I spend a lot of time talking with speakers, meeting professionals, and watching booking trends. Here are the latest insights.

This isn’t about what sounds good on a speaker one-sheet. It’s about what planners are actually paying for.

Here’s what’s booking, what’s cooling off, and how to stay relevant.

What’s in Demand

1. AI & Emerging Tech (Still #1)

Planners don’t want hype, jargon, or someone who slapped “AI” onto a program title.

They are booking speakers who can:

• Explain AI in plain English
• Show real-world applications
• Address ethics, governance, and workforce impact
• Help leaders make decisions — not just feel informed

Bottom line: AI isn’t the future. It’s already here. Practical frameworks win.

Ask yourself: What do people do differently on Monday because of my talk? As you’ve heard me say time and time again, speak in outcomes.

2. Leadership for a Hybrid, Disrupted World

Generic leadership is out. Context matters.

What’s booking:

• Leading through disruption
• Trust and psychological safety
• Managing multi-generational teams
• Empathy plus accountability
• Purpose-driven leadership that performs

Planners want leadership speakers who understand today’s realities, not old models

3. Resilience, Well-Being, and Mental Performance

This isn’t “nice to have” anymore and hasn’t been since the end of the pandemic.

What’s working:

• Burnout prevention tied to productivity
• Neuroscience-based performance
• Emotional intelligence under stress
• Work-life boundaries that work

Feel-good motivation alone isn’t cutting it. This content must be credible, measurable, and usable.

4. Strategy, Innovation and Growth

Planners want:

• Strategy tied to mission and impact
• Innovation that can be built
• Growth frameworks teams can use immediately

If your talk ends with “Think differently,” you’ll struggle.
If it ends with “Here’s the framework,” you’re in business.

5. DEI — With Results

DEI hasn’t gone away. The bar is just higher. Make sure your ROI is clear and compelling.

What’s booking:

• Belonging tied to performance
• Inclusion as an innovation driver
• Measurable outcomes and ROI

6. Cybersecurity and Risk

Note: Especially as AI introduces new vulnerabilities.

Planners want speakers who can:

• Simplify complex risk
• Address privacy and ethical AI
• Help leaders make smarter decisions

7. Storytelling and Human Connection

Even in a tech-heavy world. Maybe especially now.

Strategic storytelling that strengthens leadership, sales, culture, and trust is in demand.
Story as a business tool.

Topics Losing Momentum

Not bad topics — just oversaturated or underdeveloped.

• Broad inspirational motivation without tools (Again, I’ve been saying this for years).
• Generic leadership or soft skills
• Vague “future of work” talks without models
• Celebrity speakers as the main draw (thank you)

Planners care less about who spoke and more about what people walk away with.

Why This Is Happening

• Events are shorter and tighter
• Audiences demand clarity and applicability
• AI and tech are business imperatives, not trends

The Shortcut for Professional Speakers

To stay booked, your content must be:

• Practical and implementable
• Grounded in real business challenges
• Forward-looking, not fluffy
• ROI-driven
• Adaptable to in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats

The sweet spot:
Empathy + strategy + tools.

High-level concepts without real-world application are getting passed over.

If you’re a speaker, ask yourself one question:
What problem does this solve for today’s organizations right now?

Insights compiled from topic trend reports and content from bureaus and event platforms such as All American Speakers, BigSpeak, previous market intelligence I’ve done, and other related industry sources.

Copyright 2026, 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/