I never thought I'd use this lead gen strategy, but it worked...

Last week, I gave my first-ever keynote at the Craft + Commerce conference hosted by Kit in Boise. It was an incredible experience.

I was insanely nervous—public speaking isn’t exactly in my usual comfort zone. But once I got going, it flowed. And the feedback was great.

But what really surprised me wasn’t the speaking part—it was the lead gen part.

I walked away from this conference with:

...a bundle of new clients

...a handful of strategic partnerships (which will lead to more clients)

...and way more visibility with the exact people we serve

And ya know, it completely changed the way I think about in-person events.

I’ve never been a “conference” guy

Most of my career, a majority of business has come from referrals, word of mouth, and affiliate relationships.

I’ve always looked at conferences and networking events with a bit of skepticism.

Too much small talk. Not enough ROI.

But this experience showed me something different:

Teaching in person—especially in the right room—can be a major unlock for agencies and service providers.

So if you’ve ever dismissed in-person events as a waste of time, here are a few reasons to reconsider—and how to do it right.

Tip 1: Don’t just attend—teach

If you’re going to put in the time and energy to be at a conference, find a way to get in front of the room.

Conferences usually have two types of speaking opportunities:

Keynotes (mainstage talks)
Workshops or small group sessions

You’re more likely to land a workshop spot—and honestly, that’s usually better.

Why? Because it’s where you can go deep, get tactical, and deliver real value.

That’s where trust is built. And trust leads to clients.

Tip 2: Go where your clients hang out—not your peers

If you’re a web designer, don’t go to the Webflow conference.

If you do paid ads, don’t speak at a marketing mastermind.

Instead, go to the room full of dentists. Or real estate agents. Or course creators.

Whoever your client is—go to their events, not your own.

Teach what you know to people who don’t already know it.

That’s where you’ll have the most impact (and get the most attention).

Tip 3: Give away the sauce

Don’t hold back. Don’t tease. Don’t “hint” at your process.

Just show them exactly what you’d do.

Yes, some people will take it and try to DIY—which is fine.

But the right-fit clients? They’ll see how much you know and reach out to hire you.

Tip 4: Start small—communities count too

You don’t need to speak at a massive conference to make this work.

There are small, hyper-targeted communities in every industry.

Slack groups, Facebook groups, private memberships, coaching programs—they all need good content.

Reach out and offer to teach.

You only have to create the presentation once—then you can reuse it in community after community.

You already know the material. Don’t let imposter syndrome or “this seems too basic” thinking get in the way.

Most people aren’t looking for brilliance.

They’re looking for clarity. For simplicity. For action steps.

Even the fundamentals can be transformative if they’re taught well.

So yeah—I’m a convert.

Conferences (and workshops) work.

I’ll definitely be lining up more speaking opportunities in the near future.

If you run a service business and want to build better leads with less chasing—this is a strategy is absolutely worth testing.

Good luck, have fun!