One of the fastest ways to get new clients is through Speaking Engagements. My clients typically get about 30-60% of the people in the room to raise their hand to have a Breakthrough Session (aka Enrollment Conversation, Discovery Session or Strategy Session) when they have speaking engagements.

If you have a great enrollment process and have the right people in the room, you can fill your practice with just one or two speaking engagements.

Now with that said, most people get really nervous about the prospect of doing a speaking engagement. I remember the first time I spoke in front of 300 people, I had an out of body experience because I was pretty much terrified that I was going to bomb, and I simply wasn’t grounded.

Although I made it through, I got very clear that I needed to hone the craft of speaking. Since then, I’ve hired some really great coaches and trainers, and have had hundreds of speaking engagements. Now, they are at the top of my list of favorite ways to build my followers and get new clients. And I even teach others how to do it masterfully now. So if you aren’t sure where to begin, definitely pay attention to the next few blog posts as I will dive into some of the Effective Presentation Strategies I teach my clients.

One of the first questions I get regarding speaking is “How do I get speaking gigs?” In today’s blog I am going to focus on what I call the in-person “Self-Sponsored” speaking engagement. This is one that you put on yourself and invite people to. It is usually the easiest way to get started and it can be less intimidating than speaking in front of an organization or on a big summit for the first time.

Where to have Self-Sponsored Speaking Engagements:

You can have self-sponsored events anywhere that can hold a group of people. It is always nice to choose a place that is free or low cost, easy to find, and has plenty of parking. One of my colleagues even has events at a huge, hip shoe store in Oakland. Be creative and think out of the box. Here are some of the places my clients typically have their self-sponsored events:

• Your living room
• A friend’s living room
• A local business that caters to similar clients
• Anywhere your Divine Ideal Clients hang out (spas, chiropractors, doctors, gyms, yoga studios, non-profits)
• The local library (usually free)
• The local Community Center
• Retreat Centers
• Community Colleges

Marketing Self-Sponsored Speaking Engagements:

When you Self-Sponsor your own event, you usually need to take ownership of all the marketing. Even if you have it at a place that will advertise for you, it’s best to use multiple strategies to ensure you have a full room of people. Here are some ideas on how to market your event:

• Send to your List. If you don’t have an official list yet, send it to people in your local network.
• Utilize your Promotional Partners (you can offer them an affiliate partnership and give them a percentage of the revenue you generate).
• Flyers around town in places your clients commune (coffee shops, restaurants, post office, etc).
• Facebook, Linked-In, Twitter and other social media.
• Facebook Ads that are focused on your Ideal Client Profile in your geographic area.
• Contact the Chamber of Commerce.
• Sponsor a Meet-up Group.
• Take an ad out on Craigslist.
• Send to friends in the area and ask for their help spreading the word.
• If your event is free, you can post on popular online list serves and through newspapers for no charge.

In the next few blogs, I’ll be sharing more, so stay tuned. As always, I welcome your questions, comments and feedback!

With Appreciation,