Approaching the podium: the path to public speaking

One of the best ways for a Solopreneur consultant to demonstrate and validate their good faith as an expert in their chosen field is to get in front of an audience and give a talk to their peers and prospects. As we all know, billable hours and referrals are built on security and trust, and you should do everything you can to encourage and sustain their growth. If you want to get on the speaking circuit but haven’t yet, start by gaining some public speaking experience, and while you’re at it, brainstorm topics you can tackle like an expert.

Teaching is a wonderful place to start building a career as a public speaker and you will be paid (modestly) as you do. Absolute beginners are encouraged to research adult learning centers to explore opportunities to deliver the workshops you develop.

As your teaching skills become more proficient, browse the catalogs of community colleges and four-year institutions and contact department heads to inquire about teaching for a semester. By the way, the workshop that you proposed and gave in the adult learning center represents curriculum development and in the education sector, that is an advantage. You may be asked to extend your workshop to a semester course.

Appearing on panels is another effective way to launch a speaking career. Speaking on a panel allows conference organizers to see you in front of an audience. Do a good job as a panelist and you might be invited to moderate a panel, and eventually you’ll be positioned to ask about opportunities to speak for yourself.

If you’ve hosted a webinar or taken a lead role in a podcast or video, you’re well on your way to becoming a public speaker. If you haven’t already, please upload the files to your website and social media accounts, so conference organizers can see and hear you in action.

Before contacting conference organizers, carefully consider the topics you can authoritatively address and the best audience groups for your information. If you are approaching organizations where you are not known, it will be very important to help them understand where your issues and the preferences of your audience intersect. Create a one-page document for each of your talk titles. It would also be wise to include your talk titles on your website and on your LinkedIn or Facebook page. Larger organizations may ask you to submit some of your PowerPoint slides for review.

Speaking of PowerPoint, if you’re lucky enough to land a speaking gig that gets you in front of potential clients, if your budget allows, hire a graphics specialist to customize the slides for you. It will be in your interest to submit high-quality slides that represent you and your brand well. While you’re at it, ask your graphics designer to embed your photo into your “one sheet” talk information, so you and conference organizers can use it to promote your talk.

Finally, keep in mind that the vast majority of speaking engagements are considered exposure opportunities and are unpaid, but that shouldn’t discourage you from selectively and tactfully asking for fees. If you are speaking at a location that is more than an hour away, or where the cost of parking is high, ask if the costs associated with getting to the location will be covered. If you must take a hotel room, ask if the program organizers will pay the cost.

Generally speaking, organizing teaching or speaking engagements is a long-term project, as schedules and course catalogs are determined well in advance. Think of it as a useful thing to do when business is slow.

Thank you for reading,

kim

admin

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