Speaking Opportunities for Home Business Owners

In the previous post, Add Speaking to your Home Business Activities, I suggested that you start promoting your business and the items or services you offer by taking advantage of speaking opportunities. 

“Where do I find these opportunities?” you wonder.

*Local organizations and church groups often are seeking guest speakers.  They often look to local businesses, craftspeople, authors, and entertainers to share with them.

*Your town library may want local people to present programs.  These aren’t always authors, but someone whose business or interest lies within a topic or theme the library is promoting that month. 

*You may not necessarily give a talk about your business.  Perhaps you have a particular interest or hobby that interests an organization.  You might be introduced as the owner of “such and such” business.  Have business cards handy.  Bring a brief mention of your business into your talk.

*Perhaps a local adult education program (sometimes held at a high school or local college) is looking for someone to teach a workshop about your area of expertise.  I’ve often taught one night (3-hour) writing workshops at the continuing education department of the local college.

*Senior center directors often seek speakers for their group.  I’ve spoken at senior centers about scrapbooking, family history, skin care, and writing local history…all areas in which I’m involved.

*Scouts, 4-H clubs, teen organizations often want adults to share with the youngsters about their areas of expertise. 

*Career Day at local high schools offer you an opportunity to speak with young people and their teachers.  This might not be a formal speech, simply talking with those who stop by your table.  In some cases, this could lead to your being invited to talk to a particular class or the whole school.

*Community television groups often desire speakers from the local area to give a presentation.  When a friend and I wrote a newspaper column about budget shopping, we were invited to talk about this for the local television network.  Several years later, a host for a monthly author program at a larger television studio interviewed me.

These are just a few ideas.  As you begin brainstorming about your local area, you’ll come up with more opportunitie to pursue.

As you become better known around the area as someone who will speak and teach to groups, you’re likely to receive more invitations.  You may speak at first for no compensation or simply a small fee.  Many organizations offer a $25 guest fee.  Many are beginning to increase this to cover your gas travling to their location.  (That’s another reason to start locally…it doesn’t involve costly travel or negotiations for a fee that will cover this.)

Even if you’ve never done much speaking or teaching before, you’ll gradually discover this as enjoyable way to promote your home business.