Giving presentations is an important skill for professional organizers, whether you’re sharing ideas with your local chapter, offering tips to a group or the general public as a way of marketing your organizing business, or getting paid to speak about your area of expertise.

It’s no secret that more and more people have mobile devices that allow them to be connected to their online networks nearly all the time. What does this have to do with giving presentations? Maybe a lot!

One of these days, you may be speaking at a conference or other event and discover that the audience is tweeting about your presentation. Participants enjoy tweeting about what they’re listening to for a number of reasons.

For one thing, it allows them to share the highlights of what they’re learning with followers who aren’t at the event. It also lets them share comments with other people attending who may not be sitting close by. They can even converse with people who are close by without worrying about distracting others by speaking out loud.

It might be a bit unnerving to see people typing on their laptops, iPads, or smart phones while you speak, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t paying attention! Consider that some people actually use Twitter to record information they might have written on paper in the past. This gives them notes to refer back to afterwards, and share those notes with others at the same time.

To my knowledge, there hasn’t been live tweeting during any of my presentations so far, but I realize that it will likely happen someday so I need to be prepared – and so do you. Fortunately, I discovered a free e-book by Olivia Mitchell that’s full of great advice on surviving the experience, responding to the audience’s needs, and getting involved in the conversation. If you give presentations, or plan to in the future, please feel free to download your own copy of How to Present with Twitter.

I’ve been at both live and online events where it was taking place, and it’s quite an interesting phenomena!

Please tell us about your experiences with live tweeting, either as a speaker or a member of the audience. Do you think it enhances or detracts from the experience?

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During Improve Management Skills Month, I’ve committed to sharing some ideas and resources about some of the essential skills required to successfully manage a business, and today I will address public speaking. As a small business owner, there are many occasions when you may be called upon to speak in public.

Many people are terrified of public speaking and would never for a moment consider an opportunity to deliver a workshop or even a short presentation. That is understandable. According to Chase’s Calendar of Events 2009, 97% of Americans have a fear of public speaking.

You can probably avoid formal speaking engagements for your whole life if it’s really not your cup of tea, but it’s next to impossible to promote your business without ever standing up in front of a group and speaking for at least 30 seconds. Many business networking events include a segment where everyone has a chance to introduce themselves and say a little bit about their business, and to benefit from these opportunities, you need to be ready. Cristina Favreau’s e-book, Beyond Muzak, Designing a Compelling 30-Second Intro can help you to prepare by developing a message that clearly defines what you do and the type of referrals you’re looking for. Knowing in advance what you’re going to say when it’s your turn to stand up will help you to handle the situation professionally and with confidence.

Once you’re comfortable introducing yourself to a group, you just might want to stretch yourself and try giving longer presentations. Local groups are always looking for speakers, and this can be a fabulous way to get your name in front of prospective clients. Porter Knight’s Get Paid to Win Clients: Public Speaking as a Marketing Tool for the Professional Organizer is full of ideas to help you find and make the most of these opportunities.

You will also be required to speak to groups if you assume a leadership role in your professional association or any other organization, so rather than avoid it, you may as well learn how to overcome your fear and get up there!

Self-Promotion for Introverts® by Nancy Ancowitz is an excellent book for anyone who is intimidated by public speaking, particularly those of us who are inwardly focused. In addition to help crafting your “elevator pitch,” it includes an entire chapter (over 30 pages) of public speaking tips and strategies, complete with exercises. Here’s an excerpt:

From creating failsafe speaker’s notes to rehearsing aloud to checking out the venue in advance, you can arrive at a presentation ready to deliver your best… Arrive at your presentation grounded so that you can be focused on your message yet relaxed enough to adjust on the spot. Once you hit your stride, you probably won’t feel as if you’re giving a big, scary presentation.

There are many other books you can read on the subject, such as Dale Carnegie’s Public Speaking For Success or The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking, as well as some excellent free articles about giving a speech on the Toastmasters International website.

Of course, just reading about public speaking isn’t going to give you the confidence to actually do it, but it may encourage you to take the next step.

Thousands of people around the world belong to Toastmasters, and the members I’ve spoken to say that it benefits them both personally and professionally. I once co-presented with a Toastmasters member, and I learned strategies from her that I continue to use to this day.

If your schedule and/or your budget won’t allow you to join Toastmasters, check and see if your local high school or community college offers classes on public speaking. I signed up for a free seminar, and although there wasn’t enough time for everyone to speak in class, I was able to pick up some valuable tips in a “safe” environment.

If you’re more comfortable with one-on-one support, you might want to consider working with a speaking coach.

I’m sure some of you are still shaking your heads and saying, “Not me – I could never speak in front of a group!” Keep in mind that many of the polished speakers you’ve heard in your life were probably afraid to stand up and speak at one time. Believe me, the first time I was invited to speak somewhere I was terrified, and although I’m still a little nervous when I speak, it does get easier each time.

Once you get known as an expert in your field, people will even be willing to pay for you to come and speak for their organization. The great thing is, once you’ve developed your material for one presentation, you can reuse it for other groups, reworking it as needed. That same material can also be developed into articles, teleclasses, e-books, and maybe even a book!

Public speaking can help you grow, both personally and professionally. You become a more effective communicator, more confident, and a better manager.

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There is a ton of information online, including this blog, to help you start or grow a professional organizing business, but spending time researching various topics and sifting through all the search results can be very time-consuming. Even if you have lots of time on your hands, if you don’t know that you need to learn about a particular subject, how can you even begin to explore it?

Anne Blumer solves that problem for you with her new book, Get Rich Organizing: The Professional Organizer Survival Guide to Launch, Manage, and Grow a Profitable Business. As a seasoned professional organizer with multiple certifications and founder of the Professional Organizer Training Institute, Anne is certainly qualified to write about this subject!

The book contains a wealth of up-to-date information on working in the organizing industry, including certification, membership in industry associations, professional organizer specialties, desired characteristics, and even what’s involved in a typical day. In addition, it covers topics that are important for all businesses, such as writing a business plan, setting fees, legal and taxation issues, as well as marketing and branding.

That in itself would make this a useful reference, but Anne does not stop there.

The second part of the book is devoted to specific aspects of working with clients. Many of the books I’ve read do not address the organizing process, assuming that you wouldn’t become a professional organizer unless you already had organizing skills, but there is a world of difference between organizing for family and friends while you hang out together and organizing for strangers who are paying you good money for your expertise! This book will help to prepare you for a wide range of organizing projects and challenging clients and help you avoid embarrassing or costly mistakes.

The thorough information is supplemented by a dozen forms you can adapt as needed for your own business, for needs assessments, letters of agreement, and much more.

Most chapters include exercises to encourage you to put the information into practice, and in some cases, the assignment is to prepare a workshop based on the information in the chapter. I especially like this approach, because having material already developed means you’ll be able to accept when someone asks you to speak on short notice.

Does the title “Get Rich Organizing” put you off? It shouldn’t! Sure, running your own organizing business is all about doing what you love, but you won’t be in business very long if you’re not making money at it. And if you can get rich while you’re doing it, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

I have to admit that I was shocked when I first saw the price of the book, but now that I’ve read it and seen how packed it is with valuable information and resources, I am confident that it will help you earn back the cover price many times over.

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Book Review: Get Rich Organizing.

I am not the most fashion-conscious person around and, as a professional organizer, I found it especially challenging to figure out the appropriate outfit to wear for various business activities. When I learned that professional organizer Kathi Burns is also an image consultant, I asked if she would answer a few questions in order to help others with similar decisions to make.

One time I wore a khaki skirt and a blazer to a residential organizing consultation, and the prospective client asked if that was how I was going to dress when I came to organize her house. How can an organizer show that she is prepared to sit on the floor and get her hands dirty, yet still look professional?

That is a great question. It is all about the jacket! Jackets will help you make a solid first impression. I do think that a skirt is probably inappropriate to wear to a client’s first interview or assessment appointment. The client is assessing you as much as you are assessing them. A skirt might leave the impression that you are not necessarily ready and willing to solve their problems if it involves getting down and dirty.

A nice jacket, not necessarily a suit coat, will set you apart and signify that you work in a professional capacity.. When you wear a nice tailored jacket at the beginning of each appointment, you will automatically appear more put-together, professional and confident.

Make sure that your jacket fits you well and is not out-dated, frumpy or wrinkled. Your jacket should be tailored to skim your body and preferably cut from a material other than cotton. Cotton wrinkles easily is typically appears very casual.

When you go back to do the actual organizing, there’s a good chance you’re going to be working in some pretty dusty areas, especially if you’re organizing a basement or garage. Would it be okay in those cases to wear jeans or track pants, as you’d probably wear if you were working in your own house?

I frequently wear a nice jacket over dress jeans or slacks and a casual top. When it is time to get down to work, I simply take off my jacket and am ready to get dirty.

The  jeans that I consider dress jeans are dark washed without fading or holes so they look very professional. If my client is over 70, I will wear dark machine washable dress slacks that I won’t mind getting dirty. Sometimes older clients still feel that jeans are a bit too casual and every little bit of authority you can gain with these types of clients is helpful as they are often stuck in their old habits.

I’ve seen some organizers who wear business casual attire, and put an apron over top to protect their clothes while they’re working. What do you think of that?

As an image consultant, I feel that an apron puts a PO in the position of a hired hand or maid as opposed to a professional offering high caliber services. This is simply my chosen business model and personal opinion. I do everything possible to set myself apart from assistants and housekeepers because I feel my job is more on the level of a coach than a housekeeper.

I suppose that if you have to wear an apron, it should be embroidered with a logo, but again, I do not consider myself to be in that level of business.

A nice golf shirt with your business logo and casual pants seems to make a good “uniform” for residential organizers that’s suitable for both consultations and hands-on work. Is this type of uniform appropriate for corporate office organizing, or is it necessary to wear something more professional?

A golf shirt and casual pants might be okay for residential, but definitely not for corporate work, unless you want to appear to be in the same league as their weekly plant maintenance company. Problems that I see arising from golf shirts is that women often default into men’s cuts because this is what is most widely available from the embroidering companies. Men’s cuts do not always provide a put-together impression. A better tactic, if you really want to wear a logo on your chest, would be to buy your own women’s polo or more structured blouses in advance and take them in to be embroidered with your logo.

Regarding corporate organizing jobs, you should always dress corporately when working in a corporate setting and, at minimum, wear a nice jacket. There have been instances when I actually wore a suit every day to a corporate organizing job because that was the dress code. When I began to actually organize, I removed my suit coat and got to work. When on break, I put my jacket back on as I came and went. The thing about the corporate job is you never know who you might meet in the hallway or break room; it could be the CEO. As the CEO of your own PO agency, wouldn’t you want to appear to be in the same league?

Ideally you can plan your appointments so that you schedule meetings for certain days, and organizing jobs on other days. But what if you’re asked to do a business organizing consultation, and the time they’d like you to go is at the end of a day when you’ve been organizing someone’s garage? Is it necessary to bring a complete change of clothing, or is there something else you can suggest?

I would definitely bring more casual slacks and shirt to the home job but always wear a jacket into the home at the beginning of each day. When transitioning to the corporate meeting, I would change into business attire slacks and shoes.

This leads me to a big issue that I see in the dress codes of professional organizers. Their shoes are often terribly dirty, frumpy and out of style. In order to accommodate their foot problems, many organizers (and people in general)  default into really unflattering shoes. It does take a bit of searching to find shoes that will be comfortable while working a full day on your feet but it is very important that you try. Nice shoes for work are usually not cheap but well worth the investment. I wear Paul Green shoes throughout the winter months when socks are required and nice ballet flats with flexible rubber soles during the warm weather months.  It is also very important that shoes are maintained so they are not dirty, faded, ragged or torn.

Orthopedic sandals and running shoes are, in my opinion.  simply not professional enough for everyday wear in this industry. If you have a garage job, and you already have made the good first impression with the client, than feel free to wear athletic shoes that day. There are more professional alternatives to athletic shoes if you know what to look for. Otherwise, wear something more put-together until a high level of professionalism and strong rapport with your client is established.

Professional organizers are often asked to give presentations or workshops about organizing. What is the best thing for a speaker to wear that will look great but not be distracting for the audience?

I would always wear something that was at least on par with the audience. For instance, if it’s a women’s business networking organization, I would probably wear a suit. If I was presenting a workshop for college students, I would probably wear dress jeans and a jacket. When in doubt, a suit is always a safe choice. After all, you are the authority and this is why you are giving the presentation!

In my new book, How to Master Your Muck I have included a chapter on creating a masterful image and another about the fields of Professional Organizing and image Consulting. You can also read more questions and answers about image and first impressions on my addSpace To Your Life! website.

Thank you for asking these questions. If you have any personal or specific questions, feel free to leave a comment under any article on my website and I will be happy to help.

I feel that our industry needs to kick it up a notch and wear more professional clothes even when they are up to their knees in dust and dirt. And we are, after all, Professional Organizers!

Kathi, I know you’ve been really busy with your book launch, so I really appreciate your making time for this interview. I’m sure your tips will be very useful to my readers!

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Answers to the Perennial Question "What Should I Wear?" in an Interview with Image Consultant Kathi Burns.

I have written before about the power of public speaking, both as a marketing tool and as a way to support charitable organizations. Another great way to share your expertise with others is by speaking at national or regional conferences, and there are a couple of opportunities coming up you may want to think about.

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it. – Margaret Fuller

The 11th Annual NAPO-WDC Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers will be held in Bethesda, Maryland on Saturday, October 17, 2009, and they are currently accepting speaker applications. For more information about the event or to submit a speaking proposal, visit www.dcorganizers.org.

Of course, the larger the event, the more planning is required, so proposals for national conferences must be submitted much farther in advance. The next national NAPO Conference isn’t until April 2010, but the deadline for speaking proposals is coming up quickly, on July 15. There are a number of options, including 90-minute conference workshops, 3-hour conference mega-sessions, and more intensive 4-hour pre-conference workshops. If you’re a NAPO member, you may also apply to be an Ask the Organizer panelist. Additional details, including topic suggestions, are available on the NAPO website.

I delivered an educational session at the 2006 Professional Organizers in Canada Conference on Organizing Personal Documents (recording available through VW Tapes) and I must admit it was one of my most stressful speaking engagements. There’s a world of difference between sharing your organizing strategies with the general public and sharing them with your peers! My presentation went over quite well with newer organizers, but the more experienced ones did not seem to find it as valuable. If you don’t train or coach other professional organizers on a regular basis, I wouldn’t discourage you from submitting a proposal, but I would encourage you to indicate that your topic is best suited for beginners.

Live and online events take place all the time, so if you know of other upcoming speaking opportunities, please share them in the comments section below.

Please visit Your Organizing Business to read and comment on Are You an Expert? Share Your Knowledge!.

June has been designated as Entrepreneurs “Do It Yourself” Marketing Month, a special event that honors small businesses and entrepreneurs who develop and implement their own marketing and public relations campaigns. There are loads of strategies you can put into action yourself without breaking the bank, which is especially good news for new professional organizers and those who are feeling a pinch in the current economy. Here are just seven:

Your Business Card

A business card is one of the least expensive marketing tools at your disposal – don’t be caught without one! If you’re holding off until you’ve reached a decision about your business name, logo, or other details, that’s fine – there’s no sense buying 1000 cards, only to toss most of them out. In the meantime, you can print up some decent cards on your own printer, but be sure to use a good quality product like Avery’s Clean Edge Business Cards for a professional image.

Flyers

Flyers are another marketing tool that you can produce using your own computer and printer. Again, make sure you use quality paper, and ask someone to check it over for spelling or formatting errors before you print multiple copies. Perception is everything – if your flyers are sloppy, people will assume that your work will also be sloppy.

Start a Blog

You don’t need any special technical skills to become a blogger – if you can send an email, you can post to a blog! Furthermore, it’s a great way to let potential clients see that you’re great at what you do and learn a little bit about the way you work.

To get started, why not sign up for a free blogging account at www.wordpress.com? If you find it’s something you enjoy (and I’m sure you will!), you can always upgrade to a customized template and hosting service later on, when your budget allows it. (Since creating blogs is one of my favorite things to do, please keep me in mind and drop me a line when you’re ready for this step.)

Donate Gift Certificates

Organizations are always looking for items that can be used as door prizes, sold in silent auctions, and used in other fundraising activities. Ideally the recipient will end up buying additional services and providing you with a testimonial and/or referrals, but even if they don’t end up cashing in the certificate (as often happens), it’s a great way to get your name out there, and costs you next to nothing. In some cases, you can even get a tax receipt for your donation.

Your 30 Second “Infomercial”

Develop a message to introduce yourself that clearly defines what you do and the type of referrals you are looking for. You can use this introduction not only at formal networking events, but any time you’re talking to someone about your business.

If your current self-introduction isn’t generating any interest, or you don’t have one at all, you may want to check out Beyond Muzak, Designing a Compelling 30-Second Intro, an inexpensive guidebook by Certified Small Business Coach Cristina Favreau.

Spread the Word

Be sure to tell everyone you know about your business. Just because your dentist isn’t in your target market doesn’t mean he doesn’t know someone who might be. We all know at least 200 people, so rather than assuming that someone wouldn’t be interested in hearing about your products or services, assume that they will!

Public Speaking

Networking groups and other organizations are always looking for people to speak at their meetings, and this can be another great way to get your name out there. If you hold a draw for a gift certificate or small product, you’ll be able to collect contact information and follow up with those people at a later date.

To help you identify your speaking goals, locate potential audiences, and develop your presentation materials, I highly recommend Porter Knight’s workbook called Get Paid to Win Clients: Public Speaking as a Marketing Tool for the Professional Organizer, which is a real bargain at only $16.75. You can order a copy right here:

To get a sense of what feels right for you and will be effective for your business, take a look at what others are doing, and let your imagination go wild! Just remember – marketing doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. It’s all about getting your message out to the people you want to reach.

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Absolutely! Networking groups and other organizations are always looking for people to speak at their meetings, and this can be a great way to get your name out there. Marketing consultant C.J. Hayden, author of Get Clients Now!, says that public speaking is a powerful way to show prospective clients what you can do. When you stand up and speak to a group of people about organizing, they get to see not only your expertise, but your passion for what you do. Each person in the audience, and every person they know, is a potential future client. In addition, if the event is well promoted, your name will be seen by an even greater number of people who may contact you at a later date.

Of course, there’s a bit more to it than simply showing up and talking about getting organized! To reap maximum benefit from your speaking opportunities, just like any other business activity, you need to set goals and develop a plan to reach those goals. Fortunately, there’s an excellent resource on this topic.

Porter Knight, a professional organizer and speaker with over 12 years experience, has written a 33-page workbook to share with you the secrets of her success. Get Paid to Win Clients: Public Speaking as a Marketing Tool for the Professional Organizer guides you through the process of identifying your goals, locating potential audiences, and developing your presentation. Porter also discusses the impact of your vocal and visual image and the use of visual aids to support what you say. Complete with checklists and self-tests, at only $16.75, it’s a wealth of information, and you can order your copy right here!
If you’re intimidated by the thought of standing up and speaking in front of a group of people, you’re not alone. Remember what Jerry Seinfeld said about this?

According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.

Keep in mind that most people are afraid of speaking in public, even some of the great professional speakers you’ve enjoyed listening to! The good news is that the more you do it, the more confident you become. Believe me – I’ve been there! Shortly after launching my organizing business, I was asked to give a presentation on Time Management at my local Chapters store. I was terrified, and it probably showed, but I got through it. And once I had my material prepared and understood what did and didn’t work, I was able to fine tune it and continue offering it to other groups. I only wish I’d known about Porter’s book much earlier so I didn’t have to learn the hard way!

When you’re ready to reap the benefits of this powerful yet inexpensive marketing tool, be sure to order your copy of Get Paid to Win Clients.

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