Business-Building Thoughts From Terry L. Brock
Here’s a marketing idea that can help you. Presenting in public is often discussed as an excellent way to market your services. If you have a professional service, you can leverage the power of speaking a lot. I know how this can be done as I’ve been a professional speaker since 1983.
The sweetest sound in the English language is the sound of one’s own name. This truism has been known since the days of Shakespeare. When you can focus on another person you get their attention like nothing else. This is a core foundational principle of Relationship Marketing.
When you are speaking to a group, the more customized you can make your message to them, the better you’ll connect and the more successful you will be. Great speakers throughout history have known the importance of focusing on the needs of the audience. Today you have a tool available that can electrify your presentation and bring it to life for any audience.
I’m talking about the power of video. You know the power of television over newspapers. You know the power of YouTube and how it has transformed the way we use the Internet. Now you can use video in your presentations to do more with your message. You can show a (short, please) clip that illustrates a principle. It can demonstrate what your firm can do. You can use testimonials of satisfied clients who have already worked with you.
Video will not replace you as a speaker. Think of it like the seasoning of a meal. It adds to the message. But that seasoning can bring you raving response from your audience —- just what you want as a speaker and a marketer.
Here’s what I often do in my programs where I speak to business leaders around the world. I talk with key members of the audience before my program. I interview them on pertinent topics that will be relevant to the audience during my talk. I record portions of this interview and select a few key sound bytes which can inspire and educate the audience during my presentation.
It is one thing for me to say something from the platform. But when the audience watches a video of one of their own respected and trusted members say something, it is far more impressive. I make heroes of the people I interview and the audience benefits from it. When they hear the company’s top sales performer describe what she did to achieve a goal, it means a lot more than me blathering on about some platitude.
Don’t get me wrong. I still talk about the principles that work and how using what I call R-Commerce — Relationship Commerce beats out any E-Commerce (the Electronics). By adding the video of participants and people the audience knows and trusts, it raises the power of the presentation to a new level.
You will have an unfair advantage over other speakers at an event when you are the one that brings in key points backed up by real-world examples they can relate to on the spot.
Plus with video shot hours before your speak, your message has a sense of urgency and CNN-timing that shows relevancy. You bring the power of information to a relevant, right-now, real-world purpose for that audience, that day.
To do this is easier today than ever before. I use a small camcorder and an attached microphone (very important) for clear, professional sound and image. Then I do some edits in my hotel room to make it look professional. There are a number of good video editing programs which are easy to use and inexpensive. Windows Movie Maker comes with Windows machines and iMovie comes with Mac computers. Other programs are available which also do a very good job in editing. Many of these are easy to learn and use. You can then make a movie that is attached to your PowerPoint or Keynote presentation.
When you are delivering your speech, you can say something highly relevant to the audience like, you know, here in the widget industry at ABC Company, we know the importance of connecting with the customer. As a matter of fact, I spoke last night with Mary Smith, who we know is the top sales producer. Would you like to know how she does it? Well, listen to what she told me when she revealed the secret she uses to be #1 salesperson in the company. Then you, as the presenter, press one button and up comes the video of Mary the audience how she did it.
Mary is the star and you look fabulous as you bring real-world, usable ideas to your audience. This is a practical example of Relationship Marketing leveraged by technology.
Successful speaking is all about connecting with other people. Just like marketing connects people, you are connecting people in your audience with ideas they can use which will make their lives and businesses better. Video is a great tool to use which gives you a competitive advantage. For more information on how video and other tools can help you, drop me an email at Terry@TerryBrock.com and I’ll send a free special report on using video and other technologies to get raving reviews from your audience.
Copyright © 2009, Terry Brock and Achievement Systems, Inc. Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and professional speaker who helps businesses generate profitable results. He can be reached by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com. Join the Twitter adventure with Terry through his Twitter address: TerryBrock.
