Selling from the stage?

You can sell directly from the stage, but the greater value is in lead generation for followup at a later time. I have sales reps traveling all over the country giving speeches to chambers of commerce, Rotary, civic groups, etc. There is no direct sales pitch, except for a brief almost off-handed remark that "our company has the solution for this problem" and we have product info packages and demos in the back of the room.

Toastmasters is excellent. While I have never done it myself, it definitely has helped my sales reps in their presentations. An effective way to generate leads from other professionals and business owners too, btw.

No, I mostly advertise in USA Today, trade magazines, and in major metropolitan newspapers.

There has to be a great match between you and the audience or you won't sell anything, regardless of your skills and training. This is a factor few people who talk about selling from the stage discuss.

I have had relatively small audiences where I walked away with large sales because they were the sort of people who would be most likely to like and trust me, and also had relatively large audiences where people listened politely but bought nothing at all because there was little in common between me and them.

Marcia Yudkin

Stephanie,

Claude gave you some great advice and information. My first professional presentation came as a young AF officer. I was appointed as a liaison officer to 3 specific large civilian organizations. I had to attend their meetings, interact with their brass and speak to the assembled masses.

My superiors told me failure wasn't an option. I went from bumbly mouth to silver tongue by practice, practice and practice. When I was done practicing, I practiced some more. When I got on stage, I didn't recognize the new me. I could actually speak to 4000 eyeballs staring back at me and not get nervous or forget my rehearsed lines.

I also joined two professional speaking groups to hone my skills. Today I can speak to an audience of one or a stadium of 100000 for any length of time. Not bragging in the least. It is all in how you craft your mindset.

I have also made tons of money as my own seminar producer. Believe me once you do it, you'll get infected and won't want to stop.

My message is simple - go for it.

Good luck,

Tom

Claude I just picked up the Selling Local Advertising book after following you with Deal Clincher Thank you so much for this information. I am in a border metropolis that is one or two generations behind on tech. But with your help I can lead the way into this century

Here is a huge mistake many (maybe most) new speakers make.

They think that their story is fascinating, when it is not. They think people will pay to hear it, when they will not.

And if you want to sell something from the stage, it better be about something you can monetize. Soft topics (topics that are not business related) are simply not as profitable.

You need to think in terms of "dollars per head". How much money did each person in the audience bring to you? And not "later", Now. How much in credit card receipts did you take home with you? That's the question.

Want to talk about how you beat cancer? Climbed to the top of a mountain? Started a religion? Kicked your cocaine habit?
These subjects may get you in front of certain audiences, but it won't be very profitable. You may get a speaking fee, but the money is in product sales.

Are you an expert in investments? Selling? Marketing? Hiring? Stopping employee theft? Buying real estate? Buying advertising for pennies on the dollar? Internet marketing?

NOW, you have something that people will pay to learn. And they will buy your program, service, manuals, system..from you right then.

If you talk to a group of 30 people, and they all buy your $15 book....
maybe you will pay your travel expenses and make a decent working wage.

If you have a $500 course, and 5 people buy it...now it is worth doing, for most people.

Have a $4,000 service that 20% of the audience buys? Now you are making money.

These are just examples. Everyone has a different comfort level.

You would be amazed at how many people read a book, and want to become a speaker...just like the author. There are bootcamps on becoming a speaker, every week. Most people that attend never do the first step.

Believe me, getting applause isn't enough. Standing ovations aren't enough after awhile. Hotel rooms all look the same.

You are selling. And you need to get paid.

Top platform salespeople get $300-$400 a head when they speak to an interested audience.
($320 is my yearly average)
I watched, at a Dan Kennedy event, Dave Dee pull $300,000 from a room of about 150 people.
I watched Joe Polish grab about $125,000 from one speech at the same event (250 people bought his $500 course).

Some of these guys are Great. The know how to sell, and they know how to build demand for what they offer.

And there are thousands that make a nice steady low six figure income talking from the stage, selling a course of some kind.

Added later: About the Kennedy event. These were experienced expert speakers that know how to sell. And for anyone thinking they can jut go out and gather an audience like the one at this event...Kennedy spent a million dollars for putting the event on.

Filling seats and selling tickets to events like this is the hardest part.
Want to fill a room with business owners on your own? With room cost, direct mail, and other expenses, it may cost you $5,000-$8,000 to get 30-40 business owners in a room to hear you. You need to know what you are doing. Not for the faint of heart.