Down to Business Are Your Words Ready? By Ilise Benun

Prepare now so you take advantage of opportunities to supply writing or speeches that fall into your lap, giving you free (or even paid for!) profile

“Luck favours the prepared.” That’s one of my favourite phrases, because it’s true. Have you noticed that the more prepared you are, the more opportunities seem to fall into your lap?

That’s why it pays to be ready to speak and write as part of your marketing strategy. In fact, it’s the only marketing tool you can actually get paid to use! But if you’re not prepared, you probably won’t see the opportunities when they come your way.

How can you get ready? Have a package ready to send so that, when you see a request for submissions in a LinkedIn Group or a colleague refers you for a speaking gig they can’t make, you can say, “Yes, I can do that,” because you’re not starting from scratch.

That’s what Julia Reich of Upstate New York-based Julia Reich Design did. Her firm focuses on non-profits and a colleague recently called to tell her about a new non-profit blog. “I couldn’t just approach the blog editor and say, ‘I want to write for you’ without having something to show. I needed materials to send.”

The materials Reich created – in the form of a pdf document resembling a proposal – are designed to persuade the recipient that she has the ideas and experience to deliver the right message to their audience.

What’s in Julia’s 10-page speaking/writing package?

1. Bio + About the Firm (two pages). This can (and should) be tailored to an industry. On the first page, Reich presents her credentials to write and speak to non-profits. She highlights the awards she’s won and publications that have featured her work, plus shows her personal side, with a headshot and bulleted list of what she did before she started her design firm. On the second page, she presents her firm and its positioning with the tagline: “Branding and Design for Non-Profits,” emphasizing their experience with “the social sector.”
2. Three to Five Topic Ideas. Your topics must demonstrate that you understand the needs of the market. So even if the ideas you are proposing are general, such as “Branding 101,” be sure to tailor it to the target, to reinforce why you’re the right person for the job. It could be a tweak as simple as “Branding 101 for Non-Profits.” For example, Reich proposed “Does Your Brand (and Website) Meet Your Mission.” For each idea, provide a short paragraph description, plus a bulleted list of takeaways. Don’t overwhelm with too many ideas but indicate that you have more, as needed.
3. Past Experience: Reich calls this section “Seen, Heard and Published,” and it has one page for her presentation and another for her writing experience. Her “presenting” page features an image of her giving a presentation (links to video are very helpful, since they show you in action) and an impressive list of webinars and live presentations, identified by title and hosting/sponsoring organizations. Her page of writing experience shows a list of articles, a screen shot of an article, plus links to anything that’s been published online. She also includes her own blog and email newsletter (both focused on the non-profit world) as examples of her writing experience. Altogether, it’s an impressive list. 
4. Testimonials. They get a page of their own under the heading, “People say the nicest things.” Reich features comments from workshop and webinar attendees, displayed in a visually engaging way. The kudos from others are essential, since what they say about you often means more than what you say about yourself.

This strategy of preparation does work – with time, commitment and persistence – especially if you follow the three steps I outlined in my recent column, “Becoming an Expert in the Eyes of Your Clients.” If your words are ready to go, your professional reputation will go nowhere but up.

Ilise Benun is an author, consultant and national speaker, and the founder of Marketing-Mentor.com. Her books include The Designer’s Guide to Marketing and Pricing and her latest, The Designer’s Proposal Bundle. You can sign up for her Quick Tips here: www.marketing-mentortips.com and find more information at www.marketing-mentor-toolbox.com.