Each month at the Wealthy Speaker School, we focus on a specific business topic to tackle. At the school, February is all about Finding the Buyer. Getting crystal clear on the audience you serve and then building a sales funnel that allows you to connect and convert is the key to success in speaking (and any business, really!). So let’s look at some of the ways you can find buyers for your speaking business.
Build a System for Prospecting and Converting
One of the areas I see many speakers fall down is in having a solid system in place for tracking and converting prospects. So let’s tackle this first!
Let me ask you this: When you get into your office in the morning, do you know what prospects you have in your funnel? How many cold, warm or hot leads do you have, and what’s your plan for a follow-up?
I know that many of you are probably saying ‘no.’ This is where having a proper CRM can help! If you can keep track of what correspondence you’re sending your prospects and the actions they take (who’s opened your messages and how engaged they are with your communications) then you have insights that will help you understand better who is prime for converting to a sale and who may need more time.
There are dozens of CRM systems out there that you can choose from. At Speaker Launcher, we recently moved over to Active Campaign and we are just loving it. We have a deeper understanding of what our customers and prospects are acting on, have more in-depth tracking of our correspondence, and the fact that it integrates with all the other tools we use in our business makes it a big win for us.
As you look for a CRM for your business, first think about what features you want it to have, what programs you may want it to integrate with, and most importantly, if at your level of technical capability you feel comfortable running it.
Want a great way to keep track of the systems in your business as you begin to grow and scale? Grab our Wealthy Speaker System Tracking download.
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Amp Up Your Marketing to Find More Buyers
We talk a lot about marketing on this blog, but what I want to reinforce today is the idea of doing your marketing on a regular basis and being very focused on your approach. Your marketing should include consistent blogging, social media, and email marketing to your list. Consistency is key. By having a consistent presence online that is strategically thought out and connected, you’ll reach more and more of your target audience.
At Speaker Launcher, we outsource our content marketing to the team at Virtasktic and they make sure all of our marketing efforts are in sync and delivering the message that resonates with the various audiences we are looking to attract.
Focus on your buyers with messages that allow them to very clearly understand what specific problem you can help them solve. If you can boil down your focus to one word, even better!
When you deliver a consistent marketing message and have systems and processes in place, you’ll be well on your way to building a business foundation that will support you in your effort to find… and convert MORE buyers!
Add Prospecting to Your Sales Strategy
Once you have a system in place, you need to start filling the sales funnel with high-quality leads. We call this prospecting.
There are several ways to start collecting leads. You can do this through a lead magnet on your website, collecting business cards, or by identifying a target group of individuals you want to work with based on industry, expertise, etc.
LinkedIn can also be a great place to prospect for leads. In a podcast I did with marketing expert Jennifer Darling, she shares specific steps you can take to prospect on LinkedIn and fill your sales funnel. From what words to include in your profile that make you stand out in your field to how to maximize networking opportunities, we cover it all. Check it out HERE.
[And keep your eyes peeled… we’ve got a new podcast with Jennifer coming out Thursday, February 4th! You won’t want to miss this one, too!]
Want to track your sales efforts? Grab our Wealthy Speaker 30-Day Sales Sprint and supercharge your sales efforts for the next 30 days (and beyond!).
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Create Better Sales Connections
“The most important thing that you can do is ask people about themselves and their business.” Frank Somma
For many of you, sales is not a part of your background or expertise. In fact, it can be downright painful for many of us.
A few weeks ago, I had sales and communications expert, Frank Somma, on the Wealthy Speaker Podcast. Frank shared some amazing insights on how to create sales connections – even if you aren’t a salesperson! From how to get more personal with prospects to the formula for successful sales to getting comfortable with negotiating, Frank covers a lot of ground in this podcast. Check it out HERE.
Know Where to Find the Money in Speaking
Every speaker has heard a client say, “we don’t pay our speakers.” But when that happens, you either find creative ways to get yourself paid, like finding a sponsor, or you move on to the next prospect.
So, when it comes to finding the money in speaking, where do we start? We have a great blog on Speaker Launcher that talks about just this and breaks down where you can start looking. Check it out HERE.
Here’s the deal: despite COVID and all the changes that have taken place in the world over the last many months, there is still speaking business out there to be won. Perhaps it requires a little more work and creativity than it did in the past, but it’s there. Get your systems in place and perfect your prospecting and sales and you’ll be well on your way to filling your sales funnel.
Want more insight into this topic and more on building a successful speaking business? Join us in the Wealthy Speaker School and you’ll have access to all the tools, resources, and live learning you need to build the speaking business of your dreams! Learn more HERE.
