Speaker - November 2008

cise demonstrates how itemizing your services can increase your fees:

• Draw three columns on a sheet of paper and title the columns, from left to right: “pre-event,” “event” and “post-event.” Your speech should be listed in the middle column under “event.”

• Now, list everything you provide for your
presentation in each column. Be creative. I’ll wait.

• Under “pre-event,” you should have listed things like: interview sample of audience, prepare customized design, “shop” the client, “shop” the client competition, interview customers, hold discussions with client management, etc.

• In the “post-event” column, you should have listed things such as: debrief with the buyer, provide a hard or electronic copy of the key points, provide a Web page coded and specially customized for the audience, provide coaching via email and/or phone for selected key audience members, etc.

The items in the middle “event” column should include: conduct a program for spouses, conduct a breakout session for specific application, provide handouts, provide products, allow video recording, etc.

Speaking is a process, not merely an “event.”
Don’t throw everything but the family dog into
your proposal in an attempt to prove your worth.

I know what you’re thinking: “I already do a lot of that stuff for my speaking fee!” Yes, you do, which is why you’re not a good marketer or allowing middlemen to negotiate for you or demand concessions. You have to unbundle, not bundle, your services.

Raise Your Fees

Speaking is a process, not merely an “event.” Don’t throw everything but the family dog into your proposal in an attempt to prove your worth. Provide options at different points in the process.

No bureau will do that for you, and no meeting planner will entertain it. Meeting planners are paid to conserve budget (“Will you do a second session while you’re here?”), but true buyers are paid to get results. And real buyers have real egos.

They believe they get what they pay for.

The president of a major high-tech firm, while introducing me, asked his senior officers what they thought my fee was for spending six hours conducting a session for them on site. None came within $15,000. Then he said to them, “You’d better listen up!” He was telling them that I practiced what I preached and that he was getting the very best.

I’ve heard speakers involved with NSA tell me that they are hired hands, and they do whatever the client wants when they are on site. I’m no hired hand—I’m a highly skilled professional, one of the best in the world at what I do. I provide great value. And I receive equitable compensation. What do you believe about yourself?