Wanna know something really scary?
Forget Halloween horror movies… the truly terrifying thing is how many speakers miss this one deadline.
It’s an important deadline on their annual calendar that could make or break their 2026. The deadline is pretty simple, really…
While most speakers are scrambling to file their final 2025 dates, it's only the most professional and successful speakers who are already well into mapping out their 2026.
The SpeakerFlow State of the Industry Report indicates that approximately 75% of professional speakers earn less than $120,000 annually, while around 25% earn less than $43,000. Only a tiny fraction of speakers earn more than that.
Andrew Davis
So, what’s the difference between the struggling majority and the thriving few? For me, it's that the most successful speakers are setting and pursuing clear annual goals… and they’re setting them in October.
If you don’t have revenue goals, you’re not running a business. You just have a hobby that occasionally pays. I know that most speakers say they have revenue-related issues – either sustainability or consistency – and that creates a lot of anxiety.
I get it.
But if you’re going into 2026 without financial targets, it’s virtually guaranteeing that you’re going to have those feelings.
Andrew Davis
Why October Isn’t Just Pumpkin Spice Season
October is a particularly critical month to set revenue goals due to the way the event planning cycle operates. Look six months ahead and you’re looking at busy (at least, for me) months like March, April, and May.
Event planners are booking speakers for those events starting right now… in October… before the holiday madness hits, when everyone’s calendar looks like a game of Tetris played by a caffeinated toddler.
Granted, virtual events have a shorter timeline, closer to three months. But still, that’s a January virtual event right there.
The inquiries you’re fielding now for the first half of 2026 should align with your goals for next year—even though many people are still making decisions based on the urgency and pressure they’re feeling in 2025.
Professional speakers who are booking 50 gigs annually aren’t just accidentally successful.
You can also think of this concept from the corporate client’s point of view…
Right now, they’re finalizing their 2026 event budgets between October and December. When you have a conversation with them about their upcoming gig, it’s vital that you confidently quote your new 2026 fee.
According to the SpeakerFlow research, 65% of speakers charge under $5,000. So, if you’re going to increase your fees, you need to start now… in October. And quote those fees for any gigs that happen in January, February, March, or April.
Andrew Davis
The Scary Stuff That Happens If You Don’t Set Goals Now
If you miss this critical deadline and don’t consider your revenue goals in October, you risk three big problems.
