"Public speaking is a good way to market my business. Does anyone know what's the best way to do that?"

This is the same question I see posted all over the Internet by entrepreneurs in every kind of imaginable business. From massage therapists to house cleaners, from coaches to network marketers, everyone wants to know about putting together a speech. The good news is the word is out: public speaking is an efficient way to get new business. But the question remains: what's the most effective way to do that? And who's going to listen to me? And is this gonna cost me anything?

The answers may surprise you. I've been speaking in front of audiences for most of my life. But only after I started my coaching and consulting practice did I truly understand the power of public speaking to market a business. Since I've put together what I call my "Signature Speech," my business has sky-rocketed.

1. What is it? Simply stated a Signature Speech is a presentation you prepare in order to market your business effectively. You allow space in the speech to customize it for each audience, but essentially you're delivering the same presentation over and over again.

2.Will people want to listen to me talk? Yes! There absolutely is a need for your Signature Speech. Think about the most common questions you get about your business. That's how you can begin to develop your topic.

3. How much will it cost? Nada. Zippo. Zilch. When you have a topic people want to hear about, groups will invite you to deliver your speech -- no advertising fee required. In fact, most of the time when I speak I get a free lunch and/or a gift certificate as a thank you. Because you have a topic people want to know more about, you get to discuss your business for free and get a free lunch to boot. Not too shabby.

4. What's the best way to get started? Start with your purpose. What do you want to accomplish with your speaking? I have one goal when I deliver my Signature Speech: to grow my list of ezine subscribers. And most of the time I get a 90-100% conversion rate after I deliver my Signature Speech. If your purpose is in line with what you're asking your audience to do along with the information you're sharing, you can get high conversion rates, too.

Your Signature Speech is a way to showcase your expertise and credibility by delivering useful information to an audience full of people who are ideally suited to hear your message (your target market). When you deliver your message effectively, combining solid content with a strategic organization pattern, you'll see the results you want every time. If you haven't given public speaking a chance, now is the time. Put together a presentation and get out there. You'll be happy you did.