Speaking at seminars, networking events, professional or trade gatherings or teaching a class is a great way to not only strut your stuff and show off your expertise, but market your company.
Why? Much like the credibility factor you gain when a newspaper or magazine writes a story on your company as opposed to you placing an ad in that publication, being an in-person authority via a speaking engagement gives you considerable cache. It also gives you the very best opportunity to showcase your expertise.
Developing a speaking engagement program takes a game plan. For starters, you’ll want to:
- Decide which product or service you want to showcase. It can be an existing product or service or the launch of a new one. Sometimes the best way to get a new product or service off the ground is via a speaking engagement.
- Select the right speaker from your organization – Sometimes the head honcho isn’t the right fit for certain audiences; some of your executives may not be as polished. You need to select the speaker that puts your company in the best light.
- Target an audience; geographic region – Sure, you want to speak in front of people who might actually buy your product or service. Yet sometimes in speaking to a non-profit group or to students, you can strike a chord with somebody who knows somebody. In other words, there’s never really a bad speaking opportunity. In designing your speaking program, you want to target the most likely potential customers in the desired geographic location.
- Assign ownership of your speaking program – Designate one person in your organization to be in charge of finding speaking opps so it’s an active part or your marketing. It also makes it easier because your go-to person for speaking engagements will be more familiar with the application process and working with event coordinators.
- Make a splash with your presentation – While speaking engagements can be a great way to market, you can also fall flat on your face if your presentation doesn’t grab your audience. Invest the time and, if necessary, the expense in making your speech captivating.
While it may take a bit to get your speaking program off the ground, it’s well worth it. Not only will you be able to market your company to the people you’re speaking to, but it provides a number of opportunities to publicize appearances-before and after-with press releases and links. But that’s a subject for another PR Pointer.
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