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How To Build Your Speaking Business Despite Coronavirus

First off, thank you to every public health worker and medical professional who is on the front lines right now. Like firefighters courageously marching into a burning building, they risk their own lives to save others.

I had been anxious watching the news from all sides, but when I walked into my neighborhood grocery store yesterday morning at 7:05am, March 16, it got real. Reality hit me.


We're living in a crisis that will likely get worse for a short term.

With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) now a global pandemic and sparking national emergencies across the globe, every human being on this planet will be impacted by COVID-19 in one way or another.


When I got home and checked email - 3 more keynotes canceled in April and 2 more in May. Every future keynote presentation and training of mine through May has been either canceled or indefinitely postponed. I "was" on track for the largest March, April and May speaking months ever. From a business perspective, I’m frustrated. From a health perspective though, I’m grateful. Not everyone can say the same which makes me feel even more blessed. When I hold my 9-month daughter, I just feel like the luckiest man alive. She puts me in perspective, literally. You and I are witnessing the disruption of life and work as we know it. Unfortunately, some small businesses will be suspending operations if not shutting down. Professional speaking is a small business. A lot of people are going to hurt. Following CDC guidelines, as of March 16, 2020, no company or association will be hosting events larger than 50 people for the next 8 weeks, minimal. As a keynote speaker and trainer, those events are my business.  For the past 3 weeks I have been preparing for the worst-case-scenario that has come to reality. I've been able to keep deposits, plan for Fall reschedules, block dates for 2021 conferences and provide virtual trainings. If your speaking engagements between now and June haven’t been canceled yet, they will be. They just haven't told you yet.  I know many of you are understandably anxious about your speaking business and taking extra precautions in your daily life as well. It is in times of crisis when we have the biggest opportunity to bring out the very best in ourselves and others. It is also during these times when we have the time and focus to work ON our businesses so we will be prepared to springboard IN our businesses when things turn around.

Is your speaking business set up to make $2,500, $5,000 or $10,000+ per speech? If you don't have the following below already, NOW is the time to prepare!

* Speaking business actually set up

* Business development plan (i.e. how to get PAID engagements)

* Identified target industry and specific associations that pay speakers

* Crafted a confident outreach plan

* Speaker website

* Speaker packet or “One Page” marketing

* Finalized presentation(s) outline(s)

* Presentation slides

* Demo video

* TEDx talk

* Speaker blog

* … etc. (there's more!)


Do you know what meeting planners and event organizers need to book speakers? Download my "Speaking Business Checklist" to compare how ready you are. Once the economy turns back around, they will be booking. Will you be ready? Once you review the checklist, reach out to me for questions or help. If you feel there’s room for improvement in your speaking business, then NOW is the time to work ON it. Do you know what to work on though? We all have blind spots. I do. This is why even I have a coach. And I credit my coach last year helping me make an extra $50,000 at least in my speaking business. My investment of $5K made me $50K. Good ROI? For the next 1-2 months, you have time to do what business owners do by working ON their business. My goal is to be a source of encouragement for you during this crazy time. My goal is also to help you launch into professional speaking and build your speaking business at the $2,500+ per speech level starting out! I work with emerging professional speakers in a variety of ways, depending on what they need and are looking for:

* TEDx speaker coaching (getting selected and preparing for TEDx)


If you’d like to view a sample 1:1 coaching agreement so we can explore how to customize my speaker coaching for your specific needs, simply send me an email at Kevin@KevinCSnyder.com. *** While revising my 2020 edition of PAID to $PEAK, I’m more confident in ever in my proven speaker coaching. I STAND BEHIND my coaching so much that if you don’t get a $2,500 speaking engagement, I WILL REFUND your money back immediately. Send me an email if you're serious about building your speaking business like a professional speaker.  Envision quitting your day job to live your dream job. It's possible. I was Dean of Students at High Point University and I've never looked back. Besides my wife and my baby daughter, best decision I ever made. I'm here to help. Just reach out.    To Your Speaking Success,                         ~  Kevin                             Kevin@KevinCSnyder.com


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