Do you agree that right now people have more problems they need solved?
I’m so tired of people talking about the economy tanking! Why aren’t more people talking about how they will take better care of themselves and their families?
“We don’t know what we’re going to do!” Well, stop whining and decide to figure it out! Look for answers. If you’re spending time commiserating about it, you’ve lost time finding the solution.
Recently I invested in a T. Harv Eker business seminar. During one of his sessions, he said that there are two economies, “the economy” and “your economy.” It is SO true! Most people in the public speaking business have suffered a recent downturn in business. I didn’t. Mine went up! …by a healthy percentage, too!
Did “the economy” affect my business? You betcha! One of my streams of income went down, no doubt about it. Instead of whining about it, I invested all year on marketing and giving people what they wanted. As a result, my biggest stream of income jumped up.
Now, more now than ever, people are re-discovering that there is no such thing as job security. Due to a new business owner, someone very close to me, in a high level job, was shown the door after 20 years of service. See, it’s the owners who get to decide. Business owners choose the direction and the people who are going to take them there. Two really great things about a small business is 1) it can be done part-time, and 2) there are so many tax write offs!
Why not BE the business owner? Have you ever thought of having a public speaking business?
What are you waiting for? Life is short. There’s no building you have to buy, no space you have to rent, and no employees you have to hire. The truth is, the only barrier to getting started is having an effective business plan. It’s easier and less expensive to start a business now than ever before. The highest-powered marketing tools I use now range from inexpensive to free.
What’s the most important reason that now is the best time is due to the economy? To understand that, you must know what business is about. T. Harv says it best, “An entrepreneur is someone who solves problems for people at a profit.” The worse the economy is, the more problems people have. The more problems there are, the more problems there are to be solved. The more people’s problems you solve, the more you will earn.
The public speaking business is geared perfectly for this… if you understand what you are trying to do. Solve problems for people. You aren’t selling speeches — those who do, fail.
Do I care if I solve someone’s problem with a live speech, or a book, or a new DVD set? Yes, I do. I love to speak, but I’m a businessman first. What do people need, and in what form do they need it? That is why I’m successful. I’ve never been to Japan, Australia, or New Zealand. But, some of the greatest testimonials I have come from those countries.
I love speaking, and it’s one of the best ways I generate business — even when I’m not being paid. As Zig Ziglar says, “You can get whatever you want, if you help enough other people get what they want.”
What are you going to speak about? That’s easy! What do you know? What have you accomplished? What industry have you worked in? What adversity have you overcome? You help people from your experience. Help people with that. The biggest problem with people who are new to the public speaking business is that they under-value their own experience.
After nearly every speech I give, people come up to me and say, “I want to do what you do.” It became such a common occurrence, I realized that this was a problem I could solve. After having a public speaking business since 1994, I knew that I could help people shorten their learning curve. Although my first speech was for $75, I learned it the hard way. So, now I tell them, “Give me eight hours and I’ll take eight years off your learning curve!” and tell them about my Get Paid to Speak by Next Week® program. My system takes people with no business experience, who have never gotten a paid speech in their lives, and shows them the secrets of getting their first checks. Their first checks have ranged from $250 to $650, some even more!
I show people how to use their unique background to get their first checks. There’s so much information & knowledge jam-packed into this system — my students tell me that every time they go through it, they get new ideas that bring them profit!
Will you take control of your life and your income? What problems will you help people solve? The cool thing about this business is that you don’t have to quit your day job to get started. If you lost your job, then you have more time to get things moving quicker. Dreams are meant to be achieved! Start your public speaking business, NOW!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Just what I need to read and digest!
Patricia
Thanks for coming to district 23’s conference. I took your advice to heart and decided to step up to the plate and speak outside the club with the idea of getting paid, soon. When I told a fellow club member about my goal, he invited me to give an inspirational speech to the Neighborhood Association of which he is the president. I accepted and am scheduled to speak next week. I asked a Kiwanis friend if they needed a guest speaker and he said “Of course!” and gave me his Educational vice president’s phone number. One of our main members in our evening club passed away and the club was kicked out of the community room at the Senior Center. I asked a local store if we could meet in their community room for free if we ran a Speechcraft for their staff. They got excited and said that is exactly what their staff needs. Could we handle 20 speech-crafters? We might end up with a few new members out of the class, maybe 20. WOW! If you don’t ask they can’t say yes! Thanks for the wake up call.
Just thought I’d let you know that I got paid to speak for my last two speeches. This wasn’t exactly your corporate crowd. My audience members did not arrive in suits and power ties. They came in blue jeans and maternity tops–some with a faint aroma of soured milk. Despite the lack of impressive wardrobe, these are some of the most powerful executives in the world: MOPS–Mothers of Pre-Schoolers. At the end of one speech, the coordinator presented me with a lovely card which contained a twenty dollar bill and five ones. At the end of the other, I got a thank you card with a $50 gift certificate to a steak house. I have a few more probable gigs lined up. You said to let you know when we first got paid. I did! And I truly believe the biggest payment is intangible. Thanks for the help!
Roxann (Champ Camp, June 2008, Las Vegas)
Darren,
Keep the inspiring emails coming. I’m trying to move from children’s magician to corporate speaker/entertainer but I am having trouble focusing. My funds are limited & I’m getting burned out & overhelmed from all of the books I’m reading.
I keep looking into getting one of your packages, but can’t decide which one, either because of money or because of content.
I know that I have the personality for this (& the humor) but I’m not sure how to focus on writing an entertaining speech (although I have written MANY routines for myself, others & magazines).
Anyway, you’re an inspiration!
YEEEESSSSSS!!!!
Exactly what I talk with folks about. Even if you have one of those things called “a job” you need to think of yourself as self-employed…because you are! And you need more than one income stream or at least potential income stream. If you only have your job it’s like a company with one customer. Her in Michigan I say to people, “Imagine you are an auto parts supplier with one customer…General Motors. How secure would you feel right now?”
Of course, here in the Lansing, Michigan area many people work for GM, and that is their job and only source of income. They need to start now to find new ways to make money while they still have their day (or night) job. My advice to them is to Do Something Different!
You are absolutely right in every single word you said. This week I attended Division E (in Qatar) to give a one-hour keynote speech during their annual conference. This was a wonderful opportunity for me to be a key note speaker seconding a public speaking world champion “Lance Miller”.
The past 30 days were so special in my life. I had the great opportunity of meeting yourself & Ed Tate in Saudi Arabia first and two weeks later I met with a third World champion “Jim key” in Saudi Arabia. And this week I met the fourth one in Qatar.
I really learnt a lot from you. You have already shortened my learning curve.
I still need your help to change public speaking from just a hoppy into an income source. I am very confident that I can impress any audience by delivering outstanding speeches, seminars and workshop. They had always surrounded me after my speeches and gave me spectacular testimonials.
What I still can’t do is make the talents/capabilities I have, which became the way they are after I had spent major investments, sources for income.
I would certainly need your help in that regard.
Thanks for such an excellent article.
Best Regards
Darren,
Thanks for your inspiring words.
I can’t say more for fear of spoiling the broth.