Short Circuit Media

19/08/2024

As a business owner or manager, you know the importance of creating high-quality content for your website, social media, and other marketing efforts. But coming up with fresh ideas and producing consistent content can be a challenge, especially if you have a small team or limited resources. Here are seven tips to help your staff create engaging content that will captivate your audience:

Clearly define your target audience. Before your team starts brainstorming ideas, it's important to have a clear understanding of who you are trying to reach. This will help ensure that the content resonates with your audience and meets their needs.
Set specific goals and objectives. Determine what you want to achieve with your content, whether it's increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving sales. This will help your team focus their efforts and create content that aligns with your business goals.
Encourage collaboration and creativity. The best content often comes from diverse perspectives and fresh ideas. Encourage your team to share their thoughts and ideas, and consider incorporating different writing styles and formats to keep things interesting.
Offer resources and support. Provide your team with the tools and resources they need to succeed, such as access to research materials, editorial guidelines, and marketing software. Consider hiring a content marketing specialist or giving your team access to training or workshops to help them READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2pY

19/08/2024

What if you had immediate access to over 60 association decision-makers who actually had the power to say "YES" to your speaking proposal? We have that at the ASSC. https://speakercommunity.org

19/08/2024

To grow your association business you would be wise to spend 30 minutes a day on LinkedIn connecting with association executives and staff. Sometimes a LinkedIn direct message is the only way to get through.

To grow your association business you would be wise to spend 30 minutes a day on LinkedIn connecting with association executives and staff. Sometimes a LinkedIn direct message is the only way to get through. It is really quite easy if you are connected to someone that has a large association LinkedI...

19/08/2024

Engaging members is critical to the success of an association. Members who are involved, active, and invested in the organization are more likely to renew their membership, attend events, and support the association's goals. As such, it is important to consider strategies that can help increase member engagement.

Here are six strategies that associations can use to boost member engagement:
Offer Value
The first step to engaging members is to provide them with services, resources, and benefits that they find valuable. Ensure that your offerings are relevant and up-to-date, and provide a range of options to cater to different segments of the membership base. Ask members what they need and make adjustments to your offerings to meet their expectations.

One of the biggest mistakes any organization can make is taking it’s members for granted. You are there for your members. They do not owe you loyalty. So you need to constantly offer value in order to keep them.
Communicate Regularly
Communication is key to maintaining a connection with members. Regular updates, newsletters, and social media posts that keep members informed of the association's activities, accomplishments, and opportunities help build trust and demonstrate that the association is actively working to meet its members' needs.

Too often the only communication that comes through is when an association is trying to promote something. But you need to build a relationship with your READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2qI

18/08/2024

Professional speaking is a competitive field, and one way for speakers to distinguish themselves and build credibility is by joining associations related to their industry. These associations can provide numerous benefits to speakers, including access to educational resources, networking opportunities, and opportunities for professional development.

One of the primary benefits of joining an association is access to educational resources. Many associations offer webinars, workshops, and conferences that provide speakers with the opportunity to learn about new trends and techniques in their field. This can help speakers stay up-to-date on the latest research and best practices, which can make them more effective and engaging when speaking to their audiences.

Networking is another important benefit of joining an association. Professional speaking can be a solitary profession, and joining an association can provide speakers with the opportunity to connect with others in their industry. This can lead to opportunities to collaborate on projects, share resources and ideas, and learn from the experiences of others.

In addition to educational resources and networking opportunities, associations can also provide speakers with opportunities for professional development. Many associations offer certification programs that can help speakers demonstrate their expertise and differentiate themselves from their peers. Some associations also offer leadership READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2q4

18/08/2024

Association and society gatekeepers, as you already know, do a great job of keeping speakers out. Make your life easy and be more effective by calling the association editor.

Association and society gatekeepers, as you already know, do a great job of keeping speakers out. Make your life easy and be more effective by calling the association editor. It works like this: 1. Write articles based on your expertise and/or book(s). Be sure they are quality work at the level that...

18/08/2024

Marketing a speaking business in 2023 will require a combination of traditional and digital strategies that take into account the evolving needs of audiences and the increasing use of technology. Here are some tips on how to market a speaking business in 2023:

Leverage social media: Social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are powerful tools for promoting your speaking business. By sharing your expertise, connecting with potential clients, and promoting your speaking engagements, you can reach a wider audience and establish your brand as a thought leader.
Utilize email marketing: Email marketing can be an effective way to promote your speaking business, particularly if you have a list of past clients or potential leads. By sending newsletters, updates, and promotional emails, you can keep your business top-of-mind and nurture relationships with potential clients.
Attend industry events and conferences: Attending industry events and conferences is a great way to connect with potential clients and promote your speaking business. By networking with event planners and other industry professionals, you can showcase your expertise and promote your speaking services.
Build partnerships: Partnering with other businesses or organizations can be a powerful way to market your speaking business. By collaborating on events or promoting each other's services, you can reach new audiences and gain exposure for your business. READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2pT

18/08/2024

As someone who works with entrepreneurs I see the same mistakes coming up again and again. At this point I could easily go down the rabbit hole of hating on GoDaddy. But I’ll just say don’t use them if you can find literally ANY other host.

But even that ties directly into what I’m going to discuss today. Which is how easy it is to get snowed by great marketing into paying too much for services.

Over the years my business has spent $1000s of dollars on subscription services that I rarely used and yet paid for month after month for years at a time.

But because each one didn’t cost a lot, most of these didn’t register. But of course anyone who has cut cable only to find themselves with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ and a half dozen other streaming services will tell you - these things add up. And they add up fast.

The truth is there are a lot of free and cheap options out there that can help you cut down your monthly business expenditures.
Stock Photos
For years I was paying over $40 a month for a subscription to Dreamstime. I use images primarily for presentation slides and blog posts.

I like to stay on the right side of the copyright police and so should you. So if you are in the habit of grabbing random images off of Google...stop.

Last year I was working with a client to help him create a webinar. And as I was watching it for the first time the headshot of another speaker - a speaker I knew personally - showed up READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2la

17/08/2024

The very best way to grow your speaking business is to speak to associations. We show you how to do it. Check out the Asssociation & Society Speakers Community. https://speakercommunity.org

17/08/2024

Are you still sending out a monthly newsletter? How’s your open rate?

According to Smart Insights, across All Industries the average open rates for emails is about 16.97% with a click rate of just below 11%.

But chances are you aren’t even getting those kinds of numbers. And the reason is pretty simple.

Most of the stuff we all send out is crap.

Coming up with content is tough. So most people only use their email list to send out promotions. And even when they do send out content, it’s basically a re-write of the same article they’ve been writing for years.
Frankly, it’s a miracle that anyone opens emails!
So let’s shift your thinking about engagement a bit. What if you stopped seeing your list as simply a group of prospects and started treating it like a community?

How do you think that would impact your engagement opportunities and elevate your stature?

That’s the shift that I’ve made and I want to explain how it can work for you.

Back in January I started co-hosting a monthly Global Networking Event for Speakers with Ed Rigsbee.

As an origin story, it’s not exactly Spiderman.

In November, I was invited to a virtual networking event that included 1 on 1 networking between attendees. The experience was excellent and I was able to meet and connect with other professionals from across the planet for short conversations.

The best analogy I can think of is speed dating. Short, private virtual READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2kL

17/08/2024

Free vs Paid Speakers: What professional speakers need to know.

If you are, or want to be, a professional speaker, you must understand the people that hire professional speakers and learn how to talk to them. Association executives are continually seeking great speakers. And frequently, their board of directors expects them to do this without a budget–or one s...

16/08/2024

Breakout sessions can be gold mines for engagement and further opportunities. Discover the secrets to maximizing their potential. Enhance your engagement. Get your copy on Amazon - https://amzn.to/43SDWgv

16/08/2024

Have you picked up your copy of BOOKED!? It's all about the business of selling your speaking to associations. If you are a speaker - this is essential reading. https://amzn.to/47dUPmY

16/08/2024

If you want to make it in the business of professional speaking…somebody must regularly be on the phones doing outreach. If not you, then hopefully you’ll have a go-getter staff person to make the calls. Sure social media presence and Website SEO help, and yet…phone calls still deliver results faster than any other method of outreach.

Recently I was speaking privately with one of the speakers in a mastermind I run…he says, “I don’t have call reluctance, calls just have not been a priority.” Really? This is classic denial call reluctance at its purest form. If you want to make it in the business of professional speaking…...

15/08/2024

With approximately 7,500 national associations and societies listed, where does one start? That’s the challenge for most speakers. The Subject Index has a little over 400 subjects (categories or industries).

The directory that so many professional speakers have purchased is the “National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States”, a.k.a., the NTPA directory. I did not state that the speakers have used them much as the book or online service is overwhelming. With approximately 7,500 na...

14/08/2024

Since the first lockdowns started at the beginning of the pandemic, a lot of us got to spend more time working remotely from home, with our families…and it was pretty good. I don't want to go back to an office. Do you? https://wp.me/p3CehR-2my

14/08/2024

There are enough people in the speaking world willing to take your last nickle. That's not us. We are a group of professional speakers who are committing to getting on association stages. That's it. https://speakercommunity.org

14/08/2024

Your brand is a piece of your marketplace positioning strategy which is important, however too little time is spent by speakers in positioning themselves in such a way that trade associations and professional societies can buy their services.

Since the mid-1990s, I have been presenting the topic, “Sell Your Speaking to Associations through the Back Door” at the annual convention of the National Speakers Association (NSA), at NSA chapter meetings, at international speaking associations, and at my own intensive retreats. The noticeable...

14/08/2024

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13/08/2024

Hiring a great speaker for an association event can have a significant impact on the success of the event and the association as a whole. A great speaker can inspire, motivate, and educate attendees, providing valuable insights and practical takeaways that can enhance their personal and professional development.

How does this help the association? Well for one thing - your event won't suck. And if you develop a reputation for excellence in your programs members will be more likely to invest in future events.

More importantly they are likely to STAY members. And as purse strings tighten across industries member retention is going to be critical going forward.
Engaging and Inspiring Attendees
When associations invest in great speakers who engage and inspire attendees, they create a memorable experience that resonates long after the event is over. How many times have you found yourself comparing great conferences you've attended with those that fell flat? Is it the food you remember? The quality of the sheets in the hotel? NO! You talk about the programing.

A speaker who is passionate, dynamic, and relatable captures the attention of the audience - your members - delivering a presentation that is both informative and entertaining. When your members leave every session you want them to be engaged because engaged attendees are more likely to participate fully in the event and take action on the insights and ideas presented by the speaker. READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE https://wp.me/p3CehR-2qA

13/08/2024

An efficient and effective way to grow your association business is to speak at state societies of association executives (SAE). Speaking at an SAE’s annual meeting generally puts you in front of a few hundred association executives.

An efficient and effective way to grow your association business is to speak at state societies of association executives (SAE). Speaking at an SAE’s annual meeting generally puts you in front of a few hundred association executives. The association for most of the state SAEs is the Association So...

13/08/2024

Income diversification is key to a successful speaking career. Learn why and how to diversify your income effectively. Start diversifying today. Order now on Amazon - https://amzn.to/43SDWgv

12/08/2024

Have you positioned your speaking business for maximum success? Learn how to do it with BOOKED!, the new book from Ed Rigsbee and Aidan Crawford. https://amzn.to/3OEMD85