There are a huge number of potential positives to getting up on stage in front of a conference audience, for example:
- Provide access to highly targeted audiences: both vertical sector and horizontal line of business
- Enable you to reach interested and captive audiences
- Create platforms for executive visibility
- Allow you to demonstrate technical leadership
- Reach international and domestic audiences
- Drive delegates to your exhibition stand
In fact we’ve been organising speaking slots for years for some of the biggest brands in the technology sector, but it works in other fields too. By speaking at conferences and events our clients have the opportunity to address audiences who are interested in what they have to say.
Recently I took some of my own tonic and spoke at an event in London. The focus was all about productivity and I shared some of the tools we use at Klaxon to keep our b2b marketing agency moving. It’s not typically the type of event I would aim to speak at, or the main message I would want to deliver either, but actually it was very valuable.
Here’s why:
1. The small audience enabled me to more easily build rapport before and during my talk. This helped with the delivery and with any ‘pre-match nerves’.
2. I had enough time to network properly before and after I had spoken. I met a handful of very interesting people who will now be added to our social CRM tool. With careful follow-up and nurturing I hope to turn them into sales leads.
3. I practiced my speaking skills to a small and friendly crowd, keeping my hand in for when the big stage beckons.
If you have yet to build speaking opportunties into your communications mix get on it. Done well they are a valuable and cost effective addition to your plan.