Written by: Vickie Sullivan | November 10, 2020
Thought Leaders Must Prepare Now for 2021
Last week we drilled down on what meeting planners are doing for 2021. For thought leaders who speak, now is the time to craft your response.
Many of us wait until that quiet time between Christmas and New Year’s to assess where we are and our focus for the coming year. This year I suggest you start planning now so you can implement from a position of strength after January 1.
Two questions thought leaders should ask as they create their speaking strategies for 2021:
• Where are my best opportunities? Obviously, they have changed. What people and groups are really choosing speakers? As I noted in last week’s podcast, speakers in corporate America need to look at the marketing departments, perhaps the few places where budgets for meetings still exist. Then plan your approach for contacting them. Based on your work, where do you need to show up?
Listen: What Strategic Planning Must Look Like Now
• What can give me the inside edge now? Given the big changes the events industry has experienced this year, a snappy title won’t automatically put speakers through to the final round of consideration. Instead of looking at your speaking in a vacuum, evaluate your assets in a broader way. For example, do you have an engaged community that might impact an industry association’s attendance? Do you have any media connections that would bring more attention to the event? Those resources may not have anything to do with your presentation skills, but buyers might find them useful.
The economic fallout of 2020 will make 2021 a bumpy ride for many. Thought leaders can get ahead of the curve by thinking about your opportunities and goals now. The most agile among us will have the inside edge.
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