5 Step Strategy to GROW Your Business through Public Speaking – Part 3

My last blog shared the 1st and 2nd Steps to your strategy to GROW Your Business through Public Speaking; Pinpointing Your Passion and Prepare, Practice & Perform. Today we will tackle Steps 3 and 4:
3) Leverage Stories to Connect with Your Audience – Stories have the unique ability to connect you with the audience emotionally. Think of a time when you heard a speaker’s story and you were so taken with it that, to this day, you remember it vividly and all the emotions you felt when you first heard it come flooding back. That’s the kind of connection you’ll want to make with your story.
* Your Story should Inspire, Innovate & Ignite.
* Stories endure after facts fade away.
* Stories have a beginning, middle and an end.
* “Each point should have a story and each story should have a point,” –
Les Brown
4) Package Your Product (YOU) – Many speakers when they begin are timid about putting themselves out there. However, in the case of a Speaker, you are the product! So, this is where you need to develop your Personal Brand. Your unique message along with why you are uniquely qualified to deliver that message. Here’s where you build Social Proof around yourself.
* Social Proof – Your Unique Personal Brand
– Bio – Many people have difficulty tooting their own horn. Consider
asking someone who knows you write one for you and vice versa.
– Headshot – Spend the money to get a professional headshot done and
an action shot as well. With a selfie or a photo from your sister’s
wedding, I can almost guarantee that you won’t be taken seriously.
– One Sheet – A one-page promotional piece that contains your
headshot, your bio, your speaking topics, your contact info, your social
media tags, testimonials and any other info that a meeting planner
need to hire you.
– Video – Again, I encourage you to invest to have a professional
produce your teaser video, showing you in action.
– Social Media Presence – Be sure that what you post on social media is
in alignment with your brand and your message. It’s easy to lose
credibility with a misplaced post and a photo that should have
remained private. Use you online presence to build your authority and
establish your credibility and expertise.
– Writing articles about your story and your expertise to build authority
– Make yourself available to share your story on podcast shows
– Asking influencers who know you to provide testimonials to you

There is a lot to this, but you are not alone! Engaging Speakers is here to help you through the process. Join us and learn the ropes from those who have come before you.
Gail Brown, Founder of Engaging Speakers, gail@engagingspeakers.com