Hands down, public speaking is the best marketing tool in your kit bag. The challenge is to make your communications as effective as possible because it is the first step to making your point.
#1 – Public Speaking Sells – If you can give an excellent presentation in front of an audience, then you are going to sell far more than by paid advertising or even content marketing. Why? Because a live show is always better than a static webpage by a wide margin.
#2 – You Can Innovate – Through public speaking, you can innovate with your audience. For example, engage your audience with live question and answer sessions. This is the opposite of the strategies which are thought out far in advance and cannot adapt to changes in the marketplace.
#3 – Vital Skills – To give a good public speech, you need to be confident, prepared, organized, and disciplined. You also need to understand your target audience and what will work with them. These public speaking skills are easily transferable to other marketing techniques.
#4 – Real-Time Feedback – Live demonstrations are the best way to get immediate feedback. If you get an awkward pause after a joke, then you know it did not go down well. In contrast, it can take months to understand why a link building or content creation strategy didn’t work out.
#5 – Excellent for Self-Development – Regular practice of public speaking does wonders for self-development. It helps build self-esteem and communication skills. It also helps to eliminate anxiety and fear. Things we all suffer from at some level.
#6 – Market Yourself – You can use public speaking skills in any setting; negotiating a salary, conducting a seminar, at networking events, or whenever you need to get your point of view understood. It is a skill that never goes old because you are always talking to somebody about something.
#7 – Boosts Credibility – A good speech can boost your reputation and credibility, and establish you as an expert in your field. Your well-crafted message, unique presentation style, and content all contribute to your credibility.
The Take Away
While public speaking will bolster all of your other marketing efforts, it is but one of the tools to be used in tandem with one another for maximum effect.
If the thought of speaking in front of a group induces a state of high anxiety and cold sweat, then I encourage you to consider Toastmasters, where you will learn how to improve your confidence, leadership skills, public speaking and communication skills, and dial-down the stress. Joining Toastmasters could change your life.
Bob is a Toastmaster and would be happy to introduce you to the benefits of being a Toastmaster.
