Introduction
Looking to get booked and paid as a speaker? You’re in luck! The Speaker Lab Podcast provides essential business tactics, speaking tips, and key strategies from Grant Baldwin, The Speaker Lab coaches, and highly-successful speakers.
Over the course of 423 episodes (and counting), you’ll learn how to find speaking gigs, build relationships in your industry, negotiate higher speaker fees, and build and grow your speaking business. The podcast offers you insider advice and actionable solutions to take your speaking career to the next level. No matter if you’re just getting started or have years of experience, The Speaker Lab Podcast is here for you.
That said, you might be a little intimidated by so many episodes. Want to know where to start? Read on for a list of the top 10 episodes of The Speaker Lab Podcast (by number of all-time downloads)!
Episode 264. How to Find Your First Paid Speaking Gig with Bryan Allain (Part I)
Do you want to know how to book your first speaking gig? If so, you need to check out this episode!
Grant Baldwin, founder of The Speaker Lab, brought on a special guest on his show who recently started his speaking journey. Bryan Allain quit his job as a chemical engineer to become a freelance writer and began giving free talks at his church.
Grant and Bryan talk about creating a marketing plan, choosing an audience, and setting goals for the year. They discuss how to set up a goal and strategies you can use to build your confidence. Want to learn about the two aspects of selecting which problem to address, and how to establish yourself as an expert in the domain? This podcast episode will give you the knowledge to launch your speaking career.
It’s no wonder this is one of the podcast’s most popular episodes – so head over to the link in the comments to download and listen for yourself!
P.S. There is also a part 2 to this episode, which you can check out here!
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Episode 220. How to Get Started as a Speaker with Jason Hewlett
Are you looking to start your journey as a professional speaker? On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Jason Hewlett, a professional speaker and entertainer, joins the podcast to share his story and the steps he took to get started.
Having a dream and a desire to become a speaker is great, but action is what will get you there. Jason talks about how he created a plan and then took action to make his goal a reality, going from performing-based speaking to more influential keynote speeches.
This show will give you insights into why the keynote closing session is the preferred choice, and how following up after gigs played a role in the speaker’s business growth. Additionally, you will learn why event planners are in a risk-mitigation business and how you can help. Listen to the episode here!
Episode 200. The Speaker Lab Round-up: Top Tips From Top Speakers
On episode 200 of The Speaker Lab Podcast, we do something a little different: bring you a list of the top tips from some of the top experts in the speaking industry. From throwing away half of your best presentation to crafting a contextual model and stopping seeing others as competition – we have all the advice you need to find success as a speaker.
We’ll tell you how to get your audience to share your talk, what you need for a sustained and successful speaking career, why you should niche down and much more! Tune in to get the tips you need to succeed as a speaker via the episode link here.
Episode 162. How to Land 100 Speaking Gigs a Year With Ty Bennett
On this episode of The Speaker Lab podcast, we’re joined by Ty Bennett to discuss how to land 100 speaking gigs a year.
Ty has personally experienced successes in his own speaking journey, having gone from building a $25 million direct sales business to selling it and becoming a keynote speaker for corporations and associations. He shares his advice for speakers of all levels, including the two most important aspects of speaking and how to build a platform when starting from scratch. You’ll also learn what his marketing efforts look like and the three things all speakers need to be successful.
Ty offers insight into the honest question you must answer to be hired and the true test of a speaker’s ability. He also discusses two areas of improvement all speakers can take advantage of, a unique technique to connect with audiences, and why he studies comedians. Tune in here to unlock the real secrets to a successful speaking career with Ty Bennett!
Episode 192. Preparing For Your Speech
On this episode of The Speaker Lab, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Melanie Deziel prepares for her speeches. Melanie, a frequent co-host of the show, shares her trade secrets for getting her head and body in shape for the stage. To name a few – we discuss the music she listens to, the food she eats, how much she hydrates, and more.
Listeners to this episode will also learn how to use voice recording in order to better prepare for their speech, what to do backstage before giving their talk, and how to find out if there’s a courtesy clock or countdown clock. So if you want to make sure you’re as ready as possible for your next presentation, give this episode a listen!
Episode 222. 7 Steps to Your Speaking Brand with Mike Kim
Mike Kim, a master of marketing and branding, joined The Speaker Lab podcast to share his 7-step process of creating a speaking brand. Clients such as John Maxwell, Donald Miller, and Suzanne Evans have all employed this extremely successful system.
On the podcast, Mike and host Grant Baldwin discuss the importance of positioning, how to price yourself as a premium speaker, and how to maintain a successful brand. Whether you are an experienced speaker or just starting out, this episode of The Speaker Lab is full of valuable frameworks and tips.
Listeners will discover what their own unique selling proposition is, who their marketing materials should be aimed towards, the best platform to use, and how to pitch and sell themselves. Mike also explains the three sub-identities of a brand and how to offer lower-tiered products while still maintaining the high-end brand. There’s something for everyone on this invaluable episode of The Speaker Lab.
Episode 175. How to Position Yourself as an Expert With Chris Ducker
Chris Ducker, an internationally-recognized expert on all things personal branding, best-selling author, globe-trotting speaker, and successful business mentor, appeared on episode 175 of The Speaker Lab. The show focused on his latest book, Rise of the Youpreneur, as well as the origins of Chris’s speaking career and his personal brand. He discussed how to figure out who to serve, how to build a unique business, and how to build relationships and make deals.
Chris also shared his self-awareness test, why it’s important to be different instead of better, and what not to do when you finish speaking. He explained why a book is a great expert positioning strategy and what percentage of your audience is likely to become a client. With Chris’ detailed and actionable advice, you can learn how to position yourself as an expert and grow your personal brand. Check out the episode here!
Episode 002: How to Get Your Speaking Career Started
In this early episode of The Speaker Lab, Grant Baldwin answers common perplexing questions about speaking and building a successful career as a speaker. This episode covers topics ranging from creating a demo video to reaching out to potential engagements.
Grant also explains the importance of knowing who to contact for which speaking job, how to get hired to speak at a college, and when to start reaching out to potential gigs. Tune in to the episode here to get the most comprehensive take on a successful career as a speaker.
Episode 236. The Things Nobody Tells You About Speaking with Jane Atkinson
On this episode of The Speaker Lab, Jane Atkinson, founder and creator of The Speaker Launcher, had a fireside chat with Grant Baldwin. Jane’s journey to creating her business began with a desire to work for an inspirational speaker, and this desire was firmly planted after seeing a Les Brown TV special. She soon got her first marketing gig and discussed how it led her to Peter Legge and Vince Vicente, before she ultimately formed The Speaker Launcher.
Atkinson shares her stories and advice and discusses topics such as the most difficult finds in this industry, why referring business to other speakers is critical to success, differentiating between speakers who make it and speakers who don’t, and more. Have a listen to the episode here!
Episode 202. How to Transition Into Speaking Full-Time
Many people feel intimidated when considering transitioning from their job to speaking full-time. On The Speaker Lab episode 202, Melanie Deziel shares her stories of how she made the leap from part-time speaking to a full-time speaking career.
Melanie discusses when it makes the most sense to make the transition to public speaking full time. She also addresses how to juggle everything before, during, and after the transition, and how best to prepare to make the transition as smooth as possible. Want to learn how to promote without ruffling the feathers of your full-time job? Or what other streams of revenue you can use while you build your speaking skills? Deziel answers these questions, along with queries about how to determine a realistic budget and financial safety net, and more. Check out the episode here!
What Type Of Speaker Are You?
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Conclusion
So you’ve now got a starting place with this list of the top 10 episodes of The Speaker Lab Podcast. Now, it’s up to you to dive in and choose which episodes you want to listen to for actionable advice for your public speaking business. You can share your favorite episodes that you think other listeners should check out on social media, and check out our blog post on how to find paid speaking opportunities in any industry. Happy speaking!
