When it comes to lawyer speaking engagements, we often hear from attorneys who are frustrated by the characteristics and quality of the audience. You know the story: the attorney signs up for a seminar with a company that agrees to handle the advertising, invitations and all logistical details. It seems like a great bargain – until the attorney shows up to find a hotel conference room packed with competitors!
PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR LAWYERS AND PUBLIC REPUTATION
Public speaking for lawyers is one of the best ways to support your firm’s Public Reputation. Not only does it give an attorney and firm access to a particular audience, but it also generates content that can be used on the firm’s website, in client alerts, and in pitches to journalists and bloggers. However, it pays to do your research before the attorney and marketing staff spend hours perfecting a presentation. Here are a few questions to consider:
- Who is the audience? Find out how many attendees are expected, along with their job titles. If this is an annual event, review attendance lists from past programs to determine the quality of the audience.
- What is the contact policy? Ask whether the attorney will receive the attendee list for post-event follow up. It’s the follow up that drives the majority of law firm business development typically – not the speech itself.
- Is there a discount for “friends of the firm”? Find out whether the conference organizer can waive or heavily discount registration fees for your own contacts. You can improve the quality of the audience, and reach particular prospects, by inviting your own clients and guests to the event.
Simple questions like these can go a long way in helping to determine whether an upcoming conference is the perfect match for your firm and if it will further support your Public Reputation goals.