By Pam Terry
Speaking to groups is a great way to attract new clients. It’s especially important to speak to groups if you are a coach, consultant, accountant, lawyer, or anyone who provides their expertise to help people. It helps to establish your credibility and demonstrates your expertise which engenders trust; and trust is a crucial element for getting new business. That is why getting new clients from speaking engagements is a natural next step. After all, sharing useful, valuable information builds trust; but providing valuable information is only part of the equation. How do you actually get new clients from speaking engagements?
All you have to do is let people know how to continue to receive value from you. You can do that by making an offer, but it needs to be an easy choice. Here are some simple offers you can make that will help people to continue to have a business relationship with you which, ultimately, can lead to new clients:
- Your Mailing List – This is one of the easiest ways for people to continue to receive value from you. Once you provide your informative presentation, it’s a sure thing that people will want to be on your mailing list. (Be sure to follow up with an email newsletter that provides more valuable info.) You’ll need to have some sort of sign-up form or have people provide their business cards.
- Your Next Workshop/Webinar/Tele-Class – Inviting your audience to your next class can be a perfect offer after you have won them over with your presentation. Make it easy for them to sign up. The rule of thumb for a successful offer is the shorter your presentation, the less expensive the offer.
- A complimentary strategy session – This one is my new favorite. Offering a complimentary strategy session gives people an opportunity to connect with you one-on-one and for you to learn what their most pressing need is. You’ll have a chance to help them more and at the end of the session you can offer one of your services that best fits their needs. You’ll need to give people a way to access your calendar and/or ask for their contact info so you can set up a time. If you are really organized, you can provide a list of times that are available for people to choose from.
Keep in mind that it’s best to only make one offer. “A confused mind never buys” so focus on one offer to keep things simple and you’ll be more successful.
Your handout can be as simple as a form or as elaborate as a four-color postcard. The main thing is to have something for your audience to complete and return to you. The best way to do that is to use your handout as an entry to a drawing for a simple prize.
Your prize could be one of your products, free admission to your next class, or a gift card. People love to win things and if you’ve done a good job with your presentation, your own product or service will make a great prize. The extra benefit of having your product or service as the prize is that you have the opportunity to describe it. When you describe it, be sure to say what it will do for them because that’s the only thing that matters.
The combination of your presentation and your offer is all about providing value. You must provide information that truly helps people in some way. You want to really let your expertise shine through.
Pam Terry is a speaker, coach, and trainer. For more articles, please visit www.pamterry.com/blog.html. You can reach Pam at 832-276-4153 or [email protected].
