How to Know if A Promotional Opportunity for Your Business Is Worth Pursuing
My clients consistently ask what I recommend as best practices for accepting (free) speaking opportunities and paid promotional opportunities.
Because you are dedicating your time, energy, and resources to promote your business, I always suggest having a clear intention for why you’re showing up and what you want to gain from the experience.
The first set of filtering questions I ask for free speaking opportunities and paid promotional opportunities are:
- Will your ideal clients (and buyers) be in attendance?
- Will people who know your ideal clients be in attendance? If so, will these people willingly introduce you?
- Will you be able to collect information (phone numbers, emails) and book appointments during or after the event?
As I’ve mentioned in previous videos, having a clear understanding of your ideal client is an absolute must. You will need to determine the additional questions to ask in order to answer #1 & #2.
Once you have satisfactory answers to the above questions, you can make your decision.
If aren’t able to get clear answers for the above questions I suggest doing a bit more legwork:
- Seek out past participants who are in your industry that hold similar values and mindset to you and ask about their experience at the event.
- Check the website or advertisements for current and past vendors, speakers, and participants to see if people from your industry have participated. You can also call their offices to inquire about their experiences.
A few things to keep in mind:
I advise making an educated decision but do not overthink it!
Go with your gut. You never know who you’ll meet while you’re out and about!
If you have a positive mindset and you speak to someone who has a negative outlook, you aren’t going to get accurate data, that’s why I suggest finding people inside of your community who you know, like, and trust so that you can get a clear idea of what’s possible.
Keeping a positive mindset is essential but don’t fall into magical thinking and convince yourself that something that isn’t a fit is.
The better you know your ideal clients (and buyers), the easier it is to choose speaking and promotional opportunities wisely.
Use this set of filters and watch your results become more focused with each event!