A friend recently reached out to me and asked if she should pay to speak at a certain event. When I realized I had been invited to speak at that same event the night before — without being required to pay — I found out that paying to speak was now a thing. And I needed to talk about it on the podcast.

This episode is not meant to bash the whole pay to speak method or make you feel bad if you’ve tried it. I want to bring light to things that are happening in the speaking industry so that you have the information you need to make your own decisions.

With that being said…let’s dive in.

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What “pay to play” speaking means

There are two major reasons why you might pay to speak.

First, you might “pay to play” so that you get in front of decision makers (hosts or organizers) with the hope that they’ll book you for future engagements. Future engagements that pay you, to be specific.

And second, you might pay to play so that you get in front of your ideal audience. After they hear you speak, your hope is that they’ll turn into paying clients. Both of these reasons align with specific goals for your business, which are achieved through speaking.

Let’s talk about what pay to play speaking might look like to you.

Paying an admission fee to a potential engagement

Sometimes, event organizers require potential speakers to purchase a ticket to their event in order to apply.

What I don’t like about this is that it discourages great speakers from applying if they think they won’t generate enough revenue from this engagement. The event could have their target audience, it could be aligned with their speaker topic, but if that barrier to entry eats into their revenue, it’ll drive them away. And that’s a shame.

This method also means that the more speakers apply, the more speakers will show up in the audience. Meaning that approved speakers who get on stage are delivering their talk to their peers (other speakers), rather than their ideal audience. Instead of generating sales or finding leads, they’re preaching to the choir.

Paying to submit a speaker application

Another method of paying to speak is literally requiring speakers to pay to apply. Like, having a shopping cart attached to their speaker application.

I get why people do this. Sifting through speaker applications takes time. Hosting an event costs money. Requiring payment helps offset costs, and it weeds out potential speakers who may not be committed to doing the event.

If an event organizer asks for payment because it’s part of speakers “paying their dues,” then that’s a red flag. It’s not a practical reason, like offsetting costs. This feels more like a power play, and it’s icky. Money doesn’t equal a high-quality talk or a better stage presence.

Just because someone is willing and able to pay for their application doesn’t mean they’re a better speaker, or easier to work with, or will bring more value to the event. All it means is that they were okay with handing over their money. An event will be more successful when speakers are chosen for what they bring to the table, not how much they’re able to pay.

Reasons you might want to pay to play (or might not)

With all that being said…is it ever okay to pay to speak? Yes, there are some reasons that pay to play speaking makes sense for your speaker journey!

You may want to pay to play if:

You have a proven sales process and can forecast potential conversion rates, leads, or sales.
You have a marketing budget and are willing to experiment with other marketing activities to see if they work.
Lead generation, not paid speaking or direct revenue, is your biggest priority.

In these cases, speaking isn’t your top moneymaker. Or, it’s already a sustainable part of your business workflow, and you have it down to a science. Reaching your target audience and finding high-quality leads who convert is your goal.

On the other hand, you may not want to pay to play if:

You’re testing something new in your talk, like a conversion strategy, a sales process, or sales funnel.
Your audience isn’t a perfect fit for you.
It feels wrong at any time.

In these cases, you’re still working out the kinks in your presentation or with your ideal audience. Don’t pay to test your new strategies or hone your talk when you can test all of that for free. And of course, if you don’t feel good about paying to speak, don’t do it. Trust your gut.

Pay to speak if it makes sense for you, but don’t forget your worth

Speaking isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some speak to build credibility and position themselves as authority figures in their spaces. Others speak to make money. Still others speak to generate leads and sales. These are all valid reasons to pay or not pay to speak!

If paying to speak makes sense for your unique speaking journey, then go for it. If it doesn’t, then don’t do it. I can’t say “yes” or “no” to this overall question without any context or explanation. That would be rude and inaccurate! There’s so much nuance. It’s a complex issue that deserves a detailed answer.

I hope that in the future, event hosts dedicate time to seek out great speakers, instead of letting pay-to-play applications do all the work. It helps to connect with and build relationships with speakers in the industry. Choose speakers for their heart and talent, not their money.

And speakers, whether you pay to speak or not, I want you to remember the most important thing of all: focus on your value. Think about what you bring to the stage and what you leave your audience with. Think about how you serve others through speaking, but also scale your business.