To leverage a speaking engagement to its fullest effect, you need to back it up with some follow-up tasks. To do this, you have to grab data during your engagements. A beautiful signature book is a nice touch. Low tech works here. Collect names and email addresses. You can also send a basket around to collect business cards. Offer to email a handout if they toss one in. You’ll need this information later.
Have a friend with a camera – a cell phone works fine, too – take some video of the event. Keep the clips short, from one to three minutes in length. You might also take a few photos of the event. Also make quick audio clips for sound bites of your best quotes. Caution: don’t post pictures of audience members unless you have their signed consent. Respecting the privacy of your audience makes you look like a class act.
After a speaking engagement, you will be exhausted and will probably be glad it’s finally behind you. Take that nap if you need it, but know that you have a couple of more things to do. It’s time to create goodwill and buzz to move forward a valuable piece of your writing career. Goodwill paves the way for future speaking engagements and buzz will directly sell books.
To create goodwill, gear up after the event with thank-you notes. Send emails to everyone who gave you contact info and thank them for attending. Never send mass emails. Always use the personal touch. Send mailed thank-you notes to venue representatives. Make it a beautiful card that will be perfect to post on a bulletin board at the venue. Don’t send thank-you emails in this case because they are rarely posted on bulletin boards.
Why are you doing this? You may need to have another event someday, and you want to leave a good vibe. Be sure to thank any organizations that supported your speaking engagement. Do this in a public way through social media sites.
To get the promotional buzz going, post video clips of events online to your blog, Facebook and Twitter feed. Also update the calendar of events on your website. Be sure to share the buzz. Mention local organizations that have supported your work. Use select audio and video clips on your website as a way to buzz about your speaking skills. You are an engaging speaker. You are an asset to book fairs, writing conferences, and bookstores. Don’t be shy. Let everyone know what you can do.
Now it’s time to kick back and really relax. But no, now you have ten more speaking engagements to prepare for. Enjoy your success.