8WomenDream
Dream Big Stories
in BE A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER
How to Create a 12-month Paid Public Speaking Business Plan
Last updated on January 22nd, 2019 at 01:50 pm
Creating Clarity and Purpose for Your Public Speaking Business Plan in 12 Months
Clarity and Purpose are two important words for paid motivational speakers–get used to these two words if your dream is to be one. Public speaking is a hard enough business, but not knowing where you are going (or why) makes it all the more difficult.
Every 12 months I create a new plan that helps me focus on what needs to be done to improve my speaking business in the year ahead.
These are the 8 steps I take to run my speaking business instead of letting my speaking business run me:
1. what didn’t work over the last 12 months..
I look at the past 12 months to see what activities bring me closer to my goals, and what activities distract me from them. I have specific goals and projects, both personal and professional, and I evaluate the time and energy I spend doing them. When I do this I determine the things that are sucking on my time instead of feeding my goals .
I create a plan to handle these types of distractions for the next 12 months or to eliminate them entirely.
2. What Did Work Over The Last 12 Months.
I look at what forces drive business to me over the last 12 months in all the areas where I generate income–to make sure I keep doing the good ones and maybe even improve on them.
Build upon success.
3. The Joy Piece.
I’ve always focused on what I need to do to drive my business. But in looking back at the past 12 months, I see that I need to focus more on what really, really brings me joy in my business. Writing a novel doesn’t make business sense when you look at my public speaking brand. But the very idea of it lights me up from the inside out.
I’ve chosen to write joy into this dream plan for the next 12 months–for no other reason than joy for joy’s sake. And, who knows, maybe it will turn out to be a smart business decision. Don’t know; don’t care.
4. New Ideas for Growth.
I look at any new ideas that may help me reach my goals and whether I have room to add them to the list. I’ve learned that if you try to do too much, you don’t really get anything done well.
Prioritize the new.
5. Overhead.
I look at the money I’ve made and the money I’ve spent to determine whether any changes need to be made in my business finances. It’s not really about how much you make, it’s about how much you keep.
Budgets help keep you focused and motivated.
6. Five Buckets.
I determine everything I need to do and continue to do and sort them into five major categories or buckets (e.g. Close More Sales, Leverage Current Customers, Sell More Product, etc.). Then under each bucket, I create a strategy to accomplish them over the course of 12 months.
“All you need is the plan, the roadmap, and the courage to press on to your destination.” –Earl Nightingale.
7. Weekly Processes.
I determine how many hours I want to allocate to each bucket per week. This will become my weekly homework. All tasks MUST be on this list, or they get moved to another 12 months down the road. These buckets are locked in. Everything else must wait until homework is done.
This is new for me. I’m used to having big business plans, and I’m used to working hard. But I kept being overwhelmed each day. There is too much to do and every project seems big, so I never get to the big ones and I focus on tiny projects that are never in my original 12-month business plan.
Over the next 12 months, I’ll be more focused on the tasks I have chosen, and I have a way to divert all other things until I’m ready to look at them.
8. Systems.
I tweak my inner office systems to fit this new laser-focus goal. I don’t like to see emails stack up, so I know they’ll sit there taunting me all day, reminding me that people are asking for things. I create a system to get them out of the email and off to somewhere else. Details aren’t important.
The point is that I’ve allowed emails to rule my days, leaving me no time or energy for the stuff that matters most.
My 12-month plan is already working! By pinpointing where my distractions are coming from, and crafting a workable weekly checklist where I simply work my way through the list, I accomplish my priorities. Now, if I can just keep it up. As with any plan, creating the plan is the easy part; following it is key!
Create a 12-month plan for your public speaking career and may it help you find clarity, purpose, and more income too.
Kelly Swanson is an award-winning storyteller, motivational speaker, published author and TV personality who is passionate about helping women harness the power of their stories to connect, influence, and get the results they dream of accomplishing. Laughing the whole way, Kelly teaches women how to master the art of connection through the power of strategic storytelling. You can find her on The Fashion Hero show airing Fall of 2017 on Amazon Prime or on her website MotivationalSpeakerKellySwanson.com .
Note: Articles by Kelly may contain affiliate links and may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on an affiliate link.
Related Stories:
Some of the posts on 8WD contain affiliate links or links to purchase products or programs from 8WD contributors. This means 8WD or the contributor may make a small commission if you make a purchase. The 8WD affiliate links help offset the cost of hosting this website and the contributor links help support the dreams of the contributor. Please check out the 8WD Legal Page for more details .
Thank you for your continued support!
Welcome to 8WomenDream Where Big Dreams Are Shared
Privacy overview.
Home > Blog > Speaking 101 > How To Start A Speaking Business: The Ultimate Guide
How To Start A Speaking Business: The Ultimate Guide
Taylorr Payne
Ever wondered how you can take your passion for public speaking and turn it into profit? Maybe you’ve already spoken in the past and are looking to turn it into a full-time gig. All things considered, you’re here because you’re thinking about starting a speaking business. However, regardless of your speaking experience, doing so is a complex process. From balancing the books to balancing your travel plans, it’s safe to say that speaking professionally isn’t for the faint of heart.
Thankfully, the SpeakerFlow team and I have your back. In this guide to starting a speaking business, we’ll cover the process of getting started. Although it’s not entirely comprehensive, as many of the legal processes described here will depending on your location, rest assured that by the end of this, you’ll know enough to hit the ground running. Please note that if you are a speaker most often represented by a college or university as your employer, this isn’t the guide for you. In the interest of clarity, this handbook is primarily meant for speakers intending to represent themselves.
Before we begin, below are the primary topics we’ll break down in this guide. In addition to covering foundational tasks, we’ll also touch on sales, marketing, and operations. That way, even if you can’t begin your speaking business immediately, you’ll know what you can do in the meantime. 👍
Defining Your Promise Statement
Speaking business sales tools, speaking business operations tools, speaking business marketing tools, setup for your speaking business.
Prior to being known as a speaker and bringing in speaking inquiries from event planners, there are some initial setup tasks to knock out. As with any business, some of these tasks are a little more stressful, while others are nothing but fun. Nethertheless, getting the legalities and setup out of the way is your best bet.
Registering Your Speaking Business
First and foremost, your speaking business has to be exactly that: a business. Without a legal record, you are, in many cases, much less likely to be hired. This is especially true in a corporate setting. Unsurprisingly, the main reason for this is the tax concerns that come with accepting payment and not recording it as income. Registering your speaking business before beginning any outreach dispels those concerns immediately. In short, that means more event planners saying, “This speaker looks perfect for us”.
To register your speaking business, the process varies by location. In the United States, the initial setup of your business involves registering with federal, state, and local agencies for small businesses, as described in this handy guide from the U.S. Small Business Administration. These agencies include the Internal Revenue Service and the government for your state as well as your city government (for licenses and permits). It’s also a good idea, when you register, to double check your federal and state requirements for business insurance and business taxes . After all, the last thing you want is a tremendously successful speaking business that gets unexpectedly slammed with taxes at the end of the year.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, the website for the U.S. government’s guide to starting your own business is a great place to get started. Not only does it break down each of the processes outlined above. It also provides information regarding businesses owned by minorities or veterans, if either of those applies to your speaking business. For the sake of time, we can’t cover in detail the steps to start a business outside of the United States. That said, below are a few links to help you get started, if you’re reading this overseas. 🙂
- United Kingdom
- New Zealand
Developing a Personal Brand
Next up is the front end of your speaking business: your personal brand. How do you want event planners to perceive you when they visit your website? What are five words you would use to describe your brand? What colors do you feel represent you well? These are just a few of the questions to ask yourself as you’re developing your brand. Then, according to our in-house graphic designer, the next step is to choose fonts and colors that best represent those words and themes. You can read more about her process in our Resources page ’s speaker branding guide. However, in short, it goes something like this: Choose colors, then fonts, then a logo, then an icon.
Choosing Brand Colors
First, choosing your brand’s colors begins with the connotations most commonly applied to each color. These include “powerful” or “confident” for red and “calm” or “trustworthy” for blue. 99 Designs has a stellar guide for choosing your brand color , if you’re new to color theory in the first place. From there, after you’ve chosen the basic color you want to represent your brand, you’ll want to choose three or four others to compliment it. Although there are several tips and tricks to choosing appropriate secondary colors, the primary goal is to choose one or two that are colorful (like your main color) and one or two that are more neutral. That said, as a general rule, your final color palette should include five colors total, at most. For inspiration, check out tools like Canva’s color palette generator or the collection at ColorPalettes.net .
Choosing Brand Fonts
Likewise, for the second step in the process, choosing a font involves the same concern for others’ connotations. Sans serif fonts like that in the image on the right, for example, can be used to suggest a more modern brand than serif fonts. In the same way, more intricate or serif fonts can convey a sense of tradition or classicism. In the end, your main goal is to stay away from overused fonts, such as Impact, Comic Sans, Bradley Hand, and Papyrus. Remember, you want to be recalled for your skill and distinction in the speaking space, not how outrageous your font is. Canva’s guide to choosing a font is an easy stepping stone, if you’re not sure which fonts are on this list.
Designing Your Logo and Icon
Finally, after choosing colors and fonts, the next steps are to develop your logo and icon. Although it’s optional, most brands have adopted icons in recent years for a number of reasons . These include the ease with which people can remember an image and the ability to use their icon for company social media profiles. In the same way, your speaking business should also be memorable and digitally accessible. Keep these goals in mind as you are either designing your own logo or working with a graphic designer. For example, looking at the image on the left, the logo on the right is large and bulky, making it ill-suited to the navigation bar of a website or social media. On the other hand, the one on the left is clean-cut, distinctive, and memorable. Your speaking business should be each of those things, too.
That said, if you’re unsure where to start and don’t want to design your own logo and icon, freelancing platforms like 99 Designs , Fiverr , and Upwork are reliable and affordable places to check out. Each of these sites employ graphic designers to take the results of those initial questions and turn them into brands for you. That way, you can worry about the rest of the steps to building a speaking business and rest assured that your brand is in good hands.
Building a Website
The fourth step in setting up your speaking business can be a huge help if you do it well. I’m talking about your speaker website. First, your website should show site visitors that you are an expert in addition to being a speaker. This means plenty of evidence of your authority in your niche and your speaking skills. For established speaking businesses, this includes logos from past clients, testimonials, and social proof from your fans or past speech attendees. With a new speaking business, if you have a few testimonials, just work with what you have and build as you go. Keep your sizzle reel front and center – always. Your primary goal, when it comes to providing proof, is to show trust from other clients and how awesome you are, so quality is better than quantity. 🙂
Second, your website’s homepage should demonstrate who you are, who you serve, and how to contact you. Websites like those for Jacob Green and Katrina Cravy are beautiful examples of what an ideal speaker website looks like. The homepages of both sites show past clients, present their sizzle reel immediately, and have a clear call-to-action button in the navigation bar. You can also schedule a call with them directly through their websites.
This brings me to the last thing to keep in mind when designing your speaking business website: The more convenient it is to contact you, the more likely someone is to do so. On average, a visitor to your website will have made a decision as to whether or not they are interested within 50 milliseconds. That gives you 50 milliseconds to create a good first impression. So, to summarize, show your value and skill, give an easy way to contact you, and keep things clear and concise.
Finally, the last piece to setting up your speaking business is your speaking business’s mission, vision, and core values. Although they seem a bit superfluous when it comes to a speaking business, outlining these aspects to your company shows not only your attention to detail. It also shows your willingness to adapt and make adjustments as you grow, so you are always trying to be the optimum version of yourself, as a speaker, business owner, and human being. Plus, what conveys trustworthiness to event planners more than that?
First, your mission statement is a succinct description of what you and your speaking business do. Second, your vision statement is a description of your ideal vision of your company. Third, your core values are the principles by which you live up to your mission and vision. For example, at SpeakerFlow, our mission is “We combine cutting-edge technology with sales, marketing, and operations expertise to create the optimal business experience for professional speakers” and our vision is “The company that we see is the singular source of holistic evolution for thought leaders and their businesses.” In short, the vision is who we want to be, the mission is how we are going to get there, and the core values are our basic “rules of conduct”. For a breakdown of these three components, check out our “ Who We Are ” page.
That said, in the speaking industry, speaker coach Jane Atkinson lumps these pieces together to create a “promise statement”. This statement defines what you will provide for your clients, such as Jane’s statement “Catapult Your Speaking Business”. To create your own promise statement, check out Jane’s guide for new speaking business owners. Then, be sure you add your new promise statement to your website. 🙌
The Basics of Sales for Speakers
Now that you have your speaking business set up, let’s talk about bringing in some clients! There are a ton of ins and out to selling in the speaking industry. Here, we’re going to start with just a few of the basic tips and tricks, including where to find leads, how to keep them organized, and how to get them to book you for their upcoming gig.
Finding Speaking Leads
To start, before you can sell, you need to find leads in the first place. Leads for your speaking business can be found in a variety of places including association directories, lead generation systems, and educational databases. Depending on your focus industry(ies), one of these sources may be more appropriate than others. For example, if you are a retired professor who speaks about women in STEM fields, colleges and universities are ideal for two reasons. First, you already have the experience and credentials to show educational event planners you are trustworthy. Second, the list of educational institutions is huge, so the more you have on your roster, the easier it will be to sell to others. Keep these two questions in mind as you look for lead sources: “Where do I already have experience?” and “Where can my speaking experience compound?”
For some industry-specific guides to finding speaking gigs, check out any of our three guides below. If your industry or focus isn’t shown here, feel free to drop us a line, too! We’re always looking for ways to provide speakers with more top-notch information:
- #1: “ How Do I Become A Public Speaker At Churches? ”
- #2: “ How Do I Become A Public Speaker At Colleges & Universities? ”
- #3: “ How Do I Become A Public Speaker In Schools? ”
Ultimately, your leads can come from multiple sources, including the ones mentioned above, personal referrals, speakers bureaus, and speakers associations. However, as you’re starting your speaking business, the most important things to remember are that you shouldn’t just rely on referrals (in other words, learn to love sales) and focus on the avenues that are bringing you gigs. Don’t get caught up in the many avenues that could bring you leads. Focus on where you’re already succeeding and follow that trail.
Managing Speaking Leads
So, once you have leads, what do you do? To put it simply, the key to managing speaking leads is having a place to track them. Ideally, you’re able to track all of your information in a single tool, and you can set reminders within it. These reminders are intended to ensure you follow up with each lead until they either turn into a sale or unsubscribe from communication. Additionally, having a system for tracking your leads also allows you to collect information about them. If you applied to a 2019 conference, for example, and they told you “No,” a lead system would allow you to retain that contact and organization information. Then, in 2020, you can apply for their next event, fully prepared with who they are, what they need, and why they should hire you. The basic sales process looks something like the image on the right.
Personally, we at SpeakerFlow (and many established speakers) recommend a customer relationship management system, or CRM, for tracking leads. CRMs are designed to give you a single place to track all of your contact, lead, and event information and set reminders related to it. Many CRMs also integrate with other tools, such as project management or invoicing software. Altogether, this means a network of tools working together to facilitate your sales process. We’ll talk more about CRMs in a bit, but the main point is that if you don’t have one already, you should start looking. For more information, check out our beginner’s guide to CRMs for professional speakers.
Sales Data to Track
One of the other advantages to having a CRM – or any sales system, really – is the data it provides. By tracking and analyzing your sales data, you can quickly and accurately see where your leads are coming from, who is referring you, and which sales avenues aren’t worth pursuing any longer. At the very least, the most important sales metrics to track are the gigs you won and lost and their respective industries. Remember how I mentioned earlier in the sales section that focusing on a single sales avenue is good, as you’re getting started? Tracking sales data allows you to do so with confidence. If you can see in which industries you’re consistently getting booked, you can more effectively look for new leads in those industries. In the end, this saves you time spent looking for leads and chasing prospects, and it leads to more revenue. Win win!
If you don’t have any data-related tools in place, there are a few awesome ones you can use right off the bat. First, as we mentioned already, is your CRM. Most CRMs have built-in reporting, so that as long as you have your leads in the CRM, it can auto-generate the analytics for you. In the next section, we’ll go over a few tech tools, in addition to a CRM, that can help maximize your sales process.
Now, you may be thinking that we have unloaded a ton of information on you at this point, and you’re right! The good news is that you don’t have to handle all of the sales processes alone, not when there is technology at hand to do it for you. Below are a few of our go-to systems and tech for optimizing speaker sales and our best practices for using them.
Speaker Intel Engine
First on the list of sales systems is a proven favorite, the Speaker Intel Engine . Created by speaker and pro salesman Sam Richter in early 2019, the Intel Engine functions as an overlay to Google searches. This means that it allows you to search using complex Boolean searches with a few simple clicks. As a result, using the Intel Engine, you’re given access to 100% of Google search results, compared to the 4% you see when you do a standard search. Additionally, because it was designed specifically for speakers, the Intel Engine also enables you to search for event planners, associations, even your competitors. In short, it gives you a quick and easy way to find information that is hyper-relevant to your speaking business. No wasted time. No wasted money. Just qualified leads and quality information.
SpeakerFlow CRM & Operating System
Another awesome tool launched in 2019 is our tool, the SpeakerFlow operating system . We mentioned before that a CRM is a critical part of a speaking business for 7-figure speakers. However, until now, there wasn’t a high-quality option on the market, at least not one that was designed with speakers in mind. Now,, we’re happy to say that problem has been solved. With modules to track leads and contacts, in-app project and event management software, and extensive customization for speakers, it’s a steal for the cost. At only $45 per user per month, there isn’t a single CRM out there that gives you as many features for the price. Below are just a few of our favorites:
- Module for eSpeakers
- Robust automation tools
- 5 TB of free cloud storage (with built-in analytics!)
- In-app esignatures
- Form building software for your website
- Robust mobile app
Even more important is the fact that $45 covers an entire suite of apps along with the CRM. These include apps for email marketing, esignatures, file storage, and more. This allows you to manage your speaking business in a single place, all for a single monthly fee. Like the Intel Engine, the SpeakerFlow operating system has a ton of additional features I can’t cover here, just for the sake of time. However, if you’d like to see more, feel free to book a demo with us , and we can show you around personally. 👍
CRM-Specific Features
That said, regardless of the CRM you choose, there are tons of CRM features to note. For example, did you know your account generally comes with automation, lead scoring, and productivity? For starters, automation can include simple processes, such as tracking emails, to more complex actions, like email campaigns. Each of these pieces fit into your sales cycle so that you can off-load some of the mindless tasks, as shown on the right. As a solopreneur, this is especially useful because you are managing many parts of a business simultaneously.
The next piece of the puzzle is lead scoring. We mentioned previously that the basic speaker sales process involves qualifying and disqualifying leads. This can be done immediately, based on an event planner’s response, such as a prompt “No thanks.” However, for less obvious cases, many CRMs also provide a lead scoring mechanism that lets you assign contacts in your account a higher score based on their actions. Someone just subscribed to your newsletter? They get a point. Now they viewed the “Contact Us” form on your website? Another point. All in all, the more points a given contact has, the more likely they are to be interested (i.e. you should reach out to them personally).
The last piece, productivity features, are intended to streamline the processes that you can’t automate. These may include creation of tasks, email or text reminders for especially important tasks, or a calendar, so you can see your appointments and how they correspond to different contacts in your account. To keep things short and sweet, these features might not be flashy but, like automation and lead scoring, they can save you countless hours. Ultimately, that means more time on the phone with event planners or on the stage with clients.
VoIP Dialing Software
Last but not least of the speaking business sales tools is “Voice over Internet Protocol” dialers, or VoIP dialers. As defined by the Federal Communications Commission , VoIP is “technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line”. In short, if you don’t want to use your personal phone number for sales calls, VoIP dialers are an alternative. Additionally, many dialers integrate with CRMs, so you can track sales calls within your contact, lead, or event records. Our SpeakerFlow sales gurus, Taylorr and Austin, have used a ton of VoIP options in the past and recommend them not only for the ease of use, but also for your own growth. To hear Taylorr say it, “With call recordings, you can see what sales techniques worked and which didn’t, making you a better salesperson and your speaking business more profitable”.
Among the SpeakerFlow team, our favorite VoIP dialers are Kixie and Dialpad . Of the two apps, Dialpad is the more expensive of the two at $20/month compared to Kixie at $15/month , although both offer similar features for the price. Because of this, we generally recommend Kixie if you’re a new speaking business or a solopreneur. Furthermore, Kixie integrates flawlessly with the aforementioned SpeakerFlow CRM. What’s not to love about that?
For a thorough breakdown of selling as a professional speaker, check out our ultimate guide to getting speaking gigs . 👍
The Basics of Operations for Speakers
At this point, we’ve covered how to setup your speaking business and bring more people to it, but what are the most effective ways to organize it? This section will cover the basics of business operations in the speaking industry as well as some tips from our head of operations, Austin Grammon . As always, we’ll also outline our favorite organizational technology and how you can implement it on your own.
Organizing Your Speaking Business Information
Staying organized in your speaking business poses a lot of the same problems we saw with sales. More than anything, the largest obstacle to organization is the lack of a consistent process for systemizing your company’s information. In light of this, there are a few general rules we follow on the back end of SpeakerFlow to stay on target.
First, when you have an important file, take a minute to upload it to your storage platform of choice at the time. Whether you use Google Drive , Dropbox , or OneDrive , taking care of it at the time means time saved later. Once you’re in the habit of doing this, you’ll also notice that you lose materials less and less. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you have your shit together, more people will want to hire you. More organization on the back end of your speaking business means smoother sailing on the front end. Plain and simple.
Second, we are consistent in our organizational tools. As a team, we all use Google Drive for storage and we store everything there. Everything . As a new speaker, this will become increasingly important as you add to your team. It’s also important when you are hiring independent contractors. For example, if you hire a graphic designer to create a new one-sheet for you, share a Google Drive folder with them and instruct them to upload the final design there when it’s completed.
This brings me to our last organizational rule of thumb: hold everyone to the same standards. As your speaking business grows, you are the leader of the pack. So, the more organized you can be from the beginning, the more easily your team members can take tasks off your plate and the smoother your operations will be.
Automating Your Processes
The second key to successful speaking business operations is automation. Although we already discussed sales automation, there are a host of tools to help you automate operations, too. These include notifications for new calendar events and subscriptions to your newsletter and updates to your financial records. One of our tried and true favorites is Zapier . If you haven’t heard of it, Zapier is basically an app for connecting apps, even if they don’t natively integrate.
Looking at the back end of SpeakerFlow once again, we use Zapier for a number of things. From notifications about new discovery calls to tracking for our affiliate program , so we can issue commission. On a daily basis, this saves us hundreds of emails and app notifications and countless hours of manual data entry. It also means that, although we could probably use an assistant, we’ve been able to thrive without one. All in all, our automations look something like the image on the right. Although it looks complicated at first, rest assured that the same efficiency is possible in your business, too.
Managing Booked Events
Besides automation and organization, operations also means managing events. By “events,” I mean speaking gigs as well as daily appointments. Starting with speaking gigs, the primary goal is similar to that of staying organized. In short, you want to create a consistent process so every time you’re hired, you know what information to provide, what info you need, and what your next steps are. Generally, we recommend building a “For Event Planners” page on your website and a folder for it in your cloud storage platform. Both the page and the folder should include all information relevant to events, including headshots, audio/visual requirements, and your speaker biography. The idea is to give you a single place to store everything for event planners. That way, when they hire you, you can say, “Here is a link to a folder, which has everything you need”.
As for events in your day-to-day schedule, we recommend adding an auto-scheduler to your website or, at the very least, in your sales emails. These platforms allow people to see your schedule and book an appointment with you when it’s convenient for both of you. You control your availability settings and the information included in the scheduling form. Ultimately, this allows people to book meetings with you and get automatic reminders without either of you having to lift a finger. Plus, you don’t have to have the back-and-forth availability conversation!
We’ll go over a few software options for event management in a bit, for both speaking gigs and daily appointments.
Operations Data to Track
But, before we jump into operations tools, let’s talk data again. When it comes to your speaking business operations, the most important data to track is obvious: revenue. Besides the gig-related information we recommended tracking in the “Sales” section, you also need to track the amount of money going out of your speaking business. It seems like a no-brainer, but for many speaking businesses this is still a problem. Unsurprisingly, this is especially true when it comes to technology.
Let’s say you signed up for a trial of a CRM in the past and it asked you to input a credit card number, even though you were getting two weeks for free. Then, you had three gigs in a row and a family emergency. By the time those two weeks were up, you hadn’t even looked at your CRM, but you were billed anyway. Sound familiar?
This happens over and over for speakers and many don’t even know how many tools they are paying for. To solve this, our general rules are, first, don’t sign up for a free trial when it also asks for a credit card. That’s just a recipe for unintended costs. Second, when you sign up for a new tool, record it in a document or project manager. The place you track it doesn’t matter – Just be sure you have a list somewhere of everything you’re paying for. That way, if you’re not sure of the cost for a tool or if you’re trying to cut costs, you have a reliable source of information.
Now, for the part of speaking business operations I’ve been waiting for: the tools and technology. Needless to say, there are plenty of alternatives to the ones covered below. As with setup and sales tools, if you already have reliable tools that take the place of those below, don’t worry about it! No need to switch to our recommendations if you already have something working for you. 😊
A relatively well known piece of speaker tech that we haven’t mentioned so far is eSpeakers . Although eSpeakers can also be used for sales processes, one of the greatest features about it is their event management platform, Event CX. Built to make event management stress-free for speakers and event planners, this platform includes a calendar, meeting planner database, and a profile in the eSpeakers bureau. It also comes with task checklists, so you can prepare for gigs without worrying that you’ve missed something. Once again, when it comes to managing speaking gigs, the more organized you can be, the more gigs you can handle each year. In other words, the more organized you are, the more revenue rolls in.
The text tech tip we have is one we’ve touched on a few times already: a project management system. Similarly to a CRM, the purpose of a project manager is organization. However, where a CRM is used primarily for sales, a project management system is for operations. Want a way to track your marketing projects? How about your content calendar for your blogs? Thinking about your financial tracking, too? All of these things can be tracked within a project management system, so you have a convenient place to double check that your speaking business is on target. From finances to company problems and solutions, it’s an easy way to be sure you’re working on your speaking business, not just in it.
Our favorite project management system is Asana , for both the value and the extensive feature set. Besides the convenient organizational features it provides, it also comes with animations to liven up the process. Additionally, with different project layouts, free templates, and notifications, it takes minutes to get started and learn the system from A-Z. Plus, it starts free! That way, if you’re just starting your speaking business, you can save some money and upgrade as your team does.
Another top organizational tool is G Suite . A common choice for cloud storage, G Suite is awesome for many reasons. First, at less than $10/month , it’s incredibly affordable, even if you’re a one-man show. Second, it’s one of the most intuitive tools out there, when it comes to cloud storage. Even if you’re not terribly confident in your tech knowledge, you can master G Suite without a problem. Finally, in addition to being a convenient source of internal company organization, it’s also awesome when it comes to sharing information. Remember how I mentioned earlier, “The idea is to give you a single place to store everything for event planners. That way, when they hire you, you can say, ‘Here is a link to a folder, which has everything you need’”? G Suite is that place to store everything. Affordable, convenient, and incredibly useful – What more can you ask for?
Better Proposals
Fourth in our list of speaking business operations tools is Better Proposals . Intended to streamline the proposal-sending process, this software ties in closely to the aforementioned sales systems. After you’ve closed a sale and received a verbal “yes” from an event planner, you still need a legal contract with them. That’s where Better Proposals comes in.
With templates included, the option to add your own branding information, and an awesome support team, you can create and send a proposal in less than a minute. As a bonus, event planners can also pay through your Better Proposals portal. So, if you’re on the road and emailing event planners while you’re at your hotel, you can close them all like a pro. No more missed opportunities because you’re on the road – just picture-perfect business operations.
Last but not least of our recommended operations tools is Calendly . Created for large and small businesses alike, Calendly is an auto-scheduler, like we covered earlier. As with most auto-schedulers, you can connect your Calendly page to your website, so people can schedule a call as they browse your site. On the other hand, you can also share your Calendly link when you email someone. That way, they can jump right to your calendar and book a call with a few quick clicks. Additionally, you create different events within Calendly for different purposes, each of which has its own specific link. For example, if you want to keep your speaking client and consulting client meetings separated, you can create a Calendly event for each option. From there, when you connect your Calendly page to your Google or Outlook Calendar, you can see which events correspond to which group.
Oh, and did I mention how affordable it is? Of the tools in this section, Calendly and Asana are the most useful on a day-to-day basis, and they’re both free. 🙌
The Basics of Marketing for Speakers
Now, to the fourth and final section of this massive guide: marketing for your speaking business. It goes without saying, but marketing is the third key piece of running a speaking business, along with sales and operations. With high-quality, well thought-out marketing efforts, not only can you attract people to your speaking business and your brand. You can also demonstrate your expertise outside of speaking.
Optimizing Your Website
The first way in which you can build your marketing efforts is your speaker website. Way back at the beginning, we walked through the key features of a good speaker website. However, did you know that there are also tips and tricks to bring people to your site in the first place? The first of these tricks is Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. To put it simply, SEO is the perfection of your site or other digital content so that it ranks higher in a Google search.
Although there are a ton of factors that contribute to good SEO, the primary ones to worry about, when it comes to your speaker website, are speed, design, and content. Ideally, your site should load in less than 3 seconds, mainly in order to keep people engaged. In fact, on average, people will decide whether or not to continue scrolling within 55 milliseconds. That means that the faster your site loads and the more engaging it is, the better your chance to keep the visitor’s attention. That brings me to design. As a web developer and designer myself, I cannot stress enough that design is critical. Keeping your brand consistent on your website and following modern design practices is a sure way to bring and retain web traffic. Kindra Hall and Mel Robbins have fantastic websites, in both of these regards, for example.
Finally, include high-quality content throughout your site. This includes, blogs, guides, and downloadable content that visitors can take when they leave your site. In terms of SEO, the most important of these is your blog, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
Tips for High-Quality Content
You’ve probably already heard from one business owner or another how writing blogs helped bring more attention to their business. By now, almost everyone knows that you should have a blog, but how do you start from nothing? First and foremost, each blog should be at least 1,500 words and focused on a single word or phrase. This blog, for example, uses the phrase “speaking business”. Of our word count, “speaking business” makes up at least 1% of the text, as should your focus keyword or phrase. Your blog should also break up the text with headings to make it easier for the reader to digest. Additionally, graphics and images can be used to make these text breaks visually engaging and memorable.
If you are trying to write a blog that out-ranks another blog in the Google search for your keyword, there are a few questions to keep in mind. These include:
- Is my blog longer than theirs and more thorough?
- Does my blog use my focus keyword at least 1% of the time?
- Do I have additional images and/or infographics, compared to my competitor?
A “yes” to each of these questions, combined with more fine-tuned blog writing techniques, is guaranteed to put your new blog in a Google search. Plus, the more blogs you write, the easier it will get. For the full checklist for writing a killer blog, check out our “Resources” page and look for our “30 Point Blog Checklist”. 👍
Building Your Social Presence
Besides blogs, another great way to bring attention to your speaking business is through social media. It’s no secret that some of today’s biggest celebrities have grown their business to a new income bracket simply by maintaining a social presence. The same potential exists for speakers in their businesses, provided you follow a few key rules.
First, be diverse in what and where you post. Include videos, try out Instagram Stories , share memes, and get serious once and awhile. Being diverse in your posts will keep people from getting bored. Plus, giving someone a laugh is a sure way to engage them moving forward. Second, be social. Interact with other speakers and business owners you admire, and reply to comments on your own posts. Showing people you’re a human behind your phone and not a faceless company will always win you more followers and cheerleaders.
That brings me to the biggest rule of all on social media: Be yourself! Whatever you share or comment, make sure that it is actually something you would say. At the end of the day, staying true to yourself will make it easier to come up with social content and your candidness will be admired – I guarantee it.
If you’re unsure where to start, blogs from social scheduling tools like Sprout , Later , and Hootsuite are great for finding info you can implement now, even if you’re starting from scratch.
Marketing Data to Track
Now, as with sales and operations, making data driven decisions in marketing is of the utmost importance. More than anything, that means tracking the growth of your business. Regarding your website, this means the number of visitors to your site each month, the amount of time they spend on your site, and how many pages are viewed in an average visit. Your ultimate goal, when looking at website data, is to see where people are going and make adjustments so that the other pages or areas of your site follow suit.
The same is true when it comes to social media analytics. How many followers have I gained this week? Are my followers are in the speaking industry and, if so, how many? How many are event planners? All of your social media data will be much more fast-paced, but the idea remains the same. Look at what you are doing that is working on social media and focus on that. If videos are getting you more traffic than posting pictures of you on stage, invest in videos more. If you are gaining followers in a certain industry, take the time to follow or tag prominent members in that industry. The more you look at what is giving you traction and follow those trails, the more successful your marketing efforts – from website to social media – will be successful.
As always, a SpeakerFlow blog wouldn’t be complete without a list of tech tools to take some of the work off your plate. Below are three of our favorite systems for mastering your marketing processes.
Google Analytics
Far and away, one of the most useful and consistently updated marketing tools out there is Google Analytics . As a marketing expert myself, I rely on Google Analytics every day for everything from web performance to brand visibility. Within the Google Analytics dashboard, I can see not only where my leads are coming from but also which pages on my website they’re visiting the most. I can also see which blogs get the most attention and if people are finding the SpeakerFlow site from unconventional sources. For example, in spring 2019, we appeared on a podcast with Jane Atkinson, the creator of the “promise statement” we covered earlier. Now, because of that, people are visiting our site after first visiting hers.
As a speaker, insights like this are especially important if you have collateral to sell, such as a book, for example. By pinpointing which blogs are working and where people are finding you, you can target those areas in multiple ways. Besides personally contacting people in those areas, if you ever decide to run paid ads for your collateral, you know how to target them. Better targeting means more collateral and more gigs sold, in the long run. Win win!
Another great marketing tool, especially when it comes to branding, is Canva . Besides being available for free, Canva is an amazing tool for countless reasons. For starters, it comes with pre-sized layouts for everything from brochures to business cards. That way, if you don’t have the money to hire a graphic designer right off the bat, you can do it yourself. Additionally, for each layout, there are dozens of templates . Even if you have no design skills, these ensure your design looks professional and on-brand, so you can share the finished product with confidence.
Aside from print materials, Canva’s also excellent for digital content. Our in-house graphic designer uses it for quick and easy production of social media posts. For her, this is helpful because she handles many projects at once, so saving time is crucial. Likewise, in your speaking business, you can save time and get a beautiful result, completely free.
Last but not least of our marketing tools is Buffer . As with all social media automators, Buffer allows you to take those gorgeous social media posts you made in Canva and pre-post them. If you’re between gigs, this might not be a huge concern. However, when you’re on the road, using a social scheduler allows you to plan it all ahead of time. That way, once your gig is over, you can go back to your hotel and rest easy, since it’s still posting for you in the background.
Jumping back to our graphic designer at SpeakerFlow, who also manages our social accounts, Buffer is also great if you dislike social posting. As for our designer, for many speakers, being social isn’t top priority, simply because they don’t like it. Nevertheless, in this day and age, building a social presence is a guaranteed way to build your speaking business. So, if you want to take care of your social posting once a week and get it over with, a social scheduler like Buffer is definitely the solution.
Well, that brings us to the end of this mega-guide for starting your speaking business! Thank you for sticking with me this far. Hopefully, with these tips and tricks in mind, you have more confidence to take your business to the next level. 😊
For more insider speaking business information, check out our companion blog, “ How To Get Speaking Gigs: The Ultimate Guide ”.
Additionally, the vast majority of the tools and systems described in guide can be managed using the SpeakerFlow CRM. Book a free demo with us to learn more about it and see how you can run your speaking business almost entirely out of a single place!
Subscribe To Our Blog
Get updates every time we release a new blog. Plus, join thousands of other speakers, coaches, and consultants learning to use systems to take control of their business.
We’re committed to your privacy. SpeakerFlow uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, services, and promotional offers. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, check out our privacy policy .
Other Articles You Might Like
Beyond Box-Checking: Why Speaker Diversity Matters
How To Speak Publicly With Confidence
Breakout Session Basics: 12 Ways To Engage & Inspire
Can you do a bullet point list of the cost to set up a career as a public speaker? I can think of a few, the cost to build a website, run advertising campaigns on social media, hiring a publicist and more. But I’d like to hear from someone that is a successful public speaker, what the start up costs are and what they pay for. Google so far has 0 articles about that specific topic
Hey, Trever – Great question. 👌 There aren’t specific numbers listed anywhere because every speaking business is different, so the cost range is HUGE. Websites, for example, can cost anywhere from $0 to upwards of $20,000, depending on the features you want and the company/individual you hire to build it for you. Another example is CRMs, which can cost anywhere from $0/month to several hundred dollars/month.
Ultimately, the starting cost comes down to your budget and what tools/systems you need to get off the ground. Generally, we recommend ones that fit your goals and budget for the time being, then strategize additional ways to upgrade them as your speaking business grows. For more detailed strategy and guidance, ask for Taylorr and Austin here . 👍
Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Website Terms of Service | Terms of Use | SF University Terms of Service | SpeakerFlow CRM Terms of Service
Made With ❤️ By SpeakerFlow
SpeakerFlow Payment Plans
We understand not everyone’s in a position to pay up front. That’s why we don’t require credit checks or use outside lending services – Just your word. Split your payments over 3 months. 👍
Power Up ⚡️
The system without any live training, migration, or implementation
$1,100.00/mo
Total Over 3 Months: $3,300
Flow Zone 🎯
White-glove migration and implementation of our Flow Stack
$1,833.33/mo
Total Over 3 Months: $5,500
Flow Zone+ 🚀
Flow Zone plus migration of other complex systems
$2,750.00/mo
Total Over 3 Months: $8,250
We add a flat rate 10% fee to any financed tier and own the rights to your accounts and its data until the amount is paid in full.
If you’re interested in a payment plan, please email [email protected] .
Unsupported browser
This site was designed for modern browsers and tested with Internet Explorer version 10 and later.
It may not look or work correctly on your browser.
- Presentations
How to Write a Great Motivational Business Speech in 2022
At one point or another, it's likely you'll have to give a speech. It may be for business, or it may be for school. But you don't want to give just any speech. You want to give a speech that your listeners will remember—a speech that motivates them to take action. In other words, you need to know how to make a speech memorable.
Motivational speaking is a good skill to have. It can help in both your professional and personal life. Most importantly, the ability to give a good inspirational speech enables you to influence others to make positive changes.
In this tutorial, we explain how to prepare a motivational speech. We'll discuss what makes a good motivational speech. You'll learn how to write inspirational speeches. We'll also explore some of the tools you can use to make your speech more effective. And finally, we'll provide tips on how to give a motivational speech.
Download Free Presentation Ebook
Also, be sure to grab our free eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . It will help you master the presentation process, from: initial idea, through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.
Read on to learn how to make a memorable speech that inspires others.
1. How to Plan a Motivational Business Speech
You can't just jump right into writing your speech. A great motivational speech takes planning. Here are the planning steps you need to understand:
Step 1. Know Your Audience
If you really want your speech to motivate your listeners, you need to understand who your listeners are. People respond differently to messages based on their interests and background.
Also, understanding your audience is how you find out what they're interested in so that you can appeal to those interests. It's that appeal directly to your listener's interests that will motivate them.
If you're a student, you likely have a head start in this area. It's likely that your listeners will be other students in your class. You may even know some of them personally. But you still have some work to do in this area. Learn what you can about the makeup of your class. Here are some questions to research:
- Are most students full-time or part-time?
- What's the age range of the students in the class?
- Have they been at the school long?
- What are most of the students in the class majoring in?
- What are their interests?
If you're giving a business speech, you may not know your audience members personally. But you can still do some research to find out a little bit about them.
Depending on whether your business markets to consumers or to other businesses, it's likely your audience will be made up of either consumers (the public) or representatives of businesses. Either way, here are some questions to research:
- I f aud ience members represent businesses, what's their job function?
- If your listeners represent companies, what's the s ize and i ndustry of those companies?
- What are their concerns?
- What's the age range of the audience members?
- Are the audience members current clients, prospective clients, or a mix?
If you'll be giving your business speech at a public venue such as a conference, ask the conference organizers to provide you with demogr ap hic information about the conference attendees. If you'll be giving your speech at a private location, say a client's office, learn what you can about the company before you go.
Regardless of whether your audience is students, consumers, or businesses--be sure to take into consideration any cultural differences.
Step 2. Know Your Subject
You may think that you know your topic already, but a general knowledge of your subject matter isn't good enough if you want to write a memorable speech. Look for the aspects of the subject that affect your audience directly. When you can, give specific details rather than generalizations.
For example, say " 75% of our clients save money in the first year " instead of " most of our clients save money. "
Don't forget to anticipate questions or concerns your listeners might have. Research and find the answers. Plan to address the most common concerns during your speech, but remember the other questions in case you're asked about them afterward.
It also helps to have charts and graphs to illustrate and support your information. (More on this later...)
Step 3. Have a Vision
Know what you want your audience to do after hearing your motivational speech and plan your speech accordingly. Your entire speech should be focused on moving your audience in the direction you want them to take.
Explain why the subject of your speech is important to your audience. Describe how the next steps they take can make a difference. But be sincere. Remember, your audience won't care about your topic (or take action) unless you care. And they'll be able to tell if you care. You can't motivate an audience to care about a topic you don't care about.
Towards the end of your speech, ask your listeners to take the next step. Again, be specific. If you want your audience to perform a particular task, tell them what that action is and explain how to do it. If you want them to make a purchase, provide the information (such as a URL, phone number, or location) that allows them to do make that purchase.
2. How to Write an Inspirational Speech
Now that you've done some planning, you're ready to start writing your motivational speech. Here's how to write it:
Step 1. Use an Outline
An outline helps you stay organized as you write your motivational speech. Your outline should have a beginning, middle, and end.
Start by writing the introduction and conclusion to your speech. Many speechwriters find this easiest to do during the outline step. The introduction is especially important because you need to capture and hold the audience's attention in it.
Here's a good tutorial on how to create a powerful introduction and strong conclusion for your speech:
Once you've written the introduction and conclusion of your motivational speech, you're ready to add the main points (or middle) to your outline.
Step 2. Stay Focused
In the main points of your speech, explain why the topic is important to your audience. Here are some common ways to show that your subject matter is important:
- Appeal to the audience's emotions or sense of justice.
- Show how different things can be.
- Explain how one (or more) of the listeners' problems can be solved.
As you add the main points to your outline, limit the number of points you plan to cover to three points (or four, at most). Too many points will cause your presentation to drag out and may even confuse your listener.
As you're narrowing points down, try ranking the points in importance from most important to least important. Keep your vision in mind during this ranking. Rank those points that relate to your vision or purpose for the speech higher. The other points should be ranked lower.
If you've got more than four main points on your outline draft, remove the lowest ranked points and focus on the higher, more relevant points.
Step 3. Be Conversational
When your outline is complete, you're ready to write your speech.
As you write your speech, adopt a conversational tone. Address your listeners directly. Show how each point relates to your audience members.
To be perceived as friendlier, avoid formal language and use short sentences. The goal is to write your speech so that it flows naturally and is easily understood.
Ideally, your speech should sound like you're talking to a friend. Avoid obscure phrases, legalese, and other speech patterns that are difficult to follow. If you'll be giving the speech in a language that's not native for you, you may need to enlist a native speaker to help you with this.
Step 4. Tell an Inspirational Story
Some of the most inspiring speeches include inspirational stories. Stories can illustrate your vision for your audience in a concrete way.
But be real. Audiences can spot a phony story. Positive case studies and inspirational examples can be quite motivational. So, it's a good idea to include these if you've got them.
If you can get quotes that support your speech's points, use them too. Audiences love to hear the experiences of real people. Even better, record and play short videos (a minute or two) where customers or others share their experiences.
3. How to Make a Speech Memorable With Templates & Images
Now that you've written a memorable speech, it's time to pull the entire presentation together. You'll do this by bringing your motivational speech into a presentation tool and incorporating graphics and other media. Follow these steps:
Step 1. Choose a Presentation Tool
The presentation tool you use to give your presentation is important. Some tools are easier to use than others. And not all presentation tools are available in all venues. Make sure that the venue where you'll give your motivational speech supports the presentation tool you intend to use. If you're not sure, ask.
If you're required to use a particular presentation tool--for example, if you're a student--then the decision of what tool to use is easy. But if you can use any presentation tool you like, you may be wondering which one to choose. There are many choices available. This article compares three of the most popular presentation tools:
Once you've selected a presentation tool, make sure that you can use it. Our PowerPoint learning guide and our Google Slides learning guide can help you get up to speed quickly.
Step 2. Use Templates
Once you've chosen your presentation tool, it's time to start thinking about how your presentation will look. You want it to be eye-catching, but professional. A sloppy, unprofessional design distracts from your message. Avoid the following:
- using too many different fonts
- p utting too much on a single slide
- c lashing color schemes
Of course, you could design your own presentation template for your motivational speech. But that could take hours--especially if you're not a professional designer.
A better plan is to use pre-designed professional template such as those available through ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Envato Elements or ga-analytics#sendMarketClickEvent">GraphicRiver . With a pre-designed template, you'll get the use of template designed by a professional designer that can be customized for your specific needs. To get an idea of what types of templates are available, look at this article:
Step 3. Choose the Right Images
A good presentation should also include photos, charts, and graphs to support the points being made. Powerful images can evoke emotion and capture your listeners' imaginations. They can play a large role in an effective motivational speech.
However, the images you use in your presentation must be professional to be effective. Sloppy graphs or poorly focused images make a bad impression and take away from your effectiveness. Make sure that any images you add to your presentation are of high quality.
If you're wondering where to find good quality images, look no further. You'll find a wide variety of ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">photos and ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">other types of images on ga-analytics#sendElementsClickEvent">Envato Elements .
4. How to Prepare to Give Your Motivational Speech
Once you've finished putting your speech into your presentation tool, you may think you're ready to give it. You're not. Follow these steps to make final preparations to give your motivational speech:
Step 1. Review and Revise
Whether you're a student or representing a business, mistakes in your inspirational speech make you look bad. Review your presentation carefully to ensure that there are no errors in it. Here are some common mistakes speakers make:
- d e s ign mista kes like cutting a graphic off the edge of a p age or wo rds that flow off the edge of a slide
- factual errors, such as misattributing a quote or typos that make statistics incorrect
- spelling and grammar errors and other typos
After a careful review, fix any mistakes that you find before giving your inspirational speech.
Step 2. Practice
Once you're sure that your presentation slides are error free, it's time for you to practice giving your speech. The more you practice, the more comfortable with it you'll be.
Practice is also important, because it can help you judge how long your presentation will be. Practice can also help you get the pacing right. After you've practiced your speech several times, you may decide to make a few minor adjustments to your inspirational speech so that it's easier for you to give.
Learn how to avoid some common presentation mistakes and discover other presentation tips in these tutorials:
Learn More About Making Great Presentations
Download The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations eBook now for FREE with a subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter. Get your ideas formed into a powerful presentation that will move your audience!
You've just learned how to prepare a motivational speech. Your speeches should now be more memorable and more effective at reaching your listeners. Now that you've learned how to inspire your listeners, you're ready to give your motivational speech. Good luck!
Editorial Note: This content was originally published in 2018. We're sharing it again because our editors have determined that this information is still accurate and relevant.
- Business Plan for Investors
- Bank/SBA Business Plan
- Strategic/Operational Business Plan
- L1 Visa Business Plan
- E1 Treaty Trader Visa Business Plan
- E2 Treaty Investor Visa Business Plan
- EB-1 Business Plan
- EB-2 NIW Business Plan
- EB-5 Business Plan
- Innovator Visa Business Plan
- Start-Up Visa Business Plan
- Expansion Worker Visa Business Plan
- Manitoba MPNP Visa Business Plan
- Nova Scotia NSNP Visa Business Plan
- British Columbia BC PNP Visa Business Plan
- Self-Employed Visa Business Plan
- OINP Entrepreneur Stream Business Plan
- LMIA Owner Operator Business Plan
- ICT Work Permit Business Plan
- LMIA Mobility Program – C11 Entrepreneur Business Plan
- USMCA (ex-NAFTA) Business Plan
- Franchise Business Plan
- Landlord business plan
- Nonprofit Start-Up Business Plan
- Cannabis business plan
- Ecommerce business plan
- Online boutique business plan
- Mobile application business plan
- Daycare business plan
- Restaurant business plan
- Food delivery business plan
- Real estate business plan
- Business Continuity Plan
- Buy Side Due Diligence Services
- ICO whitepaper
- ICO consulting services
- Confidential Information Memorandum
- Private Placement Memorandum
- Feasibility study
- How it works
- Business Plan Examples
Speaker Business Plan Sample
OCT.02, 2015
Making a Good Impression: Speaker business plan
There is always a market for good speakers, but the targeted market depends on the type of speeches or presentations delivered. There are four types of public speaking, and the speaker business plan will first identify the speech types in the Executive Summary that the entrepreneur plans on delivering.
• Informative – sharing knowledge and expertise in a particular area • Entertaining – designed to amuse, divert, or please listeners • Persuasive – convince listeners to adopt a particular belief, act in a certain manner, or agree with a particular opinion • Inspirational – motivational speech that inspires the audience
Due to technology, speakers are not limited to live presentations. There are speaker businesses that record and sell presentations that are downloadable or sold on CDs. Another approach to the speaker business is to write and sell speeches that others deliver.
More Than One Way
The design of the business will determine how much funding is needed. A business comprised of one speaker – the business owner – who only delivers material in person at workshops, conventions, or other venues, needs a strong marketing plan that builds a network of referrals. Businesses that offer speaking engagements and sell recorded speeches will need high quality recording equipments and a solid marketing plan. Successful speaking businesses can also eventually branch out into franchising.
The speaking industry is highly competitive because it has low barriers to entry. Typically, entrepreneurs that apply for funding need financing to purchase high-quality recording equipment and money for marketing. The speaker business plan will:
• Describe the type of speech material • Describe the entrepreneur’s expertise that is marketable through speeches and presentations • Identify the target market, which includes businesses, public conventions and trade shows, government agencies, nonprofits including religious organizations, schools, libraries, and other venues • Include a marketing plan that packages, prices, promotes, and sells the speaker’s expertise through a website, networking, personal selling, advertising, and joining a speaker’s bureau • Identify the cities, regions, and/or countries the speaker will target for sales • If applicable, address plans for growth by adding new speakers • Identify competitors and what differentiates the speaker from others • Develop a five-year projected financial plan that includes projected fees, and travel expenses and other expenses
Every Business Needs a Speaker Business Plan
Whatever business structure is chosen, investors will assess the new enterprise based on its ability to achieve profitability within a reasonable period of times. If no investors are needed at startup, it is still important to develop a solid business plan. The speaker business plan is a guide for decision-making to keep the business on-mission.
OGS Capital professional business plan writers help entrepreneurs get their businesses up and running by sharing industry expertise and knowledge during business plan development. If it is time to pursue business goals, complete and submit the short online contact form.
Download Speaker Business Plan Sample in pdf
OGS capital professional writers specialized also in themes such as define a strategic plan , wedding planning business startup , business plan for music festival , business plan for a funeral home , business plan for an event planner , etc.
OGSCapital’s team has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs with top-rate business plan development, consultancy and analysis. They’ve helped thousands of SME owners secure more than $1.5 billion in funding, and they can do the same for you.
Add comment
E-mail is already registered on the site. Please use the Login form or enter another .
You entered an incorrect username or password
Comments (0)
mentioned in the press:
Search the site:
OGScapital website is not supported for your current browser. Please use:
Home » General » How to Start a Motivational Speaking Business
How to Start a Motivational Speaking Business
Being a motivational speaker can be a rewarding career – and we’re not talking about money! You’ll have the chance to influence lives in a positive way with the words that you say. If you’ve got a unique experience to share with others or a knack to help people find the path toward the changes they wish to make, then this is a business opportunity that you may want to look at more closely.
Knowing how to start a motivational speaking business means first finding the story you can tell that will connect with an audience. You’ll need to be comfortable speaking in front of a crowd, but you’ll also need to be 100% authentic with what you say. People are attracted to those who have overcome mighty obstacles because it gives them a personal hope to overcome their own roadblocks. Tell your story and you’ll be able to relate in a unique way.
Here are the additional steps that you’ll want to follow in order to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
1. Locate Your One Area of Niche Expertise.
You might be talking about a specific subject, but you’ll be amazed how far that one niche can take you. Setting specific goals, for example, can be used to train salespeople, help a married couple repair their relationship, or help someone be able to structure a better budget. Use your education, your background, and your experiences to come up with subject material that people will find interesting and you’ll be able to share it everywhere.
2. Don’t Just Settle For One Generic Speech You Tell Over and Over Again.
What makes a motivational speaker engaging is the combination of passion and individuality that is able to be conveyed. People want to see your passion, feel it, and be able to relate to it. If you’re giving a stock speech that you’ve given 100 times before, it will be difficult to convey any of that. Focus on the key points for the industry that has brought you in and then hammer your points home time and time again.
3. Give Yourself the Tools to Succeed.
Not everyone is comfortable with public speaking. This is especially true if your personality traits lean toward more of an introverted style. The good news is that public speaking is a skill that can be learned. Look for workshops or classes that can help you to grow comfortable with this skill so that you’ll be able to communicate your message to people in an authentic way every time.
4. Join a Professional Organization.
Being part of a network of other motivational speakers will help you begin to network your skills. It may even give you some job leads. If nothing else, you’ll be able to discuss issues within the membership of the organization and further develop the messages you’re giving to people.
5. Consider Hiring a Manager or Agent.
It can take a lot of work to secure speaking contracts, plan travel arrangements, and make sure that you’re getting paid on time. By hiring a manager or agent, you’ll be able to focus on your speaking abilities first and then follow up with your representation about payment issues and speaking engagements.
6. Your Online Reputation Matters Today.
The first thing the average person is going to do when they see your name listed as a motivational speaker is to research more information about you. This is where having a fully responsible website can help you out a lot. Anyone on any device will be able to access data about you and discover if they’re interested in what you have to say. A positive online presence and reputation will generate a lot of excitement – and it makes it a lot easier to sign appointments as well.
7. Think About Recording Your Messages as an Extra Way to Provide Value.
Motivational speakers today have transitioned their skills into videos and recordings that compliment their in-person opportunities. This is a place where you can really expand your revenue opportunities. Imagine being able to jot down all of your experiences and thoughts into a book that you could then use as a marketing tool to get high-paying engagements.
8. Be Available.
Motivational speakers who are available for even short conversations or chats on Facebook can make a huge impression on people. The return from this effort comes from the word-of-mouth advertising you’ll receive.
Knowing how to start a motivational speaking business means finding a way to spread your specific, authentic message to those who wish to hear it. Think about including these steps as you design your business and you’ll be able to create the change you want to see in today’s world.
Related Posts:
- 30 Best Thank You Messages for After an Interview
- 6 Conclusions About ENFP and ENFJ Relationship Compatibility
- 25 Best Personal Vision Statement Examples
- 25 Best Ways to Overcome the Fear of Failure
BizFundingResource.com
Motivational Speaker Business Plan and SWOT Analysis
Motivational Speaker Business Plan, Marketing Plan, How To Guide, and Funding Directory
The Motivational Speaker Business Plan and Business Development toolkit features 18 different documents that you can use for capital raising or general business planning purposes. Our product line also features comprehensive information regarding to how to start a Motivational Speaker business. All business planning packages come with easy-to-use instructions so that you can reduce the time needed to create a professional business plan and presentation.
Your Business Planning Package will be immediately emailed to you after you make your purchase.
Product Specifications (please see images below):
Motivational speakers are popular among schools, corporations, as well as with government agencies. These people often have interesting life stories to tell and they are able to assist people with understanding goals and how to achieve them. Most motivational speakers profit solely on their personal background as well as their exuberant personality. As such, these businesses typically are centered around the work of one specific person. The startup cost associated with a new motivational speaking business are very low. These businesses can be started for as little as $10,000. One of the most difficult aspects of developing a motivational speaking business is the development of a brand name that will allow the individual to secure speaking engagements on an ongoing basis. Speaking engagements can generate revenues anywhere from $1,000 all the way to $50,000 or more per engagement. The greater the visibility of the motivational speaker the greater the fee they can command when engaging in speaking.
A motivational speaker SWOT analysis is typically produced in conjunction with both a business plan and marketing plan. As it relates to strengths, these businesses can generate tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars per month from motivational speaking engagements. The gross margins generated from services are extremely high and the operating expenses are very low outside of marketing.
For weaknesses, this is an extremely competitive field and motivational speakers going to need to engage in a broad-based marketing campaign in order to develop an audience and fan base. There are a number of third-party companies that can actively assist a motivational speaker with acquiring speaking engagements.
For opportunities, these center specifically around increasing the media profile of the key motivational speaker. This is really the only way that these businesses expand given the fact that the way that growth occurs is through increasing revenues through higher speaking engagement fees.
There are almost no threats associated with this business outside of a major economic recession wherein schools and corporations may cut down on discretionary expenditures like hiring a motivational speaker to present themselves to their students or employees.
A motivational speaker business plan should be developed and this should feature a three-year profit and loss statement, cash analysis, balance sheet, breakeven analysis, and business ratios page. Most importantly, a thorough analysis should be done as it relates the demographics of schools and corporations will be targeted for motivational speaking services. It should be noted that was all these businesses are started with capital provided by the owner. Not until the business is about two years old and is generating highly predictable streams revenue will a financial institution extend a working capital line of credit or similar credit facility in order to facilitate expansion of the business. A competitive analysis is typically warranted as well although there are hundreds of thousands of people engage in motivational speaking on a worldwide basis. As such, one of the key things to note within the competitive analysis is how the motivational speaker will differentiate themselves from that of other speakers within the industry.
The most important aspects of the development of this business is the motivational speaker marketing plan. It is imperative that the motivational speaker engage in a number of public relation strategies in order to boost the profile of the key speaker. This includes heavy use of social media platforms such as FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. By developing a large-scale social media following – a motivational speaker can pitch this as part of their overall service offering to potential schools and corporations that will hire the speaker for an engagement.
A proprietary website is absolutely necessary for the motivational speaker and this website should feature interactive content including videos of previous engagements. This website should be listed among all major search engines coupled with the use of search engine optimization as well as pay per click marketing. The marketing expenses associated with a motivational speaker business typically around 20% to 30% of all aggregate revenues generated. It should be noted that once the motivational speaker establishes a strong brand name these expenditures will decline given the fact that people be aware of the brand-name and will simply call on the motivational speaker in order to render services.
People love motivational speakers, especially younger people and people that work at large-scale organizations. As such, these businesses tend to do well in most economic climates. These can be highly lucrative opportunities wherein a highly established motivational speaker can easily generate an income of $500,000 to $1 million per year or more. This is a personal touch business, and it is imperative that the motivational speaker have the ability to connect with their audience members.
Home » Business ideas » Education Industry
How to Start a Motivational Speaking Company in 18 Steps
Do you want to start a motivational speaking company? If YES, here is a complete guide to starting a motivational speaking business with NO money and no experience . One of the easiest routes to becoming an entrepreneur is to leverage on your inborn skills and talents to launch a business. One of the businesses that you can successfully start from your in-built skills and talents is a motivational speaking company.
What is a Motivational Speaking Company?
A motivational speaking company is a company that provides training, coaching and of course motivation to corporate organizations, educational institutions/schools, youth organizations and individual clients. A motivational speaking company is a resource company that can be a one man show or an assemblage of motivational speakers, public speakers and trainers in different fields.
Motivational speaking company is classified under the business coaching industry, and the industry is indeed a big and thriving industry in the united states of America and of course in most countries of the world. Just like most businesses, the motivational speaking company line of business is open to as many people that are interested in the industry as long as you have what it takes to run the business and provide the needed resources that your clients want.
Even if you don’t have the finance and other requirements to start a standard motivational speaking company with loads of professional and certified motivational speakers, public speakers and training specialists under your payroll, you can come into the industry by starting – out as a small motivational company especially if you are a born motivator.
So, if you have done the required feasibility studies and market research, then you might want to venture into this business. If you have been pondering on starting your own motivational speaking company but do not know how to go about it, then you should consider going through this article; it will give you the needed guide and direction.
18 Steps to Starting a Motivational Speaking Company
1. understand the industry.
A motivational speaking company is part of the business coaching industry and the industry includes companies that offer motivational speeches, pep – talk, public speaking, short duration courses and seminars for management and professional development and of course schools and individuals.
Training is provided through public courses or through employers’ training programs, and the courses can be customized or modified. Instruction may be provided at the company’s training facilities, client or educational institutions, the workplace or the home and via television or the internet et al.
The Business Coaching industry to a large extent relies on demand from its largest market, the middle and senior management of US corporations, which left it vulnerable to declining corporate profit. During the period where businesses cut back on nonessential expenses including employee business coaching programs, the industry flourished.
Unfortunately, for players in the industry, training budgets diminished as the economy faltered; causing revenue to decline. Small operators which represent the majority of industry players were particularly hurt by falling demand, with some being forced to leave the industry in response to poor operating conditions. But improving corporate profit and employment rates are expected to increase the number of organizations in the industry.
The Business Coaching industry that motivational speaking industry is a part of is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in most countries of the world and countries such as United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Switzerland, Australia and Canada et al are highly profitable destinations.
Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 51,094 registered and licensed business coaching companies (motivational speaking companies) scattered all across the United States responsible for employing about 91,971 and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $11 billion annually. The industry is projected to grow at a 2.6 percent annual growth rate within 2011 and 2016. It is important to state that there is no establishment in this industry that has a lion market share.
A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that in 2016, the two largest companies accounted for less than 5.0 percent of industry revenue. As a result, the Business Coaching industry is highly fragmented with a large number of small enterprises operating throughout the United States. The vast majority of operators are non – employers that service only their local area.
Non – employing businesses represent more than 85.0 percent of all companies operating in this industry. The report further stated that there are also a large number of operators that have a relatively small number of employees. 72.8 percent of employing companies have fewer than five employees, while companies with fewer than 10 employees represent 85.2 percent of employing enterprises.
The business coaching industry and motivational speaking business will continue to blossom because more and more organizations, businesses and individuals are beginning to realize that somehow, they would need the services of employment motivational speaking companies to help them stay motivated, achieve their goals and live a fulfilled life.
From all available statistics, it is safer to say that the business coaching industry is growing steadily despite the competitive nature of the industry. One thing is certain, if you are well positioned, you have the required business skills, networks and you have a robust assemblage of motivational speakers, public speakers and professional trainers under your payroll or as partners, you are not going to struggle to compete favorably in the business coaching industry.
Another reason why people prefer to start a motivational speaking business is that a motivational speaker, public speaker or trainer has the monopoly to charge fees as it suits them especially if they have been able to pay their dues in the industry over the years.
Other factors that encourage entrepreneurs to start their own motivational speaking company could be that the business is easy to set up and the startup capital is indeed affordable. You can actually start your own motivational speaking company from the comfort of your house, all you need to do is create an office somewhere in your house.
2. Conduct Market Research and Feasibility Studies
- Demographics and Psychographics
The demographic and psychographic composition of those who hire the services of motivational speaking companies cut across all small businesses and corporate organizations both big and small, educational institutions and of course individuals that have the capacity to pay for their services hence the demographic composition of a motivational speaking company is all encompassing.
The truth is that when it comes to motivational speaking company services, there is indeed a wide range of available customers, so your target market can’t be restricted to just specific corporate organizations within your location, but to all the corporate organizations and businesses, educational institutions et al within and outside the city where you have your business presence and who can afford your services.
So, if you are thinking of opening your own motivational speaking company, then you should make your target demographics all encompassing. It should include households, corporate organizations, medium scale organizations and small – scale organizations, educational institutions, sport clubs, military formations and youth organizations in and outside the city where your motivational speaking company is located.
3. Decide Which Niche to Concentrate On
Most motivational speaking companies tend to get involved in loads of services as it relates to motivational speaking for corporate organizations and businesses, but that does not mean that there are no niche areas in the industry.
As a matter of fact, some corporate organizations will only deal with a motivational speaking company that specializes in business coaching hence the need for motivational speaking companies to carve a niche for themselves. Aside from delivering motivational speeches/talks, public speaking and pep talks, most motivational speaking companies also specialize in one or more of the under listed;
- Providing management development training
- Providing marketing and sales training
- Providing professional development training
- Providing quality assurance training
- Providing business coaching
The Level of Competition in the Industry
The competition that exists in the motivational speaking company line of business goes beyond competition amongst motivational speaking companies in your location; you are expected to compete with other businesses in the business coaching industry and freelancers who have the capacity to train and also give motivational speeches. So, it will be right to say the competition in the motivational speaking line of business is tough.
The truth is that no matter the level of competition in an industry, if you have done your due diligence and you brand and promote your services or business properly, you will always make headway in the industry. Just ensure you have a robust assemblage of certified and experienced motivational speakers, public speakers and trainers under your payroll or as partners that can do excellent jobs, you can deliver excellent customer care services and you know how to reach out to your target market.
But over and above, there are several motivational speaking companies and other related businesses in the business coaching industry and the training and consulting industry scattered all around the United States and even in the globe. So, if you choose to start your own motivational speaking company in the United States of America, you will definitely meet stiff competition amongst motivational speaking companies and other businesses or individuals that can offer the services that you are offering.
4. Know Your Major Competitors in the Industry
In every industry, there are always brands that perform better or are better regarded by the customers and general public than others. Some of these brands are those that have been in the industry for a long time, while others are best known for how they conduct their businesses and the results they have achieved over the years.
These are some of the leading motivational speaking companies and other related business coaching brands in the United States of America and in the globe;
- Tony Robbins | Robbins Research International
- Ziglar Inc.
- Stephen Covey Company
- The Jack Canfield Company
- The Rich Dad Company
- Premiere Speakers Bureau
- Action Coach Business Coaching
- Executive Coaching Group Inc.
- Rock Solid Business Coaching
- Richard Pentella Focal Point Business Coaching
- JJC Professional Business Coaching
- Boston Public Speaking
- Princeton Public Speaking
- The Speech Improvement Company
- Thrillspeakers Toastmasters Public Speaking Club
Economic Analysis
If you are planning towards successfully launching a business and maximizing profits, then you need to ensure that you get your economic and cost analysis right and try as much as possible to adopt best practices in the industry you choose to build a business in.
Motivational speaking business is not a Green business. As a matter of fact, you will come across several motivational speaking companies and other related businesses when you drive through town, search through directories and browse through the internet.
So, if you are mapping out your economic and cost analysis, you should carry out thorough market survey and costing of what is required to rent a space where you are expected to open your motivational speaking company and the amount required to purchase office gadgets and furniture and also the cost to successfully run the business.
If you are looking towards starting a motivational speaking company, you would have to start from the very scratch because even if you get a franchise of a motivational speaking company, it would be very expensive.
Besides starting a motivational speaking company from the scratch is less stressful when compared to other small – scale businesses which usually requires detailed groundwork before launching the business. With a motivational speaking company, you should just try as much as possible to get the right assemblage of motivational speakers, public speakers and trainers, office tools and equipment, build business relationship with key stakeholders and then leverage on every marketing tool within your disposal especially the internet to market your services.
Please note that most of the big and successful motivational speaking companies around started from the scratch and they were able to build a solid business brand. It takes dedication, hard work and determination to achieve business success.
6. Know the Possible Threats and Challenges You Will Face
If you decide to start your own motivational speaking company today, one of the major challenges you are likely going to face is the presence of well – established motivational speaking companies and other related training and business coaching companies that also offer similar services that you offer. The only way to avoid this challenge is to create your own market.
Some other challenges and threats that you are likely going to face is economic downturn; if the economy is in bad shape, businesses such as motivational speaking companies usually struggle to maintain their old customers or even welcome new customers.
unfavorable government policies can also hamper the growth of your motivational speaking company. There is nothing you can do as regards these threats and challenges other than to stay positive that things will work well for you.
7. Choose the Most Suitable Legal Entity (LLC, C Corp, S Corp)
When considering starting a motivational speaking company, the legal entity you choose will go a long way to determine how big the business can grow; some motivational speaking companies design their business for neighborhood market, some for city wide market, while others for national market and international market.
Generally, you have the option of either choosing a general partnership, limited liability company which is commonly called an LLC, or even a sole proprietorship for a motivational speaking company. Ordinarily, sole proprietorship should have been the ideal business structure for a small – scale motivational speaking company especially if you are just starting out with a moderate start – up capital in a small neighborhood and as a one man show.
But if your intention is to grow the business and have offices and corporate clients all across key cities in the United States of America and other countries of the world with a robust assemblage of motivational speakers, public speakers and trainers under your payroll or as partners, then choosing sole proprietor is not an option for you. Limited Liability Company, LLC or even general partnership will cut it for you.
Setting up an LLC protects you from personal liability. If anything goes wrong in the business, it is only the money that you invested into the limited liability company that will be at risk. It is not so for sole proprietorships and general partnerships. Limited liability companies are simpler and more flexible to operate and you don’t need a board of directors, shareholder meetings and other managerial formalities.
These are some of the factors you should consider before choosing a legal entity for your motivational speaking company; limitation of personal liability, ease of transferability, admission of new owners, investors’ expectation and of course taxes.
If you take your time to critically study the various legal entities to use for your motivational speaking company, you will agree that limited liability company; an LLC is most suitable. You can start this type of business as limited liability company (LLC) and in future convert it to a ‘C’ corporation or an ‘S’ corporation especially when you have the plans of going public.
8. Choose a Catchy Business Name
When it comes to choosing a name for your business, you should be creative because whatever name you choose for your business will go a long way to create a perception of what the business represents. Usually it is the norm for people to follow the trend in the industry they intend operating from when naming their business.
If you are considering starting your own motivational speaking company, here are some catchy names that you can choose from;
- John Johnsons® Motivational Speaking Company, LLC
- Taylor Whyte & Associates® Motivational Speaking Company, LLP
- Fired Up© Motivational Speaking Company, Inc.
- Speakers Arena® Motivational Speaking Company, Inc.
- Speakers Connect™ Motivations and Trainings, Inc.
- Theresa Greene® Motivational Speaking Company, Inc.
- Speakers Hub© Motivational Speaking Company, Inc.
- Bob Russel & Co® Motivational Speaking Company, LLP
- Douglas Claydon© Motivational Speaking Company, Inc.
- Motive Group© Motivational Speaking Company, Inc.
9. Discuss with an Agent to Know the Best Insurance Policies for You
In the United States and in most countries of the world, you can’t operate a business without having some of the basic insurance policy covers that are required by the industry you want to operate from. So, it is important to create a budget for insurance and perhaps consult an insurance broker to guide you in choosing the best and most appropriate insurance policies for your motivational speaking company.
Here are some of the basic insurance covers that you should consider purchasing if you want to start your own motivational speaking company in the United States of America;
- General insurance
- Health / Medical insurance
- Liability insurance
- Workers Compensation
- Overhead expense disability insurance
- Business owner’s policy group insurance
- Payment protection insurance
10. Protect your Intellectual Property With Trademark, Copyrights, Patents
If you are considering starting your own motivational speaking company, usually you may not have any need to file for intellectual property protection/trademark. This is so because the nature of the business makes it possible for you to successful run the business without having any cause to challenge anybody in court for illegally making use of your company’s intellectual properties.
But if you just want to protect your company’s logo and other training modules or documents or software that are unique to you or even jingles and media production concepts, then you can go ahead to file for intellectual property protection. If you want to register your trademark, you are expected to begin the process by filing an application with the USPTO. The final approval of your trademark is subjected to the review of attorneys as required by USPTO.
11. Get the Necessary Professional Certification
Aside from the results you produce as it relates to providing the required motivation and training needed by your clients, professional certification is one of the main reasons why some motivational speakers and motivational speaking companies stand out.
If you want to make an impact in the business coaching industry, you should work towards acquiring all the needed certifications in your area of specialization. You are strongly encouraged to pursue professional certifications; it will go a long way to show your commitment towards the business.
Certification validates your competency and shows that you are highly skilled, committed to your career, and up-to-date in the competitive market. These are some of the certifications you can work towards achieving if you want to run your own motivational speaking company;
- Certified Speaking Professional (CSP™ Certification) | National Speakers Association (NSA)
- The Certified Public Speaker
- Business Coach Certification – World Coach Institute
- Life and Business Coach Training Certification Program approved by International Coach Federation ICF
Please note that you can successfully run a motivational speaking company in the United States and in most countries of the world without necessarily acquiring professional certifications and business license as long as you have adequate experience cum background as a motivational speaker and in the business coaching industry.
12. Get the Necessary Legal Documents You Need to Operate
The essence of having the necessary documentation in place before launching a business in the United States of America cannot be overemphasized. It is a fact that you cannot successfully run any business in the United States without the proper documentations. If you do, it won’t be too long before the long hand of the law catches up with you.
These are some of the basic legal documents that you are expected to have in place if you want to legally run your own motivational speaking company in the United States of America;
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Business License
- Tax Payer’s ID / Tax Identification Number
- Health inspection Certificate
- Business Plan
- Contract Document
- Non – disclosure Agreement
- Employee Handbook
- Employment Agreement (offer letters)
- Operating Agreement for LLCs
- Insurance Policy
- Online Terms of Use
- Online Privacy Policy Document (basically for online payment portal)
- Company Bylaws
- Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
- Building License
- Franchise or Trademark License (optional)
13. Raise the Needed Startup Capital
Starting a motivational speaking company can be cost effective especially if you choose to start on a small scale by running the business from your home or sharing an office space. Securing a standard office space in a business district and purchasing office gadgets and furniture et al are part of what will consume a large chunk of your start – up capital. If you choose to start the business on a large scale, you would need to source for fund to finance the business because it is expensive to start a standard large – scale motivational speaking company.
When it comes to financing a business, one of the first things and perhaps major factors that you should consider is to write a good business plan . If you have a good and workable business plan document in place, you may not have to labor yourself before convincing your bank, investors and your friends to invest in your business.
Here are some of the options you can explore when sourcing for start – up capital for your motivational speaking company;
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell of shares to interested investors
- Applying for Loan from your Bank
- Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from donor organizations and angel investors
- Source for soft loans from your family members and your friends
14. Choose a Suitable Location for your Business
Although when it comes to choosing a location for services such as motivational speaking company, you can choose to locate the business in any location of your choice especially if you are the only motivational speaker. Besides, the business that does not require your clients to come to you for services except for meetings can be located in any location.
But over and above, the location you chose to open your motivational speaking company is key to the success of the business; hence entrepreneurs are willing to rent or lease a facility in a visible location; a location where the demography consists of corporate organizations and businesses with the required purchasing power.
If you make the mistake of renting or leasing a facility for your motivational speaking company in a not too visible or hidden location simply because it is cheap, then you must be prepared to spend more in promoting the business and perhaps giving direction to potential customers.
Most importantly, before choosing a location for your motivational speaking company, ensure that you first conduct a thorough feasibility studies and market survey. The possibility of you coming across similar business that just closed shop in the location you want to open yours can’t be ruled out.
These are some of the key factors that you should consider before choosing a location for your motivational speaking company;
- The demography of the location
- The demand for the services of motivational speakers and trainers in the location
- The purchasing power of businesses in the location
- Accessibility of the location
- The number of motivational speaking companies and other players in the business coaching industry that also provide motivational speeches and trainings in the location
- The local laws and regulations in the community
- Traffic, parking and security
15. Hire Employees for your Technical and Manpower Needs
On the average, there are no special technology or equipment needed to run an average motivational speaking company except for the relevant software apps, computers, internet facility, telephone, fax machine and office furniture (chairs, tables, and shelves) amongst others and all these can be gotten as fairly used.
As regards leasing or outright purchase of an office facility, the choice is dependent on your financial standing, but the truth is that to be on the safe side, it is advisable to start off with a short – term rent/lease while test running the business in the location. If things work out as planned, then you go on a long – term lease or outright purchase of the property but if not, then move on and source for other ideal location/facility for such business.
When it comes to hiring employees for a standard motivational speaking company with plans to have corporate clients all across major cities in the United States of America, you should make plans to hire a competent Chief Executive Officer (you can occupy this role), Admin and Human Resources Manager, Motivational Speakers, Public Speakers and Training Specialists, Sales and Marketing Officer, Accounting Clerk, and customer services executive.
On the average, you will need a minimum of 5 to 10 key staff members excluding freelance motivational speakers, public speakers and trainers to run a small – scale but standard motivational speaking company.
The Service Delivery Process of the Business
The business service process an average motivational speaking company adopts is dependent on the organization. It is the practice for motivational speaking companies to provide training, coaching and of course motivation to corporate organizations, educational institutions/schools, youth organizations and individual clients.
The sales and marketing team go out there to market the services offered by the company, and once the contract is won, the contract documents are signed, logistics sorted out and part payment made. After the training, coaching and of course motivation is done, the full payment is made.
It is important to state that a motivational speaking company may decide to improvise or adopt any business process and structure that will guarantee them efficiency and flexibility; the above stated motivational speaking company business process is not cast on stone.
16. Write a Marketing Plan Packed with ideas & Strategies
Generally, running a business requires that you should be proactive when it comes to marketing your goods or services. If you choose to launch a motivational speaking company, then you must go all out to employ strategies that will help you attract customers or else you will likely struggle with the business because there are well – known brands that determine the market direction for the business coaching industry.
As a matter of fact, your marketing strategy will center on reliability, swiftness, pricing, thoroughness, and above all excellent customer service. You should ensure that whenever your customers hire your services, they will get excellent service. The truth is that if you are able to put the above stated in place, you won’t struggle to retain your old customers and at the same time win over new customers.
Businesses these days are aware of the power of the internet and which is why they will do all they can to maximize the internet (LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogs, videos/YouTube) to market their services. In other words, a larger percentage of your marketing effort will be directed to internet users; your website will become your number one marketing tool
These are some of the marketing ideas and strategies that you can adopt for your motivational speaking company;
- Introduce your motivational speaking company by sending introductory letters alongside your brochure to corporate organizations, small scale businesses, medium scale businesses, educational institutions, military formations, youth organizations and other key stake holders throughout the city where your motivational speaking company is located
- Advertise on the internet on blogs and forums, and also on social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn to get your message across so that those on the social media or those who read blogs will know who to call when they need the services of a motivational speaking company within your location
- Create a basic website for your business so as to give your business an online presence
- Directly market your services
- Engage in road shows in targeted business communities from time to time to promote your motivational speaking company
- Join local motivational speaking business associations for industry trends and tips
- Join local chambers of commerce and industry with the aim of marketing your services
- Advertise our business in community based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
- List your business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)
17. Develop Strategies to Boost Brand Awareness and Create a Corporate Identity
If your intention of starting a motivational speaking company is to grow the business beyond the city where you are going to be operating from to become a national and international brand by opening offices all across key cities in the United States and franchising, then you must be ready to spend money on promotion and advertisement of your brand.
No matter the industry you belong to, the truth is that the market is dynamic and it requires consistent brand awareness and brand boosting cum promotion to continue to appeal to your target market. Here are the platforms you can leverage on to boost your brand awareness and create corporate identity for your motivational speaking company;
- Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant community based events
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote your motivational speaking company
- Install your billboards on strategic locations all around your city or state
- Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted business districts to create awareness of your motivational speaking company
- Distribute your fliers and handbills in target areas
- Contact corporate organizations, small scale businesses, medium scale businesses, educational institutions, military formations, sport clubs, youth organizations and other key stake holders throughout the city where your motivational speaking company is located informing them about your motivational speaking company and the services you offer
- List your motivational speaking company in local directories
- Advertise your motivational speaking company in your official website and employ strategies that will help you pull traffic to the site
- Position our Flexi Banners at strategic positions in the location where your motivational speaking company is located
- Ensure that all your staff members wear your branded shirts and all your vehicles are branded with your company logo et al.
18. Create a Suppliers/Distribution Network
In order to successfully run a motivational speaking company, you must establish good business relationship with corporate organizations and other organizations within and outside the city where your motivational speaking company is located. Of course, you would need steady motivational speaking engagements from corporate organizations, small scale businesses, medium scale businesses and other key stake holders in order to remain in business.
So also, you are expected to enter into business networks with managers of freelance public speakers, motivational speakers and trainers. They are in a better position to give you corporate motivational speaking, public speaking and training contracts. Depending on your agreement with them, you might be compelled to pay certain fee or commission.
More on Education Industry
How to Start a Motivational Speaking Business
- Small Business
- Setting Up a New Business
- Starting a Business
- ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Pinterest" aria-label="Share on Pinterest">
- ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Reddit" aria-label="Share on Reddit">
- ')" data-event="social share" data-info="Flipboard" aria-label="Share on Flipboard">
How to Create a Tutoring Business
Ways to communicate with performance skills, setting the tone of a speech.
- SWOT Analysis and Distance Education
- How to Become a Better Speaker in the Work Environment
Starting a motivational speaking business is easy in terms of overhead costs, but difficult as it relates to building authority and demand for your services. Motivational speaking requires practice and serious professional expertise to perform and deliver a high quality service.
Expertise and Authority
The biggest barrier to entry in the motivational speaking field is the actual expertise and experience. What makes you qualified to motivate others? You might function as a general speaker or a niche-based speaker, but you still must display a background that qualifies you as an authority.
For example, many fundraisers, corporate retreats and athletic events use the services of professionals and people who experienced success in the field. They can tap real-life experience to speak about overcoming hurdles and working toward specific goals.
Before you jump onto the speaking trail, assess your own experiences, and work through material that draws on your personal life. A generic speech is not really motivating. Bring real-life examples to the process to create a strong sense of empathy in the room. If you are not yet qualified, go out and gain the experience to make yourself better, and then circle back to the business model when you have genuine experiences to share.
Training and Credentials
Having the experience is not necessarily enough to be a great speaker. Some individuals are natural speakers – but most must practice. Build scripts that convey your message, and practice repeatedly out loud. Utilize test audiences, and focus on your speaking qualities and body language to really drive home your key messages.
Training courses and public speaking classes are also a great means of training. You can gain public speaking credentials by completing courses. This adds a layer of professionalism to your resume and ensures clients that you are qualified and tested.
Use resources like Toastmasters and Dale Carnegie to build and refine your process. Study great speakers and work to find your voice until the speech itself becomes second nature.
Building a Brand
The motivational speaking business is driven by the personal brand. You can approach potential clients blindly, but they are likely to research you heavily before paying for an engagement.
Build a website with background information and a portfolio, if possible. Testimonials from previous clients are also an excellent resource and they act like a reference for new business. Grow your social media channels and add speeches to YouTube, or place video directly on your website. Providing live samples is an excellent method of proving your skills while building a following.
Securing Speaking Engagements
Building a brand can help develop speaking engagements organically. Potential clients might find your videos and website online and reach out directly. This is the best type of business, because your online resources are working on your behalf around the clock.
Reaching out to potential clients directly is also effective. Make a list within your niche and share your calendar to encourage bookings. Create scarcity by communicating a limited number of openings for the year. This can drive bookings well in advance and help you manage the schedule.
Referrals are another source of business that every motivational speaker should tap. For example, if you speak to a business association in one city, ask if they know any other associations that might have interest in your services. Ask directly, and referrals are more likely to develop new customers. Some will come naturally as well.
Lastly, network in your niche. Attend trade shows, conventions and events, and build a community of connections. Share a business card, one-pager and followup via email to secure speaking engagements.
- Forbes: 10 Steps to Starting a Speaking Career from Scratch
- Inc: How to Become a Motivational Speaker
- The National Speakers Association
- Professional Speaking Association
- American Speakers Bureau
- Toastmasters International
- Expand sales by recording and selling presentations, and writing books and other supporting materials to sell at presentations.
Zach Lazzari is a freelance writer with extensive experience in startups and digital advertising. He has a diverse background with a strong presence in the digital marketing world. Zach has developed and sold multiple successful web properties and manages marketing for multiple clients in the outdoor industry. He has published business content in Angling Trade Magazine and writes white papers and case studies for multiple corporate partners.
Related Articles
How to become a successful makeup artist, how to start a cpr and first aid business, strength & weakness of leadership, how to start my own public speaking company, direct sales recruiting tips, how to start a tutorial business, the best places to advertise guitar lessons, business leadership motivation training, how to start a research business, most popular.
- 1 How to Become a Successful Makeup Artist
- 2 How to Start a CPR And First Aid Business
- 3 Strength & Weakness of Leadership
- 4 How to Start My Own Public Speaking Company
We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.
- Essay Database >
- Essays Samples >
- Essay Types >
- Business Plan Example
Motivation Business Plans Samples For Students
32 samples of this type
During studying in college, you will surely need to compose a bunch of Business Plans on Motivation. Lucky you if linking words together and turning them into meaningful text comes easy to you; if it's not the case, you can save the day by finding a previously written Motivation Business Plan example and using it as a template to follow.
This is when you will definitely find WowEssays' free samples database extremely useful as it contains numerous expertly written works on most various Motivation Business Plans topics. Ideally, you should be able to find a piece that meets your requirements and use it as a template to develop your own Business Plan. Alternatively, our competent essay writers can deliver you a unique Motivation Business Plan model written from scratch according to your individual instructions.
Free The Importance Of The Battle Of Stalingrad Research Paper Example
Stalingrad is a city in which the Soviet Union fought Nazi Germany who wanted to get its control during the World War 2. The city is now called Volgograd. The war started in August 1942 and ended on February1943. It was one of the major wars which took place during the World War 2. The war saw Germany retreat from west. This war is important in many aspects as this paper will explore.
Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]
Use your new password to log in
You are not register!
Short on a deadline?
Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED
No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline
Advertisement
Starting a Business
- Business Plans
- Real Estate
- Business Models
- Business Ideas
- Side Hustle
- Fundraising
Growing a Business
- Business Process
- Operations & Logistics
- Employee Experience & Recruiting
- Collaboration
- Business Culture
- Thought Leaders
Business News
Science & technology.
- Social Media
- Business Solutions
- Data & Recovery
Money & Finance
- Debt / Loans / Refinancing
- Cryptocurrency / Blockchain
- Buying / Investing in Business
- Personal Finance
- Health & Wellness
- Productivity
- Celebrity Entrepreneurs
- Resumes & Interviewing
- Making a Change
- Franchise Advisors
- Franchise 500 Annual Ranking
- Featured Opportunities
- Find a Franchise
- Franchise Suppliers
- Buy a Franchise
- Grow Your Franchise
- Franchise Your Business
- Franchise News
Green Entrepreneur
- Find Success
- How to Go Green
- Latest News
- New Products
Copyright © 2023 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media Inc.
The Step-By-Step Self-Promotion Plan for Speakers
Marketing is the single most important task any speaker performs.
By Wendy Keller • Feb 16, 2016
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The glamour of being paid to share what you know from the stage cannot be overstated. Imagine an audience jumping to their feet and bursting into applause as you say your last few words. You walk off the stage and a line of people is forming to tell you how wonderful you were and how much you changed their lives. The meeting planner – the person who arranged for you to be hired for this event – is beaming at you from the bottom of the steps. She slips you an envelope, gushing over your incredible performance. Inside, there is a check for thousands of dollars. It's all yours, in appreciation for the knowledge you just shared in such a compelling, engaging and clear manner. When you get back to your hotel room, you check your calendar to see where you'll be speaking next week. Los Angeles! Perfect! You've got friends to hang out with there. You flop backwards onto the comfy mattress. Life is good.
If that's not your reality yet, read on.
Marketing is the single most important task any speaker performs. In the beginning, you will be your own marketing department. Hiring someone else usually takes longer, with high costs and low return on investment. Eventually, speakers bureaus may represent you, but at the start (unless you're famous) getting them will be nearly impossible. A speakers bureau gets 25-30 percent of your gross, so until you're worth the investment they must make in promoting you chances are they won't take you on. That happens when your speaking fees total about $100,000 per year. I teach people how to get to that first $100,000 level in my speaker training webinars and courses. Below is an abridged version of the step-by-step speaker self-promotion plan I teach.
1. Choose no more than 3 topics.
All of which should be a direct benefit to businesses, all loosely related. Businesses are where the money is in the speaking industry. If your topics are wildly divergent, e.g. "Customer Service, Sales and Executive Leadership", you sound like a Jack (or Jill) of all Trades, master of none.
2. Research the top 10-15 speakers already doing your topic.
How are you different, deeper, more interesting, more valuable to an audience?
3. Test and re-test your proposed content via social media.
If the general public likes what you say and how you say it, it will succeed as a speech topic. If they don't, you won't. Proctor & Gamble doesn't release a new product without research and development and market testing--neither should you!
4. Build a compelling, high end website.
You need to invest in looking like a superstar if you want to get booked for money. The competition is fierce! People who have their wife's brother build their website after work are going to find they wasted time. This is an appearance based business.
5. Leap onto the scene.
Don't crawl! Write lots of blogs and articles; build a YouTube channel with branded, rich content; relentlessly introduce innovative, fresh solutions; comment publicly on new developments in your topic/industry.
6. Identify and promote your availability directly to meeting planners.
Find out which companies have hired speakers on your topic in the last two to three years. Which companies are being publicly denouced for the problem you solve? Which industries are most in need of your services? For more on the best ways to promote yourself to meeting planners, sign up for my free webinar .
Related: Richard Branson Hates Public Speaking -- Here's How He Gets Over It
7. Be professional, courteous and diligent.
When you get a meeting planner on the phone, have a clean, tight, benefits-laden pitch prepared.
8. Commit to pitching yourself to five to 20 meeting planners every weekday.
Targeting the right meeting planners and reaching out to them is crucial.
9. Collect video of yourself speaking.
Every time you get the chance, even if it is someone in the back of the room with an iPhone, get video of yourself. Use it to improve. When you have at least 3 good clips, hire a professional to edit it into a dynamic speaker demo reel. (It's hard to get booked before you have one!)
10. Do a great job at every gig, even if it is the local nursing home.
Be brilliant on the platform and professional, courteous and charming off of it. Turn every meeting planner into a business friend so she will recommend you to peers. Marketing gets easier for speakers dedicated to self-improvement, who grow their content knowledge, improve their delivery style and enhance their marketing strategies.
Preparing marketing materials and pitching yourself can seem daunting, but it is imperative to the success of a speaker. I've trained about 8,500 speakers in my career and speaking can be an interesting way to make a living and leave your mark on the world. Sign up for my free webinar and find out how to start getting paid to give speeches, workshops or seminars on the topic of your expertise.
Related: Develop These 7 Skills to Become a More Influential Person
Entrepreneur Leadership Network VIP
CEO and Founder of Keller Media, Inc.
Related Topics
Editor's pick, most popular, zoom president greg tomb unexpectedly fired 'without cause'.
The decision was effective on Friday.
By Emily Rella
Carnival Cruise Wants Passengers to Have Fun in the Sun — But Do This, and You'll Get Burned With a New $500 Fee
The cruise line's updated contract follows a spate of unruly guest behavior across the tourism industry.
By Amanda Breen
New Neuroscience Reveals the Best Way to Form Powerful Habits That Stick
New research proves that willpower and rewards aren't enough to build sustainable habits. Here's what else you need.
By Leah Borski
A Stranded Sailor Survived Off of Ketchup While Lost at Sea for 24 Days. Now Heinz Wants to Give Him More Than Just Ketchup Packets.
Heinz has been looking for sailor Elvis Francois with the help of the hashtag "#findtheketchupboatguy."
By Sam Silverman
Ford Files Patent to Remotely Repossess Vehicles
Owners could also find themselves without A/C if they fall behind on payments.
By Steve Huff
6 Strategies to Beat Procrastination and Increase Productivity as an Entrepreneur
Boosting your productivity and reaching your goals faster is achievable via these six strategies. If you're ready to tackle procrastination and reach new heights of productivity, dive in.
By Murali Nethi
Successfully copied link
Jan 13, 2021
Business Plans For Motivational Speaker
!Academic !Advising @Center https://tinyurl.com/y3vlqfgk
Motivational speaking company is part of the business coaching industry and the industry includes companies that offer motivational speeches. pep — talk. public speaking. short duration courses and seminars for management and professional development and of course schools and individuals.
Creating Clarity and Purpose for Your Public Speaking Business Plan in 12 Months Clarity and Purpose are two important words for paid motivational speakers–get used to these two words if your dream is to be one. Public speaking is a hard enough business. but not knowing where you are going (or why) makes it all the more difficult.
The speaker business plan is a guide for decision-making to keep the business on-mission. OGS Capital professionals help entrepreneurs get their businesses up and running by sharing industry expertise and knowledge during business plan development. If it is time to pursue business goals. complete and submit the short online contact form.
Hiring a motivational speaker is a great way to combat this situation because they will usually tell it straight even if its not necessarily what a business wants to hear. By listening to a voice of reason. a business will often the gain the edge it needs to make the necessary changes that can propel it …
Being a motivational speaker can be a rewarding career — and we’re not talking about money! You’ll have the chance to influence lives in a positive way with the words that you say. If you’ve got a unique experience to share with others or a knack to help people find the path toward the changes they wish to make. then this is a business opportunity that you may want to look at more closely.
Below is an abridged version of the step-by-step speaker self-promotion plan I teach. 1. Choose no more than 3 topics. All of which should be a direct benefit to businesses. all loosely related . . .
This is a complete business plan for a Motivational Speaker. Each of our plans follows a 7 chapter format: Chapter 1 — Executive Summary — This part of the business plan provides an introduction for the business. showcases how much money is sought for the company. and acts as a guideline for reading the rest of the business plan.
Business plans for motivational speaker Business Motivation By Sandeep Maheshwari But your business plan won’t be finished until you’ve included material about your industry. It’s not that hard. Abused. abused. abused. abused. Benjamin Lowy Benjamin Lowy What It Takes Shipp has recently taken on two charges. Kantis Simmons left and Brooks Gibbs.
A motivational speaker business plan should be developed and this should feature a three-year profit and loss statement. cash analysis. balance sheet. breakeven analysis. and business ratios page.
More from Amyn
He laughs best who laughs last
About Help Terms Privacy
Get the Medium app
Text to speech
- EXPLORE Coupons Tech Help Pro Random Article About Us Quizzes Contribute Train Your Brain Game Improve Your English Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
- HELP US Support wikiHow Community Dashboard Write an Article Request a New Article More Ideas...
- EDIT Edit this Article
- PRO Courses New Tech Help Pro New Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Coupons Quizzes Upgrade Sign In
- Browse Articles
- Quizzes New
- Train Your Brain New
- Improve Your English New
- Support wikiHow
- About wikiHow
- Easy Ways to Help
- Approve Questions
- Fix Spelling
- More Things to Try...
- H&M Coupons
- Hotwire Promo Codes
- StubHub Discount Codes
- Ashley Furniture Coupons
- Blue Nile Promo Codes
- NordVPN Coupons
- Samsung Promo Codes
- Chewy Promo Codes
- Ulta Coupons
- Vistaprint Promo Codes
- Shutterfly Promo Codes
- DoorDash Promo Codes
- Office Depot Coupons
- adidas Promo Codes
- Home Depot Coupons
- DSW Coupons
- Bed Bath and Beyond Coupons
- Lowe's Coupons
- Surfshark Coupons
- Nordstrom Coupons
- Walmart Promo Codes
- Dick's Sporting Goods Coupons
- Fanatics Coupons
- Edible Arrangements Coupons
- eBay Coupons
- Log in / Sign up
- Occupations
- Performing Arts Careers
How to Become a Motivational Speaker
Last Updated: November 22, 2022 References Approved
This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 96 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,315,792 times.
When you think of motivational speakers, you might think about self-help gurus telling you how to channel your inner child or visualize your path to success. However, motivational speakers can deliver presentations and speeches on any topic. What counts is your passion for the subject you are addressing. Become a motivational speaker by developing your message, brushing up on your public speaking skills, and promoting your speaking abilities.
Developing Your Message and Niche
- Try watching TED Talks or Youtube videos of motivational speeches.
- Read books, articles, and blogs written by motivational speakers.
- Check out motivational podcasts.
- Write down as many ideas as you can think of and keep adding to your notes over time.
Tip : Start a journal for your ideas that you can continue to develop over time. Carry it with you so you can always add to it on the go.
- For example, perhaps you started your own interior design business and you hope to inspire others to do the same.
- Or, maybe you successfully published a book in a short amount of time and you want to pass on what you have learned to others.
Working on Your Stage Presence and Content
- You can also look for other opportunities to speak in front of an audience, such as offering to give a speech at a friend or family member’s wedding, attending open mic nights at a local comedy club or bar, or hosting your own weekly live stream or podcast.
- For example, if you plan to give a speech on how you overcame an obstacle in your life, then start by sharing about what the obstacle was and perhaps providing a bit of context about the situation.
- Then, talk about how the obstacle affected you, what changed in your life, etc.
- Conclude by explaining in detail how you overcame the obstacle.
- Plan ahead so you have lots of time to revise your speech before you give it for the first time. Aim to revise at least 3 times before your first speaking engagement.
Tip : Time yourself when you practice your speech to ensure that it falls slightly under the allotted time. For example, if you are only allowed 30 minutes for your speech, keep your speech to 20 minutes. This will help to ensure that you don’t run over.
Marketing Yourself
- For example, if you want to give motivational speeches on starting a business, then you could write a how-to book or a series of blog posts on the subject.
- If you want to motivate people to improve their relationships, you could create a video series with relationship tips or answer common questions about relationships in your videos.
- Networking events are a great way to gain contacts and start getting work via word-of-mouth. Check to see if there are any upcoming events in your area that you could attend and meet people.
- For example, if you overcame drug addiction and want to inspire others to do the same, you might contact local rehabilitation centers or hospitals.
- If you struggled in school due to a learning disability, but then found a way to overcome it and become successful, then you might contact local high schools to offer your services.
- These can be competitive, and you might not get paid in the beginning, but doing these types of events can help to spread your name by word-of-mouth and get you more work as a public speaker.
Tip : If you can get the contact information of the person in charge of booking speakers for events, contact them directly. Send them a 3 to 4 sentence pitch for your speech and follow up by calling back a few days later if you don’t hear from them. [12] X Research source
Using Effective Techniques During Your Speeches
- Avoid swaying back and forth while you are speaking. This gives the impression of uncertainty and can be distracting to your audience.
- Make sure to compliment the audience on their competence, accomplishments, or anything else you know about them.
Lynn Kirkham
Keep your audience engaged by making your presentation matter to them. Ask yourself what is important to your audience, and then tie your presentation back to that information. You'll keep your audience engaged because they're invested in what you have to say.
- Avoid looking up, down, or off in the distance. This will give the impression that you are nervous and detract from your credibility.
- Don’t put your hands in your pockets, clasp them together, or cross your arms. These are defensive postures that will make you seem nervous.
- Avoid fidgeting with objects, such as a microphone, water bottle, or your cell phone during the speech. This will be distracting for your audience.
- If you need to hold a microphone, hold it in 1 hand. Don’t pass it back and forth.
- Take deep breaths and use your diaphragm to help you project your voice from your belly, rather than from your chest or throat.
- For example, if you notice that you tend to say “um” or clear your throat a lot during a speech, then you could work on correcting this behavior.
Tip : Having recordings of your speeches will also be useful for helping you find work. Prospective clients may ask to see recordings of your speeches to decide if they want to hire you.
Community Q&A Did you know you can get answers researched by wikiHow Staff? Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow
Support wikiHow by unlocking this staff-researched answer.
You Might Also Like
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/7-steps-to-an-inspiring-and-memorable-speech.html
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/amy-morin/how-to-become-a-successful-motivational-speaker.html
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/279794
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/betty-liu/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-stage-presence.html
- ↑ http://sps.columbia.edu/communication/executive-master-of-science-in-strategic-communication/news/five-ways-improve-your-body-language-during-speech
About This Article
To become a motivational speaker, start by choosing the topic that you want to speak about and then work on developing a relevant message about that topic. You will need to be a strong public speaker, so try to take a public speaking class at your local college. If you can't take a class, you can watch recordings of yourself speaking to improve your skills. When you're ready, reach out to organizations and offer to speak at conventions, conferences, schools, and meetings. For tips on promoting your speaking engagements, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
Earl Manrique
Jun 27, 2017
Did this article help you?
Susan Winfield
Jun 20, 2017
resham arora
Jun 6, 2017
Gcina Mateta
Nov 1, 2017
Mar 18, 2017
Featured Articles
Trending Articles
Watch Articles
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
wikiHow Tech Help Pro:
Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve
Motivational Speaker Business Plan
Publisher description.
This is a complete business plan for a Motivational Speaker. Each of our plans follows a 7 chapter format: Chapter 1 - Executive Summary - This part of the business plan provides an introduction for the business, showcases how much money is sought for the company, and acts as a guideline for reading the rest of the business plan. Chapter 2 - Financing Summary - The second section of the business plan showcases how you intend to use the financing for your business, how much of the business is owned by the Owners, who sits on the board of directors, and how the business could be sold in the future. Chapter 3 - Products and Services - This section of the business plan showcases the products/services that you are selling coupled with other aspects of your business operations. Chapter 4 - Market Analysis - This is one of the most important sections of your business plan. Each of our plans includes complete industry research specific to the business, an economic analysis regarding the general economy, a customer profile, and a competitive analysis. Chapter 5 - Marketing Plan - Your marketing plan will showcase to potential investors or banks how you intend to properly attract customers to your business. We provide an in depth analysis of how you can use your marketing plan in order to drive sales. Chapter 6 - Personnel Summary - Here, we showcase the organizational structure of your business coupled with the headcount and salaries of your employees. Chapter 7 - Financial Plan - This is the most important part of your business plan. Here, we provide a three year profit and loss statement, cash flow analysis, balance sheet, sensitivity analysis, breakeven analysis, and business ratios.
More Books by BizPlanDB
Career Success
How to become a motivational speaker (step-by-step guide).
Have you ever dreamed of being the next Martin Luther King Jr. (minus the tragedy) or Tony Robbins? Would you love to travel the globe speaking to, and inspiring, millions of people with your message? Learning how to become a motivational speaker takes dedication and heart, but it can be done! Learning to speak to a groups of people can be fulfilling as your message changes people’s lives.
There are plenty of people in the world who make a living as a motivational speaker, so why not you? People are looking for speakers to inspire them, everyday.
Let’s take a look at how to become a confident public speaker and make your mark on this world.
20 Steps to Becoming a Motivational Speaker
1. pick your topic.
This might sound obvious, but you do need to know what you want to talk about, and it’s not always as easy as you think. It’s important to be knowledgeable about your topic and be comfortable speaking extensively on it.
For example, I have a Ph.D. in communication, but I could not give endless speeches related to that topic. I know a lot about it, but it’s not something I can get excited to speak about. You have to choose either what you’re an expert in, or at least what you are the most passionate about . If you choose a topic you are passionate about, it will come through as you speak as relatable and authentic.
It’s also important to remember that some topics may be better to get specific on. You will be more successful in targeting your niche audience this way. For example, “How to succeed in Business” is too broad, whereas “How to advance your career into management” is more targeted.
2. Know Your Main Message
Now that you have your topic, how are you going to narrow it down? When you’re learning how to become a motivational speaker, it’s important to know exactly what you want to teach your audience.
For example, let’s say you are passionate about environmental issues. That’s a pretty broad topic. What exactly about the environment do you think is most important? What do you most need to teach people?
Consider your messaging to be something where you have credibility. By understanding what you want to teach people, you will be able to connect with your audience and come across as authentic. Your credentials, experience or expertise will be what make people want to listen to you.
3. Identify the End-Goal for Your Audience
What do you want the audience to do or believe as a result of your speech? Do you want them to take some action to make their lives better? Do you want to change their belief or value system? How are the people in your audience going to be better people because they heard your speech?
A good CTA (Call-to-Action) is the key to have your message stick with your audience. Having a plan to action on is the most important gift you could give as a motivational speaker
As you build out your motivational speaker career, you may develop and sell other resources, such as e-books, online courses or hard copy books. Your speeches may become a great vehicle for promoting other streams of your business. Your motivational words may be just the start of helping your audience. Don’t make your speech about selling your other products, but position your other resources a natural extension of your message.
4. Know Your Audience
Now that you know what you want your audience to do or think after your speech, who exactly are you speaking to [1] ? It really depends on your topic.
However, there are some topics that are relevant to every human being on the planet, while others are only pertinent to, say, parents or lawyers. Who do you want to speak to?
Knowing who your audience is will be key to finding who to speak to (tip #9) and where to look and where to focus to establish your audience. Do a lot of research on your typical audience member and what they would statistically care about, appreciate and connect with. It’s well understood that not everyone is the same, but from a statistics standpoint, you can paint a broad picture of who your audience might be.
5. Make Sure Your Message Is Relevant and Timely
You want to teach your audience something new. You want it to be relevant to their lives so that they think your message benefits them in some way. They will zone out and lose focus if you teach them about a subject that isn’t relevant to them.
It seems obvious, of course, but you don’t want to tell them something they already know. You want to challenge them. Part of being memorable will be to have your audience feel engaged and challenged.
During your research phase of building out your speech and related content, try to add value to your subject by including concepts that are meaningful but not well published. On many popular topics, a lot of information is copied and repeated. My bringing a different, new take on your topic, you are adding value to your audience.
As you progress through your motivational speaker journey, keep on top of shifts within the marketplace and changes in your chosen topic. It will be important to stay informed on current trends and ensure your content remains relevant as time goes on.
6. Hire a Public Speaking Coach
You might be brand-new to public speaking. If so, you’re going to need some training as you’re learning how to become a motivational speaker.
You don’t want to be boring with your delivery, and you don’t want to confuse the audience with lack of organization.
You want to put on a good “show,” and in order to do that, you might have to take an extra step and hire a professional coach to help you hone your speaking skills.
Just like in sports, you may need help and support to become the best version of yourself.
During the review phase of hiring a coach, select one that has extensive experience working with motivational speaker. As them for references from their client base and if possible, review the available speeches online. While many people can position themselves as coaches, it’s important to select someone with the right background and skill to help you.
7. Watch Yourself on Video
Obviously, no one is able to step outside their body and see what they look like to other people. That’s where video comes in.
If you want to improve your public speaking skills, you first have to know what you look like. Once you view yourself speaking on video, you’ll know what you need to improve upon.
Also, practicing on video is a great opportunity to get over any nerves you may have. Get a trusted friend to video you – this will help you get over the shyness of speaking in front of others and allow you to get video of yourself all at once.
When you review video of yourself, the key is to understand how you come across to others. Do you seem confident? Do you use too many filler words? How is your speed?
Make videoing yourself a regular habit, to keep on top of how you come across. Video of yourself can also be used in social media (hint, see tip #17). For using video in social media, many apps already have editing suites built right in. For social media applications where video editing is not built in, you can rely on easy to use video editing software.
8. Incorporate Visual Aids, Props, or Equipment
People are visual, so it’s advisable to have some sort of visual aid or prop. It’s more difficult for people to follow along with your speech if they don’t have something else to look at other than you. Plus, visual aids help explain what you’re talking about and keeps the audience’s attention.
Be mindful with your use of PowerPoint. use it as a tool to help guide you speak and not as a crutch. You want your audience to connect with you as a speaker, and to not get lost in your slides.
Depending on your available props, it will also depend on the space you will typically present in. A large auditorium space will require a different setup than an intimately setup conference room.
9. Find Your Audience
Who is your audience? Are you speaking to women, men, business owners, professionals, etc.? It is imperative that you narrow down your target audience when you’re learning how to become a motivational speaker.
Then, you need to find them in order to deliver your message. This is all about targeting the right market through marketing and advertising.
How will you speak to your audience? How will you approach your audience in a way that is meaningful to them.
You can access them through social media, flyers, cold emails, or word of mouth. Find where and how to access your audience to begin to grow your following.
Of all the options to source your audience, social media allows you to connect with your niche the quickest. While it can be challenging to break through the volume of content, producing quality, relevant social media content that shows your genuine personality will attract the right people to you.
10. Network
As the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” So start networking as much as you can.
Carry your business cards everywhere, and with this you have two options:
Paper – paper business cards are the most common and easily available. You can order cards online, and they typically come in boxes of about 250 to 500 cards
Electronic – there are several digital card options that live on your mobile device and allow you to share your contact information digitally. Important to note – not everyone may be comfortable with the digital option, so consider your target audience when deciding about which option will suit you.
Develop an “elevator speech” so that you can tell people exactly what you speak about. The more you spread the word about your speaking, the more people will get interested in you.
This article about How to Network So You’ll Get Way Ahead in Your Professional Life will help you. When you are networking, work on showing the best version of yourself. You need to believe in yourself and see yourself as the successful motivational speaker that you are. Your authenticity and passion will allow the other person to visualize you as a speaker.
11. Do Free Speaking Gigs in the Beginning
Tony Robbins didn’t become “Tony Robbins” overnight. He was a nobody at some point in his life, before he learned how to become a motivational speaker.
If you’re currently a “nobody,” don’t fret. You can become a “somebody,” but you might need to do speaking engagements for free at first. Once you gain a reputation, then you can work on getting paid to speak while developing your motivational speaking career.
12. Sign up for Conventions That Offer Speakers
There are plenty of conventions that seek out speakers. Do your research, try to find some that are relevant to your topic, and apply to be a speaker.
Again, you may have to speak for free, but at least you’ll likely be speaking to your target audience. All speaking engagements, free or paid, are. a great opportunity to practice.
13. Register With a Speaker’s Bureau
There are many speaker’s bureaus that you can join when learning how to become a motivational speaker. Just get on the internet and Google the ones closest to you to find more speaking opportunities.
Start locally, and then you can branch out to other geographical areas once you start gaining momentum.
14. Develop a Marketing Plan
You might be a great public speaker, but are you good at marketing yourself?
You can’t reach your goals—or your audience—if you don’t have a marketing plan [2] . Make sure you include both short-term and long-term goals for marketing platforms, revenue and social media strategy.
15. Hire a Marketing or Public Relations Expert
If you don’t even know where to begin writing or implementing a marketing plan, then you might want to consider hiring professionals to do it for you.
Yes, it will cost money, but in the long run, it might be worth it to have someone in charge of marketing who knows what they’re doing. A worthwhile investment such as this will allow you to focus your efforts in proven strategies. Typically, a seasoned professional will understand what works and what doesn’t, which will save you time.
Before you hire an expert, do an extensive search on their background and ask to see their references, if possible. It would be ideal to find someone who has experience working with motivational speakers. If this isn’t possible, then make sure they have a great deal of experience in social media, as this is a critical piece of your marketing strategy.
16. Ask for Feedback
As you’re learning how to become a motivational speaker, ask the audience for feedback. Asking for feedback will help you learn and improve twice as fast .
You can construct your own evaluation form to distribute after the speech. Hopefully, the audience will be honest and give you constructive feedback. However, don’t make it too long, because they might dissuade them from finishing it. Try to keep it to less than 10 questions, and shoot for 5 if possible.
As an alternative to a paper form, you could establish an online version of feedback collection. This allows you to reach out over email and may be easier for your attendees to complete
Remember, hearing criticism can be difficult, but it will be worthwhile.
17. Use Social Media
These days, marketing via social media is a must for any business or individual. You can get the word out via your own personal accounts, and you can also set up accounts to use professionally.
Facebook – This option has fan pages, and you can easily create it and then invite your friends to follow you.
Instagram – Instagram’s focus on photos gives you the opportunity to build your brand in a visual way
TikTok – this platform’s short video and “For You Page” allows your message to get out to an audience who doesn’t necessarily follow you yet
Quora – By going on this site and answering questions, you get an opportunity to establish yourself as an expert in your subject
The above options are a fantastic way to build your brand and it’s recommended to select more than one platform to establish your presence online.
18. Develop a Website
Just as with social media, every business needs a website. It’s simply mandatory in this day and age.
Developing a website is an essential component of your branding strategy. Choosing a domain name with your own name (or some variation of it like “janesmithspeaker.com”) is the best idea, as this will associate your name with you and how you will become known. There are various options available to you when it comes to building your site:
Building yourself : There are many sites that have prebuilt templates available that make it easy for you to build a site. This option is typically the most economical option.
Professionally Built : A professionally built site will likely provide you with a site that is more customized and may convey your messaging closer to how you would like. This option is likelier the more costly version of the two.
Important to remember – Websites will have ongoing, monthly hosting costs, as well as potential requirements to keep them updated. You may use your website to communicate to your audience in different ways – including a blog, your tour dates, if applicable, so you will need to understand if this remains updated by you or someone else.
19. Practice your Skills
It’s very important to put the time in practicing your craft. Even the most confident speakers can experience nerves, stage fright and stress before and during a speech.
A great option to practice is to find a local Toastmasters group to join – this is typically a group who will gather to improve members’ public speaking skills and is a great way to firm up your skills as a motivational speaker in a low pressure environment.
20. Manage yourself like a Business
I know it sounds crazy – but manage your speaking career much like you would a business. When it comes to getting the help you need to succeed, planning out how you will promote yourself and making a roadmap to success, it’s important treat it as if it’s a business and plan the same way.
Putting a business plan together, for your success will allow you to easily map out your desired progression as a motivational speaker. Any expenses you may incur, putting your speaking career together can be considered investments into your future success.
The Bottom Line
Becoming a motivational speaker won’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of effort, dedication and focus. If you can build a following and get your message out, it is a great way to earn a living or simply just to earn a few extra bucks. You will not only be helping people, but many often report a rush after being on stage in front of a group.
The most important part is that you have the opportunity to help many people who need to hear your message. You will inspire people and help them become better versions of themselves. What an amazing way to leave your mark on this word.
Featured photo credit: Priscilla Du Preez via unsplash.com
How to Work Remotely (Your Complete Guide)
How to Become a Productivity Ninja by Graham Allcott
How to Make Time Work For You — The Time Mastery Framework
The Impact of Procrastination on Productivity
The Forgotten Emotional Aspects of Productivity
How to Calm Your Mind For Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey
8 Misconceptions of Time That Make You Less Productive
Are You Spending Your Time on What Is Time-Worthy?
Distractions: Understanding the Biggest Productivity Killer
How to Deal With Work Stress in a Healthy Way
How to Leverage Time to Make More Time
How Sleep Meditation Can Calm Your Nighttime Anxiety
30 Meaningful Non-Toy Gifts for Kids This Christmas
The Power of Leverage in Leading the Life You Want
6 practical ways to boost your mental fitness.
Productivity
Lifehack Show , Productivity
Procrastination
Focus , Lifehack Show
Explore the Full Life Framework
How to Live a Full Life (Without Compromising on What Truly Matters)
Achieving Goals: The Ultimate Guide to Goal Achieving & Goal Setting in 2022
What Is Motivation And How To Get Motivated (Your Ultimate Guide)
How to Increase Mental Focus and Stay Sharp
How To Learn Faster And Smarter
How To Get Fit If You Have a Busy Schedule
How To Boost Energy And Peak Performance
Motivational Speakers
Business Motivational Speakers
Are you planning an event?
Do you need to hire a trusted expert for a virtual meeting, conference, corporate event, seminar, trade-show, convention, or company workshop?
Here is a list of the leading experts and thought leaders on business growth to consider for your event that can can command a stage and get your audience excited.
These business speakers can cover such topics as positive thinking, fear of failure, hard work, courage, focus, goals, self-discipline, habits, leadership and management, overcoming adversity, success, teamwork, and much more.
If you would like to hire any of these speakers or need more suggestions, fill out this form and our agent will respond within two business hours.
Please note, we work with over 5000 experts and thought leaders who may not be listed on our site.
Jack Canfield
Known worldwide for his inspiring anthologies, Jack Canfield is America’s leading success coach.
His success is measured by the sale of 100 million books of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
When being hired as a motivational speaker for companies, he is passionate about sharing his success strategies that will inspire your audience to achieve their goals.
Some of his quotes include…
“Overcome your barriers, intend the best, and be patient. You will enjoy more balance, more growth, more income, and more fun!”
“For every reason it’s not possible, there are hundreds of people who have faced the same circumstances and succeeded.”
Tony Robbins
Successful business strategist, philanthropist and the New York Times bestselling author, Tony Robbins is a powerful entrepreneur.
He has found a place in the top 50 of the 100 most powerful people in global financing, top 200 business gurus and top 50 business intellectuals of the world.
As a motivational keynote business speaker, his speeches are all about motivating and coaching business leaders and entrepreneurs so that they can overcome adversity, learn to be more resourceful, and find the passion to push through hard times.
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
“A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.”
Daymond John
Known globally as an entrepreneurial expert and the “brand whisperer”, Daymond John is a celebrated bestselling author who has the experience to inspire any audience to achieve great success.
On his hit TV show Shark Tank, you can see how he helps to inspire entrepreneurs to think through their business strategy and to find ways to work smart.
As a motivational speaker for businesses, Daymond talks about using successful techniques for success in businesses today, goal setting, achieving long term successes and living a dream.
“As an entrepreneur, you never stop learning.”
“Don’t wait for the ‘perfect time’, you will wait forever. Always take advantage of the time that you’re given.”
Darren Hardy
Darren is a leader in the personal development space where he was the founder of Success Magazine.
With over 1000 television show and live events appearances, he is a is a highly sought-after expert on peak performance and personal achievement.
As a motivational speaker for business meetings , his presentations focus on personal development and aims to help individuals achieve success by identifying their inner potential.
“Everything you need to be great is already inside you. Stop waiting for someone or something to light your fire. You have the match.”
“To achieve what you have not, you must become what you are not. You have to grow into your goals.”
Gary Vaynerchuk
A prolific angel investor and five times New York Times bestselling author, Gary Vaynerchuk is a wildly successful serial entrepreneur.
He is the host of the GaryVee Audio Experience where he shares his wisdom and insights on the leading trends in business and entrepreneurship.
Gary is passionate about helping up and coming entrepreneurs to build a personal brand. He also talks about the principles of communication, marketing and media in his speeches.
“Brand storytelling is not about pushing advertising, it’s about bringing value.”
“Look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, what do I want to do every day for the rest of my life…Do that.”
Magic Johnson
Known as one of the most powerful African-American businessman globally, Earvin Magic Johnson is a powerful entrepreneur, philanthropist, two-time hall of famer, and a popular business motivational speaker.
During his speeches he aims to redefine the power of business management, logical growth and financial empowerment to achieve success. He also talks about how to create an amazing future.
“In life, winning and losing will both happen. What is never acceptable is quitting.”
“I think you just have to keep knocking down doors, you have to keep being aggressive, and even if somebody says ‘No’, then you have to knock on the next door.”
Robyn Benincasa
Guinness world record holder and winner of two world adventure races, Robyn Benincasa is a renowned business inspirational speaker.
She is noted as one of the top rated global speakers who shares the stage with business icons and world leaders.
During her presentations, you will be able to instantly feel her ability to connect with and audience where she shares her thoughts on success strategies, innovation, teamwork, and leadership.
Some of her quotes include…
“Courage starts when the fun stops.”
“You don’t inspire your teammates by showing them how amazing you are. You inspire them by showing them how amazing they are.”
Known to be a highly sought after motivational speaker for business events, Les Brown is known to command a stage and inspire his audience with his powerful voice and charismatic charm.
His success story revolves around individual’s daily lives and how one can make a strong impact on the world.
During his speeches, he trains individuals and aspiring business entrepreneurs to become world leaders, fight the ups and downs of life, and also shares the secrets to achieving amazing results.
“You must be willing to do what others won’t do, to have what others won’t have.”
“Most people fail in life not because they aim too high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Writer, philanthropist, investor, director, producer, model, professional body builder, actor and a successful businessman, Arnold Schwarzenegger has also had a noted political career.
He was instrumental in establishing the global warming solutions act and had a positive impact on the state of California as the Governor.
His speeches motivate people and revolve around enhancing leadership skills, the nitty-gritty of politics, reshaping business, and management skills.
“If you want to turn a vision into reality, you have to give 100% and never stop believing in your dream.”
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
Shark Tank investor and serial entrepreneur, Mark Cuban is an accomplished individual who has also become a powerful speaker in the business community.
During his speeches, he talks about defining the power of creativity, innovation, redefining one’s personality, strategic and marketing. His presentations also chronicles his life experiences in sports and business.
“Don’t start a company unless it’s an obsession and something you love.”
“What I’ve learned is that if you really want to be successful at something, you’ll find that you put the time in.”
Chip Eichelberger
Globally renowned business leader, Chip Eichelerger is one of the most sought after professional speakers of today.
He is an elite member of the National Speakers Association and earned the honorary speaking designation.
During his speeches, Chip talks about breaking barriers, taking performance charges, recharging and re-evaluation.
He is known to hold highly interactive sessions with utmost energy, humor and persuasiveness.
Warren Buffet
Globally known philanthropist and investor, Warren Buffet is one of the constantly ranked billionaires on Forbes. His ideas of investing and illustrious business strategies are notable.
Buffet excels in giving investment related speeches and focuses on the importance of integrity.
He also loves talking about building fortune with lesser sums of money to budding entrepreneurs.
“In the world of business, the people who are most successful are those who are doing what they love.”
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”
Reed Hastings
Reed Hastings played a vital role in disrupting the movie industry when he co-founded Netflix, the leading online streaming platform.
During this time, he learned firsthand what it takes to start a business from scratch and push through difficult times.
During his speeches, he talks about technology, innovation, and business growth where he shares his experiences and strategies one can use to achieve their goals.
“Taking smart risks can be very gratifying.”
“Most entrepreneurial ideas will sound crazy, stupid and uneconomic, and then they’ll turn out to be right.”
Josh Linkner
Venture capitalist, Forbes thought leader, five time’s technical entrepreneur, Josh Linkner is a globally known inspirational business speaker and the author of New York Time bestselling books.
Linkner is known for his powerful presentations on innovation. During his speeches, he talks about unleashing one’s creative potential, product and marketing innovations to build a new business approach.
“Ask yourself this: If there was zero chance of failure, what would you do? Now, go do that.”
“When you ask “why”, “what if” and “why not” you force yourself to explore what’s possible and not just what is.”
Grant Cardone
Globally known social media and sales training expert, Grant Cardone is a self made millionaire.
He is sought after by leading fortune 500 companies for consultation and help in optimizing sales to the ultimate potential.
During his presentations, you will hear him share his knowledge and go in depth about entrepreneurship, branding, sales strategies, and marketing.
“Your purpose on any given endeavor is determined by the clarity of your purpose.”
“Whatever you want go all in and dominate, learn it, eat it, sleep it, breath it and believe it.”
Globally renowned Chinese entrepreneur, Jack Ma heads the shopping ecommerce website Taobao.com and the famous B2B online marketplace Alibaba.com.
During his speeches, he focuses majorly on youth entrepreneurship and small businesses. He helps aspiring entrepreneurs to learn the tricks and techniques of expanding trade capabilities globally.
“If you don’t give up, you still have a chance. Giving up is the greatest failure.”
“No matter how tough the chase is, you should always have the dream you saw on the first day. It’ll keep you motivated and rescue you (from any weak thoughts).”
Guy Kawasaki
Wikimedia foundation trustee, chief Apple evangelist and the New York Times bestselling author of thirteen impeccably written books, Guy Kawasaki is the brand ambassador for Mercedes Benz.
His speeches focus on entrepreneurship, evangelism, social media, enchantment and innovation.
“If achieving success were easy, more people would do it.”
“Organizations are successful because of good implementation, not good business plans.”
Popularly known as the former CEO of Paypal and current CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk is a renowned entrepreneur, investor and an inventor.
He has pioneered several projects in multi-planetary explosion, space traveling, renewable energy resources and transportation.
Musk aims at helping humanity with his speeches and focuses on topics like technology and innovation, building green businesses, environment and entrepreneurship.
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
“The first step is to establish that something is possible; then probability will occur.”
Simon Sinek
Author of several bestselling books and a well trained ethnographer, Simon Sinek aims at helping leaders and organizations to grow.
His techniques show how individuals act, communicate, think and operate while making a lasting impact on the world.
Sinek’s speeches cover topics like creating a perfect work-life balance, becoming a social media influencer, inspiring & motivating budding entrepreneurs, building leadership, creativity, innovation and business.
“A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other.”
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”
Need help booking a speaker?
If you are interested in booking any of the speakers on this page or want some more suggestions, use the form below to contact an agent.
We have access to over 5000 experts and thought leaders, many of whom are not listed on this site.
Let one of our agents help you find the perfect speaker that fits your budget, needs, and date.
Speaker Request
Step 1 – Fill out the form below.
Step 2 – Our agent will respond within one business day.
Need more speaker ideas?
- Accountability Speakers
- Affiliate marketing speakers
- Change management speakers
- Corporate speakers
- Entrepreneur speakers
- Female motivational speakers
- Innovation Speakers
- Inspirational speakers
- Latin Business Speakers
- Leadership speakers
- Motivational keynote speakers
- Popular motivational speakers
- Resilience speakers
- Sales motivational speakers
- Teamwork speakers
- Workplace culture speakers
Recommended reading:
- How to find a motivational speaker
- How to hire a motivational speaker
- How to choose a motivational speaker
- Motivational speaker bureaus
Business is soild foundation of nation, we also treat various health topic on this blog, well explains health topic
Unique Ideas: How to Write a Public Motivational Speaking Business Plan Sample Template
Unique ideas: how to write a public motivational speaking business plan sample template | public speaking curriculum.
Are willingly to know how to write a public speaking business or how to start a public motivational speaking business you have just visited the right site for meaningful information on how to write sample template of motivational speaking business plan.
Public speaking business plan is a document that contains all the information about your company settings from head to toe of your motivational speaking business.
Public speaking skills is not that simple but required tactic and boldness to talk or present any speech in the public.
Public speaking techniques is a process where you present meaningful and awesome message in public.
In this post I will explains and analyze all necessary steps you needed to used to write public speaking and presentation pdf or what are the 7 element of public speaking pdf.
How to Write a Public Speaking Business Plan Sample Template | Public speaking Curriculum
Reason for starting a public motivational speaking business
Reason for starting up a public motivational speaking business is to help any individual in various field on how to present a positive speech in the public efficiently and effectively.
It is a business that deals with training individuals from big organization, schools, private organisation, teachers, newscaster, radio presenter what types of positive message to be deliver in public and how to do them smartly.
The purpose of starting a public motivational speaking business is to earn a living and impact various life in field of public communication.
The public speaking insight
It is big industries that offer the services of coaching an individuals, men, women, teachers, lecturers, students, pastors, how to present their speech in public, it is a business that deals with how to talk smoothly and boldly in public.
The public speaking industry generate $11 Billion annually in United State of America, they trained individuals from private sector how to communicate effectively in their industries.
It is business that required less or little capital as a starter, it is very cheap and affordable to start.
There some individuals who are scare or not bold enough to present a speech in public that where you come in as a public motivational speaking coach, teach all necessary technique needed to be bold and what are the steps to follow to be able to present smartly in public.
Here is a sample business plan for starting a public motivational speaking business
BUSINESS NAME: Olak public motivational speaking business in Ilorin Kwara state.
Executive Summary
Executive summary Olak public motivational speaking business is located at Olorunsogo Ilorin, Kwara state capital, Olak business have get all necessary paper work to run and manage the business.
We promise to offer quality and unique service to our customers in various field on public speaking business, e.g. brief presentation, public teachings, management business presentation etc.
And our public speaking price will be affordable for our clients, and we promise to make our business big and successful in the whole Nigeria.
Our Products and Services
Olak public motivational speaking business in Ilorin Kwara state promise to offer best and excellent service to it customer, in the of public communication, how to an individuals to Boost a independent speaking settings.
We also promise to produce competent and coach individuals in some related of public speaking business e.g. Rendering professional development training, Rendering quality assurance training, Rendering business coaching, Rendering management development training, Rendering marketing and sales training.
Our Mission and Vision Statement
Our aim and objective is to make Olak public motivational speaking business in Ilorin Kwara state the best and unique motivational speaking business in Nigeria and all over the world.
We make the business so attractive that will draw thousand of clients to our business and out rank our competitors and we stand as one in business speaking business in Nigeria.
Business Structure
Olak public motivational speaking business located in Ilorin Kwara state,
For us to achieve our aim and objective we employ competent and well trained individuals into our public speaking business,
From the administrative section to management section are full with the spirit to carry out the task with their whole mind and soul.
And our service will be affordable to our customers.
Market Analysis Target Market
Olak public motivational speaking business located in Ilorin Kwara state is public speaking business that offer best communication skills in the whole Nigeria and offer various services in the following field : Corporate Organizations Religious Organizations Political Parties/Politicians Hotels and Restaurants The Government (Public Sector) Schools (High Schools, Colleges and Universities) Sport Organizations Entrepreneurs and Startups.
Publicity and Advertising Strategy
Olak public motivational speaking business located in Ilorin Kwara state we promise to promote our business through various digital networks and systematically, we promote our business through facebook, twitter, Open a website, stable telephone line, business card, billboard, handbill, and on various television and radio station in towns.
Payment Options
Olak public motivational speaking business accept various method of payment from our customers.
These are various method of payment we accept from our customers Point of Sale Machines (POS Machine) Payment via bank draft Payment via mobile money Payment via bank transfer Payment with cash Payment via online bank transfer Payment via check Payment via.
Getting Funds/Startup Capital for Olak public motivational speaking business
Capital is like blood in human beings system, no capital no business, so Olak public motivational speaking business have generate it capital from soft loans from bank.
Our pricing strategy
Our pricing strategy will affordable and our will easy to access conveniently without stress.
In conclusion public speaking business is a business of mind on how to present unique speech boldly and effectively.
Business ideas
Unique ideas: How to Write a Bicycle Courier Business Plan Sample Template | Delivery service business plan
Unique taught: How to Write a Pharmaceutical Distribution Business Plan Sample Template | Pharmaceutical business plan example
Steps: How to Write a Bottled Water Production Business Plan Sample Template | Water bottling business plan pdf
Method: How to write Electronics repair store or shop, engineering and electrical manufacturing business plan Template 2021
Unique ideas: How Much Does It Cost to Open & start Dollar General Franchise? | dollar general location
30 Best ideas: Absentee Investment Businesses ideas for 2021 | Absentee business reddit
30 Unique ideas: Business Ideas for Non-Profit Organisations in 2021 | Non profit ideas in Education
Guide: How to Start a Marriage Counseling Business in 2021 | how to start online counselling business
Take your inbound strategy to the next level
- Master the 7 principles of highly effective inbound marketing
- Dramatically improve your inbound sales
- Get more buy-in at your company
- What is They Ask, You Answer?
- They Ask, You Answer Summit
- How to Get Started
- Video Library
- Success Stories
- About the Book
- Sales & Marketing Training
- HubSpot Training
- Paid Search & Social
- Training for Coaches & Agencies
- Web Design & Development
- Membership Overview
- IMPACT+ for Business
- IMPACT+ Pro
- Certified Coaching Program
- All Available Certifications
- Certified Coach Directory
- Learning Center
- Talk with an advisor
- Talk with us
- All Inbound Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Lead Generation
- Marketing Automation
- Marketing Strategy
- Reporting & Performance
- Sales & Marketing Alignment
- Sales & Marketing Technology
- Search Engine Optimization
- Video Marketing
- Working with Marketing Agencies
- YouTube Marketing
- All Inbound Sales
- Sales Enablement
- Sales Process
- Video for Sales
- Virtual Selling
- Getting Started
- Advanced They Ask, You Answer
- Hiring a Marketing Team
- Assignment Selling
- The Selling 7
- Video Resource Library
- Hire a Coach
- Buy the Book
- Architecture
- Commercial Real Estate
- Financial Services
- Higher Education
- Home Services
- Hospitality
- Information Technology
- Manufacturing
- Marketing Agencies
- Consultants, Coaches & Strategists
- Content Managers
- Executives and Leaders
- Sales Professionals
- Blog / Newest Insights
- Tools, Assessments, and Guides
- Events / Recorded Sessions
Join 40,000+ sales and marketing pros who receive our weekly newsletter straight from Marcus Sheridan.
Receive our weekly newsletter straight from Marcus Sheridan.
- Login to My IMPACT+
© 2023 IMPACT, All Rights Reserved 470 James Street, Suite 10, New Haven, CT, (203) 265-4377
- Privacy Policy
The 13 Step Plan to Getting Started with Public Speaking
By Bob Ruffolo
In The In-Demand Marketing Agency: How to Use Public Speaking to Become an Agency of Choice by Karl Sakas , you’ll find straightforward, actionable advice on developing your speaking career.
Sakas holds nothing back and I was impressed at how useful the material in this book is even outside of an agency setting.
Not only agency leaders, but any entrepreneur or business leader could use the information from this book to launch a successful speaking career.
Sakas covers the entire process from planning to execution.
How to Create a Speaking Plan
According to Sakas, creating a speaking plan is one of the best ways to quickly grow your career as a public speaker.
Not only will you be more prepared, but this speaking plan, filled with Sakas' advice, will help you build momentum by giving talks at smaller, intimate venues before building up to larger keynotes.
Below are the guideline Sakas provides for creating a speaking plan. He recommends doing the following tasks over the next 3-12 months:
1. Write an “advance retrospective”
Your advance retrospective is a brief summary about where you intend to be in the future as a speaker and as a business leader.
2. Block-out “heads down” time in your calendar for doing your speaking work
The process of launching your speaking career requires dedicated attention, especially as the skill of public speaking requires refinement on its own. Just like all business endeavors, you need to prioritize more of your time in the beginning if you are to lay a strong foundation. Blocking out this dedicated time will help you do that.
3. Develop titles and blurbs for your highest-potential topics
Whenever you pitch a speaking engagement, you’ll use these titles and blurbs to provide a summary of what could be included in your talk.
Sakas repeatedly emphasizes the value of case studies, so include one if you can.
Here’s an example of how David Meerman Scott does this on his website:
4. Flesh out your highest-potential talk as an outline
Sakas recommends holding off on creating your full slide deck until you’ve actually got a speaking gig booked. Having a confirmed venue is an instant motivation booster that makes it easier to finish the slides and also allows you to adapt them for that venue and audience.
5. Give your first talk in lower-profile venues
The same way that comics test out new material in small comedy clubs before introducing them to a wide audience, all public speakers should practice their presentation at smaller venues.
Once you’ve gotten your feet wet, you can then use that feedback to make changes and improve your routine.
After you’ve practiced, you’ll feel more confident presenting in front of your larger audience.
6. Build social proof
Compile a list of testimonials, venues from previous speaking engagements, and an estimate of your “talks per year” count.
Outside of your actual presentations, this social proof along with your speaker resume will make the biggest impact on the quality and quantity of speaking gigs you book.
For example, motivational speaker and author, Tony Robbins highlights testimonials from high-profile celebrities like Usher, Maria Menounos, and Derek Hough, while Seth Godin mentions his appearances at “Disney, Cadillac, eBay, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe, American Eagle, Eddie Bauer and hundreds of others.”
To continue, click "keep reading" below.
Wondering where to begin?
Latest content, don't forget to share this post:, recent articles, website conversions in 2023 — stop, start, keep, sales vs marketing in 2023: what’s the difference, how to set content marketing goals for growth, should you hire an agency to create your content, 24 essential questions for understanding your ideal customer (+ infographic), hubspot pricing: your guide to everything hubspot costs for 2023, take it from an expert: you probably don’t need a new website, inbound marketing benefits explained (updated for 2023), want to win more and improve company culture do more role-playing, 4 ways to recession-proof your website in 2023, why trust is the true currency for all business, the big 5: best business blog topics to drive traffic, leads, and sales, what is a content strategy (definition + templates), 10 marketing objective examples to guide and focus your strategy, what marketers need to know about switching to ga4 [google analytics 4], how to inspire your marketing team to try new ideas, do i need to invest in marketing when my business is thriving (+ video), how much does it cost to become a world-class they ask, you answer case study, demand generation vs. lead generation: what’s the difference, what small business leaders need to know to thrive during a recession, blog editorial calendar for 2022: templates, examples, and tips, green energy inbound marketing strategy: the diy approach to getting more customers, 33 most important impact+ resources to train your marketing team in 2022, saas inbound marketing: how to get started with your strategy (+ examples), 5 revenue metrics you should be measuring, join the 40,000+ sales and marketing pros who recieve our weekly insights, tips, and best practices..
Get the most relevant, actionable digital sales and marketing insights you need to make smarter decisions faster... all in under five minutes.
Thank you! You have been subscribed.
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Creating Clarity and Purpose for Your Public Speaking Business Plan in 12 Months Clarity and Purpose are two important words for paid motivational speakers-get used to these two words if your dream is to be one. Public speaking is a hard enough business, but not knowing where you are going (or why) makes it all the more difficult.
First, your mission statement is a succinct description of what you and your speaking business do. Second, your vision statement is a description of your ideal vision of your company. Third, your core values are the principles by which you live up to your mission and vision.
A great motivational speech takes planning. Here are the planning steps you need to understand: Step 1. Know Your Audience If you really want your speech to motivate your listeners, you need to understand who your listeners are. People respond differently to messages based on their interests and background.
• Inspirational - motivational speech that inspires the audience Due to technology, speakers are not limited to live presentations. There are speaker businesses that record and sell presentations that are downloadable or sold on CDs. Another approach to the speaker business is to write and sell speeches that others deliver.
Focus on the key points for the industry that has brought you in and then hammer your points home time and time again. 3. Give Yourself the Tools to Succeed. Not everyone is comfortable with public speaking. This is especially true if your personality traits lean toward more of an introverted style.
The Motivational Speaker Business Plan and Business Development toolkit features 18 different documents that you can use for capital raising or general business planning purposes. Our product line also features comprehensive information regarding to how to start a Motivational Speaker business.
A motivational speaking company is part of the business coaching industry and the industry includes companies that offer motivational speeches, pep - talk, public speaking, short duration courses and seminars for management and professional development and of course schools and individuals.
Motivational Speaking Market Analysis - Final Step Marketing
The motivational speaking business is driven by the personal brand. You can approach potential clients blindly, but they are likely to research you heavily before paying for an engagement....
A Motivational Speaking consulting business is a business where a person or company provides expert advice to its clients. For example, if you want to start a business selling on eBay, you may want to consult with an expert so you can start on a solid basis as far the first steps are concerned.
During studying in college, you will surely need to compose a bunch of Business Plans on Motivation. Lucky you if linking words together and turning them into meaningful text comes easy to you; if it's not the case, you can save the day by finding a previously written Motivation Business Plan example and using it as a template to follow.
Motivational speaking business plan Published on Jan 5, 2021 va96conra Follow About The Step-By-Step Self-Promotion Plan for Speakers. What is your personal most helpful motivational...
Below is an abridged version of the step-by-step speaker self-promotion plan I teach. 1. Choose no more than 3 topics. All of which should be a direct benefit to businesses, all loosely...
At the heart of the motivational speech is the story: of achievement or endurance or, ideally, of both. As a child, Shipp didn't just start a lemonade stand: He started a chain of lemonade...
Business Plans For Motivational Speaker | by Amyn | Medium Write Sign up Sign In 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Refresh the page, check Medium 's site status, or find...
2. Write a blog, make videos, or publish a book. Getting your ideas out into the world will help you to build a reputation and market yourself as a public speaker. Try writing a book or making a video about your experiences or around the problem that you hope to solve with 1 of your speeches.
This is a complete business plan for a Motivational Speaker. Each of our plans follows a 7 chapter format: Chapter 1 - Executive Summary - This part of the business plan provides an introduction for the business, showcases how much money is sought for the company, and acts as a guideline for reading the rest of the business plan.
Having a plan to action on is the most important gift you could give as a motivational speaker. As you build out your motivational speaker career, you may develop and sell other resources, such as e-books, online courses or hard copy books. Your speeches may become a great vehicle for promoting other streams of your business. Your motivational ...
As a motivational speaker for business meetings, his presentations focus on personal development and aims to help individuals achieve success by identifying their inner potential. Some of his quotes include… "Everything you need to be great is already inside you. Stop waiting for someone or something to light your fire. You have the match."
Public speaking business plan is a document that contains all the information about your company settings from head to toe of your motivational speaking business. Public speaking skills is not that simple but required tactic and boldness to talk or present any speech in the public.
1. Write an "advance retrospective". Your advance retrospective is a brief summary about where you intend to be in the future as a speaker and as a business leader. 2. Block-out "heads down" time in your calendar for doing your speaking work. The process of launching your speaking career requires dedicated attention, especially as the ...