Ep 130 What to Expect from Speaking in 2021

As you're starting to make your business plans and goals for 2021 and with most events canceled in 2020, are you debating whether or not you should consider speaking at all next year? Yes, you should definitely plan on it! Because there will be events in 2021. Now, not all of these events are going to look like they used to and that's okay. At the end of the day, speaking is not canceled.

Today, we're going to dive deep into what you can expect when it comes to speaking in 2021. And how we can make sure that you are still hitting those big goals you've set.

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Resources mentioned in this episode:

Listen to episode Episode 117 to learn how to set impactful speaking goals.
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Episode takeaways you don’t want to miss:

What to expect in 2021

There will be events in 2021. These are not going to look like they used to. And that’s ok. Showing up and sharing your message is not canceled. There will be events, some may be in person, some may be online. And that doesn't change the impact.

Virtual events are amazing - don't discount them. In fact, your likelihood of conversions are higher with virtual events. With less travel and less time away from the office, your expenses are lower and your ROI higher. And virtually is where you get to reach and connect with people who otherwise couldn't go to in-person events.

There will be in-person events, they’ll just be different. Less is more going into 2021. If in the past, you were speaking for a spotlight on big stages and getting in front of as many people as you could on that big stage, you're probably not going to like speaking as much in 2021. But if you have been speaking to get in front of the people who need to hear your message, making them feel validated, helping them achieve a transformation, learn something new, speaking life into them, and connecting with your audience in person, you are not going to miss out on anything next year. Because that's what events are going to look like.

There will be new hosts. These are people who have never hosted events before, who've been sitting in their homes and their yoga pants for the last eight months. While at the same time, they've been quietly leading their audiences behind the scenes by showing up on social media, getting on their podcast, curating communities remotely. Those people are going to start stepping up and hosting events, more intimate events. And it's up to us as the speakers to pay attention to these new leaders, rather than to events that happened in the past.

Content will need to change. Your presentation from last year probably won't cut it in 2021. Your audience has been home for many months, isolated, trying to absorb content, and a lot of “how to” type of content. They're burnt out on content. What they need now is hope. They want inspiration. They want connection, they want to be able to see different ways that they can innovate and adjust their business. And they really want to feel seen. Your content cannot be the same.

You will need to speak to where your audience is right now. Not where they were last year or the year before or even six months ago. Where they are now. What are the things that they are facing, that they're struggling with? What are they hoping for? That's what you need to fit into your talk. And you will only know that information if you have been actively engaging with them. That means hanging out in the DMS, talking to your clients, showing up in your community. When you understand what they're going through, you can speak to that effortlessly.

You will need to revisit your presentation. To elevate your speaking strategy in 2021, look at your presentations, look at your talks and ask yourself:

Are there places where I sound a little bit out of touch?
Are there stories, examples or points of reference that would be more relevant to my audience right now?
How can I take the content I've been delivering and bring it to the level where we’re at today?”

Right now, when your audience listens to you, are they being filled with hope and inspiration? Are you helping them innovate, pivot and adjust with the times? And are you making sure that they feel seen and heard, because everything right now feels automated and disconnected? As people are going through sequences, funnels and opt-ins, and they're stuck inside of their homes, they're longing for connection and intimacy. And if you can create that in your talk, you will have no problem scaling your business with speaking.

It may take some creativity to get in front of your desired audience. Even if we have an incredible presentation that speaks right to where our audience is today, how do we get in front of them when our favorite events have been canceled? Well, I want you to go to Episode 117 if you haven't listened to it yet, as it is about setting profitable speaking goals for any business climate.

Are you ready to scale your business with your speaking in 2021? If so, these are your Next Steps:

Get clear on WHY you want to speak
Set goals for impact and income
Innovate on how you'll hit those goals
Don't skimp on the heart of your message

If we can't create connections, we are not going to have conversions. So as you're setting those big goals for next year, dream bigger than ever. Because if there's anything that we all need this next year, it's a fresh start. Remember, events will happen, they might just look different. Consider the size of the events and how the audience has changed. Revisit your content to make sure it is relevant and impactful. Be clear on why you want to speak. This will help you set the right goals, and then create a plan to reach them. Last, don't skimp on the heart of your message.

Are you ready to commit to next year, to really figure out your message, craft it well and share it with the people that matter so you can scale your business and transform more lives? Then checkout TheSpeakingStrategyAcademy.com. Speaking is not one size fits all. And a cookie cutter approach just isn't going to cut it next year. So we're ditching the cookie cutter, and we're diving deep with coaching. Because I could give you the best speech template, the slide deck template, the pitch scripts, the sales scripts and every resource under the sun. But those tools are not going to make you an impactful speaker. It's the coaching in your corner. It's the feedback on your work. And it's a community to hold you accountable that truly creates transformation. Head over to TheSpeakingStrategyAcademy.com for details.