The stage. The lighting. The presence and energy of a crowd. All of these things combined empower a speaker and remind them why they’re speaking in the first place. Keynote speakers are coveted around the country, and for good reason. An outstanding speaker can energize any audience that may be nodding off during a mid-afternoon slump at a conference or ceremony.
But, landing a coveted keynote speaking slot can be tricky, for even the top-rated speakers in the country. There’s one major difference between speakers that are the Authority in their field, and those that are still great, but never get the same exposure, opportunities, and acclaim as speakers with Authority-status; and it all comes down to how you market yourself.
Marketing a speaker is the same as marketing any business; it’s crucial in the effort to see your professional speaking career grow and skyrocket. But, as a speaker, marketing may not be your forte. And that’s okay.
To get started on marketing yourself as a speaker, let’s stick with the basics. Follow along for these simple ways to promote yourself and your speaking career.
Continue to Learn More About Your Topic of Expertise
We already know that you’re extremely passionate about your topic of expertise, because why else would you want to spread the gospel of it to the crowds? Regardless if you are the industry expert, you must continue to learn more about your topic of expertise. Within every industry, regardless of technology, there are changes to the field that you need to remain aware of. You should know more about your topic than anyone else, thus making you the industry leading speaker on it. Keep reading research papers, industry news, trade magazines, even talk to some insiders on the topic, and just always pay attention to what’s going on. You’ll thank us later.
Act Now! Space is Limited! – Create a Sense of Urgency
People react to a sense of urgency, so start putting a time limit on your availability or your message. Hone in on your message: what can you do to promote that your message is timely, and needed right now. Humans have a strong reaction to scarcity and competition, so use these to your advantage during speaking engagements. This can help create some momentum around your speaking campaign and brand.
Keep Your Topic Relevant
As a leading expert of your specific topic, one of the best ways to remain in demand is to stay relevant. It’s imperative that you find new reasons and angles to promote yourself by using your message in association with current events. Depending on the news and what’s popular in your industry, an audience’s interest in your topic will either increase or decrease. If you want to become an in-demand speaker, you’ll need to get everyone’s interest one way or the other!
Still looking for marketing help? Learn more about ForbesSpeakers today. We welcome you to apply to become one of our renowned speakers to join our illustrious platform!
