Hi Fam,
Today, we’ll tackle how to fill your calendar with speaking gigs throughout the year by optimizing your current lead generation system, using the “anchor gig” strategy.
What is the Anchor Gig Strategy?
The anchor gig strategy is a geographic approach where you secure one key speaking engagement (your “anchor gig”) and use it as a launching pad, or anchor, to book additional gigs nearby during the same time. This method saves you time, money and effort, while filling your calendar with more paid engagements.
Benefits of the Anchor Gig Strategy:
- Reduced travel costs
- Increased revenue potential
- More consistency year-round
- Clearer annual business trajectory
- No need to start from scratch with leads
- Stronger relationships and networking opportunities
- Optimized time management both in marketing and travel
Without this strategy, speakers often struggle with fragmented marketing, difficulty securing enough gigs, and lost income. I’ve seen many fail due to inefficient systems, which is why I’m dedicated to helping you work smarter, not harder, with proven processes for a more efficient speaking business.
How to Use the Anchor Gig Strategy:
- Identify your anchor gig (at least a few months away)
- Evaluate your leads (assuming you already have a lead system in place — if not, I can help!)
- Find leads near your anchor gig and reach out
- Offer a discount for booking while you’re in town, passing travel savings onto them and offering a win-win
- After each conversation, update your lead notes to reflect the latest communication
TIP: Extend the strategy to local businesses, associations or by partnering with colleagues who can introduce you to leads in the area.
Next issue, we’ll dive into an ingenious way to visualize your leads geographically for even better success with this strategy. For now…
Your Takeaways:
- Identify one or more “anchor gigs”
- Reach out to nearby leads and offer a win-win
- Book more gigs and save on travel
I’d love to hear how this works for you. Feel free to share your experiences with me!
Celebrating your success,
Coach Tay
P.S. — Securing your “anchor gigs” works best during your busiest inquiry season. For example, I manage a speaker whose peak inquiry months are the first two months of the year — something we’ve tracked over time. This data gives us the edge to secure the majority of our anchor gigs during this timeframe…then we get to work on outreach during slower inquiry seasons for maximum impact.