Starting a business takes a great deal of courage and well thought out planning if you want to make it into the red. It’s no secret that 50% of all new businesses usually fail after their first five years due to poor decisions and mistakes which is why so many entrepreneurs look for hacks and cutting edge technologies to speed up their growth. One tactic that some new ventures are turning to is public speaking.
Getting up on stage and speaking to a live audience can be quite daunting and overwhelming for most which is why so many avoid it at all costs. The thought of speaking in front of your peers or complete strangers and failing or making a mistake is why many entrepreneurs will skip this approach. However, doing so could greatly cost your bottom line.
One of the biggest challenges young startups face is having enough money to effectively market their product or service and get their name out in a saturated market. While most companies are heavily relying on things like social media to market themselves, others would prefer to get in front of people in real life.
Here are five reasons why public speaking can be a powerful marketing strategy to grow your business:
- Build Your Brand Faster
When you are the new guy in a space that is filled with other well-established competitors, it can be quite difficult to find a way and try to stand out. Building your brand fast so that you make your mark quickly is going to be critical of you want to be recognized.
When you are up on stage speaking to a live audience, you are getting their full attention which means that they are not being distracted by a million other things. This type of attention means that people will remember you much easier allowing you to make a branding impression that will be much more effective then an ad on a website. This is why many business leaders love to speak at TED or major conferences.
- Increase Your Sales
It comes with no surprise that every new start up wants to grow their sales as fast as possible. However, one of the challenges that comes with this is being able to explain the purpose of your product or service in a short period of time.
However, when you are delivering a presentation, you are afforded a little more time to explain the problem that your product or service is solving which allows customers to connect the dots and understand your benefits and value proposition much easier.
- Establish Yourself As An Authority
When you are looking to enter a new space where you are an unknown, it is going to be critical that you quickly establish yourself as an authority. One of the biggest benefits of speaking in public comes when the Master of Ceremonies introduces you to the stage.
When the MC introduces you to the audience, this is a very powerful moment and branding opportunity. The two-minute introduction given is what is called ‘pre-framing’ where the audience is told your accomplishments and accolades so that it quickly gives you authority and tells the audience why they should listen to you.
Tip: Read some quotes from other entrepreneurs to help you get inspired.
- Grow Your Network
If you want to make it past the five year mark where most businesses flounder, you are going to need allies on your side. The people you surround yourself with are going to be critical if you achieve your goals as a business.
By becoming a public speaker at live events and conferences, not only will you be networking with those people in the audience, but you will also be able to rub elbows with the individuals who are producing the event.
- Create More Trust
The ability to sell more products or services means that people must know, like, and trust you. Traditional marketing can be quite laborious and time-consuming when you want to establish trust with people.
However, when you are speaking in public it quickly helps you bypass many of the obstacles with establishing credibility because people can see and feel you. This is why many politicians travel the country to campaign in person so that potential voters can get a sense of who they are.
Conclusion
While there are many great ways to market a businesses products or services online, just remember that being in front of a group of people in real time has the ability to cut through a lot of the challenges you might face with this approach.
