"DON'T BE AFRAID . . . WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN TO TALK" by Stan Hustad Increasingly we are discovering in the financial services that the traditional calling and prospecting methods of seeking new business are less and less effective. In a previous article entitled, Put Down That Phone and You Are Under Arrest, I pointed out that telephone calling for new business is no longer very effective and in some cases may even put us in legal jeopardy. We are also finding that direct mail has less and less impact with the people we would like to reach. Remember that any mail that is unsolicited and perhaps unwanted, no matter how nice and with first class postage, falls into the "junk mail" category for most people. We continually remind our clients that "You are the brochure." You are the person who has to carry the message of who you are and what you do! It can't be in paper, it has to be in person. You are the difference, and you must be a personal performance marketer in order to help people understand the unique value added that your products and services bring to the client and prospect. One of the key ways of presenting your value and performing as a marketer is to use every opportunity you can to give a talk. There are all kinds of opportunities from our place of worship, to community centers, to service groups, to the occasional industry presentation. When you have the opportunity, don't be afraid, give a talk. I know that for many people, public speaking is one of the top fears in their life. I have discovered that many very successful and outgoing producers who have had great success in one-on-one presentations, still find the "speaking in front of an audience" to be unnerving and in some cases frightening. Here's a way to help you start to overcome some of those fears. If you will follow the five simple steps, questions, and issues, outlined below you will find that it will be much easier for you to develop a talk and to present it with power, high performance, and real impact. Here are the five things you need to think about. What do you want them to do? Steven Covey said that highly effective people begin with the end in mind. You must do the same thing when you give a talk. As you design your talk or speech, what do you really want people to do? What kind of effect do you want to have on them? What kind of things do you want them to move out and do? So think about that. Every talk must have a mission. Be able to answer the question in your own mind and perhaps bring it into the talk itself. What do you want them to do after they hear from you? Who is your audience? One of the key points of a successful communicator is that they always tailor their talk to the audience involved. A professional speaker will tell you that whenever they are approached to give a talk or a presentation, they will always ask, "Who am I talking to?"You must always ask the question:who is the audience; what are their concerns; what do they want from this talk; what are some of the goals, ambitions, and expectations they have in coming together so they might hear this presentation? Your job is then to do all you can to connect with the audience. Please keep in mind that the best talk presented in the best way, which does not connect with the audience, will accomplish nothing. How do you make it entertaining? We are now in the information and entertainment age. Whenever you are putting together a presentation, you must understand that the entertainment industry and the experience industry have changed the environment that we work in. You must make sure that you have a good deal of content and substance in your presentation. But you must also think of ways for you to make it fun, entertaining, and interesting. This is what we have to do if we are to compete successfully in that "talk market" today. What expertise do you have and can how you demonstrate it? Keep in mind that if you are there to give a talk, you want to demonstrate that you and your enterprise have a certain amount of expertise that can be found no place else. So you must make sure that there are ways for you to demonstrate the expertise that you bring to the subject matter and then actually demonstrate that expertise. Too many speakers tell people what they are good at and they tell people what they can do, but they never demonstrate just what they can do for the people involved. So, what expertise do you have and how can you demonstrate it? This is most important. The world is full of people who have much to say and who are excited about nothing. What are you really passionate about? What do care deeply about? When you approach giving a talk to any audience, find something to talk about that really strikes you at the very bottom of your being. The world is looking forward to hearing people who really care deeply about something. So when you develop your talk on any subject, make sure it talks about something and brings to the forefront of the audience something that you care deeply about. There are a number of other things to consider when giving a talk. A good coach can help you find out what they are so that you can be a great speaker and a personal performance marketer. But if you start by asking these five questions and addressing these concerns, you will find that you will have a lot less fear and that it will go better with you when you are called to give a talk--or, when it is your turn to make a presentation in your town. May it go well with you. Stan Hustad is the leader of the PTM Group a performance coaching and personal marketing service to the insurance and investment industry. He is the creator of the Personal Performance Marketing program, The Difference Is You. He lives and works in works in Minnesota. He can be reached at (612) 729-0420, Fax (612) 729-0962, email: ptmark @aol.com Check the web site www.ptmgroup.com