It’s common for companies to spend thousands, tens of thousands or even millions of dollars a year on advertising. Yet the simple truth is, just getting on a stage and speaking can build more credibility than spending those thousands of dollars.

Public speaking is one of the most powerful tools you could use to build a personal and professional brand.

==> How Does Public Speaking Build Brand?

People have a special place in their minds carved out for “experts” and “authority figures.” Once someone is recognized as an expert, people will often defer to those experts and give them enormous credibility.

Speaking in public will help bestow that kind of expert aura on you.

Just the fact that you got on stage will go a long way towards building your credibility and brand.

Can speaking in public as a person help build a company’s brand? Of course. Steve Jobs is one fantastic example. Steve Jobs was a prominent public speaker and his personal brand absolutely bled over to his company’s brand.

Just make sure that every time you’re speaking, you at least touch on what your company does. Use examples from your own company and link yourself to your company during your talks.

==> How to Get the Right Appearances

Naturally, speaking at an international conference filled with high profile members of your community is going to build a lot more credibility and brand than speaking at your local Meetup group.

So how do you land these big speaking gigs?

First of all, remember that event coordinators need speakers just as much as speakers need a platform to speak on. If you can prove that you have what it takes to be a great speaker, most organizers will be thrilled to have you on board.

That said, you do need to have a credible background. You should have a recognizable name. You should ideally also have a fair amount of speaking experience. Some organizers will ask for a video of you speaking if they don’t know you well enough.

Contact the conference organizer with your credentials and see if they’re looking for speakers. It helps if you have a mutual friend or if you can meet them in person at a different conference, preferably one that they’re not organizing.

Try to make contact as early as possible. Event organizers need to start organizing and marketing an event months in advance. They’ll want to be able to use your name to promote the event, if not your list. The earlier you can get in touch, the better your chances.

Public speaking is one of the most powerful methods you could use to build your brand, both personally and professionally. Just follow the steps above to get yourself those high profile speaking gigs!