The SMH Enterprise post ‘Why you should be a speaking slut’ is so spot on for SME businesses. Speaking opportunities with your target audience is an essential element to your PR program. Here is the post…
No matter what city you’re in, there are always a handful of small business entrepreneurs who earn a reputation as being speaking sluts. It seems like where ever you turn, you’ll find them as the keynote speaker at a conference, a workshop leader at an event, a featured guest at a networking function, or on a panel of experts at a talk-fest organised by the local chamber of commerce.
Whether it’s a crowd of 20 or 200, these are the small business entrepreneurs who’ll say yes to any opportunity to get in front of an audience. Typically, they get asked because they have an interesting business story to tell.
Despite the fact that you may have heard the story several times at various events around town, they manage to reprise their talk again and again. Why? Because they deliver. They can tell a story, engage and audience and provide a bit of humour and entertainment along the way.
The most valuable thing about this exercise is that they are able to their their story. It’s a wonderful platform to get directly in front of an audience and engage them on a personal level. You literally have a captive audience for 30 minutes – sometimes even an hour. You don’t have to condense your key message into a 30 second advertising slot.
While attendees at networking events sometimes roll their eyes when they realise the featured guest is a speaking slut whose story has been told a millon times, the reality is that the speaker is getting an incredible amount of value from the event. Even if they are not charging a fee, they are being given the chance to build their brand and create a buzz.
If you want to follow in their footsteps …
* create a killer keynote presentation
* approach networking events, expos and conferences offering your services as a speaker
* prepare, prepare and prepare – there is nothing worse than getting in front of an audience and insulting them with your lack of preparation
* tailor your message to each specific audience
* undergo training in presentations skills if you want to gain more confidence
* be yourself.
Of course, speaking isn’t for everyone. But if you are able to brave an audience, it is one of the most effective ways to promote your business, increase your sales, and position yourself as an expert or leader.
Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
