By Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE

One of the highest compliments a speaker can receive is being invited back to present for the same client. It validates that you weren’t just good, but good enough—or should I say amazing enough—to be invited back.

Who doesn’t love that? But there’s another compliment that’s almost just as good, and it can come before you even set foot on the stage. That’s when your client says, “You are amazing. You are so easy to work with.”

The point is that being amazing on stage is great, but being amazing throughout the entire experience—from the time the client finds your website until well after the speech—is just as amazing. It’s because you’re a professional. You made it easy for the client. You removed any friction. And leading up to the amazing speech you presented for their audience, you created confidence that the client made the right decision to do business with you every step of the way.

The result of this type of experience will pay dividends, and the payoff is enormous. This level of professionalism will get you more speeches and referrals.

Some History

In 1978, during my freshman year in college, one of the greatest entertainers/speakers of our time, Gil Eagles, CPAE, performed at the University of Missouri. I was in the front row and remember the show “like it was yesterday.” Little did I know, 10 years later, I would be attending my first National Speakers Association conference, and the first workshop I attended at the event was titled, How to Create the Optimum Speaking Experience, presented by Gil Eagles. Could that be the same Gil Eagles – the entertainer I saw at my alma mater? Did Gil Eagles become a professional speaker? (The answer is yes.) That year he was also honored as an inductee into NSA’s Speaker Hall of Fame.

In that workshop, I thought Gil would be teaching stage techniques to enhance the presentation. I was 100% wrong. Gil taught everything he did to ensure that when he walked on stage, he could deliver his best presentation. It all started with a pre-program questionnaire. This is the document that the client completes with questions related to logistics, audience information, executives in attendance, what is happening right before and after the speech, room setup, and much more. (You’ll see I touch on this in point number 13 of the 25 ideas I’ll share in just a moment).

Why do I share this story? Once I started using my version of the questionnaire, I realized this document was more important than I thought. Not only did it give me important information to help me deliver a better performance, but it also gave the client a sense of comfort and confidence in their choice to hire me. And that’s what started me thinking, “What else can I do before and after my presentation that would make my time on stage even more amazing?”

What follows are many of those ideas, some of which (maybe even all) you already do. You will find a list of common-sense ideas (that unfortunately aren’t always so common) that will make your clients say, “You’re amazing—before, during, and after your speech!”

Before the Client Ever Contacts You

1. How easy and clear is the website to navigate and get information? Clients will start their decision-making process before they ever reach out to you. Your website will be your first opportunity to get them interested in you. Make sure it does the job, which includes credibility in the content and an easy experience as the client navigates the different pages of your site. The experience, look, and design must meet a level of quality that represents the fee you’re quoting. My goal is to create a website experience that is in alignment with my fee, ideally eliminating “sticker shock” when the client learns how much I charge.

2. Social proof creates confidence. Do you have client testimonials—and are they the right type of testimonials? It’s nice to have people say you’re great, but it’s better for them to share why they thought you were great. Proof of takeaways and ROI are powerful confidence-builders.

3. Is it clear what you do? What’s your expertise? Don’t confuse your potential client with multiple topics you can speak on. Promote what you want to be known for. If you want to be known as a leadership speaker, don’t confuse the client with information on sales, finance, or any other topic that doesn’t align with your leadership message. In other words, don’t dilute the speech or topic you want to be known for.

4. Why you (and not them)? Why should a client choose you over another entertainer? What makes you unique or different from others? A page explaining the reasons for hiring you could help create confidence. This isn’t about saying, “I’m better than ____.” It’s just the reason(s) you are unique. I created a “Top Ten Reasons” list, which includes the benefits and reasons I may be the right speaker.

5. Establish yourself as more than just the topic expert. Whether you know it or not, you’re probably an expert on how to book a speaker (since that’s what you do). Consider an article on your website, a downloadable checklist or guide on How to Book a Speaker to help potential clients. This is another way to position you as the expert and a reason to hire you over someone else.

6. Easy-to-find contact information. Don’t make finding your contact info into a game akin to Word Search. Your contact information should be on every page of your website (either the actual information or a link to a page with your information). Make it easy to reach out to you.

They Called… Now what?

7. Speed counts. How fast do you respond to voice mail, an email inquiry, or a form on your website? Unless the client calls and you or someone else answers, any message left (via any form of communication) should be responded to quickly. Fast response helps create confidence.

8. Having a pre-booking call. Be willing to discuss the speech before it is booked. This is a chance to listen to the clients’ wants, needs, goals, etc. Respond appropriately, making them comfortable that you know what they want and can deliver. It’s like a content call before the content call (or Pre-Event Call – see number 14). The more the client is willing to share with you prior to booking you, the more likely you are to be at the top of their list – if not their number one choice. After the call, consider sending a bullet-point summary to show you understand what the client wants and expects.

9. Share your backup plan. You want to establish credibility, trust, and confidence during the pre-booking call. Reassure clients that you are always prepared for the unexpected, whether it’s a backup microphone, extra props, different effects to lengthen (or shorten) the speech, etc. Your goal is to show flexibility and reliability. If traveling, emphasize how you come in early and always have backup flights in mind. Again, the goal is to create confidence.

10. Personalize the experience. When you’re on the pre-booking call, discuss how you might personalize your speech. Don’t wait until after the client books you to bring this up. This is a selling point as well as a feature of your presentation.

11. The agreement should be simple. How friendly is your agreement? Easy is easy – and can still be legal and binding.

12. When sending the contract, what else do you include? Beyond what’s expected in a contract, consider an extra document that includes arrival time, A/V requirements, bio, promotional photos, etc. I include these as part of what we send the client, and they are also available as downloads on my website.

13. A pre-program questionnaire will help you create the optimal speech. (This is the Gil Eagles information I referred to in the introduction.) The pre-program questionnaire helps you learn who’s in the audience, the theme or special occasion, how the room is set up, and much more. I often use this as part of my proposal. Clients have commented that giving this much attention to the details of their event makes them feel more confident about their decision to hire me.

14. The Pre-Event Call. This happens after the client has booked. I do this about four to six weeks in advance of the event. It’s an opportunity to discuss everything you discussed in your pre-booking call and what the client filled out in the pre-program questionnaire. This is where I finalize what I will do in the presentation. I have learned that the more time I spend listening to the client’s wants, needs, and goals, the better my presentation.

15. The final check-in call (one week out). This could be a short email or voicemail to let the client know you’re alive and well – and ready for the speech. Once again, you’re trying to create confidence. These small touchpoints add up.

At the Venue

16. Elvis is in the building (or on the ground). Call or text when you land or are at the venue. And if there are any delays in the expected arrival time, let the client know. The arrival time is not the performance time. I always let my clients know when I arrive, usually the day before. Information, even if it’s negative, can still create trust and confidence. So, if I’m delayed, even though it’s the day before, I still let them know. The goal is to be the speaker your client never has to worry about.

17. Be early. Whatever time the client expects you to show up, be there early. The famous football coach Vince Lombardi gave great advice to everyone, not just football players. He said, “If you’re 15 minutes early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late.” This became known as Lombardi Time. You don’t have to be 15 minutes early, but don’t be 15 seconds late. Ask yourself this question: At what point will my client start to worry if I will be on time? This can be for a tech check, rehearsal, meeting, etc.

18. Be easy. This is a theme… being easy to work with. Once onsite, be the EASIEST speaker they have ever worked with. That doesn’t mean you say, “Yes,” to every request. It means you are in control, don’t ask for any special requests, don’t be high-maintenance or a prima donna. In short, be easy to work with.

19. Be invisible. Until it’s your turn to talk, meet, or speak, blend in and be as invisible as possible. If you have special requests, coordinate ahead of time to avoid creating stress for your client. Keep in mind that the client may have other speakers to work with, not to mention the executives in the program. Being invisible is an extension of being easy.

20. Do an AMAZING speech! This is “table stakes.” As excellent as the experience surrounding the speech may be, the speech must be what the client expects (or better). The first step to getting booked for additional work is to do an amazing job on stage. Everything else related to the experience adds to the likelihood that it will happen. Conversely, if you’re difficult to work with leading up to the speech, this will taint the decision to rebook you. (I realize this tactic/strategy is about being on stage, but it is part of the entire experience).   

After the Speech

21. Stick around. Don’t be the parachuting speaker, the speaker who disappears the moment they land (finish the speech). After the speech, stick around, even for just a few minutes, to thank the client and the crew, and to shake hands with a few executives and VIPs.

22. Say thank you! When it’s over, send a thank-you note (handwritten, typed, or emailed). Make it personal. Sometimes, I’ll record a short thank you video while I’m in a cab/Uber, driving away from the venue. I use BombBomb video, which allows me to track how often the video is played. Sometimes the client plays it dozens of times, showing others my somewhat unique way of saying thank you.

23. Have a debrief call. Plan a follow-up call to debrief the speech and get feedback. You can include this as part of your agreement. This is another opportunity to express appreciation and ask about future events. Important: Don’t make this a sales call disguised as a debrief.

24. Think about the next time, every time. This is my customer service/CX background coming to life. Manage every interaction for a positive experience. One way to check yourself is to ask yourself what I refer to as The Loyalty Question™: Is what I’m doing right now going to get the client to hire me the next time they need what I sell (your speech, workshop, training, etc.)?

25. Ongoing follow-up/promotion. In addition to typical promotion, such as a newsletter or any other way you keep your name in front of your client, consider specific follow-up that ties to the speech you just completed. For example, I have created cartoons that align with my speech content and will occasionally send these as follow-up for the client to share with audience members. I also send my notes (cleaned up and in bullet-point format) to share with the audience. These are part of my “after experience,” which creates a positive experience after the speech.

Conclusion

I want to go back to a word I’ve used several times throughout this list: easy. I can’t emphasize enough that you must be easy to work with. Even if your speech is one of the best your client has ever seen, your future opportunities are at risk if you’re not practicing a good client experience before and after the speech. If you are serious about client experience, map out every interaction your clients have throughout the entire experience of booking you. Where is there friction? What can be improved?

Let’s wrap this up with an assumption: Your speech is good. With that in mind, surround the speech with the experience that sets the bar high for other speakers. Being easy is not always easy, but the effort is worth it. The success formula looks like this:

An AMAZING Speech + An Easy Client Experience =

A Reputation that Gets You Invited Back and Referred to By Others

Who Is Shep?

Shep Hyken, CSP, CPAE, is a customer service and experience expert, an award-winning keynote speaker, researcher, and a New York Times bestselling author. Almost right out of college, he started his speaking business focusing on the power of creating an amazing customer experience. That has always been “his lane,” and he continues to travel the world working with some of the world’s largest and most recognized brands, helping his clients create experiences that get his customers to say, “I’ll be back!”

© MMXXV Shep Hyken – www.Hyken.com – Used with Permission