Unlocking Business Growth Through Strategic Speaking Engagements

I have three speaking engagements this week.

Two are inside different programs/memberships, and one is in person at a co-working space in NYC. This has been a priority of mine for a few months now, and not only are these talks coming up this week, but I have another 6 coming up soon. And more potentials in the pipeline.

Why has this been a priority? When I looked back at my business for the past 4 years, a majority of my clients found me when I spoke as a guest speaker, in a summit, running a workshop, etc. This realization prompted me to double down on this strategy.

Why Speaking Engagements Matter

To be clear, I use these speaking opportunities mainly as a gateway to meeting potential clients/collaborators. The secondary reason is that I generally find the halo effect of being in front of groups to be strong (and the stronger the brand of the group/event/community, the stronger the halo effect).

Currently, I am not as focused on paid speaking on stages (while I would like that). This is a strategy I use to drive conversations, reach new potential clients, and get my voice and message out in the world.

While this can work well for most businesses, it should be a top priority for business owners with higher-ticket business models where even a few new warm leads can make a big difference.

My Current Approach

Let's dive into what I'm doing right now to secure and leverage these speaking opportunities.

1. Joining Memberships & Communities

I'm part of several communities that range from $50/month to $250/month. Once you join a community, you have a new group of people you have something in common with. It is much easier to connect with people when you have something in common.

Before we move on, a couple of 'DON'Ts':

- Don't join a community hoping to speak IN that community.

- Don't join a community secretly hoping for a new pool of clients.

- Don't expect a community to come to you; you need to put in the work.

Ok, with that out of the way. What did I DO in these communities?

I joined these not for clients but for collaborations. I make it a point to have 2-5 collaboration calls per week with people with similar audiences but different products/services.

From there, things usually go one of three ways because guest speaking is my larger priority:

1. The person has a community or program where I could be a guest speaker.

2. The person has been in a community or program where they could introduce me to be a guest speaker.

3. No opportunity arises, but we have a nice call.

Typically, I don't make any pitches or ask for help on a first call. It's about slowly seeding and understanding the landscape. A good first call makes all the later calls go more smoothly.

2. Focusing on the Value-Added

With a focus on more guest teaching/speaking (and a commitment to that), I see more hidden opportunities. It's that shift from "I want to speak" to "how can my contributions help someone."

For example, I came across a Facebook post of someone asking for recommendations for someone to teach her community about e-mail marketing.

I don't teach e-mail marketing. I could have kept scrolling. But I saw an opportunity.

This wasn't my moment to pitch, instead, I commented and recommended an e-mail marketing speaker/expert.

Then, I went offline and sent this person (she happens to be someone who I've had a coffee chat with) a voice note.

Here's what I said:

"Hi [NAME], I noticed you are looking for an email marketing speaker for your community. If you're looking for other speakers, I'd love to throw my hat in the ring. I think your community of [XYZ] might like to learn more about [MY TOPIC.]"

This turned into a quick yes! But, FYI, it helped that we had already connected before (hence the communities/coffee chats!).

3. Asking my Audience

I regularly (every 6-8 weeks) share a post or an e-mail asking people if they have a group with guest speakers, requesting ideas or recommendations for groups or podcasts I should pitch, etc.

I've done this on social and in targeted e-mails to my e-mail list.

Here's an example of an e-mail that I've sent:

I'm working on audience-building in 3 ways (feel free to steal my strategy!)

1. Teaching workshops in groups, masterminds, communities, etc.

2. Podcast Guesting

3. Guest Posting in newsletters, blogs, digital publications, etc…

Here's where I need your help! Could you share what groups you're in, what podcasts you listen to, and/or what you read? If that's where you hang out, then I'm pretty sure that's where I'll find more awesome people…like YOU.

Also, if you run or host any of the above and would like to discuss having me as a guest, please reply here.

Thanks so much!

Bonus: These e-mails get the most engagement and response, and the repetition drives recognition. Ask for help, and people are usually happy to play a role in your success.

Key Takeaways

- Use this approach if you want to prioritize speaking as a means to build trust & connection with new audiences.

- Join communities and actively participate to build relationships.

- Look for opportunities to add value, even if it's not directly related to your expertise.

- Regularly engage your audience for recommendations and opportunities.

- Be patient and focus on building genuine connections rather than immediate pitches.

- Leverage the halo effect of speaking engagements to enhance your credibility.

- Remember that even a few warm leads can make a significant difference, especially for high-ticket offerings.

As someone whose business has grown mostly because of relationship marketing, doubling down on this strategy has felt like a natural fit. It allows me to showcase my expertise, expand my network, and ultimately drive business growth through meaningful connections.

By consistently applying these strategies and focusing on providing value, you can create a steady stream of speaking opportunities that will help grow your business and establish you as a trusted authority in your field.