How to Start a Motivational Speaking Business in Kenya

Do you love speaking in front of a crowd, inspiring people and have a likeable personality?

Then you should consider starting a business as a motivational speaker.

Everyone likes a passionate speaker who motivates them to accomplish what seems impossible and fuels them with hope.

Motivational speaking is also a business which once you get right, you’ll reap a lot of rewards while leaving an impact on people’s lives.

Big names like Robin Sharma and Zig Ziglar have all built a strong brand in this industry and so can you.

*So how much are motivational speakers paid in Kenya?*

*Wale Akinyemi*

He is a top rated motivational speaker, business strategist, consultant, newspaper columnist and has authored a number of books.

The fee for speakers in Wale’s category is between Shs.100,000 and sh.150,000 per hour. This amount can go up depending on the client.

*Sunny Bindra*

Another highly rated inspirational speaker who doubles up as a management consultant,educator, columnist and board advisor.

His take home is not less than Sh.100,000 per hour.

*Pepe Minambo*

The public speaker and a columnist with the Nairobian charges corporates between Ksh.80,000 and Ksh.100,000 per hour for corporate gigs.

His other charges are:

SMEs and mid-size companies – between Sh.60,000 and Sh.80,000 per hour.

Schools – Ksh.25,000 and Ksh.30,000 per hour.

*Dr. Ayub Nteng’a PhD*

A mentor, emotional intelligence authority, writer, life coach and happiness therapist.

Dr. Ayub Nteng’a motivational speeches will leave you feeling so good about yourself even when the odds are stacked against you.

He has established his name among the best of the best in the professional speaking field. Dr. Ntenga charges range from Ksh.60,000 to Ksh.80,000 per hour.

*Ngugi wa Thiongo*

While he does not reside in Kenya, Ngugi spirit lives with us through his thought provoking novels.

His pay dwarfs that of his counterparts in Kenya by far. He charges USD 20,000 (roughly Ksh.2 million at current rate) for international speaking engagement.

*Here are the basics of starting out a motivational speaker business;*

For beginners, a motivational speaker is someone who has mastered a certain subject or undergone a difficult experience that has elevated him/her into a better person.

They have a way with words that will push an audience to want to maximise their potential.

Corporates and learning institutions use these speakers to bring the best out of their employees.

It is worth mentioning that we have different types of speakers-though some see themselves as all rounded.

Here is how they can be classified:

*1. Personal development*

The most common type of speakers we have in the country. They mostly talk of their situation and how they overcame adversity to reach the pinnacle of their career which has a profound effect on the audience.

*2. Business*

A speaker in this field is knowledgeable on matters business. He rejuvenates business executives and sales people to give their best.

3. We also have *youth mentors* and *community speakers.*

*How to become a motivational speaker*

*Knowing your area of expertise:* You cannot be a jack of all trades. Define your area of expertise and let that be your speciality. If you have knowledge in business, then it becomes easy when you give talks around that subject.

*Sharpen your public speaking skills*

Most of us have a story to tell but how to tell it in front of a crowd is the biggest challenge.

Oratorical skills require practice.

You can start in front of your family and graduate slowly to a small school as you gain confidence to tackle bigger crowds.

We also have schools that offer public speaking courses.

*Who is your target audience*

Important to know who you are targeting. Once you know this, it becomes easy to know what you should work on.

*Presence online *

Social media platforms are an effective marketing tool every motivational speaker should have.

When you apply for a gig, chances are very high that whoever is potentially giving you a job will check you online.

*Getting Started*

One advantage of being a motivational speaker is you do not need hundreds of thousands to start.

The major capital you need to invest in is yourself.

Start by identifying your area of expertise depending on your back ground, interest and expertise.

Some places that are most receptive to motivational speakers are;

*Schools (primary, high school and university)

*Corporates

*Churches, etc

You also need to fully invest in yourself and your skills by;

*Developing public speaking skills:* strong public speaking skills are a must have for any motivational speaker. You can invest in some lessons and tutorials on public speaking and even though you won’t be perfect overnight, practice makes perfect.

*Gain experience:* become an expert in your field by going to school, gaining work experience and trying out new opportunities. Successful speakers have gone through success and failures then talk about what they have learnt during their speaking engagements.

*Maximize on your life story:* life stories draw people in and make you more relatable.

*Build your Networks*

Networks and recommendations are what will take you far in this business. Build your networks by joining professional speaking organizations, reaching out to various trade groups, schools and corporates and joining reputable clubs and societies like Rotary.

Market yourself to your networks by creating and sharing business cards, brochures and having a website which should include testimonials and short clips from your presentations.

*Build your Brand*

Every professional needs to intentionally build a reputable personal brand.

However, motivational speakers should take their brand seriously since that is what will sell you.

Before you start building your personal brand, take time to think about who you are, what you have achieved and how you want others to see you.

To get your brand out there, have professional headshot images of yourself taken, build your online presence through branded social media pages and a personal website.

With time you can also venture into other fields. Most successful speakers are also authors, T.V show hosts, etc.

*Set a Speaking Fee Rate*

Determining what your speaking fee should be can be so stressful especially because when starting out, you may have to do some speaking engagements for free.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself before choosing a speaking fee rate;

Will travel expenses be included? What will be the mode of transport?

What audience am I speaking to? Speaking to experienced professionals for example will definitely cost more than a speaking engagement with high school students.

Is accommodation covered? As a motivational speaker, you have to travel a lot. Set your accommodation standards from the beginning and don’t accept anything that is not decent.

What’s the audience size?

Whatever you do, make sure you do not work for free for too long and don’t underprice yourself.

However, the more times you speak, the better you get, the more you should charge.

If you are an author or have DVD’s of your talks, you can sell them during the events.

*Get Registered*

After you have everything ready, register your company and get the relevant licenses.

You also need to get certified by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) to have an edge in the industry.

*Final Word*

Would you venture into motivational speaking as a business?

I leave that for you to decide.

Meanwhile, don’t forget to join our training on Investing for Beginners.

We only have 3 days remaining to start out training on Investing for Beginners.

Have you ever wondered how the rich grew their wealth to an exponential point and yet it keeps on growing?

Do you aspire to become a successful investor? Or perhaps you aspire to become financially free and retire early?.

Do you want to learn what it takes to start investing?

By

Timothy Angwenyi
Business Consultant

Justine Nyachieo
Business Man & Mentor

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