Worst Public Speaking Advice Ever (And What to Do Instead)

The episode reviews the worst public speaking advice that Jenn has heard and offers alternatives: don’t wait to perfect a fully written, filmed speech before seeking gigs because events book 6–8 months out and perfectionism can stall opportunities; avoid opening with a joke or forced audience-energy questions like “How are you today?”; reject the idea that anyone is simply a “natural,” since strong speakers practice and can appear natural through preparation; “speak from the heart” shouldn’t mean being unprepared, overly dramatic, or oversharing private details; two unusual tips are discussed—eating salty potato chips to calm nerves (shared as an industry myth and used with caution) and squeezing butt cheeks as a grounding/tension-release idea; and instead of only listening to your videos for feedback, review visuals without audio, then audio without visuals to improve both.

Thanks to Eva Rose Daniel for inspiring tip #6.

Resources mentioned: Episode 4 on Speechcraft https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593278/episodes/18781840

00:00 Worst Advice Intro

00:23 Perfection Before Gigs

01:38 Skip Jokes Opener

03:19 Nobody Is Natural

04:51 Speak From Heart Myth

06:40 Potato Chips Nerves

07:56 Squeeze Butt Cheeks

09:16 Better Video Feedback

10:35 Wrap Up And Next

Have a question or suggestion for a future episode topic? Email me jenn@jennspingo.com.

Ready to deliver mic drop moments in your next presentation? Schedule a call to learn more about coaching www.calendly.com/jennchat

Looking to book a speaker for your corporate or association event on topics including leadership and communication? View my programs at www.jennspingo.com

How to Answer “What’s Your Speaking Fee?” and Get Paid What You’re Worth

The episode explains how speakers can confidently answer “What’s your speaking fee?” and avoid blurting out an unaligned number by using three approaches: replacement cost, honorarium/starter fee, and the “budge or barter” method to avoid.

For replacement cost, speakers (especially coaches/consultants) can base fees on their hourly rate plus preparation, pre-event calls, and post-event follow-up, emphasizing they’re paid for delivering a problem-solving program, not just a 60-minute talk.

For honorariums, speakers can ask early if there’s a budget, then negotiate other compensation like travel, books, video footage, attendee lists, sponsorship/table space, promotion, or discounted tickets, and invoice the full fee with discounts.

The script shares typical fee ranges (emerging $0–$3,000; experienced/industry $3,000–$7,000; professional/celebrity $7,000–$100,000), suggests stating ranges, discusses whether to list fees on a website, and underscores saying no when it isn’t worth it.

00:00 The Speaking Fee Question

00:56 Avoiding the Bread Game

01:48 Replacement Cost Method

03:52 Prep Time and Add Ons

07:00 Lead with Value

07:37 Honorarium and Low Budget Gigs

09:09 Negotiating Non Cash Perks

11:06 Sponsorship and Tabling Example

14:02 Budge or Barter Pitfalls

15:25 Typical Fee Ranges

17:34 Using Ranges and Calculators

19:21 Posting Fees and Wrap Up

20:34 Final Thanks and Call to Action

Have a question or suggestion for a future episode topic? Email me jenn@jennspingo.com.

Ready to deliver mic drop moments in your next presentation? Schedule a call to learn more about coaching www.calendly.com/jennchat

Looking to book a speaker for your corporate or association event on topics including leadership and communication? View my programs at www.jennspingo.com

How to Know You’re Speaker Bureau Ready: Fees, Materials, Reputation, and Consistency

The episode explains why speakers shouldn’t approach a speakers bureau until they’re “bureau ready,” noting bureaus typically want speakers already booking plenty of work and consistently earning about $7,500–$12,500 per talk, and that some speakers sign with bureaus yet book nothing.

Jenn outlines key readiness factors: professional speaker materials (a speaker kit/portfolio with a clear signature talk, audience takeaways, bios, professional headshots, testimonials, and both editable drafts and polished PDFs so bureaus can add logos), reputation (responsiveness, warm referrals, industry relationships, and a strong online presence), and consistency (fee integrity, consistent branding, visible event activity, and audience fit).

She also discusses tradeoffs of bureaus—25% commission, expectation to say yes, and benefits like negotiation, logistics, and access to ongoing event-planner relationships.

00:00 Bureau Ready Warning

00:22 Why Bureaus Say No

02:49 Who Bureaus Want

03:21 Build Your Speaker Kit

04:50 Professional Assets Checklist

05:28 Public And Private Versions

07:24 Reputation Matters Most

10:19 Boost Your Visibility

11:56 Consistency And Fee Integrity

13:54 Lifestyle Fit Reality Check

15:22 What Bureaus Actually Do

18:10 Wrap Up And Next Steps

Have a question or suggestion for a future episode topic? Email me jenn@jennspingo.com.

Ready to deliver mic drop moments in your next presentation? Schedule a call to learn more about coaching www.calendly.com/jennchat

Looking to book a speaker for your corporate or association event on topics including leadership and communication? View my programs at www.jennspingo.com