Many aspiring speakers believe that if they create a great website, post valuable content, or deliver one impressive talk, event organizers will start reaching out with invitations. But the truth is, waiting to be contacted is the biggest mistake holding you back from more speaking opportunities.

Event planners are constantly looking for fresh voices, but they don’t have time to search for speakers who aren’t actively putting themselves in front of them. If you’re not pitching yourself, you’re leaving your career up to chance. Meanwhile, speakers who take a proactive approach—reaching out, submitting proposals, and networking—are the ones consistently landing gigs.

If you’re serious about speaking, you can’t afford to wait and hope for opportunities. You need to create them. In this article, we’ll break down why pitching is the key to a thriving speaking career and how you can start today.

The Problem with Waiting to Be Contacted

Many speakers, especially those new to the industry, assume that if they’re good enough, people will come to them. They believe:

• “I have a website, so event organizers will find me.”
• “I’ve spoken at one conference, so word-of-mouth will get me more gigs.”
• “I post great content online, so I’ll get invitations naturally.”

While having an online presence is important, it’s not enough to guarantee bookings. Here’s why waiting is a risky strategy:

1. You’re at the mercy of event organizers

If you rely on inbound inquiries, you're depending on event planners to magically find you. But event organizers are busy, and they often book speakers they already know or who proactively reach out to them.

2. You’re missing out on countless opportunities

Thousands of speaking engagements happen every year, from industry conferences to corporate training sessions. Most aren’t actively searching for new speakers—they select speakers from a pool of proactive applicants. If you’re waiting, you’re invisible to them.

3. You have little control over your income

When you wait to be contacted, you have no control over how many gigs you book. You might get a couple of inquiries a year, but that’s not enough to build a sustainable speaking business.

4. The best opportunities go to proactive speakers

The most successful speakers don’t wait around. They pitch themselves constantly. That’s why they’re on big stages, on high-traffic podcasts, and securing paid gigs.

Bottom Line: If you’re waiting, you’re gambling with your career. You might get lucky, but more often than not, you’ll be overlooked.

The Power of Pitching: Taking Control of Your Speaking Career

Now, let’s talk about pitching—the proven way to secure more speaking opportunities. Instead of waiting, you’re actively reaching out to event organizers, podcast hosts, and decision-makers to get booked.

1. You control your pipeline

When you pitch, you decide how many opportunities you pursue. Want five speaking gigs next quarter? Pitch 50 conferences. Want to land podcast interviews? Send 30 pitches this month.

2. Event organizers notice you

Many event planners aren’t actively searching for speakers. But when you proactively introduce yourself, you’re now on their radar. Even if they don’t book you immediately, they might save your info for a future event.

3. You can land bigger, better gigs

Speakers who pitch don’t just wait for scraps—they land keynote spots, high-paying gigs, and industry-leading conferences. If you want top-tier opportunities, you have to go after them.

4. You build valuable relationships

Pitching isn’t just about booking gigs—it’s about building relationships. The more you connect with event organizers, the more likely they are to think of you for future events. Networking through pitching leads to referrals.

5. You earn more money

More pitches = more bookings. More bookings = more revenue. Simple math.

Bottom Line: Pitching puts you in control. Instead of hoping for opportunities, you create them.

Final Verdict: Pitching Wins

Waiting to be contacted is passive. You have little control, and you’re at the mercy of event organizers finding you.
Pitching is proactive. You control your outreach, build relationships, and secure more gigs.

If you’re serious about growing your speaking career, stop waiting and start pitching. The more you put yourself out there, the more opportunities will come your way.

Your Next Steps:

• Identify 10 events or podcasts to pitch this month.
• Craft a compelling speaker pitch.
• Follow up and stay consistent.

The speakers who win aren’t the ones who wait—they’re the ones who go after what they want. Start pitching today, and take your speaking career to the next level.

Ready to Start Pitching? 

If you're ready to take action but need a streamlined way to find events and send pitches, SpeakerHub can help. SpeakerHub connects speakers with event organizers and gives you access to a database of speaking opportunities across industries.

✅ Find and apply for speaking gigs with ease
✅ Get discovered by event organizers actively looking for speakers
✅ Manage your speaker profile and grow your presence

Stop waiting and start pitching the right way. Sign up for SpeakerHub today and start landing more speaking opportunities.