704 April 2016 - Behind the Podium

VOL 7, ISSUE 4 • APRIL 2016

8

DEVELOPING INFORMATION PRODUCTS THAT SELL

TIPS ON WHAT TO DO WHEN THE CHECK IS NOT IN THE MAIL

Page 10

BE PREPARED FOR RETIREMENT

Page 6

Page 12

GOAL-SETTING LIFEHACKS Page 7

PASSPORT ADVICE Page 5

Page 8

THIS MONTH FEATURES Behind the Podium (ISSN 1949-5544) is published 12 times a year as a resource for emerging professional speakers, business leaders, technical gurus, educators, and other subject-matter experts.

Editor Bryan Caplovitz welcomes your input (editor@behindthepodium.com) .

Behind the Podium publishes the opinions of experts and authorities from many fields; however, the use of those opinions is no substitute for accounting, legal, investment, or other professional services. Material may not be reproduced in part or in whole in any form whatsoever without the written permission of SpeakerMatch. SpeakerMatch is the world’s largest source for speaking opportunities.

Behind the Podium is published monthly, by SpeakerMatch, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944. $24/year, $4.95/issue (US funds). Periodicals postage paid at Austin, TX. Behind the Podium is a trademark of Simply Speaking, Inc. Copyright © 2016 by Simply Speaking, Inc. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SpeakerMatch Subscription Department, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944.

Disclosure: This newsletter contains some affiliate links. While we only ever write about products we think deserve to be on the pages of our newsletter, SpeakerMatch may earn a small commission if you use our link and buy the product or service in question. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy at www.speakermatch.com/ disclosure.php.

Subscription information: Direct subscription inquiries, payments and address changes to SpeakerMatch Subscription Department, Behind the Podium, 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 1120, Austin, TX 78759-7944.

To resolve service problems, call (512) 372-8768 or visit our website at www.speakermatch.com. On occasion we make our subscribers’ names available to companies with products or services in which you may be interested. If you do not want to be included in these mailings, please notify us in writing.

Visit behindthepodium.com for advertiser and contributor information.

06 8 Tips On What To Do When The Check Is Not In the Mail Don’t just let it slide. Or wait it out.

Take action now and get paid!

07 Set Yourself Up For Success With Goal-Setting Lifehacks Follow these 3 steps to help keep you on track.

08 Products In Your Pipeline Don’t lose track of your ultimate goal.

10 Developing Information Products That Sell Your bottom-line growth and long-term viability may depend on it.

LIKE TO WRITE? Speakers, if you’re interested in contributing to Behind the Podium, we’ve got a handy editorial calendar online. You’ll find our monthly calendar of topics and article submission guidelines.

LOOK FOR THE EDITORIAL CALENDAR AT BEHINDTHEPODIUM.COM

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE! USE HASHTAG (#BTP) ONLINE AT: Facebook.com/speakermatch @speakermatch SpeakerMatch Group feedback@behindthepodium.com

2 | BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Do you have any advice for a speaker who wants to sell products at the back of the room?

SHARE YOUR WISDOM WITH THE COMMUNITY: FEEDBACK@BEHINDTHEPODIUM.COM

BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR INTENTION TO SELL PRODUCTS FROM STAGE! Meeting planners are notoriously prepared for any challenges.

They are ready for last-minute changes. And they are marvels at handling behind-the-scenes problems so that event attendees are none the wiser. But they do their best to make the meeting run according to plan without any glitches. And they won’t bring back a vendor if the vendor is responsible for giving them a headache.

To a meeting planner, a speaker is just another vendor. Don’t blindside them by pitching from stage without a previous discussion. Or organizing a last-minute back-of-the-room table for your products. Be sure you are clear (ideally in writing) about how you will approach product sales during your speech. It’s often a touchy subject, so be ready to be accommodating.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY ISSUES THAT AROSE FROM BACK-OF-ROOM SALES TO SHARE WITH OTHER SPEAKERS? LET US KNOW!

EDITOR’S NOTE

YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS ENHANCED WHEN YOU ARE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT PRODUCTS Every speech you give can be an opportunity.

Not every speech is an opportunity to sell at the back of the room. Not every speaker wants to sell at the back of the room.

And not every meeting planner is comfortable with back-of-theroom sales. But none of that means that there’s not an opportunity for you as a speaker.

If you haven’t thought about products in your speaking business, it’s time to start! A product catalog extends your brand, extends your reach, and establishes you as an expert.

ongoing revenue stream which continues to put money in your pocket even while you are away from the office on vacation.

In this issue we’ve got some great tips and advice for you to build your product catalog and sell more product. Every speaker can benefit by taking a little time to consider the possibilities.

For more tips and ideas about product Having products allows you to have higher speaking fees than development for speakers, check out our another speaker who doesn’t have products. And, of course, the teleseminar archives at Bryan Caplovitz sales of your products puts more money in your wallet. And speakermatch.com/radio.

Founder, SpeakerMatch perhaps most importantly, products allow you to create an BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016 | 3

LET’S TALK

HEY MEMBERS — WE WANT TO PAY YOU!

We will give you $25 just for letting us know when you get booked!

Sometimes the meeting planner doesn’t let us know if they book a speaker. Help us keep track of your booking, and we’ll give you a $25 account credit! If the meeting planner hasn’t marked your application as “accepted, “ or if you are booked through a Direct Request, let us know!

SpeakerMatch has set aside $2,500 for up to 100 members who let us know about their experience in getting booked through our service. All we ask is that you send us at least 50 words so we can publish your experience in a future edition of Behind the Podium or in other SpeakerMatch marketing materials.

We’ll accept up to 2 submissions from each speaker.

SUBMIT YOUR STORY TO FEEDBACK@BEHINDTHEPODIUM.COM

MEMBER FEEDBACK

Ms. Brown receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from Lutz VA Medical Center

4 | BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016

TRENDING HEALTH

EAT WELL ON THE ROAD

The best foods for memory, problem solving, and brain health Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say these key foods have various brain-boosting benefits: 1.

Olive oil, green tea, and leafy greens. These antioxidant superfoods help fight inflammation, which can damage the brain.

Before inflammation starts, eating them can protect brain function.

2.

Beets, tomatoes, and avocados. Studies show these foods help ensure that your brain receives the blood it needs to stay sharp. That promotes neuron growth in the area of the brain associated with learning and memory. (continued on page 12)

TRAVEL

BACK OFFICE

STATE DEPARTMENT RUSHES TO FILL PASSPORT RENEWALS

OUR FAVORITE‌

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may travel to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands without a passport, since these islands are part of the United States. All other destinations require you to have a U.S. passport or a U.S. Passport Card to travel.

Passports were first required for cruise travel about 10 years ago. At the time, there was a rush by travelers to renew their passports or to get one for the first time.

Because passports are valid for 10 years, many will soon be expiring.

That means there could be a rush and delays if many travelers want to renew their passports at the same time.

Even if you don't anticipate needing a passport soon, it would be wise to beat the crowd and renew your own passport now.

SpeakerMatch has a private label teleseminar service, ideal for speakers, called My Conference Line.

You can host unlimited webinars and conferences, which can be a great way to supplement your income. For a very low monthly fee, you get robust online host controls and many other features perfect for speakers.

It's easy to create an online library or archive of your past calls. In fact, online hosting is automatic, and included in every plan at no additional fee.

We recommend My Conference Line (myconferenceline.com) as an inexpensive option for hosting your own teleseminars.

BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016 | 5

YOUR MONEY

8 TIPS ON WHAT TO DO WHEN THE CHECK IS NOT IN THE MAIL Don’t just let it slide. Or wait it out. Take action now and get paid!

1.

Always ask for payment in full, no matter how large the bill is. You can always negotiate downward from there, if necessary, but you don’t want to “negotiate against yourself” in advance.

2.

3.

months, when the chances of collecting are poor.

7.

If you have accounts that are, say, 9 to 12 months old, consider giving an “amnesty”. Call or write to all such accounts that if they pay within 30 days, they can knock off 30% off the bill, and you’ll consider it paid in full.

70% recovery is better than the odds of collecting without an amnesty, which is about 20%.

Create URGENCY. Let them know the bill must be taken care of now.

8.

I just received your bill and have a question.

Do much more Here’s how to ask for Can I throw it out if I don’t have any money? collecting on the payment. Confirm who phone, and do it you are talking to, state accountant will kill me if you don’t clear sooner. The phone is literally ten times your name and business name, the this up.” It doesn’t hurt to add, “I really more effective than any written dunning amount owed, since when, and that the need your help on this.” message you send, because it’s a two-way bill has to be taken care of in full today. communication. A letter is one-way and You’ll save time and money by Do NOT beat around the bush by talking can be ignored. about the weather or ball scores, do not “biting the bullet” at not later ask if there is a problem, and do not ask than four to five months after Pin down the debtor. Ask for debtor to “send a payment” or to “send exactly how much they will pay providing your product or service. Too something on the account”. and when they can guarantee many businesses wait to turn accounts over to some each payment. Don’t let the debtor get third party for away with a promise to “pay you when LEONARD SKLAR is a speaker and consultant on collection until collection matters. He is the author of The Check is Not their customer pays them”, or “I’ll do the about nine in the Mail. best I can” or any other vague promise.

6.

4.

5.

Blame some third party to get you off the hook when you want to be firm, such as, “My

6 | BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016

Leonard can be reached at lenwriter@aol.com or by phone at (650) 654-9038.

GOAL SETTING

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS WITH GOALSETTING LIFEHACKS Follow these 3 steps to help keep you on track.

D

o you remember how you set your goals when you were little?

give up your afternoon M&M’s if you love them.

Step 2. Seize the start.

“When I grow up, I’m going to So you decide to LOSE 50 POUNDS, but be a nurse!” “A veterinarian!” “An where do you begin? Your first thought astronaut!” “A dinosaur!” might be to stop eating your M&M’s.

Don’t. Remember your core values!

Then you grew up and became event industry professionals (not that there’s Instead, think back to a time when you anything wrong with that). We tend to set lost weight and didn’t hate it. Did you go our goals the same way we set our hopes for walks around the office building? Did and dreams. We plan big—LOSE 50 you take mixed martial arts classes? Did POUNDS! But then someone brings you dress up like a velociraptor and chase cupcakes to the office and we give up. your toddler around the house for an The reason is because traditional goalsetting doesn’t work! We strive so hard to reach for perfection, the smallest setbacks can cause us to stop trying altogether.

But it’s not too late if you just “Dare To Be Different!” Whether personal or professional, reaching your goals can be even easier than resisting those afternoon M&M’s.

Step 1. Discover your direction.

Consult your inner GPS and identify your core values. Write down what you value most in life, your “non-negotiables” or how you will be remembered. Then tie those values to your goals. Your personal core values will drive your professional accomplishments. In other words, don’t

yourself.

As long as you put that sports bra or that velociraptor costume back on, you can still reach your goal. How much time did you spend beating yourself up over NOT exercising? And how much time did you spend celebrating that fact that you ran NINE WHOLE MILES last week?

If you reward yourself for your successes, no matter how small, you’ll crave that reward moving forward.

My husband and I had a goal to become debt free several years ago. No, we didn’t hour? sell all our prized possessions and stop drinking margaritas. We tied our goal to Whatever worked in the past will work again. The important thing to remember is our core value—financial stewardship. We bought a business with the intent to build to get up and do something. Anything. it and sell it within five years. We faced Take action. Once you put on that sports setbacks and challenges, stress and long bra, there’s no going back! hours, and we made sacrifices. But we Step 3. Embrace the experience. remembered our core values and never You ran three miles three times this week, gave up. We sold our business in only four but then you got a cold and then you had years and became debt free. a business trip and then you had to JAN HORTON SPENCE is an international consultant, go to your professional speaker, trainer and one-on-one business coach. Jan has used her vast knowledge in sales, sister’s marketing, and business operations to help numerous birthday clients including Pillsbury, Walmart, and Frito-Lay. party. It’s Find out more about Jan at www.janspence.com. okay. I forgive you. Forgive BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016 | 7

MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME

PRODUCTS IN YOUR PIPELINE Don’t lose track of your ultimate goal.

What if you discovered a key that would unlock potential speaking dates, attract attention to your brand, and potentially help you generate a significant amount of revenue at every speaking date? You already possess it, and that magic key is your product pipeline.

program, and the audience loved it. She also delivered an amazing program.

Even though she didn't have any products developed yet, Jennifer had a coach who sold her 20 of his books at a wholesale price of $5. She would sell them for $20.

Jennifer wore a $10 microphone and recorded her program on her iPhone. She added bumper music to the front and back of the program recording, and uploaded it to her YouTube channel.

Let's look at two hypothetical scenarios: Julie is a brand new speaker who just amazed her audience with a dynamic speech about marketing to women. She delivered this program for 100 business professionals at a "lunch and learn" program in her community.

They paid her a $100 honorarium, and gave her a standing ovation.

Her hard work and preparation paid off and she feels awesome about all of the compliments she received after the program!

She also potentially left hundreds if not thousands of dollars on the table. (Most banks don't accept a round of applause as a deposit).

Julie could have maximized her revenue with products and preparation. Let's look at what she could have done differently with another scenario.

8 | BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016

Jennifer is also a brand new speaker, but she performed appropriate pre-program research and discovered that her audience at this event would consist of 70% female sales professionals, real estate agents, mortgage reps, and businesses owners.

She also called several attendees and asked them about their recent victories and challenges, inquiring about what they would love to gain from their time together at the lunch program.

Jennifer shared a story from one of the attendees she talked with prior to the

At the event, Jennifer offered 2 different packages for sale: a $20 copy of her coach's book, and a $97 package which included the book, a link to the audio recording, and a 3045 minute phone consultation.

The results: 5 people invested in the $97 package. $485 gross - $25 book cost= $460 profit!

9 people invested in the book. $180 gross - $45 book cost = $135 profit!

Also, two of the people who purchased the top package ultimately hired her for a $1,000 coaching package.

Do you think you could profit by incorporating products and services into your presentations?

These numbers are all hypothetical, but they are not fiction! One of my coaching clients turned a "freebie" speaking date into a $4,000 event because of the same advice I gave her in a call we had earlier that day!

In this article, you will discover the importance of pre-program questions, what types of products and services you can create, and how to create product today.

Where do you begin? You get to know your audience.

Having product is good. Having the right product that your audience is hungry for is way better.

Knowing your audience will be the difference between you selling out of your products, and you having to carry all of them home.

 What is the income range of the audience?  What industries do the audience members work in? (1 great idea to a real estate agent could generate huge revenue for them. 1 great idea to a government employee is less likely to do so) Notice how Jennifer utilized those 4 questions in the above story.

As for products, my clients and I have enjoyed success with the following ideas.

Some of these products offer a very quick speed to market turnaround with little cash investment. Others take a significant amount of time and investment.          

Webinar/Group coaching call Phone or in-person consultation Audio recording Video recording Book Workbook Clothing Follow-up events Membership program Selling other people's products

you on a recorded line with a service like MyConferenceLine.com.  Upload your audio as an Unlisted file on YouTube or to your site. You can even add bumper music to it. You could spin your audio to CD and sell that, but most people don't even own a CD player anymore.  Find someone to transcribe your audio. Services like Fiverr and Upwork showcase people who are willing to do this for very little money.  Create some type of coaching/ consulting program that you can offer. You don't need to be a "certified coach" to be an effective coach. Just do it.

These are a few baby steps to get your product offering rolling. We will be covering several additional strategies in future posts. I would also encourage you to blog/write on a regular basis.

My team and I have helped dozens of If you would like a copy of my prespeakers publish their books over the past program questionnaire that helps you few years, and we would love to share our understand your audience, and craft Quick Start Guide with you. Just email us What you can do today to add products appropriate product packages, send an and we'll set up a complimentary call. to your arsenal: email request to my office [see the bio box You have an awesome message inside of at the end of this article] and we will send  Ask your coach, mentor, or a you that people are willing to pay you for. it out to you free of charge. colleague to wholesale a few books If there is anything that I can do to help to you. Your price point should be Here are a few important questions you you on your journey, please let me know! somewhere between $4-7 per book. can ask your meeting planner: You will sell them for $20.  Is this event held at their place of  Record DAVE “THE SHEF” SHEFFIELD is a bestselling author and successful business or offsite? (people are more every speaker. He has helped over 500,000 people through his likely to invest in products offsite) speaking and books. Dave is also an expert at helping program speakers grow their speaking business very quickly. you  What is the gender split of the deliver audience? (females are 5-7x more You can contact his office through his website at or have likely to invest in products) www.theshef.com, or email info@theshef.com. someone interview BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016 | 9

MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE SPEAKING BUSINESS

DEVELOPING INFORMATION PRODUCTS THAT SELL Your bottom-line growth and long-term viability may depend on it.

T

here’s a staggering amount of freely available information these days. So much in fact that you would assume people are becoming less likely to spend money on info-products. Yet incredibly, consumer spending in this area is higher now than ever, and your target markets are looking for trusted resources to present solutionsbased information to them in simple, results-oriented ways. As a branded thought leader and expert information entrepreneur, their resource is you.

webinars, teleseminars, and video training to complement your regular stage offerings. You can also create stand-alone info-products like home study courses, special reports, DVDs, CDs, eBooks, coaching programs and membership sites.

The list goes on and on.

But first you’ll need to shift your mindset about when it’s the right time to start developing your products.

I’m reminded of the time I was discussing product development with a speaker coaching client of mine. She asked, “How am I supposed to develop products when I hardly even feel confident about my presentation yet?” She thought that because she was still an emerging speaker without many clients and booked gigs that it somehow disqualified her from starting the product development process.

dollar speaking business before she embarked on establishing her own branded product line.

Truth is, many emerging speakers are finding it much easier to attain stable and growing business success by becoming an innovative and prolific product developer.

But what does it really take to ignite your creativity and allow your expertise, experience and knowledge to transform into salable products that your market will need and want?

The first and most important shift is purely based in who and what you define yourself to be. You’re a speaker – that won’t change. Despite a shifting business landscape and continuous advances in technology, speaking as a profession will always exist. Society will always value storytelling, and speakers are exceptionally focused storytellers who In her mind, she was still learning how to facilitate personal and collective properly market her services, polish her transformation. But you need to start skills and perfect her presentation, so she thinking of yourself as a dynamic, multicouldn’t possibly be ready to expand the faceted expert authority source who can scope of her thought leadership into other produce and sell valuable solutions in paid products and services. My client You should strive to maintain your various formats. speaking work as a top income generating eventually broadened her mindset to accept a bigger vision for her creative Start asking yourself how you can activity while introducing additional earning potential — by accepting that she repurpose, repackage, and reformulate products and services. You can start giving didn’t have to wait until she had a million- your message with the following steps. workshops, seminars, boot camps, But please don’t confuse what I’m saying here. I’m not suggesting you abandon giving live presentations as the primary income source of your speaking business.

You’re a speaker, and delivering your platform message is what you most enjoy and (presumably) do best. Rather, I’m advising that you start forging multiple streams of income by developing your own products, even if you haven’t yet reached your ultimate goals in booking your stage engagements and building your client base.

10 | BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016

Five essential steps to developing information products:

1

Clearly identify your target market’s problems, issues, and challenges.

For example, you discover that real estate agents want more clients.

2

Get clear on how you can help your target market solve their problems.

4

Decide how you can specifically help your target markets solve their needs.

You decide exactly how to teach the strategies that will help real estate agents get more clients.

5

Create products to help your target market resolve their challenges and address their needs in specific ways.

As you begin creating new products, you’ll need to choose a delivery system. Will your products be available at your live engagements through back of the room sales, sold on your website, or both? Try to create products that will be evergreen (retain their relevance over a long period of time), and if possible, work on developing products and services with recurring income streams.

Find more content like this at: You decide to teach real estate agents how You develop products that teach real http://academy.speakermatch.com to get more clients by implementing new estate agents how marketing strategies. to get more RICHARD ANDREWS is the Director of Education at clients in SpeakerMatch Academy. He has a diverse writing, Find out the key information that will concrete training and consulting background in various help your target market solve their ways, e.g. business settings, including Internet marketing, main problems. how to ePublishing, branding and online community building. make more Richard has worked with leading speakers and experts, You learn the best marketing strategies including Jack Canfield, Robert Kiyosaki, Les Brown, and connections, that help real estate agents get more others.

Richard holds a Master's degree in education, and is a certified improve online clients.

PR specialist.

Contact him anytime at richard@speakermatch.com. marketing, etc.

3

This Month’s Assignment

1 2 3

Determine how you can repurpose, repackage and reformulate your message with new products and services.

Analyze your stage presentation, branded message and expert knowledge and decide how you can start establishing new income streams in your speaking business.

Start implementing the five essential steps to developing products.

Discover what you can offer your target markets by evaluating their problems, issues and challenges and better understanding how your expertise can provide new and innovative solutions.

Position yourself more effectively as a solutions-based expert and authority information source.

By starting to respond more directly to the needs and wants of your markets with new products and services, you’ll begin to expand what overarching purposes you serve as a dynamic thought leader and expert information entrepreneur.

BEHIND THE PODIUM APRIL 2016 | 11

TIMELY PUBLICATION / PLEASE RUSH

4807 Spicewood Springs Road Suite 1120 Austin, TX 78759-8444 www.speakermatch.com

Postmaster: Publication — Periodicals Mail Moving? Send us this mailing label and your new address. Gift Subscriptions?

Send the recipient’s name and address along with your check or call (866) 372-8768.

One year, 12 issues, $24.00.

SpeakerMatch is the world’s largest resource for speaking opportunities.

HERE ARE 5 WAYS TO CATCH UP ON RETIREMENT SAVINGS Reduce your stress level in your senior years by planning ahead.

The best way to save for your retirement is to start investing early and let compound interest work for you. But what if you started late or had financial problems at middle age that ate into your nest egg?

If you have a nest egg at all, you're better off than more than a third of Americans who haven't saved a penny for retirement. That includes a quarter of those aged 50 to 64.

When you're behind on your savings, these tips can help you catch up:

1. First, focus on debt. Having little or no directly out of your paycheck, which long-term debt can help keep monthly ensures that the money is saved. expenses low. Pay off the house if you can 4. Work longer. Many people do. A and keep your cars longer. survey from Merrill Lynch found that 80 2. Reduce advisory fees. Choose low-cost percent of those employed in their golden index funds over high-fee annuities or years work because they want to, not actively managed funds. A Morningstar because they have to. study estimates that the expense ratio across all mutual funds was about $64 per 5. Don't fall for risky bets. Never bet on aggressive investments or put all your year on every $10,000. eggs in one basket because you think 3. Max out tax-deferred accounts. Take you've found a sure thing, says Jeff Reeves full advantage of IRAs and 401(k) plans, writing in USA Today. Reeves is the author says an advisor at Bankrate.com. And pay of The Frugal Investor's Guide to Finding yourself first by having money taken Great Stocks.

EAT WELL ON THE ROAD (continued from page 5) 3.

Nuts (especially walnuts). They work deep in the brain to fight amyloid plaques. When amyloid accumulates beyond normal levels, its plaques kill neurons while creating inflammation, which kills even more neurons.

4.

Fish, blueberries, grapes, coffee and dark chocolate. These powerhouses increase the level of brain-delivered neurotrophic factor, (BDNF), a protein that supports the growth of new neurons.

The scientists quoted in the AARP Bulletin say BDNF is like Miracle-Gro for the brain. These foods stimulate the release of BDNF to prompt the brain to make more neurons.