How do you get hired and paid for speaking engagements?

Good question from Charles in Chicago – thanks.  The three biggest reasons a speaker gets hired is:

1) The speaker, expert, author, top producer, or cultural icon, has a reputation for delivering the message the clients wants and needs.

2) They have created a brand and “media system” that resonates with the decision makers that want, or need to hire a professional speaker, expert, author, top producer, or cultural icon.

3) They had a system in place to close the deal.

The first one is obvious, and is built over time, one speech, or one seminar at a time. The second one is very creative and 100% relevant – and the third one is either you doing the phone and email work to close the deal, or hiring a staff of people to work in your office, or working with a professional speakers bureau like American Speakers Bureau to get it done for you.