Discover Your Community Through Public Speaking
Does the idea of standing in front of an audience to speak about what you do scare you? It can be really daunting, but it is one of those things that definitely gets easier the more that you do it.
Chances are, if you come from a business, nonprofit or education background, PowerPoint presentations are second nature. These skills are transferable to the type of public speaking that can build your business. Learning to speak to groups will definitely help you get your new business up and running, particularly if you are going into a service business like consulting.
Is It Time to Add Public Speaking to Your Business?
How does this skill and focus immediately help you?
First, it forces you to get yourself out there in the public to speak in front of your potential clients. Second, you will become known for your topic and expertise.
Speaking gives you the opportunity to serve your audience (many of whom are likely potential clients or collaboration partners) by sharing pearls of wisdom in your content. It will also help you:
- Make connections while gaining visibility
- Position yourself in your field
- Show off your expertise
- Provide a forum to offer consultations to your prospective clients
Finding the right public speaking opportunities can be tricky when you are getting started. If you are growing your business from scratch and haven’t spoken much before, start locally before you begin looking for national opportunities. When you do find them, it is important to make sure that you are speaking to your target audience of potential clients and/or partners.
Public Speaking Means Bringing the Audience to You
If you are just getting started and are still working out who your target audience is, think about experimenting by bringing people to you. You can start your own Meetup! (Learn more about intentional networking here!)
If you are clear on the content you want to share, the services you will offer, and have a broad idea of your target client, why not test each of these with a live audience? Start getting yourself out there and talking about your ideas and services. What do you have to lose?
