The fastest way to get quality speaking gigs

Speaking to groups and organizations is an effective way to generate leads for your business. The audience gets a firsthand experience with you and your topic. When you deliver a well-crafted speech, you can inspire, educate and create a strong desire for potential clients to work with you. Plus, you can add these prospects to your contact and ezine list (with their permission).

What my clients often ask me for is the most efficient way to contact meeting planners and program directors to get these speaking opportunities. While you can make a call or mail packages with your speaking topics and credentials, I don’t recommend this. Many meeting planners and program directors are overwhelmed with the amount of contacts that reach them in this manner.

Instead, I have found email to be the most efficient method to find speaking gigs. All it takes to start is a very brief email with one simple question, “Do you accept outside speakers?” My signature talk is called ____. If so, please let me know.”

The person you contacted might answer in four to five different ways:
1. “No, we don’t accept outside speakers” No follow up is needed here.
2. “Yes, we accept outside speakers, but we don’t pay.”
3. “Yes, we accept outside speakers; tell me more.”
4. “Yes, we accept outside speakers; what are your fees?”
5. “Yes, we accept outside speakers, but we are booked until next year.”

By asking contacts this one simple question, you make It very easy for them to answer and begin a conversation. This is so much better than adding to their overwhelming list of correspondence and not hearing back from them. With your email, they don’t have to return your call or write a letter. They just hit reply and your single email question is handled.

What you’ll find with this formula is that you book speaking gigs very quickly with just two to three emails back and forth. Or someone will respond that she is interested and wants to speak on the phone. They might request your bio or other additional information and then you are good to go. Personally, I have found this method to be miraculous. It works really well.

Your Client Attraction Assignment

If you are looking for quality speaking gigs as a way to generate business leads, set aside time in your calendar to do some research. You are looking for program directors and meeting planners and their contact information. Create a list of people to contact. One you decide on your signature talk, then you can try the email script above and start booking the speaking jobs you want.

The lesson here is, it’s time to get over the hurdle and do what it takes to get to the next level.