Skype or Video Job Interview Tips from a Body Language Expert

When I coach my clients on how to prepare for Skype or video job interviews or a Skype media interview from their homes I give them this check sheet. 

·         Prepare your room. Turn on the camera and see what shows up on the screen. If there is a trashcan or a messy bookshelf clean it up.  Simplify your background.

·         Try different backgrounds.  If you have a laptop with a camera you can try different locations for the lighting and setting to make you look your best.

·         A lighting trick is to use only ONE lighting source if front of you that is set up behind the camera that offers diffused light that means a good shade.

·         Check your seating, and your camera angle. You don’t want look too far up or down it will age you and or make your face look distorted rather than symmetrical.

·         Make up is very important for women on Skype or recording. It’s not a very forgiving medium. Even men may want to use a little translucent powder brushed lightly over the face so they don't look sweaty on camera.

·         Make sure if you wear glasses that they don't have a glare bouncing off of them. Lens Crafters has no glare lenses for an extra 40 dollars.

·         Check your wardrobe. Check your wardrobe sitting down, pull your clothes down in front and in back so nothing rides up and make you look funny.

For women jewel tones like royal blue look good next to the face. Sleeveless dresses or with no more than three quarter sleeve look better than bulky jackets. For men make sure your shirt is crisp and the collar lays down flat.

·         Get your hair out of your face. If it normally falls into your face put it behind you ears or get it cut. When you’re nervous it is far too easy to touch your hair and push it back to calm yourself and it is very distracting.

·         We give ourselves little touches on our face, neck, hands and such when we are nervous. They calm us by alerting the brain to send calming chemicals. These are normal stress cues, we do them all the time but they increase during on camera interviews. Gesturing normally can reduce comfort cues. Don’t try to be still. If you have to have some place to rest your hands, you can also try practicing with your hands resting off camera on the keyboard if you are using a desktop screen camera or open on your lap off camera.

·         If you normally gesture don’t try to stop yourself for the interview. Gestures actually help us create and go down neural pathways in the brain. Gestures free up space in the brain and at times effectively “pull out file draws to memories” and can animate the voice giving it more variation, interest and emotion.

·         Tape yourself doing a dry run of your interview to check the sound, lighting and how you look.

·         Practice with someone greeting you and asking you questions while you look at the camera and answer to practice making eye contact with the camera. Preferably someone who isn't hyper critical.

·         The day of the interview do another dry run fifteen minutes before to check your connection, and sound.

·         Take a short relaxing walk before your. Walking syncs your right and left hemisphere so you can think logically and speak with emotion and dynamism.

·         You want your body to feel and look energetic. So move and stretch in a relaxing, smooth way before your interview. The brain creates chemicals to match how your body is moving or posed.

·         Breathe deeply once you sit down. Slow, deep belly breaths center you and supply lots of good oxygenated blood to the brain. Try putting a hand on your belly and breathing in slowly on three, holding for three counts and breathing out slowly on a count of three. Imagine the breath coming in and out through your hand into and out of your tummy.

·         Make sure you are entirely off camera and everything is turned off before you make a sigh, make a face or make a comment. You would be surprised at how many times that last look of someone saying, darn or some cuss word when they think they are “done.”

These tips for preparing for Skype job and media interviews are from my book SNAP Making the Most of First Impressions Body Language and Charisma and my media interview books.

Will @upworthy type headline work for you? A startling conclusion.

Will @upworthy type headline work for you? A startling conclusion.     

Before I reveal if an Upworthy type headline will work for you, let’s back up and first talk about what IS an Upworthy type headline?
Upworthy is a site that takes videos that are already trending on Reddit and packages them into a super-catchy, super-sharable viral explosion.
Unlike you and I, Upworthy doesn’t have to worry about creating content. They simply take existing content that’s already going bacterial, repackage it, and give it a supercharged rocket booster. And it all starts with the headline.
To get a really good sense of what an Upworthy headline looks like, here are top 10 Upworthy headlines of 2013:

What is an Upworthy type headline?

Upworthy headlines use a psychological principle known as the Curiosity Gap.
Let’s take “A Pastor Asks A Politician Why He Supports Gay Marriage. It Seems He Wasn’t Prepared For His Reply” headline and break it down.
The headline introduces two characters; Pastor and Politician. It already sounds like a start to a funny joke, right? Two guys walk into a bar, one’s a Pastor the other’s a Politician…
All of us have strong feelings about Pastors and Politicians. So Upworthy is tapping into our preconception in a masterful way by introducing these two players to us right in the headline.
Then they add a hot button issue to the equation. Gay marriage.
And then BOOM! The Curiosity Gap. “He Wasn’t Prepared For His Reply”.

The Experiment

So, I decided to see if the Upworthy type headline would work for my business.
I performed a short experiment in November-December 2013 timeframe on Triberr blog. It’s fair to say that the experiment didn’t have enough data points to be entirely scientific, and Im sure the fact that the experiment was done in November-December (holiday season) will skew the data in some way.
I’ve chosen to follow 2 primary data points. The number of first-degree shares, and the number of visits which came directly via the shortner.
Note: Majority of Triberr blog traffic comes from within Triberr, and members are not seeing the headlines when clicking on the Blog link inside their Account drop down. So I’m only including shortner visits in the results.
I’ve compared 3 blog posts which use Upworthy type headlines and 3 posts that use a traditional type headline.
Click on total shares and pageviews to verify the numbers and get up to date info. 
Upworthy type headlines:

• The future of technology. He nails it. (260 total shares, 361 pageviews)
• Behind closed doors at a content strategy meeting. What you hear will surprise you. (231 total shares, 480 pageviews)
• She tried to keep them on topic but they kept going off the rails. What happened next will amaze you. (305 total shares, 281 pageviews)

Regular Headlines:

• The ROI on Influence Marketing – Case Studies (438 total shares, 420 pageviews)
• 8 Triberr Announcements Before Thanksgiving (230 total shares, 202 pageviews)
• The Anatomy of a Campaign Post (284 total shares, no pageview data)

Data Aggregated

Sometimes looking at a singular data point doesn’t reveal anything useful. Let’s aggregate these results and see what we have.
First degree shares:
Upworthy headlines got 796 shares total.
Traditional headlines got 952 shares total.
Upworthy pageviews = 1120
Traditional pageviews = 922 (I assumed 300 pageviews for the last post because I lost the data)
Interesting, right? Upworthy type headlines received less shares in total, but attracted more pageviews than traditional headlines.

Conclusion

Please share your own conclusions in the comments, but to me the data has spoken.
I hate to admit this because I see Upworthy headlines as lame and manipulative. Plus I’ve spend years learning how to craft a killer headline and Upworthy essentially changed the game right underneath my feet.
But the data points to the fact that Upworthy headlines are super-clickable even when it’s done by a regular business.
Will I use more Upworthy headlines? 
I was really hoping this experiment will be a total failure. I was hoping it would prove that Upworthy type headlines are an aberration and they only work for the likes of Upworthy and Buzzfeed. These “fast food” sites are ruining my Internet and I’d love to see them gone. They are drowning “home cooked” posts you and I write, and I hate that we have to fight them for attention.
Alas, data says that the Curiosity Gap based headlines work across the board.
So will I use Upworthy type headlines more now? I still feel Upworthy type headlines are exploitive, manipulative, and lame. But will I use them? YES! Absolutely.
Not only that, but I will try to convince you to use them as well. Why? Because if we all start using them, they will stop being effective. And then we can either go back to a more traditional approach, or come up with the next version of super-effective headlines.
Will YOU use Upworthy type headlines?

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Dino Dogan

Founder at Triberr

Global Force for Badassery | Founder of Triberr | Refugee from Bosnia | Writer for Technorati | Professional Speaker | Lousy Martial Artist | Singer/Songwriter | Hi.

Wikipedia definition of the term Media Coach, What Does a Media Coach Do?

I am working on a contribution for Wikipedia on the definition of the term Media Coach. Here is what I have so far to explain what a media coach can do.

Media Coach is person who gives feedback and instruction to someone who going to be interviewed by the media. The goal of media coaching is to improve the coaching recipient's content, branding and delivery. If the person being coached is going to be interviewed on television perhaps his or her clothing and other aspects of their physical appearance may also receive recommendation for changes and improvements by the media coach. A media coach may help a client write their "talking points" that is the main points they hope to cover in the media interview as well as help them write and rehearse answers to possible questions posed by the media interviewer. Most media coaches will create and ask the "tough questions" that a news source may ask their "coachee" so that he or she will be prepared with a good, well delivered response. With coaching someone can remarkable improve their confidence, appearance, and "messaging."

People running for elected positions such as the president of the United States may get a speech coach or media coach to help them improve the way they are perceived via various media outlets. Book authors, topic experts , corporate officers and corporate spokespersons may also hire a media coach.

Tips to viewing a video in your speech to help the audience pay attention to a video

Tips to Viewing a Video in your speech to help the audience pay attention to a video

Give assignments to groups or individuals as to what, in particular, they should look and listen for, as they watch the video tape.

This gives them something specific to look for so they become active (rather than passive) participants. They tune in with a responsibility. They know what you want from them.

        Goal 1     Pay attention to the voice.

        Goal 2    Pay attention to the opening message of the salesperson.

        Goal 3    Pay attention to the emotion in the voice of the prospect.

You are the questioners. Listen and look for anything that triggers a question in your mind.

You are the Agreers. Listen and look for anything you can accept or “buy.”

You are the Disagreers (non disagreeables). Listen for anything that doesn’t make sense or that you can’t buy or accept.

You are the Implementers or Appliers. Listen for something to practice that you can pick up and run with, starting Monday morning.

You are the Relaters. You will find an incident, event, or situation in your life that relates to a principle being discussed on the tape.

Stop Tape Opportunities

Prediction	What is likely to happen?
Decision	What would you do...?
Perception	How do you see the customer/salesperson at this point?
Right way/ Wrong way	Ask for good and bad ways of handling the problem.

 Behaviors                   Look and Listen for the nonverbal cues given.

                                                                                 

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

Dealing Confidently with Difficult Attendees

Dealing Confidently with Difficult Attendees

1.         Be cool, calm, dry and secure.

2.        Never let your attendees see you sweat or get upset.  

3.        Depersonalize the hostility.

4.        You may just be the “next person on the scene.”

5.        Remain composed, keep your pride and ego in check as you respond.

6.        If you are comfortable with using humor, be funny and do it nicely.

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

Responding To Difficult Questions Questions From an Audiance or at a Meeting.

Responding To Questions

1. Take a deep, cleansing breath and say to yourself, “I will get through this.” Ask yourself, “How can I best serve the attendees?”
2. Use Positive Body Language

·         Keep your head turned towards the group.

·         Keep your arms and hands open and your palms exposed.

·         Maintain eye contact when listening. 

·         You can break and move away when responding to a question if the person is offensive.  You can even change the "game" by sitting down on the edge of a table of pulling up a stool or chair and addressing the entire group in conversation to take the feeling of being challenged out of difficult person.
 

3. If you don’t like the questions don’t say, “Good Question.” That rewards the person and he or she may ask you more "bad" questions.  If you need to say, "the short answer is...." or "That is a question that deserves and needs a long conversation where I can personalize  the answer for your needs and or "I an answer that, but Rather than take up the time of the rest of the group with that long answer for just you now  I would love to speak to you at length when we finish today or set up a time this week to talk.  we can talk about it at length." "Does that work for you?"
4. If you are challenged by a question or a person, make sure to clear your face of negative expressions and if you can smile! Don’t go to war with them. Remain neutral.
5. Use the entire space and touch if it is appropriate.

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

Tips to get questions from an audience

Tips to get questions from an audience

Always count to five after asking your attendees for questions (in fact, use the five count technique when you ask for answers from the audience as well.) This gives time for introverts to think of something and respond. Extroverts will blurt it out. There are two times this is most significant:

1.       When you ask for a response for the first time from your attendees you are, in effect, training them to respond. If you jump in to fill that awkward silence they know that you’ll rescue them next time and they will remain silent and passive. Force them to break their silence.

2.      When you have a technical, left-brained, introverted group they are more likely to need that quiet time to think of their answer. Use humor. Say, “No one likes to ask the first question, who would like to ask the second?”

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

How to Get Questions from an Audience Started

How to Get Questions from an Audience Started

*                    Give out blank 3x5 cards to everyone and ask them to put questions on cards and pass them up front during question time.

*                    Ask attendees to turn towards a partner and come up with a question. This is my personal favorite. It creates a lot of energy and more quality questions because the partners answer each other’s simple questions and eliminates the ridiculous ones.

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

What is the best way to ask for questions from your audience when you are the speaker?

Getting Questions

What is the best way to ask for questions from your audience when you are the speaker?

Wording of the request for questions from the audience. Do not use the standard old hat “Any questions?” It is used so often to end speeches that audiences hear it and they immediately think. “He is done I can stop listening now.”  Word your request for questions so that people will be compelled to share and ask. Say “What questions do you have about…?”

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

How to you use body language to ask for questions from an audience or in a meeting.

Getting Questions

How to you use body language to ask for questions from an audience or in a meeting. Invite questions by the way you present yourself nonverbally. Look at the group. Step or lean forward, and pause. Keep your hand in view, ideally with the hands open. Once you have everyone’s attention. Ask for questions.

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

When and How to Ask for Questions During a Speech or Meeting

Getting Questions

u When and How to Ask For Questions During a Speech or Meeting.

·         Ideally, ask questions throughout your presentation at the meeting, especially after major points and difficult to understand concepts. Let the group know ahead of time that they will have this opportunity and encourage them to interact. “As we finish each point we will have a discussion of what you need more information on and what your thing works well or needs more input.”

Patti Wood MA, CSP

Body Language Expert

Patti@PattiWood.net

http://www.pattiwood.net/presentation.asp

Well known in the media from her TV, magazine, newspaper and online publications interviews, body language expert Patti Wood is a CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and a member of NSA, The National Speakers Association.

"Patti Wood is the Babe Ruth of body language experts, the gold standard of body language experts, the capo di tutti capi of body language experts." -Washington Post

Patti Wood, CSP, holds a B.A. and MA in body language and is a high energy, interactive, professional speaker, trainer and media expert.  She has been on hundreds of TV shows and has been quoted in more than seven hundred publications.  She is also the author of seven books on communication including her recent book, SNAP- Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma. If you are looking for a smart savvy body language expert, and experienced speaker, email her today at patti@Pattiwood.net.

Something to Share

Sometimes you hear something so beautiful you just want to share it. Here Bill Evans' piano rendition of Alfie with a jazz quartet is amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH_OQ6up5bY&sns=em

Deliver a Great Graph in PowerPoint

To see a great example of a graph chart and how to create and deliver a great graph chart in power point

Just watch the first one minute of this video.

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QPKKQnijnsM

Tuna Noodle Casserole

When I was sixteen I went to visit my sister Janice on St. Simmons Island. She made the most delicious dinner I have ever had Tuna Noodle Casserole. It was so yummy. How can you go wrong with a dish that has ruffle potato chip crumbled on the top! Years later in grad school, I served it to my housemate Pat and she said, “You’re such a great cook.”  It’s still Pat’s favorite meal when she visits on her way to Florida.

1.       Boil gluten free egg noodles.

2.       Turn on oven to 365

3.       Take two can or gluten free mushroom soup and pour into a bowl. (You can make mushroom soup from scratch,

4.       Stir in three table spoons of gluten free powdered curry add more to taste.

5.       Stir in a dash of paprika a little salt and a little pepper. Taste and see if you need more.

6.       Stir in two can of Bubble Bee dark tuna in oil. (That’s the secret; it doesn’t taste nearly as good if you get light tuna in water.)

7.       Butter a long casserole dish or spray well with Pam

8.       Take cooked noodles and put them in casserole

9.       Spoon in the tuna mix and mix well.

10.   Put in oven

11.   Cook about 20 minutes

12.   Crunch up a cup of Cape Cod potato chips (they are gluten and soy free)

13.   Sprinkle the crushed chips on the top of the bubbling casserole

14.   Watch closely and cook about ten minutes longer. Don’t burn the chips.

Enjoy with a green salad. Make two casseroles if you like to have seconds. I always do!

Top Ten Packing Essentials From A Frequent Flyer/Speaker

In response to a media request I compiled a list of my top ten must pack extras when I travel.

As a professional speaker I have been traveling an average of once a week for over 30 years. So I have a pretty long list of essentials

1.      My IPhone sound machine that plays ocean waves to put me to sleep.  I take an extra cord for it and put something I need like the room key or my makeup bag near the plugged in phone so I don’t forget the cord. 

2.       But here is my most important and oddest staple, three novels. I am a voracious reader    I have a nook kindle and a surface pro.  I also travel with real books to distract me from any travel stress in airports and planes.  I don’t watch TV in hotel rooms.  

3.      A bag on pistachio nuts and walnuts and 2 avocados and a few of the Jiffy peanut butter mini travel cups so I can have lots a protein with me in case I miss a meal. (I travel with a metal spoon too.)  

4.      A pair of really warm socks to wear around the hotel room and sleep in cozy and pair to work out in.  

5.      A jogging suit to use both to work out in and just snuggle in. I have found another use as well if I pack my hot pink jogging suit I hang the jacket over the bedside table lamp at night to mute those new blue glaring florescent lights that are not conducive to sleep. The pink gives the room a calming red pinkish light that is similar to the red light waves that are more conducive to sleep. I use to travel with an old low watt bulb but it got too cumbersome. I have spent some time trying to make or find a fireproof gel light bulb cover.  

6.      A cold prevention emergency kit with homeopathic tablets, vitamins and aspirin, and ibuprofen. 

7.      An assortment of my favorite decaffeinated teas and hot chocolate that they don’t have in hotels. 

8.      An eye mask and earplugs and a potato chip bag clip to clip close the hotel curtains that never stay closed otherwise. 

9.      In addition to my regular clothes and make up I always pack a TV interview dress and  little black kami in case and an extra shirt in case I have an unexpected media interview and or an extra day on the road.  By the way I wrap each item of clothing I bring with me on hangers and put it in a separate dry-cleaning bag to prevent wrinkles and any need to use a hotel iron.  

10.  Pre-stamped thank you notes for my clients.

Patti's Recent Reads

15 Tips for Booking Speaking Engagements

I just read this great article on how to get speaking engagements if you are new to speaking. The article is by Donna Merritt from INS works.

Sometimes finding good leads for speaking gigs can feel a bit like hunting for a tropical spa with umbrella drinks in the desert. It's easy to get discouraged. But yet when you see superstars that are booked solid, you know that it can be done. So how do you find leads for paid speaking engagements? Below are 14 techniques you can use to find good contacts and get yourself booked!

1. Define a Niche - A niche can be defined as types of organizations you want to speak for, an industry you want to specialize in, or a subject matter. By defining a clear niche, you instantly set yourself apart. The next challenge of course is to become known in your niche.

When you become the leading authority in your field, people seek you out. Speaking trainer Burt Dubin says, “There's no point in being a fine marketer until you have expertise to offer. And your expertise has gotta be in a specific niche. A niche where folks with cash in their jeans recognize your value and are willing to invest in what you alone know. Here's how to select your niche: identify the topic or issue in which you're willing to do endless and ongoing research for a market with the means to pay you.”

2. Free to Fee - Speak for free in places likely to have people who could hire you for a fee. Often there are people in these audiences who could hire you. Check your local Kiwanis, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary
clubs.

“After speaking recently in the Women’s Economic Development Outreach event, someone in the audience hired me for a speaking engagement for their group. If they hadn’t seen me speak in person, it’s very unlikely that this person would have contacted me.”

3. Attend Events - Go to the events that your ideal clients attend and mingle with the decision makers who could hire you. Research the event ahead of time. Know who will be in attendance. Have a hit list of people you want to connect with. Ask first what THEY do so you can tailor your 30-second pitch to address how you can help with their specific needs.

Go to chamber meetings and sit at the far end so you go last introducing yourself. That way you can listen first to who is in the audience and tailor your 30-second introduction. A speaker doing this shared their experience: “Once I did this a gentleman was so impressed that he immediately handed him a business card and said”, “Call me.”

4. Speaker Directories -There are websites that list speakers for a fee. Meeting planners sometimes go to these directories looking for a speaker on a certain topic.

Here are two that you can check out:

Speaker Services - speakerservices.com

Speaker Zone - www.speakerzone.com

5. Smile and Dial -Flipping the pages of a meeting planner directory and cold calling can drum up business. Most speakers who use this approach successfully make 40- 50 calls every day. If you are smart about finding the “right” targeted leads to call, this is especially effective.

Here are two sources for this information:

A) NTPA Directory (National & Professional Associations) It lists national conventions, meetings, and trade show dates for over 7,700 trade and professional associations with an annual report published each February.

B) Columbia Books, Inc. - www.columbiabooks.com

6. Google your way to Leads - Google makes it so easy to find leads. You can search for events in your industry or to find who your competitors have spoken for.

7. Ask for Referrals From the Platform – For example when you speak to groups you can say “As you can tell, I am really passionate about what I do. If you know of a group who could benefit from this message, please hand me a business card afterwards.”

8. Referrals - Ask for referrals from existing clients who have hired you to speak. If you ever have to lower your fee, you ask for letters of recommendation and referrals as part of the deal in exchange for the discount.

A tip to reward those who refer you:

“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. I give a choice of gifts. A dollar amount in cash or a higher dollar amount given to their favorite charity in their name, or a certain dollar amount in free product. Reward referrals generously.”

My personal thought is that a heartfelt note, a Starbucks gift card, a phone call, or even flowers is a wonderful way to say “thank you - I appreciate your referral!”

9. Get on Your Prospect’s Radar Screen - Top of mind status comes from word of mouth of your clients, being "seen" in the pages of print media, and from testimonials of audience members. Know where your audience goes and be there. This includes your prospect’s ezines, clubs, organizations, bulletin boards, and magazines.

10. Speaker Website - An effective speaker website gives a meeting planner everything they need to decide that you are the perfect speaker for their event. You’ll want to include downloadable one sheet (brochure), testimonials, program descriptions, media coverage, results gained for other clients, and your speaker video.

Lillian D. Bjorseth, the Networking Expert, shared how she got a lead from a major company who wanted to hire her and found her on the website. The person came back to their planning committee who said, “You found her where?” “Have you even seen her speak? My reputation is on the line here.” Then after reading testimonials from clients who hired Lillian to speak, they were happy to hire her.

In the past 2 weeks, having a speaking video on my website has gotten me the job. A client was hemming and hawing and said, "Can we see you speak somewhere locally first?" I told them where they could view my speaker video on my website and in 5 minutes they called back to book me.

11. Join Organizations - Where people can hire you or might be able to refer you to people. Review your organization memberships at the end of the year before you renew to make sure that the fee was worth it.

12. Publicity Rules!  - Red Zone Marketing speaker, Maribeth Kuzmeski says that hiring a full time publicist has made all the difference in her speaking career. She says that when people have seen your face enough times in publications they get to feel like they know you.

13. Invite Prospects as your Guest when you Speak to Groups - That way they can experience you firsthand. After they experience the power of your speaking, they are likely to hire you or even refer you to others.

14. Building Relationships -Send articles to them to let them know you are thinking of them. Send cards and call them from time to time. “Never let them forget your name. You want to be top of mind when they are ready to hire.”

15. Market, Market, and Market - You can do this thru press releases, one sheets, brochures, business cards, postcards, website listings, blogs, new products, and releasing a new book. Please do these things often and make sure your materials are up to date with current information and topics. It would be a shame to sacrifice a $7,500 speaking fee by not updating a $300 one sheet printing.