Free Isn’t Valued

The last time I needed a electrician, he shyed away when I explained “I don’t have any money, but this job would give you wonderful exposure”. If my accountant won’t work without cost, why is it that many people rely on motivational speakers to give away what they do?

When you are a new speaker, it’s wise to do all of the no charge opportunities that come your way. At the beginning of your career you will find yourself presenting at each and every Lions Club, PTA, and Elks Lodge that will let you. The reality is, inexperienced speakers need experience in front of live audiences. When you’re getting started in the business, you will excitedly seize these opportunities. You might not get cash money for the no fee assignments you take in the beginning, but you will accrue worthwhile skills that people will pay handsomely for eventually. Handle these opportunities as real jobs. See each free event as a $50,000 show. By applying the effort for these speeches you are building your skill and worth.

The problem of no cost speaking assignments comes when you have paid your dues, you’re actually sought after, and an event coordinator wants to get your hard earned experience at no charge. Oh boy, the phone can practically ring off the hook with these free job opportunitites.

I’m getting pretty good at recognizing free opportunities inside the initial 30 seconds of answering the phone. A handful of the sure tip offs are the meeting planner’s long-winded and ecstatic description of the event, the heart tugging details for the cause, and the anticipated pitch for  how valuable the audience will be for possible spin off. The conversation gets oddly hushed when visiting the issue of money.

When I think back over my experience as a motivational speaker, and go over the nightmare situations – nearly all of them occurred during a no fee opportunity that was supposed to give me “great exposure”. Stuff that people get without working for are hardly ever regarded with the same regard.

Before you assume that I am on a unhealthy rant, let me state that there are free events that you will want to take. By all means take assignments for causes for which you have an interest. Also, speaking from self-interest, there are some groups you should want to get in front of – even if it means speaking free of charge. And I have had free gigs where the audience, venue, and opportunity were awesome. I recently did a no charge presentation for a large audience that placed me in front of an audience of people who are likely purchasers in a city where I’d like to get more jobs, gave me the chance to show off my ability for some CEO’s of huge companies that typically use speakers, and the meeting organizers  bent over backwards to make the engagement a success for me. Nevertheless, before you accept a free of charge speaking engagement there are a number of ways to structure the project to make it work for you as well:

* Look beyond the event planner’s boasting and actually analyze whether or not the audience you will speak for will be an advantage to you. Would you consider this audience your target market, and are you certain to get full fee jobs as a result of giving this address? Avoid getting caught up in the scenario the meeting coordinator will spin. As well, don’t let them  wear you down. You’ll find some meeting planners who will basically stalk you to take their free job. Think about keeping a lawyer on retainer to get restraining orders for this kind of meeting organizer.

*Thoroughly question the meeting planner that this will be a great opportunity for you to showcase yourself and that the location and setting are appropriate. Are they going to stick you in a chaotic convention hall? Will the audience be imbibing before you speak? Are you being expected to speak in a poorly setup auditorium with no speaker system?

*Get on paper how the event planner will help you use the event to market your business. Work out how they will advertise the event in the media and how they will play up your involvement. Obtain a promise for a letter of recommendation and maybe even have the event planner help you market to other chapters of their association. Don’t neglect (and follow up) to get duplicates of any videos or pictures taken at the event.

*Are you supposed to pony up for your own travel expenses and accommodations?

Prepare yourself – you will receive calls asking that you work for free. You may want to take some of the jobs. Just do your due dilegance and make certain that you will benefit from taking the gig?

Getting The Benefit Of Motivational Speakers

More and more managers and senior teaching staff have started to realise the major benefits that motivational speakers can bring to their school or workplace. Yet still many haven’t tried one and have been unable to witness to changes they can bring about and the improvements they can make. Motivated people, whether in school, college or the workplace are happier, more productive and get along easier. Prices aren’t cheap: consumers are happy to pay quite a premium for the services of someone with the sought-after ability to inspire and motivate others using positivity. But as long as the motivational speaker is good the benefits are obvious for everyone to see.

In the workplace, individual team members can easily come to feel small and unnoticed, as though the work they do is unvalued and wasted. It’s forgivable that feeling this way causes employees to become complacent, not try so hard and to produce results that are below what they are capable of. Similarly, resentment and a lack of communication often creep into the team. Thankfully, these problems are not a reflection on the team’s capabilities, rather their present situation and they can be easily solved. Motivational speakers do not preach but rather understand the value of each team member and work to give employees back the autonomy to understand the importance of their contribution without removing the feeling of the importance of the team itself.

Similarly, motivational speakers in the business arena are often trained to identify certain traits in people such as leadership skills. Sometimes employees with these traits do not even realise they have them so motivational speakers identify personal qualities and work to show employees how to take advantage of their personalities to produce the best results for a happier work place.

Educational establishments tend to use motivational speakers as well. Usually they are a different type of speaker than the ones who speak at businesses. They tend to focus more on self-motivation. A lot of teenagers and young people report feeling a lack of control over their own lives. Motivational speakers will draw upon inspiring personal experience to improve self-esteem amongst their audience to help them see that they do indeed have control over their future success. Sometimes motivational speakers in school will be their simply to inspire improved self confidence, others will be there to warn against drug use.

Think Your Motivational Speeches Motivate? Think Again.

I received some surprising news. A lot of motivational speakers aren’t as good as they think they are. I’m sorry to disappoint you. But you are most likely nodding in agreement because you have been on the receiving end of one too many monotonous speeches. I’ve listened to quite a few motivational speakers tell of how good they are. After I see them perform, I ponder what they regard ‘good’. We are not fair judges of our own ability. Nor are our friends and family. I don’t want to rain on your parade, but you likewise can’t count on the ten percent of the crowd who just adore everyone – you know the ones – they don’t have the guts to let you know that your speech was as motivating as a stick in the eye. Applause isn’t always an indicator of success. Even a standing ovation isn’t a guaranteed sign of success. We’ve all been guilted into a standing ovation by a lone annoying zealot. I recognize that self examination is a hard business, but if you would like to be a motivational speaker you have evaluate whether you genuinely motivate. OR NOT. Perhaps just as critical – do you provide an ROI for the people who choose you?
If you are purely a trainer, you can check out now. I am speaking to motivational speakers who have promised a different experience. Trainers, on the other hand, are paid to supply information. A powerful performance is needed, but not as critical for trainers. The motivational keynote speaker is paid to come deliver an unforgettable performance with information woven into it. Motivational keynote speakers are judged principally on performance.

Ok, we’re back to the question “how do you discover if you are motivating your audience?” Are they fighting through a crowd after your speech to get your card? Do you hear “we’d love to have you at our next conference” from audience members after your presentation. If the meeting planner is glowing, hugging your neck, and declaring you made them look great. If they ask you back again or tell others about you. You can consider all of these things positive indications that you came through on your promises.

In comedy school we learned something called the 80/10/10 rule: Ten percent will invariably love you, ten will always dislike you, and eighty percent will reserve judgment. It’s that eighty percent you are interested in. Ask yourself, “have you connected with that 80%?” No speaker ever connects with 100% of the audience 100% of the time.

Make certain you understand how you would like them feel after your presentation. What you would like them to think. Are you giving them a way of responding to your presentation? Evaluations? Surveys? Start writing their comments down when you get back to the plane. Sit up and take notice of evaluations.

Keep in mind that excited accolades after a presentation don’t always translate into long term learning. Having them tell you that you know your stuff doesn’t always mean they liked the way you delivered it. Receiving high fives after a breakout session doesn’t automatically mean you’re cut out to be a keynoter.  What you don’t want to hear from a client: Well, how do you think you did?  If your customer smiles politely and avoids eye contact, you’ve got a problem.

What are you supposed to do when your speech falls short? Reserve a card board box under the highway. Say you’re sorry. Give the client their dough back. Determine if the grievances are legitimate, and learn from the experience.

When things seem difficult and your evaluations tank, give yourself a boost by going through past customer letters and testimonials. They’ll bring back reminders of the speeches you nailed. If you don’t have any, well, maybe it’s time to take an honest look at yourself. Don’t be discouraged. Nobody gets it perfect right out of the box. Realistically, most of us get a rough start and hard knocks. It’s a process. Now get back to work.

Why Should You Hire A Motivational Speaker?

Speakers from a range of backgrounds could be counted under the name ‘motivational speaker.’ The thing they all have in common is their goal: to motivate and inspire the audience. Of course, with each different audience come different goals and so it follows that not all speakers will be suitable for all situations. It’s not unusual for a motivational speaker to have a business background. Numerous others have a military background. Many others have impressive achievements in sport or exploration under their belt. What this means is that there is a motivational speaker for any audience: for business, education or sport.

In the world of business, morale is naturally very low following the recent recession. Sadly, such negativity can spread away from business into the wider society and affect society as a whole. This ultimately causes ongoing cycles of negativity to dominate. A motivational speaker with a strong grounding in business, people management, or even the military can help improve morale in the workplace. Once a united team has been built then success will follow.

It is not unusual for a motivational speaker to be asked to speak in educational establishments, particularly around exam time. It is often said that young people can become disaffected with education, yet a motivational speaker can help them to see that they are in full control of their own destiny. This ownership of one’s future allows a newfound feeling of control and increases motivation.

Obviously, a motivational speaker who works with young people will be very different from the sort of speaker who works in the world of business. Younger audiences are more likely to hold celebrities or sports stars as role models. On the contrary, those people who work in business would be more interested in the words of a respected entrepreneur.
So long as an experienced, talented speaker is hired, the investment of the motivational speaker’s fee will always pay off. The very best speakers have learned from experience that memorable speeches have a longer lasting effect. It’s certainly true that the long term benefits to hiring a motivational speaker are truly self-evident.