Event organizers go all in to hire the most sought-after keynote speakers for B2B events. They usually have a collection of speaker engagement proposals from which to choose. With innumerable speakers in the market, it becomes crucial to put yourself out there and pursue the best B2B events of the season.

As a professional speaker, you must be well-versed in writing a persuasive proposal. With the help of a professional speaker engagement proposal template, you can prepare a compelling pitch for potential event organizers. While you ace your public speaking skills, here is a definitive guide on preparing a winning speaker engagement proposal for your next B2B event.

What is a Speaker Engagement Proposal?

A proposal is a document that encapsulates your work experience, strengths, and core competencies to persuade a potential client. In this case, professional speakers pitch their entries to concerned organizers to be chosen for the B2B event of their choice.

Elements of a Speaker Engagement Proposal

A typical speaker engagement proposal comprises the following elements:

1. A Basic Introduction

An introduction must describe the speaker’s name, mission statement, and work summary. This section can also include the total number of events the speaker has participated in.

2. Awards and Accolades

Under this section, the speaker can include his achievements, the awards he has won as a competent speaker, and his recognition for his digital or print media work. He can also include famous references, adding to the speaker’s brand value. 

3. Area of Expertise/Interest

Every conference has a different theme and focus area. Conferences center on health and fitness, manufacturing, IT, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and more. Speakers can mention their respective areas of expertise to differentiate themselves and define their knowledge base.

4. Topics Discussed

Speakers can include the topics they have spoken about in past events. They can list them down and give a brief description of their content. This lets the event organizer get a real glimpse of the speaker’s expertise. 

5. Past Events

Here, you can list the most prominent events speakers have attended and participated in as keynote speakers and how their contribution added to the event’s overall experience. Speakers can add video previews of their work and mention if they were the keynote speaker, guest speaker, or plenary speaker. To understand the difference between types of speakers, read our blog on Plenary Speaker vs Keynote Speaker. 

Why Do We Need a Speaker Engagement Proposal?

Today, many professional conference speakers are available, and event organizers can choose whomever they like, depending on their requirements. As public speakers, being relevant and staying in the game are essential. To do this, public speakers must pitch themselves for the season’s top events.

A well-written proposal serves as a datasheet of the speaker’s offering, past experiences, and expectations from the event. Event organizers want to ensure that speakers bring value with powerful content. They want attendees to be thoroughly engaged at the event; getting a motivating speaker can help. As professional speakers, the proposal should convince organizers of the potential value offering.

Tips for a Good Speaker Engagement Proposal

Nailing a speaker proposal can seem daunting at first. However, once speakers identify the key areas to focus on, then they can have 2-3 versions of a standard proposal that they can use for different types of events. You can use the same speaker engagement proposal template for all the versions. Here are a few tips to remember while charting a speaker proposal.

1. Understand the Audience and Theme

Begin by thoroughly researching the conference’s target audience and the overarching theme. Tailor your proposal to align closely with these factors to demonstrate relevance and value.

2. Make an Impact on the First Page

Event organizers receive many proposals, and to stand out among them, it is important to sound interesting in the first few pages of the proposal. This can be done by having a good picture of the speaker on the first page with a crisp bio about them below the image. The template given with the article has a similar design.

3. Clear and Engaging Title

Your proposal’s title should be concise yet descriptive. It should immediately convey what attendees can expect to learn or gain from your session.

4. Define Learning Objectives

Clearly outline what attendees will learn or take away from your session. Focus on the practical benefits and skills they will acquire. Specific, measurable objectives help conference organizers gauge the session’s potential impact.

5. Detailed Session Description

Provide a detailed overview of your session. Clearly state the problem or topic you will address, followed by a summary of how you may plan to address it. Include critical points you will cover and any unique perspectives or methodologies you will introduce.

6. Highlight Relevance and Timeliness

Emphasize why your topic is relevant and timely. Reference current trends, emerging technologies, or recent research that supports the importance of your session. Make a compelling case for why attendees should choose your session over others.

7. Demonstrate Expertise

Showcase your expertise and qualifications related to the topic. Highlight relevant experience, past speaking engagements, publications, or projects that establish you as a credible authority.

8. Keep your Contract and Proposal Separate

A contract is the speaker’s last step to getting hired for an event. The proposal should include all information about the speaker, including pricing, past events, and the value they bring to the table.

9. Focus on the Presentation

Make it a point to choose an attractive template for the proposal. There are many downloadable templates online. You can also check out the sample below and use it to prepare a compelling speaker engagement proposal.

A Speaker Proposal Template

<Speaker Image>

Armed with five years of speaking experience, I specialize in Leadership and Crisis Management topics. I have done extensive research in corporate leadership and assisted numerous companies in achieving their management goals. As a speaker, I’m known to hook the audience and give them pertinent information in a fun and engaging manner.

Barry White by the Numbers

• Over 3000 speaker presentations across the globe
• New York Times Bestselling author
• Over ten years of experience in the field of management consulting
• Five years of experience as a professional event speaker
• Trained over 100 aspiring speakers to pursue their public speaking careers.

<Motivational quote of your choice on the footer>

Awards

• Ranked among Top 10 Leadership Speakers by Forbes
• The best Keynote Speaker of the Year by XYZ organization.
• Thought leader of the year by ABC organization

My Most Requested Topics

• Getting Past Stress

The topic centered around crisis management, primarily focusing on the 80/20 rule, emotional management, and people management.

• Embracing Change sans RESISTANCE

Most people struggle to accept change in life; much misery and suffering result from the same situation. However, anyone can sail through this hurdle with the right mindset for a seamless transition.

Formats Available

• Keynotes
• Workshops
• Webinars

The perks of working with me

• Easy to communicate with and secure a date
• I ensure the audience is fully engaged and responsive
• I conduct a thorough research on your audience to be able to deliver suitable content
• Every presentation I provide is filled with humor, practical lessons, new skill sets, and eye-opening information for your audience.

Video Previews

<Share links of your past presentations>

Past Clients

<Mention all your past clients and events where you participated as a speaker>

Below is Another Speaker Engagement Proposal Template

Key Takeaway

The above speaker engagement proposal template incorporates necessary information about the speaker in an inclusive format. It can be customized based on the type of event one is pitching for and the demands of the event organizer.

As long as the speaker makes a strong impression on the first page of the proposal, there is a high chance that they will convert their pitch into a client meeting, which can further lead to a potential opportunity.

With the tips mentioned above, even an amateur professional speaker can get their way in creating a winning speaker proposal. They can also be listed in the Gazebo – A B2B Speaker’s Directory on Eventible, where event planners meet talented professional speakers.