Behold, a Marketing Relic… Speaker One-Sheets!

Take a dive into the conventional business advice for speakers…

… and you’ll probably come across the idea of a “speaker one-sheet.” 

But really, it’s time you put this relic from the past in the same place you put your smelly jelly sandals and your Technotronic Pump Up the Jam tape cassette… in the trash!

(Honestly, speaker one-sheets feel like something from 1989.  Do you still have one?  Maybe you won’t after you read what I have to say.)

This topic came to me from Amanda Kaiser who asked...

“I keep hearing about a speaker one-sheet. No one has ever asked me for one. I’m not sure when I’d use this… is this something I need that could elevate my speaker brand? If you have one, how do you use yours?”

So, let’s dive into those speaker one-sheets and see what’s what…

The Loch Ness Monster of the Speaking World

Ah… the enigmatic one-sheet – like the Loch Ness Monster of the speaking world.  Some swear by its existence and effectiveness, while others, well, not so much.

Honestly, I've always been a bit on the fence about them. Sure, I've got one tucked away somewhere, but it's more like an old photo album – it's nice to have, but I don't bring it out much.

My one-sheet is somewhere on my website, but it hasn’t been updated since 2014 and almost ZERO people have downloaded it or asked me about it in the last ten years. (I imagine that the people who download it are other speakers looking for examples of speaker one-sheets.)

So, why do some experts swear by them?

Well, in her email, Amanda shared an article from a speaker blog that claims speaker one-sheets would “catapult your speaking career to the next level.” 

Basically, the article lists three reasons why speaker one-sheets are so important:

1. They’re a great way to market yourself because they concisely list out what you speak on, your type of speeches, and how you help audiences… all on just the front and back of a single sheet of paper.
2. They make you look like a professional.  Your speaker one-sheet acts like a sort of resume or calling card that you can share with event promoters and producers.  It can even be used for podcasts or other media gigs.
3. Speaker one-sheets are a powerful piece of marketing collateral that can easily be shared with others.  They increase your opportunities by getting you “out there.” 

Is the Article Wrong?

Okay, okay… some of these things may be true. 

A one-sheet can be a handy tool in certain situations. It's like a quick snapshot of who you are and what you bring to the table – a bit like a business card with more flair.

If someone specifically asks for it, it's great to have one at the ready. It's concise, visually appealing, and gives a snapshot of your speaking topics and style.

Here are three big problems with speaker one-sheets you may want to consider…