Attract Ideal Clients En-Masse With Public Speaking

Public speaking is one of the most effective ways to connect with ideal prospects for your service business. Even if you’re not entirely comfortable talking in front of a crowd, it would serve you well to add this strategy to your marketing mix. Why? For one reason, it’s the fastest way to establish yourself as an expert in your industry.

Think about it.  When you’re looking to hire a service provider, don’t you typically want to work with the BEST person for the job?  Would you really consider hiring a provider who isn’t well versed in what you need? Of course not! So neither would your prospective clients.

By speaking publicly about your expertise, you automatically put yourself in the driver’s seat. Whether your presentation is 5 minutes long or 90 minutes long, the room is focused on you. Everyone is listening intently to your thoughts and if you deliver great content, they are writing down what you say and noting questions they have.  (Which is great because it means they are envisioning working with you!)

Also, public speaking allows you to develop that “know, like and trust” factor quickly and easily.  In listening to your presentation the audience gets a sense of who you are, how you teach and how they can benefit from the services you offer.  So instead of slowly developing a relationship over time, perhaps via online marketing, you speed up the process so that prospects feel more comfortable with you and can see the value of working with you.

So, if you’re new to public speaking, how do you get started?

If you’re nervous about speaking in front of a group, start small and build up your comfort level. BNI (Business Networking International) is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs grow their business through referrals. There are chapters all over the world, and you can visit their website to find a local chapter meeting near you. As a visitor, you will have 60 seconds to promote your business. This is a great way to start getting comfortable talking to a group of people.  And if you join a chapter, you’ll have the chance week after week to share the details of what you offer in your business and how you help your clients.  This will allow you to become more comfortable talking about your expertise and conveying the value of what you do.

Another way to get started in public speaking is to look for a local Toastmasters group. This is a professional organization that is committed to helping individuals become more competent and comfortable speaking in front of an audience, no matter what level of speaking experience or comfort you currently have. The dues vary depending on the location and other factors, but the benefits are priceless when you consider how mastering this skill can help you to build your confidence and attract more ideal clients to your business.

If you are already comfortable talking to groups of people, then research organizations, conferences, seminars, etc. that cater to your ideal client.  Reach out to the meeting planner and offer to contribute to the program with your signature talk or another presentation. This is a great way to network and meet ideal prospects en masse while polishing your speaking skills.

The most important thing is to not over think this and make the commitment to just get started. Don’t let fears or limiting beliefs stop you from taking advantage of opportunities to grow your business. It’s been proven time and again that successful entrepreneurs do what is inconvenient and sometimes uncomfortable in order to reach their goals.  So use that to your advantage and be willing to do what others won’t.  You can easily get one step closer to creating your lifestyle focused business by using public speaking to connect with ideal prospects who need your assistance.

What steps will you take to add public speaking to your marketing mix! Share your thoughts with me here on the blog!

Your Action Plan For The Week:

1. If you not quite comfortable delivering a speech or a talk, research a local BNI chapter you can join to get used to talking about your business.
2. If you need more assistance, connect with a local chapter of Toastmasters for training.
3. If you are comfortable with public speaking, create a signature presentation that focuses on a pressing problem your ideal prospects are facing and how you help them to solve that problem.
4. Research organizations, associations and groups that cater to your ideal client and offer to present your signature talk.
5. Prepare well for your presentation and follow-up with all leads within 48 hours.