How to Find Speaking Engagements
If you're particularly knowledgeable on a specific topic and are great at giving speeches, you might consider going into public speaking. Finding the speaking engagements is the most difficult part. You may have to do some free speaking engagements in the beginning before you're able to be paid for your time and services. However, once you reach that level the opportunities can be quite lucrative.
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Instructions
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Define your niche. Once you narrow down what kind of speaking you do and the type of engagements you'd like to speak at, you can begin to target those specific markets instead of going into the search blindly.
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Look at speaker directories for leads. Post your information on the site so potential clients can find you. It helps to set up your own personal website as well, where you can post video of yourself, fees, references and more. See the links in the resources section for speaker directories.
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Join organizations and clubs. The more you go to events and functions where there are people in the industries you speak on, the more opportunities you have to make connections and network. Getting to know people will help get them to know you and what you do, so they'll hire you to speak at their functions.
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Pick up the phone and start making cold calls. Call businesses in the fields you speak on and ask if they're looking for a speaker, have a need for one in the future and so on. Push your information on them and then call the next. This is tedious work but can help make your presence known and end up getting you gigs.
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Create your own publicity. Write and send out press releases about your speaking engagements. Contact the local newspapers, magazines in your industry and industry sources to inform them of your work. Create a buzz about yourself.
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Write a book and market it. This is one of the fastest ways to get consistent speaking gigs, as you'll be asked to talk about your book.
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Tips & Warnings
Be persistent and stay focused.
Set goals of how many speaking engagements you'd like to book each month.
References
Resources
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Comments
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