Getting a speaking spot at an industry tradeshow or event can provide significant benefits to your personal career as well as the brand awareness of your company. This is why they are typically highly sought after. But if you haven’t been through the process of trying to secure a spot, it can seem like a very baffling process, with uncertain outcomes at best.
So here are some tips to help you secure that next bid opportunity:
- Stay patient. Big conferences and events take many months to organise, and agendas and speakers can change constantly. Stay in touch with event planners but sure to allow time for them to finalise their plans.
- Manage your online persona. When checking the credentials of a potential speaker, most event planners will search for you online. Be sure that your online persona reflects your status in the niche that you specialise. If the event planners can’t find any reference to you when using the main search terms for your niche, they will question your authority.
- Use Web 2.0 to advertise yourself. Your website will demonstrate your personal attributes, professionalism and expertise. Be sure you have a quality website, that clearly communicates who you are. Use video to showcase examples of your presentation and speaking capabilities.
- Establish relationships. Like anything, it takes time for your name to start being recognised and known. Focus on building relationships over time with key event planners in your industry.
Public speaking at relevant tradeshows and events can greatly extend your market reach and enhance your brand and image. Be professional in the way you approach securing speaking engagements and take a long term view.
