How to Get Speaking Engagements

By Paramjit Mahli
Sun Communications Group

How to Get Speaking Engagements

Public speaking, like it or not, is essential to your law firm’s growth. Paramjit Mahli, of Sun Communications Group, offers ways to get speaking engagements.

Like it or not, speaking engagements are an important component of a marketing or public relations plan for any law firm that is intent on growth. Whether you fear public speaking, or your workload leaves little free time, find a way to make room for speaking. Well-known marketers, such as Dan Kennedy and countless others, agree that speaking engagements are one of the fastest ways to gain new clients. Firms need to expose their areas of expertise to prospective clients. By speaking at conferences and forums put together by professional and industry trade groups, attorneys can increase their firm’s visibility, and consequently, its prospects for attracting new business. Public speaking gives speakers a special status, making it easier for speakers to meet prospects. Attendees expect speakers to reach out to the audience, which gives speakers respect and credibility. According to the American Society of Association Executives, the conference and meeting industry is a $56 billion dollar market. However, a word of caution: if you’re expecting overnight success, think twice; marketing, like gardening, requires nurturing, pruning, and weeding. So how and where do you begin?

Do some strategic thinking about the events you want to speak at . Target the associations you would like to get in front of. Who do you want your audience to be? For example, if your firm specializes in personal injury law, you may want to speak in front of a group of human resource managers about preventing hazardous conditions in the workplace. If your firm specializes in bankruptcies, financial planners and accounting associations might be a good fit. Start locally and build a portfolio. You must identify the speaking opportunities that will let you reach your intended audience. If you want to improve your skills, start with Toastmasters International, which has chapters in most cities. Members generally meet once a week to present impromptu and prepared speeches and then receive feedback from other members.

Designate a speaker for the firm . This can get a bit tricky depending on the size of the firm and the areas the firm wishes to focus upon. It’s best to start small and build a strong foundation. The designated speaker should have speaking experience. For small to medium-sized firms, the best choice would be a senior or managing partner.

From time to time, attorneys are invited to speak in front of groups; don’t wait for an invitation . Have a designated person in the firm, or a marketing public relations firm, actively working on opportunities. This person or firm is responsible for developing relationships with event and industry associations, submitting proposals and, most importantly, staying in touch with contacts. Stay on the right side of event organizers; it’s always a good idea to get on a group’s backup list of speakers.

It’s crucial that you tailor the proposals you submit to the event organizers’ preferences . You want to make their lives easier. Ask them whether they prefer e-mail, hard copy, or fax submissions. Make sure you meet deadlines and that all appropriate material is sent together, such as biographies and a list of previous speaking engagements.

If you are targeting a particular group that is not giving your firm the time of day, offer to write for the group’s newsletter . This will go a long way toward building a relationship and demonstrating to the organization that your firm is serious.

Finally, follow up, follow up, follow up . Being persistent in a non-obtrusive way goes a long way and can help your firm stand above the crowd.

Now you have an infrastructure for obtaining speaking engagements. Next month, I will explain how to get more visibility for your presentations, both online and through other marketing tactics. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at pmahli@suncommunicationsgroup.com or 212-661-9137.