How to Become a Motivational Speaker

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6. Develop the mindset of a good entrepreneur

This is a business. Period. If you don’t understand the business, you won’t be successful. If you don’t know what it takes to be a good entrepreneur, you won’t be successful. So, how do you learn the business?

The books I recommend at the end of this article will help, but if you really want to learn the intricacies of this industry, follow the first three steps.

7. Develop your marketing strategies

It’s all about marketing in this game and there are a thousand and one different approaches you could take.

You could create a fabulous brochure. By the way, the answer is- no, I don’t have one. There are a lot of speakers who do. IF it works for them, who am I to argue?

[This insert was added after I originally wrote this article. The type of brochure that I'm talking about is a tri-fold brochure. Like the ones you get from a takeout menu or from the cleaners or something like that.

One of my coaching clients says that what I call a 4 or 6 page promotional booklet is a type of brochure. So, apparently I do have one. And they do work. All of the research and wisecracks that I make are refering to tri-fold brochures.]

According to the latest marketing research, however, brochures count for an infinitesimal amount of sales in most businesses. They will not get you the gig. Even if you show someone a brochure and she hires you, it wasn’t because of the brochure.

In my experience it’s better to be able to hand someone a book, a published article, a great promotional booklet, or direct her to your website.

Demos, testimonials, referrals, one-sheets (for speakers bureaus if you use them), and an awesome website help you get gigs. All of these items are a part of your promo/media kit and you definitely need one of those. If it makes you feel warm and fuzzy, put a brochure in it.

Read the books at the end of this article to learn how to create your kit.

8. Develop your selling skills.

Until your reputation is such that event planners have to have you because no one else will due, being able to sell yourself and your program will be the difference between you getting the gig or some other speaker who agreed to do it cheaper.

Or maybe it could be a speaker who came across as more energetic, experienced, and authoritative. Either way, it boils down to selling.

I learned this the hard way before I started figuring our what was going on. I’ve had excellent conversations with event planners. I remember expecting to hear from them and to this day, I’m still waiting.

When you get on the phone with the event planner or decision maker she has to know your value and the benefits of having you address her audience. She has to know why no one else will do and most importantly, she has to know that you will make her look good.

By the way, you can skip step 7 and 8 if you hire an OUSTANDING publicist or agent.

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