Learn how to make yourself a bookable speaker—and land more gigs!

Join Li Hayes as she interviews international speakers bureau veteran Maria Franzoni, who shares the essential strategies and mindset for emerging speakers ready to take their speaking careers to new heights. In this practical and encouraging episode, you’ll discover the secrets behind “The Bookability Formula,” including how to pick the right topic, why being easy to work with matters, and what it takes to be memorable and relevant in today’s speaking landscape.

You’ll hear real-world advice on building your online presence, networking with event planners, and handling the business side of speaking with professionalism. Maria Franzoni emphasizes the importance of humility, quick responsiveness, and tailoring your message to solve genuine problems for your audience. Plus, learn how passion can fuel your success—but only if it aligns with a paying market! Packed with inspiring stories and actionable wisdom, this episode is perfect for anyone charting their path to more (and bigger) stages.

Key Highlights:

• The harsh truth about barriers to entry and why many speakers go hungry (08:26)
• The four essential traits of highly bookable speakers (18:09)
• The critical importance of speedy responses and building trust with event professionals (22:32)
• What planners are REALLY looking for (and what can destroy your reputation) (15:25)
• Video best practices and social media do’s and don’ts (27:05)
• Why humility matters more than ever (33:14)
• Maria’s biggest piece of advice for new speakers (38:49)

Timestamped Overview:

• 00:00: Introduction & Maria’s background
• 01:42: How to get started in speaking
• 04:23: Finding relevant and hot topics
• 06:14: Passion vs. commercial value
• 07:26: Who should be a speaker?
• 09:14: Agent/bureau/manager myths
• 12:07: Assets every speaker needs
• 14:26: Why event planners are risk-averse
• 18:09: Four traits of bookable speakers
• 22:32: “Easy to work with” pitfalls
• 27:05: Video requirements and examples
• 31:07: Current client trends
• 33:14: The role of humility
• 38:49: Maria’s advice for new speakers
• 40:06: Outro and next steps

This episode is a must-listen for anyone serious about their speaking journey. Tune in and take notes!