Speaking — whether on a conference stage, a podcast guest slot, or a LinkedIn Live — is one of the most underused marketing channels for course creators. Here's the complete system for turning every speaking opportunity into course enrollments.
Why Speaking Works for Course Creators
Speaking builds authority faster than any other marketing channel. When you teach from a stage — physical or virtual — three things happen simultaneously:
- Credibility transfer — The host or event organizer has implicitly endorsed you by giving you their platform
- Teaching demonstration — The audience experiences your teaching style directly, which is the #1 factor in course purchase decisions
- Network expansion — Even attendees who don't buy will refer others who are a better fit
The ROI compounds over time. Every speaking engagement adds to your reputation, grows your email list, and creates content you can repurpose.
Finding Speaking Opportunities
In-Person Venues
Start local and expand outward. Many organizations need speakers regularly and struggle to fill their calendar:
- Professional associations and industry meetups
- Chamber of Commerce events
- Libraries and community centers
- Coworking spaces and incubators
- University continuing education programs
- Industry conferences (start with smaller regional ones)
Virtual Venues (Often Higher Reach)
Virtual speaking opportunities often reach larger audiences with lower effort:
- Podcasts — The fastest-growing venue. Most podcast hosts actively seek guests. Use platforms like PodMatch or simply pitch hosts whose audiences overlap with yours.
- Virtual summits — Multi-speaker online events where you pre-record a presentation. They typically promote heavily and share attendee email lists with speakers.
- LinkedIn Live or YouTube collaborations — Partner with complementary creators for joint sessions.
- Webinars for others' audiences — Offer to teach a free session for another creator's community in exchange for promotion to their email list.
The Speaking Presentation Formula
Whether you have 20 minutes or 60, use this structure to maximize impact and conversions:
Opening: Lead with the Problem (10% of time)
Don't start with your bio. Start with the audience's pain point. Describe the problem you solve in specific, relatable terms. When people nod along thinking "that's me," you've earned their attention.
Content: Teach One Actionable Framework (65% of time)
Deliver genuine value through one complete, actionable framework. Use 3–5 key points with stories and examples for each. The audience should be able to take notes and apply what you taught immediately.
This is the core of what makes speaking work for course creators — you're not just talking about your expertise, you're demonstrating it live. The quality of your free teaching directly predicts how many people will want your paid course.
The Generous Offer (15% of time)
Before any mention of your course, offer a free resource: a PDF worksheet, a checklist, a mini-course, or an assessment. To get it, attendees enter their email at a simple landing page.
This is your bridge from speaking to email list. Everyone who downloads your resource has given you permission to continue the conversation. That's the most valuable asset from any speaking engagement.
The Course Mention (5% of time)
Briefly mention that you teach this topic in depth through your course. One sentence is enough: "If you want the complete system, I have a course called [name] that walks you through the full process. There's a link on the resource page I just shared."
Don't do a hard sell from the stage. It undermines the goodwill you just built. Let the free resource and your follow-up emails do the selling.
Close: End with Inspiration (5% of time)
Tie your key points together, show what's possible when they take action, and end on a high note. Leave the audience feeling capable, not overwhelmed.
The Post-Speaking Follow-Up System
The speaking engagement is just the beginning. Your follow-up sequence converts attendees into students:
- Day 0: Deliver the promised free resource via automated email
- Day 2: Follow up with a bonus tip related to your talk + a question to prompt replies
- Day 5: Share a case study or testimonial from a student who applied what you taught
- Day 7: Invite them to your next free event (webinar, workshop) or directly to your course
This sequence works whether your talk was to 15 people at a local meetup or 1,500 at a virtual summit. The numbers scale; the process stays the same.
Conversion Benchmarks
What to expect from speaking as a marketing channel:
- Audience to email signup: 15–30% at in-person events (with clear CTA), 5–15% at virtual events
- Email signup to course purchase: 3–8% over the next 30 days (higher for warm, targeted audiences)
- Repeat bookings: Good speakers get re-invited and referred to other organizers, creating a flywheel
For a typical in-person event of 50 attendees: expect 10–15 email signups and 1–2 course sales. Modest — but that's from a single event. Do one per month and you're adding 12–24 students per year from speaking alone, plus building a growing email list.
Getting Started This Week
- Identify 5 venues whose audience matches your ideal student
- Craft a talk title that promises a specific outcome: "How to [achieve result] in [timeframe]"
- Create your free resource — a 1-page PDF checklist or worksheet related to your talk
- Set up a simple landing page with email capture for the resource
- Pitch 3 organizers this week with a brief email: your name, talk title, why their audience would benefit, and a link to any previous speaking clips
Combine speaking with an email launch sequence and you have a powerful end-to-end system for filling your course. For tips on delivering your best presentation, read about the patterns of successful course creators.