Landing more speaking gigs takes more than a polished website, a strong reel, and a place on a speaker bureau’s roster. Buyers need to understand why your message fits their audience and what makes your contribution different. Seth Dechtman of The Keynote Curators brings more than two decades of experience connecting speakers with organizations to his conversation with Kelly. Together, they unpack the gap between having your marketing materials ready and becoming someone buyers want to book.
Seth shares how speakers can start meaningful conversations without sounding desperate for business, communicate their value clearly, and build more collaborative relationships with agencies. He also addresses the pressure to follow trending topics, offering a thoughtful way to stay relevant while remaining grounded in your own expertise and voice. Kelly adds her perspective on the work of finding opportunities and creating an experience for an audience. For speakers who feel prepared but aren’t seeing the bookings they hoped for, this conversation offers a practical look at what may need to change beyond the stage.
The Gig-Getting Insights Inside:
- The gap between having your speaker assets ready and getting into a buyer’s proposal.
- How outreach can invite a conversation or unintentionally create distance.
- Staying relevant to current topics without losing the message that makes you distinct.
- The follow-up habits that can complicate a speaker’s relationship with an agency.
- Creating audience involvement even without an instrument, performance, or elaborate activity.
About the Guest:
Seth Dechtman is the founder and president of The Keynote Curators, helping organizations connect with keynote speakers who align with their audiences, goals, and missions. His work includes curating speakers for brands such as Apple, Amazon, and Coca-Cola. With a background in teaching, basketball coaching, and entrepreneurship, Seth brings a people-first approach to the speaking business. He has lived on four continents, traveled to more than 45 countries, and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.
https://thekeynotecurators.com
Resources
Mistakes Speakers Make and How to Fix Them is a practical mini-course designed to help speakers of all levels identify and overcome the common pitfalls that can hinder their success. Drawing on insights from Kelly Woodhouse’s "Landing the Gig" podcast interviews and her extensive experience as a TEDx and keynote speaker, and bestselling author, this course provides actionable strategies to enhance your speaking impact, open doors to new opportunities, and boost your revenue.
This mini-course is Free for 14-days and after that it will be $199. If you consume it in the 14-day period, then you can keep it forever. https://app.hiro.fm/channel/mini
About Kelly:
Kelly Woodhouse is an award-winning international speaker, bestselling author, publisher, and coach. A burn survivor since the age of 2 on 75% of her body, she transformed a story of near death into one of resilience and triumph. From being called the “scar-faced girl” to gracing the TEDx stage twice, Kelly’s journey has inspired millions worldwide. Her documentary Still Beautiful aired on TV, and her Goalcast video surpassed 10 million views.
Global TV named her one of the Most Inspirational People of 2020. You must ask yourself HOW? How did the scar-faced girl find the strength in her scars? Goalcast Video on fb which has received over 10 million views: https://www.facebook.com/dailygoalcast/videos/566114747146421/
https://www.KellyWoodhouse.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyfalardeau/
https://www.facebook.com/kelly.woodhouse.2025/
https://www.youtube.com/@KellyWoodhouse2
TEDx talk - U.G.L.Y. is Still Beautiful: https://youtu.be/KMBZvjetRqQ?si=V61xjiCxI5tNBL0F
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Music Credit
Our sincere thanks to Raquel Soto for generously allowing us to use "Raise Your Voice (Ink And Impact Awards Theme Song)" as part of this podcast. We are grateful for the opportunity to feature this inspiring music and appreciate her support of the show.