How To Be A Speaker
Are you interested in being a paid speaker? Do you have a story to share? Think others would like to hear it, and maybe even pay you to tell it?
A couple of suggestions.
If you’re just starting out, the best thing to do is to work on putting something together and start doing it for free for groups in your area – churches, youth groups, high schools. There are a ton of community organizations like Rotary Clubs, chambers of commerce, networking groups, and community service organizations who are always on the lookout for free speakers for their meetings. It’s a great way to practice, practice, practice. In my opinion, you have to have a certain number of “miles” under a program before you can expect people to pay for it. Each time you do the program for free, ask your sponsor to write a letter recommending you as a speaker.
During this time, work on things like getting a professional head shot. Write up a 3-4 paragraph description of your program. Write up a short bio for yourself and an introduction people can use when you speak for them. Contrary to popular opinion, you don’t need to have a book to be a speaker. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not entirely necessary either. Make sure you can deliver versions of your program: a 15-minute version, a 30-minute version, and one that lasts an hour. Different groups will want you to speak for different amounts of time.
I recommend a book called “Present Your Way to the Top!” by David Dempsey. You can buy it on Amazon.com here. It has tons of good advice on the basics of professional speaking.
If you’re speaking about an issue, you might want to join a non-profit’s speakers bureau. If you speak on staying strong while fighting cancer, for example, then check with your local American Cancer Society or other groups in your area serving people with cancer.
Once you’ve been doing that for a while, you might be ready to take it to the next step.
The National Speakers Association has a great program called the NSA Academy. Check out the link and read how you can use this valuable program to make the leap from being a great speaker to being a paid speaker.
If you’re interested in learning how to speak to college audiences, you should check out the College Speakers Academy, an annual seminar sponsored by my company, CAMPUSPEAK. In two days, you’ll learn a lot about speaking at campuses and find out if it’s for you.
It’s probably not a great idea to apply for speakers agency representation until you’ve got something proven and you’ve already cut your teeth in the business. Certainly, there are exceptions.
Becoming a professional speaker is one of those things that a ton of people want to do, or think they can do. Truthfully, very few people put the work in to make it a reality. It takes a lot of committed effort and dedication (like in any other career, I suppose) to make it a profitable path.
Some people set out to do it, intentionally. Others, like me, stumble into the opportunity. Some have the necessary charisma, talent, and knack for humor. Others don’t. There are a million trails that can take you to a career as a professional speaker, but it’s not an easy thing to do.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask them on my contact page. Thanks.
