Maria Franzoni is a former speaker bureau owner and author of The Bookability Formula. She shares a blunt, practical view of what makes a speaker bookable in the UK and European markets, and why “being good” is not the same as “getting hired”. This show is unmissable if you're serious about speaking.

What we cover

1. Why “follow your passion” is often terrible business advice
2. The UK/Europe market reality vs the US speaking market
3. Why relevance to a paying market comes before polishing a keynote
4. What really builds credibility (and what screams “fake”)
5. The networking mistake almost everyone makes
6. Why speakers overrun and how it hurts the event (and other speakers)
7. The real reason top-paid speakers get booked
8. What makes organisers and bureaus reject someone instantly
9. Demo videos: why bad video is worse than no video
10. Whether your full keynote should be public or private
11. Plagiarism in the speaking industry and why it happens
12. Podcast guesting as visibility and as training for concise communication

Key takeaways

1. Relevance is the filter. If the market doesn’t care, your passion won’t save you.
2. Proof beats claims. Testimonials, outcomes and case studies do the heavy lifting.
3. Bookability is business. Relationships, follow-up and sales habits matter more than most speakers want to admit.
4. Assets signal quality. A weak demo video can quietly kill deals before you’re even considered.
5. Great speakers are often not the highest paid. The most bookable speakers usually run the best business.

Guest

Maria Franzoni

1. LinkedIn: Maria Franzoni
2. Website: mariafranzoni.me
3. Book: The Bookability Formula (Great read)

Links and resources mentioned

1. Speaker bureau newsletters and topic forecasts (example: Chartwell)
2. The Dip (Seth Godin), referenced by John in the wider show context
3. Judy Carter (comedy writing advice mentioned), The New Comedy Bible, and see previous guest appearance.

Chapters

00:00 The bookability reality check: talent vs getting hired

01:10 “Follow your passion” is bad advice (and what to do instead)

03:20 UK/Europe vs US markets, and why relevance matters more here

06:05 Credibility: why “I can speak on anything” is a red flag

09:10 Proof and positioning: testimonials, outcomes, and avoiding fake signals

11:10 Relationship-first marketing: why “pitch slapping” backfires

16:20 Professionalism on stage: time overruns, preparation, and rehearsal

29:05 Finding a bookable topic: test before you build

32:40 Networking that works: depth over volume, and why it’s a business

38:30 Bookability signals: style, language, demo videos, and full-talk access

49:10 Plagiarism and protecting your IP

52:10 Podcasting for speakers: visibility plus training (and wrap)

If you enjoyed this

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For speaking enquiries or to connect with me, you can email [email protected] or find me on LinkedIn

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