One way to not only market your business but also build your professional network is to speak at public or industry events and conferences. This gives you the opportunity to share your knowledge, provide value to your audience, build your authority and also make important business connections. It is important to have a good understanding of exactly what the event needs in terms of speakers, so it is in your best interest to research any previous events and find out exactly what kind of presentation they require. You will be asked to submit a speaker application and outline your presentation as well. Also, most speaking gigs you see at the conference level are not paid placements. Paid spots are always by invitation and include Keynote speakers which are reserved for people that have a strong name and brand recognition. You can expect to also to pay our own travel if the event is in another town. An important note is that you will also not be permitted to sell from the stage as these are not set up as a sales platform. If you are invited to speak at an event and expected to pay for your stage time, that is a whole different area and should be proceeded into with caution in terms of real and expected ROI.