Greetings Dear Ones,

Talking about talks!

Giving talks is a fantastic way of increasing your visibility!  Today I would like to talk to you about two kinds of talks.

There are those you give for free and those for fee and I'll share with you the criteria I use in order to decide.

There are two basic time frames I use to decide.  Pre full practice and post full practice and that is the basic, simple criteria I use.

So if your practice is not full then your talk is a marketing opportunity.  It is a chance to hand out brochures and let new people see you and begin a relationship with you.

Ok, now go back and re-read what I just said because there are a few challenges that you face when you give a free talk.

1. Is it a good venue with the "right" kind of potential people in it?   For instance, you would not want to give a talk at a local library.

2. Don't ask for permission to hand out brochures.  If it is audience style, get there early and put them on everyone's seat with business cards.  If it is a lunch or dinner thing, place them near each person's setting.  If someone trys to stop you, look perplexed and say, "but everywhere else I go they let me do this"  and if they keep saying you can't do it, keep answering the same way.  And if they don't let you say, "then I won't be able to give the talk."  And when the person looks a bit shocked, say to them, "well I know you would be in a jam so may I put a table in the back and leave them there?"

3. If that is the case, then right after the talk you make a bee line for your table.  Give each person that is leaving a brochure and if someone wants to ask you a question put them off to the side and say, stay here for just a moment and keep giving out brochures.  You don't want to get stuck answering questions at that point.  Focus on your job which is handing out brochures.  Then when all the people are gone say to the people you have held there, once they ask their question, "this is a very important question. Please call my office and I will be happy to discuss it with you further."   They probably won't call nor will you really want them in your practice, most will be tire-kickers and those that are serious will call.

Your job is to become as well known in your community as possible.

So, if you are giving talks to fill your practice give them for free and leverage them as a way to increase your visibility.

Now if you have been doing this for a while and your practice is full, no problem - charge accordingly, especially if you have been asked!

Depending on where it is and who the audience is and especially who is sponsoring it, your fee can be in the healthy range of $100-$500.  Make sure you know who is footing the bill and remember you are not in the professional speaking biz (unless you are and that is a whole other thing!).

Many blessings to your success,

Dr. E

P.S.  Special anouncement for Dr. Eric's Get Your Year In Gear planning retreat!

Click here for more info.

Dr Eric Schneider, D.Min
The Acupreneur