Want to Make the Most of Your Next Speaking Engagement?

Think About Your Brand First.

Conference season is a time to learn new things, network with other professionals, and gain valuable connections and insights. If you are a speaker, it’s also a time to showcase your knowledge and expertise. 

While an engaging presentation allows you to deliver your message effectively and makes an impression on the attendees and conference organizers, you certainly need a lot more to make a lasting impression. If you are speaking at conferences to generate leads for your business, your presentation is just one piece of a much bigger initiative. So, I wonder, are you curious about how your brand comes into play? 

Why Does Every Speaker Need a Strong Brand?

Whether you are a seasoned conference speaker or new to the circuit, a well-defined brand can help you connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression long after you’ve left the stage. Here is why:

When you have a strong brand, you are helping to shape people’s perceptions of you and your business. A well-defined strategy guides every experience your customers may have with you. A well-defined strategy embodies your business directives and the messaging and visual tools you will need to get there.

When others can easily and accurately describe what you do, how you do it, and whom you do it for, you know your brand is working. To make it easier for people to answer who you are, you need to project a consistent professional image and have a clearly defined message you wish to share with the world.

When you are clear about your brand, it makes it easier for event planners and prospective clients to understand what you do and why they should care. Having that strategic foundation makes you more credible as a speaker and visible to potential clients. It helps you build a reputation as an expert and makes it easier to secure better speaking opportunities and command higher fees.

By working with a brand strategist, you will not only develop a strong brand, but you will be able to maintain that brand across various communication channels and from one speaking engagement to the next. You’ll also have a thoughtful partner to brainstorm ideas to use at each event to help you stand out by creating a unique and memorable experience for your audience. 

When you go through my brand strategy workshop, you’ll learn exactly who is in your audience, what they are struggling with right now, and how to speak to them, so they know, without a doubt, that you are the person who can help solve their problem. 

If you are consistent with your professional image and a clearly defined voice for your message and visual assets that are uniquely you, not only will you be memorable, you will be sought-after.

Make the Most of Your Next Event. Here are a Few Ideas.

If you want to make the most of your next speaking engagement, gain more visibility, and connect with the right people, you need a plan of action to implement before, during, and after the conference. Here are a few suggestions:  

In the weeks leading up to the conference: 

• Promote your talk on social media, in your email signature, website, and email newsletter. Ensure the graphics are engaging, eye-catching, and consistent with your brand. Share the relevant details about the event, including the dates and city. 

• Polish your presentation and ensure it reflects your brand and that the visuals enhance your message. Images and graphics need to be clear and easy to see. Charts, graphs, and infographics need to be easy to understand. And the fonts you use must be easy for people to read — even if they’re sitting at the back of the room.

• Determine how you will connect with the people who attend your talk. Prepare a branded information packet with your business card, an evaluation form, and a capabilities handout. Maybe include a branded pen and a small notebook.

• Need to be paper-free? Go 100% digital by creating a QR code that leads directly to a multi-functional landing page that can help promote and announce before the event. After the event, the same landing page becomes a place your audience visits to download the presentation slides, complete an evaluation to help improve future talks, post your upcoming event dates, and invite them to sign up for your monthly newsletter.

At the conference: 

• If permitted, place branded information packets on every chair in the room before your talk. Otherwise, hand out the branded materials to people as they enter or leave the conference room. Please point out the materials during your speech, and don’t forget to ask them to complete the evaluation form.

• Need to be paper-free? Highlight the QR code to direct your audience to your custom landing page at the beginning and end of your presentation – remind them of the benefits – monthly newsletter, presentation slides, upcoming events, a free downloadable or valuable takeaways from the event.

• Consider hosting a giveaway from the stage by asking the audience questions and giving something to those who step up to the microphone to ask you a question. You might provide people with a copy of your book (or a book you found particularly insightful) or branded swag such as a portable charger, water bottle, or insulated mug. 

After the conference ends:

• Review the completed evaluation forms and information attendees submitted to your website. Capture people’s contact information and any helpful suggestions.

• Follow up with everyone you met at the conference, whether they attended your talk or not. A personal email is sufficient, but branded thank you cards help you stand out! 

Ready to Take Your Speaking to the Next Level?

You’ve invested time, energy, and effort in becoming a speaker. But, whether you are a paid speaker or use speaking to increase your visibility and get more clients, you need a strong brand built on a solid brand strategy before you can use speaking as an effective tool for business growth. As a brand strategist and designer, I can help you get the most out of every speaking engagement by ensuring you stand out above the crowd and make a lasting impression.

To learn more about how I can help you take your speaking to the next level and get actual results for your business, schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation today.