Think Business Instead of Speaking Gigs.

I’ve heard this one over and over. Yet, for whatever reason, my mind got stuck on standing ovations, accolades, the check, and more gigs. I completely overlooked the fact that speaking is not a business in and of itself.

It’s a means to an end. It’s a pillar of your business.

If you go out to give a speech then come home and wait for the next one, you are in for a rude awakening. You gotta keep turning your marketing wheel to get your business going.

And if you don’t know about marketing, you need to make it your business to master it.

This marketing thing is one of the reasons why most people come and go so fast in this industry, or any industry for that matter.

Check this out, there are some really, really, fantastic speakers out there who are not speaking anywhere. Many of them tried and quit fast while others are still struggling to get by.

Well, you should also know that there are some good (not great) speakers out there making a good living in the speaking arena.

Why do you think that is?

They are BRILLIANT MARKETERS. Meeting planners know about them! They probably will never make it to the top 10% of high-income earners without a KILLER speech. But, somehow, they’re getting a share of the pie.

Fortunately, I got some amazing advice along the way that cleared out the fog of confusion in my head for me. By the way, I paid handsomely for some of that advice.

I will never forget when I wrote a check for $12,000 to spend 3 days with a guru. I didn’t have the money; but I had to stretch to make it happen.

It’s easy to focus on having a great speech, a book, and a big head, too. But I encourage you to have a solid plan from the start. Think business instead of speaking gigs.

While I’m on this subject, I want to give you a great piece of advice.

You know, I worked very hard at getting speaking engagements, and the money was flowing. But I found myself spending it as fast as I was making it. Just like everyone, more money means nicer things.

Listen, you probably don’t know about the hassle of hopping on airplanes from one city to another. Especially after 9/11, traveling has become a nightmare.

You might be thinking, “That’s a nice problem to have.” I agree with you. I’m not complaining. I’m only trying to make a point here.  I want to help steer you in the right direction. I want you to think of a speaking empire versus a speaking gig.

Today with the explosion of some phenomenal tools on the internet, you can make great money sharing your content with the masses without leaving home. And that’s a great way to cash in while enjoying good times with your family.

Okay, I know you’ll have to hustle and get whatever you can at the beginning. That’s just fine. But think about creating multiple layers of profit centers in your business.

Here’s the tragic mistake most speakers make, and I was making as well: You will not always have the energy and stamina to hop from one airplane to another.

Think of profit centers instead of speaking gigs. Your question should be, “What are other ways I can make money leveraging what I currently know and do?”