How to Be as Brilliant on Paper as You Are IRL

This time of year, I sort through (literally) hundreds of #keynotespeaker applications for next year's Women Entrepreneurs Inc programming.

I start with the talk title. Bad talk titles eliminate 85% of my list, which gives me a more manageable number of applications to review 🧐

If the talk title grabs me (= catchy + relevant) I move to the Speaker Bio. I scan for keywords like value statements, press mentions, and awards which instill confidence in me (and my future audience) that she believes in herself and so should I.

If I see the words I'm looking for, I click on her website. I immediately move to the next candidate if any of the following are true (and sadly, they often are):

❌ Dated, poor design that was clearly a DIY effort gone wrong
❌ Awkward business stock photography or unrelated images like paint splatters or butterflies
❌ Blurry photos, layout mishaps, or broken links
❌ A link to your company page that has no information about you as a speaker or thought leader

Next, if your website is as compelling as your talk title and bio, I begin building the event ad in my head with you at the center:

✅ Do you have a professional headshot that exudes energy and warmth?
✅ Does your company name have authority? (❌ "Melissa's Marketing Services")
✅ Do you own a trademark, have you written a book, or are you involved in other value-aligned activities like mentorship of other women?

💣 At this point, I'm ultimately asking myself, will my audience find you worthy of their time?

#Speakers, follow these 3 steps to be as brilliant on paper as you are IRL:

#1 Talk Title(s): Make them clever and relevant, not cryptic or generic.

#2 Speaker Bio: Distill it down to the most concise and compelling version it can be. (PS - No one cares that you have a cat 😻!)

#3 Website: Hire a photographer and/or work with a web professional.