Speaking engagements offer a powerful platform to amplify your influential voice, offer value, and attract new business. However, there’s an art to pitching yourself as a speaker that gets meeting planners excited to bring you into their programming. In this article, I’ll walk you through how to effectively pitch yourself for keynote, panel, or breakout speaking opportunities, with tips and tactics that will ensure your pitch stands out from the crowd.

Understanding How the Events and Conference Industry Works

There are many types of events where you could be a valuable speaker, and understanding some of the nuances of each event type will help you determine how and when you should pitch.

Larger conferences (1,000+ attendees) typically start scouting for speakers 6-10 months prior to the event.

Internal corporate training events tend to seek speakers about 2-3-months before their event date.

Local and regional associations that host regular meetings will be looking for speakers 2-6 months out, depending on how their board is run.

These general guidelines offer a solid foundation, but always be aware of exceptions. Knowing these timelines helps you stay ahead and align your marketing and outreach with an organizations call for speakers and speaker selection.

The Call for Speakers Process

Both conferences and smaller events often have a formal Call for Speakers process, which is when event planners publicly request speaker applications. Here’s what you should know:

• Submission Portals: Many conferences have dedicated portals for speaker applications. Pay attention to specific instructions, deadlines, and format requirements. If you’re someone who wants to speak often, it’s a good idea to have pre-planned answers for common questions. You can then tweak your responses with AI tools and tailor your answers to the specific event for more personal customization.
• Be Concise and Compelling: Submissions usually have strict word limits for speech titles, descriptions, and key takeaways (more on these coming up). Once again, AI tools have thankfully made this process easier as you can customize your answers to match their specific parameters. Make sure your responses are clear, powerful, and focused on the value you will bring to the audience.

Direct Outreach Outlets

Sometimes you can bypass the formal Call for Speakers by building relationships and marketing directly to decision-makers. Direct outreach, when done thoughtfully, can open doors.

It should go without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway) that any direct outreach should be considerate, high-quality, and value-giving - NOT spammy and annoying. Every communication should provide value and foster genuine connections.

Email Outreach

If you have an organization in mind, do your research. You can often find the right person to reach out to. If it’s an association, look for titles like VP of Membership, VP of Education, or Director of Programming. In some cases, you might reach out directly to the President - though they may point you back to one of the people previously mentioned. ****

Corporate speaking opportunities are a bit more nuanced. HR or Learning and Development teams often scout speakers, while decisions may made by a department head or a committees. Building relationships with both direct contacts and decision-makers is crucial.

Email Template

Hi [Planner's Name],

I’m reaching out because I’ve been following [Event/Conference Name], and I would love the opportunity to offer a keynote/breakout session on [your speech topic] at your upcoming event. Is this a good time to reach out and discuss, or will you be looking for speakers at a later date?

Briefly introducing myself, my name is [Your Name], and I specialize in [briefly mention who you serve, the problems you solve]. I believe that your audience would love to participate in a program that helps them [benefits].

I have 2 programs that I thought might be of interest, but I wanted to check in first to see if this is a good time. If you’re interested, I’m more than happy to send more information about the programs, along with some testimonials from past audiences.

I would love to discuss how this could fit into your event’s programming and bring value to your audience.

Please let me know if you’d like to schedule a call to explore this further.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Best regards,

[Your Full Name]

[Your Position]

[optional: Include link to speaking-specific page]

[Website/Contact Information]

LinkedIn DMs

If you’re connected with event organizers or decision-makers on LinkedIn, DMs are a great way to start the conversation. Keep initial messages professional, concise, and conversational. Build rapport before transitioning the discussion to email or scheduling a meeting.

Initial Outreach (First DM):

Subject: Speaking Opportunity for [Event Name]

Hi [First Name],

I noticed that you’re planning [Event Name] and wanted to reach out. Is this a good time to connect about potential speakers, or would it be better to reach out later?

A quick introduction: I’m [Your Name], and I specialize in [briefly mention who you serve, the problems you solve]. I believe your audience would appreciate a program that focuses on [specific benefits].

I have two programs that I think would align well with your event’s goals. If this sounds like a fit, I’m happy to share more details and testimonials from past audiences.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Warmly,

[Your Name]

Follow-up DM (If No Response After 5-7 Days):

Hi [First Name],

I wanted to follow up on my earlier message about potentially speaking at [Event Name]. I believe one of my programs would resonate well with [audience description], offering [brief restatement of the benefit or impact].

Would you be open to connecting for a brief chat, or is there a better time to discuss speaker opportunities?

Thanks again for your time,

[Your Name]

Response DM (If They Respond Positively):

Hi [First Name],

Thank you for getting back to me! [Linked/Attached] is some more information about the two programs I had in mind, including testimonials from past events.

Would you like to schedule a quick call to discuss how we can make this work for [Event Name]? I’m happy to work around your availability.

If it’s more convenient for you, here’s my [calendar link].

Looking forward to the conversation!

Best,

[Your Name]

Response DM (If They Respond With Interest But No Decision Yet):

Hi [First Name],

Thanks so much for your interest! I’d be happy to send over more information and how they could fit into [Event Name] closer to [suggestion timeframe].

Feel free to let me know if you'd like any further details.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Response DM (If They Respond Negatively or Decline):

Hi [First Name],

Thank you for letting me know! I understand. If anything changes or if future opportunities arise, I’d love to stay in touch.

Warmly,

[Your Name]

Mailers

Physical mail can be a surprising and refreshing way to stand out, especially in today’s digital age. Sending a professional, branded mailer with that creates intrigue with a short, engaging message can spark curiosity and open the door to further conversation.

Follow-up Tactfully

If you haven’t heard back after your initial outreach, send a polite follow-up 7-10 days later. Express continued interest, provide additional value (such as an article or content that might interest them), and avoid being pushy.

Crafting Your Speech Titles, Descriptions, Takeaways, and Bio

You need to cater to two audiences in your pitch:

1. The meeting planner, who assesses whether your program matches the event’s goals.
2. Your future audience members, who will decide whether or not to attend your session.

While I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to creating speech titles and descriptions, the following tips will help you level-up your pitches and get you more invitations to speak.

Speech Title

Your speech title is critical because it often determines whether or not someone continues reading your pitch. It needs to immediately signal value, be clear, and hook your audience's interest. Here are some tips for crafting strong titles, along with examples for tailoring to your clients’ industries.

Use a title/subtitle format for more clarity.

• The Patient Journey: Leveraging Technology to Improve Patient Experience and Increase Referrals
• Maximizing ROI in Healthcare: Cutting Costs WITHOUT Compromising Care

Decide on using pain-point-centered or benefit-centered titles that immediately signal value.

• Breaking Through the Noise: A Proven Framework for Winning Agency Pitches Every Time
• Solving the SaaS Retention Crisis: How to Reduce Churn by 25%

Incorporate audience descriptors (e.g., job titles) to attract specific groups.

• Building Trust in a Digital World: Proven Tactics for Healthcare Administrators to Improve Patient Engagement
• A Step-by-Step Guide for HR Directors to Boost Employee Retention by 20% with Personalized Learning Programs
• Essential Metrics for CTOs: How to Optimize Product Development Cycles and Drive Innovation

Keep it simple and avoid jargon—write at a 7th-grade reading level to ensure clarity.

• Consulting 2.0: Scaling Your Practice with Easy-to-Use Digital Tools and Automation
• Digital Transformation Simplified: A Practical Guide for Accounting Firms to Increase Efficiency
• AI in Action: How Law Firms Can Use Automation Tools to Save Time and Money

Use emotionally engaging language to pique interest. Even technical and analytical audiences respond to emotional triggers. (Yes, I’m talking you, engineering and finances folk.)

• Engineering with Optimism: How New Technologies Are Increase Work/Life Balance & Satisfaction
• Finding Relief Through Innovation: How Project Managers Can Cut Down On Team Overwhelm
• Overcoming Uncertainty & Costly Mistakes: How AI is Helping Law Firms Navigate Complex Cases with Confidence

Find opportunities to be specific in your descriptions.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Simplifying Funnels for 30% More Conversions
• Mastering Client Retention: 5 Key Strategies for Digital Marketing Agencies to Double Retainer Renewals

Speech Description

Your speech description is the hook that sets the stage for your talk and draws attendees in. It needs to communicate why your topic is relevant right now, the specific problems it addresses, and how it will benefit both attendees and their broader goals.

Speech Description Tips:

• Set the stage: Why is this topic important right now? Frame the problem in a way that resonates with the audience’s current challenges.
• Address specific problems: Focus on the most pressing issue your talk will solve for the audience.
• Highlight benefits: Go beyond the individual attendee and discuss how your session will help their teams, clients, or larger organizational goals.

Speech Description Template

Today [audience title] are facing [specific challenge] and struggling to [desired benefit]. This program offers [specific solution or approach] that will [final desired outcome]. By the end of this session, participants will have actionable strategies for [emotional and practical benefits].

Key Takeaways

This is a major differentiator for those who want to level up their pitches. Rather than simply listing what you’ll cover, focus on why each point matters and what transformation or benefit the audience will experience.

Key Takeaway Tips:

• For each item, ask yourself: "So what?" Why does this matter to the attendee?
• Phrase your takeaways in terms of what they’ll achieve or gain rather than what you’ll talk about.

Before & After Example:

Before: "Attendees will learn how to create effective digital marketing strategies."

After: "Attendees will walk away with a 5-step framework to design digital marketing campaigns that boost client ROI by 25%."

Before: "Participants will hear about leadership development."

After: "Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to implement leadership techniques that improve team performance by 20% in 6 months."

The Speaker Bio

Pretty much every client I’ve ever worked with struggles most when writing their bio. They dread the process only seconded by the dread of writing copy for their site’s About page. Hopefully this eases your struggle.

Your bio is your opportunity to establish credibility, but it should also connect with the specific program you’re pitching. Tailor your bio to make it clear why you’re the perfect speaker for this topic, in addition to (or rather than) giving a generic overview of your credentials.

Bio Tips:

• Keep it relevant: Tie your experience directly to the session you’re proposing.
• Humanize yourself: Consider adding a line or two about how your personal experience adds value to the subject.
• Include a credibility marker: This could be a statistic, notable client, degrees, certifications, or key result you’ve achieved in the past.

Set the Tone

Your pitch should reflect your brand’s personality and connect with your target audience. If your style is quirky, lean into that. If you’re more pragmatic, let that shine.

A key takeaway here is that your speech title, description, key takeaways, and bio should all work together to create a compelling narrative of what attendees can expect and why you’re the best person to deliver that experience.

Pitching for speaking engagements can play a key role in your presence-forward marketing strategy. By understanding how the event industry works, crafting compelling content, and building relationships, you can significantly increase your chances of landing highly valuable speaking opportunities. Stay proactive and always focus on the value you bring to both the event hosts and their audiences.

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How Elevated i Can Help

If you’ve ever had the sneaking suspicion that your message isn’t pulling its weight, you’re not alone. At Elevated i, we specialize in helping professionals like you maximize your impact at both in-person and online event opportunities. Whether it’s refining your message or crafting a comprehensive strategy, we’re here to support you.

How we can work together:

• Executive Communication Coaching: Collaborate directly Sharí Alexander for high-level consulting and practical coaching. Together you’ll elevate your personal influence and your brand’s impact.
• Thought Leadership Strategy & Execution: Whether fine-tuning a presentation, seeking a holistic event strategy, or or building an online thought leadership presence, Sharí’s team has you covered. From creating presentation slides and follow-up nurture sequences to crafting your thought leadership editorial calendar, we ensure your messaging is both consistent and compelling.
• Workshops & Intensives: Laser-focused sessions tailored for individuals or small teams, covering topics like target market avatar development, editorial calendar creation, lead magnet strategies, pitching for speaking engagements, and signature program creation. Sharí also offers keynotes on influential communication skills.

If you’re ready to spark a conversation about working together, contact us here for a consultation, and let’s unlock new opportunities for your business.

Not quite ready for a phone call? Check out Sharí’s open office hours and sign up for the invitation list.