The speaking industry interchanges many of these words, and there seems to be no clear industry definition. To some – a keynote speech is 45-90 minutes, yet I have seen keynotes that that lasted 3 hours and were broken up into 90 minutes to kick off a conference, and 90 more to close it. As a speaker and presenter, you have no control how a meeting planner is defining those words – but you do have control how others perceive you! It is all in the words we choose.
When you label yourself as a keynote speaker, or a workshop presenter, you limit your own possibilities. Scary ins’t it? The idea of creating an income ceiling on purpose?
So – how do you avoid being labelled and missing out on opportunities? It is as simple as one word. Replace your “industry terms” with one word – Programs.
When you offer 45 minute, 90 minute, 3 hour, and why not full day Programs, you allow the planners to choose exactly what they want in the time frame they want it in. You are not telling everyone that you are “strictly a full day speaker” if that is how a meeting planner interprets the word “keynote”. You are telling them that you have various levels of time available, and if they like what you have to say – you can say it in the time allotted. Isn’t that a much better feeling to leave them with? “I can solve your problem on your terms” It makes the decision on who to hire much easier doesn’t it?
That is what increasing your number of bookings boils down to isn’t it? Solving their problems and making it as easy as possible for them to make the choice to hire you!
