Ep 50: Unpaid Speaking Opportunities 101

An episode of the The Speak to Scale Podcast podcast, hosted by Jessica Rasdall, titled "Ep 50: Unpaid Speaking Opportunities 101" was published on February 7, 2019 and runs 17 minutes.

February 7, 2019 ·17m · The Speak to Scale Podcast

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Episode Description

Are you ready to add speaking to your creative business? Most of you are here listening because you understand how important it is to serve from the stage, but all stages are not created equal. It's important to have a set of checks and balances in place to determine whether or not the stage you're being offered to be speaking on will allow you to both serve the right audience and whether that audience is going to pay you dividends. Today I am going to discuss how to decide whether or not a particular free speaking opportunity is a good fit for you.

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If you loved this episode and it motivated you to add speaking to your business, please take the time to leave me some positive feedback on iTunes. I'd also love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, post it to your Instagram Stories and tag us @thecreativespeakerpodcast.

In the episode you'll hear:

You need to have a good set of checks and balances in place to determine whether a particular unpaid speaking opportunity is right for you
All stages are not created equal
Examples of some great free speaking opportunities are
- Community groups
- Organizations
- Non-Profits
- Guest Panels
You should have a clear and carefully crafted talk before you invest your time into an unpaid speaking event so that you aren't wasting your time

Reasons you would WANT to consider a free speaking opportunity

Free speaking opportunities are great for building your speaker credibility
Use free speaking gigs as a chance to gain some experience, humility and possibly even get over your public speaking fears
If you need to gain more exposure if your market, an unpaid speaking gig is a great way to do it
- Gain marketing material through unpaid speaking engagements (pics/video/testimonials)
Networking is one of the most important skills in business. Unpaid speaking opportunities give you a great avenue to do this

Reasons you SHOULD NOT consider an unpaid speaking opportunity

If the audience you're speaking to has nothing to do with the market that you're in then you're likely wasting your time
If the topic you're being asked to speak on isn't a good fit with your business, you should pass. You should feel confident about the topic you're speaking about
If you aren't provided with enough details about the speaking opportunity to make an informed decision, it likely isn't going to be worth your time.
- You NEED to know who your audience is
- The event should be aligned with your brand
If speaking at the event is going to cost you far more than the dividends you may reap it's probably not a good idea