Why Watching a Fellow Speaker Can Actually Boost YOUR Business

We speakers have a lot going on...

And it can be tempting to give your speech, shake a few hands, and then head for the hills.

But, instead, you should stick around.

Why?

Well, there are some awesome (and unexpected benefits) to actually sticking around to watch your fellow speakers speak.

This topic came up because I’ve recently had the chance to travel around the country and connect with some of our SpeakingGigs.pro premium members.

For instance, I got to hang out with pal Kris Kelso at an event in Nashville. I'm also meeting another speaker at an upcoming conference in Kansas City.

And, trust me when I say that watching a fellow speaker — and being the best audience member they’ve ever had — can seriously help your career in many ways.

My Years of "Jay-Watching"

If you’ve been around for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about my friend and colleague, Jay Baer.

Today, Jay is an integral part of my referral ring — one of those “inner circle” speakers who regularly refers me for gigs while I do the same for him.

Building Speaker Referral Rings to Increase Your Number of Gigs

Unleash your speaking career’s potential with Referral Rings, a powerful tool to increase referrals and gigs. Learn to build and manage your own network, fostering relationships and success.

SpeakingGigs.ProAndrew Davis

But that hasn’t always been the case...

I first met Jay almost 15 years ago when I was... you guessed it... just a member of his audience.

The first time I saw him, I was amazed at how good he was. The second time I saw him, I came prepared with my notebook and pen. I sat up front and became the most eager audience member ever.

Over time, I got to know Jay better by sharing my amazement of his skill, talking about the content he was delivering, and even engaging in a few friendly debates.

Eventually, we became close friends.

The truth is, being an outstanding audience member as a speaker is one of the easiest ways to build a relationship and to construct the referral business you want.

Speaker-to-speaker referrals are the most underutilized and least talked about strategies of the biz. They work so well because organizers trust speakers’ opinions about other speakers - especially if you’ve been a rockstar speaker at their event in the past.

Today, Jay and I have a reciprocal referral relationship. He refers me. I refer him.

Just yesterday, I received an email from a client looking for a speaker for their event this year... and you guessed it... I referred Jay. Two days before that I had another client reach out indicating that they were considering having Jay speak at their event. The organizer acknowledged that I knew their audience really well, having been a previous speaker. They wanted to know if Jay would be a good fit.

I said yes, because that was the truth. I saw the other speakers who were there, I know their audience, and Jay would fit right in. Then, I sent Jay a quick note to let him know that I gave him a big thumbs up.

Why Speakers Make the Most Powerful (and Profitable) Referrers)

They are better than bureaus, hands down. Once you’ve spoken at an event, interacted with their audience members, and researched what they like, you are the perfect person to say whether another speaker you know well would be a good fit or not.

The funny thing about that second email about Jay’s is that he actually mentioned my name in his discussion document. He said...

"If you want the real scoop about me, just ask Andrew Davis. I know you had him last year."

And so they did. I gave a glowing review as I normally do... because... well, Jay’s awesome.

If you’re going to build your own referral rings, you’ve got to start thinking of this as a business asset. Aim to build a network of speakers who consistently recommend you, and you recommend them.

These are going to be speakers who have experienced your genuine support and kindness. You’ll build a relationship with them over time. They’ll be significantly more likely to refer you because you both stay in touch and have a real relationship.

This is what creates the reciprocity. You don’t have to “ask” to be in a referral ring. Instead, you can start by doing something easy... just be an exceptional audience member.

This creates a natural kind of obligation for others to support you. And, it actually works better than a direct request for a referral to an event.

Unlock Their Closed Network of Referrals

The side benefit here is you get access to their closed network. When you’re supporting an established speaker, it gives you access to their industry connections. These warm introductions are nearly impossible to gain through just cold outreach.

When other speakers view you as a supportive industry peer, you can increase your value to those speakers and earn endorsements that result in real revenue.

Beyond that, there are a bunch of invisible benefits you’ll earn from your time in the audience ranks...

Turn Every Speech You Watch Into a Free Masterclass

When you strategically position yourself as a very active audience member in a session for another speaker, you set yourself up for a masterclass in what works and what doesn’t.

Go into the experience with the goal of saying...

“I’m going to learn XYZ by watching this speaker. I have an open mind.”

It’s also important that you think...

“I’m not jealous of this speaker or envious that they are on the keynote stage.”

(Even if you are feeling some of those feelings, making those declarations to yourself is the first step to adopting a better attitude.)

Then, just sit there and absorb what they are teaching. This real-world learning is more valuable than any other speaker course or training program I’ve ever attended.

When I first started purposefully watching other speakers, I would take furious notes. I would outline how each speech worked... what beats they had... what points they were making.... It all got scribbled down into my notebook until my hand felt like it would turn into one giant cramp. This kind of meticulous observation can be really fruitful for your career.