Are you a motivational speaker who consistently gets rave reviews yet your ratio of speaking to return rate is not where you would like it to be? Perhaps you are a trainer whose delivery is complimented time and again, and yet you are only being asked by 10 to 20% of the clients you see for a repeat performance?
Are you starting to think that there is something wrong with your message or delivery despite the rave reviews? Maybe you were wondering if your fee is too steep. That may be a valid concern when organizations are faced with discretionary spending, but the rule of thumb is that you are only charging too much if more than 1 in 5 people complain about it. So, if that is not the case what else could it be?
Stumped? Well, I believe I have the answer to your questions and it has nothing to do with either of these scenarios and everything to do with metrics.
If you care to read on, I will shed some light on WHY this buzz word is so important for you to understand, and how you can use the information in this article to increase your business, get ahead of your competition and immediately raise the ratio of clients who call you back for repeat business.
Companies who have introduced performance management cultures into their organizations have been found to have higher profits and stronger market performance. Performance management is the terminology being used in industry today to measure performance against business goals and employee competencies. Is it any wonder then, that if what you are "selling" is not clearly defined in terms of measurable performance markers or proven sustainable outcomes, then your deliverables are of little use to an organization that is looking for that which can be clearly measured..
Organizations are measuring everything from employees skill levels, how many complaints they receive in a given week to how many sick days does an employee take in a given month.. Think about this for a moment. If either you or the person who hired you cannot report measurable performance outcomes for your performance or training program then this may be where the crux of the problem lies. Budgets are dearly coveted and success must be proven and measurable if the coffers are expected to open again. Do you know what success means to you and what it would look like for the organization you just left all hyped and motivated? When it comes to measuring your performance outcomes it is very important that you ask the company exactly what deliverables they are looking for and how BOTH of you are going to know if they have been met.
Before you get on stage, it is vital that you sit down with the company representative and determine what outcomes the organization is looking for, how they will be measured and what would success look like when achieved! For example, let's say you are a speaker who specializes in time management. Some measurable outcomes may look like this:
a.) Work is not piled up on desks, chairs, floors
b.) More work is completed on time
c.) employees work less overtime and you pay less overtime
d.) employees understand how to use identify what is important
e.) Less time off due to exhaustion
These are the kinds of outcomes that you and the company would decide together BEFORE you speak. They are measurable, and they are sustainable. Are you starting to understand?
If you have been following and/or embracing the industry trend for performance measurement these days, then you may be familiar with the studies that have already been conducted on the effectiveness of training with and without coaching. If not then please pay attention to this, because it is very important What you may not know, is the amazing difference that adding 8 weeks of coaching will make to your bottom line in terms of measuring the implementation of your ideas and training.
Organizations that offer training without coaching result in a 22 % improvement, but add 8 weeks of coaching on to that, and the results are a staggering 88% in overall improvement and change.
These days another industry buzz word is ROI or return on investment. In a study conducted by MetrixGlobal, they actually showed that Coaching produced a 529% return on investment as well as significant intangible benefits to the business. When the financial benefits from employee retention were added into the mix, coaching actually boosted the overall ROI to 788%... (Merrill Anderson [merrilland@metrixglobal.net])
Can you imagine being able to offer your clients a proven measurement of 88% in performance enhancement and a 788% ROI? No organization wants to spend thousands of dollars on a speaker or trainer, only to have all that great learning and enthusiasm go out the window within a few days.
For the past 25 years, I have been employed in both private and public sector organizations, working to enhance Leadership and management competencies, envision strategic direction, implement quality service standards, and introduce programs and initiatives that would advance and address organizational wellness and employee morale.
I KNOW how organizations find speakers and trainers and why they ask them to come back or not, because for many years, I was the one in charge of hiring them. My role was to decide on the learning outcomes for the organization, measure the effectiveness of the speaker and the event, and then deliver these numbers to our senior management committee. Whether or not we had this speaker back or even had a budget for another event, depended largely upon the results reported in my feedback! Let me stress this one more time "No organization wants to spend thousands of dollars on a speaker or trainer only to have all that great learning and enthusiasm go out the window within a few days"!
Not only is it time for you to measure for success but if what you are offering to your clients will enhance employee performance or ease the change process and boost organizational wellness,then don't you owe it to your clients to stick around and help them make the transition? Wouldn't it be great to know that your ideas have been implemented, institutionalized and ingrained into the corporate culture?
Challenge yourself to re-examine your business model and think about adding a 12 week coaching component to your package. If hiring you is a numbers game, and re hiring is based on proven performance metrics, then having a track record of 88% in performance enhancement will guarantee an easing of the corporate purse strings. Asking you back just became a whole lot easier, because you now have measurable proof of your successes. Your clients will be astounded by not only your metrics but more importantly the real changes that are going to take place as a result of implementing your best practices.
According to Hay Group,
"To be successful in today's ever-shifting market, people count for more -- they can make or break the best business strategy, be the driver or brake in adopting new technologies. People are not an implementation issue, nor just an operational or strategic asset. People are the raw resource around which business success revolves."
I hope that after reading this article you feel that adding "12 weeks of supportive coaching" to total package makes good business sense,for not only you but your clients as well.
Coach Frankie Picasso is a Change Management & Vision Coach who works with organizations and individuals to take the Fear out of Change and replace it with excitement and passion for a future filled with infinite possibilities. She is a member of the ICF, as a business and personal life coach. She is also a trainer with the International Coach Academy, a motivational speaker,consultant and author. You will hear Frankie ask time and again?. "So, what's it going to be -Mission Impossible, Mission Improbable or Mission Unstoppable? If you choose Unstoppable, then Coach Frankie will bring you all the way home. http://www.conversationwithmyshoes.com http://www.conversationwithmyshoes.com 905 495 3699
family-safe home cleaners Lincolnshire .."If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't... Read More
More sales and more profit. Isn't that what you want... Read More
When a regulator finds a target to go after to... Read More
Great question!Freeing your time is an indisputably key element in... Read More
How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have... Read More
1. Look Over Your Shoulder ? Of course, Punxsutawney Phil... Read More
Lance Armstrong this week won an unprecedented 7th Tour de... Read More
I've got good news and bad news. The good news... Read More
Part of the power plan is making sure you have... Read More
Company mottos can easily be printed on a business card.Sometimes... Read More
On June 8, 2004, the world witnessed what no one... Read More
The temporary staffing industry continues to expand, with yearly double-digit... Read More
The FTC Franchise Rule maybe changed, as the Federal trade... Read More
Have you ever heard the phrase, 'PREPONDERANCE OF PROOF'?I recently... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission which governs the franchise industry thru... Read More
Until the day I learned to play chess I loved... Read More
In my 18 years of consulting I have heard it... Read More
Do you know what your genius work is? It's the... Read More
Large corporations use employee manuals to both educate employees about... Read More
Cash is King... That is what everyone tells us and... Read More
Where do you look for the appropriate alliance?One of the... Read More
This morning, I went to take a short walk outside.... Read More
I propose this thought on the subject of Franchisee territory... Read More
During the 1980 presidential campaign, candidate Ronald Reagan vowed, if... Read More
If you are looking for a way to own your... Read More
maide service in Buffalo Grove ..That's right ? are you making enough mistakes in your... Read More
You need to be visible to attract customers, right? But... Read More
Why Alliances FailWhen do you know an alliance is falling... Read More
Do you need grant funding for your nonprofit organization? If... Read More
As long as you eat and breathe you will stay... Read More
It's obvious when a small business has accepted the fact... Read More
Every employee would like to earn as high a salary... Read More
Passion. Passion alone can make your business successful. As an... Read More
In my previous article, Step 1, your challenge for the... Read More
You want to know more about making money with your... Read More
Get maximum results with minimum effort. Sounds great doesn't it?... Read More
There are countless ways to save your business money. Unfortunately,... Read More
Recently one of my customers told me the chaos swirling... Read More
Administrative and clerical tasks are the bane of every industry.... Read More
"Order Now!" "Your Business Will Fail If You Don't Have... Read More
Do You Really Need a Toll-Free Number for Your Business?... Read More
What are the 5 best ways to gain new contacts?There... Read More
What is the satisfaction & expectation review of the business... Read More
The Customer Analysis section of the business plan assesses the... Read More
The current lack of industry leaders represents an exceptional opportunity... Read More
It's Monday morning and Connie the Consultant sits in her... Read More
What is a Virtual Assistant?? A Virtual Assistant is that... Read More
Over regulation of small business is so intense it is... Read More
COLLABORATIVE NEGOTIATING:Collaborative negotiating is a win-win strategy that can focus... Read More
Last summer the FTC put forth a report and then... Read More
Small Business |