How speaking engagements can capture more business for consultants

Get media attention. Media outlets such as local newspapers and radio talk shows may be very interested in different viewpoints, especially if someone else also has expressed interest in them. After getting permission from hosts, distribute media releases outlining the program's key points. One never knows which prospects are listening.

Turbo-charge your takeaways. Any consultant on the speaking circuit knows the old, "I'll give you an article if you give me your business card" strategy. This worked great before the Internet made archives available with the click of a mouse. Audiences now expect a compelling reason to hand over their contact information.

Bill Wagner of Accord Management Systems turbo-charges this technique by using personalized survey results as a way to get permission to follow up with attendees. During his speeches to executive groups, he engages the audience in a survey. He will offer the findings of how they voted--and how they compare to similar attendees in other audiences--to those who give him their business cards.

Make the speech live on. Giving a speech is a marketing tool that just keeps on giving--if it has been taped. Audio recording is easier than ever with digital minidisc recorders that are the size of a credit card. Software also is available to edit speeches. Upload the speech from the disc onto the hard drive and presto! There now is an audio file to burn onto CDs and send to prospects. Other ways to make a speech live on are downloading audio clips on websites or a white paper or report that can be sold.

Remember all of those phone calls made before the speech, or the prospects who were invited but could not come? One great way to follow up is to send CDs of the speech with compliments. The speech becomes an ongoing marketing tool that shows the value of a speaker's expertise.

Offer low-risk options. Consultants who work with larger companies certainly do not expect an attendee simply to sit down and write a big check for their services right after the speech. High-end consultants know that offering a low-risk option will separate serious prospects from the tire-kickers and will plant seeds for long-term assignments.

Deborah A. House, CEO of The Adare Group consulting firm, found that starting with a small--but focused--project allows her to create value quickly and set up larger assignments. After every speech, she offers "special issue coaching" for attendees. Ranging from a couple of hours to a full month, these assignments focus on a single high-stakes issue. To lower the risk while still maintaining credibility, she offers this help at a discounted rate. "Allowing a consultant to come in and reposition their entire business model after hearing you speak for two hours is not realistic," she relates. "Doing well on these projects gives me credibility for larger assignments."

Another benefit is that House sees the client "up close and personal" and makes better decisions on how to proceed. "Offering decisionmakers a low-risk way to sample your services allows us both to determine if it makes sense to work together in the future," she notes.