Day #3 - How & where to start speaking
It's day #3 on your journey to becoming a speaker- you know why, you know what,
So how do you actually... start?
If you are speaking for the first time my advice is always to start small - start local - start free.
Even if you want to be a paid speaker sooner rather than later it’s hugely valuable to get your reps in in low-stakes environments.
Hone your message, practice different delivery techniques, make mistakes and find what really works without having a big price tag to live up to.
Ask local businesses and organizations if you can lead a lunch-and-learn or fireside chat.
Offer to run free workshops and ask for feedback in return.
The more work you put in at the beginning, the better your first big paying talk will be.
You need experience to build your credibility and reputation as a speaker.
Testimonials are currency- they are evidence that what you claim to offer is backed up by your audiences.
Next- you need to find the right paying event. Do your research:
- Who wants your talk?
- Do you know who your perfect audience is?
- What kind of events pay speakers like you?
Make sure you are speaking in front of potential clients, not competitors...
If you’re a marketing professional speaking at a marketing conference, your talk might be killer, but remember that the audience is full of other marketing professionals… they are your colleagues & competitors not your clients.
And when it comes to finding events your best friend is google:
“Call for speakers near me”
“Call for speakers in my industry”
"Conferences in location/ in industry"
Find the events and then reach out to the organizers.
You can also sign up for services that help match speakers with event organizers- SpeakerHub and InnovationWomen are a great places to start but there are loads out there.
Speaking opportunities are everywhere- there are thousands of speaking events & conferences every month in the US alone, you just need to start looking.
Tune in to Day #4 to get into the nitty gritty of what to charge.
