So we’ve had a theme going on with the last two tips and talking about Testimonials. Testimonials are part of a cycle. Getting good Testimonials can give you the back up to ask for referrals. In the speaking business, a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. You can do a fantastic job and still don’t get a callback. That’s part of the game and the byproduct of there being many speakers to choose from. That’s why sometimes, you have to keep the fire lit by asking for referrals. But there are multiple ways you can ask for referrals without outright asking someone for a referral. You can do it subliminally. You can do it strategically. For those of you who feel nervous about asking for such a big favor, there are ways you can go about it that doesn’t necessarily put you or the person you are asking on the spot. No matter if you are nervous about it or not, you must ask, because you never know who someone may ultimately be able to connect you with. One person can honestly connect you with multiple new leads that you wouldn’t be able to secure on your own. And if you don’t open your mouth, you may miss out on a big opportunity, or at the very least, opening another door.

Let’s be clear, if what you say resonates with your crowd, more people will want to hear you. Word will spread. But what if it isn’t that simple for you? What if the people don’t brag about your performance? What if the news doesn’t spread like wildfire? That’s where you have to jumpstart it. I’ve run into many new speakers who are simply scared to asked their client for a referral after doing a good job. They are scared that it may be too aggressive. They are scared that the client may think of them differently and never want to work with them again. But my retort to that is always: What if you don’t ask for the referral and all of those things you are scared of STILL HAPPENS? Remember how in the last two tips we talked about the speaking circuit being difficult when you first start out? That can be due to many reasons. One may be that clients don’t realize the benefits they could bestow on new speakers and another reason could be that the client simply forgets to make time to help you out. These are two slip up scenarios that can be avoided if you simply remind them by asking for the referral.

Now that we’ve established that you must ask for referrals, you must now realize that there is a certain way you should go about doing it. One of the easiest ways to guarantee getting a referral is to make it part of your contract. That’s right, along with your speaking fee and all the other particulars that you need in order before you go on stage, you can make it a requirement that the event organizer refer you to other potential leads. This can be as simple as including this information in the speaking fee section of your contract. Something as simple as saying “Upon successful completion of this keynote, the event organizer agrees to make an introduction on behalf of the speaker to 5 potential clients.” So upon signature of the contract, the event organizer agrees to the terms. Once again, this can only be successfully fulfilled if you finish the process and do a great job as a speaker. To get, you must give. There are many ways you can word this into your contract. For my coaching business, I keep it as simple as: “Primary Client agrees to be a future available reference for the work that the partner performs.” It has worked well for me and my clients. It’s also straight forward language that makes my ask less confusing.

Other speakers can be a great way to get referrals as well. You have to be willing to network and provide value. As a speaker, you work hard to build your network and some have a hard time sharing it with other speakers if they don’t see the value in it. If you meet a fellow speaker who has tapped into a network you wish to get into and you are tapped into a network that they wish to get into, that would be the ideal situation. Basically, I’m saying to get, you must give. The same can be said with event organizers. Most speakers want to be able to speak to many types of audiences and getting referrals can fast track the process. So remember, closed mouths don’t get fed. Don’t be scared. Be kind throughout the process, and truly go for what you want!

Make your next presentation, your best presentation!

Sincerely,

Julian A. Leonard
(Founder of The JLeonard Group LLC)

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