Helping you start your motivational speaking business and training you to make more money in your motivational speaking career is what I want to do. A question I get all the time is, "James, how do I get paid public speaking jobs?" To find these jobs you just need to know where to look, because these jobs are out there. A few ideas are:

1) Look for organizations that serve the niche you're in. For example in the niche I'm in, I'd take a look at DECA marketing organizations, FCCLA. If you're in the real estate industry, take a look at investor associations, the national board of realtors or even local community associations.

2) Research public speaking opportunities in related associations within your area of expertise. Get the contact information of the conference coordinator even if you weren't hired as their keynote speaker, don't be afraid.

3) Creating a database of potential clients who may be searching for conference speakers in the future can help increase your professional speaking success. You can do this by contacting universities, colleges and professors. Be sure to also try and contact your local speakers bureaus, non-profit organizations, corporations and even libraries.

4) Before starting a public speaking business, you should check the speaker forums for jobs. To help build your credibility as an expert in your niche you may have to take some unpaid jobs. Always remember that the goal is to go higher and higher and not settle on working for free.

5) You'll develop a system to keep track of all the places you'll market yourself to as you figure out how to get books for professional speaking. To provide contact information for organizations and conferences that are hiring motivational speakers the internet is going to be very helpful. You can get a large listing to work with just by searching for "calls for speakers" or "speakers wanted".

6) In order to find all the paying markets in your particular area of expertise you can use directories. Do try to remember however that no directory is complete, but it will help provide enough contact to keep your business up and running. The three main directories that are helpful when trying to do research: The National Trade and Professional Associations Directory, The Directory of Association Meeting Planners and the Directory of Corporate Meeting Planners. They'll make researching your niche easier than ever however these directories do cost a bit to acquire.

7) Referrals are the last source of potential paid public speaking jobs. Building up a network of peers and clients in your area of expertise can create referrals, helping to bring your name to the attention of event coordinators looking to hire. The person who markets first to event coordinator is the one who will get the job when they are ready to hire. Make sure you are the one there first!

One last thing I've got to share with you. Be sure to remember that you can always find the people who have the money you need to pay to hear you speak. With these resources you can get started on researching your particular area of expertise. And once you done a number of gigs, get out there and go after the big money!