The 7th non-negotiable rule of public speaking is the call to action. I refer to the call to action as the invitation. Even if you are not selling, you want to have an invitation at the end of your speech. As a speaker it is your duty to invite people to get more of what you have just talked about. You would be doing a disservice if you did not. During your talk, you have made your audience aware of new information, and perhaps opened their hearts or old wounds. You have essentially prepared them to go for the next step. They believe you have the solution to their problem, and they are ready to move forward. If you do not have a way to support them and solve their problem, then you have opened a wound for nothing, and they have nowhere to go for help.
Develop a way or program to help them permanently solve their problem. Offer them a 3-month or 6-month coaching program or a 3-4 day workshop. You want your solution to be something that helps them get better or heal over time. Selling them a book is not enough. Though it is great to sell your books, sell a program that will change their lives and then give them a book as a bonus.
How to Make the Invitation
On the live stage it is easier to make the call-to-action or invitation because they will feel your physical energy. You may hand out a form with your offer, you are present to answer their questions, and you can see them run to the back of the room. There are several opportunities to interaction and engage with potential buyers. However, if you are speaking on a live stage for a limited amount of time and it is not in your own room, getting your audience to take action could be a bit tricky. Be sure to add value and keep your offer low for the best results. Sell them on a higher price item once they are in your community. If you are not allowed to sell on someone else’s platform, there are a lot of other ways you can close. You can invite them to sign up for a free gift, raffle off a prize and collect contact information, or give your calendar link to sign up for a free 30-minute strategy session. Whatever you decide, pick a way that your audience can get more of you should they decide to do so.
On the virtual stage, it can be more challenging to sell but not impossible. Stack your offer with valuable bonuses and drop the investment amount. I am seeing speakers drop their programs that are normally $3,000 to $997 and they are selling a lot more. It really depends on how great your closing techniques are. You may not get the same results you get on a live stage unless you make these adjustments. When I did that, I sold 60% of the room. I had dropped a $4,000 speaker training class to $997 giving them the COVID discount. Maybe you do not have to go that far. Test your market and come up with what works for you, your audience, and your services.
For more information on Rule #7 of the 7 Non-negotiable Rules of Public Speaking watch this short video on YouTube
