Some people choose to work at home so that they don’t have to leave the house, put on pants, and get in front of people. If that’s you, public speaking might be the last thing on your radar. Besides, what does it have to do with growing your business?
Getting in front of people to give a presentation or workshop has so many benefits ranging from free marketing for your ideal clients to becoming known as the expert in your field. (More on this soon.) And it can help virtually any business. Whether you’re a personal trainer or a web developer, you have something to offer that people want to learn.
The key to make it work for you is to make your presentation value-packed and follow it with an irresistible pitch that leaves your audience screaming “heck yeah, I want to do business with you!”
If you’re still not convinced that public speaking can help your business, here are five reasons to reconsider:
1 – Workshops are free marketing to your ideal clients
When you’re first starting out in your business, getting your first few clients can be hard. How do you get noticed if you don’t have a huge marketing budget? Where do you meet prospective clients? And how do you find out if they want what you’re selling?
By offering to give a workshop and sharing something valuable, you are not only putting yourself in front of a captive audience of ideal clients, they’re already interested in what you have to offer!
And not only do you get to showcase your business, you’re showing your unique personality and what it’s like to work with you. You also get to share stories of those intangible benefits or your competitive advantage that you just can’t capture on a sales page. For example, you can casually mention the details of a case study and how much you were able to solve their unique problems.
2 – You get to learn what people want
Even if you don’t make any immediate sales, you’re putting yourself in a room full of your ideal clients. Trust me, they’ll be asking you questions and telling you stories of their own struggles. This is the place to listen and to learn.
This is where you learn what really makes your target audience click.
Getting to know your clients can make you a much more effective professional.
- You might finally understand the nitty-gritty details of your clients’ pain points.
- You might hear a phrase perfectly resonates with people
- Or you might discover a whole sub-niche of people who need what you sell.
You get this all by showing up and sharing your expertise.
3 – Presentations make you THE authority
Speaking of expertise, when you’re speaking on stage, you’re automatically the authority. And being the authority has its perks.
It sets you apart from the competition, and creates an instant recognition for your audience. It also creates credibility and “social proof,” meaning that if you were good enough to be invited to speak, you must be great to do business with.
4 – Being a presenter makes networking a heck of a lot easier
Even though I teach confidence in public speaking, I’m not a fan of typical networking events. Small talk has never been my thing, and I’m both self-conscious about how to break into a conversation, and more importantly, how to get out of a bad one.
So imagine my surprise when I was the “honored guest” at a marketing workshop for small businesses. People were lining up to speak with me, ask me questions, and tell me about themselves. Not only that, they were mindful of my time. It was networking heaven!
5 – Pitching is easier than you think
Here’s where people get choked up. They don’t want to ask for the sale. And I get it. Pitching your services in front of a group of people can make you feel raw and exposed when you’re not used to it.
However, if you delivered a valuable presentation to your audience you should expect that some of them may want to work with you. Make it clear to your audience – what do you offer, and how do they get it. Don’t deprive them of the opportunity to benefit from working with you. People want help. Do it for them.
I’d love to know if public speaking has helped your business, or if not, what’s holding you back from trying. Visit me at my blog, Twitter, or LinkedIn to let me know what you think.
