Professional speaker Jess Ekstrom notes that audience size does not correlate with speaking fees. Some of her most lucrative engagements have been for intimate groups of 12, while massive arena talks have paid nothing. The value delivered to the specific audience, not the crowd size, determines the fee.
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When pitching for a speaking gig, don't lead with your personal history. Event planners care more about the value for their audience. Lead your pitch with the tangible takeaway or transformation the audience will experience. Use your personal story as the supporting evidence of why you're credible.
Authors often chase only the biggest podcasts, dismissing smaller audiences. This is a mistake in perspective. The effort to get 100 engaged people into a room for a physical book event is immense. Every podcast audience, no matter the size, represents a significant opportunity and should be respected.
Instead of only negotiating your speaking fee, offer to bundle access to your digital course for all attendees. This tactic increases the total value for the event planner by providing long-term engagement and can be used to justify a higher overall price or help close a deal.
Don't let your personal perception of what's 'expensive' limit your earning potential. Set your price high based on the value you provide. It is easy to lower a price that gets no buyers, but impossible to know if you could have charged more if you start too low. Never say no for the customer.
The fear of speaking to 100,000 people versus 100 stems from the loss of ability to track audience reception and adjust. True freedom at scale requires releasing the need to control how you are received, moving from reactive performance to pure expression.
If an event can't meet your full fee, build lead generation into the contract. Jess Ekstrom suggests adding a clause that requires the client to introduce you to four other relevant events if they are satisfied with your talk. This transforms a lower-paying gig into a powerful referral engine.
Charging too little for speaking can backfire. A fee below a professional threshold, like $3,500 for a new speaker, can make you appear inexperienced to event planners, causing them to pass on you for someone perceived as more valuable—even if that person charges significantly more.
A top reason speaking submissions fail is a mismatch with the core audience. For instance, at IMEX, educational content is built for event planners (the buyers), not the hotel salespeople (the exhibitors). Deeply understand who the educational sessions are designed for before submitting a proposal.
Podcast listeners have higher average household incomes and greater purchasing intent. A small, dedicated audience built through the intimacy of audio is more valuable for monetization via courses and consulting than a massive but disengaged social media following.
Andrew Ross Sorkin emphasizes that for the DealBook Summit, the audience is as important as the stage talent. By filling the room with peers and other influential leaders, speakers feel compelled to engage more deeply, knowing they are being judged by people whose opinions matter to them.
