Felicia Slattery: Your Turn to Speak at Your Leads Group?

Every Thursday morning I attend a non-fee-based local leads organization called Leading the Way, based in Naperville, Illinois. We follow the same format each week, introducing ourselves with a 30-second speech, passing leads, and then listening to two or three members of the group speak about a topic for about 10-15 minutes each.

This similar format plays out every morning and noon of the work week in restaurants and coffee houses all over the US, UK and Europe. Local, national and international groups such as local chambers of commerce, BNI, Le Tip, and the like are filled with business people who want to establish relationships with others for networking.

Invariably at the meeting I attend each week, at least one of the speakers will say something like this, “I had no idea what to talk to you about. You’ve already heard everything about what I do.” While it’s true many of us have been attending the group for a year or longer, there are some new faces, so not EVERYONE has heard it all. And wait – really? We’ve heard it ALL? Everything? That’s not even possible.

But what to talk about?

Here are a few tips to help you figure out what to talk about at your next leads meeting…

1. Trends: Every business and industry has current trends. Choose one and discuss it.
2. FAQs: Every business gets asked the same questions over and over again. Discuss some of the most frequently asked questions you get and your answers to those questions.
3. In the News: Has there been a recent story in the news about your industry? Explain what’s happening now and offer your expert interpretation of the story.
4. Share Your Personal Story: People will do business with those they know, like and trust. So share a bit about who you are and how to came to be in the career you’re now in. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments along the way.
5. Popular Culture: Look no further than Hollywood to find inspiration. Talk about a plot from a TV program, a movie, or a real-life drama ripped from the pages of People Magazine. For example, parenting coaches can talk about Brittney Spears and how a judge recently ordered mandatory parenting coaching.

These are just a few ideas to get you started!