Many people don’t realize it, but the best source for speaking gigs is right under their nose.
It’s their next, upcoming speaking event.
In fact, three different parties at that engagement have the potential to refer you from that gig into many more—or even get you booked on the spot.
Here are those three parties whom you can leverage at every speaking event:
- The Audience
Your audience is one of your richest sources for leads. Just think about it. Most people in your audience attend multiple groups and gatherings, many of which need speakers. To enlist their help, often all you have to do is ask.
For instance, when I was just getting started, I spoke in Tucson to 30 people. At the end of my talk, I asked the audience to raise their hands if they knew of other groups that could benefit from my message. Twelve people raised their hands. From those 12 referrals came my next 4 gigs.
When you speak, your audience is the best place to source your next gig!
- The Host
The host of your speaking engagement is another rich source of leads. Hosts can refer you to other chapters of the organization, other organizations that they network with, or even other speakers who present to similar audiences. Few people do this, but you can also ask for a letter from your host, attesting to the power of your talk. This is a great testimonial to show to a host who is considering booking you.
For instance, a couple of years ago, when I spoke at eWomen Network, Kym Yancey founder and host introduced me to the leader of a group that serves African-American Entrepreneurs. They were looking for someone with my expertise, and, because of that host-to-host introduction, they booked me. In fact, I ended up being the first white speaker they’d ever had at their conference.
- Other Speakers
Other speakers at your event or venue are clearly out there looking for the same client profile as you. So whether they’re in the room or you see their name on the website, it’s very fruitful to say, “Hey, I spoke at the Dallas Chamber this week, and I saw that you spoke there last week. Where else do you speak in Dallas that I should go to? And let me tell you about a few places that I’ve found.”
If you’re concerned about competition, don’t be, because, generally, once a speaker has presented somewhere, they won’t be back for a while. So you both have everything to gain by sharing referrals with each other.
If you’d like to start leveraging the three parties who can keep you moving from one speaking engagement to the next, get the ball rolling by getting your Signature Talk and Irresistible Offers stage-ready. Come join us in Palm Springs, California, in May or Tampa, Florida, in October for Speak-to-Sell Bootcamp LIVE!