Veronika Noize, the Virtual Marketing Coach for Small Business

How to Give A Killer Spotlight Speech
By Veronika (Ronnie) Noize, the Marketing Coach

If you're a member of a networking organization, chances are that there is a wonderful opportunity for you to significantly raise your visibility in the group, and to become known, liked and trusted.

And chances are that you haven't yet taken advantage of this opportunity.

That opportunity is the "spotlight" speech, which is what many organizations call the five or 10 minutes that each member is granted upon enrollment in the organization to address the group and explain their businesses in detail.

Although most groups offer these opportunities to their members, too many of us don't take advantage of them, or if we do, we don't always exploit the spotlight to its full potential, and that opportunity is wasted, for both us as speakers as well as our listening audience.

But it doesn't have to be wasted time--as a matter of fact, a spotlight speech can be a terrific business builder for you if you play your cards right.

First, you need to understand that a spotlight speech is NOT a chance to tell your life story or even how you got into your business, however fascinating that may be.

Your time in the spotlight is your best chance to explain how you help your clients, and to provide a demonstration of your expertise to your audience. It's your chance to achieve (in under 10 minutes) what matters most in business: To become known, liked, and trusted (because we all know that people buy from people they know, like and trust).

But how can you do all that in 10 minutes or less? Here are two words to keep in mind regarding your spotlight speech: Value and preparation.

Value is the single most important aspect of your speech, and you can easily offer information of real value in just a few minutes. Share tips, advice, explain a procedure, anything! And don't just TALK about your services and what you offer, SHOW your expertise. (You get bonus points for involving your audience!)

Once you've established the value of the services you're offering, preparation is key to a successful speech. Here are several things you can do to make the most of your time (before, during and after) in the spotlight while you have your audience's undivided attention:

Provide an interesting paragraph or two for the press release, newsletter, or other marketing that the organization does for the meeting.
Bring your own introduction. If you have one prepared, you can be sure that it sets the right tone for your presentation, and it keeps your introducer from having to make something up about you at the last minute. A good introduction will help establish your credibility before you speak, and actually extend your time in front of the audience, since your introduction is all about YOU.
Look the part. When I did my spotlight speech recently, I wanted to make a visual impact and say more about myself than my business suit alone could say, so I wore a crown and a sash with the words "Marketing Queen" emblazoned across it. Between the content I presented and my handy visual aids, my audience understood immediately what I am about, and what I have to offer.
Take advantage of the speaker table or other special opportunities offered to spotlight speakers. If there's room (and there usually is for spotlight speakers), arrange your table as you would for a trade show, decorating it with product samples, giveaways, your business cards, and so on.
Have a sign-up sheet on your table. Remember that this spotlight speech is a prospecting activity, so give people a place to sign up for more resources or your newsletter. Here's another tip: Add a "call me" section so that hot prospects can indicate their interest.
Include a photo on your one-sheet. A one-sheet is a marketing page that tells who you are, lists a few credentials and/or your services, quotes happy customers, and so on. But more than that, it is a relationship piece that helps your prospects get to know you. It doesn't have to be fancy; you can print it out in color on a piece of letterhead, back it with cardboard, and set it up with a small tabletop easel for display.
Save time in your speech for questions. Organize your speech to share information first, but remember to leave one or two minutes at the end for some quick questions from your audience.
Invite your audience to sample your services, and/or visit your display table. After the questions, thank your audience, and then mention any special offers or incentives that you have for signing up on your mailing list or setting up a consultation.
After your spotlight speech, you've still got work to do. You'll need to follow up with the people who signed up on your list or requested consultations. Give them a call to set up meetings, and send them whatever materials you promised.
Don't forget to thank the person who introduced you, as well as the person who booked your speech.

Because the purpose of networking groups is to establish and develop business networks, one would think that spotlight speeches would be highly sought-after opportunities, but it has been my experience that people are often afraid to take center stage.

This fear must be caused by the fear of the spotlight itself; it can be intimidating to stand up in front of a group and talk about yourself. It may help reduce that fear to keep in mind that you're not up there talking about yourself, you're sharing information of interest and value with your peers.

So please, don't let fear keep you from taking advantage of this wonderful opportunity to speak. Speaking is a great way to build your own confidence, as well as credibility in the eyes of others in your organization.

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Veronika (Ronnie) Noize, the Marketing Coach, is a successful Vancouver, WA-based entrepreneur, author, speaker, and Certified Professional Coach. Through coaching, classes and workshops, Ronnie helps small businesses attract more clients. For free marketing resources including articles and valuable marketing tools, visit her web site at www.VeronikaNoize.com, or email her at Ronnie@VeronikaNoize.com.