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Chapter 42—Speaking Engagements

Speaking engagements are an excellent way to establish
yourself and your company as a thought leader.

There are two kinds of speaking engagements—those done
at your own events (essentially a Lunch and Learn) and
those at third party events (e.g. industry seminars and annual
conferences). Hosting your own events is a good way to build
your profile, share your knowledge, and most importantly, to
gain confidence in public speaking. It’s important to have a
track record of speaking to large audiences in order to secure
opportunities to speak at high profile events, because the
organizers will ask for your speaker’s bio before accepting
you. They need to know that you have the experience and
confidence to deliver effectively. Read Chapter 40—Executive
Seminars / Lunch and Learns for additional tips.

Speaking at third party events, particularly the annual
gatherings of your major industry associations, is the height of
thought leadership. However, they aren’t easy to secure—you
typically need to build up your profile at smaller events over
the course of one or two years before securing a speaking
opportunity at a national or international conference. There
are many smaller conferences, events, and local industry
associations that are interested in booking experts who have
knowledge to share. Look on LinkedIn.com and Meetup.com
as well as relevant industry and trade associations for the
dates of upcoming events.

Delivering a presentation at a trade show will put you in front
of the right audience of industry influencers and decision

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© 2012 Lisa Shepherd