What if my speaker agreement doesn’t allow for an offer from the stage?
This week's question from my portal “The Neagle Code: Directions
for Life” comes from Michael Brown.
Hi David,
I have a speaking opportunity coming up in the next month, and the host is not allowing me to make an offer from the stage. Do you have any strategies that I could use to let people know about my programs without making an offer? I’d really like to make the most of my time on stage.
Hi Michael and thanks for your question!
I’m not sure how long you have on stage so I’m just going to make an assumption that you’ve got 45 minutes of speaking time.
The best way to “sell” your programs and services to your audience without the ability to make an actual offer is to do something called “seeding”.
Seeding simply means that you’re planting seeds in the mind of your audience about the results they could experience if they were working with you.
Here’s what it looks like.
As you’re delivering content, you insert stories and case studies about the results your clients have received while working with you.
EXAMPLE:
Let’s say you were doing a presentation on how to have a confident sale conversation. You may start by talking about all the negative beliefs we have about selling and how it keeps us hidden. Stop the teaching and insert your first seed.
“In my 3 month program, one of my clients actually pushed through heir fear of rejection and was able to triple their income in 30 days and help 10 more people to change their lives.”
The seeding not only supports your content and gives examples, but it also let’s the audience know that you have a 3 month program and that your clients achieve success.
I recommend planning to seed after every section of content you provide.
Tell stories and give case studies about your client’s successes to help them identify with what you offer and how you can help them.
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4 comments
Great Answer David!
I will sometimes tell a good story of an interaction with a client. It lets people feel familiar with you via the story.
The will usually place themselves in the clients shoes and if you can let them experience a success with you before
the actually see you. It will make their decision process easier to do it again if they have been with you once already successfully in their mind 🙂
Thanks for sharing Mark. Interjecting a client story definitely will help to make that connection to the audience and show that personal side to those you are speaking to. I do it all the time when I speak and it works well to guide their thoughts, as if they are a client already. I appreciate the post.
This is an excellent Question with a great answer…
I supported a friend this weekend and a big talk he did with a well-known speaker. The speaker told him at the last minute that he would not be able to have an offer because he only had room for one speaker’s offer.
My friend was very frustrated.
I sent him this Directions For Life question with the hopes it will help him in the future…
I can imagine Naja, that does sound frustrating. This is why having an iron-clad agreement in place before you arrive onsite to speak makes all the difference. It cannot just be a verbal agreement or settled over a handshake. Get it in writing and stick to it. That will eliminate this situation in the future.