FollowHaving a hard time attracting new prospects to your promotional products business? Looking for a proven strategy that works far better than cold calls, will get you out of the office and in front of more ideal prospects – and will get people calling you instead of you calling them?
What is it? Public speaking! I know this strategy may scare some people, but trust me, if you give it a try the payoff can be enormous. I can tell you from experience, the more you speak, the more your sales will increase.
Why does this marketing strategy work so well? When you speak in front of a group, you’re remembered. Ideally, prospects get to know you, like you and trust you. You’ll also be perceived as an expert. People want to do business with experts.
Where can you speak? Chambers of Commerce, networking groups, local libraries and service clubs are frequently looking for speakers.
Here are nine proven and easy tips to attract business when you speak:
1) Have a catchy title. How to Promote Your Business is boring, but 5 Proven Ways Drive Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth is catchy and memorable. You get the idea.
2) Be part of a panel of speakers. If you’re just starting out, being part of a panel is a lot less intimidating than speaking to an audience alone. Look for related businesses that target a similar client to share the spotlight with, such as meeting planners, graphic designers, and trade show display companies.
3) Share stories. Sharing true stories of how you’ve helped your clients is so much easier than memorizing a speech. While you’re at it, unless you’re a graphics expert, ditch the PowerPoint. People will be a lot more interested in what you have to say rather than a bunch of boring slides.
4) Bring fun giveaways. Bring promotional items with your company logo and distribute them to the audience. It’s a great way to get people to remember you and see the value in what you do.
5) Get the audience engaged in your topic. Ask them to pull out a promotional item from their pocket, purse or briefcase. Give an award to the person who has the most logoed items with them. It will get everyone engaged in the topic, have fun, and drive your point home.
6) Practice, practice, practice. Practice what you’re going to say before you get out there. Consider joining a local Toastmasters group to brush up on your speaking skills.
7) Collect business cards from everyone in the audience. Have a drawing for a free gift at the end of your presentation. Make it a fun promotional product that someone would want to receive. Tech related items work great.
8) Have a call to action. Offer a free marketing check-up or free virtual samples to anyone that gets in touch with you in the next month. Tell your prospects that you will provide at least three new ideas for promoting their product and service when they meet with you.
9) Consider turning your live talk into an on-demand webinar. You can send it to clients and future prospects to view.
Follow these tips and you may never have to cold call again!
What do you think? Would you use this strategy? Please comment below.
Thank you – I need to reignite my speaking skills. Two years of Speech and a year of Dramatics class from high school was a very long time ago! Would like to review this info later.
Rebecca,
You’ll be a natural! Let me know how you do if you decide to try this.
Rosalie
What a great idea Rosalie! Thank you for sharing your information!
Glad you like the idea! Let me know how you do with trying it out.
I think this is a great strategy. A lot of people still believe in old school advertising because they just don’t know enough about promotional products. Being able to give case studies is effective.
These are great ideas that are a win/win for both the speaker and the business results!
Really like the idea of #5 and #7. Never thought about #8 in that context before and will make that a priority for next meeting.
Rosalie, I loved this blog! I have been thinking about getting involved with public speaking opportunities, but these tips put a lot of “meat on the bone” in terms of what you should do and accomplish with speaking engagements. Thanks again for sharing your wisdom!!
How do I gain credibility with no college in marketing? I am working on some promotional marketing studies online. How would you get an audience in front of you?
Hi Natalie – Great ideas! And can’t believe I just sent you a long comment but I didn’t fill out the bottom before I hit submit and lost it all. So this may be a bit shorter.
I took you up on these ideas a few years ago – presenting to a networking group and even using several of your suggestions including have each person see how many promo items they had on them and giving a JAW ENTERPRISES promo item to the winner. I gave away a few other fun items with various questions and answers and gave everyone something at the end.
Now that I had finally organized a presentation the plan was to continue this but I never did. Partially I have a fear that someone will ask me for ROI on this and after 16 years don’t think I have ever confirmed any type of ROI % from promo items. However, I strongly feel that promo items or I should say that effective promo items work! And they are cost effective too.
Meanwhile, I started posting almost a year ago and now also have a number of subjects to talk about too. Moreover, a friend of mine who teaches networking has been trying to get me to attend his Toastmaster’s group. I need to get started with this along with presenting to groups.
I am very active in the local Chamber of Commerce and they are always looking for speakers. I need to step up.
So thanks for the reminder. You fulfilled your good deed for the day. (Today is “National Random Acts of Kindness Day”)
Thanks and Have a Fabulous Friday and Wonderful Weekend!
Jeff
Somehow I got so busy I forgot to keep up with the public speaking…. but I’ll take this cue and get back out there. Thanks Rosalie!
Thank you Rosalie! Those are practical suggestions. I love public speaking. Educating the client in order for them to use their own mind to move their own heart is powerful marketing. If they will truly internalize, you will vitalize your consulting agency!