Getting Over the "$500" Hump

And the worm is close to eating the "early bird" on PLATFORM

Sep 03, 2024

`Getting Over the “$500” Hump`

Good evening, MYM Familia.

This is a special time for all of us:

Pumpkin season is upon us 🎃
College/pro football kicks off 🏈
Temps start to drop 🌡

Regardless of your creed, color, political affiliation, or religion there’s gotta be something on that list ☝️ that you like. 😁

Oh, and one more thing.

You still have time (til Sept. 10) to lock in your early bird registration fee of $797 for PLATFORM.

LET ME GET THAT EARLY BIRD RATE!

Also, if you have any questions about PLATFORM, feel free to email us by clicking here.

We can’t wait to host you at the The Sunset Room in Austin.

Below are lodging options (be sure to book ASAP..Austin is a popular spot!).

Hotels Near The Sunset Room

Less than 1 Mile:

Hampton Inn & Suites Austin-Downtown/Convention Center

Less than 5 Miles:

Residence Inn by Marriott Austin Downtown/Convention Center

DoubleTree by Hilton Austin – University Area

Drury Inn & Suites Austin North

Hotel Indigo Austin Downtown - University

`Getting over the “$500” Hump`

So, this speaker is stuck at $1K, but we’ve found the highest hump (for most beginning speakers) to get over is $500.

So, let’s dive right in and condense our best advice into 4️⃣ tips:

🧠 - Start thinking of yourself as a paid speaker before anyone gives you a dime. Believing that you are a pro bono speaker and trapped in a world where no one will pay you for your services will eat away at your confidence. Trust us: There are a lot of ~~awful~~ average speakers in this industry and you are not one of them. Believe it first.
✍️ - Find people you trust and ask them for feedback on your keynote. Specific questions to ask: 1) What do you think was the highlight of my talk? and 2) What’s one thing I can do better?
💵 - Ask for $1,000. Yep, you heard that right. Get accustomed to telling people how much value you can bring to their organization and consistently ask for $1K until it becomes second nature. Remember: Never ask, “What’s your budget?” If you do, here’s what will happen:
🪞 - Be honest with yourself. What’s the most uncomfortable part of your keynote? How about the negotiation with the client? Typically, the place where the most improvement and largest gains will be made are in the places where you feel the least comfortable. Lean into the discomfort.

`(Ahem, we cover all of this in extreme detail at PLATFORM. 😉)`

PLATFORM 2024

🎙 `5 QUESTIONS`

Today’s featured keynoter is our very own co-founder, Daron K. Roberts.

`1️⃣ How long have you been speaking?`

44 years.

Oh, you mean, speaking speaking... Oh, well, a decade. This year marks a decade in the game of professional speaking.

`2️⃣ Are you a full-time or part-time speaker?`

Full-time since November of 2022.

During Lockdown, I realized two things:

I should have been getting grocery delivery way before the pandemic and
I did not miss my office, co-workers, commute, daily prayers for parking (I’ll stop there)

That was 2020, and I had been moonlighting as a speaker since 2014. I decided to hit overdrive on the business. I consumed every piece of intel I could get my hands on, attended conferences (ahem, you should be at PLATFORM) and hired a videographer to video my talks in Austin.

`3️⃣ What topics do you cover?`

I am a leadership speaker. I combine organizational with personal leadership into a fast-paced, highly actionable 40-minute keynote.

`4️⃣ What’s your average investment level for a keynote?`

I quote $31,410. Last year’s average was just under $25K.

`5️⃣ What single tweak has created the biggest gains for your speaking business?`

It’s hard to isolate one, but this is what I would say: Every time you get an inquiry, raise your investment level by $500.

Just get into the habit of increasing your value proposition. If I had worked this muscle earlier in my career, I’d be living in the mountains right now…

`🎤 SPEAKING OPPS`

Here are two speaking opportunities that you can apply for right now:

1️⃣ Women in Payments USA Symposium | Link to Apply | 🚨 Deadline: Sept. 9, 2024

In-Person
Feb. 12-13, 2025
We're seeking women speakers to showcase at our upcoming Women in Payments USA Symposium. Our theme for this year is "Inspiration, Innovation, Inclusivity, Intention".
Apply to speak, lead a workshop, or participate in a fireside chat or panel.

2️⃣ 2025 Owners & Managers Conference | Link to Apply | 🚨 Deadline: Oct. 11, 2024

In-Person or Virtual: TBD

`💬 QUOTE`

“Be sincere; be brief; be seated.”. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

`Ready to invest in your speaking business? Here are ways we can help:`

Coaching: Over the past 18 months, we’ve coached 19 speakers who ranged from I’m just getting started to I want to charge more. If you want a guided gameplan get you to the next level, then shedule a discovery call with our co-founder, Will Baggett today.
Courses: Our “Get Paid to Speak” course shows you, step-by-step, how to build a speaking business. These seven modules will put you in position to monetize your message.
Community: Why stay on the Internets when you can come outside? Join a community of speakers at every stage of their business for an exclusive in-person mastermind. Register for PLATFORM 2024 today.

If you liked today’s newsletter, be sure to like, share, and comment below.👇

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Getting Over the "$500" Hump

And the worm is close to eating the "early bird" on PLATFORM