Those of you familiar with this blog will know that I often preach the importance of free speaking. I don’t care how long you’ve been in the game; even some of the most recognized individuals within their industry speak for free.
Why? Because they know that they can leverage a single free speaking opportunity into as much as $60,000 in monthly recurring revenue. If that sounds good to you, you can follow my step-by-step training to make those sums with my special zero to 60k speaking course.
But first, let me remind you of why free speaking, particularly at the beginning of your career, is the only way to go.
Practice the Art of Public Speaking
Everyone thinks they are excellent public speakers until they get up on that stage for the first time. That’s when nerves kick in, and that mouth that works so fluently when you’re talking to one person can suddenly clam up into an awkward silence of stammers and stutters. It’s not just the nerves of standing in front of a large crowd of people, either. It’s also the fear of blanking on what you want to say next.
That’s why free speaking is so important at the beginning of your career. You get the opportunity to practice your craft. Not only will you get better the more events you do, but you will also develop your own signature speaking style. You will be comfortable sharing your knowledge and insights with hundreds or even thousands of people with enough practice.
Gain Those All-Important Testimonials
The biggest challenge you face at the beginning of your career is that nobody knows who you are. No one can vouch for your skills, and you have no clients to speak of (pardon the pun!). Thus, getting those all-important testimonials is CRUCIAL. You might find that it’s even difficult to get booked for free speaking gigs without some form of references, so testimonials should be top of your priority list early on.
By speaking for free at as many events as you can, you will gain the testimonials you need to demonstrate your expertise to potential clients and earn the trust of event planners, some of which might even pay you a fee for your speaking services. Once you’re on your way, it can only snowball from there!
Build Credibility and Visibility
As mentioned, when first starting out, no one knows who you are. You don’t have the credibility for paid speaking gigs, and you haven’t received enough exposure to get your business off the ground.
Once again, free speaking provides you with the solution. Not only do you get to build up a portfolio of events you’ve spoken at, but you will also dramatically increase your exposure.
You NEVER know who is sitting in that audience. It’s not uncommon for someone to approach you after a free speaking gig to secure your services for a paid event. If you never speak for free, you never open these doors to new opportunities, and your remain underexposed as a speaker.
Build Your Client List and Acquire New Leads
As mentioned, each event you speak at, no matter whether it’s a location association or a networking group, represents a new client to add to your portfolio. You can then leverage these free clients into paying ones. Remember, the more events you speak at for free, the more extensive and impressive your client list will be.
Speaking at an event also provides new leads. As a speaker, you will get to mingle with the audience and connect with people who may be interested in what you have to offer. It’s easy to slip in an extra 5-10 minutes at the end of your presentation to discuss your business (for instance, do you offer questions?), show off your speaker website, and speak about the services you provide. Your goal is to impress the attendees by demonstrating how professional and well-spoken you are.
Secure a Speaker Video (Or Several!)
A speaker video is perhaps one of the most powerful marketing tools you have as a speaker. But if you never speak at an event, you will never have bona fide footage of you in action. By speaking for free, you can secure your first speaker video. And if you keep speaking for free at events, this won’t be the only video you have to show prospective clients.
The more videos you have, the easier it will be to get clients asking for your speaker services since all they have to do is watch your videos on your speaker website, then call or email you to get the lowdown on what you offer.
Speaking for Free is the Launchpad for the Rest of Your Career
Whether you want to charge a fee for your speaking or focus on creating products for which your speaking is a sales vehicle, speaking at events for no fee is your way forward in those early days.
Not only does it help you build up your client base and trust, but it also provides the tools (such as speaker videos and testimonials) you need to build a career as a recognized public speaker.
If you would like to receive access to over 700 free speaking opportunities FOR FREE, simply sign up to receive the list here. You can also learn how to leverage free speaking into a 60k per month business with my step-by-step paid training course, which costs just $7 for a limited time only.
Alternatively, if you want to get the inside track on the best places to speak for free, then join our free Facebook Group – Grow Your Speaking Biz. It’s chock-full of experienced speakers sharing their hints and tips for growing your speaking business.
I look forward to seeing you there!