Tips for Speakers

CCBC WOMENS EXPO, CATONSVILLE, BALTIMORE, MD

Speaking Tips

Having a speaking opportunity at The Women’s Expo can help you market your business or bring attention to a subject you think is important. If everyone involved with the Speaker’s Program puts an effort into marketing this event we will all benefit greatly.

Putting together this program is a lot of work for the Women’s Expo Committee. They want to bring speakers and topics that generate interest. This year they will be taking note of how many people attend each talk and it could affect whether or not you get an opportunity to speak next year. So start thinking about how you personally can get people there to hear you. You have a responsibility to let others know you will be speaking.

How to Get People to Hear You

Tell your existing clients and database you will be speaking. Don’t forget friends, family and all of those people who belong to the same organizations you do i.e. church, chamber, networking groups, bridge club, etc. Ask them to come and support you.
Buy some tickets to the Expo and give away. They are only $6 ($5 if you buy them on the Women’s Expo website).
Put a note at the end of all your emails that says “Come see me speak about ____ at the Women’s Expo on ___ at ___” with a link to the website www.WomensExpoMd.com.
Do a flyer you can send out with your snail mail and post in area businesses.
Who do you know at local newspapers who might give you some press? At the very least, get your talk into their Calendar of Events.
Friday night after set up or Saturday morning take some time to meet some of the other exhibitors and invite them to your talk.
Make an attractive flyer about your talk, frame it and put it on your table at the Expo.
Place an ad about your talk in On Purpose Woman Magazine. See the write up On Page 3 of Exhibitor Tips for more information.

Giving Your Talk

Plan to have your booth staffed while giving your talk.
Check out the space in advance so that you know the layout. Arrive early enough to make any changes needed.
Your talk is an educational opportunity for those who attend, not a commercial for your business. Be sure you are giving them something of value.
Prepare a handout with your contact information. Since I never know how many people will attend my talks I don’t copy the handouts in advance. At the end of my talk I invite them back to my booth where they can sign up for me to email the handouts. They can choose if they just want the handouts or if they want to be added to my mailing list. It is a good way to keep conversations going. This also frees up the space so the next speaker can get ready. If you are speaking in the room at the back of the gym there is an area outside of that room where you can also continue to talk with people.
Start on time. If there is just one person in the room and it is time for you to start, you have to start. If not, you still have to end on time. If you take extra time it will throw the schedule off the rest of the day and it isn’t fair for the person after you to have to cut their talk short to compensate.
Stay on time. Practice your talk so you know how long it is. Stay within the time allotted. When your time is up the person monitoring the room will ask you to wrap it up.
If the turnout for your talk is smaller than you wanted, do not bring attention to that. Be prepared to adjust the way you do your talk. If it is a smaller, more intimate group you may want to have a conversation instead of speaking from a podium.
If you are doing a 30 minute talk but it is usually an hour talk, do not tell your audience. If you have 30 minutes give them the best 30 minute talk you have. Telling them you don’t have time to give them everything or that you have had to shorten your talk leaves them feeling cheated and shortchanged.