0Three-Legged EXPERT Stool!
Picture This:
You’ve sent out a resume, or, if you’re self-employed, a proposal. You get a call from the recipient and they say, “Bob, I’ve got your resume/proposal here, and it looks excellent. I’ve visited your web site and that looks good, also. We’re interested, but I want to know more about you. How do I do that?”
If you follow the steps this article suggests, you’ll pause, then with a bit of ‘Attitude,’ (Good Attitude!) respond, “GOOGLE Me!”
That two word phrase,“GOOGLE Me!” when spoken with that ‘Good Attitude,’ says, “There’s a lot of great stuff out there about me. Don’t just take my word for it. Check me out!”
A large amount of hits, showing up with that ‘great stuff’ about you, gives the perception you’re an EXPERT! You’re the person they want to hire!
It’s a process, not an event, before you can tell folks,“GOOGLE Me!”However, if you go through this exercise, and make it an ongoing activity, the result will raise your EXPERTNESS in the eyes of others.
Naturally, we want others to perceive us as an EXPERT! EXPERTS get hired quicker and paid more.
Before asking someone to,“GOOGLE Me!”You’ve got to have Googleable “Stuff.” Building a Three-Legged EXPERT Stool will do that!
The Three Legs are:
Speaking
Writing
Internet/Technology to promote the other two.
Let’s look closer at each of those legs.
Leg #1 – Speaking
The perception of someone who speaks really well, is they are an EXPERT! As previously stated, we like to work with EXPERTS!
The Research Shows: Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.
People who take and make those speaking opportunities grow their Businesses, Careers and Leadership possibilities.
Speak whenever and wherever you find an opportunity!
Merely being in front of a group and presenting sets you apart from the crowd. Even so, if you want to be above others who do this, you must consistently study and apply the art and science of Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
Important for Speakers:
Know your subject. Really know your topic!
Study to develop a higher level of expertise on your topic than others possess.
Know the structure of a presentation, and follow it.
Have you ever seen and heard a speaker talk and talk and not really say anything? Don’t be that person! (FREE Speaker’s Template HERE!)
Your presentation (Delivery trumps Content) should be a good one, a very good one!
If you don’t have excellent presentation skills, you can learn them. Check out Toastmasters and professional coaching.
There are “Speaking Opportunities!” On and Off Line. Let’s look at each.
“Speaking Opportunities” Off Line
Many groups, associations, and companies regularly have Guest Speakers.
You can find most these on line. Look on their sites for people you know who can introduce you to the program chairperson, or contact that person directly. The majority don’t pay a speaking fee, but will offer you a meal and a table to sell your books. (You have one, or are working on a book, aren’t you?) If asked what you charge, and your research tells you they don’t pay, tell them you’ll “waive your regular fee for them.”
Some are:
Chambers of Commerce
MeetUp Groups
Professional and Trade Associations
Rotary Clubs
Lions Clubs
Companies that regularly have “Lunch & Learns” with Guest Speakers.
Other places to “Speak” are:
Television
Are you an EXPERT?
Have you established that Expertise in the minds of others by writing, speaking, or previously being interviewed on your topic?
If so, you could be the go-to person for commentary on a current news story!
On a regular basis, let producers and reporters know your Expertise by calling, emailing, and mailing information WHY you are that EXPERT.
Note: There is conventional television and ‘Paid Programming.’ Many shows you pay to be on look ‘like the real thing’ and can help spread the word you are an EXPERT!
Radio
All the above information about Television, including ‘Paid Programing’ applies.
If you’ve written a Book:
Book Stores
Libraries
Specialty stores that sell products relating to your book subject.
Don’t forget to let all in your network know you are looking for “Speaking Opportunities!” Referrals from others who speak to those audiences make event planner’s jobs easier. Be sure to refer, also, when you speak!
Call, email, and followup to get those “Speaking Opportunities.” Booking them is a process, not an event, so be patient and persistent. Be sure to let the group know that if a speaker has to bow out at the last moment, you may be available!
Your talk should not be a commercial for you, your product(s), or your service(s). It should be valuable information many in the audience can use. If all you do is sell, you’ll lose future opportunities because word will spread about your non-audience focused talks.
“Speaking Opportunities” On Line
The internet gives us a variety of “Speaking Opportunities!” Let’s look at a few.
YouTube
The majority of the population are visual learners. The next most common way people take in and process information is by listening. YouTube is the best of both worlds! If you don’t have a YouTube Channel, get one!
Produce good videos.
They don’t have to be professionally done, but with a bit of money, studying the craft of video production, and practicing, you can produce high quality videos.
Go to YouTube and search DIY Video Production and you’ll find lots of help. Because anyone can put up a video on any topic, study a number of them to find one that fits the goal, and budget, you have.
I’ve spent a great deal of time learning how to do this and here are some insights.
Great Audio is extremely important.
We will watch bad video, but we will not listen to poor audio.
Invest in a good microphone. (I use a Rode Smartlav Lavalier Microphone that plugs into my iPhone.)
The Video Camera on a cell phone will work, but probably best to invest in an HD video camera. (I wish mine had a remote controller for starting and stopping recording.)
Lighting is major consideration, also. There are DIY videos on this topic worth your time investment.
The kind of lights and where they focus is critical.
Background, as I watch many videos, is also a serious consideration. My preference is infinite white, because it is nothing but bright white. There are no distractions which puts the focus on me, the speaker, where it should be. Again, DIY Videos show how to do this.
Editing Software is mandatory for a good video production. ScreenFlow for Mac and Camtasia for PC and Macs are excellent, moderately priced choices.
Regularly post short, informational videos where, when viewed, visitors and subscribers say, “I GET IT!”
Links to your website and Landing Page(s) (you have them, don’t you?) can be put in the Description Section of the video, reached by clicking on Video Manager.
There are sites such as SlideShare where your videos can be embedded in a PowerPoint Presentation. Links, going to your website, can be embedded. This platform gets great traffic and will let more visitors know your EXPERTNESS!
Videos can promote your Speaking Events, Workshops, and Products!
Check out my YouTube Channel HERE!
Audio Post
Many people are auditory learners. Having the audio of each post on your blog available will help more people GET your message.
A really important added benefit is: “Written Post + Audio Post = Better Writing and Speaking.”
Put the Audio of each article at the top of the post.
Be sure to use a high quality microphone and editing software such as Audacity, which is available FREE for Macs and PCs.
Have it link to my iTunes Podcast Channel (another opportunity for Google to find!).
Internet Radio
There are many options, including Blog Talk Radio.
Be a guest on a show or host your own!
Take and Make those “Speaking Opportunities!” Be seen as an EXPERT!
Prepare for your “Speaking Opportunity!” by getting your FREE Speaker’s Template HERE!
My next post will take a close look at the other two legs of the EXPERT STOOL!
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About the Author Fred E. Miller is a speaker, a coach, and the author of the book, “No Sweat Public Speaking!”
Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations hire him because they want to improve their Networking, Public Speaking, and Presentation Skills.
They do this because they know:
Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.
They also know:
We perceive really great speakers to be Experts.
Perception is reality, and we like to work with Experts.
He shows them how to: Develop, Practice, and Deliver ‘Knock Your Socks Off Presentations!’ with – NO SWEAT!
Services:
Keynote Speaker
Workshop Facilitator
Breakout Sessions
Public Speaking and Presentation Coaching
Topics:
Lessening The Fear of Public Speaking with – NO SWEAT!
Crafting Your Elevator Speech, Floor by Floor with – NO SWEAT!
Speaking Opportunities are Business, Career, and Leadership Opportunities.
We are All Self-Employed!
Fred E. Miller Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com nosweatpublicspeaking.com https://www.amazon.com/author/fredemiller 314-517-8772Connect/Follow me: FaceBook LinkedIn Twitter YouTube
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