We had a lean but mighty January meeting of the NSA Las Vegas. Thankfully, when our members don’t make it, it’s usually because they’re jetting around the globe inspiring audiences. Those of us that attended were treated to an amazing, ah-ha filled event.
It takes a strong person to fill Marvelless Mark’s shoes (are those alligator!?!), and we had just the man for the job. Brandon James, comedian extraordinaire, kept the audience enthused throughout the meeting with clever jokes and activities. Encouraging the audience to use humor in our presentations, he had us find something funny in the room (not John Polish) to comment on. Huge thanks to Verve Church for letting us crash there.
Our program began with Mark S. A. Smith presenting “Creating a Marketing Plan.” Mark explained the difference between marketing and sales and assured us that when you are officially sick of your marketing, that’s when your customers will finally start to take notice. He walked us through an amazing handout, which I bet, if you asked really nicely, he’d probably share with you. Email him at Mark.smith@BijaCo.com .
My biggest epiphany… that people pay for epiphanies. In fact, we are in the business of delivering them! There will be a mastermind meeting on Thursday January 16th to put what we learned into practice. Email Jim Root ( jim@jimrootspeaks.com ) for more details.
Next up was moi! Pardon me as I fan myself like Miss Piggy. John P. asked if I’d do the newly added Influencer segment to talk about the benefits of writing a book… and boy did I! While most of the members in attendance have already published a book (or several) or are working on one now, hearing how others have utilized their author status was helpful for all. Some of the benefits of writing and publishing a book include: establishing yourself as an expert, making money off back of the room sales, making more money when you add books to your speaking fee, sending to potential clients to get on their radar, and providing a way to discuss what charity you support while you’re on stage. (That’s Cause Marketing, and if you are interested in learning more, you can check out my newest book at www.dogoodtodobetter.com ). Have you always wanted to write a book (or another one) and need some guidance? The chapter is now in possession of 5 copies of Book Writing for Busy People. However, if you’d like to download your own digital copy for free, please visit https://mailchi.mp/11b0e015b80a/bookwritingforbusypeople .
On to our guest speaker!
Cara Silletto gave us “The Association Insider: How I Booked 80 Association Gigs in One Year” and it was GOOOOOD!
Having worked as an association meeting planner, Cara understands what associations are really looking for and how to speaking their language. She discussed the 4 levels of associations: Local, which normally pays nothing or very little for speakers, Most states who pay decently, Larger States who pay quite well, and National Associations who pay extremely well… or not at all. They are often looking for celebrities to keynote their conferences; however, if the audience is prime for your services, you may choose to offer a keynote for free.
“Speaking for Exposure” – which is not the same as “Speaking in the Buff” – can be a good business move if you follow these guidelines:
- Will it lead to more work?
- Is the event a big deal?
- Can you get good video?
- Can you sell products?
- Does it get you into a new industry?
- Can you get testimonials?
- Is it great exposure by your metrics (whatever those may be)?
Weighing the answers to these questions will help you determine if waiving your fee is worthwhile.
For those of us who have never targeted associations and don’t even know where to begin, Cara asked us a simple question: Which languages do you speak?
Whoah.
She wasn’t talking French, Portuguese, or Pig Latin. Cara wanted us to consider what industries we’ve had experience with throughout our lives. Looking back at my work history (which is almost as entertaining as my dating history), I found 7 different industries for which I “knew the lingo.” Try it for yourself. You might be surprised what you learn!
Finding associations is as simple as heading over to Google. Search for “2020 (Industry) Conference” and then sit back as the internet hamsters serve up informational goodies. You can also head over to Events in America and filter by Industry or State, or you can purchase the NSA Association Executive Access for $349 per year.
Then, Cara discussed the most important piece of speaking for associations (or anyone really)… picking up the phone. Cue the creepy door creak and the slasher movie-worthy shriek. Actually, she made it sound not so bad. (We’ll see about that.) Apparently, all you have to do is pick up the phone, make the call, and ask one important question: “When do you book speakers?”
If the answer isn’t “now,” leave them alone! Ask them if you can send them some quick info and if you can follow up with them when they start looking. Here’s the clincher, call them one month before they said they’d be looking. Why? Because sometimes they start early and you don’t want to miss your opportunity. Here are some timing guidelines for meeting planning:
- National begins booking 9-18 months in advance
- State begins booking 3-9 months in advance and they usually have Spring and Fall conferences. This means that you should be reaching out between December and February (that means now!) and between May and July.
- Raise your fees each spring and fall for the next season and then encourage meeting planners to book by the 1st week in January to lock in last year’s prices.
When you do speak to a meeting planner, know that not all keynotes are called keynotes. You can also put your name in the hat for the General Session, or offer to do a Pre-Conference Workshop that generates “Non-Dues Revenue” for the association. If they bite, you can help to promote this workshop with printed or digital marketing materials and a customized video.
After lunch, Cara shared a few Secret Weapons with us. My favorite was Require Introductions. This is where you actually put a line in your contract saying that if you rock it (which of course you will), the client provides 2 quality introductions to other meeting planners, specific members that you’d like to meet, etc.
If you’d like to access more of Cara’s brilliance, visit http://www.crescendostrategies.com/nsa/. You can also review videos of past meetings at https://nsalasvegas.com/success-now/. Cara’s should be up there shortly.
On February 8th, Joel Block will tell us how to Stop Hustling Gigs and Start Building a Business. We’ll be at our new home at Wildhorse Golf Club in Henderson. Make sure you don’t miss another amazing Saturday with NSA Las Vegas!
About the Author
Sheryl Green is a storytelling expert, Cause Marketer, and animal rescuing badass. Having penned three novels, she now brings her penchant for storytelling to non-fiction and content writing, working with businesses and individuals who want to position themselves as experts in their field and make a difference in their community. She leverages the power of story through speaking engagements, website content and book coaching. She is the author of “Surviving to Thriving: How to Overcome Setbacks and Rock Your Life,” “Once Upon a Bottom Line: Harnessing the Power of Story for Sales,” and “Book Writing for Busy People.” Her latest book, “Do Good to Do Better: The Small Business Guide to Growing Your Business by Helping Nonprofits” is now available. Visit www.dogoodtodobetter.com to download the first chapter free.
She also serves as the Director of Communications and Cuddling for Hearts Alive Village and is a firm believer that everything looks better covered in pet fur. Learn more at www.sherylgreenspeaks.com