You’ve sat in the audience at conferences, but have you thought about speaking at one?
You may be thinking, “Why, on earth, would I want to do that?!?”
Below are 5 reasons to consider:
1. PR & Increased Revenue for You or Your Employer Through Expertise-Based Referrals
The most common source of expertise-based referrals is speaking engagements.
Visible expertise is the number one source of referrals, and speaking is the number one way of showcasing that expertise. Helping your company increase revenue can increase your pay and position at your organization.
2. Personal Branding. By speaking at conferences, you are perceived as a thought leader. You can increase your personal brand’s visibility through social media posting before, during and after the conference.
3. New Opportunities. Conferences are great places to network, and if you present well on your topic, you may be approached with work offers. If you have a consultancy or contracting company, speaking at conferences can lead to new business.
4. Contribution to Industry Knowledge. As a speaker, you directly contribute to industry knowledge as people come together to find solutions to common challenges.
5. Speaker Perks. Usually speakers attend conferences for free! Plus some conferences have additional perks for speakers (even if it just a “speaker” ribbon on your badge).
Seek out opportunities to speak at conferences in your industry!
Social media before, during and after – you might be interested in what I wrote about that in my post on marketing your talk. (I’d love to hear your perspective, as a professional speaker, because I’m not one.)