7 Common Mistakes New Public Speakers Make When First Starting Their Business
Public speaking is not just our job; it is also our business and our brand. We know that building our business well ensures our visibility and leads to more bookings. But sometimes we also know our public speaking skills do not necessarily equate to business skills. It can be hard to know how to get that starting business going. Let’s take a look at seven common mistakes new public speakers might mistake when starting their brand new business and how to solve them.
- Clarify your vision and ask yourself where you would like you and your business to be in a year. Know in your heart that you are good at what you do – we believe in you, too! You know what you want to share and with who you want to share it!
- Not doing your research first. Before you even think about stepping into the speaking arena, figure out if your topic is marketable. Many speakers hone in on a topic that they think will work, spend money on marketing and speaking skills, and discover too late that their topic is not in demand and therefore they won’t get paid. Do your homework. Research your market and talk to meeting planners and associations. Determine who others have hired to speak at previous events; even talk to other speakers. Take your time and ensure that you know without a doubt that your topic is marketable.
- Being too general. You can’t serve everybody. You cannot necessarily serve more people if you become known quickly and make more money. You must niche yourself within a very specific market. The more you can niche yourself, the better your chances of becoming a speaker in this specific market, the more reliable you become to your audiences, and ultimately, the more engagements you will book.
- Not building a strong platform. Your platform will tell the world what you do, what you have done, and back up your expertise. If you prepared to tell your audiences and potential clients what you do, you are indeed the expert they seek.
- Not having an effective web presence. Perfect your web presence! Websites are important, though they don’t have to be fancy or expensive. Be clear, clean and professional. The web gives easy access to speakers even if we haven’t been booked yet. It allows more and more people to access our content. Ensure that it speaks to your target audience, sharing information that is helpful and pertinent to them. Create a media room on your website for planners and media professionals to make it easier for them to find all the relevant information. If you don’t have a website yet and are looking for an outlet to showcase your speaking possibly think about getting yourself listed with a reputable company that will help promote you such as Charli Jane Speakers.
- Not growing your mailing list. Your website has two main functions: to showcase and to build your mailing list. Do you want more business and more clients? If you said yes, then you must have a sign-up box on your website and offer your visitors something of value, something that will immediately help them solve a problem in exchange for their name and email address. Capture your visitors’ names and you can build these crucial relationships. Remember that your potential buyers need to come to know, like, and trust you before they will ever invest in you and your services.
- Not having any marketing strategies in place. We have discussed this topic all over this site, but just remember that you must market actively and on a regular basis in order for your business to grow. Speaking is just like any other business. You are a marketer first, then a speaker.
- Not having enough confidence. A lack of confidence stops many speakers dead in their tracks. Start with confidence: know that you are good at what you do and that you have a message that will change the lives of many. If you have a dream, go for it and do not let anything get in your way. You are knowledgeable in your field, you are passionate and dedicated. So you must also be confident that you can help your audience solve their problems. Surround yourself with a network of positive friends that can support you. Do not continue to focus on negative thoughts or the negative feedback you will inevitably get from others. Remove yourself from these situations and focus on the steps toward your goal.