How to pitch event organisers and land more speaking gigs

Executive overview

Most speaker pitches fail because they lead with "me" instead of "how can I help you." Conference organisers are inundated with cold emails from people who did no research. The fix is a deliberate 8-step process that turns a cold pitch into a warm, relationship-first outreach.

Research the organiser deeply, engage before you ever pitch, and prove your credibility — in that order.

The single shift that unlocks speaking gigs: treat the organiser's problem as your problem before asking for anything.

Narrow your target list before pitching

• Start with a short list of 3–5 events you genuinely want to speak at — not every conference that posts a call for speakers.
• Specificity makes research feasible and pitches far more tailored.

Do serious internet research on the organiser

• Don't stop at the conference website — find the company behind it.
• Search LinkedIn for the events team; identify the specific person managing speakers.
• Read what they post and share: it reveals priorities the application form never will.
• Example: an events manager's LinkedIn post asking for diverse analytics speakers told Annika exactly what angle to pitch — even though she wasn't an analytics engineer.

Engage and be helpful before you pitch

• Follow organisers on social and respond genuinely to their posts — weeks or months before pitching.
• If they ask for speaker recommendations, nominate someone else first; generosity is memorable.
• When sending a LinkedIn connection request, write a human, context-specific note referencing the exact post you saw — not a generic template.

Find the organiser's personal email

• Generic conference inboxes go to a whole team; personal emails get read.
• Tools like RocketReach (free tier: ~5 lookups/month) can surface a direct address from a LinkedIn profile.

Check for mutual contacts

• Comb through the organiser's LinkedIn connections for people you both know.
• A name-drop with context ("we worked together at X") immediately lowers the stranger barrier.

Be curious — ask questions instead of assuming

• Many conferences have no formal application process; many don't want speakers from your category. Ask before assuming.
• A subject line like "Is there an application process?" is easy to answer and opens a dialogue.
• Use the word "this" with a hyperlink to relevant content you've shared — it creates curiosity and proves engagement.
• A casual ask after months of genuine engagement ("Any chance you need another copywriting speaker?") can work better than a formal pitch.

Write pitches that lead with value, not self-promotion

• Reference the organiser's specific goals or past content to show you did your homework.
• Build on what previous speakers covered rather than competing with them: "I have a few methods that go beyond Joanna's talk."
• Soft-pitch yourself at the end, not the top — after establishing a connection and offering something useful.
• End with a question to keep the conversation open.

Prove you can deliver

• Speaker page essentials: photos, a talk video, and attendee testimonials (verbatim quotes work well).
• No video yet? Use a blog post, podcast episode, or any written work that demonstrates subject-matter authority.
• First-time speakers should prove they know the topic, not just that they want the stage.

Play the long game

• Not getting accepted the first time is normal — many organisers book speakers in a second or third year.
• Use interim steps: attend the conference, guest-post on their blog, appear on their podcast.
• Each touchpoint builds familiarity that makes the next pitch warmer.