How To Get Paid Every Time You Speak - REALLY!

For many, speaking or training is a full time business. Yetfor other business owners, we use speaking/training as a wayto market a business and bring in extra income. No matterwhich it is? all or part of your business gets paid!

Being paid means receiving money for the value you present.So first off, find places that will pay you. Even CommunityCollege Continuing Education programs pay the trainers bythe hour!

However, sometimes it is customary for a group to NOT payyou with $$ - like the Rotary, Elks Club, or manyassociations. Other times, they won't pay you for speakingat an event, but will pay you to speak at a retreat orconference. What do you do when there is no money? Determineif the event is something that will give your businessvalue. Ask yourself:

--Will at least 95% of the audience be your ideal client -i.e. your best fit, target market?

--What can they give you in return that will equal the value they are receiving?

--What can you ask for in return for the value they are receiving?

--Do you really want to speak to this venue for free?

Remember, you can always say no!

There are many ways you can be paid when cash isn'tavailable. First decide what should you be paid. Then findways to be paid that amount in full.

How?

Read on?

o Request that your business card or article you've writtenbe placed on each person's chair who's attending the event.

o Let the audience know that you are not being paid and inreturn, you're giving them an evaluation to complete. Onthat evaluation, include things like: "I know a company ororganization looking for speakers" and "I want to receiveyour ezine." Etc. etc.

o Do they have a conference room? Ask about using it for "x"hours in payment.

o Do they send their membership a newsletter? Request an ad,maybe business card size.

o Ask to put a flyer in their newsletter.

o Make sure that a bio including an active link to your siteappears in their newsletter(s), any announcements they send,or on their web site. Ask them to keep it active for atleast 6 months.

o When I speak for free, I give out the least amount ofnotes as possible - if any. I have people take their ownnotes AND tell them that the full notes can be found on aspecific page of my web site for download.

o Put the notes on a CD or disk and have them pay for them(sell them in the back of the room, on a table between thecoffee and bathrooms!).

o Bring books, ebooks, booklets, CD and other materials tosell in the back of the room. (Usually you do have to askfor approval to do this.)

o Ask if they have "education money." Sometimes they havemoney for that, but not for speaking. Then they can purchasea book for each person, and you'll make some money that way!

o Think "out of the box" for ways to be paid to be in frontof your "ideal clients".

© 2004 Maria Marsala, business builder who helps servicebusinesses owners increase their bottom line in less time. Aformer Wall Street trader and manager, she used her businessexpertise to create 6 S.I.M.P.L.E. Business Steps, a programdeveloped to help her clients succeed in less time. Learnmore and subscribe to our ezine at http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com