Do you want to be a motivational keynote speaker? Like you, perhaps, I knew that I wanted to be a professional speaker when I was just 10 or 12 years old, but I never jumped in because I thought I needed some incredible and indisputable victory to give me the credibility to be a ‘keynote speaker’. Why would anyone hire me?! But in 2007, I finally decided to let go of that fear and “just do it” anyway. I began speaking anywhere and everywhere I could, and since then, everything in my life has changed.
Lesson: the road to BEING is through DOING!
If you want to BE a motivational speaker, you need to start DOING motivational speaking. I spoke everywhere at the beginning! Rotary Clubs, Meetup Groups, Chambers of Commerce, Networking Groups … you name it. At the beginning, it was all local stuff but soon, I started to figure it out. And since 2007, I’ve spoken professionally at conferences across the United States and Canada as well as business events in Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Aruba, Colombia, Finland, Portugal, Sweden, Dubai, India, Bangkok, Moscow, Bahrain and the Philippines. In this post, I’ll tell you about my journey and give you some pointers to get started yourself.
First, here’s a video of a speech I gave in January 2014 where I shared my monthly credit card balances for the first seven (7) years of my speaking career. I shared it to give the audience (comprised of self-employed service professionals) an idea of my own struggle during the early years. I also explained how and why I started speaking internationally as well as the motivation behind my Strategic Business Insights video blog. The video is 28 minutes long but will give you a great introduction to the rest of the post below.
If you know of other people who would benefit from this video, please pass it along to them. Also, I have included my two primary demo videos below. The first was recorded in September 2011 at the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). I was speaking at an event sponsored by Bloomberg TV and Comcast Business Class. The second is my TEDx Talk on “Learned Intuition”. It was recorded in June 2013 at the TEDx Sacramento event. Video is the most important thing you’ll need as a professional speaker. The videos below are far from perfect, but they’re the best ones I’ve put together so far and they’re more than enough to get me booked as a keynote speaker.
Different “Circuits” in the Speaking Business
When considering a career as a professional speaker, you need to understand that there are three (3) different circuits in the speaking business: the Free Circuit, the Cheap Circuit and the Pro Circuit. The Free Circuit speaks for itself: free events like the ones mentioned above (like Rotary Clubs and Meetup Groups, etc.). The vast majority of “speakers” only do free events, and then they use those speaking opportunities to sell products or consulting services. I’ve always hated that type of business. I call it Platform Speaking and you’re constantly trying to sell stuff to people. Argh!
Definition of Platform Speakers
Platform Speakers follow a predictable pattern. Their pitch begins from the very first word. They immediately identify the problem and allude to the fact that an easy solution exists. They also reassure their audiences regularly that successful people invest in their own personal development. “If you want to be successful, you need to spend some money,” they claim. The second half of their presentation is “the offer” and consists of repeated examples of the true value of the problem’s solution. At the end, the price is finally revealed, usually much lower than the established value, but is immediately outdone by additional discounts if you “buy today.”
About 90% of speakers are Platform Speakers. Why? Because there’s no barrier to entry. Anyone can start speaking at free events and try to sell their wears. But because of that (no barrier to entry), the quality tends to be low. There’s a lot of riff-raff in the free circuit, but you can indeed make a living doing it, and a lot of people do. Of course, a few make it to the big leagues – people like Tony Robbins or T. Harv Eker – but it’s still Platform Speaking.
Making money as a Platform Speaker can be a struggle. You’re always trying to grow your email list and create new products or programs to sell. But having said that, the high end (Tony Robbins, etc.) offers an income potential much higher than Keynote Speaking. These days, a lot of Platform Speakers actually have much broader businesses, selling information products online among other things. People like Brendon Burchard and James Malinchak come to mind. And again, those established names make a fortune. Unfortunately, most Platform Speakers never get that far.
Definition of Keynote Speakers
Keynote Speaking is different. As a Keynote Speaker, you’re hired by an organization to speak at an event, and the only thing you’re selling is your message. In fact, if you tried to sell something else (like a 3-day seminar or an expensive coaching program), you would never be hired back! As a keynote speaker, you get a check to speak. That’s your payment and it would be completely inappropriate to try to make even more money by selling stuff to the audience. So the Cheap Circuit and the Pro Circuit are both Keynote Speaking circuits. You get paid, so no selling allowed.
As a Keynote Speaker, you’re always being hired by new organizations. Yes, there are some that will bring you back a second or even a third time, but the referral process usually brings you a steady stream of new clients. In fact, if you do a good job, every speaking engagement should lead to 3 or 4 more … and there are literally hundreds of thousands of organizations who host events and hire professional speakers. That means that once you get established, and if you’re good, the marketing process should take care of itself.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and on any given week day, there are probably at least 100 speakers being paid to speak at various events around the city. There’s literally tons of business. It’s endless. Every single medium or large-sized business has an annual meeting, and so does every single association. And once you do a good job within a given industry sector, the referrals will lead to more opportunities for similar organizations.
Getting back to income potential, the top names in the Platform Speaking business make millions of dollars each year. I think Tony Robbins made over 15 million dollars one year. Keynote Speakers can’t touch that. The upper income limit for most Keynote Speakers is about $400,000 or $500,000 per year. I break this down in more detail near the bottom of this post.
Keynote Speakers generally fall into one of four categories: motivation, inspiration, overcoming adversity and leadership. Leadership and overcoming adversity speak for themselves, but the difference between motivation and inspiration is a bit more subtle. My definitions is that motivation is the act of convincing people to do things that they already know they should be doing. By contrast, inspiration is the act of convincing people to do things that they never thought of doing until they heard your speech.
Definition of Motivational Speakers
Motivational Speakers can be either Platform Speakers or Keynote Speakers. Tony Robbins, for example, is definitely a Motivational Speaker but he is also clearly a Platform Speaker. He’s selling stuff. He has CDs, DVDs and lots of expensive programs. T. Harv Eker is the same, but Motivational Speakers can also be Keynote Speakers. There are tons of speakers that offer motivational programs to companies and associations. Sales trainers and team-building experts come to mind, as do some leadership speakers.
It’s important to understand that any Keynote Speaker, regardless of his or her category, needs to have a motivational angle to his or her speech. If it’s not motivational, you won’t get any referrals. Actually, there are two elements you need: motivation and humor. People learn when they laugh. And if you’re funny – like, comedian funny – your referral business will explode. Seriously. Get some good laugh lines and watch your business grow. There’s a direct correlation between humor and referrals!
The Cheap Circuit and the Pro Circuit
The Cheap Circuit refers to speaking fees between $1,000 and $3,000 (plus travel expenses). Most Cheap Circuit gigs are booked directly between the event organizer and the speaker. Why? Because Speakers Bureaus can’t make any money recommending such inexpensive speakers. Speakers Bureaus usually earn between 25% or 30% of the speaking fee, so a fee of $2,500 only yields a commission between $625 and $750. Keep in mind that the bureau salesperson has to split the commission with the house. So assuming a 50/50 split, the salesperson only makes between $312 and $375 for the engagement. Compare that to the commission on a $10,000 speaker; it’s no contest. So Cheap Circuit gigs are almost always booked directly.
Pro Circuit gigs refer to those of $5,000 or more. Most Pro Circuit engagements are booked through Speakers Bureaus or Speakers Agents. As detailed above, the higher fees make these events more attractive to “middlemen” like bureaus and agents. In fact, many Speakers Bureau salespeople only deal with speakers with fees of $10,000 or more. When I was at the $5,000 level, one of my bureau contacts called me and told me to raise my fees to $10,000. It seemed crazy at the time, but the change did indeed lead to more bureau business.
It’s important to note that middlemen like Speakers Bureaus and Speakers Agents are getting squeezed by the internet. It’s happening in every single business category. Middlemen are getting squeezed. And even in my own business, I notice a much larger percentage of gigs getting booked directly. The corporate buyers are doing their research on Google and calling prospective speakers directly. That’s why I started my video blog. I needed to have more content on the internet to increase the odds that the buyers find me.
If someone contacts you directly, it’s important to always ask them how they found you. If they got your name from a Speakers Bureau, it’s super important to funnel that business through the bureau. Give them their commission. They still control a big chunk of the Pro Circuit and you don’t want to ruin those relationships. It’s hard enough getting in with them in the first place! And besides, honoring their client relationships will increase the odds that they recommend you in the future.
By the way, these labels (Free Circuit, Cheap Circuit and Pro Circuit) are not established terms. I made them up. Nobody else uses these names. So if you talk with other speakers and ask them if they’re doing Cheap Circuit or Pro Circuit gigs, they probably won’t know what you’re talking about. But for me (and now, you), they make a lot of sense and help me categorize the different strata within the speaking business.
Getting Started as a Professional Speaker
I made every mistake you can possibly make. I started in the Free Circuit and tried to work my way up the ladder. Bad idea. Turns out, referrals from the Free Circuit are almost always for other events also in the Free Circuit! Meanwhile, referrals from the Cheap Circuit are generally in the Cheap Circuit themselves, and the same is true for referrals in the Pro Circuit. That means it’s almost impossible to work your way up. You need to learn the different requirements at each level and adjust your marketing accordingly. Anyway, here’s how it played out for me …
In 2008, I spoke at 72 events and only got paid for two, both in the Cheap Circuit. That means I did 70 gigs for free! I traveled for just one event that year. In 2009, I spoke at – get this – 127 events! Crazy. I only got paid for six and traveled for five. That means I did 121 events for free. It’s also important to point out that it would never be possible to speak at 127 events if you were traveling for most of them. It just takes too much time. But because I was speaking primarily at local free events, I could squeeze in more. I once spoke at three different events on the same day. Brutal.
In 2010, I started to figure it out. I spoke at 64 events that year and got paid for 21 and traveled for 15. I got my first Pro Circuit gig in July of that year. Actually, by complete coincidence, I did three Pro Circuit gigs all during July of that year; the first in Las Vegas, the second in India (!!) and the third in Philadelphia. It was stressful!! I’m not kidding. I actually got crazy anxiety in preparation for those three events and it took a full 20 months (yes, almost two years!) for me to get comfortable with my evolving Pro Circuit career.
The event in Philadelphia was my first event with Bloomberg TV. They have been my #1 client ever since. That event went extremely well and I’ve done dozens of events with them for the past four years, all through a Speakers Bureau. What a blessing! That one client taught me sooo much about the speaking business! Here are some of my better-known past clients:
In 2011, I spoke at 59 events and got paid for 31. I traveled for 30 including events across the country as well as events in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. It was a breakthrough year for me. I finally started making good money and felt like I had stabilized in my new career. Of course, every time you feel that way, there’s sure to be a shock just around the corner, and that’s exactly what happened to me.
2012 was difficult. My signature “social media” topic started to die. Well, it didn’t die altogether, but it moved from a “general session” to a “breakout session” topic at most conferences. So, let’s define those two. General sessions are the big keynote sessions for ALL the conference attendees (imagine a conference with 1,000+ attendees). There’s usually a breakfast keynote and a lunch keynote, and sometimes an afternoon keynote as well. They’re usually done right after (or during) a meal. By contrast, the breakout sessions are the educational concurrent sessions that take place during the middle of the day.
For many conferences, there might be three or four concurrent tracks and attendees can decide which sessions they want to attend. That means that breakout sessions might only have between 25% and 40% of the total number of attendees. As a result, conference organizers can’t pay as much for breakout speakers. Besides, there are always plenty of industry speakers who are willing to speak for free because they get business as a result of the conference exposure. So breakout sessions rarely pay more than $1,000 or $2,000 so you can’t really make any money doing them. The real money is in the general (or keynote) sessions. Conference organizers regularly have between $5,000 and $25,000 (or more) allocated for general session speakers.
Anyway, between 2007 and 2011, social media was a general session topic. It was new. It was hot. Everyone wanted that topic and I was ahead of the curve. I had a strong program and the referrals took me all around the world. But in 2012, social media started to become ubiquitous and fell from the general session slot to the breakout level as a result. My speaking opportunities were drying up. You can see in the chart above that the number of events I did dropped dramatically and my income fell by about 40% that year. I had to diversify! I needed a new topic.
By mid 2012, I decided to broaden my primary topic to “global business trends” of which social media was just one example. “Big Data” was a second, and technology in general was a third. Demographics (which I’ve been super fascinated by for years) was fourth. I re-branded all my marketing material and website and got to work spreading the word … and it worked. 2013 was the best year of my entire working life. I spoke in Canada, Dubai (second time), Moscow, Bangkok, Bahrain and the Philippines. In 2014, I spoke in Dubai (third time), New Zealand, Colombia, Mexico, Trinidad and Istanbul.
You’ll notice that I did fewer events again in 2014 but it was primarily because my average speaking fee had gone up a lot and I didn’t feel the need to pack my travel schedule. I focused on the high-paying opportunities and spent the extra time researching my topic, developing my content, building my keynote programs and recording videos to showcase my message and delivery. I really felt like I’d figured it out. I understand how to do the marketing and I understand how to deliver a good speech. Here’s a map with all the places where I’ve spoken professionally:
How to Write a Motivational Speech
Like any industry, the quality of the product is the ultimate determinant of success. As a motivational keynote speaker, the quality of your product refers to the quality of your speech. Like I mentioned above, your speech must have a motivational angle and some good laugh lines, but there’s a lot more to it than that. I write my speeches like a song with verses, a chorus and a “bridge” near the end. And what’s a bridge? Well in 1980s, it was the guitar solo. Your speech needs something similar; something to break the audience out of the established rhythm and jolt them with something surprising and dynamic. Here’s a video about this proprietary structure I developed for myself.
How much money can you make as a Motivational Speaker?
How much do Keynote Speakers get paid? Well, that depends. Malcolm Gladwell gets $85,000 per speech. Condoleezza Rice gets $150,000. Bill Clinton gets a lot more than that. But for people who do not have massive celebrity cache, it’s almost impossible to earn speaking fees higher than $25,000 per speech and more realistically, $10,000 or $15,000. For the sake of this discussion, let’s assume $10,000 per event (plus travel).
As I mentioned above, I spoke at 127 events in 2009 but that was only possible because I was speaking at local venues. Today with all the travel involved, I think it would be difficult to do more than 50 events each year. Yes, it’s possible but it’s a lot of work. I know someone who speaks at about 75 events each year but they’re almost all in America and he’s traveling constantly. Personally, I don’t like to scramble around quite that much.
Let’s assume 40 events at $10,000 each. That’s $400,000 per year. For an established speaker, that’s very realistic. If you did 50 events, that’s $500,000. The guy I just mentioned above makes about $650,000 per year. That’s a lot of money. Now obviously, it will take some time to build up to that level but it’s also an exponential curve. The step from $1,000 to $2,500 is the same as the step from $2,500 to $5,000, and it’s also the same as the step from $5,000 to $10,000. That last step is a big one!
Speaking Fees and Speakers Bureaus
Once you’re charging a $10,000 speaking fee, the speakers bureaus will promote you twice as much because they’ll earn more commissions along the way. If your speaking fee is only $5,000 and the bureau takes 30%, that’s only $1,500 in commissions and the salesperson has to split that with the house. That means the salesperson probably makes between $500 and $750 by booking you. It’s not enough to get their attention. But when you’re at $10,000, it doubles their commission potential and they’ll promote you more as a result. It gets even better when you’re charging $15,000.
The bottom line is that a career as a motivational speaker can be very lucrative. As I’ve mentioned above, I believe it’s the best career available. Honestly, I can’t even imagine a better career! You can make a great income and spend your life traveling to exotic destinations around the world and making a positive impact on people’s lives. Personally, I never liked 9 to 5 and hate rush hour traffic. So if you like to travel and are content with an unconventional job, becoming a professional speaker is the best option I’m aware of.
National Speakers Association (NSA) Million Dollar Round Table
The National Speakers Association (NSA) is the primary organization for professional speakers and they recognize speakers who earn more than one million dollars in a single year. There are indeed a few speakers who achieve that milestone but the vast majority of them do so by selling products and programs at their events. Very few do so with speaking fees alone. Again, the famous celebrity speakers can do so easily because they’re earning $50,000+ on each event. That means that 20 engagements will already get them to one million dollars in earnings (and possibly less than half that) but it would require 40 events with an average $25,000 speaking fee for regular speakers to attain the same goal.
The reason for including this is to provide both a lower limit and an upper limit on what’s possible for professional speakers. Once established, I think it’s quite easy to earn $150,000+ but quite difficult to earn more than $600,000. That’s a wide range but I hope it gives you an idea of what’s reasonable. Personally, I believe an income of $300,000 per year provides an outstanding lifestyle and an intelligent investment strategy should be used to provide income potential beyond that point.
Should You Join the National Speakers Association?
I have never joined the National Speakers Association (NSA) and no plans to do so. The reason is that they spend a lot of time on product development and back-of-the-room sales. In other words, they spend a lot of time on Platform Speaking and that’s not what I do. Since the vast majority of professional speakers are Platform Speakers, it makes good sense. They are catering to their audience. The problem is that I focus exclusively on Keynote Speaking so much of the content isn’t directly relevant to me.
The other problem is that most of the attendees at the local chapter meetings are not actually earning a living from their speaking. Many are just getting started and the rest are struggling. Intuitively, it makes sense that the successful speakers aren’t attending the local meetings because there’s a good chance they’re either out of town speaking or happy to be home after their most recent engagement. This is common in most industries. The most successful players don’t attend the educational and/or networking events. They’re already successful, so why attend?
This unfortunately creates a self-fulfilling cycle. The beginners come to the meetings because they have the most to gain and the rockstars stay away for precisely that reason. Now, just to be clear, and as I have described in detail above, I struggled like crazy for the first three or four years as well. Also, I am certainly no rockstar today! But all along, I felt like the National Speakers Association didn’t offer much value for me. On occasion, I attend the northern California chapter meetings and pay the slightly-higher registration fee because I’m not a member.
Having said all that, I do believe the annual conference is worth attending. So far, I haven’t but that’s not because I don’t see value there. It’s just because I had conflicts in each of the last two years. Anyway, the annual conference attracts a ton of real, live, in-the-flesh, successful Keynote Speakers and I would be honored to mingle among them for three days once each year. They usually have excellent speakers and I’m sure I would get tons of value. With any luck, I’ll be able to attend the next one.
Training Programs for Professional Speakers
The National Speakers Association does have a variety of training programs for aspiring speakers. The northern California chapter has it’s Speakers Academy and many other chapters have their own versions. There are also a bunch of programs you can sign up for. James Malinchak has his Big Money Speaker program and Brendon Burchard has his Experts Academy program.
I have never taken any of these programs. Yet again, they generally focus on Platform Speaking. I’m sure they’re excellent programs but they all require that I allocate an entire weekend (or even many weekends) to attend. If you’re comfortable with that, I’m sure you would learn a ton. I’m sure I would learn a lot too but have never taken the plunge. If you start building your career with a little guidance, step-by-step, I think you can do it all by yourself!
With that in mind, I created the Keynote Mastery Program which is the most comprehensive program ever developed exclusively for keynote speakers. It will help you get paid to speak by organizations in your local area and also around the world. It has 15 in-depth modules along with downloadable MP3 files and PDF worksheets. Click the button below to learn more.
Tm a left leg above knee amputee as of about 4 1/2 years ago. I’m confident peaking to people and feel in my element talking in front of a crowd of any size. before i had the accident my life was quite colorful including doing not ur average common jobs, so people like hearing me tell them what I’ve done. Trouble is since this accident over 4 yrs ago i haven’t accomplished anything really at all of any substance let alone uniqueness. It has become clear to me from speaking to multiple random people that just the fact that im friendly and living seems to be inspiring them in one way or another.
So I’m thinking can i create a life of being paid to talk about myself (putting it bluntly)…?
Yes Tyron, I definitely believe you can begin a speaking career with your own story. I hope this post helped you. Good luck!
Patrick,
I loved this write up! I am an author with a book, personal story and a great message about the mental side of weight loss. Recently I have made the leap to become a speaker. Since I was a kid I always loved getting on stages and speaking. When you started you spoke everywhere you could, I’m ready to do that, but how did you find places to speak? Did you just go to conference centers and find open spots or did you find a promoter somehow?
how can i become a motivational speaker and an author?
Hi, I am from India and previously i was working in bpo (call center )for UK customers. I have a degree of teacher but I don’t have the job of teacher .now I am thinking to be a motivational speaker so that I can motivate to the students in different schools. I am not a successful person then how can I motivate to others? Who is going to hire me for speech as I am not a successful man in life? Please advice.
Start with the milestone immediately in front of you. Fight like crazy to achieve that one milestone. Once you achieve it, you BECOME the person who achieved it. Then focus on the next one and achieve that one too. Now you are the person who achieved BOTH things. Then the next, then the next, then the next, and you will accumulate achievements in your biography. When I started, I was in a very similar situation as you. But now I have accumulated a string of achievements and my credibility has grown as a result. Start small but never give up. You can achieve more than you think!
I believe I can speak well and understand human behaviour, and I look forward to start my business of speaking. But with my families responsibility Im scared and fear how will I progress and go ahead.
Pls guide
Start by creating your website and recording some videos. You might even do some advertising (on Google, for example) and see if you get any inquiries. You don’t have to quit your day job right away. Try easing into it over time. Good luck!
good afternoon, unlike majority of you good people, I am a ex-felon who served time for taking money to support my severe gambling addiction and I believe I have a lot to share and inspire to the all using my bad life choices and send message about destructive choices that led to destructive results. how can I begin the process of sharing my view? it just seem daunting and running into walls. thank you
I recommend recording a series of videos, sharing your stories and experiences. Visit my “Strategic Business Insights” video blog for examples of what I have done. I also think my Keynote Mastery program would be valuable for you. You have powerful insights, I’m sure, and I wish you luck with this effort.
More public speaking tips here. Engage – What NOT To Do When Presenting . Verity can help you be a great public speaker!
I aspire to become a motivational speaker to motivate women,men,and young individuals to take hold of their lives and give themselves a voice again. I am a victim of child abuse on many levels. I want to be that voice that little light that says you don’t have to be the statistic you can rise above it all. I am living proof, I’m here, I rose above and persecuted my abuser.
Excellent details with great videos. As a Keynote Speaker I truly loved the video “How to Write a Great Speech”.
Patrick – thank you for this fantastic post! I’ve got it bookmarked now to refer to it again. I really appreciate that a good speaker not only needs to be motivational, but funny as well. I’m sure that’s easier said than done right? It’s a great thing to keep in mind though. Thinking back to every speech I’ve heard, and remember, it always had an element of humor in there. So important!
hello respected sir
i am Darshit from India.
i read this article and ots very nice. sir i want fo ask that i live in a small town in India and i want to start speaking for students not for corporates. i dont have a lot of money but i want to do it anyhow. please tell me how should i start???
thank you sir
Thanks for your comment, Darshit. I hope my blog post gives you some ideas of how to get started. I also think my Keynote Mastery program might help. Good luck!
Hi Patrick,
Your journey as a motivational speaker is empowering, I just left university unsatisfied with the degree I was studying. I really have an incredible passion and an ability to inspire change in people, all I dream and think about is how can I directly influence lives and make people aware of the greatness that exists in every single one of us. I have been told by numerous people to explore and find an environment that would both facilitate my individual growth and my drive to directly empower people to live to their full potential.Do you think motivational speaking could be the environment to nurture this? Could you tell me a little about the struggles you went through starting?
Thanks
Harrison
Thanks
Yes, a career as a professional speaker is a perfect venue to deliver your message. It’s the most rewarding part of my life. I tried to describe some of my struggles in the blog post. Thanks for reading it. You might want to consider my Keynote Mastery program. It provides a lot more detail of my journey and the lessons I have learned along the way. Good luck!
These are some really good tips. This says everything “the ROAD to BEING is through DOING!” Along with these i must say following some good motivational speakers is also a key in becoming good motivational speaker. By watching and following them you learn lots of things yourself.
I have seen many freshers who work on the idea follow and learn :).
I have been teaching for over 25 years, in India, and in the U.S. I want to inspire and motivate people to enable them to make use of their potentials in a positive way. I have been trying to motivate hundreds of my students, successfully to some extend, in my own way. I wish to make it a full time occupation,in a very professional way. Please guide me.
Hello George. Thanks for your email. I think my “Keynote Mastery” program would be valuable for you. I created it specifically for people in your situation. Let me know if you have any questions about it.
Hi Pat,
You shared so beautifully about speaking career. Thank you so much for sharing this busines in details.
I’ve liked your openness n simplicity in the talk too.
You have incredibly helped me to chase away my dream right away.
God bless you.
Warm rgds,
Ben Luitel,Nepal
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences. For the past 15 years, I have been the visionary and Entrepreneur of a Community Arts Centre. I have bought and paid for my business degree “hands on” and it has been a truly amazing rollercoaster ride. Through it I have discovered and refined my true self, and part of that encompasses becoming a keynote speaker (along with being a performer). I am not going to give up on the Venue, but I hope to lead its continued unfolding from a much more aligned and inspired place. I really appreciate your insights and guidance as I leap off this new cliff!!!
I conquered and came thru so much as a child, including child prostitution by parents physical abuse emotional and sexual abuse and a 250 dollar a day habit, and so much more trauma, I sometimes scratch my own head at how I am functioning today. I feel comfortable talking about it even proud, that I didn’t let it change the spirit God gave me.I have considered going back to school as part of my recovery,and I believe public speaking would benefit me and others. Any recommendations?
Hi Patrick
I’m from Ireland and I would love to have a career as a motivational/ awareness speaker. I was re diagnosed with a rare degenerative condition after original diagnosis and remission of cancerous disease LCH 10 years prior. After little intervention, awareness or knowledge into treating this disease, I took it upon myself to be the voice of awareness this disease lacked. I have had my condition and this disease addressed in Irish media before, but with little response by the public.
My question for you is how successful do you think building awareness through motivational speeches would be in this line of business? Do you see this angle as a way of becoming a keynote speaker? Also how frequent do you think it would be to get to speak and build awareness as this disease is rare and doesn’t create a lot of demand.
I am so glad I came accross your website as it cuts to the chase on the ways to achieve speaking in the pro circuit with no bullshit included. How you describe a career in the pro circuit has reinforced my want to have this career also; travelling to foreign countries, staying in five star hotels, earning comfortable sums of money. I would love if you could reply to my comment and mentor me as to what ways to best go about and become a pro circuit speaker.
Thanks
Niamh
Thank you for your comment, Niamh. The speaking business, as all businesses, is driven by demand. I never choose the topic I speak about. The client does. Of course, I can focus on any topic I like but I cannot force anyone to hire me for that topic.
Your topic sounds fascinating and I respect your efforts to increase awareness of your condition, but very few organizations will hire you to cover that topic. Instead, I would blog about your condition and develop a following that way. Blogging is effective because people are searching for keywords and the words describing your condition will naturally lead people to your blog. But as a speaker, I would focus on broader topics that are of interest to the world’s corporations.
I wish you luck with your journey. I think my Keynote Mastery program would be helpful for you. Please let me know if you have any questions about it. Thank you for visiting my website.
Thank you for your response, I didn’t expect one back from you so quickly. I see exactly where you’re coming from when you say the client controls the topic you discuss. My issue is that, although I have faced hardship driven by the cause of this illness, it has also affected other, more relatable issues such as mental health, fitting in and relationships, however I can’t seem to draw a big enough response from people who may face these more common problems.
I started a blog about a year and a half ago with intentions to spread awareness and let others know of the torment I’ve most recently endured as a result from this condition silenced by its rarity, however I’ve recently decided to stop writing as I have never received the reaction I am looking for and feel people look at my blog out of curiosity rather than having intentions to help my position.
How did you get started in pro circuit speaking? You say it’s best not to start from the free circuit because you’re not likely to work your way up, so how do you get the attention of pro circuit agents and access to agents from the speakers bureau?
Thanks
Blogging will be the most effective way to attract people interested in your condition. For your other questions about the speaking business, I recommend you get the Keynote Mastery program. I created it specifically to provide guidance in those areas. Please let me know if you have any questions about the program.
Patrick – thanks for sharing your story and your personal results. I am wondering if you might have an update for all of us about your bookings since 2011? It sounds like you are continuing to see increases in your business and it would be quite inspiring to see an updated table (like the one above) now that you are at “full speed”.
Thanks also for putting together your Keynote Mastery program, this appears to be a tremendous value and something that I am looking forward to learning from!
Thanks for the comment, Michael. I will try to update the post soon. To answer your question, I am hovering around 30 events per year right now but my average speaking fee has continued to climb and it provides a nice lifestyle. Let me know if you have any specific questions about the Keynote Mastery program. I’ll do my best to answer them promptly.
I stumbled across your website when I typed in “how to write a keynote speech brendon burchard” looking for tips for writing my message tomorrow at my local church. I am grateful for the insight learned from you and have subscribed to your channel for continued inspiration. You give so much detail about key note speaking for free which is amazing. Your Keynote Mastery program is just what I need and fit with my business goals this year. Thank you for sharing your value and expertise. I will be purchasing your program and look forward to your personal guidance on my speaking goals.
My name is Alex Christopherson an I have a story to be told but I don’t know how an everytime I try to figure out it never works out. My story sits around either a motivational speaker or inspirational speaker. But what had happened is that my two younger brothers an I lived a life that was perfect an after our father past away our bio mom became an alcoholic because the youngest of my brothers was born with downsyndrome we’ll it led to her finding other men an our perfect life went from let’s say sunshine an rainbows to neglect an abuse an the alcohol turned to marajuana then to cocaine then to methamphetamines my brothers an I endure pain, suffering, neglect, hardship, an we’ll the list goes on but it took my brother who doesn’t have an problems an I to turn our bio mom in an we then were saved by our aunt an uncle who had five kids of there own an took on three more an gave us the best life they could turnin us around from having failing in school an having no friends an never playing in sports to playing football, basketball, running track an cross country, performing in martial arts an competing in national competitions an winning an when I reached high school becoming one of the top of my class an graduating with high honors an to goin to college currently. But there is more detail in the story but I tryed to give an overview because I don’t know if this will help at all but I am trying everything I can to hopefully make a difference in someone’s life an help them realize that there is always something that can be done to change the life’s we live. I know you have a lot of people who will post stuff like this an my comment may not mean anything but if I don’t try I will always have a what if I could had made a difference thought around me. Thanks for reading this. If you could help me I would appreciate it an you can email me at alex.christopherson@eagles.csc.edu
Thanks for your comment, Alex. I have a $97 “Keynote Mastery” program available for aspiring speakers. It would give you detailed recommendations to begin your career as a professional speaker. Let me know if you would be interested in that.
Hello,
Thanks for taking time out to write this honest post. It makes it easy for someone who is confused about whether or not to join the group of inspirational speakers, take the right step.
Hi there,
I have recently decided that I would love to become a motivational speaker. I have always felt the desire to inspire others, and help them see that they are wonderful the way they are. I want to help people be the best that they can be. I feel that it is my life destiny! Do you have any suggestions about the first steps to take?
Thank you!
Thanks for the comment, Jessica. I have a program entitled Keynote Mastery and it covers the steps involved in building this career. It costs $97 and includes about six hours of audio and 23 worksheets. Please let me know if you would be interested in that.
I am interested in being a motivational speaker for stroke survivors. Where do i start? i have a stroke September 9,2012.
Thanks for the comment, Justin. There are four (4) primary umbrellas in the speaking business: motivation, inspiration, leadership and overcoming adversity. Your story falls into overcoming adversity. Tailor it for a corporate audience. You will benefit from my $97 Keynote Mastery program. Please let me know if you have any questions about it.
Hi Patrick, great stuff! Im from Montreal,Canada and I know I want to be a motivational speaker. I want to help people reach their goals , inspire them in their lives etc. I once called a communication school and they told me i couldnt be a motivational speaker now because i was too young (18 now ,17 when i called them) they ask me what will I talk about to motivate people if I didnt really experience anything in my life. My question to you is what should I do?do you have anything for me?
Thank you !
Thanks for the comment, Lloyd. I grew up in Vancouver and went to university in Ottawa. Anyway, I suggest you get my TEDx report. I also think my Keynote Mastery program would be useful for you. You’ll find links at the bottom of the blog post. Please let me know if you have any questions about either resource.
I really appreciate how open you’re in sharing your life story. It triggers a lot in my system. Moreover, I’ve issues bothering me.
Am at my sophomore now at the university. I’ve passion on motivating and inspiring people. Having in view that for me to establish myself in the area of my interest, I’ve to become a writer, speaker, lecturer and also involve myself in the pastoral ministry which is what I crave for. The problem now is that I haven’t started any of this. Although, I’ve been writing but Sometimes I give up. am vulnerable to procrastination which I tell people to avoid. I’ve also inspired people but for once and I believe I did a great job that was before I went to the university. Another problem I face is how to begin my speaking career in my location I left my city to another city to further my studies, problem of the topic to talk about is also there. I cannot tell how progressive I’ll become if I embark on the journey but once I starts, I know I’ll serve it hot.
Another problem is that I feel guilty at fabricating ideas. I don’t just feel comfortable presenting stories in order to create convictions having learnt that motivating people without a story mainly personal is exercise in futility. so is right to create story about yourself or others just to make people to believe in you?
I’ve passion in speaking, and am very passionate and considerate in nature especially in the affairs of others to the extent that I impose responsibility to myself. Because I can’t help providing people with all the material things, I’ve always wanted to inspire people to get them going. I want to earn a living with it. Is it right to reason in that perspective? All I do often is to read books especially motivational books. Sometimes I even sacrifice my academic books to it. That’s the only books that gives me sense of belonging.
Another problem that possess threats and much challenges to me is that I’ve a husk voice. I want to know the implications of this and how I can work on my voice.
please, I would like to hear from you especially on how to start, where to start, things to talk about, how to win credibility, my target audience as a starter, and if it’s right to ask people to start paying while you’re still trying to register yourself among the motivational /inspirational speakers. I just like educating people on the principles that work on academic, business, career, vision, family life’s, relationship and in Christendom. hoping to read you soon. Am APEH KELVIN from Enugu state, Nigeria.
Hi,
I have always been interested in becoming a motivational speaker. I am currently a teacher and I feel it is a great gateway into becoming a motivational speaker and/or conducting various training sessions for companies.
I have been told that motivational speaking is very competitive. I was wondering what program/s you think would suit me?
Thanks for your help
My $97 Keynote Mastery program is specifically designed for aspiring speakers such as yourself. You’ll find a link on this page to learn more about that program.
Hi Patrick
Excellent information- thank you.
I am hoping you can help me further.
Can you please let me know what speaking qualifications or diplomas are required before Speaking Agencies will take you on. I have no formal training as a Public Speaker however I have been invited as a Guest Speaker and a Keynote Speaker for a number of organisations across Australia and overseas following the publication of my book ‘Lean on Me’. The opportunities however are few and far between and there have been none of late.
I would like to be invited to speak on a regular basis and need someone to book engagements for me. I believe I need to be listed with an Agency for this is to become a reality.
I remember reading online a while back that qualifications are necessary before Speaking Agencies will represent you but unfortunately I can’t seem to find this information again. would really appreciate your advice.
Thanking you
Lorraine
What a great informational page! I love that you didn’t skip the details with vague and incomplete information. Well done. I learned a lot and feel more confident moving forward in my speaking ventures.
Thanks for sharing!
-Tara Schiller
Hello Patrick.
Happy I came across your advertisement while searching the web on trying to find how I can become an advocate for abused children and adults as well as becoming a keynote speaker. I must tell you to begin with, that I have written a book… It’s called, God I do exist, by Gigi Vega. With that I’d like to tell you that I had a pre launch party on a Carnival cruise ship to celebrate the release and accomplishment of such a task. I met many people during the party, people that I’ve never met before but found out that I moved them in many ways and really made them look at their lives. The stories that I can tell will amaze you but I won’t go there right now.
I am writing you today because I am very interested in speaking to groups of people, people who are in need of hearing my story so that they can begin to fix their lives.
It would be helpful if you could contact me at the email listed. This letter is in no way to steal your thunder, but to connect and make lives better, one life at a time.
Thanking you in advance.
Gigi Vega
I am a 42 year old man who was raised by alcoholic dad and stepdad. I acquired a lot of the same behaviors and well, I managed to overcome adversity I guess. I left home and became self made.
As well I am a police officer and I see what addiction(s) can do to people. I always think about speaking to groups on how to break free and make change in their life, not to follow the ways of their addicted upbringing and developing the mindset to go outside their comfort zone and become a new person starting a new history.
Using my personal story as my credibility.
I guess this is somewhat motivational/inspirational and overcoming adversity. Is their a market for this as a keynote speaker?
Thanks
I have lived thru child prostitution [ initiated by my parents], sexual abuse, addiction, jail and prison. Ive seen death and came close my self. I wanted to become a CAP[ Certified addiction Specialist]. But my arrests have killed that dream. So I want to speak on what I’ve been thru and more importantly over come. I have started writing a book, but its mostly a jumbled mess..Where should I start?
Yes, there is definitely a market for the ‘overcoming adversity’ genre. You should check out my Keynote Mastery program. It will help you get started in the right direction.
Thank you for the comment. I recommend you check out my $97 Keynote Mastery program. It will help you get started.