The Speaker Lab With Grant Baldwin // Public Speaking / Motivational Speaking / Entrepreneurship

Welcome! This is part two of our how to find your first paid speaking gig.If you missed part one you can listen to it here. Then come back and join us for the second half of our talk with Bryan Allain.Bryan has done a bit of speaking but is struggling with where to start. On this raw, authentic coaching call with him, we explore that topic.Join us to hear how we walk Bryan through getting his first paid speaking gig and how you can do the same on this episode of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What speakers should you find and follow?What does it mean if you can't find speakers in your chosen market?How to separate the signal from the noise.What five audiences could you speak to?How do you narrow down among those five audiences?Why you don't have to be the world's greatest expert to speak to an audience.What are the pros and cons of being an emcee?How much of a factor is passion when choosing a topic or an audience?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCESBryan Allain's web siteBryan Allain on T

Wouldn't it be great if someone could guide you through how to find your first paid speaking gig?One of our own team members is here to demonstrate, Mr. Bryan Allain. Bryan has worked with us for a year now and he wants to know if what we teach actually works. This is an unscripted walk the process of how to find your first paid speaking gig.Get ready to hear the details on this edition of The Speaker Lab.  THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  What should one of your first goals be?Is there a simple way to build your confidence?What are the two sides to selecting a problem to solve?What does it mean to establish your speaking expertise?Why it's completely normal to second-guess your decisions.What to do when you don't know where to start.How can you use your real world experience to start your speaking journey?Why it's easier to pivot and adjust when you have momentum.And so much more! EPISODE RESOURCESBryan Allain's web siteBryan Allain on TwitterThe Speaker Lab Elite coaching callGot questio

Grant Baldwin and Mike Michalowicz hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers should handle their finances in the midst of crisis.During the live stream, Grant and Mike discuss:Pivoting business to accommodate canceled or postponed eventsExpediting projects to fill the gap created by live eventsAmplifying communication frequency while decreasing quantitySuper long, rambling emails can have a negative impact on your brandThe difference between seizing an opportunity to serve and being opportunisticSending out short sound bits of value to your audience is powerfulAsk your email list what they need to identify themesCreate products to meet those needs at a reasonable rate (not free)The economy is built on paying for stuff. If we all give everything away, it falls apart.Lessons small businesses and speakers can learn to prepare for the futureThe business crisis trendWhat can you do to keep the lights on1-Step Back Technique to discover new opportunitiesAnd moreEPISODE RESOURCESMike’s booksMike on TwitterMi

Grant Baldwin and Carrie Wilkerson hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers can diversify their business.During the live stream, Grant and Carrie discuss:Starting her brand as “The Barefoot Executive"Self-isolating with teenagers in TexasWhy worry won’t do you a bit of goodPrioritizing daily communication with your audienceMarketing with empathy and not appearing tone-deafCreating leverage in your business to create a “stage” in different waysTeach a masterclass on your area of expertiseProvide mentoring to a few clients to coach through a specific processCreate the infrastructure for a membership program (>1000 email list subscribers)Do not stop your marketingUsing the tools you have to deliver value to your audienceAsking the question: How can I serve your people from a distance?Don’t wait for fancy tools to create value for your audienceVirtual keynoting and reimagined virtual conference for 50,000 peopleSuit up and show up every dayMake the most of the opportunities you haveIf you stop your ma

Grant Baldwin and Erick Rheam hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers can convert live events that are postponed or canceled into virtual gigs.During the live stream, Grant and Erick discuss:Booking webinars and workshops to replace/supplement live eventsFinding value in what you’re already doing and converting it to an offerRepurposing the challenge of working from home to create new valueDiscovering new opportunities to diversify your speaking platformAdd value while recognizing your clients pay you for the solutions you bringPrioritizing service doesn’t have to sacrifice revenueStrategies for stopping the bleeding in your businessThrow out the rule book in the short-termHow to price virtual speaking gigs versus live eventsAnd moreEPISODE RESOURCESGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at

Staying positive on your speaking journey will help you succeed, and our guest today is the perfect example of this.Jon Gordon is the author of Stay Positive, The Energy Bus and many other best-sellers. He's also an equally prolific and successful speaker.On episode 282 of The Speaker Lab, he tells us how he got started speaking, the pros and cons of speaking for free, and how he thinks about his business beyond the stage. Join us for this intriguing and illuminating conversation with Jon Gordon on this edition of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How does he take the challenges of flying and transform them into opportunities?Why did he give 80 free talks?Why you shouldn't expect to be good when you start.From where did he get the idea for his first book?What a telescope and a microscope have to do with achieving your goals.How can you take a big topic and carve your own niche within it?What does research show about positivity?What is the power of being introverted?And so much more!E

Grant Baldwin and Josh McGhee hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how event planners are responding to the coronavirus and its impact on the speaking industry.During the live stream, Grant and Josh discuss:How many events an event planner will typically manage in the course of a yearAn insider view of how events approach the decision to cancel or postponeThe likelihood of rescheduling and postponing events that are further out than 1-2 monthsAdapting to fast-changing circumstances in the midst of unprecedented timesPlacing a high value on safetyAdjusting accordingly to accommodate travel bandsDetermining which events are able to be converted to virtual experiencesJust because your physical gathering is canceled or postponed doesn’t mean you can’t deliver value in the digital spaceOrganizations being pushed to create a more interactive experience whether it’s in-person or virtualHow do conference owners/organizers continue education between annual events and leverage technology to stay engaged with their audi

Grant Baldwin and Terry Brock hosted a Facebook Live to talk about you can create virtual speaking opportunities.During the live stream, Grant and Terry discuss:Making room for natural reactions to stressful timesIntentionally focusing on positive attitudeLeveraging technology to reach our audiences and deliver valueWhy now is the time to hustleMarket trends when it comes to events canceling vs postponingSpeakers are communicators who solve problemsHow to suggest virtual options to existing clientsPull in experts in your network to deliver additional valueThe problem you were hired to solve still existsExploring new ways to solve the same problemSpeakers don’t have to speak on stage to deliver valueSimple tips to improve the quality of your virtual presenceScalable tools for video streaming and conferencingDon’t get distracted by shiny, new tools. Pick one that works for you and move forward.The importance of backup technologySocial distancing doesn’t cancel our need for social connectionRolling up our sleeve

Grant Baldwin and Shawn Hanks hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speaking bureaus are responding and adjusting to the coronavirus.During the live stream, Grant and Shawn discuss:How appropriate the term “unprecedented” is in these unique timesFinding comfort in shared experiencesAdapting in the midst of unforeseen circumstancesNavigating the process of postponing/rescheduling 400+ eventsThe challenge of responding with grace versus reacting in fearOperating from a place of fear in the short-term creates long-term lossesFocusing on relationships and maintaining bridgesAdjusting presentation to fit virtual deliveryFollowing wise financial practices to prepare for times of crisisDiversify your business with other offers besides speaking on stageBe cautious before you pivot your entire platformReaching out to clients to see where their pain points are and how you can serve their audience with content in the interimAnd moreEPISODE RESOURCESPremiere Speakers BureauGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with Th

Grant Baldwin and Kyle Scheele hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how the youth speaking industry is responding and adjusting to the coronavirus.During the live stream, Grant and Kyle discuss:Navigating the crazy ups and downsAdjusting to unexpected free timePlenty of events that are rescheduling and postponing instead of cancelingHow long will it take to get back to normalLooking back to history for a sense of hopeTaking steps to prepare your finances for difficult timesMaking a list of what you can controlNot wasting your time worrying about whatever is outside your controlTaking advantage of the downtime to catch up on projects you avoidedSpending time with loved ones and using technology to stay connectedHow to ethically market your speaking business in times of crisisThe hidden benefits of working with a speaking agencyHow will you tweak and adapt your content after this crisis?How can you change to better serve people?We have been through hard things as humans and we will continue to go through hard t

Grant Baldwin and Neen James hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how to diversify your speaking income right now.During the live stream, Grant and Neen discuss:Comparing the impact of COVID-19 to the 2008 recessionRelocating to the United States and starting speaking business over from scratchHow uncertainty creates a unique challengeKeeping your head in the right spaceA service vs a sales mindsetDefaulting to positivity and generosityThe difference between making money during a crisis and making money from a crisis (shout out to Sean McCabe)Unique challenges faced by different industriesManaging a long lead time before your next live speaking gigThe domino effect of events getting postponedFinancial practices that speakers should emulateThe reality of what events are actually getting canceled vs rescheduledHow speakers can look at their available speaking dates as inventory“Be kind or be quiet."Avoided short-sighted decisionsDon’t sell something you’re not qualified to teachPlaying the long-game with intent

Narrowing down and focusing on your speaking topic is can be one of the harder aspects of speaking.Here to help ease that process is David Newman. David is a professional speaker who also coaches other speakers, and all-around great guy!Today on The Speaker Lab, we talk about everything from speaking fees, the NSA and demo videos. He even walks us through a specific exercise to find the right topic that has speaking opportunities within it. Be sure to join us and hear it all on episode 281 of The Speaker Lab. THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Do we often teach what we ourselves need to learn?How did he narrow his topic down from 30 potential options?What it means if nobody else is talking about your subject matter.Why actively choosing our own niche is a powerful privilege.How do you know if there is a market for your topic?Why it's necessary to pivot throughout your career.Can you have both depth and variety in your speaking offerings?Why speaking is the new marketing.And so much more!EPISODE RESOUR

Grant Baldwin and Vinh Giang hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers and magicians can adapt to delivering virtual experiences in unprecedented times.During the live stream, in addition to a live magic trick, Grant and Vinh discuss:How a state-mandated shutdown impacts live performersIdentifying audience categories and how to serve themAssuming a position of generosity as a strategic investmentPutting relationships firstAccepting the new normal of virtual eventsThe opportunity to redefine webinar experiences and improve the qualityHow do you have conversations with event planners to explore virtual optionsYour audience still has the same needs now that they had before a crisisHow to help clients deliver value to their audiences through virtualRole-playing a client call with someone interested in learning about virtual event optionsProduction value is under-estimated for virtual presentersThe indispensable value of being so good they can’t ignore youHow to stand out from the crowdHidden innovations t

Grant Baldwin and Brian Fanzo (from iSocialFanz.com) hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers can best use technology in this current climate.During the live stream, Grant and Brian discuss:Leveraging technology and social media to grow your speaking businessStarting a podcast to supplement your speaking and increase your audienceHow to use virtual options to replace in-person meetingsReinventing digital meeting experience with the distracted attendee in mindThe challenge event planners face in moving or redesigning large-scale eventsTake a beat and remember the groundwork you’ve put in that will last beyond a crisisDon’t sacrifice long-term wins for short-term gainsGetting creative in responding to canceled or postponed eventsThe importance of being transparent (and why it’s different from over-sharing)Alternative options besides being on stage that speakers can do wellHow do you think about pricing for virtual speaking gigs?EPISODE RESOURCESDigital FuturistiSocialFanzGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook

Grant Baldwin and Jane Atkinson (from Speaker Launcher) host a Facebook Live to talk about how speakers can deal with the current changes in the industry.During the live stream, Grant and Jane discuss:Being aware your mindsetIntentionally limiting your intake of the news and social mediaBalancing negative and positive influencesTaking the opportunity to learn something newImportance of diversifying your booking strategiesAsking bureaus to pay your compensation in advanceHigh demand for meeting space and venues shifting to Fall 2020New opportunities in the marketplaceFocusing on what you can control vs what you can'tAvoiding a scarcity mindset and look for opportunitiesThe difference between speakers who weather the storm vs those who bail outWhat it means to be a #FocusedHustlerProactively check on your clients and ask how you can serveUse extra time to build on the basics of your speaking business (that you might be avoiding otherwise)Explore remote/virtual event optionsEPISODE RESOURCES: The Wealthy Sp

Grant Baldwin and Erick Rheam hosted a Facebook Live to talk about how coronavirus has impacted the speaking industry and how you can thrive in the midst of crisis. During the live stream, Grant and Erick discuss:How to process times of crisisThe importance of managing cashflowBe flexible and proactive with event plannersChallenges of rescheduling and postponing eventsCreating value and security with event planners through patienceHow airlines are setting an example for customer serviceRemember that speaking is a relationship businessExperiment with alternate presenting options to save gigsHow the size and frequency of event types will changeWhat’s a good way to suggest virtual speaking engagements?EPISODE RESOURCES:How to Thrive In a Crisis with Erick RheamVirtual Workshop with Vinh GiangHow to Become a Virtual Speaker with Terry BrockGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on Spot

Speakers are feeling fearful right now, and to help ease that we're talking about how to thrive in a crisis.Joining us to talk about this unique time is Erick Rheam, our Director of Student Success at The Speaker Lab and also a well-respected speaker in his own right.On this episode of The Speaker Lab, we're going to help you deal with the COVID-19 crisis and future challenges you may face in the speaking industry. Erick lays out four points to mitigating the impact of any crisis as he learned during his time in the armed forces.1. Secure the perimeterEnsure you and your family are safe.Engage in medical professionals and local authorities' recommended guidelines.Ensure you are following proper protocol for safe social distancing.Take stock of your finances.Finalize potential gigs.Continue reaching out for future gigs.2. Evaluate your business. Now is the time to evaluate, learn, think and pause. Ask yourself questions like:How do I make money speaking?How will that change as a result of this crisis (and does

Our guest today, Srini Rao, runs the site and podcast called The Unmistakable Creative. He's also a prolific best-selling author and sought-after international keynote speaker.Today, he joins The Speaker Lab to talk about his speaking journey, how he pitches a broad topic like creativity to companies and how he balances the business side of being an artist.This is a far-reaching conversation, be sure to join us on episode 280 of The Speaker Lab to hear it all! THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  Has his podcast helped him garner speaking gigs?When do bureaus approach you about working with them?Why does he have two emails?What is essential to every brand and business online?Where should conferences be held?What is one of the things he asks every potential client?Why he always get referrals, and you should too.What is an OKR and why is it one of the most effective filters he has used?And so much more!EPISODE RESOURCE:The Unmistakable Creative web siteThe Unmistakable Creative podcastSrini Rao on Twitter

Here to tell us how passion can fuel your speaking success, and why you don't need to climb Mount Everest or win a gold medal first, is Kindra Hall.Kindra is a successful keynote speaker who has exploded on the speaking circuit in the last few years. On today's The Speaker Lab, you'll hear how passionate Kindra is about speaking, and how you can be a great speaker even if you don't have any special skills or experiences.We cover those areas, plus a lot more on this show. So get ready to take some notes and join us for The Speaker Lab with Kindra Hall!THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:What three things do you need in place to embark on your speaking career?Where do you start if you have no experience?How do you find people who want to hear your message?Why speaking for free was important to her early success.How do you know if you are meant to do this?What to do once you start building momentum and how to keep it going.Do bureaus create demand or manage it?What are the pros and cons of being a female speaker?And

Ever wonder how successful speakers are managing the highs and lows of speaking? Mitch Joel can tell us and he's here to do just that for today's The Speaker Lab.Mitch is a returning guest (previously on episode 144) who came back to cover everything from the value of building relationships with other speakers to managing the highs and lows of this career path to the importance of making friends with other speakers.You're going to learn all of that and more when you join us for episode 278 of The Speaker Lab!THE FINER DETAILS OF THIS SHOW:  How do you stay ahead of your competitors?Why saying yes is key to being a great speaker.Why what you do this year does not provide any guarantees next year.When being good enough is okay.How are speakers like coffee?What is one question he asks himself with every speaking engagement?Why the audience's show and the speaker's show are two different experiences.And so much more! EPISODE RESOURCESMitch Joel's web siteSix Pixels of Separation web siteMitch Joel