15 Marketing Tips to Help You Land Speaking Engagements

Speaking engagements can lead to some amazing opportunities - both professional and personal. Case in point, a few months ago, one of my clients was contacted by the organizers of a large conference. They had seen her speak at another event and wanted her to come and give a talk at their conference.

She was thrilled! This opportunity led to several others - including being featured in the media and speaking at other events.

But it all started with one speaking engagement.

So, how can you get started landing paid speaking gigs?

Here are 15 marketing tips:

1. Start with your personal network: let people know that you're interested in giving talks and see if there are any opportunities available. Get involved with local meetups and give talks at these events. This is a great way to get started and build up your portfolio.

2. Build a mailing list of potential clients. This is one of the most important things you can do as a speaker. Send out regular emails with helpful tips, articles , and other resources.

3. Start with a strong speech. This is the most important part of landing speaking engagements. If you don't have a great speech, no amount of marketing will help you. So make sure your speech is top-notch before you start promoting yourself.

4. Get involved in your industry. Getting involved in your industry will help you meet people who may be interested in hiring you as a speaker. Attend conferences, join trade organizations, and network with other professionals in your field.

5. Build up your online presence. In today's world, it's important to have an online presence if you want to be hired as a speaker. Create a website or blog and make sure to populate it with interesting content that will showcase your expertise. You should also be active on social media, particularly LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.

6. Develop a press kit. A press kit is a document that contains information about you and your speech. It should include your bio, headshot, list of previous speaking engagements, testimonials, and anything else that would be helpful for someone considering hiring you.

7. Create a video reel. A video reel is a great way to showcase your speaking skills. Put together a compilation of your best speeches and make sure to include it on your website or blog.

8. Get involved in the local community. Getting involved in the local community is a great way to get your name out there as a speaker. Volunteer for charitable organizations, give talks at local schools or clubs, meetups, and participate in community events.

9. Submit proposals to event planners. When you're first starting out, it can be difficult to get hired as a speaker without any experience. One way to overcome this is to submit proposals directly to event planners. This shows that you're serious about speaking and gives them a chance to see your work firsthand.

10. Participate in speaking competitions. Speaking competitions are a great way to get practice and exposure as a speaker. They can also be a great way to meet other speakers and build up your network.

11. Get involved with Toastmasters. Toastmasters is an international organization that helps people improve their public speaking skills. Getting involved with Toastmasters can help you hone your skills and make connections with other speakers in the organization.

12. Create a portfolio of your previous work. This is essential for landing new clients. Include video or audio clips, testimonials, and press coverage.

13. Write articles, blog posts, or whitepapers about your area of expertise. This will help you establish yourself as an expert in your field and attract attention from potential clients.

14. Participate in podcasts or webinars related to your topic. This is a great way to reach new audiences and show off your expertise.

15. Network, network, network. Networking is essential for any speaker who wants to land more gigs. Attend networking events, exchange business cards, and connect with other professionals on social media. The more people you know, the more likely you are to get hired as a speaker.

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to landing more speaking engagements. You'll need to create a marketing plan and put in the work to see results.

Keep in mind that a successful speaking business takes a pleasant personality, focus, time, persistence, subject matter expertise and the willingness to market and sell. If you have a passion for public speaking and the drive to succeed, you can make it happen. Best wishes!