Every hand raised.

The lessons learned¡­

Whenever you make an offer you absolutely have to make sure you tell whomever you want to buy into whatever your offer is conveying what's involved on their part. I'm talking about what will they loose out on if they pass on this opportunity. It could be a tank of gas or even lunch with a friend. It doesn't always need to be something big and bold.

Another lesson learned was that in first audience, majority of people raising their hands were women. This demonstrated that women are more likely to jump on an offer than a man. This also says to me that women are more willing to take a gamble than a man. Hmmm, that's fuel for thought next time you make an offer, isn't it?

What else does this exercise tell you? How would you present your offers differently? Here's your assignment. Think on this for a few moments and look at one of your offers and then ask questions that keep your audience's hands down and make sure you are addressing each one of them.

(c) Copyright 2005, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

I had never spoken to a crowd that large before. I had no idea what to do. I was terrified.

But I did it.

In hindsight, that first talk was not a great one. But it got me started. Since then I have spoken at dozens of conferences and given full day seminars to numerous companies.

Speaking has made me quite a bit of money, and has led to many copywriting jobs I would otherwise have never received. It has also helped establish me as an expert in my chosen field.

And I came so, so close to saying no.

How close? Probably not as close as I think. Looking back, I have always said yes to scariest challenges.

It's how you grow. It's how you find new opportunities. It's how you make your name as a copywriter worth doing business with.