In my experience, speaking is by far one of the easiest ways to fill your coaching practice, if you do it well.

People hire coaches because of that “know, trust and like” factor and getting in front of a group of your Divine Ideal Clients is a great way to establish the know, trust and like factor very quickly. That’s why the majority of my clients decide to use speaking as a strategy, even if it means overcoming some fears.

That said, speaking is only an effective strategy if you do it really well. So what can you do to nail your talk and become a sought after speaker by organizations in your space? Here are three keys to keep in mind:

Know Your Ideal Clients Well, and Be Generous with Them

How many times have you seen a speaker give a presentation that you felt wasn’t really a good use of your time? Maybe you got a nugget or two of good information, but it wasn’t a knockout, and it certainly didn’t inspire you to work with that person.

When you know your ideal client well, you can speak really specifically to their deepest needs, challenges and desires.  You can talk about where you know they want to be and what it will take to bridge the gap between where they are now and where they want to be.

Many coaches instinctively fear “giving away the farm” in their talk, but your speaking is an opportunity to be really generous with your audience and show them the value you really can be to them. Remember that it is almost always the “knowing-doing gap” that prevents your ideal clients from getting what they want and that is where coaching really can make all the difference. A good talk will have them walk away with huge value even if they never work with you.  It will also demonstrate that working with you will help them transform even more quickly and effectively then if they were to go it on their own.

Most Organizations are Hungry for Great Speakers

It continually surprises me how often people say I’m the best speaker they’ve ever had because, let’s be real, I know I could be better. Although that may sound prideful, I’m saying this to point out that most of the speakers out there make me look really good.  Most organizations searching for speakers are volunteer-run and don’t have the time, budget, or energy to find the best speakers.

In other words… the bar is relatively low!

These organizations are looking for talks that will make a difference for their audience members—yet another reason to be generous in the information you share.

If You Captivate Your Audience, You Will Generate More Opportunities

You know you’ve created a great talk when people start knocking on your door, not the other way around. Whether it is potential clients asking for a breakthrough session, or invitations to speak elsewhere, if you create a kick-ass talk, you will find yourself generating more opportunities each and every time.

Part of this is about being a speaker that both participants and event organizers love. That means being super organized and making life easier for the organizers by providing marketing materials or anything else the event may need in order for things to run smoothly.

And finally, when it is time to give your talk, make sure to capture the event with photographs and video so you can leverage it on your speaking page and in your marketing materials.

What do you do that has you stand out and has made you a sought after speaker?  I’d love to hear your best practices!

With appreciation,

Tara Butler Floch