I've been known to get so excited over a new viable idea or from reading something that I can't believe an author actually dared to put down on paper, that I drive everyone around me crazy talking about it.

I had a mild case this afternoon when reading Speaker Vernon Cresswell's article on "10 Ways to Save and Make More Money in Business: For Keynote Speakers." It was so much better than the usual junk that I coughed up my coffee and killed my keyboard. I was just hoping that during the "saving money tips" he wasn't going to start yack'n about creating your own website or some other such non-sense. Good news! He did not disappoint. Vernon from South Africa takes us on a journey Texas style. (Must be the wide open BIG spaces we share).

First of all, Vernon appeals to the generation just ahead of mine (which appeals to me! Who actually liked the 80's?) with his use of Paul Simon lyrics as a literary device to give meaning and cohesion to his thoughts. I'm no literary critic; but I think Vernon has done a great job with this article. Here are just a few of the suggestions he brings forth for our consideration:

Slip Out the Back, Jack (Simple ways to save money)

• Know your target market. Who are your “ideal” customers?


• Get double duty out of any contact with your customers.


• Reward your customers. Set up a reward program. (Ginger note: Isn't this cheating?)


• Get involved in your community.

Make a new plan, Stan (Business Planning Basics)

• Beef up your business plan. If you don’t have a business plan, make writing one a priority. Your business plan is more than just a way to interest investors.
  (Ginger note: umm..yeah..it is the document you refer to when you wonder what in the hell you are doing and why you decided to do it in the first place.)


• Get testimonials from your satisfied clients. But don’t stop there.
  (Ginger note: Now this is exciting. I wonder what he will reveal)


• Speak up. Again, keeping in mind who your ultimate ideal customers are and what their most pressing problems are, write an article, offer a free seminar, or offer to be a speaker at local chamber of commerce or other organization or community meetings.
  (Ginger note: I love this! Asking speakers to speak up! You would think it would be a no brainer..but speakers are surprisingly self conscious and slow to start yapping at times..)

Just hop on the bus, Gus (Expand your business potential)

Create joint ventures. Even if your primary business is a brick and mortar one, you can still create a joint venture that will help you save money by sharing the costs for advertising.
(Ginger note: Is he really saying this out loud? I thought I just had to make and sell product? ..geeezz ;) This is the secret to many a successful speaker's larger business venture. Shhhh..don't say i told you. This idea is actually much larger than it is presented here..but you get the idea.)

Just drop off the key, Lee (Provide the key solutions)

Let your customers know you know what their problems are. It’s sad but true that your customers don’t care how good your products or services are. They only want to know two things: do you understand what their problems are; and can you solve them. Give your customers the “key” to their problems, and you’ll have evangelistic customers who come back again and again.
(Ginger note: A conclusion that keynote speaker Garrison Wynn has also come to during his research on what the top 1% do differently. Vernon should call Garrison and collaborate. Great ideas! )

Vernon goes into detail with great ideas such as:

Get testimonials from your satisfied clients. But don’t stop there. What about creating your own television commercial that you can run in your store? (With a video camera and a little ingenuity, you could even create your own infomercial that shows customers how to use or get the most out of your products or services. If you’ve got a Website, put an audio testimonial on there. (And don’t forget to include pictures). Keynote Speaker: 10 Ways to Save and Make More Money in Business Self Health Loops

Here is a direct link to Vernon's site http://www.vernoncresswell.co.za/ . By the way folks, This is a GREAT example of a well designed and branded site! Look at the way his designer blended his love of animals and use of them in his materials (also the outback speaker idea) with a professional image. They managed to pull it off without making him look like "hokey animal speaker dude." Vernon..I hope you paid them well because they did a great job. Also notice how Vernon's picture blends well with his background. He looks honest, approachable and sincere without being boxed in with a square photo and some horrible background. Too bad they couldn't have photoshoped Vernon into riding the elephant..(just kidding..over the top).

This article is definitely aimed at speakers who already have a a substantial career but it should be a good read for anybody interested in public speaking.

Speaker One Sheet: Preliminary Planning

The goal of your one sheet (also known as a a onesheet, onepage, one page, one pager, promotional sheet, etc) is to present a visual representation of you, your topic(s) and what you will deliver to an audience—in a condensed, easy to disseminate format. Your one page is about YOU the speaker and your presentation, not your company or a sales piece on the services your company offers.

A one sheet should:

• Be visually appealing and professional
• Give the reader an impression of what the audience will "feel" when you speak
• Generate interest in you, your topic and what is unique and special about your presentation
• Show value and results
• Provide credibility
• Provide a way to contact you or your bureau for additional information
• Be only one page. (one or two sided)
• Be printed professionally on high quality paper and you need to have an online PDF version. The online version is becoming the most important these days. But some people still request hard copies.

Traditional elements of a one sheet:

• Biography (What qualifies you to speak)
• Topic (s) The title and short description of your presentation(s)
• Contact Information: Yours and a bureau friendly version
• Testimonials: Social proof
• Statement to generate interest to target market (s)
• Brief information on your unique spin and core concept
• Partial list of clients: Provide credibility and recognition

You will need to collect the following documents and information for your designer. Unless you ARE a designer, please have a professional design your one sheet. It would be beneficial if your designer has experience designing promotional materials for speakers and/or entertainers AND if you use the same designer for your all or most of your marketing materials so that you have a unified look and feel (brand).

• Professional quality photo
  300 dpi sent electronically or scanned- It would be best to have some head shots and some of what I can "action" or "natural" shots which are pictures that capture your personality, style or brand. Please have the photographer use a white background.
• Biography
  I recommend having a writer/editor or successful speaker help you with your biography.
• Testimonials/Raves
  If you are just beginning and do not have any testimonials, start speaking for free and request them. Also, You do not have to use the entire testimonial. Often it is best to choose a select portion that highlights a particular point about you.
• Examples of previous or current marketing materials
• List (partial or full) of Clients
  
  

As a designer and coach, here is a list of questions I would provide my clients:

Contact Information
Name Company Phone Fax Cell
Email

Presentation Information (List up to three)
Title
Description
Title
Description
Title
Description

Speaker Information
Name (as it will appear)
Biography (Type or attach)
Contact Number
Contact Fax
Contact Address
Contact Email

Favorite Colors
Colors NOT to use
Appealing themes or images

Circle the concepts below (all that apply) that are part of the image you would like to portray. Add your own if you would like.

Serious corporate identity Fun and exciting Powerful Organization is key Conservative Spiritual Personal Power Innovative Compassionate Strong Technical Feeling oriented WOW Male Speaker Female Speaker Understated Bold and Daring Safe and mainstream In your face Confident Focus on speaker The Future Change Exotic Tranquil Funny Serious and powerful content Subdued Cool

• Do you have a phrase you want to add?
• Describe two different people who would be perfect audience members for your presentation.
  (Age, sex, industry, career, desires, hobbies, prejudices… etc.)
  1.
  2.
• What is your core concept?
• What are your critical beliefs?
• What problem are you solving for people?
• What are you helping them to do?
• Do you have a book?
• Ask three friends/clients who have seen you speak the top three adjectives to describe your presentation. What are they?
• Do you want to target a specific industry?

Please spend some time doing some research online and send me the websites of at least three speaker that you would consider to be your competition. Also, send me at least three speaker web sites that you like and tell me what you like about them. Do the same for three speaker sites you don't like and why.

Platform Skills: Watch Out for Ricky Bobby Hands

I read an article today about using public speaking and seminars as a form of marketing. Ho hum.. I didn’t discover anything particularly new or enlightening here, but I was inspired by a quote about hand gestures.. of all things.

“Sometimes it’s painful to watch these CEOs being interviewed on TV,” says
author of 129 More Seminar Speaking Success Tips David Portney. “If they only
had just a little bit of speaking training, they would be able to shed the aura
of distrust that they give off.”

"What’s a speaker’s biggest flaw? I have 258 tips between two books that address
a lot of flaws, but the one that many people are guilty of is not using their
hands properly. It’s not always what you say, but how you say it, and a person’s
body language does more to harm or help a person’s message than just about
anything.”

I was reminded of a scene from Talladega Nights: Ricky Bobby’s interview after the race. You know the one. If you don’t, see video below.

So this is what you DON'T want to look like. Some people naturally talk with their hands. If you are naturally "hand talky," just make sure not to be too weird or distracting. People are attracted to speakers with a natural way about them. If you feel comfortable with your hands already, your probably just fine.

Toastmasters is an excellent organization for learning basic presentation skills and honing your craft. A professional speaker friend of mine credits Toastmasters for recognizing his talent at 12 years old and encouraging him to consider a career that involved public speaking.

However, Toastmasters is sometimes too stringent on how you should present yourself. If you adapt to all of it, you could end up stifled and unnatural looking. (It is not too hard to spot a person primarily trained in toastmasters.) People hire speakers who they feel are a good fit for their organization. If you come off like a robot, who are you a fit for?, The National Organization for Robots? Toast masters does a fine job, just remember to keep a balance between skill, poise and a natural style that is definably "you" and compliments your personality.

I put in a call to speaker known for their "larger than life" stage presence for a few tips.

• Be yourself, be natural.
• Don't hold your palms towards the audience. It looks like your pushing them away.
• Avoid overly controlled motions.
• Try the confirming finger up in the air but don't point. Pointing at people is even more rude when your up on stage. It is just a bad idea.
• If your having trouble, try keeping your non dominant hand in your pocket. If you are only using one hand, you have cut out half of your problem right there.
• Some people use a light light fist with thumb extended..or show the front of hand.

Suggestions? Leave a comment.