Association & Society Speakers Community - ASSC

08/26/2026

Planners are telling speakers exactly what they buy.

I reviewed the selection criteria for several current 2027 conferences across automotive, construction, tourism and professional associations.

The language varies, but the requirements are remarkably consistent:

Solve a specific audience problem
Provide practical, usable outcomes
Include evidence, examples or case studies
Understand the industry
Create an engaging experience
Leave the sales pitch at home

The problem for many speakers isn’t their topic.

It’s that their positioning and outreach don’t make the audience connection clear enough.

“Leadership” is broad.

“Helping construction project leaders reduce communication failures across contractors, owners and design teams” gives a planner something they can evaluate.

Finding an event is only the first step. You also need to understand why your work fits that particular organization and communicate that relevance clearly.

08/24/2026

Want to sell more effectively to association decision-makers?

Start by understanding what an association CEO’s workday actually looks like—and the competing priorities your proposal must overcome.

This week, Ed and I will reveal what association CEOs pay attention to, what speakers often misunderstand and how to position yourself as a valuable resource rather than another vendor.

Join us live: Inside an Association CEO’s Workday: Sell More Effectively.

https://www.linkedin.com/events/7497645444517310466?viewAsMember=true

08/18/2026

Most professional speakers pursue national conferences. But the national association may represent only one opportunity.

Many associations and societies have dozens of state chapters—each with its own conferences, meetings, professional-development programs and decision-makers.

That makes state chapters one of the most overlooked markets for professional speakers.

Join Aidan Crawford and Ed Rigsbee for a practical conversation about how speakers can identify, approach and build relationships with these organizations.

We’ll explore:

• Why state chapters can be easier to access than national associations
• How to identify chapters that regularly hire professional speakers
• Who typically influences or makes the hiring decision
• How one engagement can lead to introductions across multiple states
• How to turn chapter speaking into a repeatable national growth strategy

If you want to uncover more speaking opportunities without competing for the same handful of national conferences, this session will give you a new market to explore—and a practical way to approach it.

https://www.linkedin.com/events/7495491986192297984?viewAsMember=true

08/16/2026

Learn the tactical 5-5-5-5 prospecting method to stand out from AI-generated noise. Discover how combining emails, voicemails, and LinkedIn 'relationship bank deposits' creates consistency and helps you reach key decision-makers more effectively.
https://sendspark.com/share/xjfaq972yh95sn5k1lv9k97kt4lgx1pt

08/05/2026

What are speaker buyers really looking for—and what makes them confident enough to say yes?

Later today, I’m joining Ed Rigsbee, CSP, for a LinkedIn Live conversation about Understanding the Speaker Hiring Decision Maker Mindset.

Ed will explain how buyers evaluate speakers and how you can better align your positioning, programs and value with what the market wants.

Join us live

Login to LinkedIn to keep in touch with people you know, share ideas, and build your career.

07/15/2026

What are you doing at 1:30pm ET today?
https://www.linkedin.com/events/7483180098460999680?viewAsMember=true

06/10/2026

Why Les Brown Says You Need "Cauliflower Ear" to Succeed in Sales

Discover why active prospecting is non-negotiable. This clip shares a humorous story about Les Brown’s 'cauliflower ear' and explains how to combine phone calls with highly customized emails to stand out to decision-makers and land more speaking gigs.

Watch the full 30 minutes on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF4FWnh9Q30

06/03/2026

Most professional speakers do not have a visibility problem.

They have a pipeline problem.

They are posting on LinkedIn. Updating their websites. Asking for referrals. Going to conferences. Checking the occasional call for speakers.

And every once in a while, something lands.

But that’s the problem.

“Every once in a while” is not a business development strategy.

It’s hope with a calendar.

Read the rest of the article on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/speakers-dont-need-more-random-resources-pipeline-aidan-crawford-jivcf

05/04/2026

Report: Associations Struggling With Member Engagement

Growthzone’s annual benchmarking report suggests that that leaders can do more to regain lapsed members and speed renewals. A new survey of association leaders found that many groups are lax about pursuing renewal and engagement strategies for current and lapsed members. The annual Association Rep...

05/04/2026

A Top CEO’s Playbook for Association Leaders

Associations aren’t Apple. But Tim Cook’s tenure has a few lessons for what leadership of any sort looks like. There isn’t much that associations have in common with Apple. Associations generally aren’t typically in the business of manufacturing, don’t have to appeal to the masses, or have...