What Event Planners Actually Look for When Booking Speakers
- Jun 6, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 14
Insider insights that help you stand out and get booked
If you’ve ever wondered why someone else got booked for a stage you wanted—or felt like you were “qualified” but still overlooked—this guide will show you exactly what might be missing.
I’m Leslie Jespersen, event producer, talent director, and founder of Center Stage Speaker School. I’ve worked on both sides of the industry—as a keynote speaker myself, and as the person choosing, training, and managing speakers for everything from branded retreats to corporate conferences.
And let me tell you: event planners are not always choosing the most experienced or most followed. They’re choosing the most prepared.
In this guide, you’ll get the truth about what event hosts are really looking for—and how to make sure your name rises to the top of their list.
Table of Contents
Why Great Speakers Still Get Overlooked
Here’s the frustrating truth: being great at what you do isn’t enough to get booked.
In fact, many talented coaches, therapists, and educators don’t get picked for stages because they’ve never been taught how to position themselves as speakers—not just service providers.
Meanwhile, others with less experience land the spot because:
They submitted clear assets
They looked easy to work with
They had a talk title that fit the event perfectly
They followed the instructions
And most importantly: they positioned themselves as stage-ready
You could be an incredible expert, but if your pitch doesn’t communicate that you’ll elevate the room and the event—it gets skipped.
What Event Planners Actually Care About
Here’s what they’re really looking for when they’re sorting through speaker submissions, referrals, or direct pitches:
1. Relevance to the Audience and Theme
Your talk needs to make sense in context.Generic messages like “empowerment” or “my story of resilience” are too vague. You need to connect your talk directly to their audience’s current needs or pain points.
2. Clarity and Simplicity
They want to know, at a glance:
What your talk is called
What it’s about
Who it’s for
What the audience will walk away with
You don’t need to be clever—you need to be clear.
3. A Professional Presentation
That includes:
A speaker bio
Talk title and description
Headshot
Short reel or sample clip
Optional: links to interviews, panels, or IG Lives that show how you speak
They’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for polish.
4. Ease of Communication
Event planners are juggling dozens of details. If you're slow to respond, unclear, or give them “diva energy,” you're out. Period.
Responsiveness, kindness, and follow-through will often beat out someone with more experience.
How to Position Yourself as the Obvious Choice
You don’t need to “wait your turn” or hope someone refers you. You need to position yourself properly. Here’s how:
Create a strong, focused Signature Talk that matches real audience pain points
Build a one-sheet or speaker page that makes it easy to see your experience
Use language in your pitches that reflects their mission or values
Share past speaking clips, even if they’re from smaller stages
Show you're reliable, prepared, and aligned—not just impressive
You want the event host to see your materials and think:“This woman will make my job easier and my event better.”
Make It Easy to Say Yes
The number one thing you can do to get booked? Be ready.
Don’t pitch until your assets are complete, your message is clear, and your talk is ready to go. But even if the event doesn’t pay upfront, you can still walk away with leads, clients, and revenue—if you know how to monetize your moment.
This free guide shows you how to turn any stage—paid or unpaid—into real results for your brand and business.
The best speakers don’t wait to get chosen. They prepare to get picked.
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