Have you heard of flashpoints before? We use this term in The Wealthy Speaker 2.0 to indicate when a speaker has hit a new level of success. As defined in this past blog post, a flashpoint is “that moment when things fall into place, and the hard work really starts to pay off.”
What kind of flashpoints have you seen in your business?
- Advancing from $100K to $500K per year?
- Shifting from local to (higher paying) state associations?
- Transitioning from the school market to corporate?
- Moving from 20 speeches per year to 40?
No matter what your goal is, sometimes it doesn’t happen as quickly as you would like. A flashpoint is a reward for all the time, work, and effort you’ve put into growing your speaking business; the longer it takes to see one, the more frustrated you may feel.
Today we’ll help you identify what may be blocking your next flashpoint, and share advice on what you can do to push through.
Clearing the Way for Your Next Flashpoint
There are several things that may come into play when you are trying to move to a new level. Here are three common things that might be blocking your next flashpoint, with ideas on what you can do to get unstuck.
Block #1: You are going in circles due to unclear marketing.
No matter how many marketing ‘seeds’ you plant, if your website isn’t clearly conveying the message of why people should hire YOU for their next event, then your business will not grow.
Do this quick test:
Take a moment to imagine your perfect buyer. What do they look like? What are they looking for? Now visit your website and view it as if you were looking through their eyes.
- Is it clear what you are an expert in?
- Are you confusing the buyer by serving too many markets?
- Are the outcomes of your work consistent and clear throughout your site?
- Are you saying exactly what you do, or are you trying too hard to be clever?
- Are you showing them why they should hire you specifically (through testimonials, awards, video clips, thought leadership, past accomplishments, etc.) or are you simply telling them?
If your website has these flaws, then there is work to do. Clear up this block by spending some time to develop a stronger website that conveys your message and convinces your perfect buyer. With a solid website in place, start planting those marketing ‘seeds’ again. Soon you’ll see your business grow and you’ll reach that next flashpoint.
Block #2: You’ve moved back to familiar ground.
So often people will start to move forward, only to get scared and retreat to a more familiar place.
What does this look like?
- You are trying to transition to higher fees, but out fear, you continue to fill your calendar with low-paying jobs.
- You want to move forward with your ideas, but out of insecurity, you continue to take course after course in order to boost your education.
The problem with these actions is that they delay your progress toward that next flashpoint. Instead of running toward your goal, you are stuck in place. Sure, you are still running, but on a treadmill you can never actually reach a new destination.
To clear up this block, you are going to have to give in to some of that fear and insecurity. Push yourself to do things that are currently out of your comfort zone – those things you know you have to do in order to move to the next flashpoint. Dedicating time in your calendar each week (or each day even) to confront the unfamiliar will push your speaking business forward.
Block #3: Finances (and confidence) take a hit.
What if you have a bad month? Is it time to retreat? Maybe pack it up and get a traditional job?
I was challenged this summer with this one. It’s not unusual for July to be a slow month, but I failed to think about and plan for this seasonal fluctuation. When my normal income wasn’t there, I had a fear-based response: I could feel myself pulling back on all of my initiatives.
Luckily, I recognized what was happening. Instead of canceling, I put a few things on pause and continued to work hard to get to the next flashpoint that I have been pushing for. Sure enough, August and September came together on schedule. Despite a rough July, everything worked out just fine.
To clear up this block, you too must be aware of how you respond to financial blows. How do they impact your confidence? Your motivation? Your day-to-day work? If your response is counterproductive, stop right there and reevaluate the situation. Focus on the tasks that are most likely to push you to the next flashpoint and postpone (but don’t cancel) projects that fall outside of this. Also, remember that this is a temporary situation! You can prolong it or you can push past it depending on how you choose to act next.
Getting to a new level and hitting that next flashpoint can sometimes feel elusive. Clear those blocks by staying the course, continuing to plant seeds, and taking the right actions that will ultimately lead you to a more successful speaking business.
See you soon Wealthy Speakers.
PS: If one of your goals is to move to a million, check out the advance preview of our Accelerate LIVE event in Minneapolis this November. We’ll be sending speakers home from our weekend event inspired and equipped with a 90 Day Strategy for moving towards their next flashpoint!
