When you’re first stepping onto the professional speaking stage, one of the most common and confusing questions is:
How the heck do I price myself?!
Here’s what I tell people: when you’re starting out, your primary goal isn’t to make money yet.
It’s to build momentum.
You need stage time.
You need testimonials, referrals, and video footage.
You need to grow your email list and strengthen your credibility.
That’s what sets the foundation for a profitable speaking career later.
Let me take you backstage and show you exactly how I would set my speaking fees if I were just starting out today.
How to Set Your Speaking Fees When You’re Starting Out
Even though you might be doing some free or discounted gigs early on, it’s important to position yourself like a professional.
If you’re speaking to business professionals, corporate audiences, or associations, I recommend setting your fee around $5,000 to start (no lower than $3,500).
That doesn’t mean you’ll always get that amount in the beginning.
You’ll often discount or waive your fee to get in front of the right rooms.
But you’ll still communicate your value at a professional rate.
(If you’ve gone through Brand Builders Group’s training on Brand DNA, Captivating Content, or World-Class Presentation Craft, you know exactly what I mean by “communicate your value.”
If this concept feels annoyingly amorphous, this will help.)
Adjusting Prices for Audience Type
Different markets have different budgets.
If you’re speaking at nonprofits, churches, or schools, you’ll likely charge less.
We’re talking around $2,500–$3,500 for colleges and $1,500 for high schools.
The upside of speaking to these types of audiences is that you don’t usually need to fly for those, which means you can book multiple schools in a day.
That’s actually how I started.
I would hit one or two schools a day to build my experience, footage, and credibility fast.
The Art of Price Anchoring
Most people don’t do this, but it’s a powerful technique to grow your speaking career: always anchor your price high.
When someone asks for your fee, say something like: “My normal rate is $10,000 for a two-day session.”
Then pause.
They’ll usually respond: “Oh, we only need you for an hour.”
You reply: “Got it!
My one-hour keynote is $3,500.”
See what happened?
You just positioned yourself as a $10,000 speaker they’re getting for a fraction of the price.
That’s the psychology of price anchoring.
It reframes the conversation around value, not cost.
Tip: Use the Keynote Fee Calculator
If you’re not sure what your fee should be, we built a Keynote Fee Calculator inside the Brand Builders Group member portal to take the awkwardness out of pricing.
The calculator generates a suggested fee for your keynote, half-day, full-day, and two-day sessions based on factors like:
- Your credibility
- Your content quality
- Your delivery skills
- Your marketing materials
- Your reach
It’s an instant confidence boost because you can see exactly how your experience and materials align with your market value.
(If you’re not a Brand Builders Group member yet, this is one of those insider tools that can change your approach to speaking.
Learn more about it by scheduling a free brand call.)
Your Speaking Fees Will Evolve, Here’s What to Expect
The hard pill to swallow is that early on, most of your gigs will be discounted or even free.
And that’s okay!
Every event helps you build your brand, your reputation, and your speaking muscle.
As you grow, your fee will grow too.
And with the right structure, systems, and brand clarity, that growth happens WAY faster…😉
If you want to go deeper into the business of speaking (working with bureaus, setting up contracts, and creating a scalable calendar) check out our Full Keynote Calendar training.
It’s everything we’ve learned from building successful speaking businesses from the ground up.
