Securing more speaking gigs can be a competitive endeavor, but with the right strategies, you can increase your chances of landing more opportunities. Here are ten proven strategies that can potentially help you secure more speaking engagements:
1. Build a Strong Online Presence:
You've probably heard this one already, but seriously, create a professional website with an engaging speaker profile to match it, you can do this simply by showcasing your expertise and past speaking engagements. Of course this is subjective, but think QUALITY of Unique Information over QUANTITY of Evidence/Proof. It takes one solid video to convince or influence someone, compared to a whole bunch of reviews and receipts, when organizations or schools are shopping for speakers their not checking for reviews like amazon products.
Think of the last time you came across a viral motivational video that came across your feed or was shared to you. That podcast or guest speaker might've been the first introduction towards you knowing who they were. Then everyone knows them from "that one video" or the "I saw that already" video. Try to use this lens the same way for your content.
Here's one practical strategy:
Test out a few of your clips/footages on platforms like TikTok, Facebook or Instagram and review the analytics after a week. The best performing clip measured by engagement (Likes, Comments and Shares) will oftentimes reflect the same impact the potential lead client will have when they lands on your site. If you have multiple great footages, you can gather them and hire some on Fiverr to create you a solid trailer/reel. This would include some fast paced motivational music with enhanced audio of your speaking and fast paced clips to match.
Another great way to build an strong online presence is to maintain an active social media profile on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with potential event organizers. When you think of an strong online presence think of 5 people you follow on social media that you don't see a day pass by without coming across their content.
Let's take a trip to the past real quick, remember when you were a kid and looked forward to your favorite cartoons after school or on Saturday mornings, you had an idea or just KNEW that you would see your favorite show again, on that specific day and specific time. You want to create this same effect, what day(s) and time(s) can your followers expect to see content from you?
Consistency is the key that opens the door of opportunities. Keep showing up and applying the information you've learned from research, analyze and take risk, just like if you keep going to the gym you only start to build muscle when you start pushing your limits on sets and workouts. But only showing up is consistency in the steps of getting in the building not the body goals itself.
2. Network Effectively:
Attend industry conferences, seminars, and networking events to meet event organizers and other speakers. But also try to think outside of the box, not within it. I know you're aware of popular speaker networks and communities but try to avoid the same circles. They are often filled with passive aggressive clique-y folks who haven't healed through the grit and grind traumas of butt kissing and want to exercise gate-keeping.
Ain't nobody got time for that!
Seek out community events, school events, district events, political events. You'd be surprised about the differences these gate-keepers have. Don't get me wrong every organization tends to have bitter folks who make things difficult, but if you could avoid the saturated networks you'll less likely have to deal with them.
Work smarter, not harder.
You can also utilize platforms like LinkedIn to connect with professionals in your field and share your expertise. Just make sure with any first impression your profile is clean, meaning have a professional headshot of you, make sure you share that beautiful smile! Be personal but professional in your bio. Post some relevant content to what you do that you've tested online that got people engaging. But make sure its more content regarding you rather than other memes, posts you found interesting enough to share. Think of your Linkedin profile as a ongoing resume with a dash of Facebook. Share publicly with purpose and intention.
3. Leverage Your Existing Network:
Reach out to your existing contacts, colleagues, and friends who might know of speaking opportunities. I would even dig deeper to ask friends about their schools, see if you can schedule a time to visit with them. Don't forget to bring some donuts or tea/coffee for the staff or even some edible arrangements for the admin office. You want to leave a lasting impression wherever you go and no one rejects a free meal/treat unless they have trust or health challenges. What you're seeking from these meeting is a thread of references and referrals. For every open door there's another person that knows the direction of another door awaiting. You just have to knock. If you're getting more no's then you're not knocking and learning enough from each ask to get a yes.
4. Offer Free Workshops and Webinars:
Host free workshops or webinars to showcase your expertise and build a following.These can either be physical or virtual but get used to being a big giver before you can start to be a wide receiver. There's a mutual benefit from giving to others freely if you strategize accordingly, you can collect testimonials from participants to demonstrate your presentation skills and knowledge. These can be written or video recorded but I recommend collecting both if possible.
If you can't afford platforms like Talkadot starting out, get creative and use google forms or Jotform with the questions you have for feedback. If you're having a tough time brainstorming, ask an A.I chat like ChatGPT for assistance. You can ask things like: "Help me come up with some effective but simple questions i should ask participants who've attended my speaking engagements, i would be collecting this feedback as testimonials"
You can even ask it stuff like "What type of workshops/webinars should I host as a speaker with a target audience based on these listed topics" ChatGPT is amazing it can literally help you from A-Z saving you so much time and brainstorming.
Take advantage of the new technology while we can.
5. Submit Proposals to Speaker Bureaus:
Research and submit your speaker profile and proposals to speaker bureaus and agencies that can connect you with relevant speaking engagements. I would do a simple google search and review templates that are usually used and even get ChatGPT to help out with these proposals. Having access to speaker bureaus obviously wouldn't be cheap, it can even be a saturated market. But if you have the funding to afford it, shoot your shot where you can.
But if you don't have the money, you must create the time and work on the tasks required to access it.
6. Pitch Yourself to Event Organizers:
Craft personalized pitches for events you're interested in and explain why you're the perfect fit. Clearly communicate the value you bring to their audience. Get specific, do your research regarding this event, look at old video clips, their website find any and every detail you can discover about this event to aid you with writing out this pitch and remember you can always get ChatGPT to help you and even ask a friend to help you get a human perspective on things A.I will not be able to pick up.
7. Publish High-Quality Content:
Write articles, blog posts, or guest posts on topics related to your expertise.
Share your content on platforms like LinkedIn, or industry-specific publications to establish credibility. You want to show them you're not just a speaker with a personal brand but one with a library full of answers. You'll immediately stand out as above average compared to most who've inquired. Make them see that you are not only holding answers, but you are THE ANSWER.
8. Seek Speaking Opportunities at Local Events:
Start small by speaking at local meetups/events, community events, or chambers of commerce gatherings to gain experience and build your portfolio. Think of how music artists seek poetry nights or open mics, you just never know who will be in the room. Any opportunity you see available to build your tribe/audience GET IN THAT ROOM! Build your email list, your followers on social media, get people to start speaking about you, this will aid the hard work you're putting in. One day you'll just get that random call or message saying so-and-so referred me to your content or from an event they saw you at. It's just a matter of time, before you get your community to rally behind you--- but you gotta start putting in the effort and work today.
9. Participate in Panel Discussions:
Offer to be a panelist at industry conferences or events. Panel discussions can be a great way to get exposure and demonstrate your knowledge. This is your chance to show off your intellectual properties. Don't be afraid to give out your most valuable gems and nuggets. You want people to walk away feeling like they should've paid for the value you gave them. This is how you gain a loyal follower. It takes one person in the room to record your fire moment and share it online. It takes impacting one special person who suddenly desires to become your promoter. People may forget what you say, but they won't forget how you made them feel.
Impact always trumps motivation.
10. Join Professional Associations:
Become a member of professional associations related to your field.
Many associations host conferences and events where they seek speakers from within their membership.
There are many out there:
Remember that consistency and persistence are key in securing speaking gigs. It may take time to build your reputation and establish yourself as a sought-after speaker, so don't get discouraged if you face initial rejections. Continue refining your skills, expanding your network, and promoting your expertise, and over time, you'll likely see an increase in speaking opportunities.
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