Podcast 33: How to Use Speaking to Promote Your Holistic Business

ethical marketing finding clients marketing podcast Oct 01, 2020

How do you feel about speaking to promote your health and well-being business? It’s one of the best ways to access potential clients, but many practitioners avoid public speaking. Whilst it may take you out of your comfort zone, it’s certainly a skill that can be developed.

I grew up the ‘shy one’ – put the spotlight on me and I’d freeze. I’d go bright red and remembering my name was challenging, let alone sharing anything of interest.

I’m an introvert and I totally believed I wasn’t good at speaking. I also knew if I wanted to succeed, I had to get over myself. It’s taken work, and more than a few tears but I’m constantly improving and now look for opportunities to speak.

Because of the pandemic, most of the speaking opportunities have moved online. This year I’ve run regular free talks for my clinical practice, done an online book launch and I’m speaking at a conference next month.

Start small

If public speaking doesn’t fill you with joy, start small and grow from there. You’ll build in confidence as you go and you’ll start to develop your own style. You’ll get a deeper understanding of your topic and how to communicate it effectively.

7 speaking opportunities to market your business:

Free talks

This can be something you organise yourself or opportunities within your community. They’re a great way to demonstrate your expertise for people to get to know you. Places you can run talks include community groups, networking groups, professional associations, local businesses, exhibitions – basically, anywhere your ideal clients can be found.

Your talks need to be useful and informative to the people attending rather than a sales pitch on your services and products. Here’s an article to help you create talks for your business.

Social media live video

Social media gives us the opportunity to run live sessions and talks. They can be on an ad-hoc basis but if you can, run them regularly at a consistent time. That way, your audience will begin to learn when you’ll be speaking and can join you.

The major platforms encourage their users to do live video. These reach a much wider audience than static posts or pre-recorded video.

Run workshops

Workshops are a great option for practitioners and provide a taster of what you do. It’s a great way to introduce your approach to clients who aren’t ready to commit to working fully with you.

They can be run to peer groups such as friends who are interested in learning kitchen remedies. They can also be created for a group of individuals with a common problem such as ways to stop insomnia.

Workshops can also be an additional income stream for your business too. Here’s an article to help you get started with creating a workshop.

Speak at conferences

Conferences are a great way to raise your profile within your area of expertise. They’re also a great way to get in front of large groups of people at once who have a common interest. Whilst you’re there to provide value to the members, many organisers will allow you to promote your business to their members too.

Webinars

Technology has allowed small businesses to easily host and manage webinars as part of their marketing. Platforms like Zoom are a great way to run talks and classes online easily and with a limited budget. They’re also a great way to reach a much wider audience than your local area.

Podcasts

Podcasting is a growing media and is accessible to listeners on the go. Whilst you can create your own podcast (which will help you develop as a speaker), it does take a lot of work and commitment. If you’re not quite ready for that right now, you could be a guest on appropriate podcasts. Being interviewed is a great way to share your experience and promote your business.

If you decide to approach a podcast, ensure you listen to a couple of episodes first so you know it’s a good fit. When you approach the host, let them know how you can help them and the value you’ll provide their audience.

Join a speaking group

There are groups such as Toastmasters who help members hone their speaking skills and confidence. Many also provide a platform for you to speak to where you can share your expertise.

Have you been inspired to add in speaking to your marketing efforts? If you need help with working out what speaking you should be doing, book a Power Hour with me and I’ll help you get clear on your best options and how to get started.