I have clients who are successful not because of their marketing, but in spite of it. The crazy thing is that even though they are positioning themselves as speakers rather than experts, and they lack a strong promise statement on their website (which is cluttered and unclear) they still get business.
Guess what. They are the lucky ones. They built momentum in a time when positioning was not as important and are getting booked despite a lack of clarity in their marketing.
95% of us will NOT be that lucky.
95% of us will have to position ourselves as an expert. We will need to show how we solve a problem by including a clear promise on our website. We will need to rise above a sea of competition because we do not have a database of 10,000+ names or a calendar that allows us to get 2 or 3 spin-off opportunities from each engagement.
If you are not one of the lucky 5%, you have to ask yourself, “How much is poor positioning costing me?”
One of my clients saw her fees rise from $2500 to a consistent $10,000 just by getting crystal clear on her value and changing her marketing message. Proper positioning, when coupled with compelling web copy and a clear promise statement written with your clients in mind, can be extremely powerful for your business. Often it is enough power to boost your business to a whole new level.
[Tweet “Is poor positioning hurting your #Speaking #Business? Fix it with these 4 marketing essentials!”]
Keeping this in mind, let’s map out the four essentials of marketing for your speaker business:
- PICK A LANE: I know many of you are tired of hearing me talk about this, but without a clear lane (topic) nothing I say below matters because you will not be able to pull everything together. Straddling two lanes is only going to confuse you and your audience. Although, having two different target markets for the same lane is not a problem. Many speakers offer the same topic to dozens of industries, and they customize it accordingly.
- POSITIONING AS AN EXPERT: When I come to your website does it say “hire me, I am a speaker” or does it speak to the outcomes that you achieve when you work with clients? Years ago being a professional speaker was enough. Those days are gone! Today you are competing with bestselling authors, Harvard Professors, and industry experts who know their stuff. I am not saying they will all do as good a job as a professional speaker but from the client’s point of view, they fit the bill of what the audience needs, which is someone smart and with credentials to speak on a particular topic.
- A STRONG PROMISE: A promise statement is like a tagline and demonstrates the outcomes of your work. It might be clever, or it might just say what you do – i.e., turning managers into leaders. It is short and sweet and allows your website visitor to see your value immediately. My promise at speakerlauncher.com is “Catapult Your Speaking Business”. It shows what I do and the audience I do it for (we do not always want to tell the audience unless we target only one industry).
- IT IS ABOUT THEM: Your website, although it is yours, should not be “all about you”. The goal is to speak to the work that you do and to the people or companies that you help. What is the problem and how do you help to solve it? Yes, you will, of course, mention your book and the things that make you credible, but make it about them first, and you second.
If you are struggling with your positioning or have been thinking about a website makeover…or BOTH…we are putting the finishing touches on our Wealthy Speaker U Summer Speaking School, which will be starting on July 5th. We’re holding two sessions, Pick a Lane & Positioning Lab and Wealthy Speaker Website Workshop, and have room for only (6) people in each session. Keep an eye on your email later this week for more information!
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
