Many entrepreneurs want to become speakers, but few understand how speaking opportunities actually happen.

In this episode of Social Media Decoded, Michelle Thames breaks down the real ways entrepreneurs land stages, panels, and speaking engagements. While many people believe you need a speaker bureau or a massive following, Michelle explains why most speaking opportunities actually come from visibility, relationships, and people seeing your expertise in action.

Through the Visibility Breakdown, Michelle explains how speakers get booked through content, networking, and referrals. She also shares real examples from her own journey, including how sharing ideas on Threads led to an opportunity to speak for Power Table and how posting on LinkedIn recently led to an invitation to speak at her alma mater, Northern Illinois University.

If you’re an entrepreneur who wants to start speaking or expand your authority, this episode will show you how visibility and relationships open doors to the right stages.

• How entrepreneurs actually get speaking opportunities
• Why visibility on social media can lead to speaking invitations
• The role relationships and networking play in landing stages
• Why referrals often lead to more speaking engagements
• How to position yourself as someone event organizers want to invite

Michelle explains the three primary ways speakers get booked:

Visibility through content — sharing ideas and expertise online

Relationships and rooms — conversations and connections at events and communities

Referrals — people recommending you after hearing your perspective or seeing you speak

When people consistently see your expertise and perspective, they begin associating you with certain topics and inviting you into opportunities.

Michelle shares two real examples of speaking opportunities that came from visibility and relationships.

An invitation to speak with Power Table came after someone discovered her ideas on Threads. More recently, sharing her perspective on LinkedIn led to an opportunity to speak at her alma mater, Northern Illinois University.

These examples show how opportunities often come from a mix of online visibility and real-world relationships.

You don’t need a speaker bureau to get on stages.

Many speaking opportunities come from people discovering your ideas, experiencing your expertise, and recommending you for opportunities.

When your visibility increases, your chances of being invited into rooms and on stages increase as well.

Where do you think speaking opportunities come from the most?

• Social media visibility
• Networking and relationships
• Referrals
• Speaking at smaller events first

Answer directly in Spotify and share your experience.

If you enjoy the podcast, consider leaving a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also support the show through the Buy Me a Coffee, which helps keep the podcast running and allows Michelle to continue sharing insights about visibility and opportunity.

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