I work with a lot of speakers and solo entrepreneurs who use speaking as a way to generate more leads. This is something that I do as well! Speaking at live and virtual events has always been the most powerful and rewarding way to get in front of my audience, be of service and connect with new clients. Many of my own clients also use speaking as a form of lead generation.
Preparing your content and getting ready for these events takes a lot of energy and time. Be sure you are getting the most of your efforts. I have asked several speakers throughout different groups on what their best advice is to get the most and this is what some of the members suggested. Enjoy!
Harness Social Media
“Use social media to make a big deal about your speaking gigs,” My colleague Sarah advised me. She said, “Make sure everyone knows you’ve been booked to speak and share your excitement in prepping for the event.”
Doing this accomplishes two things at once: first, it makes you look great and second, it promotes the event. Hosts love to see their speakers talking up the conference or event. It makes them feel like you’re a team player and they’re more likely to recommend you to others who might need a speaker.
BONUS Points – Use the graphic tool Canva to create a cool social media graphic sharing the news!
Find the Event Hashtag
Before you post, look around online. Try to find the event hashtag as most hosts to create one. This hashtag will be useful both before, during, and after the event. It’s also a terrific way to get to know other attendees.
Next, look for the other speakers on social media. If you’re not already following them, start now. If they follow you back, you can send a brief message that says, “I see you’re attending Conference ABC on DATE. I’ll be there too and can’t wait to meet you!”
Post Photos
“During the event, try to ask for photos and share them proudly,” my colleague Jennifer recommended. She says, “When you do this, you build connections and help people remember who you were at the event.”
You may want to grab photos with other speakers and industry leaders as well as audience members. If the event host or organizer is there, get a shot together, too! Don’t forget to use the event hashtag when posting your photos.
BONUS TIP: It is really helpful to be able to go back through these images and add them to a speaker reel or a speaker page!
Put Your Phone Away
“Don’t forget to put down your phone at the event,” my friend Kelly cautioned. “If you’re not careful, it’s easy to spend the whole conference or event absorbed in the virtual aspect of it.”
For many speakers, attending the event is about making connections as much as it is the speaking aspect. This means that you want to take the time to unplug and be present with those around you.
Remember that speaking at the event is awesome and can be an amazing confidence-builder as well as a great lead generator. The buzz you get before and after can be the most valuable part of the whole experience.