Getting Paid to Speak: How to Land Stages, Set Your Fee, and Use Speaking to Grow Your Business

What It Covers

Jess Ekstrom explains how women can start getting paid to speak professionally, covering pricing strategies from $3,500 starter fees to $50,000 rates, pitching tactics, and overcoming the gender gap in professional speaking.

Key Questions Answered

• •Starter pricing structure: New speakers should charge $3,500 minimum for their first talks plus travel stipend, then move to $5,000 after building testimonials and footage. Charging below $3,500 signals inexperience and reduces booking likelihood, while rates above $15,000 become rounding errors for corporate clients.
• •Lighthouse versus spotlight mindset: Shift from asking what does everyone think of me to what does everyone need from me before speaking. This transforms nervous energy from self-focused perfection anxiety into audience-focused service, making speakers more relatable and effective without requiring flawless delivery.
• •Lead generation through slides: Place a QR code before concluding talks to offer attendees the presentation slides via email. This generates 80% room conversion rates on average and creates a high-open-rate email list for promoting courses or services hours after speaking without selling directly from stage.
• •Pitch transformation not story: Meeting planners care about audience ROI, not speaker backstories. Lead pitches with professional takeaways and measurable outcomes for attendees, then support with personal stories. Personal narratives work when paired with professional applications like navigating change or advocating for oneself in business contexts.