How to Create Your Expert Positioning Statement (EPS) (With Examples)

An expert positioning statement (or EPS) is one of the most foundational parts of your public speaking business. In the speaking industry, your EPS succinctly states who you speak to, what you help them with and the benefits your assistance provides. This statement is usually framed as “I help [group] do [topic] so they can [solution].” It identifies the audience you’re addressing, the problem you’re solving and the transformation you’re providing.

However, many public speakers don’t know where to start when developing their EPS. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about your expert positioning statement – why you need one, how to find it, how to adapt it when needed, when you should use it, and how it shapes your messaging.

The Importance of an Expert Positioning Statement

As we’ve already said, an expert positioning statement is not only important, but absolutely foundational to building a successful public speaking business. But why is it so important? Here are the key reasons why an expert positioning statement is crucial to success:

Focus Your Message and Stand Out in a Crowded Field

First and foremost, an expert positioning statement helps bring clarity and focus to your message. Many speakers make the mistake of trying to appeal to the widest possible range of potential clients and audiences, but in reality, if you try speak to everybody, you’ll end up speaking to nobody.

As Grant Baldwin says in his book, The Successful Speaker, trying to make your message appeal to everyone is like claiming to sell a coat that is “one size fits all.” It simply isn’t true. Either the coat will be too big, too small, or if you’re very lucky, fit just right. In the public speaking industry, trying to speak to everyone is a good way to be ignored. It just isn’t an effective business strategy.

An EPS helps you clearly define your niche, which helps potential clients understand who you are as a speaker and whether you’re right for their event. You may feel like this is limiting your opportunities as a speaker, but in reality, this will help you book more gigs than you would by trying to cast a wider net. Not to mention, you can always adapt your EPS as needed (more on that later).

Establish Your Expertise

One of the most important steps to finding success as a public speaker is establishing yourself as an expert on the topic you speak about. This is why using an EPS to clearly define your area of expertise is so important in a public speaking career.

Trying to expand your range to as many topics and audiences as possible will hinder your capacity to present yourself as an expert in anything. After all, the well-known saying goes, “A jack of all trades is a master of none.”

By clearly defining your audience, topic and the benefits your listeners will receive, you’ll be able to establish your expertise and stand out in a crowded field.

Enhance Your Marketing Efforts

Secondly, a well-crafted EPS is the cornerstone of your marketing, making it clear to potential clients exactly who you are and what you offer as a public speaker. It should serve as the most foundational part of your branding and be featured prominently on your website, social media profiles and demo video.

Your EPS is the answer you should give when people ask you “What do you speak about?” This short statement is easy to remember and enhances word-of-mouth marketing. It’s much easier for someone to remember (to use our example from earlier) that a speaker talks to corporate executives about productivity to maximize family time than it is to remember someone who tries to speak to everyone.

Creating Your Expert Positioning Statement

Now that you understand the importance of an EPS, let’s explore how to build one successfully by breaking it down into its three component parts.

I help GROUP do TOPIC so they can SOLUTION.

Find Your Audience (GROUP)

The first component of an Expert Positioning Statement is the audience you speak to. Here are the seven major industries for speakers and a brief overview with examples included for each industry:

Corporations

Large companies are always on the lookout for public speakers for a variety of events, ranging from training and education to industry events or company retreats. This industry has the highest revenue potential due to high event budgets, but also is the most competitive industry and hardest to break into.

For example: “I help corporate executives maximize their productivity so they can spend more time with their families.”

Associations

Associations are organizations formed around a common cause. Associations meet around shared interest or profession and often host conferences or events that bring in public speakers. This industry is a reliable source of speaking gigs if you become part of the ecosystem of an association that intersects with your expertise.

An example of an EPS for a speaker who focuses on associations: I speak to medical associations about effective physician leadership and team collaboration so they can reduce burnout, improve patient care, and strengthen organizational efficiency.

Faith-based Organizations

Churches and other places of worship are often by definition a place where a message is delivered by someone. This industry does tend to pay less than others (with exceptions for larger organizations) but if nothing else, this can be a great industry to hone your speaking skills and share a faith-based message that you’re passionate about.

For instance: I speak to large church congregations about fostering community outreach and engagement so they can strengthen their impact, grow their membership, and better serve their communities.

Nonprofits

Nonprofits are often associated with charities, but this can also include local rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, civic groups and other local organizations. Don’t be fooled by the name; just because an organization is nonprofit doesn’t mean that they don’t have money to pay speakers.

Here’s an example: I speak to local chambers of commerce about improving member retention so they can maintain a strong and active membership base.

Government/Military

Governments (whether local, state or national) often bring in speakers for various events and trainings. The military also brings in speakers to their bases to speak to active members and their families. Both of these industries can be difficult to break into at first, but once you’re in, you’re in, and it will be a steady source of speaking gigs.

For example: I speak to military bases about resilience and mental health strategies so they can reduce stress, improve overall well-being, and enhance mission readiness among service members and their families.

Colleges and Universities

Universities themselves can be very hard to get into, so it’s often a better idea to look for student groups on campus. This includes everything from student orientation groups and campus life activities to Greek life and even student government. Additionally, most schools have clubs and student groups on a wide range of topics that may bring in speakers.

Here’s an example: I speak to student government associations about effective advocacy and policy-making so they can better represent their peers, implement impactful changes, and enhance student life on campus.

Education (K-12)

There are thousands of elementary, middle and high schools around the U.S. Many of these bring in speakers to speak to students for a variety of reasons, but there’s also often opportunities to speak to teachers or parents.

A good example would be: I speak to high school educators about innovative teaching techniques so they can engage students more effectively, improve academic performance, and create a positive learning environment.

Which Group is Right for Me?

You may already know instinctively which of these industries is right for you, but for many aspiring public speakers, choosing which of these industries to speak to can be overwhelming at first. First, ask yourself if you have any specific relevant experience in any of the seven industries. You may not have decades of experience in any of the industries, but you may find that you have connections which you can used to get booked.

Next, ask yourself which of the industries you feel most passionate about. Experience alone is not enough; you need to care about this industry and be knowledgeable and passionate about it. If these factors are missing, you’re audience won’t relate to you. Don’t choose based solely on money or availability of gigs.

Choose Your Topic

Now that you’ve chosen an industry, it’s time to move on to selecting your topic. There are several important components in choosing a good speaking topic. Here are some quick tips on choosing the topic that’s right for you:

Present Your Topic as a Problem to Solve

The first part of the Speaker Success Framework is “Select a Problem to Solve.” Speaking on a topic you find interesting isn’t enough to get consistently booked. You need to present yourself as a speaker who solves a problem that your target audience has.

For example, you may find productivity interesting and want to speak about it in the corporate industry. But instead of presenting yourself merely as someone who speaks about productivity, solve a problem your audience has. For example: “I help corporate workers maximize productivity so they can finish tasks faster.”

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

When choosing a topic to speak on, consider what you’re passionate about. Pick something you genuinely care about and a field you have relevant knowledge in. If you have a lot of interests, choose the one that attracts the most attention in the speaking industry.

Choose Something That Passes the “Five-Year Test”

When choosing a topic, ask yourself “Will this be relevant in five years? Will I still be able to speak about it?” If the answer is no, consider choosing another topic. Breaking into the speaking industry takes time, and if your topic will lose relevance quickly, it’s generally not a good idea to build a speaking career around it.

Choose Something Others Are Interested In

Unfortunately, passion is not enough to build a speaking career around a given topic. Just because something is important to you doesn’t mean it will be important to others. Your topic needs to solve a problem others have. You should try to find a message in the intersection of your passion and the market’s demand.

Focus on Your Solution

Remember that the goal of selecting a topic is not merely to speak about something interesting, but to solve a problem for your audience. So when you develop your EPS, don’t forget the last component: the benefit you provide to those who listen to you. Always focus on how your message benefits them.

Where to Use Your Expert Positioning Statement

Now that you’ve developed an Expert Positioning Statement and can succinctly state who you speak to, what you speak about and why, you can use this statement in your marketing efforts as a way to show potential clients who you are as a speaker. Here are some important places you should use your EPS.

Website

Most importantly of all, your EPS should be featured prominently on your speaker website. When a potential client or someone you’re pitching to visits your website, they’re likely curious to find out what you speak on and why they should consider hiring you.

If your EPS is in a prominent place on your website (ideally on the homepage) it very quickly indicates what kind of speaker you are. This leads to increased interest from clients that would be ideal for you while filtering out those who may not be a good fit, ultimately saving time and ensuring more productive engagements.

Demo Video

For many of the same reasons as featuring your EPS on your website, you should also make sure to include your EPS in your demo video. Your demo video is an important tool in your marketing arsenal that showcases your speaking abilities and value as a speaker.

Start your video with your EPS to immediately communicate what you speak about and why it matters. Make sure to highlight key moments from your talks that align with your EPS, showing how you engage with your audience and provide solutions.

Social Media Channels

In addition to featuring your EPS on your website and in your demo video, you should also incorporate it into your social media channels. Prominently display it in bios or about sections to quickly convey your expertise and focus as a speaker.

You should also regularly feature content on social media that reflects your EPS, such as insights on your topic or highlights from past speaking engagements. By consistently integrating your EPS into all of these marketing channels, you build a cohesive brand identity and make it easier for people to understand what you offer and why they should consider you for their events.

Adapting Your Expert Positioning Statement When Needed

Sometimes aspiring public speakers are hesitant to choose an EPS because they feel like it limits their future potential for adapting their speaking career. But just because your EPS is a foundational part of your speaking business doesn’t mean you can never change it. As you grow and adapt in your speaking career, you can update your EPS to better match your current brand.

However, you should be careful about updating your EPS too often. Remember, your EPS is a foundational part of your branding and the establishment of your expertise. If you’re constantly changing it, you don’t have the time or credibility to truly establish your brand.

Examples of Great Expert Positioning Statements

Now that you (hopefully) know the components of a successful EPS and how to build your own, here are some great examples of what Expert Positioning Statements look like in practice.

• Reggie Wright: “My mission is to empower educators and students to overcome adversity
  so they can cultivate academic success and positive character development.”
• Jake Thompson: “I help ambitious leaders boost their performance and create better personal and professional skills to help teams gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.”
• Michelle Onuorah: “I help people hear God’s voice with 100% certainty so that they can live a radically blessed life.” (Michelle joined The Speaker Lab Podcast to discuss Expert Positioning Statements. You can hear her insights here).
• Erick Rheam: “I travel the country helping men and women cut through the whirlwind, so they can rise above the chaos to discover their significance and live in peace.”
• Kyla Cofer: “With personal stories of struggles, research-backed methods, and audience interaction, I engage participants with simple tools to heal from burnout, embrace failure, and take ownership of their journey to greatness.”

Although there is some variation in the exact structure of these examples, they all essentially follow the same format. And what has worked for them can work for you too.

This clear and effective statement shows potential clients who you are and why they should hire you. It helps to clearly define your audience and establish yourself as a credible authority on the subject. Ultimately, this is why a well-crafted EPS is absolutely foundational to your speaking business.