by Rene Godefroy | Mar 23, 2012 | How To Become A Motivational Speaker
For a long time I tried not to engage in any negative exchange on my sites. I’m really not very confrontational at all. But I think this time I need to speak my mind.
A woman contacted me a few weeks ago. She wanted some information on my coaching program. Someone from my office spoke to her and gave the info she needed. In fact, I also spoke to her on the phone as well.
A few weeks later, she called again. This time she wanted to know about my credentials. She wanted to know what coaching school I attended. She also wanted to know what kind of certification I offer after my speaking for a living training.
As soon as she started asking these questions, I decided that I did not want to coach her. First, I don’t really wish to do much in the area of one-on-one coaching. It can be draining. I have too much on my plate. This is why I’m very selective on who I accept in my coaching program.
The reality is, anyone can be a coach. It’s like this: If the race to the top is a thousand miles and you are at the hundredth mile line, you can coach and teach those who are at mile number one. You have earned your qualification.
It’s About Results, Not Certification
People don’t buy certification. They buy results. For example, the lady who makes outgoing calls when an inquiry arrives at my office is a divorced coach (www.divorcewomencan.com). One of her clients was going through a nasty divorce to the point where she was very depressed and wanted to give up on life.
Leisa was able to help her bounce back. Her client is very thankful for it. Things are now going great for her. Not one time during the process did the client ask for proof or certification. As a matter of fact, she gladly signed up for another three months. Why? Because she’s happy with the results.
The teaching point is this: As long as your clients are happy with the results, you are qualified to coach. Let me put it another way…
If you wake up tomorrow with a really bad toothache. You’re going to find the closest dentist in your neighborhood that can take care of that tooth for you.
You will NOT care if there’s a diploma on the wall and what school the doctor attended. All you care about is someone who can take away the pain from you. Right?
Of course, you need to investigate before you invest. But, in my case, you just type my name in Google and you’ll get tons of proof that I’m the guy who’s living the dream you want to live.
She Called Back Again
The same woman called my office back and left a voicemail. She wanted to know how much money speakers make. She wants to know how she is going to be able to recoup the money she is spending. Although, I’m not sure where she’s spending her money.
Basically, she wants me to guarantee her that she will make money. How in the world do I know how much money she can make?
Look, I make no claim of income. It all depends on how much you are willing to put into it. Many talented and brilliant speakers started around the same time I did.
They couldn’t make it work. They went back to work. Yet, many others became wildly successful. The difference is not about talents or skills. It’s about commitment and determination.
Besides, there’s no guarantee in life. Okay, let’s say there’s only one guarantee. You will die one day. Other than that, life is a series of risks. You have to take them. If you are not dancing on the edge and taking some risks, you’ll always remain in the position or situation you are currently in. That means doing nothing is a risk in and of itself.
Service Vs Money
Early on in my speaking career, I made a huge mistake. I became a hustler. My focus was on money and things. After all, I’m living in a society that put a big emphasis on material possessions. It’s easy to become your environment.
The more money I made, the more I wanted. Simply put, it was all about ME. Now, I don’t live an extravagant life. I still live in the same little house I lived for the past twenty years. I drive a BMW for a specific reason. But I won’t get into that now.
By the way, did you know that multi-billionaire Warren Buffet still lives in the same modest house he bought years ago for $30,000? One day, I will write a blog post about this topic. It will be a wake up call for you. But Let’s get back to money.
As you might know, money and things don’t bring happiness. Think of all the rich people in Hollywood. They have lots of money. Yet, almost all of them are not happy. They are miserable! Just so you know, making more money will not make you happy. It’s an illusion.
Service is what triggers happiness. You are happy when you make someone else happy. It’s when you are truly connected with God. Luke 12:31 tells us this: “Seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” To me, this is the most profound lesson in the Bible.
The word kingdom tells me there’s no lack. You see, when you lose yourself in service, you are seeking the kingdom. Service is not about you and the things you want. It’s about uplifting and edifying God’s people.
What’s remarkable about this is, all the things you want will come to you when you lose yourself in service. Throughout history, people who lose themselves in service never lack anything. Jesus came to serve and offer His life as the ultimate sacrifice. He did not lack anything.
Mother Theresa did not lack anything. By the way, she was not poor. If she wanted to give you one million dollars, she had access to it. The gurus who dedicate their lives to serving others always have plenty to keep serving and helping.
Sorry if I got a bit spiritual on you for a moment. But my point is this: As long as you keep pursuing the so-called success for your own self-interest, your struggles will never end. Even if you do get the money, you will have a miserable life. You will not be happy.
Everyday, you should ask yourself how can you make someone happy? How can you serve someone? What can you say in a video, article, or blog post to inspire someone to keep pressing on in spite of the challenges? How can you help someone make their dream become a reality?
Look, you don’t need a big stage to start doing so. You can start now with your acquaintances, friends, co-workers, and family members. You can serve those who are within your reach right now.
When people get a sense that you are truly out to make them happy and help them get what they want, they will voluntarily throw money at you. It may not happen at the beginning. But, sooner or later, it will happen.
I know I talk about making money in the videos I shared with you. But, that’s just to get your attention. Without getting your attention, I can’t share the essence of my message with you. Just keep that in mind.
Charity Vs Speaking For A Living
Now, I’m not telling you to start a charity. Although it would be a great idea to start one in addition to your business. I’m not telling you not to charge for your products or services. I’m rather telling you to focus on service. Think about how you can serve and help.
For example, I charge a fee to speak at events. But, I’m always challenging myself to serve my audience extremely well. My focus is how to help my audience improve their condition. By the way, that’s a surefire way to wipe out your fear on stage.
If a company calls and tells me they don’t have money, I will not accept the engagement. I need the money. I need it mostly to go and serve poor people in remote villages in my country.
I don’t have any problem with making money. The problem is with selfishness and greed. The problem is when the focus is on money. I want you to make beaucoup money. Make it so you can serve the unfortunate people who are beaten, sick, dejected, and neglected.
There’s something funny about money. The more you pursue it, the more it tends to run away from you. The more you cuddle and hug it, the more it makes you sick mentally or even physically. You see, money is like blood. It must flow or it will create blood clots and make you sick.
What do you think? Am I wrong? Am I over acting?
by Rene Godefroy | Jan 25, 2012 | Book Writing Tips
Okay, in the post that preceded this one (Why You Should Not Get Your Book Published By A Publisher) I told you the big publishers are becoming more and more a big joke as it relates to publishing your book.
Now, I want to persuade you to publish and print your own book so you can keep all the money. And, you can still look like you are published by a big publisher. The secret is on demand book publishing. That puts you totally in charge. Here’s what I mean:
You decide what goes in your book. I say this because when a good friend of mine got his book back from Random House, he didn’t recognize the book he originally wrote. They made so many changes to it that the book was completely disfigured.
Here’s the thing: Not only the big publishers will completely disfigure the book you write, you would have to wait a long time to finally get your book published and out to the public.
On Demand Book Publishing Allows You To Call The Shot
You can get going and have your book out in less than 6 months. You can even do it in 30 days.
Do you remember in the previous I told you that authors who use a big publishing houses only average $1 per book? That means you have to sell 100,000 books in order to make $100,000. Well, guess what?
When I sell my book, I profit about $20 per book. I only need to sell 5,000 books to make $100,000. Are you with me so far? Now, to sell 5,000 copies, you have to really market the book.
Fortunately, I don’t have to promote my book. I simply promote my speaking. And every time I speak I sell a bunch of books. I also can afford to give away lots of books to keep promoting my speaking.
You might remember in one of the free videos I sent you, I encouraged you to use your book as your business card. Do you remember that? Well, it wouldn’t be possible for you to do so if a big publishing house publishes your book. It would cost you way too much money.
The Speaking And Book Writing Field Are Now Wide Open
Consider yourself lucky because you’re launching your speaking, coaching, and book writing empire in the digital age. The barrier to entry has been drastically lowered. Today, you don’t need a stack of cash to publish your book.
Of course, that creates another problem. You now have way too much competition to deal with. Okay, I know I always say you’re not competing with anyone. But, I have something different in mind when I say competition here.
Basically, since there are so many authors and speakers out there, you have to really position yourself as the definitive authority so you don’t have to compete. You just need the RIGHT coaching. Anyway…
I spent $9,850 to publish my first book. Today, all you need is just a few hundred dollars. Isn’t that amazing? You might be saying, “Rene, show me how to print a book for just a few hundred dollars?” Sure. Let me show you.
On Demand Book Publishing Is How You Do It
In the past, once your book is written, you had to send it to a traditional book printing house. They would create plates, type setting, and a bunch of other stuff. Which means it would cost you a lot of money. And, you would have to print a minimum of 500 books.
Depending on the size of your book or whether you want hardcover or paperback, the cost would be anywhere from $3 to $6 per book. Now, I’m assuming you didn’t write an encyclopedia with 1,000 pages.
Guess what? Today, you can print as many as 2 books at a time. That is called short run book printing. Yes, you read it right. In fact, if you want one book, you can print one. There are no more boundaries. All that is required of you is to write the book.
3 Ways To Publish Your Book On A Dime Through On Demand Book Publishing
1- Check Out Lighting Source
I have referred Lighting Source to several of my coaching clients. They do an awesome job. Just provide them with your final manuscript and they will take it from there.
They also do traditional printing. But, I encourage you to choose print on demand. There’s no need to have 500 books gathering dust in your garage.
Here’s the best part: You don’t have to worry about ISBN, layout, book cover design, etc. They will take care of everything. And, it’s amazingly cheap.
Lighting Source is owned by Ingram Book Distribution, which is the largest book distributor in the world. You will be in good hands. They will take good care of you.
2-Create Space
This book on the demand publishing resource is owned by Amazon.com. It’s really easy to publish your book with Create Space. Just upload your file, use their available resources and you are good to go.
With Create Space, you can almost publish your book free. I say almost because they have services you can buy a la carte. For example, you can pay $120 for basic editing for up to 10,000 words.
But, I’m sure you can find a much better deal on a freelancer site. Granted you have to know exactly what you are looking for. Sometimes you can lose a lot money using cheap help if you don’t know how to go about it.
3- Book Baby
Yes, Book Baby is owned by CD Baby. They are a big company on the Internet. Musicians love them. They make it very easy as well. You should check them out. They just started their book publishing division.
How To Make Your Book Available At Bookstores
How To Make Your Book Available At Major Bookstores
I’m going to keep this section short and sweet. You see, when you use Lighting Source, Create Space or Book Baby, your book will automatically be available at all major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Hudson Booksellers.
Your book will also be available at all online bookstores such as amazon.com. That is REALLY amazing! I think you should get very excited. Didn’t I tell you the game of book publishing has changed? Do you how you can ride the wave of change?
On Demand Book Publishing Can Be Expensive
I want to warn you that on demand book publishing can be expensive. The less books you order, the more money it costs per book. Although, I told you that you can print one or two books, you should consider ordering a minimum of fifty if you can afford it.
There you have it. I just gave my best and highest recommendations to get your book published. It’s time to take massive action to finally get that book out. Please stop procrastinating. Discipline to write that book!
by Rene Godefroy | Jan 20, 2012 | Book Writing Tips
Okay, many of you are asking how to get your book published. There’s definitely some confusion about the best way to publish a book. Maybe you’re not sure whether to look for a publisher or self-publish your book. I get that.
So, I want to take a moment to offer you some solid advice here. And if you are going to listen to anyone about this, I’m your guy. I have been on the speaking circuit for over 15 years. That’s a clue for you.
I get to share a stage with pretty much all the top dogs in the speaking industry. Many of them are self-published authors. Yet, some are New-York Times Best Sellers. They tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly about book publishing.
You see, there is a big misconception out there about publishing. Many people think if you’re not hooked up with a major publishing house, you’re not doing it the right way. Well, maybe this was true years ago. But, that’s no longer a valid point.
The publishing game has changed significantly. The big publishers are no longer in control. The power is in your hand. And you can thank the Internet for it. Here’s what you need to aware of: (more…)
by Rene Godefroy | Jun 27, 2011 | Questions
Have A Question For Rene On How To Become A Motivational Speaker?
I’m a full time motivational speaker. I get paid thousands of dollars for one hour to keynote conferences.
WhenI started, I had no connections and resources. I was a doorman at a hotel in Atlanta making $4.25 an hour plus some tips.
There were many doubters around who didn’t believe I could make it as a motivational speaker. I proved them wrong. I took off faster than most. My success surprised even some of the top speakers.
Now I want to share my tips, insights, and secrets with you. Go ahead and ask your question. I can’t promise that you will get an answer right away. However, I will do my best to give some answers.
“When people count you out and say it’s impossible, it’s because it’s impossible for them. Always keep in mind that people cannot see you where they cannot see themselves.”-Rene Godefroy
by Rene Godefroy | Mar 11, 2011 | How To Become A Motivational Speaker
I want to share with you one big secret that is really fundamental to you as a motivational speaker. When I’m privately coaching new or advanced speakers, I make sure they really get it. I call it a secret because far too many speakers miss it.
The one big secret I share with my private coaching clients is exactly what I’m about to share with you right now. You should tattoo it on your brain forever. It’s the secret weapon that all of the highly successful speakers use to get to the top of the speaking field. It’s how you can get paid speaking gigs even if you are just getting started. Are you ready to hear it?
Great! Here it is…
When you’re getting started, speak anywhere, whenever, and anytime for low or no fees. When you are a pro, still continue to use the same strategy whenever your calendar is not busy. Now, let me explain what I mean.
I just booked a gig for $500 for this coming July. That’s about 5% percent of my corporate fee. I bet you’re doing the math in your head, right? Anyway, the speaking engagement is going to be in Atlanta where I live. Let’s see why I accepted it. First, let me walk you through how the conversation went. Don’t worry. I’ll make it short.
I got a call from a woman who is very influential with the department of education here in Georgia. They are having a big conference for about 4,000 people. She is not the one in charge of the conference. However, she’s in charge of a small luncheon for her department (300people). They have not allocated any money for her event.
She told me, “I know you are a big fee speaker. There’s no way I can afford you for what I’m calling you for. I only have $500 and I really want you as the keynote speaker for my luncheon. I’m just taking a chance. Hey, ask and you shall receive.” I said, “What about me that makes you think I’m a five-hundred-dollar speaker?” she said, “Nothing. You have a huge presence and reputation out there. I’m just bold enough to ask you.”
A few years ago, I would tell her I’m not the one and refer her to someone in my database. I have done that many times. I still continue to do it. But now, as long as I have the date available, I will find a way to take it. Of course, it has to be a speech with potential spinoffs.
After I asked her a few strategic questions, I told her to donate the $500 to my non-profit organization. That’s one of many strategies in order to accept a low or no fee engagement. I have many other ways to save face. Now, let me tell why this is not about my fee.
I told the lady I would do it only if the person in charge of the whole event would show up and listen to my presentation during that hour at the conference. I’m sure you know why I said that, right? Yes. Once I deliver an amazing keynote, they will book me at my normal fee to speak at the big event next year. And I know once I am in front of those 4,000 people, I will get even more bookings from it.
Here’s my point: The way to get paid speeches is to go after free ones. There are several advantages to doing low and no fee speeches. I don’t have time to explain them all here. Just keep in mind that strategy should be your number one marketing weapon as a motivational speaker.
Now, I’m not saying every situation is going to be as ideal as this one. When you’re getting started, you have to be willing to speak for 10 or 20 people. You can get those everywhere. Start with the Civic Clubs in your town.
I hope you see the power of this strategy. It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro or you are just getting started. Find opportunities to speak for free. You should never be above free speeches! In fact, I prefer to call it marketing speeches. Got it?
Listen, I know big celebrities in the speaking industry that are still doing free engagements. Most of them are my friends. We are in the big fee leagues. You would be surprised if I start mentioning names.
