subject: How to Market Yourself to Speak at Corporations [print this page] The corporate arena is not only financially rewarding it is also professionally fulfilling. However, many speakers have crashed and burned in this market. The pressure to perform is tremendous and the market demands are enormous. As a result, many speakers unwillingly fold. If you want to speak in this field, you have to play your cards right and implement smart marketing tactics. Your speaking career is not just any job... it is a business. Treat it accordingly. Businesspersons should be aware of their market, its demands, and the competition. Do not use the excuse of being new to the industry, as it will only hinder you from moving on with your chosen career. Remember, even the established corporate speakers of today have to start from somewhere and just like you, they probably also started from scratch. Let your competition inspire you, study from their successes and learn from mistakes, and eventually beat them at their own game. Maintain a positive and healthy competitive attitude; believe it or not, you and other speakers (even in the same niche) can co-exist. If you want to speak in front of professionals in business and management, then you should also act professional and you must show that you are able to stand your ground when it comes to business. To do that, you must have professional looking and visually appealing marketing materials. Make your message clear, show that you are very good at what you do and it will be a benefit to be an audience in your presentations. Show what you can offer that no one else can match. Make yourself stand out from the crowd. Web and search engine optimization will give you an edge. If you have speaker products, you can market and sell them in your website. You can have as many websites as you want as long as it can provide a return of investment. Getting to events is all about effective marketing and networking, knowing the right people. You should know your market well. Have a list of companies, organizations, and groups you can see yourself speaking to. Target those groups, contact and promote your services and products to them. With the right techniques and controlled persistence, you will get booked in no time. Do not limit yourself to speaking. You can write books, make videos, and record audios. You can sell these products either through platform selling or online via your website. You will have another stream of income aside from your speaking services. Moreover, it also enhances your credibility and generates favorable publicity. Marketing is key when you want to speak at corporations. Therefore, aside from improving your speaking skills, you must learn how to become a master marketer as well.
