Developing an Effective Speaker Program
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Transcript of Developing an Effective Speaker Program
©2008 Laurus Technologies, Inc.
Developing an Effective Speaker Program
Steve Susina, Director of [email protected] 4, 2008
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How did I get involved?How did I get involved?
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Steve Susina Rest of Tellabs
Speeches on the Event Calendar: Circa 2002
I only did it so I could go to conferences!
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Benefits of Speaking Programs: Thought LeadershipBenefits of Speaking Programs: Thought Leadership
> Prospects want to buy—not to be sold.> Information empowers prospects to enter into
relationships with their vendors as informed and knowledgeable consumers
> Trust is builtbefore theinitial meeting
PhotoCredit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boeke
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Becoming KnownBecoming Known
> Increasingly, customers won’t start building the relationship with you until they know more about you
> Customers want to learn from trusted experts
> Presenting at conferences, trade shows and other venues serve as a proxy for vetting the expertise
Irony—customers want to know you before they’ll even accept a meeting to get to know you!
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How to establish a speaking program:How to establish a speaking program:
> Have something interesting or worthwhile to say.
> Find speakers who are authentic, enthusiastic, reasonably well spoken. Write a strong bio, including all prior speeches.
> Have something interesting or worthwhile to say.
> Encourage speakers to start at the bottom tier events—even if they’re the VP.
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How to establish a speaking program (Con’t)How to establish a speaking program (Con’t)> Have something interesting or
worthwhile to say.
> Develop a list of target events, then widen your net and look further
> Have something interesting or worthwhile to say.
> Document each and every speaking opportunity in which your staff participates.
> Have something interesting or worthwhile to say.
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Things to keep in mindThings to keep in mind
> Build one area of expertise per speaker > Focus on positioning them as an expert > If no experience, start with “pay for play”
> Spend time up front to develop 3 or 4 different abstracts> Examples
> Business benefits> Technology primer> Evolution of the Technology/Market/Customer> Implementation best practices/case studies
> Work with the expert to understand where s/he wants to present> Type of events> Geography> Audience demographics
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The Three Page Abstract: The Three Page Abstract:
> Page 1: > FULL contact information, Speaker and Administrative
contact (you)> Two or three paragraph description of the speech> The Key Phrase:
> “In this presentation, the audience will learn:”> Followed by 3-5 bullet-points of specific audience benefits
> Page 2: > A full page justification for the speech> More detail, background.
> Page 3: > A detailed bio, including education and personal background > A listing of recent public speaking opportunities
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Locating Events to pitchLocating Events to pitch
> Trade Publication calendars> Your competition’s “News & Events” page> Catchpole’s weekly newsletter> Google
> Subject topic + “call for papers” or “call for presentations”> Event producers
> Marcus Evans> IIR
> Your PR firm> Local chapter contacts of professional organizations> Schools> Conferences & Trade show organizers
The wall between the conference producer and the exhibit sales staff is often thin (if it exists at all)!
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Post-event marketing opportunitiesPost-event marketing opportunities
> Post the slide deck on your web site as a resource> Record the speech for a podcast/online video> Develop a white paper around the speech> Send a letter to customers offering to deliver a
“command performance” if they missed the conference or trade show
> Incorporate the content into your Newsletter> Call attention to your speeches as evidence of your
thought leadership
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Social media opportunities:Social media opportunities:
> Slideshare.com> Post slidedecks online, integrate with LinkedIn
> LinkedIn> What are you working on?> “Finalizing presentation on Developing An Effective
Speaker Program to present at Illinois Tech. Assn. Chicago tomorrow.”
> Twitter> “Presenting at the Illinois Technology Association
tomorrow on Developing an Effective Speaker Program. http://tinyurl.com/b62cx3”
> SpeakerRate.com> Speaker rating service for audience members.
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Results?Results?
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2002 2004
Speeches on the Tellabs Event Calendar
Same approach at UTStarcom led to 11 speeches in 2006-07 on FMC product line—8 for me, 3 for others
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