Do you have a plan to scale your speaking business in 2018? If so, I have to ask: Have you set it yet? You know… that big, hairy, audacious goal that feels really good deep down? The one that gives you goosebumps? Maybe even scares you a little.
As I fly home from Ottawa after attending the annual CAPS (Canadian Association of Professional Speakers) conference, I’m excited about 2018. Heading into the convention I didn’t really know what I wanted to get out of it. I knew I wanted to do a good job delivering my workshop (one hour on supersizing your business) but I had no idea that I would walk away feeling so empowered.
After nearly 30 years in this business, I have some deep connections. I have also created some new bonds that I think will be long-lasting. My afternoon co-presenter, Lisa Larter, made a major impact on me when we shared business models over breakfast (it’s often those one-on-one conversations that really make these learning experiences meaningful).
Lisa saw me present, loved my material and immediately told me I wasn’t charging enough for my private coaching work. I agreed. She also inspired me to segment my markets into three, rather than my current two-pronged approach. Emerging speakers (leading to my 12-week online course), intermediate speakers (leading to a year-long mastermind) and seasoned speakers (those I’ll work with as a private advisor). Lisa runs live events, just as I do, and offers her VIP clients specials seats, which is something that I may adopt.
The conversation was so empowering and reminded me how much clarity working with someone one-on-one can provide, because as I always say, “it’s hard to see the label from inside the jar.”
As a result of our conversation, I also developed some plans to bring more team into my business this year. I’m going to outsource more of the event planning work and bring on someone to help book and onboard guests for my podcast and get me booked on OPP’s (other people’s podcasts).
5 Questions to Consider as You Plan to Scale Your Speaking Business in 2018
There is so much that goes into business planning, especially if one of your intentions is to scale your business. You have to consider products/services, your team, budget, your bandwidth and so much more.
To help, I put together a list of five questions to get you thinking about how you will scale your business this year.
Question 1: Are You Playing Big Enough?
Where could you be playing bigger? Are you standing tall in your fees? Do you need to raise your fee, is it overdue? Like me, have you been charging too little? Do you want to command bigger stages? (Stay tuned for our next blog post on this topic).
Question 2: Who Do You Need on Your Team to Help You Grow?
It’s frightening to hire in the early days, but start small and build your team. Freeing up your time for important content and client development is key.
Question 3: What Needs to Change in Your Product Mix or Offering?
Do you need to drop some programs in order to refine your lane? Or is there a shift to a new lane?
Question 4: What Gives You the Confidence to Charge What You Charge?
How many years do you have under your belt? Have you written a book? What do clients tell you about your impact? Create a list and keep it close to review right before client meetings.
Question 5: Where Do You Need to Find More Clarity?
Where do you need more clarity? Do you need to pick or define your lane (topic) more clearly? Are you crystal clear on your avatar – your ideal audience members and your ideal buyer? Do you need to let go of some old offerings? Do you need to make some decisions that you’ve been putting off?
If you want to find greater success, you need to spend some time digging deep to answer many of these questions and developing a strategy that will support your growth.
I’m so excited for 2018 Wealthy Speakers! I cannot wait to introduce my many business changes to you and to see the progress all of you make in 2018! Share with me in the comments below what your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) for 2018 is!
See you soon Wealthy Speakers!
