Business 101: Speaking to Sell – The Art of Making Compelling Offers from the Stage

Sales and speaking. Probably two of the most feared activities and you want to combine them? Are you crazy?

If this is you, you are in good company. Most people would rather endure a torturous visit to the dentist than do either. In fact, that used to be me. I used to fear speaking and I hated sales.

If you had told me that I would become a professional speaker, make my living presenting information and delivering offers from the stage, I would have laughed. And yet, that is exactly what I do and I love it.

Why People Fear Making Offers from the Stage

So let’s talk about making offers – the part that scares people the most.

First of all, an offer is an opportunity for the audience to continue working with you. If you’ve done a good job developing and delivering your material, it is only natural that some people in the audience would like to work with you. Sharing how and creating the opportunity to say yes – or no – is the “offer”.

Getting nervous, yet?

People hate making offers for one of three reasons:

#1: Don’t want to be a “salesperson”
#2: The fear people will say “no”
#3: The fear people will say “yes”

Let me answer #2 and #3 and then we’ll spend the rest of the time on #1…

Fear #2: You are correct – some people will say “no”. Knowing that going in is helpful and makes it easier to handle. It is true that no one likes to feel “rejected.” Know that the worst case is someone says “no”; however, you have shared valuable information with them and impacted their life. That is a successful day. Consider your job well done.

Fear #3: People will say “yes”. This is often a bigger fear than hearing a “no”. This means that you now have to deliver – you are a success – your business is launched. There is nothing that will hold you more accountable than someone giving you a credit card payment for a service or product you have to deliver. That is the key – you have to deliver it – and this is a good thing!

Fear #1: The stomach churning dread of being perceived as a “salesperson.” It is common that most people have a negative knee-jerk reaction against anything that is perceived as “salesy”.

Lots of so-called formulas push you to make a very aggressive sales pitch, literally holding their audience hostage during hours of a presentation that is nothing more than a thinly disguised sales pitch. The key objective being “overcoming objections” to “convince” people to do what you want them to.

The BEST offer you can make from the stage is one that YOU feel good about. You need to feel comfortable delivering it, it needs to represent who you are and it needs to serve your clients.

The Art of Making Compelling Offers from the Stage

#1: Know Yourself and Be True – If you don’t like “salesy” offers, don’t make them. You want the “no’s” in the audience to be as comfortable as the “yes’s” in the audience. Give your audience the choice by offering them an out.

#2: Remember they’re People, Not Numbers – Know that you may have zero response or 95% say “yes”. The average is around 35%. Pay attention to stats, but don’t go into an event calculating percentages, dollars or conversion rates. Instead look for quality people who are interested in working with you.

#3: Make it Flow – Make offers that are seamless with the content. It needs to make sense, be an extension of the presentation and still provide value. The best way is to continue teaching content through my offer.

#4: Don’t Plant Seeds of Doubt – Most speaker and sales training will tell you to share the “cost” of what will happen if someone says “no” to your offer. Leave this out because it can be very detrimental if these doubts fester for days or even longer. Instead focus on the benefits of what is possible when we work together.

#5: Offer Quality and a Solid Plan – There is nothing that will give you more confidence in making an offer than knowing you have something WONDERFUL to share with your audience. Offer programs that are very well developed with amazing content and support. Provide added value so you know they are getting above and beyond what they have paid for. When you do this you can truly stand on solid ground when you make your offer.

#6: Know Your People and Anticipate Their Needs – Do the work to have a clear message that speaks to your ideal clients. The bottom line is you want to understand your audience and make sure your offer is the natural “next step” that will best serve their needs. The Character Code™ System helps you really “tune in” to your audience and understand who they are.

#7: Celebrate the Yes’s – Don’t make the “no’s” feel bad. They may have any number of reasons as to why they said “no”. Don’t “fight” for anyone to become a client, don’t overcome objections, don’t argue with them. Instead, fight like crazy for the ones who do become clients and celebrate them.

#8: Be Real – Yes, there is a certain level of “performing” to any speaking event – you must inform, inspire, entertain and transform. Being real and authentic in who you are, what you offer and what you are about will be so appreciated by your audience. Be honest and be real and you will have increased success!

#9: Be Willing to Do it YOUR Way – Don’t worry what others will think if you decide to go against the traditional ways of doing things. Learn what works best for you and customize it to fit your own style. Take this advice, discard what doesn’t serve you and discover your own way.

#10: Lastly, be willing to face your fears – There is no telling what is possible when you are just willing to try. So much in life is about “showing up” and the truth is we make “offers” all the time in life. Not just from the stage, but in all aspects of life, work and play. Wear your heart on your sleeve and just risk it. That is what living is all about and it is worth it.

Tired of attending events with little results? Check out this workshop where Brandy teaches her entire Character Code System! Grab your free Guest Passes for free before they run out!