SpeakerNet News 8/16/2024

8/16/2024

Editors: Rebecca Morgan & Ken Braly

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Miscellaneous Tips

Expand your reach: how to educate clients on your versatility — Vickie Sullivan

In this uncertain landscape, many of us focus on getting more opportunities from current clients. It certainly feels easier than pitching mildly interested prospects, right?

The challenge: Buyers put our work into categories so they can figure out how and when to use us. When we get hired based on that category, clients assume that’s all we do. We are typecast by our latest project. I call this the dark side of confirmation bias.

How we brand our work plays a significant role here. It’s tempting to get so caught up in dominating narrow niches that we set up an either/or construct. When we get hired based on that equation, we gain a client but lose long-term growth.

Are your clients doing this to you? Do they fail to see the different applications of your work? Here are two things to watch for:

Clients love you but won’t consider you for a project you could do. This happens because they limit you to just one role. They need an advisor, but you’re a coach. Or they need a keynote speaker, but they’ve only seen you do workshops.
Clients won’t work with you because they don’t need help in a certain area. Here are two examples: They hired you to speak at a diversity event but don’t consider you for a leadership retreat. They hired you to help sales professionals change but don’t consider your work valuable for helping operations people adapt to a new reality.

The way around this issue is to brand yourself around who you are and who you serve. Become a known expert in subjects that have cross-over appeal. Clients will not assume you do more than what you have done for them in the past. It’s your job to influence the boxes they put you in.

Want to see if the Rebecca Morgan/eSpeakers Virtual Master Presenter course and designation is right for you? Register for the free 1-hour preview Aug. 19. The five-part, live, virtual course starts Sept. 4. Details on the course and register for the preview

Travel Tips

Check out the airline’s airport map when connecting at an unfamiliar airport — Rebecca Morgan

If you have a tight connection in an unfamiliar airport, check out the airline’s gate map beforehand. Then you can request inner-airport transportation assistance, if needed. I learned this when going through Panama City where my first flight arrived in a different terminal 100 gates away from my connecting flight, with no tram, and at the same time my second flight was beginning boarding. Once my arrival gate was confirmed at my departure airport, I asked the gate agent to request a cart to transport me. I am glad I did as even with the cart, I arrived at the second gate with only a few minutes to spare.

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Topic of the Month (TOTM) — Your Input Wanted

Our TOTM is: What are your must-travel-with tech accessories, not just your phone, computer or tablet? Bonus points if you include a link to buy them.

Send your brief, pithy responses *that are different from those previously mentioned* to editor@SpeakerNetNews.com. Please put “Topic of the Month” or “TOTM” in the subject line.

— Rebecca Morgan

A multi-USB wall hub so you can charge multiple devices at once.
A 3-to-2 prong adaptor when the wall only has 2-prong outlets
An iPhone adaptor with a power input and headphone input (I still like corded headphones as I lose the uncorded ones)

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