When an event planner is considering whether to hire a keynote speaker, they’re not just hiring a person. Instead, they’re hiring a brand. They want a professional speaker that commands attention before they even step onto a stage, whose reputation precedes them, and whose personal authority will translate into increased audience engagement.
For aspiring professional speakers, this reality presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge lies in building that brand from scratch when you’re still establishing your speaking career. But if you can do it successfully, you can effectively control how audiences perceive you, how you’re viewed as an expert, and ultimately, gain a competitive advantage in the fees you can command.
Personal branding for speakers isn’t about creating a fake persona or manufacturing authority you don’t possess. Instead, it’s about strategically showcasing your genuine expertise, unique perspective, and authentic personality in ways that resonate with your target audience and position you as the go-to expert in your field.
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How Personal Branding Differs from Business Branding
One of the hardest mentality shifts for aspiring public speakers to adapt to is how personal branding differs from business branding. Before we get into the steps to branding yourself, let’s review how it compares to branding a business.
A personal brand typically involves using your own name as frequently as possible. Your website, social media profiles, and any content you create should be associated with your name. People tend to trust individuals more than soulless companies. Even if you have a clever and cool business name, people would still prefer to hear from “John Smith.” It’s simply how humans operate!
Developing your personal brand early on offers a significant advantage: it simplifies the process of pivoting your business. For instance, if you begin as a freelancer, transition to offering coaching and consultation, and eventually write a book and embark on a speaking tour, retaining customers throughout these changes becomes challenging. You might find yourself marketing each new initiative repeatedly.
However, if people are initially drawn to your personal brand, they are significantly more likely to trust everything you offer. In essence, your goal is to persuade them to purchase your product, subscribe to your service, or hire you, all because you provide it.
One important aspect of personal branding is the level of comfort you must have in sharing your personal life. While you don’t need to disclose every detail on your website or social media, building a following of individuals requires you to act like one. This means being relatable, personable, and maintaining authenticity, whether you’re making a sales pitch or having a casual conversation with someone at a coffee shop.
When someone books a speaker, they’re not just purchasing a presentation – they’re investing in the person delivering it. They want to know who you are, what drives you, what unique experiences shaped your expertise, and why you’re passionate about your topic. This human connection is what transforms a good speech into a memorable experience.
The Foundations of Building Your Brand
Developing a successful personal brand from scratch can be challenging, but there are systematic approaches that can help you establish your expertise.
The first step in building a compelling personal brand is to identify your personal story. Your story holds significance regardless of your profession, whether you’re a speaker, salesperson, or mechanic. It’s what captivates people’s attention and fosters a connection of trust. Begin by establishing the story that led you to pursue your passion project early on. When people inquire about your motivations, don’t merely outline your business plan; instead, share your story.
Your story doesn’t need to be dramatic or life-changing (though it can be). It needs to be authentic, relatable, and directly connected to your area of expertise. The most powerful speaker origin stories often involve moments of realization, unexpected challenges overcome, or problems solved that led to broader insights others can apply.
Start by identifying the pivotal moments, experiences, or insights that led you to your speaking topic. What problem were you trying to solve? What challenge did you overcome? What expertise did you develop through necessity? What unique perspective do you bring that others in your space might lack?
Your origin story should answer three critical questions: Why do you care about this topic? What gives you the right to speak about it? And how does your experience translate into value for your audience?
Once you’ve identified your core story, you’ll use it as a touchstone for every branding decision. Your website bio, social media content, and more should all connect back to this foundational narrative.
But once you’ve identified this story, how do people learn about it? Where do they encounter your unique personal brand?
Building Your Digital Speaker Platform
In today’s speaking industry, your online presence often determines whether you get booked before you even submit a proposal. Event planners research speakers extensively online, looking for evidence of expertise, audience engagement, and professional credibility.
Your digital platform should serve multiple purposes: establishing credibility with event planners, providing content that demonstrates your expertise, creating touchpoints for audience engagement, and showcasing your speaking skills and personality.
Website as Your Speaking Hub
Your website is your speaking headquarters. It should immediately communicate who you are, what you speak about, and why audiences should care. Include professional photos, video samples of your speaking, detailed topic descriptions, testimonials from previous events, and clear contact information for booking inquiries.
The key is making it easy for busy event planners to quickly assess whether you’re a good fit for their event. They should be able to understand your expertise, see evidence of your speaking ability, and find relevant topic options within seconds of landing on your site.
Content That Demonstrates Thought Leadership
Consistent content creation is essential for building authority in your speaking niche. This might include blog posts, articles, social media content, videos, or podcasts that showcase your expertise and personality.
The most effective speaker content serves your audience’s needs while positioning you as an expert. Share insights from your professional experience, commentary on industry trends, practical advice audiences can implement, or behind-the-scenes glimpses into your speaking journey.
Remember that event planners often use content to gauge how well you might connect with their specific audience. Your content should reflect the same energy, expertise, and value you bring to your live presentations.
Social Media Strategy for Speakers
Different social platforms serve different purposes in your speaker brand strategy. LinkedIn excels for B2B speakers targeting corporate clients, while Instagram might better serve speakers in lifestyle, wellness, or creative fields. Choose platforms where your target event planners and audience members are most active.
Use social media to share your expertise, engage with industry conversations, showcase speaking engagements, and build relationships with other professionals in your space. The goal is creating a consistent presence that reinforces your expertise and keeps you top-of-mind when speaking opportunities arise.
Consistency in Personal Branding
Consistency is what transforms content and speaking gigs into a recognizable personal brand. Every touchpoint with your brand, from your website and social media to your on-stage presentation and post-event follow-up, should reinforce the same core message, personality, and professional image.
Visual Consistency
Your visual brand includes everything from your color scheme and fonts to your presentation slides and headshot style. While you don’t need an elaborate brand kit, maintaining consistency in visual elements helps create recognition and professional credibility.
Consider how you want to be perceived. A speaker focusing on corporate leadership might choose clean, professional visuals that convey authority and reliability. A speaker in the creativity space might opt for more dynamic, colorful elements that reflect innovation and energy.
Message Consistency
Your core message should remain consistent even as you speak to different audiences or in different speaking formats. This doesn’t mean saying the same thing repeatedly, but ensuring that all your content and presentations connect back to your central niche and expertise.
Consistency also applies to your communication style. If you’re known for practical, actionable advice, maintain that approach across all platforms. If storytelling is your strength, weave narratives into your content and presentations consistently.
Professionalism
Maintain consistent professional standards in all interactions. Respond to inquiries promptly, deliver what you promise, and approach every opportunity, regardless of size, with the same level of professionalism. Your reputation in the speaking industry is built through countless small interactions and consistent reliability.
Get The #1 Marketing Asset To Book More Paid Speaking Gigs Join us for the Booked & Paid Bootcamp — our NEW 2-day virtual event designed to help you start booking more paid gigs FAST. Over two 5+ hour days of live training and Q&A, our team of 6 and 7 figure speakers will give you the proven playbook you need to become a successful paid speaker.
Conclusion
Building a strong personal brand as a speaker isn’t about becoming someone you’re not. It’s about strategically showcasing who you already are in ways that resonate with your target audience and establish your authority in your field.
The most successful speakers understand that their brand is their most valuable asset. It determines which opportunities come their way, what fees they can command, and ultimately, how much impact they can have through their message.
The speaking industry needs authentic voices, unique perspectives, and genuine expertise. By building a strong personal brand, you’re advancing your own career and ensuring that your message reaches the audiences who need to hear it most.
