Beth Jones, International Speaker, Author, & Coach

This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending Caterina Rando‘s Sought After Speaker Summit in Los Angeles, CA. This is part 6 of my Sought After Speaker Summit blog series. You can read part 1 here, part 2 here, part 3 here, part 4 here, and part 5 here.

What is your compelling vision for your business? For speaking? For writing? At the Sought After Speaker Summit speakers’ training that I just attended in Los Angeles, CA, Caterina Rando said it has to be so powerful it lights you up.

It has to be so big that it makes you uncomfortable!

In other words, it has to be so big that you need God to help you do it; that way He gets the credit and the glory!

This is true for me about speaking at the women’s conference in Kenya, Africa, this December. I need GOD for this big dream to come true! Shelley Valasek’s webinar is one way you can help to donate to this missions trip. Buying my jewelry artist friend Jennifer Whiddon’s beautiful cuff is another way to donate. She is donating proceeds to this Africa trip. Or you can donate directly online at my GoFundMe page.

Caterina’s compelling vision is to have a $1 million business. Part of the reason she wants that is to have a big yellow house. But that’s not all! She also wants a $1 million business because she said only 3% of women have $1 million businesses because they don’t set that goal! She wants more women to play bigger!

She is well on her way. For over 15 years, she has made 6 figures a year. In just one month this year, she made $85,000,. That was through events, publishing books, coaching, and speaking as a keynote speaker.

You can do this, too! You need a speaking strategy.

Caterina said that many women do not set ambitious goals. They have hope, prayer, good augmentation, but not a good business strategy!

Here are more tips from Caterina’s Sought After Speaker Summit that I learned (and am expanding on here). Don’t feel overwhelmed with this list. Just choose which ones apply to you and your business, and that you need to implement now:

• Look at your revenue goals daily. Many women are afraid to set goals because they are afraid they won’t get them. Check where you’re at financially each day. Proverbs 27:23, NIV, says: “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;”
• Challenge yourself. Have a sales blitz, like a January “Goals Gala.” Maybe in your fourth year, you’re not hitting $1 million yet (or whatever your goal is), but make sure each year you’re doing better and better.
• Visualize success. Get very detailed on this picture! Caterina gave the example of visualizing herself in her $1 million year. She was wearing a Michael Kors gold, sequined dress, red hoopy earrings, and happy.

  

  Picture yourself a successful speaker. See the big stage with the audience on the edge of their seats to hear your message. Imagine yourself on the cruise ship to an exotic island. See and hear the ocean waves, smell the salt air. Envision the women’s conference, the room filled with excited women. Where are you flying to? What are you wearing? What are you speaking about? Is there a long line of people standing, waiting for you to autograph your book they just bought? Are you receiving a speaking or writing award?

• Ask yourself who it is in your own life that you can help. You can give in an instant without hesitation. You will have extra in your account to give away, not an empty bank account. Are you giving a big check without even blinking to your family, a homeless shelter, an orphanage, an organization providing clean water in Africa? Caterina gives to many charities including the Giving Tea and the Rose Foundation. She also gives to many people she supports through her business – website designer, graphic art designers, copywriters, etc. This is a great feeling! We are never more successful than we perceive ourselves to be. A compelling vision is scary, but be loud and proud you are a speaker! Give voice to your desires! If we see ourselves as having no clients, then we won’t have any clients! A compelling vision makes you shift.
• When you speak at an event, look into the eyes of your audience or you will not be with the audience. This is a speaker super tip.
• Don’t clasp your hands. Have open body language. Project your voice.
• You get better at speaking by speaking a lot! Author Malcolm Gladwell says in Outliers: The Story of Success that there’s really no such thing as natural talent. Talent comes from putting 10,000 hours in something. Yes, that’s a lot of hours. Start now!

  

• Stop getting ready and just do it! Caterina is not a Toastmasters’ fan. She has seen too many people who are getting ready to get ready to get ready to get going to start. Speaking to a real audience is where you learn.
• Visualize success with your family included. 20% of your brain wants to dream; 80% of your brain wants things to stay the same. It’s comfortable and familiar. Vision engages the conscious and the unconscious mind. Envision being so successful that you can help your family and friends. Caterina’s vision included her husband thanking her for taking him on a dream vacation. This dream came to pass in her life. When your vision includes family and friends, this will make it so compelling to your brain, that you will take action to make it come true. How will you help your family and change the world and have a global community? Prosperity allows you to impact the world.
• Share your vision with those who support you, not those who are negative and won’t support it. Sometimes family and friends may be the most critical. There may be challenges, but never give up.
• Accelerate your speaking business through many options: creating your own events, teleseminars, webinars, workshops, telesummits, keynote speaking. Attend events throughout the year and pay attention to what you like and don’t like. Get tips from other speakers and event planners.

  

• Who you are is enough. You don’t have to have a tragic story to speak. You have so many stories inside of you to share with others! Pull out all your stories. Stories connect people and help with selling. We are here to transform lives.
•  Never apologize to the audience about your emotions (tears, crackly voice.) You can be in a powerful place through your genuine emotions because people relate. It makes you human and has an impact.
• Learn the power of pause. The audience leans in when you pause; the whole room will be with you.. Many speakers speak too fast. Stay connected with them.
• Are you in beta? If you aren’t speaking all the time when you say you want to, there’s reasons. One is that you haven’t set speaking goals. Another is that you haven’t created products to fund it. One of the easiest things to offer is a 4-week telecalass. We want it to be perfect the first time. One woman told Caterina hers was “in beta.” That meant she wasn’t ready yet, that she was still testing things. Does it have value? Then offer it! It doesn’t have to be perfect! One way to get a product out, is to sell it and then you’ll do it! You can be one step ahead of your customer. If people pay you for a product or program, you will get it done.
• Tall poppies syndrome. People are often attacked, criticized, cut down, or resented because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers.

  

  Others (or even you!) may feel as if they are “not good enough.” Personally I WANT to be a tall poppy, standing above the rest. I don’t want to be like anyone else. I want to be set apart by God, chosen for His glory, inspiring others! Do what works for you. Make your offer a totally different thing than others. Be you, wonderful you!

I hope you’re finding this blog series helpful and motivating! Which tip do you need to start working on today? Leave your comments below.

*****Do you need a dynamic keynote speaker for your women’s conference or event? I’d love to work with you to help make your event a great success! To book me as a speaker, email me at elizabethdjones@gmail.com or contact me here

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