5 Steps to Promoting Your Coaching Practice through Public Speaking
Public speaking is a great way to ramp up your profile as a coach. If properly planned you could be talking to a collection of potential clients, delivering them valuable advice, whilst raising awareness of your practice.
If you feel like the rush of public speaking is for you, try to develop and refine a really powerful speech that speaks directly to the main challenges of your niche and illustrates the difference that coaching can make. However, be tactful, do not simply launch into how amazing you are. Remember, you have to sell them the idea of coaching first. If they start to believe in coaching because of what you told them, they are much more likely to choose you as their coach. All great speeches tell us something we do not already know; giving them a small piece of practical advice will help associate the result of utilizing that advice (hopefully positive progress) with you.
Once you’ve practiced your speech and feel comfortable delivering it, it’s time to get your marketing gears turning.
1. Make a list of all the organizations you would like to speak to. Ideally, their membership is your ideal niche (but if not; that’s okay, at least in the early years of your business). Ask yourself, where do my ideal clients hang out? Where are they gathering to learn and exchange ideas? How can I get in front of them?
2. Create a one-page promotional sheet that profiles you as a speaker.
- In the first paragraph, grab their attention and entice them to want to hear more.
- Follow with a summary of your presentation’s features and benefits.
- Finally, include a headshot and a bio that explains why you’re credible to speak for them.
3. Reach out, get out, and circulate. Go visit the groups and associations you want to connect with. Network and build your community. Meet the person who makes decisions on hiring speakers—not so you can get hired on the spot, but to plant a seed. Collect a business card and follow up with an email, your promotional, sheet and a phone call.
4. When you hit a home run, get a testimonial from the person who hired you. This serves as powerful leverage when it comes to booking your next speaking opportunity.
5. Design a system to collect contact info from interested members of your audience. You might leave a basket for business cards by the door, or pass out postcards to fill out and return for a complementary session. Get creative—there are a lot of ways to capture opportunities from a speaking engagement.
Teresia LaRocque, MCC (Canada)
Teresia LaRocque, MCC, MAA, is Canada's first Master Certified Coach and a co-founder of ICF Vancouver Charter Chapter. Over the past 20 years, she has been a key player in developing the coaching industry in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canada. Her Passion into Profit program delivers a time-tested, step-by-step process for developing a sustainable six-figure coaching practice. More than just business strategies, this interactive program also lays the foundation for a balanced, fulfilling lifestyle — a mission-critical component of entrepreneurial success.
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Good tips. All the learning that goes along with public speaking is another benefit…and also a healthy stretch.
Plamen, yes public speaking is another art and science in itself. If you have a passion for it is a great way to get exposure for your coaching business and an additional profit center. When the passion and natural talent is present it can be a very enjoyable rewarding path!
[…] Public speaking is a great way to ramp up your profile as a coach. If properly planned you could be talking to a collection of potential clients, delivering them valuable advice, whilst raising awareness of your practice. […]
We are planning to the same series in India to promote Coaching, and create awareness! Wishing you a happy, inspiring, and progressive International Coaching Week 2013. Thank you!!
Keep Inspiring- Keep Growing!
Wonderful idea to create awareness about ICF assests ! Thanks for the creative contest !
Well timed article for me, thank you.
Hello! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to give it a look.
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Thanks for sharing!
Nice tips. I have found getting pictures of me talking to an engaged crowd to be very helpful to. Conference organizers like seeing audiences having a good time!
Great tip Marc! Getting video is also a great idea and posting it on your website.
Great post Teresia LaRocque. The insights are practical and simple.Thanks for the wonderful post and best wishes
Your welcome Satish
6. Join a professional speakers association (for example APSS, CAPS, NSA) and develop The Four Competencies (Eloquence, Enterprise, Ethics and Expertise).
Very valuable Tom – why reinvent the wheel, learn from others and mastermind with other like minded individuals!
This text is invaluable. When can I find out more?
Hi are you part of any speaking organization? Do visit http://www.nsaspeaker.org and toastmasters international, in addition join us at https://www.facebook.com/EricksonBusinessCenter for business building tips specifically for coaches.
Hi Teresia,
I was on the phone today talking to the ICF President Damian and we were just talking about ICF members having access to the world of paid speaking.
We highly encourage coaches who want to learn more from global speakers who are paid professional speakers to attend the Global Speakers Summit in Vancouver December 8-10, 2013
It will have many resources and ideas to leverage speaking to grow your business.
Cheryl Cran
President Global Speakers Federation 2012/2013
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Great reminder. Hard to get started with. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks a lot for so many ideas. I have recently experienced the many benefits of public speaking.
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[…] Check out this article on the ICF website, for a great step-by-step plan to get you started! […]
Yes, public speaking can improve your business. Thanks for sharing.