How to Build Relationships to Grow Your Speaking Business with Mo Bunnell

Sep 17, 2024

Mo Bunnell, a relationship-building expert and author of "Give to Grow," shares insights on growing a speaking business through effective networking. He emphasizes the significance of genuine connections with event planners and industry leaders. Mo tackles common obstacles like busy schedules and self-promotion fears, urging speakers to prioritize value and face-to-face interactions. He introduces a four-step framework for engaging with event planners and encourages a mindset shift from selling to being genuinely helpful in fostering relationships.

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ADVICE

Winning vs. Doing the Work

Realize that the actions for winning speaking work are the opposite of those for performing it.
Clients respond better to outreach and thoughtful gestures than session descriptions.

INSIGHT

Limiting Beliefs

Speakers often have limiting beliefs about self-promotion and booking gigs.
They want the results without the effort, like wanting a physique without lifting weights.

INSIGHT

Five Lies

Five common lies prevent people from reaching out to clients: "I can't," "I don't know how," "I might do it wrong," "I'm too busy," and "I'll look bad."
Research reveals these are the primary obstacles to business development.

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"Two things have to be true: one, you have to offer enough value so that they're paying attention. And two, you've got to communicate that value in a believable way, either through a third party or somebody they trust or you directly."

It might be cliché, but it's still true: speaking is a relationships business. If you want to be a successful speaker, you have to invest in building relationships every single day — with event planners, with industry leaders, and with other speakers.

This week, Grant is sitting down with Mo Bunnell to talk about how to overcome some of the most common obstacles that speakers face in making connections — being "too busy," fearing rejection, and more.

Mo recently wrote a book called Give to Grow about how to invest in relationships to build your business and your career, and he has a lot of practical advice that will help you get out of your comfort zone and start building relationships like a pro.

If you're struggling to get traction in your speaking business and you're looking for a spark to get things going, this might be the episode you need to hear!

"I'll be really bold on this. If somebody is thinking 'I'm too busy to do the next piece of work,' that is a massive excuse and you just need to flush it."

Looking for the highlights?

03:53 How to fall in love with the process of building relationships
07:08 How limiting beliefs can block speakers from achieving success
10:20 Why many speakers struggle with promoting themselves
15:23 How to maximize face time with key decision-makers
20:40 Ways to balance service with getting gigs in conversations
25:06 How to understand client needs and stated vs. unstated problems
33:01 Why you should reach out quarterly to maintain important relationships

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