| Profit
From the Best Marketing Wisdom
by Burt Dubin
"90% of success is showing
up."
 Those
words, attributed to Woody Allen, pack a lot of speaking success
savvy. I showed up last week when Stan Rapp and Tom Collins,
who write on marketing, give a presentation.
All eyes and ears, I scanned their street smarts. Satisfied,
I compared their marketing wisdom with my front-line findings
as a professional speaker and mentor to other professional
speakers. I captured some correlations between my work and
theirs. I put what I confirmed into five categories. Here
they are:
1. Love your audience
Nothing beats this. Love them, care about them, and empathize
with them -- all in addition to sharing your mastery of
your topic or issue. Help your audience feel better. Give
them hope.
People today, regardless of their station in life, are
inundated with negativity from special interests, from society's
underbelly, from wild-eyed radicals with nothing to lose,
from downsizings and mergers, from inhumane unprincipled
acts in defiance of decency – and callous disregard for
valid interests.
Through your understanding, your presence and your positive
ideas, you have a chance to affect the attitudes and self-sense
of all in your audiences.
This, in turn, impacts productivity, sales and profits.
That's one way you make a difference as a professional speaker
– the difference your clients yearn for.
2. Deliver extra value
Sweeten the deal with unexpected extras. Go the extra mile
every which way. Do more than is expected, more than is
required. Do more than any professional speaker in
their right mind would do!
Dazzle decision-makers with surprising extras. Make yourself
absolutely unforgettable. Here's how you do this: Pay resolute
attention to every possible detail. Amaze your audience
with extra research, extra handouts, extra participation,
extra customizing.
3. Build long-term relationships
Let your first program with each client signal the start
of an enduring connection. From the first contact, enter
their world.
See the world through their eyes. Guide them to make more
of themselves, to do more for their customers, their peers
and their employees. Make yourself invaluable by the depth
and scope of your insights. Touch their hearts and minds
and lives.
4. Reinvent yourself continually
Leverage your assets and your skills. Keep pushing the
envelope. Whatever you do, do it better tomorrow. Practice
everlasting enhancement of what you deliver. Here's a role
model for you:
I met Bob Pike in 1984. Then he was a one-man business.
He was already the undisputed authority, the #1 person at
training the trainer. He offered his one program in the
USA only.
Every year since then I've watched Bob persistently leverage
his assets and skills. He continues to reinvent himself.
Within 13 years, he had a staff of juniors, a newsletter,
a product catalog -- and an array of different programs
presented worldwide.
How about you? How old are you to be in 13 years? Start
reinventing yourself now. In 13 years I may write about
you! Make 13 (or any other number you choose) your lucky
number.
5. Rapp & Collins 3 Commandments
I. Do more than enough.
II. Make a passionate commitment to your clients.
III. Find unique solutions.
This theme is repeated throughout their book:
"Have a passion for caring and daring."
Here's a set of 7 actions. Take these actions starting
now. Make your career – and your speaking profits – soar!
1. Love your audience.
2. Deliver extra value.
3. Build long-term relationships.
4. Reinvent yourself continually.
5. Do more, far more, than enough.
6. Make an all-out, full-bore commitment to your clients.
7. Have a passion for caring and daring.
Beyond Maximarketing by Rapp and Collins is
published by McGraw Hill, NY. ISBN 0-070051343-0.
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