What do you think is more valuable for brand development: Paying for speaking opportunities at a conference or seminar or being invited to speak?
This topic came up the other day when I was speaking with a prospective GMI Rocket client about growing their business through speaking opportunities. I asked if they had ever spoken at industry conferences or events before, and they responded that they have but that, to them, it was not worthwhile. They said that the tens of thousands of dollars it costs to “buy” a speaking gig, pay for flights and hotel rooms plus the cost of time spent away from work would be better spent on digital ads and, presumably, have a better ROI.
I listened and nodded. But then I asked, “What if, instead of paying for a speaking opportunity, you were invited to speak at these very same conferences?”
Don’t pay, get invited to speaking opportunities
The implication of that question took a moment to sink in, and the person’s eyes widened a bit. Somehow, this was something they’d never really considered. This was a business leader, with decades of experience in global immigration, but they had never even thought about the fact that they could be invited to speak at an event instead of spending thousands of dollars paying for these speaking opportunities and the associated travel costs. Now that they understood the difference, they were intrigued by this new proposition.
So how do you get invited to speaking opportunities instead of paying for them?
There’s one resource that I think is incredibly undervalued when it comes to both brand development and getting speaking opportunities: LinkedIn.
This is why you should leverage your LinkedIn for speaking opportunities
LinkedIn is the best resource for speaking opportunities because creating content on LinkedIn gives you a digital platform and presence. If you want to be seen as an expert in any subject from immigration law to politics, you are going to have to show people why you’re considered the authority in your field. When it comes to speaking opportunities, organizers will be looking for experts and LinkedIn often gives them their first impression of potential speakers. The more meaningful connections you have and the more engaging content you post on LinkedIn will help solidify your status as an expert in your field to others.
How do I leverage my LinkedIn for speaking opportunities?
If done correctly and strategically, LinkedIn is unbeatable as a tool to turn someone, especially a genuinely experienced business leader, into an industry thought leader who gets speaking opportunities. It won’t happen overnight because building your LinkedIn presence will take effort and consistency.
However, it will never cost you money to create content on LinkedIn, and putting in roughly two hours of work a week will pay off in the long run. Think of it this way: It’s not just the likes and comments you get every time you post, it’s also the long-term value you’re creating, for your brand and the industry, along the way. On top of that, every piece of content that you make along the way to your goal functions as marketing material for you in itself. And most importantly, it’s actually fun!
If you’re an experienced immigration or global mobility professional but you are new to using social media or you are looking to build your first content strategy for LinkedIn, read my article on how to get started here.
If you’re new in your career and looking to build your brand as you gain experience, I would first reflect and ask: “What particular kind of subject expert would you like to be?” Then from there, you can identify what content would be most engaging to those in that field. Additionally, LinkedIn can be a great way to publish if you’re just starting out in your career. Read my article on how to build a presence both as an immigration professional and as a LinkedIn thought leader here.
