How To Get Paid For Public Speaking

How To Get Paid For Public Speaking

Are you wondering how to get paid for public speaking? 

Are you nervous about developing a career as a public speaker?

Fear not! Starting a career as a public speaker is easier than you might think. While there is never a single, clearly defined path for becoming who you want to be, the tips below are a good place to start for anyone who wants to become a public speaking professional.

1. Find Your Passion.

If you want to train people to become better presenters (like we do at Ethos3), then being passionate about public speaking might be sufficient for you. However if you don’t want to spend your career talking about public speaking, but instead want to use your passion for public speaking to connect with other people on other topics, then you need to identify the topics that will be your specialties. 

To identify the best topics for you to pursue, ask yourself these questions:

–     What do I do well everyday?

Hint: This might be tasks associated with your day job, or your personal hobbies.

–     What do I love to talk about? 

Hint: What topics do you gravitate towards when chatting with your friends, family, and colleagues?

–     What do I wish I knew more about?

Hint: This might include topics that you enjoy reading about, or think about often.

–     What would people say are my strengths?

Hint: Ask friends, family, and colleagues to list strengths they associate with you.

Journal your thoughts about the answers you have for these questions, and then review all of your notes to see which topics are repeated. In addition, notice which topics excite you when you see them in your notes from this exercise.

Most likely one or a few topics will rise to the top of your list of true passions. It is safe to assume that these topics should be your areas of specialty as a speaker.   

2. Become An Expert.

Now that you have identified your specialties, you need to become a leading expert on those topics.

To become an expert, identify holes in your knowledge of your specialities, and take the time to fill those holes with knowledge and experience. Take educational courses, read everything you can find on the topics, and talk to other experts on those topics. Your learning should never cease, however in the early days of your public speaking career, learning matters more than ever. 

3. Develop Your Platform.

Once you feel prepared to present yourself as an expert on your selected topics, start developing your platform. These days, content marketing is the easiest way to grow a platform as a thought leader.

I would suggest starting a blog to share your ideas, thoughts, and insights on your selected areas of expertise. Try to blog as often as possible, while also producing high-quality content that is unique, helpful, and enticing to read.

If you can also create visual content, go for it. When you have a collection of visual content you can use across the web, you will have more success developing a platform on social media, and your written content will also be enhanced when you embed the visual content in your posts.

For example, if you can record some of your best tips as a short video to upload to Facebook, your ideas will be seen by more people on that platform. Don’t forget to also upload the video on YouTube, and any other relevant video platforms. Also remember to embed the video in at least one blog post to improve the quality of that blog entry.

In addition, if you can design a SlideShare presentation to accompany some of your blog posts, you can improve your SEO (thanks to SlideShare’s SEO boosting powers) and you can also enhance the look of your written content by embedding the SlideShare deck in blog posts. SlideShare content is also easy to share on social media in a variety of ways.

Content marketing best practices are always changing so be sure to make time to educate yourself on the most current content marketing techniques to ensure your efforts are focused on tasks that will yield the best results. 

Lastly, if you have enough time, as well as solid ideas that have been developed and tested through your blog, consider writing a book. Published authors often claim top spots in event programs.  

4. Build Your Network.

At the same time you are developing your platform, update your LinkedIn profile, and then share your content on LinkedIn. Depending on your area of expertise, you might also want to create content to publish to your LinkedIn account.

In addition, start building your network by connecting to people on LinkedIn. Connect with people whom you admire,  want to work with, have worked with, or have influence in your area of expertise. 

If you want to become known for topics that won’t be of interest to the LinkedIn audience, find another way to connect with thought leaders and decision makers. Twitter is often another great way to connect with people. In addition, your personal brand might be a better fit for platforms like Instagram or Pinterest. Whatever platform is best for you, learn how to use it like a pro to build your network and grow your fanbase. 

Also, don’t forget to network in person. Attend networking events in your local community, and let people know you are available for public speaking opportunities. When you network locally, you will most likely eventually be offered opportunities to speak locally. Even if these local events do not pay, or pay only a small amount, take every opportunity you can to refine your speaking skills. Speak for free as you develop paid speaking opportunities.

Remember to record yourself every time you speak in public so you have something to show when event organizers ask if you have experience as a speaker. Add these videos to a page on your website so people can see you in action as a speaker. In addition, start listing all of your speaking experience on your website and LinkedIn profile so people can quickly skim your speaking résumé.

5. Be Proactive.

Now that you have a growing network, and an active content marketing strategy, be proactive and continue to reach beyond your comfort zone. 

Look for opportunities to share content for blogs and publications that are respected by your target audience. Your credibility will grow every time your name and ideas are featured on esteemed outlets 

In addition, identify some events, workshops, or conferences at which you would like to speak. Start contacting those organizations, and introducing yourself. At first, you might not receive many responses and that is okay. Be politely persistent. For example, if you don’t receive a response via email, consider attending the event as a regular attendee and try to meet the event’s decision makers in person. Or, consider starting a relationship with them by sharing their content and updates via your social media accounts and blog. If your posts help them grow their audience, they will eventually take notice of your efforts and will either respond to your messages, or contact you themselves. 

6. Ask Questions.

Now that you (hopefully) have the attention of decision makers at events, prepare to ask some tough questions when you start receiving invitations to speak. 

For example, you will need to ask:

–     What are your expectations of speakers?

–     How will define success for speakers at your event?

–     What is your budget for speakers?

–     How much can you offer me?

–     Do you cover travel expenses?

–     How many people attended the last event?

–     How will you promote the next event?

–     How do you plan to promote the speakers for the next event?

These questions will help you understand what the event organizer needs and expects from you. In addition, it will help you assess the amount of effort you will need to contribute, as well as the compensation for your efforts. Early in your speaking career, the opportunity to network, as well as refine your speaking skills in front of an audience, is almost as valuable as money, so don’t pass on low-paying gigs without considering the non-monetary benefits.

7. Dig Deep.

Once you have speaking gigs scheduled, now the hard work truly begins.

To keep your momentum as a budding professional speaker, you need to excel every time you stand in front of an audience.

Since you need to film all of your speaking gigs, your performance will be be seen by speaker recruiters and your performance could make or break your future opportunities.

To excel as a speaker, you will need to put in time to write and design a compelling presentation. In addition, you will need to log significant time rehearsing your material to perfect your delivery. This will be an ongoing process for you to keep your material fresh and your delivery sharp.

Never stop perfecting your skills as a speaker, and never stop growing your knowledge in your areas of expertise. 

Conclusion

What advice do you have for people hoping to become a professional public speaker? Share your tips with us on Twitter. Tweet us at: @Ethos3.

Additional Resources:

Public Speakers Need A Personal Brand. Here’s How To Build Yours.

10 Reasons to Start a Speaking Career

How To Get Paid For Public Speaking

3 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Find Paid Public Speaking Engagements

Why Speakers Earn $30,000 an Hour – Confessions of a Public Speaker

(Paid) Public Speaking Secrets: The Beginning – How to Get Your 1st Paid Speaking Gig

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