Orchid,

I realize that you don't know me, but I give and I've already given away enough for free. Generosity is a word my clients use with my name.


If there is anything that professional community should do is value advice and services -- and do what they want others to do to them --- pay up!


Speaking is a career... it's part of my business that I enjoy doing. I want to speak for a living... There is a time and place for free, 9 years of business, that time is coming to an end.

Just to get into the CC circuit, I'm doing one speaking engagement for free, at a paid event no less, in Pt Townsend Washington next month. I have asked for in-kind. Two nights in a B&B, lunch the day of the event, table in the back of the room where I can sell things. They will put a flyer in their newsletter, ads in the local papers and my goals are to sell 5 seats in my day-long business and marketing plan workshop, get testimonials from the CC Board and receive 1 paid speaking engagement.

Once I have the testimonials, I plan to mail a letter to all the CC that I did not hear from. And at the free event I'm doing, I will add to my sale talk at the end of the session that I'm looking to speak to other CCs and companies. I have an area on my evaluation form that also covers this.

I have a friend who got a job speaking at a CC. She spoke at a meeting for 30-minutes and then did a 3 hour presentation later that day costing $79 or $99 per person. She got 2 nights at a nice spa-hotel and $500 per hour. Not bad at all for a CC.

That's my intention too.


Edited by ElevatingYourBusiness (05/01/07 04:56 AM)
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Maria Marsala,
Financial Advisor's Coach

We help independent and fee-based financial advisors find simpler ways to grow personally and professionally.

http://www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com