4 Types of Speaking

There are many ways to speak. Today we will explore for different ways. It is important to understand that each way is different and none are better than another. You may choose to focus on one way or you may decide to learn the skills to do more than one.

1) Free Speaking – This is the way that many speakers begin with. However, don’t count it out as a way to continually bring clients into your business. My business partner, Jen Coffel, who is a 6-figure business coach, has earned over $105, 000.00 in business at her last 5 speaking opportunities! Speaking for free can earn you many things as well as clients. It can build your authority. It can frame you as the expert in front of an audience of your ideal clients. It can open the door to bigger and better speaking opportunities. One of our Members, spoke for free at a smaller local event and was immediately booked for their upcoming conference with 100’s of attendees and she shared the stage with other top-notch speakers, which upped her game and her status in the minds of those speakers. It is also a wonderful way to give back to your community or to a cause that you are passionate about.

2) Speak to Sell – Some conferences have the platform of asking their speakers to speak for free, but they are allowed to sell their product, services or programs from stage. The idea is to give great applicable content to position yourself as the expert and then offer your services to help the audience members to engage you further. If it is done elegantly, then the audience will be receptive to the offer. However, I have also seen other situations where the audience gets pitched out. If you choose to go this route, be sure that you get good instruction around building and delivering an elegant, valuable offer that is very beneficial to the audience. Also, be sure to do your homework and find out the reputation and style of the other speakers that will share the stage with you before you consent to participate.

3) Pay to Speak – There are some events structured around the opportunity to speak on a stage with powerful, well-known, influential speakers or a large audience of your ideal clients. This is where the organizers will collect a fee from you to participate in the event. It is a smaller investment upfront to have access to this audience that could net many hundreds of thousands of dollars in business. Be sure that you develop a comprehensive strategy about how you will capture the audiences’ contact info, how you will engage them at your back of the room table, what form you need to have with all of the information you need to follow-up as well as a strategy to service these clients, once you’ve brought them on board. I remember a story about the owner of one of Oprah’s Favorite Things episode. They were asked to be featured on the show and the response was so overwhelming that the company folded, because they weren’t ready for the huge demand that the show brought their way! Be ready first.

4) Paid Keynote Speaker – This is where you deliver a 45 – 90 minute keynote presentation and you get a monetary fee for sharing your knowledge and expertise. You are trading your time and your wisdom for money. It’s important to deliver amazing content that the audience can readily and immediately to their lives. By this point, you have developed your unique message and have wonderful stories that evoke an emotional response and bring your audience closer to you. You have also learned how to deliver your presentation with confidence and grace. You are ready to change people’s lives and to make the person or company that hired you a hero.

Many of our Engaging Speakers have learned how to do one or more of these types of speaking. Join us and learn how you can develop multiple streams of speaking revenue.

Gail Brown, Founder of Engaging Speakers, gail@engagingspeakers.com