For some people, public speaking is a fear to overcome. For others, it’s a strategic PR and marketing tool that can grow a business and boost a personal brand. Irina Proskurina, CEO of digital PR agency E-PR Online, knows this first-hand: she is effectively using public speaking to spread her PR expertise and promote the agency along the way. In this article, she dissects the mechanisms through which public speaking works its magic, discusses the numerous benefits it offers, and gives tips on how to navigate and succeed in the PR-centered public speaking arena.
Public speaking does more than just convey a message to an audience. Giving your target audience some face time goes a long way: it connects, persuades, and engages. For entrepreneurs and professionals from various industries, these moments on stage – be it a physical event or a webinar – are golden opportunities to showcase their brand’s value, vision, and mission. Irina Proskurina explains: “As a public speaker, you’re not just sharing ideas or spreading knowledge. You’re embedding your brand into the minds of potential clients, partners, and investors organically.” It’s this direct yet unforced connection that can catapult your business into new active growth and visibility.
If you think that events offer weaker PR opportunities because of the limited audience reach (especially with in-person events), it’s time to reconsider. The truth is, memories of the pandemic are still fresh, and people are more enthusiastic about attending events than ever before. 52% of organizers reported a rise in attendance at their B2B face-to-face events in 2023, and 55% are planning to hold more events in the coming years.
Thanks to that, becoming a public speaker opens new marketing opportunities for you and your business on top of effective PR. The figures say it all: 80% of experts say that events are essential to their business’ marketing success. And public speaking’s impact is not just theoretical – it’s measurable. Entrepreneurs find that with each event they speak at, website traffic spikes, social media engagement increases, and, most importantly, leads and sales grow.
The bottom line is: now is a perfect time to tap into the surging audience activity and put your name out there as a speaker in your industry. Ms. Proskurina’s schedule is already booked through this year, and she’s witnessing a noticeable PR and marketing ROI. Some benefits she highlights are:
- Direct engagement with high-value audiences. You can interact with an audience that is already interested and involved in your field. This isn’t just any crowd; these are your potential customers, partners, and influencers who can directly contribute to your business’s growth.
- Building credibility at an accelerated pace. Unlike digital content, for example, which can take months to generate the same level of credibility, a single speaking event can establish a stronger connection. “There’s something about the shared experience of a live talk that fosters trust at an accelerated pace,” comments Irina.
- Opportunity for real-time market research. As a speaker, you can get instant feedback on your expertise, products, and business strategies from event attendees. This real-time market and audience research allows you to assess reactions, gather questions, and understand your target audience’s needs on the spot. Event attendees can be a focus group of sorts, only without the formal setup.
- Immediate emotional impact. The power of storytelling and relatable narratives generates a stronger impact in public speaking. You get to share your business journey, challenges, and successful cases, literally putting a familiar face on them. This is the type of memorable emotional connection that written content or social media simply cannot replicate. This, in turn, is a fast track to brand loyalty and recognition. According to Irina, “emotional connections forged during speeches make your brand stick in people’s minds long after the event is over.”
- Showcasing leadership and know-hows. Public speaking puts you on the map as a thought leader and innovator in your area of expertise. By addressing current trends, challenges, and approaches, you both share actionable knowledge and demonstrate your and your business’s role in shaping the industry.
- Leveraging exclusive networking opportunities. The environments that host speaking events are ripe with great networking opportunities. Beyond the attendee audience, you’re surrounded by fellow speakers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. You’re becoming part of a community that’s formed in more intimate settings like speaker dinners or backstage gatherings. Irina points out, “these environments provide unique opportunities to build connections with key industry players in a way that traditional networking events cannot match.”
Irina is exploring these advantages of public speaking in real time. She has already attended several events as a speaker in 2024 and seen a great reception of her forward-thinking approach to disrupting PR services as we know them. This reaction is reflected through real business results, too: “After each event where I’ve spoken, we’ve seen a direct uptick in inquiries, website traffic, and client engagements. This proves that public speaking can and should be seen as a business tool.”
For those entrepreneurs and professionals who have anxiety about public speaking or don’t know what they can contribute to the discourse in their industry, the CEO of E-PR Online has a couple of simple tips:
- Figure out your unique value proposition. Know what sets you apart and build your talks around these ideas.
- Target the right events. Quality always beats quantity, so choose events where your message resonates with the audience.
- Back up words with impactful presentations. Use data and visuals to make your message stick. It will also help you stay on track during a speech.
- Engage with your audience. Be approachable before and after your talk, ask and answer attendees’ questions, and build your network organically.
Irina Proskurina sums up: „Start small but dream big. Local events, workshops, and even online webinars are great places to build your skills. Remember, every speaking opportunity, no matter the size, is a chance to grow your business. Welcome the feedback, cultivate your message, and you’ll find your speaking engagements becoming more fruitful.“
