Here's Where You'll Find the Real 🤑 In the Speaking Industry
And no, it's not Fortune 500 companies
Welcome to all 354 of you in the MYM Familia. 👏🏾
Last week we talked about how to decide when to waive your investment level (ahem, “speak for free”), and this week we’re going where the real money is.
Where are the Big Ticket Gigs in the Speaking Industry?
Here’s a question that a lot of rookie speakers ask me:
The speaking industry operates like a black box.
The largest speaking trade group - National Speakers Association - has a rule to not discuss speaking fees.
Yep.
Let me make something clear: We’ll be talking about money a lot in this newsletter.
Why?
Not because we’re money-grubbing Madoffs.
Being transparent about pricing equips you to get the value you deserve when you take the stage. That’s why.
And the more money you make…the more freedom you get.
Last December, I reviewed the 428 keynotes that I had delivered since 2013.
For each talk, I enter a row of data points into a Google Sheet.
Each year has its own tab.
I have 29 columns for each speech, but here are a ten of the most important:
Name of Client (Partner)
Name of Client Contact
Name of Event
Requested Talk Title
Category (leadership, communications, etc.)
City
Number of Attendees
Quoted Investment Level
Agreed Upon Investment Level
Lead Time (amount of time between first contact and event date)
My December analysis turned up an interesting stat. 👇
83 percent of my highest-paid talks were from conferences.
You read that right - conferences not companies. On average, conferences paid 79 percent more than companies.
The Holy Grail of the Speaking Industry: Conferences 👀
Check out most speaker websites and you’ll find a consistent section.
It’s what I call the “Logo Roll Call”.
It’s the part of the site that features company logos (check out mine here).
During my rookie year as a speaker, I thought Fortune 500 companies were the Holy Grail of Speaking.
Today, my current self is whispering to my past self:
3 Reasons Why You Should Target Conferences
1. One Trick Pony
Most associations collect annual dues from their members.
And I’m not talking about Girl Scouts dues.
I’m talking groups like the National Association of Realtors or the American Bar Association (the two largest trade associations in the United States).
One of their major responsibilities is to throw the biggest and baddest annual events for their members.
And that means they leverage large budgets for a great location, good food, solid hotel and riveting speakers.
2. Operation Spygate🕵🏻♀️
Conferences also tend to have a large roster of top-notch presenters.
I will stay at a conference for at least two days just so I can listen to other speakers.
Many of my best ideas (large photos only for PPTs) resulted from me sitting in the audience and taking notes.
3. Every Seat Has a Client
Pound for pound, conferences are the best speaking gigs on the planet.
Why?
Because there are tons of people from numerous companies who will rave about you once you crush it from the stage.
Think About It…
If you speak for Company X, then everyone in that room will be an employee of Company X.
But…
If you speak for Conference Y, then everyone in that room will be employees of Companies A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H…
You get the point.
21 percent of my talks to companies resulted from the recommendations from conference attendees.
The Mic Drop 🎤
In short, expand your target list to conferences.
Start with a quick Google search for your topic area.
Here are the results from: “leadership conferences 2023”.
Track down the contact information for the organizer and pitch your keynote.
You’ve got this. 👊
That’s all for this week, MYM Familia.
If you liked today’s newsletter, be sure to like, share, comment and do all of the things that lovers do when they love something. It would make our day and help us to reach more people. 🙏
Take the Stage.
Get Paid.
Buy Your Freedom.
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Great read. I’m a poet and author and stepping into the performance/public speaking arena. This is helpful as I am getting booked for events.
Awesome strategy and framework to get paid speaking gigs, much appreciated!