Finding Places to Speak

One of the most common questions that comes up for new speakers is where can I speak? Here are six steps I recommend to help you find places to speak and get those speaking engagements.

1. Be clear on who your ideal audience is. Ask yourself, “Who are the people that are interested in my topic and where do they hang out?”
2. Research local places and events that may be looking for speakers. Some popular places that look for speakers are rotary clubs, your local chamber of commerce, and Meetup groups.
3. Visit first. Before you ask to speak, visit these places to get a sense of the group size and profile of the members. You want to be speaking to your ideal audience.
4. Introduce yourself to the event coordinator. There is always a person who is in charge of bringing in speakers. When you visit the group, introduce yourself to this person and let them know you’d like to speak and what your topic is.
5. Speaker sheet. Create your own speaker sheet with your background, testimonials, and topics you speak on. Be ready to send or give to the person in charge of bringing in speakers.
6. Follow-up. This is the most important step to do. Often they may not be ready to hire you as a speaker but may be interested in the future. The person who follows up on a regular basis will be the one who gets the speaking gig!

4 Tips to Sell Your Product or Service When Giving Your Presentation

Have you ever given a presentation hoping to sell your product or service at the end, yet sadly, you leave empty handed?

Leaving without having sold any of your products at the end of your presentation can be so disappointing. I understand because I’ve been there too.

In today’s video I’ll share with you (4) tips to selling your products and services at the end of your presentation that will put more money in your pocket.

Click here to view video.

7 Sure-Fire Ways to Connect with the Right People

Early on in my business, I was networking with everyone with no special focus. When I first started my business, I was a “Jill of all trades.” My business was new and I was open to coaching anyone who asked. I was doing this because I was eager to help people, grow my business, and hone my coaching skills
.
As time went by, I realized I was spreading myself too thin and instead of my business growing, it was starting to decline. I knew if I was going to grow my business, I had to get out there and connect with the right people. It wasn’t going to happen by sitting in front of my computer in my sweats thinking about it.

If I intended to network with the right people, I needed a clear and specific plan to follow. In the past, I would push myself to go to an event without much preparation. I was flying by the seat of my pants, hoping for the best. It was no surprise I dreaded networking and didn’t accomplish very much.

So, I asked myself “What could I be doing differently?” To begin with, I needed to know:

• Who do I want to meet?
• Where do they gather?
• What do I want to accomplish from networking?
• Where are the best places to network?
• What do I say to grab their attention?
• What happens after I leave the event?

From answering these questions, I created a 7-step networking plan that works every time.
With this plan, you now know what to do before, during, and after attending a networking event. You’ll be prepared and confident that you’ll walk away having connected with the right people. And, when you connect with the right people who need your product, an abundance of business will start coming your way. Here are the 7 steps to follow:

1. Your Networking Pie
   There are many different places to network. Open up your local business journal and see all the places there are to network. Draw a circle and divide the circle into pieces of a pie. For each slice, write a place where you can network. Some examples are weekly networking groups, business associations, the local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, special interest groups.
2. Be a Detective
   Contact the person in charge of the event and find out who’s attending. Then go on the Internet and research them. Maybe they’re launching a new product or have achieved a great sales year. With the information you find, you now have something to say that will grab their attention.
3. Set Your Intention
   Put your attention on your intention. Create specific goals of what you intend to accomplish. Schedule in your planner the number of networking events you will attend monthly and how many people you will meet. And, no matter what, do what you say you’re going to do.
4. Grab Their Attention Immediately
   First impressions happen in the first 30 seconds. Create a compelling 30-second statement that will have the person sitting up and listening. It should clearly state a benefit for the person you are meeting. Write it out and practice with several different introductions until you feel comfortable.
5. Ask Them for Help
   After I ask them questions about their business. If I determine they’re not the decision maker, I ask the person a couple of questions. “Who’s in charge of sales,” followed by, “I’m wondering if you can help me?” It removes any pressure when you ask for their help and people do want to help. I recently attended a networking event and asked these questions. I was given the name of the president, called him and we have an appointment to meet. That was easy and simple to do!
6. Build Relationships
   People do business with people they know, like and trust, and that takes time. Take the time to ask them questions about their business. Show you’re genuinely interested in them. The most rewarding business relationships evolve over time so be willing to keep in touch. Find various ways to keep in touch other than the phone.
7. Follow Up
   Any substantial business I’ve received from networking didn’t happen overnight. It happened because I was persistent and didn’t give up. Make contact with the person you’ve met within 24 hours of meeting them. Expect that it will take at least 6 encounters or more to move the prospect to the next step. Send a personal follow-up note, a thank you, a congratulations note, or a relevant article of information.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Select at least 2 networking events you will attend this month and write the dates in your planner. Most networking groups allow you come as a visitor a couple of times.
• Make a decision to join at least (1) networking group that meets weekly. I recommend a weekly networking group because they’ll get to know you faster on a weekly basis, and start giving you business more quickly.
• Write down clear and measurable goals of what you intend to accomplish at your next networking event.
• Create your compelling 30-second statement. It should include who you are, what you do, and what makes you unique. Write it out and practice saying it until you can say it with confidence and enthusiasm.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Make Your Customers Raving Fans

One of the best ways to increase your sales and keep customers for life is simply thanking them for their business. Your customers are the life blood of your business.

When a customer has a bad experience, the word spreads quickly. They tell 13 people, who tell 4 people, for a total of 52 people. When a customer has a good experience, they will tell others, but not as many as an unsatisfied customer will.
It seems easy to thank your customers for their business, yet many business owners do not take the time to do this. Typically, we sign up a new customer, think the job’s done and off we go looking for our next new customer.
Of all the products and services you purchased and all the companies you patronized in the last month, when was the last time someone told you they appreciated your business? Probably not often, if at all.

Here’s a story that says it all…

A young boy was working at the local market as a grocery clerk. This was his first job and he wanted to be the best grocery clerk they ever had. He thought if he greeted customers with a big “hello,” they would leave with a big smile. To his surprise many of the customers would say very little back to him or nothing at all. This made him very sad. He wondered why were they so glum?

He thought hard and long about what he could do to cheer them up. Suddenly, it came to him. Maybe they don’t feel appreciated. He knew many of them had been shopping at the market for years. When was the last time the store manager, cashier, or grocery clerk thanked them for their business?
So, he went home and on small pieces of paper he wrote…”Thank you for being a loyal customer and shopping at our market. We appreciate your business. Have a great day!” He then dropped each note into the customers’ shopping bags as they were leaving. Well, you can imagine their surprise when they found this little note of appreciation.

Customers started coming into the market smiling. Many went up to John shaking his hand to personally thank him for making their day. And, they started raving to all their friends about the personalized service they received.

Soon after more and more people started shopping at this little market because they felt appreciated. Just a simple note made such a big impact. The little market became the most popular market in the area. The store manager couldn’t thank John enough and soon he was promoted.
So what did John do that made such a difference?

• He went the extra mile for the customer.
• He wrote a personalized note of appreciation.
• He cared first about the customer.
• He took the time to thank the customer for their business.
• He was creative in his thinking.

When was the last time you did that for your customer?

It doesn’t take a lot of time to show your customers how much you appreciate their business. What you get back is worth gold. Happy customers become your referral resource, your raving fans forever, and customers for life.

Here’s 10 easy and simple ways to show customer appreciation. Choose one that will work for your business and give it a try.

1. Send “thank you for your business” cards throughout the year, not just at the holidays.
2. Make a note of clients’ birthdays, anniversaries, children’s birthdays, special events and send cards.
3. Send personal hand-written notes and articles of interest.
4. Design a Customer Appreciation Plan to reward loyal customers.
5. Send different gifts—it’s not the size, it’s the thought that counts.
6. Call loyal customers to let them know you appreciate their business.
7. Call new customers thanking them for choosing you.
8. Survey customers to see what they like and what they don’t like about doing business.
9. Periodically touch base with customers to let them know about events, new products, invitation for lunch, to visit your office.
10. Every day thank a customer for his or her business.

Remember that customers are our lifeblood. Every day tell a customer you do care about them and appreciate his or her business.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

The “Low Hanging Fruit” Formula to Increasing Sales

We know it takes time and preparation to find new prospects and turn them into clients. You have to network, market yourself, make calls, determine if they’re your ideal client, meet with them, close the sale, and follow-up. Instead of going out and looking for new business, there’s a huge opportunity to increase your business with your current clients.

To grow your sales, all you have to do is first look to the clients you have already sold. These clients are what we call your “low hanging fruit”.

They’re ripe and ready to be picked. Visualize a tree with delicious fruit hanging from the branches. Would you struggle and climb to the top of the tree, or would you easily pick the fruit hanging from the lowest branches? Of course, you would pick “the low hanging fruit” because it’s ripe, ready, and easy to pull off the branch.

It’s the same with a client. They’re ready and open to doing more business with you. You don’t have to work so hard. You’ve already proven yourself by delivering a quality product or service. They know, like, and trust you. You’ve established a strong client relationship because they can count on you. You now have the opportunity to introduce them to other products and services you offer.

Now that you’ve identified that your current clients are your “low hanging fruit,” here’s a 5-step formula to follow that will help you increase your business with them.

1. Ask for a meeting. After a project has completed, ask to meet with the client to discuss the results of the project and some new ideas. If the client is satisfied with the work you’ve done, the level of trust and quality of the relationship is solid. The client believes in you. You have proven yourself to the client, so getting a meeting with them is easy.
   
   
2. Ask for feedback on your product or service. Find out if the client is satisfied with the most recent project’s delivery and if they have any suggestions for improvement. Then ask what the company’s future needs are. If the client tells you there are no opportunities at this time, ask when would be good time to follow up. Before you leave the meeting, confirm the agreed-upon time you will be in touch. Staying in touch with the prospect keeps the door open for future business.
   
   
3. Ask for referral business. At the moment the client expresses satisfaction with your service, is the perfect time to ask for referral business, either within the company or outside the company. Say to the client, “I’m delighted you’re happy with our service. It’s been a pleasure working with you too. I was wondering if there’s anyone else you think would benefit from speaking to me?” Ask if they can give you the names then. If they cannot, set up a time in the next week to follow up for the names and phone numbers. Do not leave it up to them to call you because chances are they won’t.
   
   
4. Keep the client updated. Another way to stay visible is by keeping the client informed of new products, services, or programs, either developed by your company or that have recently come on the market. Your client will appreciate being informed of the latest cutting-edge products for their employees. This shows you’re thinking of ways to help the client and you’ll soon become their trusted partner.
   
   
5. Stay in touch. Your client may not have an immediate need for your services, but that can change. A “no” today can easily become a “yes” tomorrow. Remember, you’ve established a business relationship with the client. They know, like, and trust you. Stay visible by touching base with the client periodically via phone or e-mail.

© All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Rochelle Togo-Figa, Professional Sales Coach, is prohibited.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

7 Sure-Fire Ways to Connect with the Right People

Early on in my business, I was networking with everyone with no special focus. When I first started my business, I was a “Jill of all trades.” My business was new and I was open to coaching anyone who asked. I was doing this because I was eager to help people, grow my business, and hone my coaching skills.

As time went by, I realized I was spreading myself too thin and instead of my business growing, it was starting to decline. I knew if I was going to grow my business, I had to get out there and connect with the right people. It wasn’t going to happen by sitting in front of my computer in my sweats thinking about it.

If I intended to network with the right people, I needed a clear and specific plan to follow. In the past, I would push myself to go to an event without much preparation. I was flying by the seat of my pants, hoping for the best. It was no surprise I dreaded networking and didn’t accomplish very much.

So, I asked myself “What could I be doing differently?” To begin with, I needed to know:

• Who do I want to meet?
• Where do they gather?
• What do I want to accomplish from networking?
• Where are the best places to network?
• What do I say to grab their attention?
• What happens after I leave the event?

From answering these questions, I created a 7-step networking plan that works every time.

With this plan, you now know what to do before, during, and after attending a networking event. You’ll be prepared and confident that you’ll walk away having connected with the right people. And, when you connect with the right people who need your product, an abundance of business will start coming your way. Here are the 7 steps to follow:

1. Your Networking Pie
   There are many different places to network. Open up your local business journal and see all the places there are to network. Draw a circle and divide the circle into pieces of a pie. For each slice, write a place where you can network. Some examples are weekly networking groups, business associations, the local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, special interest groups.
2. Be a Detective
   Contact the person in charge of the event and find out who’s attending. Then go on the Internet and research them. Maybe they’re launching a new product or have achieved a great sales year. With the information you find, you now have something to say that will grab their attention.
3. Set Your Intention
   Put your attention on your intention. Create specific goals of what you intend to accomplish. Schedule in your planner the number of networking events you will attend monthly and how many people you will meet. And, no matter what, do what you say you’re going to do.
4. Grab Their Attention Immediately
   First impressions happen in the first 30 seconds. Create a compelling 30-second statement that will have the person sitting up and listening. It should clearly state a benefit for the person you are meeting. Write it out and practice with several different introductions until you feel comfortable.
5. Ask Them for Help
   After I ask them questions about their business. If I determine they’re not the decision maker, I ask the person a couple of questions. “Who’s in charge of sales,” followed by, “I’m wondering if you can help me?” It removes any pressure when you ask for their help and people do want to help. I recently attended a networking event and asked these questions. I was given the name of the president, called him and we have an appointment to meet. That was easy and simple to do!
6. Build Relationships
   People do business with people they know, like and trust, and that takes time. Take the time to ask them questions about their business. Show you’re genuinely interested in them. The most rewarding business relationships evolve over time so be willing to keep in touch. Find various ways to keep in touch other than the phone.
7. Follow Up
   Any substantial business I’ve received from networking didn’t happen overnight. It happened because I was persistent and didn’t give up. Make contact with the person you’ve met within 24 hours of meeting them. Expect that it will take at least 6 encounters or more to move the prospect to the next step. Send a personal follow-up note, a thank you, a congratulations note, or a relevant article of information.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Select at least 2 networking events you will attend this month and write the dates in your planner. Most networking groups allow you come as a visitor a couple of times.
• Make a decision to join at least (1) networking group that meets weekly. I recommend a weekly networking group because they’ll get to know you faster on a weekly basis, and start giving you business more quickly.
• Write down clear and measurable goals of what you intend to accomplish at your next networking event.
• Create your compelling 30-second statement. It should include who you are, what you do, and what makes you unique. Write it out and practice saying it until you can say it with confidence and enthusiasm.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit http://www.salesbreakthroughs.com/.

Make Your Customers Raving Fans

One of the best ways to increase your sales and keep customers for life is simply thanking them for their business. Your customers are the life blood of your business.

When a customer has a bad experience, the word spreads quickly. They tell 13 people, who tell 4 people, for a total of 52 people. When a customer has a good experience, they will tell others, but not as many as an unsatisfied customer will.

It seems easy to thank your customers for their business, yet many business owners do not take the time to do this. Typically, we sign up a new customer, think the job’s done and off we go looking for our next new customer.

Of all the products and services you purchased and all the companies you patronized in the last month, when was the last time someone told you they appreciated your business? Probably not often, if at all.

Here’s a story that says it all…

A young boy was working at the local market as a grocery clerk. This was his first job and he wanted to be the best grocery clerk they ever had. He thought if he greeted customers with a big “hello,” they would leave with a big smile. To his surprise many of the customers would say very little back to him or nothing at all. This made him very sad. He wondered why were they so glum?

He thought hard and long about what he could do to cheer them up. Suddenly, it came to him. Maybe they don’t feel appreciated. He knew many of them had been shopping at the market for years. When was the last time the store manager, cashier, or grocery clerk thanked them for their business?

So, he went home and on small pieces of paper he wrote…”Thank you for being a loyal customer and shopping at our market. We appreciate your business. Have a great day!” He then dropped each note into the customers’ shopping bags as they were leaving. Well, you can imagine their surprise when they found this little note of appreciation.

Customers started coming into the market smiling. Many went up to John shaking his hand to personally thank him for making their day. And, they started raving to all their friends about the personalized service they received.

Soon after more and more people started shopping at this little market because they felt appreciated. Just a simple note made such a big impact. The little market became the most popular market in the area. The store manager couldn’t thank John enough and soon he was promoted.

So what did John do that made such a difference?

• He went the extra mile for the customer.
• He wrote a personalized note of appreciation.
• He cared first about the customer.
• He took the time to thank the customer for their business.
• He was creative in his thinking.

When was the last time you did that for your customer?

It doesn’t take a lot of time to show your customers how much you appreciate their business. What you get back is worth gold. Happy customers become your referral resource, your raving fans forever, and customers for life.

Here’s 10 easy and simple ways to show customer appreciation. Choose one that will work for your business and give it a try.

1. Send “thank you for your business” cards throughout the year, not just at the holidays.
2. Make a note of clients’ birthdays, anniversaries, children’s birthdays, special events and send cards.
3. Send personal hand-written notes and articles of interest.
4. Design a Customer Appreciation Plan to reward loyal customers.
5. Send different gifts—it’s not the size, it’s the thought that counts.
6. Call loyal customers to let them know you appreciate their business.
7. Call new customers thanking them for choosing you.
8. Survey customers to see what they like and what they don’t like about doing business.
9. Periodically touch base with customers to let them know about events, new products, invitation for lunch, to visit your office.
10. Every day thank a customer for his or her business.

Remember that customers are our lifeblood. Every day tell a customer you do care about them and appreciate his or her business.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.

The “Low Hanging Fruit” Formula to Increasing Sales

We know it takes time and preparation to find new prospects and turn them into clients. You have to network, market yourself, make calls, determine if they’re your ideal client, meet with them, close the sale, and follow-up. Instead of going out and looking for new business, there’s a huge opportunity to increase your business with your current clients.


To grow your sales, all you have to do is first look to the clients you have already sold. These clients are what we call your “low hanging fruit”.

They’re ripe and ready to be picked. Visualize a tree with delicious fruit hanging from the branches. Would you struggle and climb to the top of the tree, or would you easily pick the fruit hanging from the lowest branches? Of course, you would pick “the low hanging fruit” because it’s ripe, ready, and easy to pull off the branch.

It’s the same with a client. They’re ready and open to doing more business with you. You don’t have to work so hard. You’ve already proven yourself by delivering a quality product or service. They know, like, and trust you. You’ve established a strong client relationship because they can count on you. You now have the opportunity to introduce them to other products and services you offer.

Now that you’ve identified that your current clients are your “low hanging fruit,” here’s a 5-step formula to follow that will help you increase your business with them.

1. Ask for a meeting. After a project has completed, ask to meet with the client to discuss the results of the project and some new ideas. If the client is satisfied with the work you’ve done, the level of trust and quality of the relationship is solid. The client believes in you. You have proven yourself to the client, so getting a meeting with them is easy.
   
   
2. Ask for feedback on your product or service. Find out if the client is satisfied with the most recent project’s delivery and if they have any suggestions for improvement. Then ask what the company’s future needs are. If the client tells you there are no opportunities at this time, ask when would be good time to follow up. Before you leave the meeting, confirm the agreed-upon time you will be in touch. Staying in touch with the prospect keeps the door open for future business.
   
   
3. Ask for referral business. At the moment the client expresses satisfaction with your service, is the perfect time to ask for referral business, either within the company or outside the company. Say to the client, “I’m delighted you’re happy with our service. It’s been a pleasure working with you too. I was wondering if there’s anyone else you think would benefit from speaking to me?” Ask if they can give you the names then. If they cannot, set up a time in the next week to follow up for the names and phone numbers. Do not leave it up to them to call you because chances are they won’t.
   
   
4. Keep the client updated. Another way to stay visible is by keeping the client informed of new products, services, or programs, either developed by your company or that have recently come on the market. Your client will appreciate being informed of the latest cutting-edge products for their employees. This shows you’re thinking of ways to help the client and you’ll soon become their trusted partner.
   
   
5. Stay in touch. Your client may not have an immediate need for your services, but that can change. A “no” today can easily become a “yes” tomorrow. Remember, you’ve established a business relationship with the client. They know, like, and trust you. Stay visible by touching base with the client periodically via phone or e-mail.

© 2008. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Rochelle Togo-Figa, Professional Sales Coach, is prohibited.

If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Sales Breakthrough Expert, is the creator of the Sales Breakthrough System™, a proven step-by-step sales process that will help you close more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with ease and velocity. To sign up for her free sales articles and teleclasses on closing more sales, visit www.SalesBreakthroughs.com.