Ten Questions to Ask
Before You Decide to
Speak
Professionally
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
pg. 1
TEN QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU DECIDE
TO SPEAK PROFESSIONALLY
By Vickie K. Sullivan, President, Sullivan Speaker Services Inc.
Many of us in the thought leadership space know the power of public
speaking. We give speeches to promote our books, our brand and our
business. So it seems logical to make speaking fees a bigger part of our
revenue streams, right?
Not so fast.
Professional speaking looks glamorous and it is – for the hour or so
that you're in the spotlight. What you have to do before and after those
magical times in front of the audience might be a rude awakening. Like
show business, professional speaking is a volatile industry that chews
up and spits out talented experts on a regular basis.
So you really want to be a professional speaker? Here are ten questions
to ask yourself before entering into the fray.
{1} Am I willing to sell more than speak?
In this crowded marketplace, you have to go out and GET the speaking engagements… and between celebrities and free experts, that’s easier said than
done. Be ready to spend more time getting the invitations than you spend
getting the applause.
Selling to get speeches is not like coaching and consulting, where the need is
continuous. Events are time sensitive – contact the buyers too early and you’ll
get ignored. Contact them too late and you have to wait for next year.
And keep in mind, if your speaking fee is less than $5,000, ongoing marketing
costs can easily outstrip your fee.
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
pg. 2
Be ready to spend
more time getting the
invitations than you
spend getting the
applause.
{2} Can I have/I run a transactional business?
Many thought leaders have their own business, usually a B2B in professional
services. The big difference between services such as consulting and coaching and speaking is leverage. The former has fewer buyers and bigger price
tags. The latter has many buyers, lower price. These models require a very
different sales machine.
And if the answer is no, you could learn about critical concepts such as “cash
flow” the hard way. The boring stuff – like financial statements, profit and
loss reports, take on new importance. Many speaking businesses experience
peaks and valleys, so don’t count on constant revenue. Only the savvy survive.
{3} Am I ready to invest at least $50,000 up
front?
Many thought leaders believe that all you have to do is slap up a WordPress
site with a video and you’re good to go. Yes, technology has lowered the price
of marketing tools, such as demo videos and speaker brochures. But you still
have to pay to get these tools done right.
The bootstrapping days
The bootstrapping days in the speaking profession
are over. Successful speakers know that it takes
money to make money, just like in any other business.
In addition to a business’s usual start-up expenses, be
prepared to spend money up front for the tools you’ll
need for marketing: positioning and strategy, brochures, demonstration video, websites, etc. Everything
adds up – in a hurry.
in the speaking
profession are over.
Successful speakers
know that it takes
money to make money.
KEY STRATEGY: Want to look before you leap? Find out what it will take
to launch your speaking venture before spending money on marketing
tools. Check out Vickie’s market assessment and contact Vicky Likens at
[email protected] for more information.
{4} Do I work well alone?
Like writing, speaking can be an isolating career. Very few speakers have
large offices, and even fewer have water coolers. And your spouse can only
listen to those “on the road” stories for so long.
Good news: a community is only a click away thanks to LinkedIn. And…
there’s nothing like the personal touch. That’s why I call the National Speakers
Association (NSA) the best place for isolated extroverts.
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
pg. 3
{5} How will heavy travel affect my personal
life?
When your speaking business takes off, it’s easy to let travel take over your
schedule and, therefore, your personal life. Unless your spouse wants to be a
single parent, make sure your speaking schedule doesn’t interfere with your
marriage, your parenting responsibilities, and your social life.
{6} Am I branded for buyers who don't know
me?
Many experts have a great group of fans. These clients make selling easy
because with them, we don’t have to communicate our value. All we have to
do is upsell and cross promote.
Getting repeat speaking invites is harder than in the past. Buyers in the association conventions will move on to another great keynote speaker next year.
While the corporate segment has more opportunities with different divisions,
you still have to compete for buyers with whom you don’t have an inside track.
Speaking takes a different kind of brand effort because you won’t have the
same kind of long-term relationships as in consulting or training. Your brand
has to compete with a wider variety of brands.
{7} How much pro bono work am I willing to
give?
Thanks to the content marketing trend, buyers expect to experience you at no
risk. Many experts do lots of things to promote their speaking business, including free speeches, free articles, free…anything. Yes, you have to give away
many of your secrets.
Part of your marketing mix involves doing pro bono work to get your program
visible and talked about. Unless you are a well-known celebrity, be prepared to
give before you get.
{8} Can my current network get me enough
speaking opportunities?
Selecting speakers is a risky decision so many buyers play it safe by sticking
with pros they already know. If your colleagues have seen you speak and like
what you do, it’s easy to ask if they will refer you to buyers when appropriate. The key question: are these referrals enough to jumpstart your speaking
business?
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
pg. 4
Unless you are a
well-known
celebrity, be
prepared to give
before you get.
Many thought leaders believe that referrals alone will do the trick. The reality:
you get a running start, but referrals are not enough to sustain your speaking
business for more than six months. You still have to sell to buyers who have
many options.
Savvy speakers will not sit back and depend on these referrals. They will take
full advantage of the jumpstart but know it won’t last forever. You have to know
how to build a marketing machine that generates a steady stream of leads.
{9} Am I willing to invest in professional
development?
Remember that old saying, “Lawyers who represent themselves have fools
for clients”? The same concept applies to experts who consult and coach
themselves. The problem: we don’t know what we don’t know. That’s how blind
spots are born.
The reality:
you get a
running start,
but referrals
are not
enough to
sustain your
speaking
business for
more than six
months.
The best speakers know that relevancy is a moving target. They must stay
ahead of the competition on their style, their stories and most important, their
brand. And they don’t even try to do it alone. Be ready to pay for expert help –
acting classes, performance coaching, differentiation – on an ongoing basis.
Remember, you get what you pay for.
{10} The most important question of all: Am I
really that good?
Buyers who hire professional speakers have very high expectations. (In fact,
the higher the price tag, the higher the bar.) They expect a home run every
time at bat.
Stellar presentation skills are a given. They expect professional speakers to
have an effortless presence, funny stories and provocative messages that
don’t come from best-selling books.
Stellar presentation
Being a great speaker is not enough. Buyers now expect two more things: an
experience and specific outcomes. Both of these are subjective. Don’t assume
that you have the same definition.
speakers to have an
skills are a given. They
expect professional
that don’t come from
best-selling books.
Bottom line: The professional speaking business is volatile, risky, and
oh so much fun. So fasten your seat belt and get ready for a ride.
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
funny stories and
provocative messages
If you don’t cut it, the market will let you know in a hurry. (But not
before you’ve spent all that money on videos, websites, etc.)
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
effortless presence,
pg. 5
VICKIE SULLIVAN
President, Sullivan Speaker Services Inc.
Vickie Sullivan is internationally recognized as the top market strategist for experts. Specializing in branding for highfee markets, she has launched thousands of thought leaders since 1987. Ms. Sullivan is a popular speaker throughout
the U.S. and Canada on why buyers buy in lucrative markets
and strategies that position experts for those opportunities.
Her market intelligence updates are distributed to experts in
the U.S. as well as 17 other countries.
Ms. Sullivan has served twice on the editorial board for Professional Speaker
Magazine, and currently serves as contributing editor for RainToday.com, a
prominent community of 120,000 service professionals. Her articles have been
published in other publications such as Presentations and USA Today magazines and the Handbook of Business Strategy. Ms. Sullivan has also been
quoted in mainstream media such as Fortune.com, The New York Times, and
Investor’s Business Daily. Her work and views have appeared in books such
as Bright-Sided: How Positive Thinking is Undermining America by Barbara
Ehrenreich, Secrets of Six-Figure Women by Barbara Stanney, and Getting
Started in Consulting by Alan Weiss.
Vickie Sullivan
Sullivan Speaker Services, Inc.
Market Strategy for Thought Leaders
9920 S Rural Road
#108 PMB 103
Tempe, AZ 85284-4100
480-961-4318 main
480-961-7382 fax
Ms. Sullivan’s groundbreaking work has earned her an appointment on
the Women’s Leadership Board for the Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard. As a former member of the mentoring committee, she has
given three presentations to the student body there on personal branding
and prominence. She also serves on the international advisory board for
SpeakerFile.com, the fastest growing network of corporate and professional
speakers.
The first in her family to graduate from college, Ms. Sullivan earned her
bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Public Relations emphasis at the University
of Oklahoma. She lives in Tempe, AZ with her husband Larry, her favorite geek.
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
pg. 6
OTHER
RESOURCES
All of these products
are available for
purchase through
Vickie’s online store.
Visit
www.vickiesullivan.
com/store today!
Vickie Sullivan's Speaker Success
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common mistakes and pricey pitfalls
you can avoid in starting your speaking career. The CDs include Get Those
Bookings: Marketing Strategies for
Professional Speakers, Speaking in
the Strike Zone: How to Get in Front of
a Buying Audience, and Speak to Sell:
Using Public Speaking as a Marketing
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Your Position Of Power: Packaging
Your Expertise For High-Fee
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Ready to make yourself P.O.P. in the
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Talking To Strangers: Effective
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Get Those Bookings: Marketing
Strategies For Professional
Speakers
In this CD, you’ll find out what to know
before you market yourself, how
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decide which speakers get hired.
Speaking In The Strike Zone:
How To Get In Front Of A Buying
Audience
This fast-paced CD features Vickie
giving the very latest on market
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your format for the highest return.
Speak To Sell: Using Public
Speaking As A Marketing Tool
Specifically targeted to those who
want to give presentations to sell products, procure clients or promote their
ideas, this CD offers a tested, systematic approach to create captivating
topics that sell.
Ten Questions To Ask Before You Decide To Speak Professionally
www.vickiesullivan.com | [email protected] | (480) 961-4318
©Sullivan Speaker Services Inc. All rights reserved.
pg. 7