Public Speaking Training Seminar
When you think about speaking in public
do your legs turn to rubber and your lips go numb? Don’t be embarrassed;
millions of Americans feel just the same way. Public speaking still tops
the list of the things we fear the most. And that is why we have created
our unique, powerful Public
Speaking Training seminar. People from all walks of life –
executives, teachers, broadcasters, sales reps, researchers, clergy, HR
managers, community service leaders and more – have benefited in
tremendous ways from the things they learned during this fun and
fast-paced class. Let us help you not only conquer your fear, but also
develop a skill that will serve you well in practically every area of
your life.
Be a Guest Speaker
Promote your business by speaking at
conferences.
Q: I'd like to speak at conferences.
How should I promote myself?
A: First, speak to lots of smaller groups before you appear in front of
larger audiences. Last month's column, "Introduction to Public
Speaking," offered tips on how to plan your first few presentations.
Once you're comfortable in front of 100 or more people, it's time to hit
the conference circuit. You need to know that at many conferences,
competition is keen—even among speakers who are willing to appear for
free. Receiving a fee for a speaking engagement, with all expenses paid,
is even more difficult to negotiate.
If you're willing to do aggressive marketing, here are some tips that
will get you on your way:
Write articles for publications that are read by people to whom you want
to speak. Include lots of how-to advice. At the end of each article,
include an identifier paragraph: "Susan Smith is a financial planner who
speaks on the topic of how to teach children about money. Contact her at
(phone number) or at (your e-mail address.)"
Send an e-mail message to everyone in your address book. Tell them
you're looking for speaking engagements. Explain what you speak about
and describe your ideal audience. Ask them to keep you in mind or to
pass your name along to someone who might need your services.
Target an organization you'd like to speak to, then visit its Web site.
If the group needs speakers, there's a good chance a "call for
proposals" or more information about upcoming seminars and workshops
will be at the site.
Every time you speak to a group and they like you, ask the meeting
planner to write a testimonial letter on his or her letterhead.
Photocopy the letters and send them to other meeting planners who might
be interested in you.
Ask meeting planners who liked your presentation to refer you to other
meeting planners they know. This is by far the most effective way to
book more speaking engagements.
Create what is known as a "one-sheet." On one sheet of paper (and don't
run over to the back), explain who you are and include your positioning
statement at the top. For example, the positioning statement on my
one-sheet reads: "Joan Stewart works with organizations that want to use
the media to establish their credibility, enhance their reputation and
position themselves as the employers of choice." For a copy of my
one-sheet, e-mail me your name and address at jstewart@publicityhound.com.
Your one-sheet should also include the topics you speak on and a short
summary paragraph about each one, stressing what the audience will
learn. Include your photo and contact information. If you have them,
include testimonials from people who have heard you speak. You can print
these one-sheets directly from your computer, then mail or fax them when
a meeting planner tells you to send them something about you. Or you can
have them reproduced at a local print shop.
Once you have several free speaking engagements under your belt, try to
negotiate a fee for your next engagements. Check out the National
Speakers Association Web site at for tips on how to do this.
By Joan Stewart
For more information and pricing, please
complete this form and we will send you a
confidential Annotated Outline that will provide you with an hour by
hour description of the training seminar.
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