Public speaking engagements are an invaluable tool that can help you achieve your goals and create an impactful presence where it matters to you the most. Speaking engagements can help you stand out among your peers, make a lasting impression, and catapult you into thought leadership in your industry.
Your presence is an invaluable opportunity to amplify your thought-leadership strategy and help you stand out within your industry. By mustering up the courage to take the stage, you can share your ideas and influence others to take action. There is a level of authenticity shared in a live event that allows your audience to connect with you that isn’t there with scripted marketing and pre-planned communications.
Let’s discuss how public speaking can help you take your thought leadership strategy to the next level and why you should always say yes to an opportunity to speak to a crowd, no matter the size.
1. Speaking engagements allow people to get to know the real you.
A well-executed public speaking engagement will share your ideas and insights with your audience, demonstrate your expertise, and presents you as an authoritative figure in the business world. In-person interactions allow people to hear what you say while experiencing your vocal fluctuations, emotion, and body language. Your goal in these engagements is to be professional, not perfect. You will say “um,” maybe even throw in a “like,” and you might stutter over your words. It’s real, and it happens. You keep it moving and carry on the conversation. It’s common knowledge that authenticity is vital in building strong relationships, and the authentic you makes mistakes.
When you communicate your ideas and messages in a practical, engaging, and authentic way, you can capture and hold your audience’s attention and deliver your message in a memorable and powerful way. This can help you establish yourself as a thought leader and create a lasting impression on your audience, and generate hot leads that convert into revenue for your business.
2. Your audience will be highly-qualified for conversion.
Public speaking allows you to showcase your expertise and knowledge to a highly-qualified audience. In most cases, you know who the organization you are presenting to, who their target audience is, and for the most part, who will be there. By knowing the audience and tailoring your expertise, you can demonstrate your understanding of a particular topic and your ability to explain and discuss it in an engaging and informative way.
Tailoring your content to solve the problem you know they have catapults you to a place of authority, and that will help you build relationships and connections. The real magic happens when you can network and meet new people interested in your ideas and insights after your engagement. These connections are precious and can evolve into potential clients, partners, and mentors.
3. You gain social-proof and user-generated content.
Public speaking can help you gain the visibility and attention your average marketing activities don’t deliver. When you speak to an audience, your ideas and messages are shared with a large audience, creating a ripple effect that can gain you more visibility and attention in the business world. Many of these people listening will take notes, photos, and videos and then share them on their social media accounts and with their teams, further establishing you as a thought leader and an authoritative figure.
Pro-Tip: Giving people a call-to-action to tag you in their content before you get too deep is excellent for increasing your digital reach and a great way to continue to engage people long after you step off the stage.
As a leader, you should always say yes to an opportunity to speak to a crowd. Doing so can help you establish yourself as a thought leader and create an impactful presence in the business world. In addition, you should have a few topics prepared in advance for when an opportunity arises last minute.
Public speaking is a non-negotiable for any leader looking to establish an impactful presence in the business world. Through a well-executed speaking engagement, you can share your ideas and insights with your audience, demonstrate your expertise and knowledge, present yourself as an authority in your industry, and drive revenue for your organization.
