GOOD IDEAS from the Concierge Desk: Make the most of your SpeakerSite profile
How does your SpeakerSite profile look? Will it work well? Will event planners find you in a search for public speakers? When they do find you, will they be motivated to reach out to you?
Eight Best Practices
If you look around (like I do) at all the profiles, you'll see these as the best practices.
Unless otherwise mentioned, all of these tips can be done on your "Settings" page. You can find "Settings" on the upper right sidebar.
Here are the best practices:
What Then?
Once you have completed your profile, your URL can serve as your own personal site for your public speaking career.
Just copy the URL and send it to friends. Use it in your email signature!
Want a Special Advantage?
If you choose Featured status, your profile will appear in the group at the top of the Member Search page. Compared with basic membership, Featured profiles are getting up to 20x more visitors. Here are the details.
Eight Best Practices
If you look around (like I do) at all the profiles, you'll see these as the best practices.
Unless otherwise mentioned, all of these tips can be done on your "Settings" page. You can find "Settings" on the upper right sidebar.
Here are the best practices:
1. Move your "Profile Information" area to the top of your page. Meeting planners care more about you than about your activity on the site. Just click-and-drag the bar that says "Profile Information."
2. Offer a nice photograph. People trust folks with appealing photographs. Be sure to place a photo of you in the upper left of your profile. You'll find a link to add your profile photo right below the gray silhouette. (If you are having trouble with photographs, this might help.)
3. Make your headline sing. Just click on the default: "[Your name]'s Page." Type a stronger headline that might interest a meeting planner. (Need ideas? Look around at other profiles for smart headlines.)
4. Make sure you location is clear. Many event planners are searching by geographic names. If you don't say where you are, you won't come up in those searches.
5. Don't click too many topics. Opinions vary on this, but here's what we hear at the Concierge Desk, "When I search for a speaker, it's hard to trust the quality of a speaker who claims to speak on more than five topics." Be confident, but not over-confident. Pick your strongest topics.
6. Complete your bio. Make sure your "Profile Information" section is richly detailed. Think of the bio as a place to include your keywords, because the entire bio (and all the rest of your page) is searchable.
7. Describe "What I do best." Include title(s) of the presentation(s) that you most wants to present. Describe the perfect audience for you. What do they want to learn? Are they of a certain demographic cohort? How large (or small) an audience do you want?
8. Proofread. Typos are a red flag for a meeting planner.
Want to check out a great profile? Look at Angie Hicks, the "Angie" of Angie's List.2. Offer a nice photograph. People trust folks with appealing photographs. Be sure to place a photo of you in the upper left of your profile. You'll find a link to add your profile photo right below the gray silhouette. (If you are having trouble with photographs, this might help.)
3. Make your headline sing. Just click on the default: "[Your name]'s Page." Type a stronger headline that might interest a meeting planner. (Need ideas? Look around at other profiles for smart headlines.)
4. Make sure you location is clear. Many event planners are searching by geographic names. If you don't say where you are, you won't come up in those searches.
5. Don't click too many topics. Opinions vary on this, but here's what we hear at the Concierge Desk, "When I search for a speaker, it's hard to trust the quality of a speaker who claims to speak on more than five topics." Be confident, but not over-confident. Pick your strongest topics.
6. Complete your bio. Make sure your "Profile Information" section is richly detailed. Think of the bio as a place to include your keywords, because the entire bio (and all the rest of your page) is searchable.
7. Describe "What I do best." Include title(s) of the presentation(s) that you most wants to present. Describe the perfect audience for you. What do they want to learn? Are they of a certain demographic cohort? How large (or small) an audience do you want?
8. Proofread. Typos are a red flag for a meeting planner.
What Then?
Once you have completed your profile, your URL can serve as your own personal site for your public speaking career.
Just copy the URL and send it to friends. Use it in your email signature!
Want a Special Advantage?
If you choose Featured status, your profile will appear in the group at the top of the Member Search page. Compared with basic membership, Featured profiles are getting up to 20x more visitors. Here are the details.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Scott Landress on -
The customer always comes first?
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Permalink Reply by JaWar on -
Adding audio and video to one's profile is key, especially for speakers. What better way to showcase your talents and gifts outside of the real thing than by uploading audio/visual content to your profile. I've never heard of Artie until this site and after hearing one of his seminars I know he keeps his audience's attention and delivers due in part to the audio on his profile.
"THINK, PLAN, EXECUTE!" -JaWar
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Permalink Reply by Mark Henson on -
Browsing through people's profiles, it is really apparent that many people select way too many topics/areas of expertise. I strongly urge you to take a good look at what you're passionate about and can speak on with true authority. Don't try to be all things to all people.
If I'm looking for a speaker who speaks on strategic planning, I'm much more likely to investigate someone who does that and only that. If you list off 30 different areas of expertise, my confidence level in you goes way down.
It's human nature to cast a wide net. Seems like a good idea to "grab" business from everywhere you can. Resist that nature and you'll find more success.
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Permalink Reply by Jon Hanson on -
Thanks for the idea. I cut about half of the topics I selected. The problem is they operate like key words and a computer or robot (searching on the web ) doesn't care how many key words there are; only that it can match the one it is looking for.
That said, it does look promiscuous and unfocused to have 28 categories to a human viewing the page. I think I may end up linking to a page that summarizes talks that I have given. Mine range from Getting Published, Building Wealth, Debt Reduction, Real Estate, and Songwriting...
Jon
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Permalink Reply by Mark Henson on
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Love that you used the word, "promiscuous"! That word made me smile because that's kind of how I feel about a laundry list of topics.
"Need me to speak on a topic I only have marginal knowledge about? SURE! I'll jump in to bed with you! You're paying me, right?"
Liked Dr. Shapiro's suggestion to have primary and secondary categories, although I'd still say the key to becoming THE GUY or THE GIRL for whatever topic you're passionate about is to focus, focus, focus.
I received a card in the mail recently from a guy who offered a cleaning service for commercial and residential AND a hot dog cart that he rented for parties, etc. He literally put BOTH services on the same business card. Needless to say, I would not hire him for either service. Saying I speak on customer service and molecular biology would be the same thing. The only exception would be if I found a way to tie those to things together into a single topic. Now if the hot dog guy said he'd come out and cook for my party, then clean up my whole house afterward, THAT would be compelling!
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Permalink Reply by JaWar on
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Mark, you raise a very good point. Recently, I created a cover letter of sorts that ties in the various areas for which I have experience, success and passion to speak, as I too had concerns as to casting my net to wide.
Thank you again for your contribution to this forum.
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Permalink Reply by Jan Yuill, The Queen of In-Between on -
I have cast a wide net mostly because my topic (organizational DNA) covers a lot! I am wondering how to work with the categories better.
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Permalink Reply by JaWar on
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Greetings Jan, I'm actively involved in motivational speaking, the music business, self-publishing and social media, I've been able to link the various topics together when presenting myself. As an example on my business card one side reads- motivational speaker, author, business consultant, while the opposite side reads Coaching, Consulting and Speaking On: personal achievement, monetizing your internet presence, internet marketing, seo, music business and book publishing.
Fortunately, this has worked and when I hand people the card they aren't confused and will contact me based on how I met them. Interestingly enough I've consulted several people in the music business on self-publishing there own book. My site has additional details on each of these areas at jawarspeaks.com
"THINK, PLAN, EXECUTE!" -JaWar
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Ronald G. Shapiro on -
Mark Henson said:Browsing through people's profiles, it is really apparent that many people select way too many topics/areas of expertise. I strongly urge you to take a good look at what you're passionate about and can speak on with true authority. Don't try to be all things to all people.
If I'm looking for a speaker who speaks on strategic planning, I'm much more likely to investigate someone who does that and only that. If you list off 30 different areas of expertise, my confidence level in you goes way down.
It's human nature to cast a wide net. Seems like a good idea to "grab" business from everywhere you can. Resist that nature and you'll find more success.
Hi Mark,
I hear you. Indeed, I was also surprised at the large number of categories people selected. Indeed, I started modestly and I'll admit that I went back and added more categories when I saw what others had done. I think that it would help here if we had two classifications... one for primary areas addressed -- with a maximum of, say, 3 to 5. Then we could have a secondary category being unlimited. For example, my primary focuses are Introducing Human Factors/Ergonomics for Students and Professionals, Career Development for Middle School, High School and College Students, and Leadership Development for Middle and High School Students. All of these are delivered in an entertaining, game show format. Given the check list system I checked all of the following: Careers, College/University, Communication, Computers, Creativity, Customer Service, Design and Architecture, Elementary and Secondary Education, Entertainment, Family, Hobbies and Pastimes, Information Overload, Leadership, Listening Skills, Management, Networking, Parenting, Productivity, Psychology, Management, Science/Engineering, Teambuilding, Training, Youth Education because all are involved in my talks... and indeed the key terms I need most are not there today. Do you have specific suggestions as to what you would pick? (I did request that the key terms be added.).
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Permalink Reply by Catherine White on -
Does SpeakerSite have a html icon that I can add on my linkedin profile. I have added to my facebook page, but I am looking for html that I can position in any location that accepts it. When I add to my facebook or myspace, it lands in positions that are not so advantageous.
I use my linkedin to let others know I can be found there
The SpeakerSite is great for anyone wishing to work across borders. Thank you.
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Permalink Reply by Judy H. Wright on -
Hello from beautiful Montana:
Wanted to let you know that I received a Google Alert within two hours of signing up for the SpeakerSite. Wish my articles got noticed that fast! Or my kids did what I told them to do in the same amount of time.
Good job,
Judy H. Wright
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Forero F. on -
JjDp
Dear Artie Isaac greetings
Thank you very much for your kind welcome and even if my English is not good I use the literal translation, I hope to be a blessing to you, I am at your service.
God bless you,
Daniel Forero
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