436: Speaker Fulfillment Services: Avoid the Usual Mistakes Authors Make and Discover the ABCs of Selling Physical Products at Live Events with Bret Ridgway

Bret Ridgway is co-founder of Speaker Fulfillment Services, a company that works for speakers, authors and information marketers. His unique, behind-the-scenes perspective allows him to see what is working and not working in the industry. He is the author of 5 books in the niche, including the Amazon bestseller "Mistakes Authors Make" and most recently "The ABCs of Speaking." He stops by to tell us what we need to know about selling products from stage at events, what's working now, and what physical products we should be creating and selling in our businesses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhOyX5DVedI Quotes:                                                                                                                                    “It's really all about relationships. I mean, the people you know—when you get out to live events and meet others—you just never know where it's going to lead.” – Bret Ridgway “Consumption is what it's all about. If you can't get them to read your book, watch your video, or listen to your podcast, the chance of them coming back to you for other products and services is almost nil.” – Bret Ridgway “A good seller can make a lot more money selling at the back of the room than by getting paid for a keynote speech.” – Bret Ridgway Takeaways: 01:07 Event selling strategies have shifted from pure pitch fests to more balanced content and sales approaches. 10:21 Successful speakers create multi-modal learning experiences that cater to different learning styles and preferences. 12:47 Physical products remain crucial in marketing, even in a digital world, as they provide tangible value and credibility to customers. 16:41 Offering personal access or coaching can significantly increase the perceived value and pricing of your products. 20:16 Books should be strategic marketing tools that guide readers to additional products and services, not just standalone revenue generators. Resources Speaker Fulfillment Services (Official Site) Mistakes Authors Make (Book) The ABCs of Speaking (Book) View from the Back (Book)