Would You Like to Get Paid to Speak?

When someone is paid to speak it’s a valuable positioning and marketing tool that casts an aura of expertise over that person. If you want to boost your professional image by speaking, first people will have to know who you are either as an expert in your field, as an author, or as a successful fixture on the volunteer speaking circuit.

Ask yourself:

• Do you have a particular area of expertise?
• Why would a particular audience be interested in hearing you speak?
• Have you experienced a particular event, or have you achieved a particular goal that’s going to resonate with a group of people?
• Is there something that is critical information that you have and that you can deliver that will help this group succeed?
  
  

To start, I recommend testing interest in your topics with a “free-to-fee” strategy for marketing your presentations. Contact and offer to speak for free at local Rotary Clubs, Chambers of Commerce and other civic organizations and associations where area business owners attend. These sorts of engagements are win-win situations because not only do they provide you with free advertising to the people and businesses who can hire you, but they give you an opportunity to fine tune your presentation.
 
When pitching your presentation make sure to include in the title what you are going to talk about with a specific promise that you will deliver to the audience. For example, my workshop Networking to Boost Your Business Contacts tells the subject (networking) with a promise (boost your business contacts). Whatever the promise is in the title of your presentation should be explained thoroughly enough so that the audience will understand how they can benefit and what to expect.

To received an email with a PDF of my workshop handout, “Get Paid to Speak: How to Become a Professional Speaker” please click here. It will help you: 

• Choose Your Subject   
• Find Your Market   
• Pitch Your Presentation  
• Organize Your Content

Plus, the PDF includes 18 Tips for a Professional and Profitable Presentation. In addition, here are two other excellent resources if you want to learn how to get paid to speak:

The National Speaker’s Association is an association of professional speakers, but anyone can attend their local and national meetings. It focuses on how to succeed in the speaking business and four competencies: Expertise, Eloquence, Enterprise and Ethics. (I have been a member of the NSA since 1991 and was the 2010-2011 President of the NYC Chapter.)

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of meeting locations. There are probably Toastmaster clubs in your area. 

Paid speaking is like any craft; it takes practice and your skills need to be honed before you set out on your own. People who charge themselves with the challenge will find that the golden ring of getting paid for speaking is within reach. But don’t forget: Always give your best material to your audience, regardless of whether the presentation is paid or for free.

If you need help with your presentation, please call Don at 718-768-0824 or contact him at don@dongabor.com.

Don Gabor Conversation Arts Media Dongabor.com Don@dongabor.com 718-768-0824