An Unexpected New Outcome from Speaking

The more I teach my Sore to SOAR workshop and help people understand how their story helps first them, then others get a greater understanding of what they do, the more I get an understanding of what learning to speak does for people.

Firstly I thought it was a fluke when practitioners started to report that after having completed the workshop and reported getting the normal things such as:

• more confidence

• greater depth of understanding

• the sense of what it feels like to have a go

• getting more in touch with their message

• overcoming fear

All the rational things you would expect from a speaking workshop.

What I didn’t expect was the intangible reports back the following week of how participants have gone back into their practice only to find their sessions with clients are not only going to a deeper level but clients reporting a greater understanding of the treatment and what it does for them.

This was unexpected and I have developed a whole new respect for speaking as more participants roll through the program and keep reporting the same thing. They are feeling more "heard" in their treatment room and finding that their treatments are going deeper.

This is starting to confirm my belief that our fears not only hold us back on one level – they hold us back in many deep layers of our being.

Because speaking is such a deep fear to overcome (research shows most people would rather die than speak in public) it must correlate that when that fear is released it makes space for a whole new level of good stuff to open up.

I love what I do – every day is filled up with new learning and observation and just when I think I am starting to get to the bottom of the barrel of what is possible, a whole new opportunity to help people grow opens up and a new barrel appears.

www.sore-to-SOAR.com

Sore to SOAR Melbourne
in the Conference Room at Quest

Have You Got A Media Policy?

“Free publicity” are two words that string together almost as well as ‘Free lunch” BUT media can be a lot of work so being prepared is a good thing.

I am often approached to speak or comment about Tree-Change or in my instance the Dark Side of Tree-Change or Sea-Change Adventures. I’ve done brief interviews on Current Affairs TV programs and some of the big newspapers and a little bit of radio.

It all sounds great but....

I can’t say I’ve got a lot of direct clients from this activity but what it has given me is a lot of recognition. I was stunned the first time I mentioned my media when I was speaking and someone from the crowd came up afterward and said they saw the program and they hadn’t immediately joined the dots on me and the program that featured me, but during the talk they did. Suddenly I went from nobody to someone in the blink of an eye and it made for an easy conversation with a total stranger and further established me in her mind.

I have found media gives you credibility and recognition on many levels. Placed in a strong WHO and WHAT situation I have seen clients inundated when their message hit the right spot at the right time. But if you aren’t certain the placement is going to give you new opportunities or recognition or leverage you can use later, then it’s the old story – you might be better to spend that valuable chunk of time at the beach.

Get a Plan

What I’m saying is that like everything in business – you need to have at least thought about it before you plunge in without a plan.

The thing most forget is that media takes time and time is the one thing most people want more of – so to waste your time doesn’t make much sense. You will be interviewed and often a photographer will be sent to film you. The average investment of time is about 30 – 40 minutes for the interview and 30 minutes for the photos but one photographer took over two hours to get the photos and kept me in one pose for over 10 minutes while he got it just right. The photos turned out brilliantly but in hindsight I might have been doing better work on my business somewhere else.

The media is highly alluring and reporters on deadline can be highly demanding and are skilled at pushing you in the direction they want you to go in.

Get Organised

I believe having a media policy in your business right from the start will keep you clear and concise and a good media kit wins the hearts of journos and saves you a heap of time.

I am being featured in a Tree Change story in a couple of weeks and the video below shows a short snap of what you go through to get ONE photo. This was a fun and easy shoot down at The Boathouse on Lake Daylesford but it took about 30 minutes to get that ONE photo and you have to be ok with a camera very close to your face. PLUS I won’t know which one they use until I pick up a copy next week so media also includes a HEAP OF TRUST – but that’s a whole new blog post!

Another Tough Day at the Office