Almost half of executives say that they have invited companies to participate an RFP based on their thought leadership. Executives from companies often speak to grow their company’s brand, and public speaking is one of the best ways for professionals to grow their practice, too.
A few tips to keep in mind for your speaking (and content in general):
- Surveys show that public speaking is the #1 fear of people. Get over it. The audience is your friend. They want you to do well, too.
- Have something new and unique to say. Be a thought leader. And if possible, brand your message. If I had called my approach to marketing “my three step process” no one would have cared, but by calling it “The Bullseye Marketing Framework” (with accompanying imagery, etc.) I speaking engagements and, more importantly, work.
- Get in front of audiences of prospective customers. I need to speak to business audiences, the more senior the better. Some people need to speak to consumers, or sports fans, or whomever. Industry events and conferences can be good for B2B speaking. Pick your spots, as you should with all of your marketing.
- Have an offer ready at the end. Mine is that they can sign up for these daily email marketing tips and/or get a free ebook by giving me their business card. Some speakers, especially those who are selling to consumers, may have a “sign up now” offer.
Like other content marketing, speaking is a long-term branding effort. Minimally it should grow awareness of you; in the right situations it can lead to business immediately.
