Selling to Associations…Bypass theGatekeeper and Sell Through the Backdoor…the Insider’s Guide for SpeakersSelling to Associations:

Ed Rigsbee, CSP, CAE, will teach you how to sell to tradeassociations and professional societies by going after their softunderbelly—publication editors. In building a relationship with anyassociation, Ed will teach you how to first build a relationship bridge withthe association’s editor by offering articles adapted from your books, keynotesor seminars. Then, you’ll learn how to use the editor relationship to bridgethe divide into the meetings department. And, you’ll learn how to find theseassociations through free Internet directories and web sites.

• The market: 7,500 national and international associations and societies—and     many have local, state, and regional affiliated associations/societies;     delivering a total of about 90,000 organizations holding over 280,000     meetings yearly.
• This is the implementation system designed especially for those who hate to     make cold calls.
• Learn how to let association publication editors connect you with association     meeting decision makers—soft sell through the back door!
• Learn how to find your (paying) association and society prospects at no charge     through online directories and search methods.
• Learn which hard-copy directories are actually worth buying.
• Learn how to scan the association/society publications and meetings for usable     selling knowledge.
• Learn Ed’s article distribution methods.

Ed’sFour-Step Association Business Development System

1. Write articles     based on your expertise that association editors will want to share with     their readers.
2. Make your     Relationship Bank Deposits; contact association publication editors and     make available your articles.
3. Use your newly     developed relationship to connect (warm call) with the association’s     meeting planner.
4. Start selling!

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(Midday)

Positioning to Prove Your Unique Approach withinYour Topic Category

Using Ed’s “Parachute Positioning Method”discover first your correct topic category for associations to book you andsecond, your differentiator within that category…your unique approach to yourtopic.

While there are many speakers exhibiting expertisein just about every topic, you must have a unique approach to your topic inorder to create interest with association decision makers…this exerciseprovides attendees with just that.

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(Afternoon)

Ed’ Six-Step Process for Writing Articles thatAssociation Editors Will Publish

Rigsbee’s highly interactive article writingworkshop will cover how to craft your writing to make your material even moredesirable to association editors. Learn wordsmithing; hooks, sloganization,bullet point writing and calls for action. Following this workshop, attendeeswill be armed with the article template and skills necessary to hook theinterest of association editors with the kind of articles that those sameeditors truly desire. (Half-day Program)

Your members will learn:

Ed’sSix-Step Article Writing Process

1. Title needs a     benefit hook.
2. Grab interest in     first sentence.
3. Use bullet points     or numbered points for content.
4. Sloganize bullet     points whenever possible
5. Close with an     offer.
6. Your end bio is     your sales copy.

Check out some ofEd’s articles: http://www.rigsbee.com/morearticles.htm

Introductionfor Ed Rigsbee, CSP, CAE

Ed Rigsbee, CSP, CAE has been a member of theNational Speakers Association since 1988 and a member of the American Societyof Association Executives since 2008. He is also the author of three books onstrategic alliance development, one on member recruitment and another forspeakers desiring to sell their services to associations.

Much of Ed’s speaking business comes to himresulting from being a regular contributor to business, trade and professionalpublications throughout North America. At 2,500 published articles to hiscredit, he quit counting—and electronically published? He has no idea. Ed is aninternationally recognized authority on strategic alliances and membershipgrowth. Today he’ll be talking about partnering with association editors to getpaid speaking engagements.

Ed has been an adjunct professor for both theUniversities of California at Santa Barbara and California Lutheran University.Further, he served, perhaps survived is a better word, as a trainer for Dun& Bradstreet during 1994 & 1995 delivering full-day seminars across theUSA. Ed’s real gift is the ability to quickly synthesize information…you’llexperience that soon enough.

In NSA, perhaps Ed’s only claim to fame is hisfounded the Cigar PEG in 1999, at the NSA national convention in San Antonio.Today, the Cigar PEG is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) non-profit publiccharity. As of 2017, the Cigar PEG has donated over $850,000 to charitable good works organizations, including the NSAFoundation’s Professional Speaker Benefit Fund. Ed is one of less than ahand-full of speakers to have earned the CSP and the (CAE) Certified Association Executive certifications.

What does this mean to you and me? He’s gotsome amazing content on how to secure paid association bookings, especially forthose of us that are reluctant to pick up the telephone. I give you, Ed Rigsbee.

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(Separate,different day, Add-On Program to develop in Partnership with local Society ofAssociation Executives)

The ROI of Membership-Today’s Missing Link for ExplosiveGrowth

Thebest of the best, from Ed’s book on the topic—help your chapter members toconnect and rub elbows with local association and meetings industryexecutives—people that can actually book your members. Every association andprofessional society is challenged with effective member recruitment andretention. Partner with your local meetings industry stakeholders for an eventthat will influence attendance of just the kind of people that speakers want tomeet.

What a great chapterfund raiser…consider partnering with your local Meeting ProfessionalsInternational (MPI), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA),& Society of Association Executives (SAE) to produce a full-day seminar forthe association executives in your area. What a fabulous value-added for yourprofessional members, to spend a day with, and learning about, the membershiprecruitment and retention issues that association staff must deal with on adaily basis. This will also give your members a better understanding of how toimplement Ed’s article system. http://www.rigsbee.com/Member_ROI_Summits.htm

Ed holds both the CertifiedSpeaking Professional and CertifiedAssociation Executive credential and has been helping associations for overa decade to effectively calculate and communicate the yearly sustainablereal-dollar value of membership—the ROI on membership dues investment.Association executives love this information. Ed is also the founder andadministrator of the (closed) 2,600+ Linkedin Member ROI group for association executives and staff.  Ed is also a (CEO Member) of the AmericanSociety of Association Executives (ASAE) and California Society of AssociationExecutives.You can access Ed’s member value/recruitment info at:http://www.rigsbee.com/memberrecruitment.htm http://www.rigsbee.com/associationarticles.htm

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Have an idea or recommendation?  Then please share with info@nsahawaii.org!

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Think about the tools youneed to run a successful speaking career

Consider the industry you arein – become the expert in one before going for more.

Learn more about whatassociation categories are out there under: https://directoryofassociations.com/

Association of AccountExecutives are great ways to meet associations – a source is https://asa.memberclicks.net/

Ed has more resources andgreat information on his ASSC site: https://speakercommunity.org/eds-world/ - check them out for a free 7 day trial!

Now knowing who you have to sell to, we worked to defined our “Topic Category” as this is what associations want to know to best position you to their audiences.

Once you know that, then create your unique positioning statement – what makes you special?

Ed also gave a list of the Association and Society Categories here.

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