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by
Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE
On February 15, 2001, I woke up for the first time in 26
years without a full-time personal assistant. How did I
feel about it? It was exhilarating! Of course, now and then
I miss having someone to do what I am not crazy about doing,
but it was time for me to take charge of my business in
a whole new way. Over the years, one assistant has trained
the next and although they had had wonderful strengths,
also weaknesses. Fortunately, the wealth of new technology
lets me reinvent how I now want to run my business and marketing
for the 21st Century.
Any speaker trying to maintain an efficient office headquarters
while on the road will appreciate how quickly the new technologies
have been coming to their aid. I've been self-employed since
1975 and had my own full-time speaking business since 1984.
When I reached the age of 55, I asked myself two questions:
- How do I want to live the second half of my life?
- How do I want to run my business for the second half
of my life?
Technology is making big changes
in nearly every speaker's business. All of us already have
technological capabilities that we aren't taking full advantage
of. I am constantly learning how to automate many of the
processes available to us.
For example, my contact system, Goldmine, has many features
that I was under-using. By having it on my laptop, I can
'synchronize' my work with that of my part-time assistants
so that all our records are up to date. We have the systems
set up so that Goldmine actually tells us what step has
to be taken next in the cycle of a booked engagement. When
I had my full-time employee, she mail-merged letters for
large mailings. Now, I am saving time by using more email
mass communications to speakers' bureaus and clients.
Although my office still sends out
press kits and videos, I have developed my website over
the past 8 years to provide much of this information in
forms that serve various types of clients.
SPEAKERS
can access dozens of free articles,
download special
reports, watch videos, listen
to audios, and learn about my speaking
schools, public dates, and seminars. More and more speech
coaching clients, sales training clients, and keynote speaking
clients are check my references on the website and contact
me by email.
CLIENTS
can learn about topics and get descriptions for their convention
brochures, as well as bios, introductions, photos, and preprogram
questionnaires. They can even confirm their own engagement
and email or fax me. Their entire committee can preview
various videos at their own desk top. With EPRO, my calendar
is online and speakers' bureaus can place holds on specific
dates.
PRODUCT
PURCHASERS
can preview many of my videos,
audios, CDs
and DVDs before buying. Click
here to take a look at my secure online shopping cart.
Recently,
I interviewed Jeff Davidson, a prolific author and successful
speaker for North Carolina. Here is what Jeff told me about
running a high-tech speaking business:
JEFF DAVIDSON'S ADVICE
Will the Internet change everything in speaking? Maybe not,
but the Internet is already fundamentally altering all business
aspects of the meeting industry.
So much is shifting so quickly. Typical speakers get up
each morning, feeling as if they will never keep pace with
technology developments, especially those affecting the
meeting industry. Yet, even solo speakers with no staff
can maintain a firm handle on where to concentrate their
time and attention if they keep up with technology.
Here are four areas to be aware of:
1. Prepare to handle all paperwork on the web.
All the aspects of meeting planning that used to be done
by mail can and will be transferred to the web. Given that
this reality is happening faster than anyone could have
supposed just a few years ago, speakers now need to have
all their business materials web-ready. This means converting
all your pre-speech materials (such as contracts, agreement
forms, presentation questionnaires, survey forms, product-ordering
information, room diagrams, and so on) into PDF format so
that any form can be sent to a meeting planner quickly and
easily in the form of an email attachment.
Fortunately, conversion to PDF format is a painless process
once the proper software is installed. Adobe Systems is
the leader in this area. You can gather all the information
you need at www.adobe.com.
2. Prepare documents in dual formats.
Prepare all speech-related materials in dual format, both
on a web site for downloading and as files that can be attached
to emails. From now on, whatever you would prepare for
an on-site audience needs to be recast for delivery over
the Internet and for a net audience. If you already use
Corel Presentations, PowerPoint, or other online slideshow
software, you are ahead of the game. They readily lend themselves
to usage over the Internet.
Extend the process further by making sure your professional
photos, handouts, or "participant materials" as I like to
call them -- charts, graphs, exhibits, article reprints,
and other paraphernalia used in front of a live group --
can be easily conveyed over the net.
3. Master long-distance techniques.
Become adept at long-distance learning techniques. Patricia
Fripp and I belong to an organization of 40 business experts
who share their expertise with clients via live programs
over the Internet. Our program,uses interactive technology to
deliver real-time professional training to corporations
and organizations throughout the world. Corporations may
sign up 1 to 1,000 people and view programs, either as initially
scheduled, or as replays contained in the archives
program file.
Learn how to do online presentations yourself. Even if
speakers can someday appear as holograms before audiences
(as in the "Holodeck" episode of Star Trek), the need for
live, on-site speakers at conferences and conventions is
not likely to dissipate. On-line presentations are going
to become an ever-increasing share of the speaking, training,
and consulting market. If you haven't already gotten your
feet wet in this 21st century technology, now is the time
to get started. All speakers today will benefit from becoming
aware and fluent in making online presentations.
4. Stimulate product sales.
Even if product sales already account for a fair amount
of your revenues, an increasing share will be directly related
to how you use the Internet and your website.
Staying in touch with past clients and audience members
has never been easier. Many who didn't initially buy your
products can be approached again, now that you've established
a relationship via the net. You can maintain contact through
regular online zines, specific email communiqués (less
desirable), broadcast announcements, and a variety of emerging
techniques. The advocates you create as a result of your
speaking engagements become prime candidates for generating
repeat and enduring product sales. And, as much as you love
speaking to groups, you probably also enjoy making money
while you sleep.
(1147 words)
Jeff
Davidson, MBA, CMC, is a popular speaker; and the award-winning
author of many books, including Breathing Space: Living
and Working at a Comfortable Pace in a Sped-up Society
($14.95). For a complete resource list including books,
and videos cassettes, visit BSI's web site http://www.BreathingSpace.com,
or send an email request to Jeff@BreathingSpace.com
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