One of the biggest challenges for any public speaker looking to grow their business is finding the right audience. You may have a powerful message, deep expertise, and a strong passion for public speaking, but if your message isn’t reaching the right people, it won’t translate into speaking engagements or revenue. The key to long-term success is not just getting in front of any audience but finding and targeting the specific individuals, organizations, and industries that truly value what you have to offer. By narrowing your focus, you can get paid to speak, build credibility, and secure ongoing speaking opportunities that align with your expertise. Understanding your ideal audience is what transforms public speaking from an occasional gig into a thriving public speaking business. No matter how powerful your message is, if you’re speaking to the wrong crowd, you won’t get the results you want. If you want to get paid to speak consistently, you need to focus on targeting the ideal clients and organizations that value your expertise. In one of our SpeakerHUB Coworking session, we explored how professional speakers can refine their target audience and maximize their impact.
Many speakers make the mistake of casting too wide a net. As we discussed in the session:
“You can’t just say, ‘I speak at events.’ That’s too broad. Instead, define exactly who your audience is and what kind of speaking engagements align with your expertise.”
By narrowing your focus, you save time and increase your chances of landing speaking opportunities that actually grow your public speaking business.
During the session, we broke down the essential components of an ideal audience for public speakers:
Industry Focus: Are you best suited for corporate events, educational conferences, healthcare summits, or entrepreneurial gatherings?
Event Type: Do you prefer keynote speeches, panel discussions, training workshops, or motivational talks?
Organization Size: Are you targeting large corporations, mid-sized businesses, or associations?
Geographic Reach: Do you focus on local, national, or international events?
Decision Maker: Who books speakers at these events? Is it the event coordinator, HR director, or a program manager?
The more specific you get, the easier it is to find speaking engagements that are a perfect fit for you.
Finding the right audience is only part of the process. You also need to craft a message that resonates with them. The session included this analogy:
“A dad gave his son a car and told him to see how much it was worth at different places. A junkyard offered $500. A dealership offered $3,000. But at an antique car broker, they offered $100,000. The car didn’t change—only the audience did.”
The lesson? Your value depends on who you present your services to. If you’re pitching to organizations that don’t value professional speakers, you’ll struggle to get paid to speak. Instead, focus on those who understand the impact of public speaking and are willing to invest in high-quality speakers.
A common mistake speakers make is offering a generic “I do speaking” service. Instead, categorize your offerings:
Conference Keynotes (Ideal for large industry events)
Association Speaking Engagements (Professional groups looking for expert insights)
Podcast Interviews (A great way to expand your reach and authority)
Corporate Training (Workshops for companies needing professional development)
Just like Apple sells different iPhone models, you should package your services in a way that makes it easy for event organizers to understand what you offer and how it fits their needs.
Once you know your audience and offerings, the next step is to plan how you’ll grow your business through public speaking. We broke it down like this:
Set a revenue goal – How much do you want to earn from speaking in a year? Check out our guide on Goal Setting for Speakers: From Vision to Strategy.
Define revenue sources – Will your income come from keynotes, consulting, online courses, or a mix?
Identify where your audience is – Are they on LinkedIn, attending industry conferences, or following specific associations?
By having a clear strategy, you’ll know exactly where to invest your time and energy to book more speaking engagements.
The biggest takeaway from the session was simple:
“Find the audience that loves what you have to offer, and you’ll get the best results.”
Stop trying to appeal to everyone. Instead, define your niche, tailor your outreach, and focus on speaking opportunities that align with your expertise. This is how professional speakers build successful careers and consistently get paid to speak.
If you want to dive deeper into learning about the public speaking business, join our SpeakerHUB Coworking Sessions, happening Monday to Friday at 12 PM, 3 PM, and 7 PM Eastern (GMT-05). These free sessions provide a collaborative space where speakers exchange ideas, celebrate wins, and get expert guidance on growing their public speaking business. Join us at SpeakerCoworking.com to be part of the conversation.
For a deeper dive into this topic, watch the full SpeakerHUB Coworking Session here.
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