Speakers and Trainers - The Internet is Your Biggest Megaphone by: Dr. Lynella Grant

Speak to an Audience that Reaches across the Globe

As a professional at home on the platform, you’ve spent years polishing a compelling message. The presentations you make are honed to perfection. Your delivery style draws raves and repeat bookings. So why don’t you deliver a taste of your best stuff to the whole world?

Easily done! Send articles that provide a sample of your message and speaking personality to numerous Internet directories and ezines. The biggest auditorium couldn’t contain all the people exposed to a single article widely posted online. While the cost is minimal (mainly your time), the impact from articles can be gigantic! Consider the benefits. www. promotewitharticles. com/benefits. html

Internet Exposure is Crucial for Name Recognition

A spokesman at the National Speakers Association ( www. nsaspeaker. org ) indicated that, "Nearly all our members have a website, anymore. It’s a huge part of their differentiation. " Information that can be posted on the speaker’s website is miles ahead of a traditional brochure to highlight their message and qualifications. Websites can be kept up to date, and eliminate the delays of mailing materials to prospects. Not to mention, people can find you through search engine queries related to your specialized topics.

A typical speaker isn’t satisfied to appear only on their own site. Many promote their services on other websites, too - expert sites, websites maintained by their agents or publishers, and resource sites related to their forte. The Internet shines when it comes to reaching targeted groups - the very people you want to know about you. Also, you can control the niches or organizations you reach by where you submit your material.

A speaker’s well-placed articles accomplishes the same thing. Posting even one multiplies the number of sites where your name appears. Repeated in-depth articles on a theme build momentum. Your unique spin on a topic will draw readers to your website so they can delve deeper.

Adopt a Speedy Delivery Method

Simply listing your topics or programs can’t convey the depth of your message. The 600 to 800 word length is longer than a sound-bite, providing a realistic sample of your expertise - like a mini-speech. Your signature (Sig) at the end provides your short ad.

Imagine this. The article you write this morning can be submitted to hundreds of places this afternoon. And within a few days it appears on numerous websites, ezines, and search engines. Before a world-wide readership!

Rebecca Morgan is sold on marketing one’s speaking through online articles. "Although it’s hard to quantify some of the results, it’s a great boost when people keep telling me, ‘I see your name everywhere. ’ Some of my articles have shown up over 100 places. " Her weekly ezine and forum www. speakernetnews. com is a storehouse of insider advice to profit from speaking. Subscribe for free.

Articles Attract Speaking Bookings

Frank Candy, American Speakers Bureau, www. speakersbureau. com looks at online articles from the agent’s perspective. "It [posting articles] absolutely works to position yourself as an expert in the marketplace. The problem with the Internet is, there’s too much fluffy stuff out there. Getting your articles widely placed lets people see the depth of your knowledge. "

Speaker and public relations professional, Michele Wierzgac says, "Writing assures that I spend more time refining my message. My two monthly columns expose me to 300,000 readers every month. And that leads to more speaking opportunities. " She credits her articles with broadening her niche much faster than she expected. www. micheleandco. com

Speaking to the aviation industry accounts for over 30% of Ralph Hood’s speaking dates. An added bonus comes from turning columns into books sold from his website www. ralphhood. com. When he started speaking full time (1985) he didn’t want to waste his career connections. So he stays visible as a columnist for six monthly trade publications.

To quote him, "Being a columnist doesn’t eliminate marking, but it’s an extremely helpful part of it. And they pay me for each column - besides them showing I’m an expert. "

Package your Content for the Web

It’s often said, "On the Internet, content is king. " As a speaker, you’ve got content - up to your knees in it. You can pass it out all day long (and often do). Your challenge isn’t what to write about, but deciding what to do with the articles once they’re written.

Develop your Customized List of Places to Post Articles (besides the well-known article directories):

Search Google for your name or company. Any website already mentioning you is probably willing to receive your fresh material

Websites/ezines of companies or groups where you’ve spoken

Anywhere you’ve sent promotional material " your prospects. Use in your own ezine or as a stand-alone, "Thought you’d be interested" piece

Search Google for your field or targeted niche. In the Search Within Results box type "Submit articles," for a list of places receptive to submissions

Places that publish any article of yours receive future ones

Identify a prolific article writer who speaks to your same market. Search on their name, and submit your material to places where their articles appear

As you routinely send articles, they’ll begin appearing in places besides where you submitted. And it just keeps building. . . Discover how to maximize the power of articles at www. promotewitharticles. com. Or if you want the rewards without the effort, let me write and submit your articles for you www. promotewitharticles. com/system. html.

No more back burner! Start sending out samples of your message, and let them do your selling for you.

©2005, Lynella Grant

Author:
Dr. Lynella Grant

About the Author:
Dr. Lynella Grant Consultant and Author - Promote yourself, business, website, or book with online articles www.promotewitharticles.com. Free how-to. Or let me write and submit your articles online for you. No learning curves (719)395-9450grant(at)promotewitharticles.com