Written by: Vickie Sullivan | October 06, 2020
The Best Speaking Engagements When Making a Pivot
Just when you thought it was safe, I’m on video again. This time it’s a conversation with Tim McDonald, host of The Business of Speaking Show about what’s going on (and coming up) in the speaking arena. You can watch it here.
As Tim and I discussed barriers new speakers face, it occurred to me that veteran speakers are now in the same boat. Many of us are pivoting to something new. Given that, where are the best speaking engagements in a new market? Good news: They are hidden in plain sight.
Many of us — especially of a marketing bent — think, “OK, it’s time to get out there and talk to buyers!” Fair point. But when we reach out to folks who don’t know us, the sales cycle can be so long that our effort cuts all profits.
The best speaking opportunities—the ones with shorter sales cycles—are with those who already know you.
As I explained to Tim, by the time many of us hit the speaking circuit, we are already successful. We have good will. The problem isn’t that folks don’t want to work with us, or that they don’t have any events. It’s that they don’t know enough about our speaking to risk recommending us.
Listen: 2 Things Our Fans Need to Know About Our Speaking
This is why we just can’t announce a new topic or bust into a new event segment and say, “Ta da! I’m here!” We have to make a concerted effort to define what we bring to the stage.
Yes, I know live meetings still aren’t happening in the era of COVID. Events are virtual and will be more of a hybrid in 2021. Now is the time, though, to think about expanding your speaking, especially to folks who believe in your expertise.
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