Have you heard about the new trend in audio events? If not, be sure to read up about how Clubhouse can help Keynote Speakers amplify their brand.
Recently featured on Forbes, Ken Sterling shares his thoughts on the opportunities and areas of awareness for keynote speakers when creating a strategy around Clubhouse.
Find out more ways you can use Clubhouse to your advantage and see if it is the approach for you.
How Keynote Speakers Can Use Clubhouse
Previously published in Forbes
Has the pandemic got your bookings down? Are you feeling behind on the tech curve? Are you afraid of being on the “bleeding edge?” Is it time to join Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is a new media platform that could benefit professional keynote speakers looking to expand their reach. Similar to podcasts, Clubhouse is an audio-only platform. Unlike podcasts, however, Clubhouse talks happen in real-time (just like a Zoom call or Facebook live), and anyone can join in to listen or speak.
If you’re a keynote or professional speaker, you might be wondering: Is Clubhouse the right platform for me? To answer that question, my speakers’ bureau company and I have been trying out the platform ourselves and reading the latest reviews from media and marketing experts.
After using Clubhouse, I’ve determined that the platform is great if you would like to host live audio events or to create dialogues around topics with like minded-experts. However, it might not be right for everyone. Consider these opportunities and areas for awareness for using Clubhouse before jumping in.
Opportunities
Audience Reach
Clubhouse offers keynote speakers a chance to expand their audience and reach new listeners. You can host your own room to talk or join rooms of like-minded people to share audiences. In the Marketing School podcast episode “The Cons of Clubhouse,” marketing expert Neil Patel suggests doing interviews with similar experts to grow your following. For keynote speakers, speaking on Clubhouse can also be a great way for clients to sample your content live.
Monetization
Clubhouse could provide a new avenue of income for your speaking. The platform recently enabled a way to send payments directly to people on the platform. If you’re an established keynote speaker, I think it’s unlikely that monetization will replace your keynote fees, but it could be a good start for keynote speakers who aren’t established.
Collaboration
Clubhouse is a great place to collaborate with other like-minded experts in your field. You can easily find rooms to brush up on topics you’re interested in, as well as learn what’s happening in your industry and what people are doing about it. Keynote speakers can also use it to develop partnerships.
Areas For Awareness
Time Spent
One of the major challenges for using the platform is the time you need to spend to see the value. Unlike other social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram), you must be on Clubhouse in real-time. You can’t post content for your audience and then engage at your leisure. In his podcast, Neil Patel suggests limiting the number of hours you spend on the platform and scheduling a consistent time when you’ll be online so people can find you regularly.
ROI
With so many media platforms to choose from and the need to be there live to reach an audience, you may or may not see ROI for the time you spend. This is partly due to the need to be live on the platform and the limited monetization opportunities available compared to keynote speaker fees.
Suggestions For Keynote Speakers
Here are a few suggestions to get the most out of the platform for all keynote speakers who are interested in using Clubhouse.
Use It To Grow Your Network And Audience
Use Clubhouse to grow your audience and network by reaching out to like-minded experts and their audiences.
Manage Your Time
In order to get the most out of the platform, choose a consistent schedule for your time on the app so people can find you. Likewise, limit the hours you spend on the app so you can also focus on your offsite work.
Don’t Give Away Your Keynote
Clubhouse is a great place to discuss current issues as they apply to your ideas and to demo short pieces of new content. However, try to avoid performing your whole keynote on the site. Let people use the site to get to know your content so that they will want to hire you later.
Clubhouse is an exciting new audio platform that I believe could benefit all keynote speakers. If used wisely, it could add to your existing media strategy and grow your audience. Check it out, and let me know how you’re using it.