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BOOK EXCERPT
📖 How To Turn One Speaking Gig Into More Business
Excerpted and adapted from 99+ Speaker Success Tips book by Bart Smith
Reprinted by Permission
A speaking gig should not end when you step off the stage, close the webinar room or finish the training. That is when the second half of the opportunity begins.
Right after a presentation, you have momentum. The host has just watched you deliver. Audience members may have questions, compliments, referrals, business needs, book orders, consulting opportunities or ideas for future talks.
The key is to capture that momentum before it disappears.
1. CAPTURE PROOF WHILE THE EVENT IS STILL HAPPENING
Take photos of the room, stage, event sign, audience, host, sponsor area, book table, your handouts and anything else that proves you were there speaking. If possible, collect short video testimonials from people who saw the presentation. Ask what they learned, what stood out and why they would recommend you to another group. These assets can later strengthen your website, speaker page, one-sheet, media kit, social media, pitch emails and future booking materials.
2. STAY AVAILABLE AFTER THE TALK
Do not disappear the second the presentation ends. Stay long enough to answer questions, meet audience members, take photos, talk with the host and hear what people thought. Some of the best business conversations happen after the formal presentation is over. If someone says, 'You should speak to our group,' ask who the decision maker is. If someone compliments your talk, ask whether you may quote them. If someone has a business problem you can help solve, continue the conversation.
3. FOLLOW UP WITH THE HOST
Thank the person who invited you to speak. Ask how the event went from their perspective and whether they received audience feedback. If the talk went well, ask for a testimonial, referral or introduction to another organization. Make it easy for a busy host to help you. A short, polite request is often all it takes.
4. FOLLOW UP WITH AUDIENCE MEMBERS & NEW CONTACTS
If attendees opted into your list, requested information, bought a book, asked about coaching or gave you contact information, follow up while the presentation is still fresh. Send what you promised. Answer questions. Share the resource, link, checklist or recording. Invite qualified people to continue the conversation.
5. REVIEW YOUR PERFORMANCE
Watch or listen to the recording if you have one. What worked? What dragged? Where did people laugh? Where did they look confused? Which questions kept coming up? Every presentation gives you data. Use it to improve the next talk.
6. REPURPOSE THE PRESENTATION INTO CONTENT
One speaking gig can easily become many pieces of content. Turn strong moments into short videos. Pull out quotes. Write a blog recap. Create newsletter content. Turn audience questions into articles, FAQs, social posts, podcast ideas or future videos. A recorded presentation can become a content goldmine long after the event itself is over.
7. TURN QUESTIONS INTO NEW PRODUCTS & OFFERS
Pay attention to what people ask. A repeated question may become your next webinar, workshop, checklist, coaching offer, training product, book chapter or even a new book. The audience is often telling you what it wants next. Listen.
8. UPDATE YOUR SPEAKER ASSETS
Add the new photos, testimonials, client names, audience types, event topics, video clips and results to your speaker materials. Your speaker page and one-sheet should become stronger after every good event. Each engagement gives you new proof that makes the next booking easier.
9. ASK FOR REFERRAL INTRODUCTIONS
Ask the host whether they know other groups that would benefit from your talk. Ask audience members whether they belong to companies, associations, chambers, masterminds, schools, podcasts, webinars or conferences that use outside speakers. The best time to ask for the next opportunity is often right after you just delivered value.
10. CREATE COACHING, CONSULTING OR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
Some audience members will want more than the presentation.
A strong talk can lead to coaching clients, consulting projects, private training, workshops, retreats, corporate programs, books, courses and other paid opportunities. Your presentation demonstrates your thinking in public. For the right attendee, that can be the beginning of a much larger business relationship.
11. BUILD A POST-EVENT CONTENT FOLDER
Save the photos, video, audio, transcript, testimonials, feedback forms, audience questions, slides, handouts, poll results and follow-up emails from the event. That folder becomes a permanent source of proof, content, marketing ideas and future presentation material.
12. KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING
Do not let too much time pass before your next speaking opportunity. The more you speak, the better your stories, slides, delivery, offers and follow-up systems become. Momentum creates improvement, and improvement creates more opportunities.
FINAL THOUGHT
The presentation may be finished, but the business opportunity is not. Capture the proof. Follow up. Repurpose the content. Improve the talk. Ask for referrals. Update your materials. Create new offers. Get booked again. One speaking gig can become much more than one speaking gig when you know what to do after you speak.
(THIS CONTINUES IN THE BOOK)
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