So many times I’m asked why I speak to small groups. Isn’t it a waste of my time? Wouldn’t I rather have an audience of thousands?
Well my friends, there are so many ways to respond to these questions. To begin with, when I first started my company, I needed to gain brand awareness so I would speak anywhere and everywhere I was asked. I was getting my name out and also practicing different talks to see what would become my “signature” talk.
What I ultimately found was that I related quite well to these small groups. I am an entrepreneur and new to these surroundings. Often I attend meetings and listen to speakers. I watch them to see if they have a look of disappointment when the attendance is low. Some do and some don’t. The smart ones don’t because they know, as I do, it’s not always the people in the room that can take you elsewhere; it’s the people they know that you now have access to.
Case in point-I was asked to speak to a somewhat small group a few weeks ago. I agreed many months ago and as the time got closer, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed. I am working on some big projects that have been taking my eye off the ball so to speak. (That’s another blog post for a different time.) When I arrived at the event, I talked to a few people, had lunch with others and then got ready to speak.
I only had 30 minutes but in those 30 minutes I built some amazing relationships. You see, I used some of the information I learned prior to my talk and shared it with the audience. They appreciated the fact that I actually was able to convey some of their challenges simply by listening to a few people for a few minutes. When I was done, I was approached by a few attendees that asked if I could be the keynote speaker at a large convention and added 2 more coaching clients to my business. Now, think for a moment, it was an event that for many had no potential for future business.
Now let’s not forget the last question from the beginning of this post….wouldn’t I rather be talking to an audience of thousands? I love speaking period. When I speak to thousands I connect with a few people at a time so that it makes them feel as if I am talking directly to them and makes me feel as if I’m in a relationship with just them. 5 to 5000, to me it’s all the same.
Remember a few things:
You are never wasting your time talking to a small group
It’s not necessarily the people that are in the audience that can help you; it’s the people they know
The people that are supposed to hear your message are the ones that show up
Happy selling!
One Response
Very well put. Your attitude expresses humility which is a trait which your audience detects and appreciates.