When I wanted to start speaking, I was so excited. I
was looking forward to connecting with her audience. There was just one small problem. I wasn’t sure where
to find those elusive first speaking gigs. Everyone seemed to be looking for experienced speakers. So how do you find speaking gigs when you are just getting started? Here are 6 things you can do...
Ask Around
Personal and professional connections are the best way to
build awareness. Let your family, friends, and colleagues
know that you’re looking to become a public speaker. They may know of an event
host in need right now.
Put It Out
There
Now that you want to be a speaker, own it loud and proud.
Add the word “speaker” to your bio on your website and your social media
profiles. If space allows, be specific. For example, you might say, “I’m a
speaker on creating cash flow during your retirement” or “I speak to women on
topics like financial and physical health and self-care”.
Scan Local
Events
Since you’re new, you’ll probably want to start locally. That means
you won’t have the stress or expensive of travel. The good
news is that you can find local events easily using services like Facebook
Events, Meetup and Eventbrite.
Reach Out
Another thing new speakers can do is to volunteer. Offer to
speak to classes, both at schools and colleges. Reach out and share how you
believe you can have an impact.
You may also want to see if your local libraries or
community centers are looking for someone to lead a brief four or six-week
class on a topic you’re passionate about. Showing up weekly is a wonderful way
to build up your speaking experience.
Create a
Speaker Sheet
You never know when someone might want to learn more about
your speaking services. So go ahead and create a speaker sheet. This should be
a one-page document that highlights your bio and topics you speak on. Keep it
short and make it attractive. If you don’t have any design skills, consider
creating it in Canva and using one of their templates.
Be ready to share topics with outlines with event hosts when
they ask for more information. You may even want to prepare your presentation
in PowerPoint so a conference coordinator can take a look if they have
questions.
Go Live
Get video of you speaking as soon as possible. Livestreaming
online video is a good option if you've had no live opportunities yet.
While you should strive to make this video as nice as
possible with good lighting and sound, remember that hosts aren’t expecting a
professional studio look. They know the video won’t be polished to perfection.
Event hosts just need to see that you're comfortable and
engaging. They want to know that you can connect with their audience and keep
them entertained.
Finding speaking gigs might seem like a difficult task at
first. But focus on doing the steps above. The more you take risks and put
yourself out there, the more likely you are to discover an opportunity that’s
just right for you.
