Making the most from a paid appearance
With live events returning we are seeing athletes, authors and speakers getting approached with paid appearance opportunities.
Do you now where a major portion of future business comes from? It comes from people who have seen you speak, work, teach or have interacted with you at an event.
Your success depends largely on how well you create opportunities while at a paid appearance.
Before the Event
Text the client/host the night before to let them know that you have arrived and to confirm when/where you need to be.
Ask to review the introductory remarks they have for you. Often they have wrong information. You’ve spent a lot of time creating your brand and the way you are introduced is important. Make sure you manage it.
During the Event
There is no time that the audience will feel more connected and emotionally engaged than when they are hearing you speak. If they don't reach out at the emotional moment, then every minute after the speech decreases the odds that you will ever hear from them. So, you must find a way to collect their contact info.
What you can offer in exchange for audience contact info:
Video - you can offer to send them a summary or supplementary video
A follow up discussion guide
The slides or high points of your presentation
Additional practical tips to help them
A chapter from your booK
How you offer it:
Email - Tell them to email you. They do not need to include anything in the body. From here you can reply or even setup an auto reply to give them what you’ve promised.
Website- You can offer a direct and simple URL where they can access something for use during your speech, but they have to give their email before you give them access or download.
Collect cards: This means you should aim to be available for a short period of time after the event (depending on the situation). The key is to make the barrier low.
Set up a meet and greet outside the room of the speech or event
Stand in the back by the doors where everyone leaves.
Say ''trade cards" rather than "give me your card". This plays into the laws of reciprocity and increases the odds of them giving you their info. You want to be in control of the follow up (or be able to send to your team to follow up for you).
Handouts: Having a high quality PDF handout that the audience can use during your presentation is an excellent way to keep your name and info in their mind after the speech.
Slides: Having slides to accompany your speech is a must and highly encouraged.
Put on your opening slide how they can reference you on social media (twitter handle, event hashtag).
On your closing slide, make sure you provide a 'what's next' call to action. Include contact info and whatever you want them to do. "Go to ... for more research," "Email.. .for info on speaking," etc.
