The Client Magnet: Delivering Talks Which Attract Prospective Clients

Do you want to talk about your passion or your identity?

Here’s a simple lesson.

If you’re going to give a talk on stage, don’t waste it by talking about things that don’t help prospective clients.

My goal when I speak on stage is usually simple; I want to attract clients.

My methodology is equally simple. I share solutions to problems clients are facing.

My USP (forgive the arrogance) is specificity. I try to be as specific as possible in what does and doesn’t work.

Here’s an example:

That’s it.

I find out what problems prospective clients are facing and I share solutions to those problems. Solutions rooted in my experience.

If they like my talk, they often reach out to me about helping them solve their problem.

I’ve found this approach so effective that I’m amazed more people aren’t doing it.

This raises the question, what’s happening?

Are You Putting Your Identity Before Your Clients’ Needs?

I’ve seen business consultants hustle hard to get a speaking slot at an event and then give a quirky talk unrelated to the challenges prospective clients are likely to face.

My guess is one of two things is happening.

1. Showcasing identity. Consultants use the opportunity to showcase their own identity rather than prioritise the needs of clients. They try to project a positive image of themselves in front of the larger group. This is often barely disguised virtual signalling. It’s not a good sign.

2. Different goals. Some consultants might not be trying to attract clients. This is perfectly fine. If you simply enjoy being on stage and want to share your passions with others, then by all means do it. Just be very clear that your goal is to have fun vs. attract clients.

A good example of this are talks about mental health. They might be valuable talks for the audience to hear and the speaker might enjoy giving them. In which case they should keep doing it. But prospective clients aren’t going to walk out of these talks saying

“That talk on giving yourself permission to fail was great, let’s hire that person to solve our declining click-through rate problem”

If you’re not talking about a problem people need help with, you’re not going to be the person they reach out to for help with that problem.

Another good example are talks with titles such as:

“How I rediscovered my love for [topic] in my journey across Africa”

Again, it’s a talk which might be very enjoyable to give, but it probably won’t help you attract clients.

If your goal is to attract clients (and that’s a big if), public speaking is a great way to do it. It puts you on stage before people that have the budget and motivation to solve complicated problems. It’s a golden opportunity to share your unique approach to solving those problems and attract attention.

I’d suggest not wasting it.

The Perfect Talk Title: How Not To Screw It Up

Your talk title should be incredibly compelling. A common mistake is to try and have something fun and quirky as the talk title. This is usually a bad idea.

If people don’t know if the talk is going to offer immediate value to them, they’re far less likely to attend. The talk title should highlight what the clear value is. 

You might see whacky talk titles like:

“What we learned from the feeding practices of Geese”

“The ‘X’ factor and engagement”

“No, we don’t want to click on your ads!”

“Putting the ‘we’ in ‘Web3”

No-one has any idea what they’re going to get from these kinds of talks.

I suspect this is what happens when the speaker is trying to stand out. But you don’t want to stand out for quirkiness, you want to stand out for the incredible value you’re going to give.

If you’re speaking at an event with multiple tracks (i.e. people have to choose between 2 or more talks), then the talk title is key. That’s pretty much the only thing people will look at to determine what talk to attend.

If you get the right hook, your room will be packed. If you do it badly, you might find yourself speaking to an empty room (I’ve been there, it stings). 

The principle here is to explain the desired outcome in 2-3 words and then use a subtitle to explain the process. For example, two of my most popular talk titles were:

Community-Driven Impact: A New Way To Prove (And Improve) Your Community’s Value 

The Indispensable Community: How To Stop Chasing Engagement Metrics And Focus On What Really Matters

Be very, very, careful about the talk title. It’s the critical thing. Don’t try to be clever or obscure. Don’t be generic either (e.g. How To Grow Your Business). Find the right point to explain:

1. What you’re sharing is new.

2. What you’re sharing is insanely valuable.

3. What you’re sharing is immediately practical. 

If you get those three things in the title and description, you can give talks to packed rooms which attract clients.