How to Grow Your Speaking Career
A speaking career allows you to share your unique point of view with the world while making a direct impact on a wide range of people. No matter what industry you come from or what movement you’re building, speaking can be one of the most powerful ways to share your philosophy, grow your business, and expand your network. Annie Meehan, former president of Minnesota’s chapter of the National Speakers Association, knows a thing or two when it comes to the world of speaking. Here are some of her most important insights on what to expect and how to get started:
1. Join your local chapter of the National Speakers Association
Not only will they train you on your delivery and your business practices, but the National Speakers Association can be a great place to land gigs.
2. Build credibility and content
Books, articles, blogs, and your personal experience all work together to build your credibility. A book proves you have a message and a vision, which is crucial to any valuable speaker. When Annie posted the cover of her book Be the Exception on social media in January, the buzz she generated resulted in $13,000 worth of speaking engagements for March. With a book or a blog, you will gain recognition, which in turn will result in more bookings with higher compensation.
Besides building credibility, your book is your best business card. “People throw away business cards, but they don’t throw away books,” says Annie. “In 2016, I was sending out about thirty books a week, which is an investment, but it really grows your network.”
3. Know what to present
Your presentation can’t JUST be about your story. People want to know how your experience can apply to their life and help them. If you went through a divorce, someone else might be going through an illness. The focus should be on the tools you used to overcome that struggle, so your audience can use your wisdom to better their own lives. As long as your lessons are applicable to your audience, you will keep getting bookings.
4. Know how to charge
When you are first starting out, you may take engagements that pay little to nothing. But Annie says, “You aren’t worth nothing. I’m a pro bono speaker for causes that I care about. The difference between pro bono and free is that I know what I’m worth.” She speaks pro bono for rotary clubs and other venues that she knows will result in referrals and valuable connections. There is always a fine balance between knowing what events are great for exposure and knowing when to assert your worth. Now, Annie makes $7,500-$10,000 per speech, and makes room for about four pro bono engagements a year. “One of my pro bono engagements resulted in a $30,000 engagement. Don’t assume that people have money or don’t have money, because you never know,” Annie advises.
5. Be relentless, courteous, and flexible
Annie reaches out to around twenty organizations a day. No matter where she pitches, she does her research. She tailors her pitches to the specific organizations she reaches out to.
She’s found that lots of organizations will pay, including ones that at first glance may not seem like they would. Some organizations that don’t have a budget for speaking engagements will have a budget for books as a gift to their audience. Flexibility is key.
Rejection is a huge part of the job, and Annie gets around ten rejections a day. A thick skin is crucial. “Keep going, be resourceful, and find new organizations that could benefit from your material. Pay attention to the way that you can refine and build on your content to better serve people.”
At your engagements, focus on leaving a good impression. Repeat clients and referrals will end up being a huge part of your business. Come early and stay late.
6. Work with bureaus and agents
“I work with eight agents, and I don’t have a contract that’s exclusive with anyone. Once you become more established, your videos and referrals will mean everything to your business. About 70 percent of my business comes from referrals or someone who has seen my content on social media and reached out. Ten percent of my business comes from cold-calling and reaching out to people on LinkedIn or on social media who may want a speaker,” says Annie. Always have multiple avenues to get gigs, and don’t rely on any one of them too heavily. Opportunities will come through in many ways.
7. Bring a bonus sheet
Create a sheet with some thoughtful questions, a space to take notes, and some key points from your presentation. Make sure that the sheet includes your contact information. Not only will your sheet make your presentation more effective, but it will also help generate new leads.
8. Create a recognizable brand.
A recognizable brand will make you memorable. “Pick your color, wear your color,” says Annie. She chose blue and orange, like the colors on the cover of Be the Exception. She said that she’s had conferences rebrand themselves as “Be the Exception,” with custom t-shirts to boot, because she created a message and a look that was easy to relate to. With her latest book, The Pineapple Principle, conferences have rebranded themselves to become pineapple themed. With some fun imagery that’s easy to pick up on, you will inspire your clients to take their own events to the next level.
With grit, confidence, and a message that will inspire, you can launch a speaking career that creates positive change. You can learn more about Annie and her speaking career at https://www.anniemeehan.com/.
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