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Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Public Speaking: Marketing Your Continuing Education Courses
You are a public speaker recently approved as a licensed continuing education provider. Now what? How can you use your public speaking training expertise to reach the unique continuing education audience? What techniques work when marketing your continuing education units (CEUs) courses and products? With a few marketing tips, you can set a new standard and differentiate yourself from other trainers.
Find your market.
Fortunately, the state that grants licenses to continuing education providers often give newly approved providers a database listing contact information for license holders. The database is a very useful marketing tool for public speakers new to the continuing education field. Though you will very likely receive many offers to buy lists of contacts when advertisers learn of your new designation as CEU provider, don’t buy any lists! You can find the people who need your products and services on the free list the state provides or by visiting the official state government web site.
Learn who your competition is.
Know what your competition is sending out. Save every piece of your competitors’ promotional material that crosses your path and put it in a swipe file. Use the information to improve on what they are doing.
Create marketing materials.
I use post cards to announce that I am offering a CEU course and have found that they work very well. Here’s a piece of advice: don’t go to the big office supply store and print your own. Have your post cards professionally printed. If you use a printer that also mails your post cards, you’ll save yourself a lot of grief. The cards will look professional and you won’t have to place stamps on stacks of cards. In addition, it will only add about a half cent more to the cost of each postcard because the printer gets bulk mail rates. Don‘t do your own postcards!
Trainees need training materials to reinforce their training and to help them prepare for re-licensing. Think of products to compliment your course, such as videos, workbooks and learning aids. As with other public speaking events, if you have back of the room products, you have a captive market.
Differentiate yourself.
Take the opportunity to make your postcards stand out from the competition. People who are required to take CEU courses in order to maintain their professional licenses are inundated with advertisements from CEU providers. Make yours unique. I use the maximum size card the postal service will allow. I also add a picture of myself in front of a classroom. When I asked a class why they chose my course over the competition, some people said it was because my postcard was larger and my picture was on it.
If you are speaking out of town, sort your database of contacts by zip code and locate all potential CEU clients within 50 miles of the hotel you’ll be staying in. Then, mail them a post card letting them know you will be conducting CEU training for their profession in their region. Follow up with a phone call as the date approaches.
Videos, audio tapes and other public speaking products can also be used to market your continuing education business. Just adapt the content to a classroom or online setting and make it relevant to the trainees.
Make $5500 or more every time you speak!
Find your market.
Fortunately, the state that grants licenses to continuing education providers often give newly approved providers a database listing contact information for license holders. The database is a very useful marketing tool for public speakers new to the continuing education field. Though you will very likely receive many offers to buy lists of contacts when advertisers learn of your new designation as CEU provider, don’t buy any lists! You can find the people who need your products and services on the free list the state provides or by visiting the official state government web site.
Learn who your competition is.
Know what your competition is sending out. Save every piece of your competitors’ promotional material that crosses your path and put it in a swipe file. Use the information to improve on what they are doing.
Create marketing materials.
I use post cards to announce that I am offering a CEU course and have found that they work very well. Here’s a piece of advice: don’t go to the big office supply store and print your own. Have your post cards professionally printed. If you use a printer that also mails your post cards, you’ll save yourself a lot of grief. The cards will look professional and you won’t have to place stamps on stacks of cards. In addition, it will only add about a half cent more to the cost of each postcard because the printer gets bulk mail rates. Don‘t do your own postcards!
Trainees need training materials to reinforce their training and to help them prepare for re-licensing. Think of products to compliment your course, such as videos, workbooks and learning aids. As with other public speaking events, if you have back of the room products, you have a captive market.
Differentiate yourself.
Take the opportunity to make your postcards stand out from the competition. People who are required to take CEU courses in order to maintain their professional licenses are inundated with advertisements from CEU providers. Make yours unique. I use the maximum size card the postal service will allow. I also add a picture of myself in front of a classroom. When I asked a class why they chose my course over the competition, some people said it was because my postcard was larger and my picture was on it.
If you are speaking out of town, sort your database of contacts by zip code and locate all potential CEU clients within 50 miles of the hotel you’ll be staying in. Then, mail them a post card letting them know you will be conducting CEU training for their profession in their region. Follow up with a phone call as the date approaches.
Videos, audio tapes and other public speaking products can also be used to market your continuing education business. Just adapt the content to a classroom or online setting and make it relevant to the trainees.
Make $5500 or more every time you speak!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Public Speaking: More Suggestions for Improving Your Website
True public speaking professionals are always on the search for ways to improve. Whether you are re-vamping your website or developing new public speaking products to sell online, the suggestions below offer ideas to help you improve your website.Take advantage of the title bar, which is the blue bar located at the top of your computer screen, to increase your rankings. Use your main public speaking keywords in the page title. This is the number one place search engines look when they are looking for your keywords. Remember, the search engine searches from the top of the page down and every page on your website has its own title bar.
Put your database sign-up area on every page of your website, excluding your sales page. If you only have your sign-up area on your home page and the person never goes to your home page, you won’t get the person on your database.
Write entire sales pages for giveaways. People are afraid of spam and need a good reason to give you their email. Create an entire page of information, benefits and samples showing how great it is to be on your database. You want visitors to be excited about signing up for your website.
Ask your webmaster to use heading tags around important words and phrases. These are done in HTML code and are not visible to your site visitors. For example: Put Heading 1 tags around the phrase “Public Speaking: (Title of article).”
Improve your privacy policy. Change your privacy policy to say you will never sell the person’s information unless you sell that portion of the business that contains the database with their information, in which case you will give them two weeks to remove their information from your contact list. Check with a legal person for correct wording.
Add e-courses. Break your topic into five or seven parts and write emails about them. You need a sequential auto responder to distribute the e-course, such as kickstartcart.com. The e-course can be either free or paid. I like to send a free email everyday to stay in front of people while they’re excited. You can deliver paid e-courses at any interval. In addition to having separate emails, put all the parts of the e-course in a separate pdf file. Inside the course, add a comment similar to this. “For those in a hurry, click here to download the entire course.” Add the comment to each section of the e-course with a link to the pdf so people who do not receive one or more of the emails can download the entire course.
Make $5500 or more every time you speak!
Friday, May 21, 2010
Public Speaking: Make Your Website a Part of Your Daily Business Life
Just like your public speaking business, your website needs daily attention. In addition to uploading new information to keep your public speaking readers interested, there’s research to conduct, statistics to study and maintenance to do. As you are performing your day-to-day review of your site, try some of the concepts below to increase your rankings and draw repeat visitors.
* Upload short public speaking videos to YouTube.
Google gives videos high rankings so it makes sense to add them to your website. Create short videos and distribute them through YouTube and other free video hosting sites. Our rankings increased quickly when we did this. There’s a tool for uploading videos at http://www.kickstartsound.com/.
* Support your site with a blog.
Blog postings also get faster ratings in Google. It’s important to include your main keywords in the title of your blog. In addition, make sure your blog is hosted on a different hosting service than your website so you can link one to the other.
* Teach others how to link to you.
Put this statement on your home page, “Here’s how to link to us.” Have your webmaster write some anchor text to help other sites link to your. Include the entire code with your anchor text so they can give it to their webmaster. Give them about five different versions.
* Avoid trading links. They are now considered inferior and damage your website’s ranking.
* Do video infomercials.
See a sample at http://antion.com/speakervideo.htm.
* Use advertorials.
An advertorial is a sales letter that doesn’t look like a sales letter. Use stories in your advertorials to get people excited about your product before you ever let them know you are selling it. The advertorial allows you to present the benefits of your products before you show them the price.
Make your website a part of your business life each day and eventually you will get to a point where it will make money for you. If you are only visiting your site once a month, you will not get the results you want. Invest the time required to profit from the Internet.
Learn to promote your business anywhere!
* Upload short public speaking videos to YouTube.
Google gives videos high rankings so it makes sense to add them to your website. Create short videos and distribute them through YouTube and other free video hosting sites. Our rankings increased quickly when we did this. There’s a tool for uploading videos at http://www.kickstartsound.com/.
* Support your site with a blog.
Blog postings also get faster ratings in Google. It’s important to include your main keywords in the title of your blog. In addition, make sure your blog is hosted on a different hosting service than your website so you can link one to the other.
* Teach others how to link to you.
Put this statement on your home page, “Here’s how to link to us.” Have your webmaster write some anchor text to help other sites link to your. Include the entire code with your anchor text so they can give it to their webmaster. Give them about five different versions.
* Avoid trading links. They are now considered inferior and damage your website’s ranking.
* Do video infomercials.
See a sample at http://antion.com/speakervideo.htm.
* Use advertorials.
An advertorial is a sales letter that doesn’t look like a sales letter. Use stories in your advertorials to get people excited about your product before you ever let them know you are selling it. The advertorial allows you to present the benefits of your products before you show them the price.
Make your website a part of your business life each day and eventually you will get to a point where it will make money for you. If you are only visiting your site once a month, you will not get the results you want. Invest the time required to profit from the Internet.
Learn to promote your business anywhere!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Public Speaking: Draw More Traffic to Your Website with These Tips
Looking for ways to make your public speaking website more dynamic and attract repeat visitors? Adding simple tools such as calculators and quizzes can draw new people to your site. Public speakers who want to expand their skills will be attracted to e-courses. There are a number of things you can do to make your website more appealing and easier to use. Why not try the suggestions listed below?
Add a members’ area.
Adding a members’ area, either free or paid, will help build your database. Then, you can contact the people who register later to promote your products and public speaking events.
Add pictures of people and/or action photos.
Pictures of people interacting and having fun act like a magnet. If you are just beginning and need to attract meeting planners, upload your headshot, as well as some action shots of yourself speaking to an audience. Place both low resolution and high-resolution photos on your website so meeting planners will have access to the size they require for print and web publications.
Add quizzes.
Adding self-grading quizzes to your site add fun for the site visitors. Look online for quiz maker tools that allow you to create quizzes to promote your products and services.
Add calculators.
You can find free calculators online. You can also find computer coders online who can customize a calculator for your site.
Add credibility builders.
People are still afraid to buy online unless they are buying an established brand. Add some credibility builders to your website to overcome their fears and encourage them to buy your products. You can use written, audio or video testimonials. If you are a member of the Better Business Bureau, you can place the BBB symbol on your webpage. You can also display professional affiliations if your associations allow you to use them.
Add excitement during checkout.
Have you ever worked your way through an online purchase and then something made your change your mind? Whatever the reason, you abandoned the site when you reached the checkout. Take steps to prevent your customers from dropping their purchase at the last minute. Customize your checkout page so people get excited the product and complete their sale. Reinforce the benefits of using your public speaking product and reassure them that they are making a wise decision in buying the item. Good shopping carts such as http://kickstartcart.com/ will let you customize the checkout page.
Learn to market yourself successfully on the Internet!
Add a members’ area.
Adding a members’ area, either free or paid, will help build your database. Then, you can contact the people who register later to promote your products and public speaking events.
Add pictures of people and/or action photos.
Pictures of people interacting and having fun act like a magnet. If you are just beginning and need to attract meeting planners, upload your headshot, as well as some action shots of yourself speaking to an audience. Place both low resolution and high-resolution photos on your website so meeting planners will have access to the size they require for print and web publications.
Add quizzes.
Adding self-grading quizzes to your site add fun for the site visitors. Look online for quiz maker tools that allow you to create quizzes to promote your products and services.
Add calculators.
You can find free calculators online. You can also find computer coders online who can customize a calculator for your site.
Add credibility builders.
People are still afraid to buy online unless they are buying an established brand. Add some credibility builders to your website to overcome their fears and encourage them to buy your products. You can use written, audio or video testimonials. If you are a member of the Better Business Bureau, you can place the BBB symbol on your webpage. You can also display professional affiliations if your associations allow you to use them.
Add excitement during checkout.
Have you ever worked your way through an online purchase and then something made your change your mind? Whatever the reason, you abandoned the site when you reached the checkout. Take steps to prevent your customers from dropping their purchase at the last minute. Customize your checkout page so people get excited the product and complete their sale. Reinforce the benefits of using your public speaking product and reassure them that they are making a wise decision in buying the item. Good shopping carts such as http://kickstartcart.com/ will let you customize the checkout page.
Learn to market yourself successfully on the Internet!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Public Speaking: Which Type of Microphone Should I Use?
Public speaking often requires the speaker to use a microphone. The type of microphone you use is dictated by the venue of your event, the purpose of your presentation and the size of your audience. There are three types of microphones: shotgun, handheld and lavaliere. You may be wondering which works best when you are recording a speaker standing a long distance from you. Which should you use when you are speaking in front of a large crowd? Which type is most effective when your are recording several short public speaking videos to post on YouTube? Each type of microphone is described below, along with tips on when to use them.Shotgun microphone
A shotgun microphone is a microphone at the end of a long tube. You will often see them used on television news programs to capture sound from a distance. When you point the shotgun mic in a direction, it picks up sound only from that area. It is good for recording very crisp audio when the speaker is far away from the microphone. It is not good for recording two people sitting at a table unless the mic is suspended above the table where it can pick up both voices.
Handheld microphone
The handheld microphone works in two directions, picking up sound from the north and south sides of the microphone. It’s a nice microphone for speakers because it gives you something to do with your hands as you present your public speaking program. In addition, you can hand it off to another speaker when team teaching. You can also hold it in front of a member of the audience so the rest of the audience can hear the person respond to your questions or comments. Another advantage of the handheld microphone is that when you hold it between two people having a conversation, it will pick up both voices.
Lavaliere
The lavaliere is a wireless microphone that clips onto your clothing. To obtain good sound quality, it has to be fairly close to the speaker’s mouth. The lav has a battery pack with an antenna and a small cable running from the battery pack to the microphone. The cable is usually hidden beneath the speaker’s clothing. The antenna sends a signal to the receiver, which is plugged into the microphone jack on your camera. You can wear it behind you, on your belt or on your pocket. You can even carry it, though most speakers like to be hands-free and would rather clip it onto their clothing so they can move around the room.
Make $5500 or more every time you speak!
Friday, May 14, 2010
Public Speaking: What a Public Speaker Needs to Know About Video Cameras
As your public speaking audience grows, you may discover that people who attend your seminars and events want to continue learning from you. There is a greater demand for your public speaking expertise. This can be a signal that the time is right to package your products and services on videos. You may also want to capture the rave reviews and testimonials the members of your audience are giving you. In addition, you may be thinking of producing a short video demonstrating your public speaking product to upload onto YouTube.Whatever your reason for making a video, selecting the right camera for the job can help you obtain the results you want. The advantages and disadvantages of three types of video cameras — the Flip cam, the Mini DVD disc camera and the hard drive camcorder — are explored below.
What do you want to do with your videos?
* Post a video on YouTube or record testimonials.
If you only want to make testimonials or YouTube videos to promote your products and services, the Flip cam is a good choice. The Flip is a handheld camera with a built-in microphone, a tripod mount and a flip-out USB arm that plugs directly into your PC or Mac to upload footage to your computer. The Flip is a simple inexpensive choice for shooting short web-based videos. However, the quality is not good enough for videos that will be shown on television or a large screen.
Good camera for the job: The Flip
The pros: Inexpensive; simple to use
The cons: Not the best quality for high-end production
* Play a video on television or a large screen.
When you want to make a video to play on television or large screen, you may want to use a Mini DVD disc camera. This type of camera records to a mini DVD. The video is similar to a movie and is made to be played back on a television.
Good camera for the job: Mini DVD disc camera
The pros: Relatively inexpensive
The cons: Difficult to edit and use; short recording time, only about 39 minutes so you’ll have to change the DVD for longer videos.
* Produce a video to sell on DVDs.
Good camera for the job: Mini DV or Hard Drive camcorder
Camera: Hard Drive camcorder
Hard drive camcorders save your video as a file on a hard drive inside the camera. Several models record in a video format that conflict with some video editing software programs. Be sure you know which file formats your camera records in and confirm that your editing software can handle that type of file format.
The pros: Very durable, few moving parts, easy to use, no DVDs or tapes to pop in and out.
The cons: Some models are expensive; some only hold 40 or 60 gigs on the hard drive so you have to upload the video footage to your computer often. If you are buying a new camera, I advise you to invest in a camcorder that has a larger hard drive.
Camera: Mini DV (Digital video)
We use a mini DV camera to produce our DVDs. This type of camcorder uses a mini tape. Though the technology is older, we always have good results with this camera. The tapes will allow you to record one hour and six minutes of footage.
The pros: Produces good quality video, tapes are inexpensive and easy to find.
The cons: Lots of moving parts that can break, older technology
Shopping tips
When you shop for a Mini DV or Min DVD disc camcorder, make sure the camera has the features listed below:
* Headphone jack — You need to hear the sound as you record.
* Microphone jack — There will be times when you will want to use a better microphone and you will need to plug it into the video camera.
* Fire wire port — A fire wire is much faster than a USB cable for uploading your video to a computer.
Make $5500 or more every time you speak!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Public Speaking: How to Become a Continuing Education Provider
Public speakers, have you ever thought about entering the lucrative field of continuing education? If you enjoy public speaking training and teaching workforce development skills, you may want to consider becoming a licensed continuing education provider.
Why is this a good path for public speakers to explore?
Many professional licenses require continuing education units (CEUs) for renewal and most people aren’t going to let their professional license lapse. Even in times of poor economy, there are opportunities to sell your knowledge to licensed professionals by teaching continuing education courses.
In order to train licensed professionals, you need to do several things.
You must first identify licensed professions that require CEUs. You must also be licensed by the state as a continuing education provider for the professions you want to train.
The first step in the process is to conduct research.
* Identify licensed professions that require CEUs.
There are license holders in every state who are required to take continuing education classes to maintain their license. To find licensed professions that require continuing education units, go online and visit your state’s official web site. Often, the state site will have links on the home page where you can find the individual licensing boards listed. If you don’t see a link, enter “licensing boards” in the search engine. The site will list links to all the professional licensing and regulating boards, and there are a lot of them. In Virginia where I live, there were about forty vocations listed, excluding medical professions. Don’t buy lists! You can find lists at no cost on state web sites. Scroll down and click on the links of any of the professions that you want to target.
* Investigate the licensing requirements to become a continuing education provider.
Visit your state’s official web site and navigate to the licensing board for the professions in which you have an interest. Each state has its own names for the department that manages the various licensing boards. You may find it under names similar to “professional and occupational regulation” or “business and special regulations.” Look for documents that describe the general requirements for obtaining a license as a continuing education provider. At this time, you are not going to apply. You are just gathering background information to familiarize yourself with the process so you can prepare the required paperwork and course descriptions.
Prepare your application materials.
* Develop your course package and complete all related paperwork to fulfill the board’s requirements for licensing or certification as a CEU provider. Courses have to be approved by the board. You will have to develop a course outline, objectives and evaluations. The state gives you the forms. There is a cost per credit hour when you file.
File your application with the board.
* Submit your application. The cost of applying for a license as a continuing education provider depends on the profession. Though the application process is usually very easy, it is time-consuming. You must have persistence because you may encounter lots of red tape as you wait for approval. In some states the board only meets once a month, so give yourself at least 90 days.
* When the board meets to review your application, be sure you are present for the meeting. When your course is up in front of the board, go, even if they say you don’t have to be there. Sometimes board members will misunderstand what your have in your application materials and reject it for no reason. If you are there, you can explain it.
Selling your knowledge to others can bring in the big money if you do your homework, be persistent and differentiate yourself from your competition.
Why is this a good path for public speakers to explore?
Many professional licenses require continuing education units (CEUs) for renewal and most people aren’t going to let their professional license lapse. Even in times of poor economy, there are opportunities to sell your knowledge to licensed professionals by teaching continuing education courses.
In order to train licensed professionals, you need to do several things.
You must first identify licensed professions that require CEUs. You must also be licensed by the state as a continuing education provider for the professions you want to train.
The first step in the process is to conduct research.
* Identify licensed professions that require CEUs.
There are license holders in every state who are required to take continuing education classes to maintain their license. To find licensed professions that require continuing education units, go online and visit your state’s official web site. Often, the state site will have links on the home page where you can find the individual licensing boards listed. If you don’t see a link, enter “licensing boards” in the search engine. The site will list links to all the professional licensing and regulating boards, and there are a lot of them. In Virginia where I live, there were about forty vocations listed, excluding medical professions. Don’t buy lists! You can find lists at no cost on state web sites. Scroll down and click on the links of any of the professions that you want to target.
* Investigate the licensing requirements to become a continuing education provider.
Visit your state’s official web site and navigate to the licensing board for the professions in which you have an interest. Each state has its own names for the department that manages the various licensing boards. You may find it under names similar to “professional and occupational regulation” or “business and special regulations.” Look for documents that describe the general requirements for obtaining a license as a continuing education provider. At this time, you are not going to apply. You are just gathering background information to familiarize yourself with the process so you can prepare the required paperwork and course descriptions.
Prepare your application materials.
* Develop your course package and complete all related paperwork to fulfill the board’s requirements for licensing or certification as a CEU provider. Courses have to be approved by the board. You will have to develop a course outline, objectives and evaluations. The state gives you the forms. There is a cost per credit hour when you file.
File your application with the board.
* Submit your application. The cost of applying for a license as a continuing education provider depends on the profession. Though the application process is usually very easy, it is time-consuming. You must have persistence because you may encounter lots of red tape as you wait for approval. In some states the board only meets once a month, so give yourself at least 90 days.
* When the board meets to review your application, be sure you are present for the meeting. When your course is up in front of the board, go, even if they say you don’t have to be there. Sometimes board members will misunderstand what your have in your application materials and reject it for no reason. If you are there, you can explain it.
Selling your knowledge to others can bring in the big money if you do your homework, be persistent and differentiate yourself from your competition.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Public Speaking: Lighting: Making Your Own Versus Buying a Kit
You have decided to produce some public speaking videos to promote your products and services. You have a video camera and a microphone, and you’ve drafted some bullet points to use as your speak. You have arranged the background and arranged an attractive set. What’s missing? Lighting. If you are going to make public speaking videos to sell, you need good lighting to create the mood and set the tone you want. Most importantly, you want lighting that will help your produce high-impact video footage with a professional quality that will sell your public speaking videos.
There are two approaches you can take. You can either make the lighting yourself or you can purchase a light kit. Though making your own lighting is less expensive, buying a light kit is easier and more convenient.
If you decide to make your own lighting, this is how to do it.
Go to a home improvement store and buy a construction work lamp that stands on the floor. Select one that you can angle at different positions. You will also need a large piece of white construction paper or white foam board. When your are ready to shoot your video, place the white paper or foam board in front of the light. Position the board in front of the work lamp and angle the board so that the light reflects onto the subject, creating a soft lighting effect. I have even strung a rope across the room and draped a shower curtain over it to diffuse the harsh light emitting from the construction work lamps. This was very low budget lighting but it worked well for the video we were shooting.
If you decide to purchase a light kit …
I prefer the light kits to the do-it-yourself lights because they come with everything you need. Light kits contain lamps, cords, reflectors, barn doors, stands and umbrellas. Some even come with a case. You can find very good light kits online at reasonable prices from professional photography and video supply stores such as B&H Photo. Compare prices before you buy. I have found that pricing for identical light kits vary greatly, depending on where you shop
Learn more great public speaking secrets: Only $5.00 for 30 full days of access!
There are two approaches you can take. You can either make the lighting yourself or you can purchase a light kit. Though making your own lighting is less expensive, buying a light kit is easier and more convenient.
If you decide to make your own lighting, this is how to do it.
Go to a home improvement store and buy a construction work lamp that stands on the floor. Select one that you can angle at different positions. You will also need a large piece of white construction paper or white foam board. When your are ready to shoot your video, place the white paper or foam board in front of the light. Position the board in front of the work lamp and angle the board so that the light reflects onto the subject, creating a soft lighting effect. I have even strung a rope across the room and draped a shower curtain over it to diffuse the harsh light emitting from the construction work lamps. This was very low budget lighting but it worked well for the video we were shooting.
If you decide to purchase a light kit …
I prefer the light kits to the do-it-yourself lights because they come with everything you need. Light kits contain lamps, cords, reflectors, barn doors, stands and umbrellas. Some even come with a case. You can find very good light kits online at reasonable prices from professional photography and video supply stores such as B&H Photo. Compare prices before you buy. I have found that pricing for identical light kits vary greatly, depending on where you shop
Learn more great public speaking secrets: Only $5.00 for 30 full days of access!
Friday, May 07, 2010
Public Speaking: Look What You Can Do for Free with Skype
Did you know you can deliver a public speaking teleseminar over the Internet at little or no cost? You can also demonstrate your products, give instructions to a client and transfer files. This is all made possible with Skype, a software application that allows users to make video and voice calls over the Internet. With Skype, you can talk to people over the Internet just as if you were on the phone. Using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Skype allows you to do much more than make phone calls.
Why you might want to use Skype for your business.
Skype can be a very economical and useful public speaking business tool. It is free to download, free to register and free to use between other Skype users. Here are some of the functions you can perform using Skype.
* Make free phone calls.
Calls to other Skype users are free. If you want to make calls to traditional landline telephones and mobile phones, the fee is very low.
* Send text messages and instant messaging.
* Conduct video conferencing.
There are video cameras that you can connect to Skype. With this feature, you can tape your video conference as you deliver it and create a new public speaking product.
* Forward your Skype calls to your cell phone.
* Obtain an online 1-800 Skype number for your business.
* Have video chats.
* Share computer screens with your clients.
Access your clients’ desktops to give instructions through a screen sharing feature. With the screen sharing option activated, you can show your client how to perform a new skill or solve a problem.
* Demonstrate a product.
Using the screen sharing feature described above, you can demonstrate your product. The client can see you and you can see the client, as well. You can also watch as the client tries your product and then make suggestions to make it easier.
* Transfer files.
If you combine screen sharing and file sharing, you can send files at the end of teleseminar to give your audience extra value. The files could be a free e-book, tips or a video on the topic. This can be another way for public speakers to gain credibility.
* Give a teleseminar for clients who are also Skype users.
You will need a microphone and a webcam to conduct a class on Skype, as well as a headset. A microphone and headset combination allows your hands to be free. Though some computers have a microphone built in, their sound quality is not as a good as external microphones.
While some people are hesitant to use Skype because they think it sounds too technical, the service has many advantages and is worth the small effort it takes to learn it. Best of all, it’s free. Try it out.
Learn to market yourself successfully on the Internet!
Why you might want to use Skype for your business.
Skype can be a very economical and useful public speaking business tool. It is free to download, free to register and free to use between other Skype users. Here are some of the functions you can perform using Skype.
* Make free phone calls.
Calls to other Skype users are free. If you want to make calls to traditional landline telephones and mobile phones, the fee is very low.
* Send text messages and instant messaging.
* Conduct video conferencing.
There are video cameras that you can connect to Skype. With this feature, you can tape your video conference as you deliver it and create a new public speaking product.
* Forward your Skype calls to your cell phone.
* Obtain an online 1-800 Skype number for your business.
* Have video chats.
* Share computer screens with your clients.
Access your clients’ desktops to give instructions through a screen sharing feature. With the screen sharing option activated, you can show your client how to perform a new skill or solve a problem.
* Demonstrate a product.
Using the screen sharing feature described above, you can demonstrate your product. The client can see you and you can see the client, as well. You can also watch as the client tries your product and then make suggestions to make it easier.
* Transfer files.
If you combine screen sharing and file sharing, you can send files at the end of teleseminar to give your audience extra value. The files could be a free e-book, tips or a video on the topic. This can be another way for public speakers to gain credibility.
* Give a teleseminar for clients who are also Skype users.
You will need a microphone and a webcam to conduct a class on Skype, as well as a headset. A microphone and headset combination allows your hands to be free. Though some computers have a microphone built in, their sound quality is not as a good as external microphones.
While some people are hesitant to use Skype because they think it sounds too technical, the service has many advantages and is worth the small effort it takes to learn it. Best of all, it’s free. Try it out.
Learn to market yourself successfully on the Internet!
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Public Speaking: Applying the Six Critical Elements of Videos
As you look for ways to promote your public speaking business, videos are a critical component. If you’ve never created a video as part of your public speaking package, you probably have many questions. What elements should you include on your public speaking video? How can you get the best quality? Below are some very basic tips to help you begin.
What should I include on my video?
There are six critical elements of a video. They are:
1. The title
Put your most important keyword first in your title.
2. The description
Some sites allow long descriptions and some will only let you post a short description of your video. For this reason, you will need to write two descriptions. One should be less than 200 words and the other should be longer than 200 words. Be sure to include an incentive to draw visitors to your website.
3. Tags
There are two kinds of tags: comma-separated tags and space-separated tags. Use keywords other than the ones you use in your description.
4. Keywords
Use your keywords in your video and also mention your website to drive visitors there.
5. Opening and closing slides.
Make an opening scene and a closing scene with your website on it.
6. A watermark
A watermark is an image that displays at the bottom of the screen throughout your entire video.
Poor man’s watermarks:
– Wear a t-shirt with your watermark on it.
– Hang a banner with your watermark behind you.
Tips for obtaining good quality
* Sound quality
To get good audio, record at the highest quality and wear a microphone.
* Video quality
o Set your video camera to manual focus, not auto focus. To do this, go to manual focus, zoom in, adjust the focus and then zoom out and shoot the video.
o If you wear glasses, tip the temples of your glasses up to tilt the lenses forward. This will eliminate glare.
o Shoot your video in a silent room with no distracting sounds in the background.
o Avoid zooming while shooting.
o If your skin color looks good on the video camera, don’t worry about other colors.
* Lighting
o Avoid mixing natural lighting and video lighting.
o Plug video lights into long extension cords in various places around your house to prevent an overload on one cord, which could result in a darkened room as you are shooting your video.
Apply these basic principles to each video you produce and soon you’ll have high quality videos to draw visitors to your website.
Get 30 days of public speaking training for only $5.00!
What should I include on my video?
There are six critical elements of a video. They are:
1. The title
Put your most important keyword first in your title.
2. The description
Some sites allow long descriptions and some will only let you post a short description of your video. For this reason, you will need to write two descriptions. One should be less than 200 words and the other should be longer than 200 words. Be sure to include an incentive to draw visitors to your website.
3. Tags
There are two kinds of tags: comma-separated tags and space-separated tags. Use keywords other than the ones you use in your description.
4. Keywords
Use your keywords in your video and also mention your website to drive visitors there.
5. Opening and closing slides.
Make an opening scene and a closing scene with your website on it.
6. A watermark
A watermark is an image that displays at the bottom of the screen throughout your entire video.
Poor man’s watermarks:
– Wear a t-shirt with your watermark on it.
– Hang a banner with your watermark behind you.
Tips for obtaining good quality
* Sound quality
To get good audio, record at the highest quality and wear a microphone.
* Video quality
o Set your video camera to manual focus, not auto focus. To do this, go to manual focus, zoom in, adjust the focus and then zoom out and shoot the video.
o If you wear glasses, tip the temples of your glasses up to tilt the lenses forward. This will eliminate glare.
o Shoot your video in a silent room with no distracting sounds in the background.
o Avoid zooming while shooting.
o If your skin color looks good on the video camera, don’t worry about other colors.
* Lighting
o Avoid mixing natural lighting and video lighting.
o Plug video lights into long extension cords in various places around your house to prevent an overload on one cord, which could result in a darkened room as you are shooting your video.
Apply these basic principles to each video you produce and soon you’ll have high quality videos to draw visitors to your website.
Get 30 days of public speaking training for only $5.00!
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Public Speaking: Choose the Right Keywords for Your Website
Before you launch into developing or redesigning your public speaking website, give extensive thought to the keywords you will use. A keyword is a word a person types into a search engine when looking for specific information. Choosing the right keywords and keyword phrases for your public speaking site is very critical. Without them, search engines will never find your website. In addition, using the wrong keywords can obstruct the flow of traffic to your site.
How can you find which keywords people are using to find your site?
If you can identify the keywords that people actually type into the search engine to find public speaking products and services similar to yours, use those words as your keywords. You may be surprised to know that the keywords you would enter into a search engine may not be the keywords that people looking for information would enter into the search engine. There are two ways to determine which keywords to use, statistics and keyword tools.
* Statistics
Try to find an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides statistics telling you which keywords the visitors typed in and which search engine they used to reach your site. If your ISP does not track the keywords statistics for you, look for a program that will give you that information such as "Google Analytics."
* Keyword suggestion tools
While statistics will tell you what keywords people who find your site are using, keyword suggestion tools will help you determine what words people who don’t find your site are entering into the search engines. Look online for free keyword tracking services that will give you that information.
How to use keywords.
* Work keywords into the design of your site.
* Avoid using your own name as a keyword, unless you are a celebrity.
* Each page of your site may have various keywords related to its content.
* Or every page on your site may use the same keyword.
* Use your most popular keywords first. They will bring in the most traffic the fastest.
* After you have used the most popular words, build pages around the less popular words.
* If you find a keyword that applies to you that doesn't get searched very often, save it to use later. Less popular keywords have less competition from other websites. Using less competitive keywords may bring you higher rankings if your site is new.
Learn to market yourself successfully on the Internet!
How can you find which keywords people are using to find your site?
If you can identify the keywords that people actually type into the search engine to find public speaking products and services similar to yours, use those words as your keywords. You may be surprised to know that the keywords you would enter into a search engine may not be the keywords that people looking for information would enter into the search engine. There are two ways to determine which keywords to use, statistics and keyword tools.
* Statistics
Try to find an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that provides statistics telling you which keywords the visitors typed in and which search engine they used to reach your site. If your ISP does not track the keywords statistics for you, look for a program that will give you that information such as "Google Analytics."
* Keyword suggestion tools
While statistics will tell you what keywords people who find your site are using, keyword suggestion tools will help you determine what words people who don’t find your site are entering into the search engines. Look online for free keyword tracking services that will give you that information.
How to use keywords.
* Work keywords into the design of your site.
* Avoid using your own name as a keyword, unless you are a celebrity.
* Each page of your site may have various keywords related to its content.
* Or every page on your site may use the same keyword.
* Use your most popular keywords first. They will bring in the most traffic the fastest.
* After you have used the most popular words, build pages around the less popular words.
* If you find a keyword that applies to you that doesn't get searched very often, save it to use later. Less popular keywords have less competition from other websites. Using less competitive keywords may bring you higher rankings if your site is new.
Learn to market yourself successfully on the Internet!
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