How to Get Paid Speaking Engagements
You have expertise. You have a great story. Maybe you even have a few impressive credentials.
So why isn't anyone paying you to speak?
Because being an expert isn't a speaking strategy.
Here are five things you actually need.
1. Know what you're selling
“I speak about leadership, resilience, change, innovation and workplace culture” is not a positioning strategy.
It's a buffet. And it’s boring. It’s a boring buffet.
What makes you different from the rest? What is your edge?
2. Create a keynote event organizers can sell to their audience
Your keynote shouldn't be a list of everything you've ever learned. In fact, your keynote shouldn’t be about you at all. Your messaging should be about making the audience feel understood and empowered.
Think about the people attending these meetings and conferences and what they would like to learn and experience.
3. Stop waiting to be discovered
A beautiful website won't magically fill your calendar.
Find the people who actually hire speakers: event planners, associations, corporations, conference organizers and speaker bureaus.
Then get in front of them.
Yes, this will involve a mass amount of rejection. Welcome to the world of agenting. You’ll survive.
4. Don’t undervalue yourself
You don't need to start at $25,000.
But you also don't need to speak for free forever.
Your fee should reflect your experience, credibility, demand, audience and the value you bring to the event.
5. Don't worry about getting an agent first
A speaker bureau's job is to sell you.
If they can't immediately see who buys you, why they buy you and where you fit, you're going to be difficult to sell.
Sometimes you don't need an agent.
You need better positioning.
The bottom line
Getting paid to speak isn't just about being good on stage.
It's about having a message and content that is actually going to help people work better, live better, or just be better informed - and a strategy for getting it in front of the people who buy it.
You already have the expertise. Now you need to build the business around it.
That's what Sprout does.
Sprout Speakers helps experts, authors, and executives turn their expertise into a speaking business, from first keynote to full-time career. Explore our services or get in touch to talk strategy.