The year 2020 has brought the COVID-19 virus to the American homeland. This crisis has changed all of our lives. We mourn those who have succumbed to the virus and wish a speedy recovery for those who have the virus.

Change is hard for all of us. However, change brings you opportunities. The opportunities for speakers have greatly expanded in the virtual world over the last several months. Virtual world opportunities we may have just considered in the past are now ones we need to take advantage of just to survive as speakers.

So, the year 2021 is almost upon us. What are your public speaking goals for the new year? I will tell you mine with the hope they will inspire you to take positive action to set your 2021 goals and make plans to accomplish them.

My speaking goals for 2021 are to launch a digital course, start a podcast, and include a short video in my weekly newsletters.

Launch a Digital Course

Digital courses have been around for a while, but it was not until the current COVID-19 crises when the vast majority of us are in our homes many more hours than before, that it seemed feasible, and maybe recommended, to develop digital courses as another stream of income.

The great advantage of digital courses is your audiences are no longer limited to the amount of people that can physically fit in a seminar room, auditorium, or banquet room. To a very real extent, your audience is limited to the amount of people with Internet access. According to www.statistica.com, as of October 2020, 4.66 billion people around the world have Internet access. Even if a small percentage of this number buy your digital course, that is still a hefty sum of revenue.

There are two types of digital courses: synchronous and asynchronous.

Synchronous digital courses are delivered in real time as you are speaking. The attendance at these digital course, usually delivered by webinar, is limited to the attendee capacity of your virtual communication platform. There is usually an opportunity for the audience to ask questions in a Q&A box. Since you are trading your time speaking for revenue, there is an upper limit on what revenue comes from these courses. This being said, you would probably consider this upper limit quite high depending on how much you are charging for the course and the number of attendees.

Asynchronous digital courses are delivered on demand by the customer and don’t require you to be speaking in the course when the attendee is taking the course. Quite often asynchronous digital courses are recorded synchronous digital courses which brings me to an important point. Reuse of your content is a revenue multiplier and saves you a vast amount of time. Reuse your content whenever possible.

With digital courses, you are certainly getting your name out there which will bring in more customers. Another way to get your name out there is to start a podcast. It is easier than you think.

Start a Podcast

When you are thinking about ways to reach your audience, think of the five senses we all have: touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste.

What you write and publish certainly appeals to your audience’s sense of sight. Why not also appeal to their sense of hearing. Podcasts are a great way to do this.

You have probably heard podcasts before. They follow many formats like interviewing someone, talking about issues of the day, or even have two hosts having a conversation.

The following is from “The Step-by-Step Guide: How to Start a Podcast:”

• Step 1 – Develop a podcast concept

• Step 2 – Choose your podcast format

• Step 3 – Select and procure your podcast recording equipment and software

• Step 4 – Recording your first episode

• Step 5 – Editing and uploading your first episode

• Step 6 – Developing podcast artwork, categories and show notes

• Step 7 – Getting listed in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify

• Step 8 – Launch your podcast

Podcasting expands the number of people who will consider you are the expert in your field. Don’t lose this opportunity!

Words people read and your words they hear are great for expanding your audience base. However, video has, in the last few years, become a big part of how speakers get the word out.

Include a Short Video in Weekly Newsletters

We have all seen and read newsletters. They show up in your inbox on a regular basis. Some are very relevant to your speaking. Some not so much. For the rest, we search for the unsubscribe link.

So, why not in conjunction with your weekly newsletter, you shoot a video of yourself talking about the same information you have in your newsletter. Some people would rather watch a video than read your newsletter. Why not let them do this.

a video newsletter is easier than you think. You can record the video on Zoom, upload it to a tool like Dropbox. Paste a still photo from your video into your newsletter. Finally, copy the link from Dropbox and embed the link in the still photo from your video. It is that simple.

Including a short video in your weekly newsletter can be a great boost to your marketing your business.

The important thing about your 2021 speaking goals is not they are to launch a digital course, start a podcast, or include a short video in my weekly newsletters. The important thing is you set your personal 2021 speaking goals that will most expeditiously advance your speaking career. It is important the goals are yours.

By setting your 2021 speaking goals and making plans to accomplish them, you have put yourself in league with the most successful people in our society!

Call to Action

• Plan and launch a digital course. If you are serious about starting a digital course, go to www.amyporterfield.com.

• Plan and launch a podcast. It is an easy way to get recognized as an expert in your area of expertise!

• Include a short video in your weekly newsletter. It will result in more people opening your newsletters