How to Pitch Yourself as a Speaker: Get Booked and Get Paid with Confidence
Learn how to confidently pitch yourself as a speaker, negotiate speaking fees, and get booked with our expert tips and strategies.
You've spent hours crafting the perfect presentation, rehearsing your delivery, and researching the conference or event where you're about to speak. But as you stand at the podium, you're hit with a harsh reality: you're not getting paid what you're worth. In fact, you're often paid peanuts, or worse, nothing at all. This post is for speakers who want to get booked, get paid, and get the respect they deserve.
Why this keeps happening
The problem is, the speaking industry is built on a pay-for-play model, where speakers often have to negotiate their fees from scratch, without any leverage or support. This leaves speakers vulnerable to lowball offers, last-minute cancellations, and uncertain payment terms.
Real example
Sarah, a seasoned speaker and coach, had been speaking at conferences for years, but she was always struggling to get paid. She'd send invoices after the event, but often she'd have to chase down the organizers for payment. One event, she was paid $500 for a 2-hour talk, which worked out to $250 an hour. She knew she was worth more, but she didn't know how to negotiate her fees or get paid upfront.
The habits that fix this permanently
These are the non-negotiables for getting paid reliably in your profession:
How to implement this step by step
Define Your Speaking Fees and Services
Start by clearly defining your speaking fees and services. What are your rates for a 1-hour talk, a half-day workshop, or a full-day keynote? What do you offer in terms of services, such as coaching, consulting, or mentoring? Make sure your fees are transparent and consistent across all your speaking engagements. For example, Sarah realized that she was undervaluing her services and decided to raise her fees to $1,000 for a 2-hour talk. She also started offering a premium package that included coaching and consulting services for an additional $500.
Create a Speaking Contract
Create a speaking contract that outlines payment terms, cancellation policies, and other essential details. This contract should include a clear description of your services, payment terms, and cancellation policies. For example, Sarah created a contract that outlined a 50% deposit due 30 days prior to the event, with the balance due on the day of the event. She also included a clause that required the client to pay a $500 cancellation fee if they cancelled within 14 days of the event.
Use Becflow to Send Professional Invoices and Payment Links
Use Becflow to send professional invoices and payment links to clients. This will help you track your payments and ensure that you get paid on time. For example, Sarah used Becflow to send an invoice to her client 30 days prior to the event, along with a payment link that made it easy for the client to pay online. She also set up automatic reminders to send to the client if payment was overdue.
Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries
Set clear expectations and boundaries with clients and event organizers. This includes communicating your speaking fees and services clearly, as well as setting clear payment terms and cancellation policies. For example, Sarah made sure to clearly communicate her speaking fees and services to her clients, and she set clear payment terms and cancellation policies in her contract. She also made sure to set clear boundaries around her time and availability, and she made it clear that she would not compromise on her speaking fees or services.
Develop a Portfolio of Speaking Engagements and Testimonials
Develop a portfolio of speaking engagements and testimonials to demonstrate your value. This includes collecting testimonials from past clients and event organizers, as well as tracking your speaking engagements and presenting your results to potential clients. For example, Sarah developed a portfolio of speaking engagements and testimonials that demonstrated her value as a speaker and coach. She used this portfolio to negotiate better fees and secure more speaking engagements.
The Becflow solution
Becflow solves this problem by providing speakers with a professional invoicing and payment system that makes it easy to get paid on time. With Becflow, you can create professional invoices and payment links, track your payments, and set up automatic reminders to send to clients if payment is overdue. This means you can focus on what you do best – delivering amazing presentations and coaching services – while Becflow takes care of the administrative tasks. Try Becflow today and start getting booked and getting paid with confidence.
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