It's been said that any time you speak in front of 10 or more people, at least one of them will approach you afterwards and ask about doing business with you. I believe that's true.

This applies to retail as well as business-to-business or service sales. There's a digital piano dealer in Massachussetts who regularly speaks at Rotary meetings—or anywhere else he can get his foot in the door.

He brings a Yamaha Clavinova® digital piano along with him and shows people how anyone can play the piano (he knows that we're all closet musician wannabes at heart). He drags people out of the audience, sits them down and simply has them follow the lights on the keyboard, playing one-finger melodies while the incredible instrument provides background orchestrations and rhythms. People are amazed. And he sells pianos.

Another music dealer I know works closely with Macintosh User Groups in his area. They're starved for new ideas about things they can do with their computers. So he goes in with with a synthesizer, a table-top keyboard, and all the latest software. He hooks it all up to a computer and shows people how they can compose original music, track-by-track, print out the score, and do all sorts of other cool things with their computers—without having to know anything about music! And oh, by the way, here's a coupon good for a special discount—for Mac User Group members only.

And he sells product.

A small hardware store owner in my hometown gives presentations in his store once a month on different topics, like:

• How to repair/replace bathroom tiles
• How to build your own deck
• How to paint
• How to lay vinyl flooring
• How to weather-proof your home
• Etc., etc., etc.

Of course, he has all the materials you need to do a first rate job. Not everyone buys that day, but when they do buy, they wouldn't think of going anywhere else.

Many music dealers hold concerts in their stores or at nearby auditoriums. They bring in manufacturers' artists/product specialists to highlight a particular brand of product. The emphasis is on teaching, not on selling. But boy do they sell product!

Some do it for free, others charge a small admission fee to help cover costs and to add value. Several retailers have told me that their attendance GOES UP when they charge for the event. That's because people believe that you get what you pay for, and a free event is nothing more than a sales pitch.

But I'm Not a Public Speaker!

An extensive survey was conducted a number of years ago. People were asked what they were most afraid of. Fear of death ranked number three. Fear of public speaking was number one. Most people would rather die than speak in front of an audience!

I know the feeling. I used to feel that way myself. In fact, I still get butterflies and the "shakies" whenever asked to speak in public. Even the most experienced public speakers admit to being nervous before a "show."

Thanks to Toastmasters International, I've learned to channel that nervous energy. I strongly encourage any business owner or salesperson interested in increasing their income to join Toastmasters today. It only takes an hour every week or every other week. They'll teach you how to prepare your talk (very important—because the more prepared you are and the better you know your subject, the more confident you'll be), how to use your voice and body language, and best of all: they allow you the opportunity to practice and refine your speaking style in an informal setting of your peers (you'll also be networking with other movers and shakers in your community).

To find the Toastmasters group nearest you, visit the International Website at: http://www.toastmasters.org/.

Another great source of speaking tips is Tom Antion's Website at: http://www.antion.com. He even has a free e-mail newsletter you can sign up for.

But I Don't Own a Music Store or a Hardware Store!

Neither do I. I do Website development and marketing. And public speaking has proven to be one of the best ways to find new business. In fact, a client of ours: the Home Sewing Association has invited me to give two separate presentations at their national trade show in September. Am I scared? You betcha'! Am I excited? You betcha', because I know I'll walk out of there with some new clients, and I'll get phone calls for months to come.

What About You?

What do you sell? What specialized knowledge do you have that other people would like to know? Can you teach people about model trains? How to plan a wedding? The benefits of leasing verses buying? How about how to choose the perfect gift? Everybody knows something that other people would be interested in learning about.

Remember what Zig Ziglar said:

"You can get everything in life that you want, if you will help enough other people get what they want."

Ain't that the truth!

Until next time...
Happy Selling!
:-)

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