How to Find Paying Speaking Jobs
I want to help you start your motivational speaking business and train you to make more and more money in your motivational speaking career. One question I get all the time is, “James, how do I get paid public speaking jobs?” These jobs are out there but you need to know where to look in order to find them. Here are just a few ideas.
1) Look for organizations that serve the niche you?re in. For example in the niche I?m in, I?d take a look at DECA marketing organizations, FCCLA. If you?re in the real estate industry, take a look at investor associations, the national board of realtors or even local community associations.
2) Research public speaking jobs in associations within your specific niche. Never be afraid to network yourself and get contact information from the conference coordinator even if you weren’t hired to be their keynote speaker.
3) Increase your motivational speaking success by creating a database full of possible clients who may be hiring conference speakers in the near future. Not only should you contact universities, colleges and professors but also you should try contacting local speaker bureaus, non-profit organizations, corporations and even libraries.
4) You may want to check out the speaker forums for jobs when starting a professional speaking business. Many jobs aren’t paid ones, you’ll find, but they may be useful in helping you create credibility in your niche. It is key that you remember eventually go after higher and higher paying jobs instead of working for free.
5) You’ll develop a system to keep track of all the places you’ll market yourself to as you figure out how to get books for professional speaking. To provide contact information for organizations and conferences that are hiring motivational speakers the internet is going to be very helpful. You can get a large listing to work with just by searching for “calls for speakers” or “speakers wanted”.
6) In order to find all the paying markets in your particular area of expertise you can use directories. Do try to remember however that no directory is complete, but it will help provide enough contact to keep your business up and running. The three main directories that are helpful when trying to do research: The National Trade and Professional Associations Directory, The Directory of Association Meeting Planners and the Directory of Corporate Meeting Planners. They’ll make researching your niche easier than ever however these directories do cost a bit to acquire.
7) Referrals are the last source of potential paid public speaking jobs. Building up a network of peers and clients in your area of expertise can create referrals, helping to bring your name to the attention of event coordinators looking to hire. The person who markets first to event coordinator is the one who will get the job when they are ready to hire. Make sure you are the one there first!
I?ve got one last thing to share with you. Remember that you can find the people who have the money to pay you to speak. You?ve got a number of resources to help you with researching your niche market. Once you get started working a few gigs, don?t be afraid to go after the big money!
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