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Turn Your Expertise into a Road Show
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Turn Your Expertise into a Road Show
by Paul McCord
Salespeople often overlook one of the most effective and quick ways to
both establish themselves as experts in their field and generate a pipeline of
quality prospects. While most salespeople who sell directly to consumers
are all too familiar with cold calling, purchasing leads, sending out mass
direct mail and e-mail pieces, print, radio and TV adverting and other
common methods of lead generation, becoming a niche expert and taking
that expertise on the road in the form of speaking to groups and
organizations is seldom considered.
The natural fear of public speaking is a deterrent for many, but most
salespeople simply have not considered the possibility. When we think of a
speaker, most of us envision someone with grand ideas speaking to the
most crucial events of the day or, maybe, someone who has lead an
extraordinary life, regaling the audience with tales of high adventure. If we
do think of business experts as speakers, we tend to think of names such as
Jack Welch, Tom Hopkins, Zig Zigler or some other high profile, well-known
guru who commands tens of thousands of dollars per appearance.
These may be the most visible, but they are, in fact, the tiny minority of
speakers. Literarily tens of thousands of organizations in the US need
speakers on a regular weekly or monthly basis. A large percentage of these
organizations are actively looking for business people who have a message
that would appeal to the majority of their members–and you could be that
speaker. You need not be expounding on the evils of the Democratic
takeover of Congress, or the how badly the Republicans have governed, or
the great coming economic downfall of civilization as we know it. You do not
have to be a stand-up comedian or a storyteller on the level of Garrison
Keller.
Speaking for local groups and originations only requires you to have
information that is relevant and interesting. A Realtor I know became an
expert in the minutia of every neighborhood in her city and began speaking
to groups about the transitions taking place in the city. Which
neighborhoods were on the verge of exploding and which in decline. Her
presentation was laced with statistics but also stories and history, with fact
and prediction. Within a matter of several months, she had become the "go
to" person when members of audiences she had spoken to began to think
about buying or selling their home, because she was recognized as the
expert on where to move, where to build and where to avoid.Another client of mine, a business insurance broker, began speaking
about the issues businesses in his city were facing in terms of risk. His
presentation centered on crime, employee theft, and upcoming city
ordinances that could affect business, and other mundane aspects of risk
management. Although a likable and entertaining gentleman, his
presentation is hardly worthy of an appearance on The Late Show with David
Letterman. Nevertheless, he has information that is of interest to other
businesspeople. Moreover, he, like the Realtor above, has become known as
expert in his field. Businesspeople come to him first because of their
perception of his extraordinary knowledge of both business risk and how to
manage it and the local issues facing businesses.
Neither of these people is exceptional in the sense that they have lead
extraordinary lives or have mythical business prowess. In fact, the business
agent above has only been in the insurance business for a couple of years.
However, both of these people recognized the power of getting in front of
groups and presenting themselves as experts. Their average audience is
less than 40 people. Their average address is less than 20 minutes. They
each speak less than four times a month. But, if they speak three times per
month, to an average audience of 35 people, they are in front of about
1,200 per year as "the" expert in their field. Moreover, many of these
people are potential prospects.
How do you become the expert? First, find something about your
business that will be of interest to a broad range of potential customers.
Concentrate on areas that could give your audience information on potential
risks or opportunities that could expand or enhance their life, that could
open new doors, or that could increase or protect their wealth. Once you
have found an interesting niche, connect it to your local market. The Realtor
above deals only with local issues and demographics, but the insurance
broker mixes general risk statistics with local business related issues. He
takes mundane national statistics and brings them home to a more personal
level.
Do your homework on both your subject and your public speaking skills.
Hone your presentation so that you are confident and do not have to speak
with notes. Work in front of a mirror until you have managed to eliminate
all of your nervous movement. Go over your presentation–both verbally in
front of a mirror and in your mind as you drive–until it becomes second
nature. Check and recheck any facts and figures. Then, once you have
mastery over your subject and yourself, get the word out to church, service,
chamber, business, and other organizations. Send a self-promotion package
and follow up with a phone call. As you begin to set speaking engagements,
more will follow. Keep your material fresh and up-to-date. Look and actprofessional. Within months, you'll have gained the reputation of an expert,
the image of the guru and the self-confidence to match.
Paul McCord is a leading authority on prospecting, referral selling, and personal marketing. He is the
author of the best-selling book on referral selling, Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income: Sales
Success through Client Referrals (John Wiley and Sons, 2007), which is quickly becoming recognized as
the authoritative work on referral generation. His second book, SuperStar Selling: 12 Keys to Becoming a
Sales SuperStar will be released in February, 2008. He may be reached at
pmccord@mccordandassociates.com or visit his sales training website at www.powerreferralselling.com.
Copyright 2007, Paul McCord. You may reprint the article in full, with proper attribution and
short bio. Notify Paul of when and where it will appear with a short email to
pmccord@mccordandassociates.com
by Paul McCord
Salespeople often overlook one of the most effective and quick ways to
both establish themselves as experts in their field and generate a pipeline of
quality prospects. While most salespeople who sell directly to consumers
are all too familiar with cold calling, purchasing leads, sending out mass
direct mail and e-mail pieces, print, radio and TV adverting and other
common methods of lead generation, becoming a niche expert and taking
that expertise on the road in the form of speaking to groups and
organizations is seldom considered.
The natural fear of public speaking is a deterrent for many, but most
salespeople simply have not considered the possibility. When we think of a
speaker, most of us envision someone with grand ideas speaking to the
most crucial events of the day or, maybe, someone who has lead an
extraordinary life, regaling the audience with tales of high adventure. If we
do think of business experts as speakers, we tend to think of names such as
Jack Welch, Tom Hopkins, Zig Zigler or some other high profile, well-known
guru who commands tens of thousands of dollars per appearance.
These may be the most visible, but they are, in fact, the tiny minority of
speakers. Literarily tens of thousands of organizations in the US need
speakers on a regular weekly or monthly basis. A large percentage of these
organizations are actively looking for business people who have a message
that would appeal to the majority of their members–and you could be that
speaker. You need not be expounding on the evils of the Democratic
takeover of Congress, or the how badly the Republicans have governed, or
the great coming economic downfall of civilization as we know it. You do not
have to be a stand-up comedian or a storyteller on the level of Garrison
Keller.
Speaking for local groups and originations only requires you to have
information that is relevant and interesting. A Realtor I know became an
expert in the minutia of every neighborhood in her city and began speaking
to groups about the transitions taking place in the city. Which
neighborhoods were on the verge of exploding and which in decline. Her
presentation was laced with statistics but also stories and history, with fact
and prediction. Within a matter of several months, she had become the "go
to" person when members of audiences she had spoken to began to think
about buying or selling their home, because she was recognized as the
expert on where to move, where to build and where to avoid.Another client of mine, a business insurance broker, began speaking
about the issues businesses in his city were facing in terms of risk. His
presentation centered on crime, employee theft, and upcoming city
ordinances that could affect business, and other mundane aspects of risk
management. Although a likable and entertaining gentleman, his
presentation is hardly worthy of an appearance on The Late Show with David
Letterman. Nevertheless, he has information that is of interest to other
businesspeople. Moreover, he, like the Realtor above, has become known as
expert in his field. Businesspeople come to him first because of their
perception of his extraordinary knowledge of both business risk and how to
manage it and the local issues facing businesses.
Neither of these people is exceptional in the sense that they have lead
extraordinary lives or have mythical business prowess. In fact, the business
agent above has only been in the insurance business for a couple of years.
However, both of these people recognized the power of getting in front of
groups and presenting themselves as experts. Their average audience is
less than 40 people. Their average address is less than 20 minutes. They
each speak less than four times a month. But, if they speak three times per
month, to an average audience of 35 people, they are in front of about
1,200 per year as "the" expert in their field. Moreover, many of these
people are potential prospects.
How do you become the expert? First, find something about your
business that will be of interest to a broad range of potential customers.
Concentrate on areas that could give your audience information on potential
risks or opportunities that could expand or enhance their life, that could
open new doors, or that could increase or protect their wealth. Once you
have found an interesting niche, connect it to your local market. The Realtor
above deals only with local issues and demographics, but the insurance
broker mixes general risk statistics with local business related issues. He
takes mundane national statistics and brings them home to a more personal
level.
Do your homework on both your subject and your public speaking skills.
Hone your presentation so that you are confident and do not have to speak
with notes. Work in front of a mirror until you have managed to eliminate
all of your nervous movement. Go over your presentation–both verbally in
front of a mirror and in your mind as you drive–until it becomes second
nature. Check and recheck any facts and figures. Then, once you have
mastery over your subject and yourself, get the word out to church, service,
chamber, business, and other organizations. Send a self-promotion package
and follow up with a phone call. As you begin to set speaking engagements,
more will follow. Keep your material fresh and up-to-date. Look and actprofessional. Within months, you'll have gained the reputation of an expert,
the image of the guru and the self-confidence to match.
Paul McCord is a leading authority on prospecting, referral selling, and personal marketing. He is the
author of the best-selling book on referral selling, Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income: Sales
Success through Client Referrals (John Wiley and Sons, 2007), which is quickly becoming recognized as
the authoritative work on referral generation. His second book, SuperStar Selling: 12 Keys to Becoming a
Sales SuperStar will be released in February, 2008. He may be reached at
pmccord@mccordandassociates.com or visit his sales training website at www.powerreferralselling.com.
Copyright 2007, Paul McCord. You may reprint the article in full, with proper attribution and
short bio. Notify Paul of when and where it will appear with a short email to
pmccord@mccordandassociates.com
