The Second-Best Things A Speaker Can Do To Increase Bookings

A 2020 survey of 150 professional meeting planners determined the Top 3 ways they find speakers:

#1: They have seen them speak,

#2: A colleague has seen them speak, or

#3: A friend has seen them speak.

That's a whole lot of planners who find their speaker from a speaker speaking.

Potentially discouraging for the emerging speaker with their sights set on million dollar success.

Fear not, silver-lining hunters! There are still some percentage points for the taking.

As my unstoppable friend and peak-performance speaker Justin Forsett says:

"Excel at what you can control."

SPEAK MORE TO SPEAK MORE being the highly uncontrollable ole' chicken-and-egg catch 22, what CAN speakers control?

You can control the SECOND BEST THINGS on the list.

Baer's survey shook loose 3 other ways a speaker can increase bookings (that don't include crashing events and rushing the stage at your local convention center).

3 OTHER WAYS PLANNERS CAN FIND YOU:

1. Speakers Bureaus. Securing good relationships with great bureau agents is the best investment a speaker can make in their business. This list of 30+ Bureaus feels comprehensive - and then some. (Focus your efforts on those who are members of the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPEAKERS BUREAUS .) Word of caution: have your act together before contacting a bureau. Your act: Bio, A/V, Fees, Topics/Presentations, Photo, Demo Video of at least 4-5 minutes in length in front of a live audience, & List of Past Clients.
2. Google ranking and other digital channels. Hire somebody clever to manage your website and improve your social media. Optimize with conversational phrases. Re-engineer your competitors’ keywords. Link out to relevant authority sites. Improve content readability and site usability. Get backlinks from site and @ mentions. Increase your content length with relevant hashtags. Turn your old posts into infographics and post them to your channels. Candid Goat 's depth of experience in our industry is unmatched. Legit love their work.
3. Your Professional Circle. In his book, Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi says to make two lists. The first will be people you’ve met and want to strengthen your relationship with; the second will be people you want to meet. Focus on one or two key people and get to know the rest later. Create an action plan and update it regularly. Attend seminars, boot camps and join professional communities (currently fan-girling over Impact Eleven's offerings). Leverage LinkedIn.

Focus on the second-best 3 ways planners find speakers, excel at them, and the first-best 3 ways are sure to follow.

Christa Haberstock is Founder and President of See Agency. Since 2009, she has dedicated herself to Management and Representation of Professional Speakers and Corporate Entertainment. Really, really good ones, too. See Agency also offers Speaker Therapy and Brand Consultation, because the first step is always admitting you need help. (c) 2022

Data courtesy of Jay Baer , SpeakInc & Michelle Joyce Speakers