What follows are excerpts form Mike Moore's popular manual Public Speaking for Profit and Pleasure. Every month I receive numerous emails from people all over North America asking how I got into the speaking business and how they can too. To respond to these many inquiries I wrote Public Speaking for Profit and Pleasure. Here are ten timely tips, from my manual, to get you started on the path to profitable speaking.
1. You know that you might have what it takes to become a speaker if you feel compelled to speak. The fact that you were drawn to this article and clicked The Path to Profitable Speaking indicates a definite interest and a possible compulsion. If you feel compelled to speak you can easily learn how. You can accomplish whatever you put your mind to.
2. Good speakers enjoy what they do and the audience senses their enjoyment and responds positively. Enthusiasm is essential in an effective speaker.
3. If you want to become a successful, well paid speaker you must become well known. Promotion and publicity are vital to your success.
4. Leave your promotional footprints wherever you go so people find you easily.
5. After each speech ask those who hired you for a written testimonial. Use these testimonials, or parts of them, in your advertising and publicity. I have never had people refuse to provide a testimonial for me. Sometimes I have had to remind them, but no one has ever refused.
6.Access free publicity whenever possible. Write and submit press releases frequently. Writers and editors are always looking for new story material and your press release could result in an interview and a story being written about you, your work and/or your publications.
7. Some new speakers say that it is difficult to establish a reputation as a speaker when many businesses are reluctant to hire unknowns to in-service their employees. I solved this problem by offering to speak free of charge ...with certain conditions attached of course.
8. To get speaking engagements you must present yourself to people looking for speakers. Every community has an abundance of organizations, associations and service groups in need of speakers for their conferences, banquets and in-service sessions. Make yourself known to them.
9.Write and record material related to the topics you speak on and offer these products for sale as back of the room items after every speech. Sales of these back of the room items frequently exceed the speaking fee you receive. Publish on demand using your computer and printer. Only have your products produced professionally when you see that they are selling well.
10. Promote yourself and your products within each speech, but in just the right dosage. Too much self promotion and you can turn your audience against you. Too little and they might ignore your products altogether.
