well that people can’t resist
coming back for more and telling
their friends to do the same.

Action 7:
Have resolute integrity.

Be impeccable in all you represent.

________

These 7 stratagems are some of the methods I use to move myself from unknown journeyman public speaker to respected, successful, well known creator and marketer of the Speaking Success System.

Adapt these principles.  Adopt these principles. Own these principles.

The success you create will be your own. You can have it if you want it.  And you’ve got to want it enough to have it.

________

Burt Dubin may be reached at www.speakingsuccess.com or +800-321-1225, or, from overseas, 928-753-7546.  Or you can E-mail Burt at burt@BurtDubin.com. For a free subscription to Burt’s Speaking Biz Strategies Letter, send an e-mail to Burt with a one-word message, Subscribe.