More Stages.
More Time.
More Knowledge.
More Business.
We hear regularly from people who want help with launching or building their professional career. In response, we created this program for speakers, entertainers, consultants, authors, coaches, sales/business development professionals, and executives in transition who want to be Preferred Speakers.
Get More in our interactive virtual four-week program
This training series is for you if you’re:
🎤 Serious about creating or building a lasting, lucrative speaking business
🎤 Craving the inside scoop from a speaking industry pioneer
🎤 Committed to growth and improvement of your programs, marketing, delivery, and operations
🎤 Seeking relationships + results
🎤 Ready to focus on the defined path to greater success
Be More after our interactive virtual four-week program
This training series is for you if you want to:
🎤 Establish your brand
🎤 Determine and claim your unique competitive advantage
🎤 Leverage your marketing and sales efforts to book at higher fees
🎤 Maximize your impact
🎤 Improve your visibility
🎤 Crush it on stage
Interested in Just a Chat?
Please click here for our speaker contact form.
From finding relevant events and audiences that suit your topics & talents to offering consulting services that help build your professional speaking career, Preferred Speakers will support you every step of the way on your professional speaking journey.
We are unable to respond to new speaker voicemails, and will reach out to you as soon as possible after receiving your contact form. Our primary focus is on matching planners with speakers and helping speakers to Get More and Be More with Preferred Speakers Institute.
Your Investment: Time & Money
Industry standards suggest that 5% of time be dedicated toward professional development and training, and 1% to 5% of annual salary.
Preferred Speakers Institute is well below both of those benchmarks, and the ideal component of your investment in yourself:
6 hours & $500
2025 Session Dates & Times
5:00PM-6:30PM CENTRAL TIME
Monday, February 3
Monday, February 10
Monday, February 17
Monday, February 24
Meet Your Facilitators
Two seasoned speaker professionals; one from the hiring side and one from the speaking side.
Sheila Harris
Owner, Preferred Speakers
Professional memberships include:
IASB, MPI, TeamWomen
Preferred Speakers is one of the oldest speakers bureaus in the country (established in 1938; purchased by the Burke family in 1981, supplementing their successful independent meeting planning company; Sheila at the helm since 1986 keeping current with the latest in technology, meeting planning, and professional speakers). The team has partnered with thousands of meeting planners/event organizers, professional speakers, and celebrity entertainers to bring the right talent to the right audience. Sheila and her family-owned company have earned repeat business from corporations, trade associations, nonprofits, and academia because of their quick study of business, vast knowledge of talent, and personalized customer service.
Theresa Rose
Certified Speaking Professional
2X TEDx Speaker
Award-winning Author
Brand and Business Crystallizer
Theresa has delivered more than 500 paid presentations as a professional speaker, from virtual training courses to association conferences to corporate strategic planning sessions to big-stage keynotes. In her role as a Brand and Business Crystallizer, Theresa works with experts to clarify, amplify, and monetize their Brilliance, leading to business growth by becoming a better speaker/entertainer on stage and a better businessperson off stage. Theresa is “part nerd, part cheerleader,” which — for you — means she’s a great director and organizer, devoting the last 16+ years to the speaking industry. For more information on Theresa’s work and to watch her TEDx Talks, visit TheresaRose.com.
What You’ll Experience
You’ll join live via a virtual meeting platform for 60 minutes of training + 30 minutes of group interactivity and Q&A. Sessions are recorded in case you can’t attend or you want to revisit content.
Each session builds upon the last and gives you the essentials for supercharging your speaking business.
Session 1
The Business Basics & Your Speaking Vision
- Recognize partnerships that map to the vision of your speaking business
- Create access to industry partners (agents, bureaus, buyers, production teams, associations, and referring colleagues)
- Discover the essentials of your impact on the client experience
- Explore the various income avenues
Session 2
Your Content & Expertise
Whether your expertise lies in speeches, entertainment, books, or training curriculums, you’ll:
- Clarify your unique brilliance in a simple, elegant way to easily market, sell, and deliver your programs anytime, anywhere
- Develop a content marketing strategy to amplify your brilliance
- Create a walk/run/soar value ladder that will effectively monetize your brilliance
Session 3
Marketing Essentials
- Gain clarity about what to include in your one-sheet
- Review/track websites and industry directories of top performing, frequently-booked, high-fee speakers
- Discover which features optimize your demo video and how to implement them
Session 4
Sales, Contracts, and Commissions
- Tap into what planners really want and learn how to maximize the booking sales cycle
- Learn the important components of an effective contract to avoid compromising the engagement or your reputation
- Review industry standards for commissions, management fees, and sponsorships
At the end of the four weeks, you’ll be prepared to create more impact in the market and
generate more revenue from the stage!