Paid speaking can be a lucrative and fulfilling endeavor for people who are leaders in their field, but it is often difficult to get your foot in the door for these public speaking engagements, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Dorie Clark is a marketing consultant and public speaker, as well as an adjunct professor at Durham, N.C.-based Duke University. She says there are three steps leaders can take to enter the world of paid speaking.
1. Don't go to speaker's bureaus. Though many people think this is the logical first step, bureaus can only help if you are a marketable household name. Trying to get a bureau's attention without any experience will be a waste of your time and energy, she writes.
2. Market yourself indirectly. The appeal of a speaker is that they are an expert in their own field, not the field of speaking. Do not market yourself directly as a speaker. Instead, use slightly more obtuse ways to bring the opportunities to you. Contact speakers who know and like you and ask if they can recommend you for paid engagements or create content such as guest articles that afford you credibility as an expert.
3. Be willing to speak for free. In the beginning, take unpaid speaking opportunities. These experiences will eventually pave the way for paid opportunities.
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