Build Your Brand: Offering Cohesive Messaging as a Public Speaker

Public speakers, especially new ones, often jump at the opportunity for speaking gigs, without thinking of how it affects their reputation and their brand. This is a bad idea!

You need to nail your messaging early in your public speaking career and maintain it consistently across all channels, building yourself as an expert in the field. If you take jobs that aren't in your area of expertise early in your career will give you the 'Jack of all trades, master of none' tag that might be difficult to shed later.

Here are easy steps to build your brand.

1. Know What Value You Can Offer

Assessing the value you can offer your clients from public speaking is the first step in building your brand. People have to believe that by spending their money and time listening and receiving advice from you, they will learn something beneficial.

Past accomplishments and experience in a field are usually the best way to assess your value on a subject. The credibility of the information you pass to your audience is based on the results you have had in the past. You cannot speak on how to run a successful company, for example, if you have never run one.

Find a niche area that you have enough experience and accomplishments on and build your brand as a speaker in it. This will help distinguish you as an expert as you will be in a position to answer questions satisfactorily and speak about the topic confidently and with relevant examples.

If you don't have a clear area of expertise, you can turn yourself into one by reading, researching, participating in discussions, and listening to other industry experts.

2.  Define Your Target Audience

Your general audience characteristics will not vary significantly.

Your message and how you package it should largely depend on the audience, so you need to define their characteristics before coming up with the message. You don't have to be specific on the demographics at this stage, but having a general idea of who they are will help you mold your messaging effectively.

The best way to find your appropriate audience is by looking into other public speakers' audiences in the field.

3. Create Your Key Message

Coming up with a consistent message should be easier now that you understand the value you can offer and already know your audience.

Your key message is the foundation upon which all your messaging will be built on. The main message that you will pass through all your public speaking events.

The key to this step is differentiating your main message from all other public speakers in the same niche. The message should also be a topic the audience is interested in and that you can speak about passionately and with confidence.

4.  Connect With Your Audience and Evolve

Crafting your message is not the end.

Branding also involves connecting with your potential audiences through social media, blogging, speaking gigs, etc. Public speaking gigs, especially for beginners, are often dependent on referrals, so you need to make interactions with people in the industry by showcasing your message. Interactions will also help you get feedback from your audience.

You must evolve your messaging at this phase, incorporating suggestions and improving your message delivery.

A Cohesive Message Will Build Your Brand as a Public Speaker

Taking different types of speaking jobs early in your career may seem like a great idea at first, but it is a mistake if you hope to have a long and fruitful career as a public speaker. Branding yourself and your message from the get-go will pay off in the future. Also feel free to contact us to learn more on publicity and build your brand further.