Reputation building is about generating awareness of your company, its position as an industry innovator and thought-leader, and establishing a successful and credible track record within the markets you serve. One of the most cost-effective methods of building your reputation is through a well-planned and executed corporate speaking program, in which you share your knowledge and perspectives about trends in the industry. Trade shows, industry conferences, association events, and educational seminars all serve as excellent platforms for your corporate speaking program.
Securing speaking engagements can be a highly competitive undertaking that requires careful advance planning, persistency and detailed follow through. Outlined below are five steps for creating a successful speaking program.
- Set goals
Clearly define quantifiable goals and a budget for your speaking program. This includes setting realistic expectations about the type, location and number of events you wish to participate in. Answering these key questions will help to develop your overall strategy:
- What types of events do you want to target? If you have no speaking track record, it's often easier to start with small, local conferences rather than large, national tradeshows.
- How many events do you want to speak at annually, and how far and often are you willing to travel?
- Are you limited to free speaking engagements, or would you consider paid sponsorships / speaking opportunities as well?
- Identify corporate spokespeople
Identify individuals within your organization that would be suitable speakers. These individuals should be charismatic and extremely knowledgeable about the subject matter, which may range from business topics to technical or educational topics. Develop a speaker's kit for each person that includes:
- Short biography which underscores the speaker's area of expertise
- Past speaking engagements including dates and topics
- Additional qualifications such as association memberships, board seats, committees served, etc.
- Published articles and patents, if applicable
- Color headshot
- Research opportunities
Conduct research to identify appropriate speaking opportunities for each spokesperson, based on the format they prefer. These may include a range of possibilities from keynotes at large events, educational workshops or panel discussions at industry conferences, engagements at smaller venues such as local association meetings or networking groups, as well as online webcasts. Many speaking opportunities are filled 6+ months in advance of an event, so plan ahead. There are a variety of free resources to identify opportunities such as online research, industry publications, local associations, tradeshow event calendars and competitor websites.
- Secure speaking engagements
Once you have identified a list of opportunities, contact the event organizers to review the possibility of participating as a speaker. Depending upon the size and type of the event, you may need to submit a speaking abstract or outline of what you would like to present. Keep in mind that event organizers are looking for high caliber speakers to present interesting and relevant topics, without endorsing a particular company or product. Also note that speaking opportunities are highly sought after. If your goal is to speak once per quarter, you may need to contact ten events for every one you secure. Establishing a good rapport with event organizers is critical, as they may be in a position to help you secure engagements at several events during the course of the year.
- Develop and implement an event marketing plan
After you have secured a speaking opportunity, create a detailed plan to manage all deadlines, logistics and marketing activities (pre-, at-, and post-event). This action plan will help you navigate through the event details smoothly, while maximizing your opportunity to publicize the speaking engagement. Be sure to:
- Promote the event through media, print and online channels
- Develop a creative, informative presentation tailored for the event
- Practice and rehearse the presentation in front of an audience or while videotaped
- Provide some type of handout or leave-behind at the event
- Collect business cards at the event or secure an attendee list
- Post-event you may choose to make the presentation available on your web site or convert the information into a white paper or press release
Once the event is over you typically have a finite period of time to capitalize on the speaking engagement and follow up with attendees, business leads, and the media, before interest wanes and opportunity is lost - so get started immediately. You should also leverage the experience gained and relationships established to help you secure the next speaking opportunity.
