One of the best ways to make contacts and bring in new business is to give a presentation to a large group of people. Whether you make jewelry, teach painting, sell insurance products to business, or design web pages, people who attend the function will view you as an authority on your subject matter because the organization asked you to be a guest speaker. The resulting name recognition can be a significant source of immediate and long-term sales. Plan your presentation so it is chock full of useful information. Presentations that are nothing more than a sales pitch for your business will not be well-received.
Good targets for presentations are business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Rotary, professional and trade associations, regional networks, business women’s associations, public libraries and large bookstores. On a national basis, you may be able to get invited to speak at trade shows and industry conferences. Sometimes, though, those speaking slots are reserved for companies that rent booths for the show or are members of the association.
Often all it takes to be invited to speak is to identify yourself and let the organization know you are available to talk about your area of expertise.
If your target market is a large national audience, contact national associations and trade show promoters and offer to be a speaker or panelist. Be prepared to pay your own way, unless you are an established speaker or sought-after expert in your field.
Remember to plan well ahead. Trade shows are planned as much as a year in advance. Local organizations and retail stores plan their events several months or more in advance. Professional associations often use the summer months to line up speakers for their fall and spring meetings.
Source: Janet Attard, Business Know-How
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