Have you ever looked through the lineup of speakers at a conference, seen the name of someone you knew at law school, and wondered why your name isn’t on that program?
There are many advantages for lawyers who give presentations to industry and association gatherings of people in their market. Consider:
- Public speaking can be a great opportunity to connect with potential clients – you have the chance to present yourself as knowledgeable about your area of expertise, as well as show your understanding of the issues potential clients are facing.
- There’s just something about wearing a “Speaker” badge at an industry conference or other event – what you say in your conversations has more power.
- Being asked to do a presentation is an affirmation of your stature within your profession – and something you can drop into conversations with clients, as well as list on your CV and LinkedIn profile.
Yet getting the opportunity to stand on the speaker’s podium may be elusive. Here are four success factors for getting your chance at the microphone.
Be a ‘safe’ choice as a speaker
Consider how a speaker lineup is developed: The organizers start by asking what topics are of most interest to the conference attendees, then they look through the applications they’ve received, and ask people their connections who they think would be able to present on those topics. The factors they consider are:
- Academic or professional qualifications;
- Experience in working with organizations in their industry or sector of the economy;
- Experience as a speaker, demonstration videos, and references from previous presentations.
Essentially, they’re looking for a “safe” choice – a speaker who has the right credentials to be an asset to their lineup of presenters, and who will make the conference look good.
So, to earn the right to get onto that podium, you’ll need to have evidence of your expertise available for them to find. This can include information on your website, your LinkedIn profile or Facebook page. You’re more likely to get considered as a speaker if you have:
- Published articles in their trade media – magazines, association websites, guest posts in influential blogs;
- Written white papers, or published your own blog, on topics that show your expertise;
- Created a speaker demonstration video – easy to produce using standard consumer-level equipment, and posted for free to YouTube or Vimeo;
- Racked up some previous experience as a speaker (even if it’s just to a small event, even a lunch-and-learn presentation for one of your clients)
Imagine you’re a conference organizer – would you be impressed with your qualifications if you found yourself in an online search? Would you book yourself as a speaker? If not, you need to start developing the online evidence of your expertise.
Present your idea to the right person
When you have a presentation idea, it’s crucial that you pitch it to the right. Look on their website for the chair of programs, events, education or some similar title. If there’s nobody like that listed, find the name of the president. Get the person’s name, phone and e-mail.
Just remember – depending on the organization these can be volunteer positions, and websites aren’t always immediately updated when people drop out of volunteer positions. You may need to try several people before you get the person who makes decisions on speakers.
Your idea may get better acceptance if you do a bit of research on the individuals involved. Do a Google search for their name, or check their LinkedIn profile. See if you know people in common or if you share something else – maybe a professional designation, or you went to the same university.
Reach out to the organization with a query letter
Your best route of approach is with an e-mailed query letter. Think of it as a four-point mini-proposal for your presentation:
- Your topic, stated in one or two sentences;
- Reasons why members of this organization, or attendees at the venue, will be interested in that topic;
- Some points to cover – keep it to three or four points, one line each;
- Your qualifications to discuss this theme – academic, professional or experience.
If you’ve presented at conferences, had papers or articles published, have a well-followed blog, or a substantial Twitter following, include that information, with links. Be sure that your LinkedIn profile conveys clearly who you are and what expertise you offer.
Keep pushing for a response
You may hear back right away about your presentation idea. But in my experience, you probably won’t – particularly if you’re just starting out as a speaker, and they’ve not heard of you before.
You need to follow up, likely more than once. I’ve found that the single biggest reason would-be speakers don’t get the engagement is that they don’t push hard enough. Remember that you’re working with volunteers, who have other priorities.
So call back, leave voicemails, keep calling until you get the decision-maker in person. You may need to re-send the original e-mail, possibly with an update: “Here’s a new blog post I’ve written that talks about the topic I want to present on.” Send a connection request on LinkedIn.
If you persist – creatively – and organizers are persuaded that you can add value to their members, the “Speaker” badge will be yours.
About the Author
Carl Friesen, MBA, is Principal of Global Reach Communications Inc. in Mississauga ON, helping business professionals demonstrate thought leadership. For more information, please visit the Global Reach Communications Inc. website.