Episode 92 - How to land your first paid speaking gig

May 05, 2024

In this episode, I'm diving deep into the steps needed to secure that coveted spot on stage, where your expertise will shine. Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned speaker ready to take the leap to paid engagements, this episode is your guide, providing precision and enthusiasm every step of the way.

Discovering your unique value is key. What insights do you offer? What problems can you solve? Finding your niche is the foundation of your success.

Crafting a compelling speaker profile is your next move. With a polished bio, glowing testimonials, and captivating visuals, you'll attract potential clients like a magnet.

Determining your price is crucial. Research, reflect, and confidently communicate your worth.

Now, let's talk strategy. Your website, social media, and networking skills will amplify your reach and elevate your brand.

Embrace rejection as a stepping stone and refine your pitch with each setback. Each "no" brings you closer to your resounding "yes."

Negotiation is where the magic happens. Flexibility, assertiveness, and added value pave the way to success.

Preparation is key. Rehearse, refine, and radiate confidence on stage.

Your first gig is just the beginning. Leverage every opportunity, gather testimonials, and share your success with the world.

Remember, every great speaker started with a single engagement. With persistence, preparation, and passion, your success story is waiting to unfold. Tune in and embark on this electrifying journey towards your brightest speaking future. Together, let's make your mark on the world stage.

To download your FREE checklist on how to become a highly paid speaker go to jaimieabbott.com/speakerguide.

Episode Transcript

Jaimie: Well today we're tackling an incredibly exciting topic and that is how to land your first paid speaking gig. Now, this is a milestone moment for any aspiring speaker. And I want to in this episode just guide you through every step of the way. So whether you're just starting out or if you've been speaking for free like I was for many years, and then you're now ready to make the leap to paid engagements. This episode is packed with practical advice, real world tips and the motivational push that you need to get there. So let's start with the basics. Understanding the landscape of paid speaking, getting paid to speak is a testament to your expertise, your speaking ability and your marketability. But breaking into this space requires strategy, persistence, and a bit of know how. So today we're going to break down this process into manageable steps, focusing on positioning yourself in the market, finding opportunities and successfully pitching your speaking services. So first of all, let's talk about understanding your value as a speaker. First things first, you need to understand your value before you can sell yourself as a speaker. You need to know what you uniquely bring to the table. So what topics can you speak on with authority? What unique perspective Do you offer? What problems can you solve for your audience? Answering these questions can help you define your niche which is a crucial step in standing out in a crowded market.
Building a speaker profile. Now once you know your value, it's time to build a speaker profile. This should include your bio, which highlights your expertise and speaking experience, testimonials from past engagements if they're available, and a professional headshot. Also, consider creating a speaker reel or a video of you in action, which can be a really effective tool to showcase your speaking style and energy. Now let's talk about setting the right price. Now determining what to charge is often tricky for new speakers. So research what others in your niche with similar experience are charging to get a ballpark figure don't undervalue your service remember organisations and not just paying for the time that you're onstage, but also for your expertise, preparation, and the value that the audience gains from your talk. Now create a marketing strategy with your speaker profile in hand. It's time to market yourself. So create a professional website with a dedicated speaking page where potential clients can learn about you and you might want to put on here your topics and also how to contact you. Now utilise social media to build your brand and connect with event organisers. Also connect with fellow speakers it's actually a really great tip. So you can kind of just reach out and connect with those other people who you know might be speaking at an event that you are or you know, that you just kind of might have seen around the trap. It's really great to connect with there are a few sort of professional speakers. networks around PSA is one in Australia. It's a really great one as well. And then there are individual sort of speaking groups. I know Amanda Stevens who's a fabulous speaker, she runs sort of a speaker network and a membership and they run sort of master classes and all that sort of thing. So I highly recommend you do that. And you also should connect with your target audience to now regularly share content that is related to your speaker topics and sort of to establish your expertise as well.
Now finding speaking opportunities let's dive into finding these opportunities. Because you really want to tailor your pitch to the specific needs of the event or organisation. So highlight how your talk addresses their audience's challenge or challenges or interests and what actionable takeaways the audience will gain. Be professional, be concise and compelling. So remember that your pitch is not just about selling your topic, but also as yourself as the speaker who can best deliver it. Now handling rejections. Expect rejections and don't be discouraged by them each no brings you closer to eight Yes. And feedback can also be incredibly valuable. So use it to refine your pitch and improve your approach. Now let's talk about negotiating your feet. Once you land an interested client you will need to negotiate your feet so be prepared to justify your rate with the value you bring and be open to negotiation. Some organisations have fixed budgets for speakers so consider what else might be valuable to you. Such as exposure future booking commitments, or travel opportunities. Deliver a stellar performance. So when you learn that first gig preparation is key to ensuring that it's not your last, so tailor your presentation to the audience. Rehearse thoroughly and deliver with confidence post event seek feedback and use that to improve. Also follow up with the organisers to express your gratitude and discuss future opportunities. Leveraging your first gig into more opportunities. So finally, leverage this first paid gig into more opportunities. Ask the organiser for a testimonial and permission to use recorded footage of your talk for your marketing materials. Share your experience and what you learned on social media and your professional networks. Thank you for tuning in to pitch perfect today. I hope this episode has equipped you with the tools and the confidence to land your first paid speaking gig. Remember, every successful speaker started with a single engagement and with persistence, preparation and passion. The next success story could be yours. Keep pushing forward. Keep refining your craft and I'll see you next time for more insights into making your mark in the speaking world.

Episode 92 - How to land your first paid speaking gig

BECOME A PAID SPEAKER