Re: Subject: Re: Finding Places To Speak

**l*@juno.com**

Hmmnnn. I'm getting less and less likely to throw my hat into the lecture
ring listening to you all, except for possibly promoting my book later.
This has turned into a very interesting discussion. The first rule of
sales (and we all are selling ourselves) is to manage the client's
expectations. We've all been at the beginner level at some point. Client
says, "How much do you charge?" We say, "How much do you normally pay?"
And the dance goes 'round and 'round.

Better to know what you are trying to achieve by speaking and start from
there. If you are trying to earn an income stream from your speaking
circuit, you have to place a specific value on what your time is worth
and add in overhead. Expenses should be a straight add-on. You name your
price and take your chances. Everyone isn't your market. Only those who
are willing to pay your price are. (People find a way to pay for the
things they really want. How about those $200 sneakers for a kid who will
outgrow them in six months?)

If you are trying to build a platform for something else, like a design
business, a nursery, or build an audience for your book, your speaking
engagements might also be viewed as a marketing expense. How much is it
worth for the exposure you're getting? You might charge less (or not),
depending on your own objectives.

Like C.L., I once loved doing it. Now I don't have a great burning desire
--- seems like more of a chore. And yet, there are all those gardeners
out there I've yet to meet .......

And a thought for C.L.: Would it be less hassle in the long run to ask
for a volunteer from the group to help you with the book sales and then
donate a percentage of your profit to the organization for that help? No
long-term commitment to an assistant; no dragging someone with you on
your travels and paying their expenses; no unemployment and ss taxes; no
extra liability insurance; etc.

Regards,
Lois de Vries
Visit http://loisdevries.blogspot.com

On Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:10:27 -0500 "Dan Clost" <dan.clost@sympatico.ca>
writes:
> First- I like and am impressed by many of the people in the garden 
> clubs and 
> master gardener groups that I know.
> Second- I like and am really, really impressed by most of the folks 
> on this 
> list.
> Third- Canada Blooms is great, it really is.
> 
> But ...
> 
> It is relatively easy to plant a garden, photograph it and then tell 
> your 
> friends about it. No big deal, anyone can do it.  Heck, when I was a 
> 12 yr 
> old kid, I won 25 ¢  (alt-189) from the Kemptville Hort Soc. for my 
> veggie 
> garden. Did a speech in public school about it; my specialty was 
> hoeing 
> cucumbers.
> 
> So, why should I spend big dollars for some-one to come in and talk 
> to me 
> about a garden or gardening?  When they talk to the slides all 
> they've 
> really done is transfer some photos or a coffee-table book to the 
> big screen 
> and then read the text, right? And geez, with the new PowerPoint 
> craze, the 
> computer does all the work so why don't you just send us the disc- 
> we'll 
> spring for the postage? And if we're really, really clever, we'll 
> just send 
> a note to Heritage,Proven Winners or Monrovia and, oh don't forget 
> that Paul 
> Poinsettia fella in California, they'll send us a DVD that we can 
> show to 
> the club. Free.
> As for the shows, such as Canada Blooms; I can hear some of the 
> planners 
> saying, "Give me a break! We provide one of the largest venues in 
> the 
> country ( 5th largest in NA if you believe some of the hype), with a 
> huge 
> national audience for you to plug your book, your website, yourself. 
> Aanndd 
> we'll give you a couple of hundred dollars to cover the subway. What 
> more do 
> you want?")
> 
> We know what the work is.
> We know the value of our work.
> They don't.
> How do we educate them?
> 
> 
> btw- I've had 2 really excellent speaking experiences in the past 2 
> years. 
> One was a talk in a large city with the reference coming from the 
> speakers 
> list on GWA member Donna Dawson's (and Tom's) ICanGarden website and 
> the 
> other through the professional hort. trade association where I 
> volunteer. 
> The point here is that the standards for remuneration were agreed 
> upon by 
> the contactor before they even got to me.
> 
> Now, If I could just get a couple of those gigs a week.
> 
> Dan 
> 
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