[8 Steps To A Live Presentation That Sells Series] Article #22 ~ The 8 Steps for Speaking Success
The quickest way to make sales and build your business is through public speaking — provided you craft your speech properly, that is.
And that’s what I’ve been showing you how to do in this series.
It’s time now for you to put these eight steps to work. To help you with that, here is a summary of all of them again. [To read the complete articles, revisit my blog.]
Step 1: The Grabber
Begin your presentation with a bold statement about the promise of your work that grabs the attention of the room and doesn’t let go.
For example, “How would you like to make five figures in sales from the stage, every time you speak?”
If you’re interested in speaking for the purpose of sales, your attention will be riveted on what I’m about to say.
Step 2: Lay Out the Game Plan
Orient the audience by briefly telling them what you’re about to do.
For example, “Over the next hour and a half, I’m going to share with you my eight-step formula for crafting presentations that will have your audience lined up in the back of the room.”
Step 3: Lay Down the Rules
In order to make sales, you have to control the room, and to do that you need to lay down the rules, the most important of which is no questions.
Step 4: Establish Your Credibility
Build your foundation for massive back-of-the-room sales by proving that you are worth your audience’s time, attention and investment.
Do this with a powerful introduction by your host (which you write), and by offering live or written case studies and/or testimonials of people who attest to the value of your work.
Weave your testimonials seamlessly throughout your talk as examples or stories.
Step 5: Transition Smoothly to Your Story
After you’ve begun to establish through case studies and testimonials that you’re worth your audience’s attention, you want to keep that attention by making a smooth transition to your story.
For instance, if I had just told the audience how my client Elaine made $96,000 in 18 days, I might say:
“I know that a lot of you may be thinking to yourself, ‘How can I do what Elaine did?’ The answer to that question eluded me for most of my life. In fact, when I first started out, I was sick, broke and had a terrible attitude.”
Then, I start telling my story.
Step 6: Tell Your Inspiring Story
When you’re speaking for the purpose of sales, your inspiring, rags-to-riches story of how you came to be where you are and know what you know, is central to your presentation.
People listen with their ears, but they hear with their emotions, so your story must come from your heart and be emotional.
Unless the audience is emotionally invested in what you’re doing, you’re not going to sell them a damn thing. But if they are emotionally involved, they’re very likely to buy.
Step 7: Transition to the Close
I don’t move into the close until I determine that the audience is ready to buy. And I test their interest and engagement throughout my speech and again right before I close.
I’ll ask, “Is this making sense?” while raising my own hand, and seeing how many audience members are raising their hands as well. This tells me how many people are with me.
Until the majority of the hands go up in response to that question, I keep transforming my talk.
But once there’s a sea of hands in that room, I transition smoothly to the close.
Step 8: The Close
Finally, start by talking about the specifics of your product or program, focusing on the results purchasers are going to get, and how easy and doable your program is.
Once you’ve sold them on the results, about 85% into your close, signal to your assistants that it’s time to pass out the order forms.
The Final Word
Listen, you don’t have to be perfect to make sales. Just do the best that you can, and be authentic.
If you are true to yourself, while following these eight steps to a tee, you will be successful.
There should be a clamor for the back of the room ~ and a very nice payday for you and your promoter ~ when you step off the stage.
