As we enter into the month of May, many conference organizers are booking fall speakers at full speed.

Like any professional goal, securing a speaker spot doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. It requires a good amount of strategy and preparation just to earn the opportunity.

If landing one of these spots is on your professional bucket list, check out the following 4 steps to create a strategy that gives you the best chance for success!

1. Hone your goal(s).

Seems pretty obvious, right? True, but it’s a step that many people regularly skip because of its simplicity. At HC, we encourage you to map out your goal(s) before pursuing speaking opportunities.

2. Identify the audience you want to reach.

Different goals mean different audiences. Talking about retirement savings, for example, hits a different audience than college savings accounts.

For each goal, list out who you are trying to reach, why they’re the right fit for your message, and what action steps you’d like to inspire them to take.

3. Research conference options and organize key information and dates about each.

Aside from what you already know about your industry’s conferences, this is where your Googling skills will be put to the test! Make sure to start early and do a deep dive online into conferences that cover topics related to your list of goals.

Showcase those organizational skills—break out Excel and keep track of conference names, dates, locations, websites, topics, key deadlines, speaker submission requirements, etc. The more relevant information you can add to this list, the better!

We also encourage you to look at a wide variety of conferences. While some seem small, if they are filled with the ideal audience member you need to hear your message, that might be the best conference you can hope for, rather than a conference with the largest number of attendees.

And don’t be afraid to use this information in your long-term goal-setting. If your end goal is the high-quality conference that invites the most elite in the field, that’s great! Start planning out the steps necessary to prove your worth to them now in hopes of earning an invite in the future.

4. Create a unique, focused pitch for each opportunity.

Now that you have a few conference targets selected for this coming fall, create unique, specific pitches for each of them. Make sure to show them why you are the best choice for their conference. Be specific in what you have to offer and don’t be afraid to use your professional accomplishments to validate your expertise in your field.

Then, submit once you’re ready. While many conferences review all speaker abstracts at once after the deadline passes, many events consider proposals as they’re received. So, don’t wait!

Good luck with your submissions!

Not quite ready to take this challenge on by yourself? Reach out to HC at info@henrichcommunications.com to hear more about our speaker engagement services.