Jaimie Abbott: Welcome back to Pitch Perfect. And today we're diving into one of the biggest questions I hear from people who want to start getting paid to speak. Do you need a speaker reel to get booked? Now, if you've been sitting on the sidelines thinking, I can't pitch myself yet, I don't even have a speaker reel, then this episode is going to be the permission slip that you didn't know you needed. Because here is the reality. I booked my first paid gigs without a single fancy video. No speaker reel, no professional footage, nothing. And I'm going to show you how you can do the same. And also when a speaker real becomes absolutely non negotiable, let's start with the basics. A, speaker reel is essentially your highlight reel. It's like your audition tape, usually two or three minutes long. It shows event organises, what you look like on stage, how you sound, how you connect with an audience and why you're the right person for their event. It's your speaking resume, but in video form. Here's the funny part, though. So many news speakers believe that without one, they're doomed. They tell themselves, I'll pitch once I've got a reel. And then years pass, they never pitch, they never get booked and they stay stuck. The mindset. That mindset is the number one thing holding people back, not the lack of a speaker real. Now, when I started, well, when I landed my very first paid speaking gig, I had nothing polished to show. What I did have was a clear topic that solved a problem for the audience, a bio that positioned me as an authority and the courage to pitch myself. And you know what? That was enough. So do you need a reel to get started? No. What you need is clarity and confidence. You need to know what's the problem you solve for an audience. What makes you talk relevant? What makes your talk relevant and valuable? And can you articulate that in a way that makes an organiser think, yes, we want this. That's what gets you booked early on, not flashy video editing. Now, eventually, a re becomes a game changer once you start charging higher fees. Let's say once you're in the $5,000 and up range. Event organisers want proof. They want to know that they're not gambling thousands of dollars on someone who might hold a room. They want certainty. A speaker reel gives them that certainty in just a couple of minutes. Think of it like online dating. You wouldn't swipe right on someone who had no photo and just said, trust me, I'm good looking. Event planners aren't going to gamble either. A, reel shows them exactly what they're getting. So let's break it down into phases. Phase one, you're new. You've never been paid to speak before. Forget about that real. Instead focus on getting stage time, paid or unpaid, so you can build experience, pitch with your bio, pitch with your topic, and pitch with your enthusiasm. Believe me, that gets you further, than waiting for a reel that you don't have. Phase two, you're landing gigs maybe for a few hundred or a couple of thousand dollars. Now's the time to start capturing footage. Ask, a friend to film. You use your iPhone. Even if it's not sort of cinematic quality. You're going to start to build a library, get those audience shots, get yourself on stage. You don't need a Hollywood crew. All you need is just some basic evidence. Phase three, you're scaling. This is where you're charging 5K, 10K or maybe more. At this point, a professional reel becomes essential. It's not just about you anymore. It's about speed. With a reel, you can cut sort of, you can cut down the back and forth instead of saying, can you tell me more about how you present? It's more. Here's my real C for yourself. It closes deals faster. When I hit that point in my own career, my reel became my best salesperson. People would watch two minutes on stage of me and say, okay, we're in. They didn't need a 45 minute keynote recording. They didn't need testimonials. The real the speaker real, it spoke for itself. But let's talk about what actually makes a good reel, because this is where people overcomplicate it. A, reel isn't just random clips of you rambling on stage. A great reel has five key elements. One, dynamic footage. So different audiences, different angles, so it feels alive to clear messaging. Your reel should tell me what you actually speak on. If I don't know your topic by the end, it failed. Three, editing that pops. So we're talking quick cuts, music, text overlays, keep it high energy. Four, social proofs. So include a line or two from testimonials or reactions from the crowd. And five, your personality. If you're funny, let that shine. If you're inspiring, show that moment. Your speaker reel should feel like you what not to do. Don't make it 10 minutes long. Nobody's watching. Don't fill it with stock footage or voiceovers without you actually speaking. And please don't just sit in front of a webcam and Talk at the camera. That's not a real. That's more like a zoom call. Now maybe you're listening and thinking, great, Jaimie, but I don't have any footage. Here's the answer to that. Start small. Film the gigs that you do have. Even if it's a workshop with 20 people. Ask the organiser if you can set up a tripod. Grab audience testimonials on your phone. It doesn't have to be perfect. Perfect is not the goal. Progress is. And here's a pro tip. One of the easiest ways to get stage footage is to volunte for panel discussions or local networking events. They nearly always allow filming and boom, you've got great content. So I often say to an organiser, especially when I'm speaking for free, I'll say, do you mind? And I do that sometimes, when I, you know, know my ideal customers in the audience, I'll say, do you mind if I bring, my tripod and I'll just set up, my iPhone and I'll film it. Or I'll get a friend to come along with someone I know who's attending the event to film it. The biggest takeaway here is don't let the lack of a speaker reel hold you back from pitching. You do not need one to start. What you need is a topic, a pitch and the guts to put yourself forward. But once you're aiming bigger, higher fees, bigger events bureaus and international opportunities, a, speaker reel is your ticket in. So here's my challenge to you today. If you don't have a reel yet, don't panic. Just commit to filming your next talk, even if it's on your phone, even if the lighting is terrible. Get something recorded. Every reel starts with that first shaky video. And if you already have a few gigs under your belt, start piecing together a simple reel. It doesn't have to be Netflix flix quality, it just has to show that you can own a room. Allgh. I'll finish today's episode with this. A reel won't make you a great speaker, but being a great speaker will make you real powerful. Focus on being excellent on stage first. The real is just the proof. And if you're serious about becoming a paid speaker, I'm running a sprint to stage challenge. It kicks off on October14. We're going to go live for three days, for an hour each day. It's only $27. 27 Australian dollars. Seven, that is. and you're going to get a copy of all the recordings, chatgpt prompts. I'm giving you templates. It is the best way to launch your paid speaking career. Go to jaimieabbott.com.au sprinttostage or sprinttoststage.com will also get you there and I look forward to seeing you on October 14th. Thanks for hanging out with me today. Go pitch yourself, go speak, go get paid. And when you do, make sure someone's filming because your future speaker real will thank you for it.
