I just returned from Las Vegas after 3 days of relaxing, planning and training with Lisa Sasevich in her Speak to Sell program. The training was held at the beautiful Green Valley Ranch Resort. I am investing in myself so that I can learn some new things to take my business to the next level, something I recommend all business owners do. In the Speak to Sell program we took a look at the traditional model of being a professional speaker and turned it upside down. A portion of my revenue comes from paid speaking engagments. People will book me to speak and pay me a fee for a keynote or workshop at their meeting or conference. The speaker market has changed and as a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA), I have talked to my fellow speakers and we all realize the profession is changing. There are more speakers, less gigs and lower fees being paid. Don’t get me wrong there are still professional speakers making a good living but even they are looking at the changes in the profession and working on ways to change with the market. The Speak to Sell method that Lisa teaches turns the traditional model upside-down. Although she is not the first to use these methods she has an exceptional process business owners can use to sell their products and services through unpaid speaking engagements.
Daniel Pink, in his latest manifesto Flip says, “I find that individuals and organizations doing great things have often flipped the conventional wisdom.” It’s hard to look at what you have been doing and ask yourself, is this still the best way to do it. Will this take me into the future or hold me back? These are questions I have been asking myself while I make a plan to work less and make more money – who doesn’t want to do that? I have so much information to share that will help business owners increase sales but the methods I have been using to distribute that information are now limiting me and the number of people who can get the information. I am forced to look for new, better and more affordable ways for business owners to work with me.
This kind of work can’t be done in the rush of daily activity that goes on in my business or yours. I need to remove myself, take in new information, process it and make a plan to execute. This is not convenient, comfortable, easy or cheap. Moving forward comes with a price, but I can’t afford not to. Investing in myself and making the time to learn and bring new things into my business is essential. Grow or die.
What have you done for yourself lately?
