What you bring to the table

"Never, ever, ever get in the front of the room without something to sell in the back of the room." - Monica Cornetti


There are many articles, videos and blog posts on how to sell product in the back of the room. Don't believe me? Google the phrase "selling product in the back of the room." However, today we aren't going to discuss the HOW. Today we are going to discuss the WHAT and WHY.

WHY?
You're a professional speaker. By definition, you get paid to speak. Why do you need to spend time creating product for the back of the room? You're busy. You don't have time to write a book. You travel 200+ days a year. You couldn't possibly record an audio product. That stuff is complicated and you don't have the right equipment.

If you really believe that, you have just limited your income forever.

Product is an important part of establishing your expertise. Authors are perceived as subject matter experts. You can get additional speaking engagements and revenue by being published. If you create an introduction CD to go with your book, you have a package. Add consulting to that and you have just increased your average sale.

If you have great content, you're doing your audience a disservice by not offering them additional information. I can't absorb everything you teach in 45 minutes. I might need to hear or see the message again to get that 1 critical learning point. You don't have a CD? Now what am I supposed to do? You have just irritated and disappointed a potential fan.

WHAT?
So what does product mean to your business? If you don't have product to sell in the back of the room, you are leaving money on the table. There are speakers who make more money in product sales than fees. You might be happy with less than double, but you'll never know if you don't try.

There are many products to offer. You don't have to offer them all. Pick what works for you and try that. You hate to write? Focus on CDs. You love step by step assistance? Create a workbook. Make the process simpler by going with a platform you enjoy.

It doesn't have to be a complicated or expensive. There are free resources available now for almost everything. Once you decide on a platform, research the tools. Most resources can be created for minimal cost. Free Conference Call.com is a great resource. You can record a phone call and download the file to your computer.....for FREE. It doesn't get any cheaper than that.

If you need help, ask me. I post resource information and other marketing tips on my Facebook page. You might also consider attending training that will walk you through the process like BEvents. If you need help, its out there.

The next time you're in the front of the room, look at the table in the back. No matter what's there, you should see opportunity.

Three is a Magic Number

"Action is the foundational key to all success. " - Pablo Picasso


The social media question I hear the most is, "How do I grow my network? How do I get more friends, likes and connections?"

The answer is simple. Three is a magic number.

You must focus on a single platform at a time. So pick the one that works the best for you and start there. The process is the same for any of the platforms.

1. You want to reach out to 3 people you don't know or want to know better every day.
2. Spend 30 minutes on the site looking around. You want to post a question, comment, or discussion 3 days a week.
   
3. Repeat the process for 3 weeks.

You can increase the amount of time you spend growing your network if you like, but 3 is the foundation. If you apply this process, you will see growth.

The process is the same for each platform but the details vary a little. If you want to grow your Twitter followers, you will retweet 3 other posts. On Facebook, you should comment on 3 posts of new connections. Discussions are the most powerful tool on Linked In. You will start or comment on (you guessed it) 3 discussions. If you want to add readers, comment on 3 blogs that compliment your area of expertise.

Social media is a powerful tool to grow your business. Connections equal dollars. However, you can waste a tremendous amount of time on social networking sites without any benefit. By having a plan of action, you reduce the amount of time you waste and increase growth. After all, 3 is a magic number.