Elementary Tips on Professional Speaking
Your heart is set, your mind is focused and now you're ready to find some opportunities as a professional speaker. You just have absolutely no idea where to start!
The only way to realistically make this a career is to hone your craft. Taking a few non-paid jobs is an easy way to polish up your skills. This is a good way to build connections, and gain valuable performance experience. This will help build your resume, and respect as a speaker, and put you in position to reach a wider audience.
- Jobs can be found literally down the street. There are associations in your own community looking for public speakers. Grade schools, colleges, lodges, non-profit organizations, and museums are a number of good options when searching for professional speaking opportunities. Make a good impression with these establishments and they will remember and, more importantly, recommend you.
- Searching Google or Yahoo for terms such as “public speaker needed” or “professional speaker wanted” is an easy way to stumble upon a lead. You can find directories of associations and events that need a professional speaker.
- Certain forums specialize in providing professional speaking opportunities. You may not get paid for most of these gigs, but you may find one that fits you perfectly.
- Stay informed on the different conferences and groups that share your topic. A good number of associations have yearly conferences or quarterly events where speakers are needed. These jobs will be filled six to eight months in advance, so keep your eyes and ears open.
- Teach a class or become a trainer. There are businesses that hire contract speakers for various engagements. This may include an intense travel schedule, but you can make a very nice living spreading your message.
- For a nominal fee there are trade association directories you can purchase each year. These are usually annual and contain everything you need to start making contacts in the association field.
- There are also meeting planner directories. These directories will not be free, and will be available every year for a considerable fee. These may be a smart investment for the serious professional speaker, and can be the boost you need to launch your speaking career.
- Build relationships with others in your field, as recommendation is the most effective form of advertisement. The power of referral can be evidenced at majority of the major meetings as planners are more likely to go with a name they trust.
While this may be an easy place to pick up a few extra engagements, you need to have a promotional, or press, kit. You'll start at the bottom, but gradually build your promotional kit. You have to keep in contact with past clients, and develop a bushiness plan to develop new contacts. Once you build a strong list of contacts, you can use it to advertise your speaking talents. I've given you the places to look; it's your job to find a niche!
Posted under professional speaking
This post was written by jeromeroberson1979 on septembre 23, 2009
