In the past I was the Energizer Bunny when it came to booking and giving lectures.
I kept going and going and going: I mailed my press kit everywhere, I spoke at any location that would have me, and partnered with equally enthusiastic individuals that were just as desperate for business.
I thought I was giving quality presentations, yet I was seeing minimal results from my events.
I didn't understand why this was happening.
After all, I was giving great talks and providing excellent information, right? Why wasn't I attracting clients as nicely as I imagined? My dream of making a living as a health counselor was slipping away with each fruitless presentation.
Intellectually, I knew that my workshops were supposed to result in new paying clients, yet something was missing.
Didn't people want information? Diet books are hot sellers! Isn't this what they want? Actually, I was doing the right things, but I was executing them in the wrong way.
The type of workshops I was giving were only perpetuating the American habit of collecting health information and doing nothing with it.
Like reading a good book, participants went home, were pulled back into their daily obligations and forgot about me and my tips.
To my surprise, my sharing of really good tips was ineffective in causing health changes.
I realized I needed to change.
The most important thing I finally got was deeply understanding, or "knowing in my body," that the only way my participants would ever get healthy, was if they took action about their health concerns.
And a good first step was to sign up for my free consultation I offered at the end of my talk.
I got really clear that at the very least this initial session would cause some change, even if they didn't sign up.
This had me show up for my talks in a much more daring, unique and effective way.
Here is an example of my old way of presenting my workshops: o I gave talks anywhere they would have me.
o I often tried to fill my own talks.
o My host sites didn't have their marketing together so I did a lot of work to get people there.
o I gave lots and lots of information.
So much so that my participants would leave feeling overwhelmed and unaware that they would need me to help put this stuff into action.
I essentially assaulted them with information in an effort to prove I knew what I was talking about.
My improved way of presenting my workshops.
First, my talk locations must meet my preferred criteria: o They get the participants to attend.
I just show up.
o They have an effective marketing system and simply plug my event into their schedule and guarantee a set amount of participants.
o The host site is in abundance and is already successful.
o The host site attracts my type of clientele.
o I really like the place and it's somewhere I would enjoy spending time.
(Which usually means my ideal clients hang out there too) o They have an online presence.
So they can put me on their website and vice versa.
Second, I show up with a few tips and spend the rest of the time demonstrating what I do: o I treat workshop participants as if they were already paying clients: coaching them rather than talking to them.
o I share a few insightful tips through my on-the-spot demonstrations.
o I leave ample time to pass around my schedule and encourage participants to sign up for a complimentary sample session.
These basic upgrades now have me booking and presenting talks the right way.
Meaning, I'm working smarter and attracting clients.