Promoting Your Business Through Public Speaking

If you're not shy about speaking in front of a group, being a featured speaker is a great way to advertise your business- and establish yourself as an expert.

Getting started is simple. You can contact associations, your local chamber or other business groups to offer yourself as a speaker for an upcoming meeting or event. Groups of this sort are always looking for speakers.

You can also sponsor your own event. If you have a storefront, you can have events onsite after hours or if appropriate, during the work day. You may also be able to use a conference room in many facilities for free (or a small fee). Check with your local library, community center or even shopping mall.

No matter which route you decide to take, make sure you prepare well in advance. You will have the topic selected of course before you approach an organization. Decide what specific issues you will cover and be sure to have some information for participants to take home with them such as like related tip sheets, a resource sheet for more information on the topic covered (a list of websites or telephone numbers, for example)and of course your brochure and business card.

You can also offer a few giveaways. For example, you can give out numbers as participants sign in and at the end of the engagement award a small gift to a lucky winner. This can include tangible items that you purchase- a nice gift basket- as well as coupons for free goods and services from you.

Even if you are the shy type, give public speaking a try. It's a great way to overcome your fear of public speaking, establish yourself as an expert and drum up business at the same time.