Help! My talk totally bombed and no one wanted to work with me

I’ve been hearing this from a lot of business owners who go out and deliver a presentation with high expectations only to deliver it and feel like a total and complete failure.

If you’ve ever gone out and delivered a  aka signature talk that’s supposed to close the room yet walked away empty handed…then this post is for you. First, let’s get this out of the way…speaking is a powerful way to get your message out there and attract more clients. But when you design your talk with the intention to sell…and it doesn’t convert, you leave feeling like you wasted a perfectly great opportunity.

What you need to know about speaking to convert a room, is that there are three factors that help you convert. If you miss any of these, you’re just not going to get the “rush to the back of the room” you want.

Here’s what to include in your Signature Talk to help you close the room:

Key No. 1: A Relevant Story 

Absolutely no one will buy from you if they don’t feel like they know you. Your talk must include a story that’s relevant.

Just like Goldilocks, it has to be just the right fit. Not too short. Not too long. But just right.

How do you know if it’s right? This takes some practice. You need to write out several stories about how you came to know what you know that you’re talking about. Then you need to choose which one is most relevant.

There are two types of stories you can tell from your talks.

The first is an experience story which is based on your own experience. The second is an expert story which shares why you’re an authority on the topic you’re talking about.  Either can work really well. But you must make sure you have it in your talk to help you convert.

Key No. 2: Irresistible Content

How many times have you listened to a talk and sat on the edge of your seat the entire time? Feverishly writing notes and feeling like the speaker was giving you amazing content.

That’s what a signature talk designed to convert will do.

It will allow you to feel like you’ve learned something new, without feeling like you’ve been fire hosed.

As the speaker, it’s your job to design a talk that’s so irresistible that it keeps your audience engaged and wanting more from you.

What’s the key to that? Ready?…It’s taking your content from your signature system and using it in your talk. That’s it…if you’ve got a system, then you’ve got a talk!

Key No.3: Make An Offer

Why do so many talks not convert? Sounds obvious, but it’s so true. Often times it’s because the speaker doesn’t make an offer.

What I mean by an offer is your call to action. After delivering your content you tell them how they can take the next step with you.

There are plenty of offers you can make, but if you’re trying to get more clients from your speaking gigs, you’re going to want to have your call to action be a conversation with you.

There’s a basic flow of how to design the talk that leads to you making the offer. But in a nutshell, the idea is that your talk opens the door for your audience to have a conversation about how you can work together to help them solve their challenge.

Here’s What You Need to Do Next:

1. Before you compose your Signature Talk, think about what your audience really wants to hear
2. Think about a relevant story that will help your audience connect with you and see why you’re an expert on the topic you’re talking about.
3. Know what your offer is going to be and make sure to include a Call to Action in your talk.

In the comments below let me know your thoughts on this post. What’s what would you like to know about how to design a talk that closes the room when you speak?

xo,

PS: Want a talk that closes any room? Click here to learn more.