For most of us this time of year brings a slow-down in business. Rather than panic, we can all take advantage of the extra time to help boost our marketing efforts.
One of the best ways to increase awareness of your business in the market is through speaking engagements. If you're like me, the thought of speaking to a group isn't the most pleasant prospect. However, I've discovered over the years that this is one of the best ways to establish credibility and respect among customers and potential customers.
Some obvious possibilities for speaking opportunities are trade association meetings such as AIA, ASID, IIDA, SMPS, Realtors, HBA, etc. (if you're unfamiliar with any of these acronyms you've definitely got some homework to do!). These groups are generally very open to offering you an opportunity to educate their membership as to the benefits of great photography. The benefits to speaking to these groups are often immediate--more inquiries, more assignments and the reputation in the market as the market leader!
The following are some great tips about speaking that appeared today on the website Famous in Your Field (famousinyourfield.com). I hope you'll consider adding public speaking to your marketing toolbox.
From short talks to panel discussions and auditorium-filled formal presentations, speaking catapaults you from relative unknown to business superstar.
Stumped as to where to find these business-building opportunities? Here are 17 ways to find speaking engagements.
I’ll get you warmed up with a few from the quick-and-easy list:
1. Local service clubs
Every city, big or small has organizations or clubs – think Kiwanis, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary – that meet regularly. These members need content to fill their weekly or monthly meetings. Help them out by out by connecting with the programming chair and offering to speak on your specialty.
Every city, big or small has organizations or clubs – think Kiwanis, Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, and Rotary – that meet regularly. These members need content to fill their weekly or monthly meetings. Help them out by out by connecting with the programming chair and offering to speak on your specialty.
2. Colleges and universities
Look around you. Chances are, you live near a university, college, state school, technical school, or some other educational institution. Team up with a professor or department head to hold a forum a subject relevant to you and the educator’s interest group. Invite people from the community to attend as well.
Look around you. Chances are, you live near a university, college, state school, technical school, or some other educational institution. Team up with a professor or department head to hold a forum a subject relevant to you and the educator’s interest group. Invite people from the community to attend as well.
3. Business networking groupsThese lead exchange or facilitated networking groups are designed to be a tightly knit group of individuals from diverse businesses who meet regularly for the purpose of bringing business opportunities to the other members. Popular groups are Le Tip, Business Networking International (BNI), and Local Business Network (LBN). Join your preferred group and let the members know that you’re interested in speaking opportunities.
4. Special interest clubs
Photography fanatic? Mother of a preschooler? Coder with mad skills? No matter what your interest or circumstance, there’s a group for it. And if you can share information on a topic that’s relevant to its members, they’ll welcome you as a speaker.
Photography fanatic? Mother of a preschooler? Coder with mad skills? No matter what your interest or circumstance, there’s a group for it. And if you can share information on a topic that’s relevant to its members, they’ll welcome you as a speaker.
5. Local business publicationsMost metropolitan areas have a magazine or newspaper devoted to area business news. Here in southeast Michigan, we have the Business Review and Crain’s Detroit Business. Check out the periodical’s Events page (in print or online), then contact the organizations listing presentations and pitch them for speaking.
6. Your clients
No need to get all fancy and overlook one of your most highly qualified sources! Ask your clients what groups they belong to and whether they accept outside speakers.
No need to get all fancy and overlook one of your most highly qualified sources! Ask your clients what groups they belong to and whether they accept outside speakers.
Want more? You got it! You can also find speaking opportunities right from the comfort of your own laptop:
7. Meetup.com
9. LinkedIn Events
10. Facebook Events
Each of these sites provides tools for like-minded people to organize gatherings around shared interests. Visit the online site and search for meetings or events by topic and geographic location. (With LinkedIn and Facebook, events might be in-person or virtual.) Attend one or two to see if it’s a good fit for your speaking topics.
11. InsideInfoMarketing.comThis site offers an “up-to-date listing of events, teleseminars & training being hosted by the most influential thought leaders in Information Marketing today.” If you sell online programs and information products, this is your site!
12. Online conference directories
Lanyrd, Plancast and Conferensum are online directories, just for conferences. Lanyrd.com, for example, suggests events for you based on those attended by people you follow on social media and keywords in your profiles.
Lanyrd, Plancast and Conferensum are online directories, just for conferences. Lanyrd.com, for example, suggests events for you based on those attended by people you follow on social media and keywords in your profiles.
13. Google
Just Google it! Search for events in your industry. Want to get more creative? Search your competitors and other service providers who target the same clients to find out where they’ve spoken.
Just Google it! Search for events in your industry. Want to get more creative? Search your competitors and other service providers who target the same clients to find out where they’ve spoken.
14. Speaker Directories.
Speaker directories are matchmaking services that list speakers for a fee. Meeting planners sometimes go to these directories looking for a speaker on a certain topic.
Speaker directories are matchmaking services that list speakers for a fee. Meeting planners sometimes go to these directories looking for a speaker on a certain topic.
Here are two to check out:
15. Toastmasters International
A non-profit club, devoted to helping its members improve their public speaking skills in a supportive environment, Toastmasters also has its own speaking bureau.
A non-profit club, devoted to helping its members improve their public speaking skills in a supportive environment, Toastmasters also has its own speaking bureau.
Ready to go big with your message? Here are two ideas to reach potentially large audiences:
16. Trade associations.
Got a topic that an entire industry needs to hear? With more than 17,000 national, regional and state trade associations in the US, associations are fertile ground for speaking opportunities. Locate the educational or programming contact, send them an email with a link to a short demo video and then follow up. These associations are always looking for dynamic speakers to wow their members.
Got a topic that an entire industry needs to hear? With more than 17,000 national, regional and state trade associations in the US, associations are fertile ground for speaking opportunities. Locate the educational or programming contact, send them an email with a link to a short demo video and then follow up. These associations are always looking for dynamic speakers to wow their members.
Columbia Books, Inc. (www.columbiabooks.com) is a great resource. It offers several directories, in print or electronic formats.
- The National & Professional Trade Association Directory lists national conventions, meetings, and trade show dates for over 7,700 trade and professional associations with an annual report published each February.
- The site also offers a Directory of Association Meeting Planners and Directory of Corporate Meeting Planners. Score!
17. Big companies.
Does your speaking topic have a commercial application? Become a corporate speaker! You may be able to get a corporate headquarters or local branch of a company to let you speak during lunch, after hours, or at a business meeting. Plus, being associated with a recognizable brand name adds to your business cred.
Does your speaking topic have a commercial application? Become a corporate speaker! You may be able to get a corporate headquarters or local branch of a company to let you speak during lunch, after hours, or at a business meeting. Plus, being associated with a recognizable brand name adds to your business cred.
