EP 126 Start Speaking By Building a Community

Getting started as a speaker can be intimidating. We get in our own way and overthink what we should say in a pitch, how we can reach out to an organizer, or wonder if anybody actually wants us on the stage. One way to get started speaking is to host your own event, like Taryn did.

Taryn Jerez, owner of One Crafty Miss, really wanted to start speaking and she wasn't going to wait around for somebody to hand her a microphone. She saw a need in her creative industry and started hosting an event where she could highlight other women and other business owners and bring people together to grow their own businesses and create community. She started gaining traction in her own business as a speaker...and that’s just the beginning….

So if you've thought about hosting an event, or you love curating communities online, this episode is for you. Today, we are going to show you how being that incredible networker can help you fast track your speaking success. My challenge to you today as you listen to this podcast is to ask yourself “how can I show up as a host, a connector or a curator to bring people together and create an experience that's going to leave them wanting more?”

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The story: Two years ago, Taryn Jeerez started a monthly meetup called “Cupcakes & Creatives”, as a way to bring creatives together for learning, support and community. Sure, she thought this may help her begin to establish herself as a speaker, and that she would eventually grow her business through the connections that were being made. But there was so much more than she ever imagined.

Episode takeaways you don’t want to miss:

Some of the benefits of hosting your own events

When you're the host of an in-person event, there is something very special about hearing from your audience in real time in real life. Also, you gain an incredible amount of customer knowledge and market research that are exchanged in those moments.
You gain trust as you get to see some of the same people in multiple meetings and begin to build relationships with them. And we are not talking about just the meeting attendees, but also the people that you are booking services with, like the venue owner or caterer.
As a host, you are facilitating the meeting, introducing the guest speaker, and in doing so, you are establishing yourself as a leader and a speaker. It's tier one speaking. You are not getting up there every month with a hard pitch train intended to move people into your business right away. Instead, by showing up consistently and creating that space for them, the like and trust factor is going through the roof. And when you do have a coaching spot open up, they're ready to jump in because they already know you and trust you.
As your audience learns more about you, some will convert to clients or send you a referral that becomes your client and you wouldn’t have found this client otherwise. Taryn thought she may gain some new local clients from these meetings, but referrals are coming from other cities and states as well.

How to get the right speakers and sponsors for the event

First, start with your inner circle, those relationships that you've already established. If you have someone that you think would be a great fit, start there; knowing your speaker makes it easier to ask them. The speaker may also help you determine the event’s style, and vice versa.
Then, ask for referrals (because you only know so many people). In the beginning, Taryn surveyed her audience about potential speakers and topics. And this introduced her to potential speakers that she may have not not known about otherwise. She used her social media platforms to reach out to her audience for suggestions and topic hashtags to do her research on the suggestions. Armed with this information, she planned months of meetings in advance.
Ask yourself “who do I want in front of my audience?” Do your research and figure out who's a good fit, personality and values, because it’s your event and your speaker is an extension of your brand. You want to make sure that the people coming up on your stage are representing your brand in the way that you would.
Also ask yourself, “What’s the energy I want in the room?” Are you looking for a Tony Robbins style speaker or a gut wrenching tear fest? Not all speakers are created the same, so it is worth taking the time to ask questions to learn what this experience is going to look like.
As for sponsors, Taryn reaches out to people who may have a similar mission, or at least a similar passion for what she does, like a woman-owned local bakery. Generally, they will get some business from their sponsorship as well, so it’s good business for them too. ANd she recommends being ruthless about asking for things. Do it in a way that doesn't step on toes. And that's really authentic. But don't be afraid to ask, because if you don't ask, the answer is always no. When looking for sponsors, instead of thinking “What can I get for free?” think, “how can I give this business a platform?”

Are you planning to host your own event and need help selecting the right speakers? Download our free workbook to help you find the best fit speakers for YOUR event! - Click Here to Grab the Workbook!

What’s the Bottom Line?

Hosting recurring events like Cupcakes & Creatives are about laying a foundation of trust and value, and building relationships. Without a doubt, relationship building is the biggest ROI. And we’re talking about relationships with all the players: attendees, other speakers and sponsors.

So maybe the people in the room are not looking for your services at the moment, but remember that creatives hang out with creatives; perhaps someone else they know is looking for those services. About 30% of Taryn’s referrals have stemmed from the Cupcakes and Creatives meetings. This was certainly not something she ever imagined would happen. And there are some many other intangible benefits that cannot be put into dollars. Like event photos. Events create opportunities for photos of you speaking that you can now put on your website, social media, blog posts. And those photos build credibility.

Taryn’s experience is a great reminder for all of us that speaking events are not one size fits all. We don't have to wait for the perfect opportunity to fall into our laps. We can get out there right now and create something that's going to serve our audience, build relationships and also help us scale our businesses.