Jaimie: Welcome to today's episode which is all about how much you can earn as a paid speaker. It's a juicy one today and it's super exciting because we are now into May it's the first of May this week. And if you're listening to this episode, it's the month were paid to speak the doors are opening at the end this month 30th of May. So you've got a little bit of time but you can join the waitlist. If you go to paidtospeak.com.au You can join the waitlist and you actually get early access. So the doors will open a couple of days earlier about 72 hours to be exact. And you can actually get a bonus one on one session with me if you join from the waitlist. So that's pretty exciting. You get immediate access to all of the modules. There are eight modules of video lessons, plus a stack of bonuses you get I think it's about 10 planners, which will help you determine your pricing your photo shoots or your media kit, all the different accessories that you need as a professional speaker. So I hope to see you inside the course when the doors open. Of course you get a group coaching session with me as well. And if you join from the waitlist, you get a bonus one on one session and you can actually use that anytime in the next six months after you buy the course. So you've got pretty much until the now and the end of the year to book in for that session.
But for now let's dive into a topic that is probably on the mind of a lot of you if you're an aspiring speaker, and that is how much do paid speakers typically earn now, the world of professional speaking is incredibly lucrative for some, but for others, they generally find it pretty challenging to make a living from speaking fees alone. That's why you're going to get everything you need in the paid to speak course to know how much to charge to know to push yourself and generally speaking you should be charging a lot more than what you are or what you have in the past or really what you might realise you can charge and so as with many industries, the amount that you can earn as a paid speaker really varies depending on several factors such as your experience, maybe the topic, your industry, the industry you're pitching to and the event type as well.
So let's start by discussing the role that experience plays in determining what you can earn as a speaker. So whether you're just beginning your speaking career, it's quite common. So when you're just beginning your speaking career, it's very common to charge lower fees or even speak for free and I still speak for free by the way, but I'll talk about that a little bit later. You might want to do that to just gain exposure and build your portfolio. As you become more experienced and you develop a reputation in your field. You'll be able to you'll be able to command higher fees. So think of it as a ladder your earnings will generally increase as you climb the ladder of success in the speaking world.
Now let's talk about the topic of your presentations because some subjects are more in demand and I will teach this you will learn this in the paid to speak course about what topics sell like higher compared to others. So for example, speakers who you who address cutting edge technologies, leadership or business growth strategies may have higher earning potential than those who speak on more niche or less sought after topics. So I think the advice I'll give you is to find a balance between your passion as well as market demand so you can maximise your earning potential. Now industry also plays a significant role in determining what you can charge as a speaker corporate events and large conferences. Often you'll find they have higher budgets for speakers compared to maybe smaller nonprofit organisations or even local community events. As a paid speaker. It's crucial to understand the market dynamics of the industry that you're targeting and that you're pitching to just so you can set appropriate fees and expectations. And the type of event you're speaking at will impact your earnings. So keynote speeches at large conferences or conventions, they tend to command high fees and I'm talking 10,000 plus. So workshops seminars, breakout sessions may also have some modest compensation, while speaking at smaller local events or even a webinar might pay very minimal fees. And so why would recommend to you is to diversify your speaking engagements because it's all about creating a sustainable income from various sources.
So with all these factors in mind, let's talk numbers. speaking fees can range from a few $100 for local engagements and sometimes that might just include covering your expenses so your travel your accommodation, your transfers, your Uber, taxi, whatever it is to get from the airport to the venue and maybe some small meal allowances as well. Right up to 10s of 1000s of dollars or more for well known speakers at large conferences. Now some celebrity speakers or highly sought after industry experts can command six figure fees for a single engagement. I know in Australia, we've looked when I've been organising large events we've looked at hiring some speakers say off morning programs on TV, and their fees are 50,000. That's generally in Australia, probably the highest that I have been quoted but I guess the big big big celebrities can charge you know, six figures and above. I've never had a quote for more than 50,000 for a morning TV program host to MC or speak at an event. And obviously, when I've been organising events, the return on investment has been there. So if I've had someone like Carl Stefanova I haven't booked him but I have had quotes for him in the past. If I put him up for an event or a charity event or a networking event, for example, then I'm expecting to get the return investment in ticket sales right because he's a drawcard. Now it's essential to remember that these higher earnings are not the norm for most of us professional speakers. So many speakers will earn a more modest income, especially if you're just starting out. So what I will say is it's really important to be patient, persistent and really strategic in building your speaking career to reach higher earnings. It's also worth noting that many professional speakers supplement their income with other revenue streams such as coaching, consulting, or selling books or even online courses. In my situation. I'll often speak at an event, often for free or even for a minimal fee. And then I'll walk offstage with 1000s of dollars in course sales. So by diversifying your income sources, you can create financial stability and reduce the pressure to rely solely on speaking fees.
So how can you increase your earning potential? As a paid speaker? First, invest in your professional development to hone your speaking skills and I know just the thing paid to speak.com.au Join the waitlist if you haven't already so you can become an expert in your field in that course. I'm going to cover how to find speaking gigs you get hundreds of contacts. We'll go through what topics sell you get templates that you can literally drag and drop and copy and paste and use as your speaker bio. We've got speaker agreements, templates for that as well as a whole stack of bonuses. But generally speaking, the more value you can provide to your audience, the higher fees that you can command. Secondly, focus on building your brand and reputation. This can include creating a professional website and I'll show you how to do that inside the course engaging on social media and being really consistent with what you put out there. So show up every day and do a story on Instagram, for example. And also networking with event organisers and influencers in your industry. Basically, the more visible and respected you are, the more likely you are to secure these high paying speaking opportunities. And finally, Kosha had a bit of a longer episode today, almost 10 minutes. And finally be strategic in targeting the right industries and events for your expertise. So maybe research which industries and events pay higher fees for speakers and tailor your marketing efforts to appeal to those specific markets.
So there you have it, folks, the earnings of paid speakers really do vary significantly depending on your experience your topic, your industry, your event type. And whilst it's true that some speakers do earn top dollar for their engagements, it's essential to remember that building a successful speaking Korean I assume that's why you're listening to this episode in your in my world. It does take time persistence and strategic planning but focus on developing your skills through my course paid to speak, build your reputation, target the right markets, you do all this you can gradually increase your earning potential as a paid speaker. And don't forget diversifying your income sources will help create financial stability as you continue to grow your career. So that's it for today's episode on Perfect Public Speaking. I really hope that this information in this discussion on the earning potential of paid speakers has provided some valuable insights and motivation for you to continue pursuing your speaking career. Let me assure you it is well worth it not only financially but just to be able to contribute to the world to share something to audiences to inspire, motivate, educate.
As always, if you have any questions or if you have any suggestions for future episodes, please feel free to reach out to me, send me a DM on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, through my website. And also don't forget to subscribe to the podcast we'd love for you to rate and review it, but by subscribing you're not going to miss any of my upcoming episodes. So ladies and gentlemen, until next time, keep honing your skills, building your network and chasing your speaking dreams. I will see you on the waitlist it paidtospeak.com.au. I'm Jamie Abbott signing off. Take care and happy speaking!
