How does one get gigs on the "lecture circuit"?

I’ve been paid honoraria for being on panel discussions or giving workshops on various topics in my field of expertise. I’m usually chosen for being the spokesperson for an organization involved in the field, and therefore being in the media spotlight. When someone is looking for a speaker, they’re probably going to start with a Google search, and if the corporate media comes to you when they need sound bites on a given topic, you’re going to be high up in the search results.

As for the “lecture circuit,” generally it requires that you be a monstrous egomaniac who believes everyone on Earth wants to hear you speak — and is prepared to pay for the privilege of doing so. And you need to find a group of people stupid and closeminded enough that they’ll pay you cash money to stand at a podium and confirm every idiotic, uninformed opinion they’ve ever had.

Great question. I wonder this myself. It seems like a catch 22 – the more people you know the more opportunity comes your way, but you get to know people by getting your name out through these very same opportunities. But where do you start?! I think you have to figure out a way to brand yourself so that when the media wants to write/do a story on topic X, the first person they think of for an interview is you.

Sign up.

Attend conferences. Publish in your field. Get to know people and develop a professional reputation. If you have some specific expertise in a particular field, let academics who teach in that field of study know you are available. I have overseas academics contact me to tell me they will be in the country and inquire whether there were opportunities for a speaking gig. It really is about getting your name out there though in your field.

Thanks for your responses. I guess I better focus on writing the book first.

I think first of all one must find out a way to determine who their target group is they want to lecture to’ and by doing this a persons life should be reflected on to determine fortes and strengths in problem solving or their ability to deliver realism to real life situations conveyed in the body of their speech.whether the lecture be problem solving, informational, or a reason to act, the deliverer wshould be set on trying to keep the attention of the audience so that the goal of the lectuerer has a good chance of being met. The main objective is to keep the audience awake and interested in the subject you are lecturing about. Their are many things that should be considered such as the age, race, gender, economical status, etc