Free tip – why giving presentations can win you business

There is a great way to raise the profile of your firm and it is usually free.

Giving presentations is a great way to raise the profile of your practice, demonstrate your expertise and start to develop a rapport with potential clients and influencers who could help promote your business.

Furthermore, your local networking organisers are usually crying out for business people to speak at their events. This might be a 15-20 minute slot over breakfast or an hour or more at a conference.

Whether you want to make local business people aware of a new tax or business regulation, or perhaps launch a new service and explain how this could be of benefit to them, these networking forums are a great place to spread the word. However, don’t use them as a sales pitch. Even if you are launching a new product or service, do it in such a way that it educates and informs, or perhaps changes opinions, rather than “buy this from us now”. It won’t go down well with the audience and you are unlikely to be asked back to present at future events.

More than marketing on the day

Not only do you get the opportunity during the event to raise your profile, but there are also usually multiple ways of extending the promotion before, during and after the event. For example, use your social media posts to promote your session, engage with the organisers and connect with other attendees. You can also use the presentation to create opportunities for keeping in touch with people after the event. For example, offering a free newsletter, free business health checks, free downloads on your website etc.

As well as local networking events, if you have a specific trade or professional body you want to target, contact these groups to see if they would be interested in you giving a presentation at their future member events.

I can’t do presentations!

If the thought of public speaking brings you out in a cold sweat (it used to with me!), I strongly recommend attending a professional presentation training course. You already know your topic, that’s why you’re in business, you just need someone to give you the tools and confidence to be able to deliver that knowledge. I can recommend a couple of very good trainers if you’d like me to point you in the right direction. Alternatively, is there someone else in the firm who would be happy to deliver the presentation, but hand over any Q & A to you?

Don’t wait to be asked to do a speaking slot, be bold and go make your own enquiries. It comes down to the old saying, “if you don’t ask, you don’t get!”

 

BRINGING MOMENTUM TO YOUR MARKETING

FROM MARKETING CONSULTANCY TO WRITING KEY MARKETING PIECES TO PROMOTE WHAT YOU DO, I CAN MAKE YOUR MARKETING HAPPEN.