If you want to turn your speaking passion into a speaking business, you need to master a combination of three key elements that go beyond stage presence (although that’s critical too). Let’s break down each of those three elements so you can increase your speaking fees and truly make it as a highly paid professional speaker.
1. The Ticket to Entry: Exceptional Content and Speaking Skills
The absolute bare minimum to be taken seriously as a speaker is having incredible content and delivering it with excellence. Gone are the days when a polished sizzle reel or simply being a recognizable name could land you a keynote slot. Today people expect to see proof of your abilities—before they ever hire you. They can easily look you up on social media, and if your content isn’t powerful, engaging, and original, you’re already behind.
Your content needs to be clear, actionable, and most importantly, captivating. But here’s the kicker—just having great content isn’t enough. You must also be a skilled presenter on stage. Being great in front of a camera doesn’t automatically make you a rockstar on stage. Presenting live is an art form that requires years of practice. To get there, speak as often as you can. Speak for free. Speak for small groups. Speak for massive audiences. The point is: speak! Every time you do, you’ll learn something new about how your stories land, where to add humor or seriousness, and how to pace your delivery.
The more you speak, the better you get, and the better you get, the more opportunities (and higher fees) will come your way.
2. Choose Evergreen Topics That Allow for Fee Growth
Once you’ve nailed your content and delivery, the next step is to ensure you’re speaking on topics that can grow your fee over time. This is where strategy comes into play. Some topics will always be in demand, no matter the market or economy. These are your “evergreen” topics, and they are crucial for increasing your value.
Let me give you a few examples:
- Leadership: Every industry, from corporations to government agencies, needs speakers who can discuss leadership. It’s a universal topic that will always have a place on stage.
- Culture: Companies and organizations are constantly seeking ways to improve workplace culture, making this a consistent and lucrative subject.
- Teamwork: Whether you’re talking about how leaders can foster better teamwork or how employees can collaborate more effectively, this topic is another evergreen category that transcends industries.
What you’re looking for are topics that will always be relevant. This is how you create longevity and fee growth as a speaker. Just take a look at highly paid speakers like Tony Robbins and Mel Robbins. They’ve built entire careers around topics like leadership, empowerment, and personal growth—areas that apply to everyone, everywhere.
On the flip side, there are important topics that, while in demand, don’t have the same fee-increasing potential. Social media is a prime example. While it’s a hot topic, it’s typically considered a lower-fee category compared to leadership. I can name dozens of leadership speakers who command $40,000+ per keynote, but I’d be hard-pressed to list even a few social media speakers in that range. So think carefully about how your unique content fits into these evergreen categories, and weave those elements into your messaging.
3. Create a Killer Demo Video and Speaker Press Kit
No matter how great you are on stage, if event planners can’t see that for themselves, you’re going to struggle. This is where your demo video becomes your secret weapon.
Here’s what you need to make your speaker demo stand out:
- Length: Keep it between 5 to 7 minutes. If you have something truly unique, you can stretch it to 10, but shorter, punchier videos work best.
- Multiple Angles: Don’t settle for a one-camera shoot. You need at least two or three different angles—close-ups for intimate moments, wide shots for stage presence, and audience reactions to show engagement.
- Diverse Footage: Your demo shouldn’t all be from one event. Showcase clips from at least three to four different stages, with different outfits to demonstrate your versatility.
- Audience Reactions: Event planners want to know if your jokes land or if your message resonates. Include audience shots to show their reactions.
- High-Quality Audio and Video: This is non-negotiable. No shaky footage or unclear sound. It needs to be polished.
Your video should answer one major question within the first 15-20 seconds: Why are you worth the investment? Why should they pay you $15,000, $25,000, or even $50,000 for a keynote? From there, dive straight into clips of you commanding the stage.
Next, let’s talk about your speaker press kit. It’s another essential tool to communicate your value:
- Headshot: You need a current, high-res headshot. Not one from five years ago—something that shows you today.
- Bio: This should emphasize why you’re the expert. What makes you different? What unique value do you bring?
- Keynote Descriptions: In one page, you need to explain what people are buying when they hire you. Bullet-point takeaways work well here—clarify exactly what the audience will walk away with.
- Testimonials: Get these organized by industry. If you’re applying to speak at an insurance event, include testimonials from the insurance industry. The more targeted, the better.
Bonus: Word-of-Mouth and Referrals Are Everything
At the end of the day, the best way to become a highly paid speaker is simple: be so good that other speakers, event planners, and attendees tell others about you. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful in this industry, so always strive to deliver the kind of experience that gets people talking.
Make a Career Out of Your Speaking Passion
If you’re serious about becoming a highly paid professional speaker, you might be interested in scheduling a free brand strategy call with Brand Builders Group. We’ve helped hundreds of mission-driven messengers turn their speaking dreams into speaking businesses, and we’d love to help you too! The first call is free, so schedule yours here to learn expert tips and strategies that will make you a better, higher-paid speaker.
