You’re ready to set next year’s revenue goals… and banish the skeletons rattling around in your bank account.
Most successful speakers are setting and pursuing clear annual goals… and they’re setting them in October. When you do this work now, you’ll be prepared to use the remaining weeks of this year’s Q4 as a launchpad for your best year ever.
Now, let’s dive into the step-by-step process…
Step #1: Before the Math Gets Scary, Do Some Simple Thinking
Before you get knee-deep in the math calculations, it’s always good to start with some initial rough estimates of what you’d like to earn. Later we’ll refine these numbers to make sure they are actually achievable and align with your business’s current performance.
To start, think about the following questions:
- How many inquiries do you typically get per year?
- What are you currently charging for in-person speeches?
- What are you currently charging for virtual events?
- How many in-person gigs have you done this past year?
- How many virtual gigs have you done this past year?
Because trying to set goals without real data is like trick-or-treating with an empty bag: you’ll come home with nothing but disappointment.
It’s difficult to make smart business decisions when you don’t know how your business is currently performing. Take a step back, set up a spreadsheet and do your best to back-fill as much information about your gigs and fees as you can.
Once you have answers to these questions, I want you to let yourself dream a little bit. When you started working as a speaker, how much did you imagine you’d like to earn in one year? Six figures? Seven? Or just enough to buy full-size candy bars for trick-or-treaters instead of the ‘fun size’ shame packs?
Whatever number you choose is fine. But, don’t stop there. Set a reasonable goal for yourself on how soon you’d like to be able to earn that much. Maybe you give yourself 1 year to reach $100,000. Or, maybe you plan to break past the $500k mark in the next 5 years.
Write the goal down. Then move on to the second step.
Step #2: The Power of the Quotable Fee (Your Silver Bullet Against Low Offers)
What is the fee you give to a meeting planner when they first ask you what you charge? This is called your Quotable Fee. It’s possible this step is very simple for you and you know exactly what you quote when a client asks…
… if so, great! Move on to the third step.
