Doesn’t matter what your business is, speaking is power, prestige and sales. Writers are no different. As much as writers hate to
present in public, speaking is still one of the most efficient methods of making sales.
All the experts on salesmanship will tell you that a face-to-face pitch is part of a basic sales foundation. Granted we can sell our
work via email and websites. We can send mass mailings and post ads. And we will sell our work a few books at a time. Slow and steady
work can bring in an income, but who doesn’t crave the adrenaline rush of selling fifty books or signing up ten clients for
copywriting services?
The personal appearance is almost a magnetic connection. The audience feels an obligation to support the speaker via the sale. It’s
like stopping in a fast food place during a long drive. You use the restroom but as a courtesy to the owner you purchase a cup of
coffee. You do not have to but you feel it is the right thing to do. That attendee in your audience watches you go through the paces,
the agony and the struggle to perform. He wishes he could do that. He marvels at your strength. He likes your ideas and he wants to
take a piece of that home with him so he buys your book, service or product.
When you speak, you are talking to people who cannot do what you do. You are special. You are unique. They can’t speak on your topic,
your writing or your feelings. You have a message they need to hear, and the more deeply you feel, the more motivated you become.
You felt so passionate about your message that you published your words. Do you know how many people envy you for doing that? Do you
know how many say they ought to write a book and never follow through?
Scared to death of orating before all those eyes? Ease into it. Start small. You might be surprised at how the size of the group doesn’t
matter. Place audience groups into four categories: informal small groups, informal large groups, formal small groups and formal large
groups.
Small informal groups are casual, natural, everyday and ordinary, usually fewer than two dozen people. If you stray off-topic, it
doesn’t matter as much. You have more question and answer time. Some speakers enjoy this exchange while others feel uncomfortable
having to adlib.
Informal large groups are usually book fair-type speeches were people are mulling around as you talk. Learn to stay focused and
understand that the acoustics might not be good due to background noise. Humor is great in this setting.
Small formal groups require a structured presentation, often with less humor. These groups are more conducive for business and
educational forums. You dress well and behave in a more restricted manner, out of respect.
Large formal groups scare most people to death. Standing on that stage before a couple hundred or more people, you feel like you
are about to get married. The sheer formality of the event focuses hundreds of eyes on you. Break up the fear by speaking to one
table at a time. Make eye contact with that table, cover a bulleted comment in your notes, then move on to the next table. Speak to
that six or eight people as if they were the only ones in the room. Soon you’ve addressed two hundred people, the speech is over, and
it’s time to make sales. You’ll be glad you pulled it off when you sell a hundred books.
You can speak to a dozen small groups or two large ones and make the same number of sales. You weigh the cost of time versus fear of
speaking. To make your situation less stressful, prepare early and thoroughly. Know your topic. Have note cards. Have a voice in how
the room is arranged. Know ahead of time if a microphone is involved. Determine if you can walk around while speaking or if you are
confined to a podium. Knowledge isn’t just power, its peace of mind.
Once you speak several times, you begin to recognize the markets that abound. Civic groups are always seeking speakers. So are clubs,
professional organizations, corporations, schools and government agencies. Stand back and look at these opportunities with a broader
eye. You have nothing in common with employees at a government agency, but you might be able to mold your humor, your experiences,
your motivation or your subject material into a shape that entertains a crowd. Like emphasized above, when that crowd relates to you,
regardless of what you have to say, they want a piece of you to take home in remembrance of the day when you connected with them. You
cared enough to help make their day…and they want to thank you by buying what you have to offer.
About The Author:
C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com and four newsletters
affiliated with the FFW family. She is also the author of the trade paperback The Shy Writer: :
An Introvert's Guide to Writing Success.
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