If you’re a speaker, consultant, or expert who wants more engagements on the calendar, the game has changed, but the fundamentals haven’t. Buyers are more distracted, events are more hybrid, and competition is louder than ever. But the speakers who know who they serve, the outcomes they deliver, and how to reach the right buyers are still winning. 

Here’s the updated roadmap for selling your speech in today’s market.  

1. Start With a Clear Positioning Statement – No Surprise! 

Before you send a single email or make a single call, nail your positioning. You’ve heard me say it for years: 

“I work with [target] who want to [outcome].” 

This is your north star. It tells buyers exactly who you help and what outcomes you create. Clear positioning makes everything else easier – your outreach, your pricing, your proposals, your marketing. 

2. Know Your Buyers and What They’re Dealing With 

Today’s speaking opportunities fall into three buckets: 

Corporate 

Sales teams, leadership groups, employee experience, customer service, tech, healthcare, and finance. Corporate buyers want results, relevance, and ROI. They need help with hybrid workforce issues, team energy, performance gaps, and cultural alignment. Some of the changes brought about by the pandemic remain.  

Associations 

Still relationship driven, still a slow process. Still valuable. Associations are hungry for high-content programs, and they often leverage speakers for more virtual content, webinars, and licensing after the main event. Note: as you’ve heard me say many times, lead with content,  

Niche Events – Masterminds, Membership Groups, Book Clubs 

A growing category. Smaller gatherings, high engagement, often with follow-on consulting opportunities. Read my chapter on “Aftercare” in Book More Business: Make MORE Money Speaking. https://a.co/d/b7xm5lp 

3. Modern Outreach That Gets Responses 

The old model of “just call and leave a voicemail” is outdated. You need a smarter blend of personal and digital. But I must add, I would never discourage picking up the phone! 

Corporate outreach 

• Research using LinkedIn and company news 

• Send a short, personalized message (video messages stand out, audio messages can stand out) 

• Share a core offering sheet/one sheet – a good overview of your business  

• Ask for a brief discovery call. This is where the relationship begins.  

Association outreach 

• Email the meeting planner (remember this is the information gatherer, not the decision maker with a program idea and title that include 3 outcomes 

• Ask about themes, all opportunities and decision timelines 

• Offer a short video clip so they can “see you in action”. Under two minutes or so. 

• If you don’t get it this year, nurture them for next year. Ask permission to put them on your email list.  Associations recycle great speakers. They typically get rid of information from year to year, so you’ll have to start the process again next year.  

4. Ask Smart Questions That Lead to the Sale 

Your goal is to understand: 

• What outcome the event is driving toward 

• Why they’re having the meeting 

• Who the audience is and what they’re struggling with 

• Their fee range 

• Whether they need workshops, virtual sessions, panels, etc.  

Great questions shift the conversation from logistics to value, and value sells. 

5. Price With Confidence 

You’re not selling “a speech.” You’re selling expertise + outcomes + experience. 

Buyers invest when they understand: 

• The problem you solve 

• The transformation you create (outcomes – what will they do differently) 

• How can your content live after the event? Offer Aftercare! Your value will expand far beyond the keynote. 

6. Treat Speaking Like a Business  

The most successful speakers: 

• Track leads 

• Keep an up-to-date CRM 

• Follow up consistently 

• Leverage every gig into repeat business 

• Capture testimonials and referrals 

• Package their expertise into multiple offers 

Your speech is the door opener. Your larger body of work is the revenue. 

Final Thoughts 

Selling your speech in 2025 is about positioning, clarity, and delivering real outcomes and ROI to clients who need them. If you want more bookings, higher fees, and a speaking business that grows month after month, this is your path. 

If you want help refining your positioning or building a stronger pipeline, I’d love to talk. This is what I do, and what I’ve done for thousands of speakers. 

Copyright 2025, Lois Creamer. Lois Creamer works with professional speakers who want to book more business, make more money, and monetize their message. 

Check out the newest edition of her book, Book More Business: Make MORE Money Speaking available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/ci7yWxz 

Check out my new AI program for speakers: https://bmbwithai.com/ 

Reach her in the following ways: Lois@BookMoreBusiness.com 

314-374-4007. Web: https://bookmorebusiness.com/